Fire Overreaction

Hey, got the package thanks!!! I am so super stoked for smores you have no idea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So funny story. This week we were teaching a lesson to some kids (super cute kids- they are getting baptized si o si). And we were trying to draw out the Plan of Salvacion with them, but there was lots of smoke (we usually teach lessons outside in the yard because inside is way too hot). So we look and there is a fire in the field across the street. Then a tree caught on fire and we were like "oh my gosh! should we do something?" But all the neighbors were just standing there super chill and a couple guys throwing buckets of water on the fire. And we`re like "isn't someone going to call the fire department?" so we called. And by the time they arrived the neighbors had already put out the fire. Haha oops... sorry if we overreacted a little bit..

So this week we had a Regional Conference and Elder Bednar spoke which was super amazing. He talked about repentance. And it was interesting because in another one of his talks that we read recently he said that someone can do all the steps of repentance (recognize, confess, ask forgiveness, not do it again, etc) without actually repenting. If in the process of repentance we forget that we have to come unto CHRIST, then our repentance wasn't real. And yesterday he was saying how the most important part of repentance is just that-- come unto Christ. Repentance has two parts: 1. Come unto Christ, and 2. Leave behind your sins. And many times, we think we have to leave behind our sins BEFORE we can come unto Christ, before we can come back to church, before we can read our scriptures or say our prayers. But thats backwards. We have to FIRST come unto Christ. And then he gives us the STRENGTH to overcome our weaknesses.

Sorry out of time! I love you all!! I think you are amazing!! Keep sharing the gospel and serving others!!!

Love,
Hermana Urie

Great People

So we are finding some great people here in Villa Elisa!! We`ve started teaching these 2 teenage sisters that are super chulina!! (I means cute, but I think it's just a Paraguay word, not a regular Spanish thing). They couldn't come to church yesterday because they were traveling out to the campaña (middle of nowhere) for their grandfathers birthday, but this week si o si!! Also we have another investigator, Rosa, that is super interested. She`s not sure yet if the church is true but she understands super well and wants to learn more, so we`re helping her out.
Oh and Cristian.. Well he came to church yesterday. He seems to like coming to church, but he`s got a LOT of opposition from his family and he doesn't quite seem to understand the apostacy and restoration, so he doesn't understand why he needs to be baptized again or how our church is different from all the rest. We`ve taught him that like 3 times already, so now we`re looking for a different approach to teach him (if we can ever find a woman to go with us, because we cant teach guys alone)... we`re basically just putting him into the Lord`s hands and praying that everything will work out..

Well that`s about it for this week! Hope you all had fun in Cali and the cousin sleepover! Happy first birthday Emma!!!
Love you!
Hermana Urie

p.s. mom asked about changes, it's true they are coming up! in 9 days, so I`ll let you know in 2 weeks what happened!!

One Year in the Mission!!

So not much new stuff this week. We`re still working with investigators, trying to help them progress. So Christian (our investigator that was coming to church) has stopped coming to church but comes to the activities on Wednesday and the baptisms on Saturday, so we aren`t quite sure what is going on there, but we`ll figure it out! And we`re finding some new people, but really not much to report in the way of investigators this week. Probably because this week has been a bit crazy and we haven't had tons of time out teaching..

Tuesday and Friday were great because we had the whole day to work and we worked hard! but Wednesday we had a Zone Training Meeting in the morning. And then in the afternoon we had to go to Asuncion because my back is having issues. So we talked to the doctor about going to a chiropractor and adjusting my back, but he said he wanted me to try some exercises first... so that's what I`ve been doing for the last week, but my back has started hurting more since I started the exercises, so we`ll see! I have a check up appointment this week so hopefully this time he will send me to a chiropractor! haha

And then Thursday we had divisions and I went to Fernando de la Mora for the day! They had a baptismal interview for a super awesome investigator who got baptized Saturday!

And Saturday the other Hermanas in our district had a baptism and we brought our investigator (Christian) to that. And then Sunday we weren't feeling well, so basically a week of craziness.

Sorry it`s so short but that`s about it for this week!! Love you all!!! (even though you went to California without me... haha just kidding! :)

Have a great week!!!

Love,

Hermana Urie

Back in Zona 4!

In the same zone as Hermana Mills!!! (one of my comps from the MTC)

Me and my current companion (Hna. Valle).. and our zone leaders

Kind of Whitewashing

Hello mi familia!!

So I realize I haven`t updated much on the new area, sorry about that, this change started out a bit rough and things have been a little crazy!

So I got here to Villa Elisa and we basically had no investigators whatsoever. The investigators the missionaries were working with before weren't progressing or going to church or anything, so it was like we were whitewashing the area (when both the companions are new to the area) and starting from scratch when I got here, but with the advantage that my comp already knows the streets and the members, so that's nice. So the first couple weeks were a bit hard trying to find new people to teach, but we have some great investigators now that we are working with.

One of our investigators, Christian (15 years old), we contacted my second day here and he came to church that Sunday- miracle! The problem is it is super difficult to teach him because we cant teach guys if there isn't a woman, and we cant find anyone to go with us during the week in the night (which is when he is home). So he`s come to church and the elder`s baptism and everything, but we`ve only taught him twice. And both times were interesting... the first time he was super ADD and we couldn't get him to focus and understand what we were teaching. Aaand afterward we figured out that the father of the young woman that we chose to bring with us had an affair with our investigator`s mom a couple years back.... what are the chances?! oops... awkward...

And the second lesson wasn't much better. We brought a member (a sister from relief society this time), but I think she got a little excited and started talking a little bit about everything in the church. We were going to focus on baptism and the priesthood, but we went a little off into Joseph Smith, the plan of salvation, temples, the spirit world, bugs nibbling at the spirits of those who didn't get baptized in this life (don't ask, just... don't ask), baptisms for the dead, callings in the church... etc.etc. I think we left him with more questions than we answered. Just remember, when you share the gospel, it`s "line upon line, precept upon precept"-- basically little by little, be super simple, don't scare them. But he came back to church the next day, so I guess the Lord is taking care of him.

We also have some other new investigators. They haven't been able to come to church yet, but this next week we are hoping that they will. One is a mother, Liz, and her daughter, Janny. They are super prepared! Every time we share with them from the first time we clapped at their house (remember we don't knock, we clap here in Paraguay), the Spirit has been so strong. We can tell Liz has had a lot of trials in her life that have brought her closer to Christ. And after we shared the story of the Restoration, I asked her how she felt as she heard it, and she said she felt hope. They are amazing and totally going to come to church this week (pray!) and going to get baptized and go to the celestial kingdom!! Well thats what I`m hoping for anyway.

Well that's about it for this week. Love you all and I hope everything is going great!!! Chao!

Love,

Hermana Urie