...are this week!! How fast that went by! We won't know until tomorrow what's gonna happen, so I`ll let you know next week. Maybe I stay, maybe I go, maybe yo entreno (train)... haha we`ll see what happens.
Alright, so I don`t have much time this week but I'll give you some random highleightes:
We had divisions with the Sister Trainer leaders Wednesday! fun, learned a lot. They are adorable and super great missionaries.
Also, we have a rat in our apartment. I saw it last night. we're gonna but a rat trap today if we can find one and trap it. Its name is Gustavo. (oh did I tell you about the 2 spiders that are always in the corner on the ceiling in the shower-- the bigger one is Alberto and the smaller one is Freddy :) ) and that scream that the women always make in the movies when they see a rat. I always thought "wow that scream is so fake, no one actually mkes that noise".... well yesterday I made that noise. It`s apparently the "rat scream" haha
We had an investigator in church yesterday!!!! yay!!
Anyway, no tengo mas tiempo...
love you!!
Hermana Urie
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Wednesday, January 22, 2014
Almost End of the Cambio
Alright, sorry there wasn't actually a letter last week. an hour is not enough time to write everyone that I want to write and I decided to write mom and dad first. but the rest of you know that I still love you all TONS!!
Alright, so I cant believe we`re already almost to the end of the cambio!! 1 more week. and Hna. Lossa si or si is going to leave, because this area is way too small to be here for more than 3 cambios.
So these last couple weeks have been a little hard, because everyone is always leaving on vacation and no one is here during the summer. ¡que dificil! haha but we`ve been finding lots of new people that aren`t leaving on vacation, so thats good.
Alright, so I don't really have anything else to say... every week is basically the same... but this last week the other hermanas in our ward had a baptism!!!! so exciting!!!!
love you all tons!!!
Hermana Urie
Alright, so I cant believe we`re already almost to the end of the cambio!! 1 more week. and Hna. Lossa si or si is going to leave, because this area is way too small to be here for more than 3 cambios.
So these last couple weeks have been a little hard, because everyone is always leaving on vacation and no one is here during the summer. ¡que dificil! haha but we`ve been finding lots of new people that aren`t leaving on vacation, so thats good.
Alright, so I don't really have anything else to say... every week is basically the same... but this last week the other hermanas in our ward had a baptism!!!! so exciting!!!!
love you all tons!!!
Hermana Urie
Tuesday, January 14, 2014
No Crosswalks
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| Our Christmas with a sister in the ward. |
Don't have time for more. love you all!!
Monday, January 6, 2014
¡el tiempo esta volando!
Dear familia,
Time is seriously flyin by out here!! This cambio is already half way over! And I have a feeling that after this cambio I might train... we`ll see. But I`ll almost definitely get a new companion because this area is super small so no one is ever here for more than 3 cambios. Hna Lossa has already contacted practically every house, multiple times in her time here and already knows basically the whole neighborhood. We`ll be passing a house and she`s like "we taught the lady that lives in this house like 2 times but shes super catholic and doesn't want to give up the virgen. Her name is Estella and she has 3 kids and works..." okay so not always that detailed, but I`m really not exaggerating that much. So yeah, we think shes gonna be transferred this next change.
and... oh yeah!! Feliz Año Nuevo!!! The new year here is basically bigger than Christmas. There were firework ALL NIGHT LONG and nobody was in the streets January 1. Lots of people were traveling. So this week was pretty bad for lessons, but hey, that's okay, and this week we`re gonna teach "a full"!! (don't ask me, its a phrase all the missionaries use here to say "a lot")
¡¡¡¡FELIZ CUMPLEAÑOS SCOTT!!!! hope its a good one. Oh and funny story, everyone here opens their Christmas presents on January 6... I dunno.. something about kings??
And spiritual-ish thought for the week. Yesterday was fast Sunday right. so people were bearing their testimonies and at the end the bishop stood up and bore his testimony and gave goals or something for the ward- like we`re gonna start on time, participate more in activities, fulfill callings, get temple recommends and go to the temple more this year.. etc, etc. buenas cosas. and he also said something I really liked. He said (more or less) "we all say how the gospel brings us happiness. so this year, let`s make a goal to be happy. let`s ...esforzarnos..(I dunno in English, like put forth the effort, strive, something like that) to be happy this year, no matter what problems or trials we have. We have the gospel and help from Christ, so everything will be fine." and that`s my challenge for all of you!! Life is always going to be full of trials. that`s the point, so we can learn and improve. but the point is also "for men to have joy" (2 Nefi 2:25). So we need to be happy even when we have trials because we`re always gonna have trials, so if we wait until we don't have trials we`ll never be happy. and it actually is a lot in your attitude. just.. ¡sea feliz, no mas!
So yeah, that's it for this week. love you!!! See you in 1 year and 1 month!!
Hermana Urie
Time is seriously flyin by out here!! This cambio is already half way over! And I have a feeling that after this cambio I might train... we`ll see. But I`ll almost definitely get a new companion because this area is super small so no one is ever here for more than 3 cambios. Hna Lossa has already contacted practically every house, multiple times in her time here and already knows basically the whole neighborhood. We`ll be passing a house and she`s like "we taught the lady that lives in this house like 2 times but shes super catholic and doesn't want to give up the virgen. Her name is Estella and she has 3 kids and works..." okay so not always that detailed, but I`m really not exaggerating that much. So yeah, we think shes gonna be transferred this next change.
and... oh yeah!! Feliz Año Nuevo!!! The new year here is basically bigger than Christmas. There were firework ALL NIGHT LONG and nobody was in the streets January 1. Lots of people were traveling. So this week was pretty bad for lessons, but hey, that's okay, and this week we`re gonna teach "a full"!! (don't ask me, its a phrase all the missionaries use here to say "a lot")
¡¡¡¡FELIZ CUMPLEAÑOS SCOTT!!!! hope its a good one. Oh and funny story, everyone here opens their Christmas presents on January 6... I dunno.. something about kings??
And spiritual-ish thought for the week. Yesterday was fast Sunday right. so people were bearing their testimonies and at the end the bishop stood up and bore his testimony and gave goals or something for the ward- like we`re gonna start on time, participate more in activities, fulfill callings, get temple recommends and go to the temple more this year.. etc, etc. buenas cosas. and he also said something I really liked. He said (more or less) "we all say how the gospel brings us happiness. so this year, let`s make a goal to be happy. let`s ...esforzarnos..(I dunno in English, like put forth the effort, strive, something like that) to be happy this year, no matter what problems or trials we have. We have the gospel and help from Christ, so everything will be fine." and that`s my challenge for all of you!! Life is always going to be full of trials. that`s the point, so we can learn and improve. but the point is also "for men to have joy" (2 Nefi 2:25). So we need to be happy even when we have trials because we`re always gonna have trials, so if we wait until we don't have trials we`ll never be happy. and it actually is a lot in your attitude. just.. ¡sea feliz, no mas!
So yeah, that's it for this week. love you!!! See you in 1 year and 1 month!!
Hermana Urie
.jpg) |
| my last district in Reducto (the second cambio) |
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| me holding a bird |
.jpg) |
| me holding another bird and yes it is biting me in this picture. the other one bit me too, but not hard so its fine. |
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| me, hna. espinoza, and an investigator |
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| same thing.... she is golden, probably got baptized last week or will this week!! but I don't know yet, because we don't have contact with our previous areas.. :( |
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| same thing.. she`s probably already baptized now too, but again, don't know yet, I`ll keep you updated when I hear more! |
Friday, January 3, 2014
La Floresta
Alright, so as I told you on Christmas, I am now in my second area! La Floresta. It`s a lot more city than Reducto, but so far I like it. The ward is bit bigger, but most of them are in the area of the other hermanas, so we only have like 3 families and 2 hermanas in our area! So I don't really know most of the ward yet, but it`s coming along.
And I`m done with training!! por fin!! and I have a new companion. She is latina again!! yay!!! I`m gonna learn so much Spanish!! Her name is Hermana Lossa, she is from Colombia, and she joined the church 3 years ago, and she`s been in the mission for 1 year (i am so glad that i`m not training yet. so not ready! but hermana Thacker- my companion from the MTC- and 3 other hermanas that came in our group are training now!!! crazy!!!). And Hna. Lossa is awesome! I`ve already learned a ton from her. And she`s very talkative and speaks hardly any English, so that`s really good for my Spanish!
So La Floresta.. We have a lot of great investigators that we are working with and that are progressing, so we`re hoping to have some baptisms in January and February!! Our 2 biggest problems right are are getting people to come to church, and there are a lot youth that want to be baptized but their parents won't give them permission. but lots of progressing and eventually our investigators will come to church. We have faith!!
Christmas!!
We had dinner with a member family and I talked to you guys, and the rest of the time was the regular teaching and contacting in the streets of Paraguay. In the heat. It`s weird for me to be sweating in the sun on Christmas instead of freezing, wrapped up in a blanket with hot chocolate and snow outside. but great experiences. and Friday we had a mission activity. Hiked a hill (probably the only significantly sized hill in Paraguay-haha but seriously), played games, had a white elephant present thing (mine and Hermana Lossa`s presents were hilarous!!), and got really, really sunburned. I don`t know how hot it was, but definitely over 100 (there was a sign with the temperature, but i think it was lying because it said anywhere from 48-56 degrees Celsius, which is about 120-134 degrees Fahrenheit. And I don't think it was quite that hot)
What else happened... oh I hand washed some of my clothes for the first time, I`m super blonde because of the sun, and super tan, we have random sudden rain storms- and these are like seriously rain storms, less than 10 seconds and you are completely drenched-, I am loving the mission, and I got to talk with my wonderful family on Christmas!!!! I actually did not cry after talking with you guys like I thought I was going to, so yay, blessings..
and that`s it. love you!! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas and happy new year!!!!!
Love,
Hermana Urie
p.s. oh yeah, all of Tuesday and Wednesday there were basically constant fireworks, but luckily I can sleep through anything!!
And I`m done with training!! por fin!! and I have a new companion. She is latina again!! yay!!! I`m gonna learn so much Spanish!! Her name is Hermana Lossa, she is from Colombia, and she joined the church 3 years ago, and she`s been in the mission for 1 year (i am so glad that i`m not training yet. so not ready! but hermana Thacker- my companion from the MTC- and 3 other hermanas that came in our group are training now!!! crazy!!!). And Hna. Lossa is awesome! I`ve already learned a ton from her. And she`s very talkative and speaks hardly any English, so that`s really good for my Spanish!
So La Floresta.. We have a lot of great investigators that we are working with and that are progressing, so we`re hoping to have some baptisms in January and February!! Our 2 biggest problems right are are getting people to come to church, and there are a lot youth that want to be baptized but their parents won't give them permission. but lots of progressing and eventually our investigators will come to church. We have faith!!
Christmas!!
We had dinner with a member family and I talked to you guys, and the rest of the time was the regular teaching and contacting in the streets of Paraguay. In the heat. It`s weird for me to be sweating in the sun on Christmas instead of freezing, wrapped up in a blanket with hot chocolate and snow outside. but great experiences. and Friday we had a mission activity. Hiked a hill (probably the only significantly sized hill in Paraguay-haha but seriously), played games, had a white elephant present thing (mine and Hermana Lossa`s presents were hilarous!!), and got really, really sunburned. I don`t know how hot it was, but definitely over 100 (there was a sign with the temperature, but i think it was lying because it said anywhere from 48-56 degrees Celsius, which is about 120-134 degrees Fahrenheit. And I don't think it was quite that hot)
What else happened... oh I hand washed some of my clothes for the first time, I`m super blonde because of the sun, and super tan, we have random sudden rain storms- and these are like seriously rain storms, less than 10 seconds and you are completely drenched-, I am loving the mission, and I got to talk with my wonderful family on Christmas!!!! I actually did not cry after talking with you guys like I thought I was going to, so yay, blessings..
and that`s it. love you!! Hope you had a wonderful Christmas and happy new year!!!!!
Love,
Hermana Urie
p.s. oh yeah, all of Tuesday and Wednesday there were basically constant fireworks, but luckily I can sleep through anything!!
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Last Week of Training
So this week... was my last week of training.. what?! yes!! haha. tomorrow they tell us about cambios, if I stay, if I go, if I train... I´m kinda terrified to train I am SO not ready. But if that is what the Lord wants, I guess I will do it. and wednesday morning we switch! Its gonna be weird not to be with Hermana Espinoza and have a new companion, but I´m excited for a new experience. I´ll let you know next week what happens! dun, dun, dun, dun....
And the good news of this week is... OUR INVESTIGATORS CAME TO CHURCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 3 of them!!!! One of them comes every week- they´re just waiting for the girls divorce papers to come so they can get married and he can get baptized. and another already knows its true and loves it all, she just needs 2 more times in church before she can get baptized. and the other is diligently searching an answer todavia...uh.. still
We were so excited!! and we found some more menos activos that want to come back to church and have her kids baptized. so we´re gonna work with them too! Well.. whoever stays here will work with them. I don´t wanna leave! And then again I do.. Change is good, and I can have like a new start but with more experience and the ability to actually understand and kinda speak spanish.. but i love the people here and I dont want to leave them! there is more work to be done here in Reducto. I´m so torn... the good thing is I will not be the one making the choice. I will go wherever the lord needs me, and be both happy and sad no matter which thing happens.
Well, thats it. Love you all!!
Talk to you soon :)
Hermana Urie
And the good news of this week is... OUR INVESTIGATORS CAME TO CHURCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 3 of them!!!! One of them comes every week- they´re just waiting for the girls divorce papers to come so they can get married and he can get baptized. and another already knows its true and loves it all, she just needs 2 more times in church before she can get baptized. and the other is diligently searching an answer todavia...uh.. still
We were so excited!! and we found some more menos activos that want to come back to church and have her kids baptized. so we´re gonna work with them too! Well.. whoever stays here will work with them. I don´t wanna leave! And then again I do.. Change is good, and I can have like a new start but with more experience and the ability to actually understand and kinda speak spanish.. but i love the people here and I dont want to leave them! there is more work to be done here in Reducto. I´m so torn... the good thing is I will not be the one making the choice. I will go wherever the lord needs me, and be both happy and sad no matter which thing happens.
Well, thats it. Love you all!!
Talk to you soon :)
Hermana Urie
Monday, December 9, 2013
Thinking in Spanish
¡hola familia!
alright, time is seriously flying by. in one week i will have been out for 4 months!! what?! yeah, thats loco. it`s basically great here. I was lying in my bed last night trying to fall asleep (unfortunately it still takes me like 45 minutes to fall asleep and i`m basically exhausted every day, but hey, at least i`m not falling asleep in the lessons like i did in that first week). Anyway, i was thinking... in SPANISH!!!! hahaha yes!! unfortunately, this morning i woke up thinking in English. . but hey, it`s coming along.
so i was thinking, and one thing i thought was, i`m gonna be really sad next week if they change me to a different area. I love it here, and we`re finally starting to find people that are ready for the gospel! i love it. i love the mission. it`s wonderful. oh and thank you my dear familia for the package. I have opened the box because i wanted the christmas decorations and the nutella, but the rest of the things are still in their packages, waiting till christmas. If there`s anything important that you want that I open before then, tell me and i will bust open the presents!! :)
So this week in Paraguay.
We were NOT attacked by any dogs this week! success!! but we also didn't practice the rock throwing thing in district meeting.. I was a little disappointed, but hey I`ll probably survive.
So I encountered a sad situation this week. we got the name of a less active family from one of the members this week, so we stopped by to talk to them. we found the mother and some kids outside of their house and started talking to them. and the mom was not at all interested in talking to us. and she started talking about how she doesn`t believe any of it anymore and that we are young and have no idea and no experience and one day we´ll wake up, etc etc. and it basically broke my heart. this woman learned so much, was baptized and everything, and then fell away. and nothing we said made any difference to her. I seriously almost started crying, I just wanted to say, please come back, repent, Christ can help you with all of this!! but she refused to listen. the sad part of missionary work.
but the funny part is that the elders were waiting for us to come to an activity during this and they called us to ask where we were, and hermana espinoza accidently answered instead of ignored and they listened to part of the conversation and told us later.. haha oops.
Anyway, back to spiritualness. so recently was some fireside or devotional or something by Elder Ballard. (I'm not exactly sure, we just go to the quote later on) and he says that if EVERY member of the church reaches out and invites ONE person to come unto the Christ and the gospel before Christmas, MILLIONS will feel the love of Christ this Christmas season. I don`t know the exact quote, you guys can find it, but its so true!! and how hard is that right. one person. and, they may not be a golden investigator and get baptized in 2 weeks. But they will feel the love of Christ in their life!! so I am reiterating that challenge to all my family and friends and whoever else happens to read this. Contact 1 person before Christmas. Invite them to church, to meet the missionaries, to learn more, to come unto Christ. Christmas is the time for miracles.
Alright, Teresa asked a question. No its true we do not have thanksgiving here in Paraguay. and not really any other holidays around this time other than Christmas.... EXCEPT....
Calcupe! hahaha. But as member of the church we do not celebrate this holiday. it is something about the virgin calcupe, its like the `saint` for catholics of Paraguay or something and there's this huge worship thing that happens December 8 in the city cacupe. so half our investigators couldn`t come to church this week because they were in cacupe :/ hey what can ya do.
Anyway, that's all I remember right now.. so love you!! adios!!
hermana Urie
alright, time is seriously flying by. in one week i will have been out for 4 months!! what?! yeah, thats loco. it`s basically great here. I was lying in my bed last night trying to fall asleep (unfortunately it still takes me like 45 minutes to fall asleep and i`m basically exhausted every day, but hey, at least i`m not falling asleep in the lessons like i did in that first week). Anyway, i was thinking... in SPANISH!!!! hahaha yes!! unfortunately, this morning i woke up thinking in English. . but hey, it`s coming along.
so i was thinking, and one thing i thought was, i`m gonna be really sad next week if they change me to a different area. I love it here, and we`re finally starting to find people that are ready for the gospel! i love it. i love the mission. it`s wonderful. oh and thank you my dear familia for the package. I have opened the box because i wanted the christmas decorations and the nutella, but the rest of the things are still in their packages, waiting till christmas. If there`s anything important that you want that I open before then, tell me and i will bust open the presents!! :)
So this week in Paraguay.
We were NOT attacked by any dogs this week! success!! but we also didn't practice the rock throwing thing in district meeting.. I was a little disappointed, but hey I`ll probably survive.
So I encountered a sad situation this week. we got the name of a less active family from one of the members this week, so we stopped by to talk to them. we found the mother and some kids outside of their house and started talking to them. and the mom was not at all interested in talking to us. and she started talking about how she doesn`t believe any of it anymore and that we are young and have no idea and no experience and one day we´ll wake up, etc etc. and it basically broke my heart. this woman learned so much, was baptized and everything, and then fell away. and nothing we said made any difference to her. I seriously almost started crying, I just wanted to say, please come back, repent, Christ can help you with all of this!! but she refused to listen. the sad part of missionary work.
but the funny part is that the elders were waiting for us to come to an activity during this and they called us to ask where we were, and hermana espinoza accidently answered instead of ignored and they listened to part of the conversation and told us later.. haha oops.
Anyway, back to spiritualness. so recently was some fireside or devotional or something by Elder Ballard. (I'm not exactly sure, we just go to the quote later on) and he says that if EVERY member of the church reaches out and invites ONE person to come unto the Christ and the gospel before Christmas, MILLIONS will feel the love of Christ this Christmas season. I don`t know the exact quote, you guys can find it, but its so true!! and how hard is that right. one person. and, they may not be a golden investigator and get baptized in 2 weeks. But they will feel the love of Christ in their life!! so I am reiterating that challenge to all my family and friends and whoever else happens to read this. Contact 1 person before Christmas. Invite them to church, to meet the missionaries, to learn more, to come unto Christ. Christmas is the time for miracles.
Alright, Teresa asked a question. No its true we do not have thanksgiving here in Paraguay. and not really any other holidays around this time other than Christmas.... EXCEPT....
Calcupe! hahaha. But as member of the church we do not celebrate this holiday. it is something about the virgin calcupe, its like the `saint` for catholics of Paraguay or something and there's this huge worship thing that happens December 8 in the city cacupe. so half our investigators couldn`t come to church this week because they were in cacupe :/ hey what can ya do.
Anyway, that's all I remember right now.. so love you!! adios!!
hermana Urie
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