First Week In Paraguay!

                    Hermana Santos, Elder Goss, Elder Whitaker, and I con Familia Ag

Hola!!!

I have survived my first week in Paraguay!!! Yay! My area is called Ysapy A. I believe that is in Guarani... Which is very difficult to understand and speak nothing like spanish! My spanish is improving

little by little and understanding the people here is so hard we are lucky if I catch a word because it is different than Spanish elsewhere. Their words are all slurred together! But it is beautiful here and I love it so much!!! There are trees everywhere and random animals all over (cows, horses, dogs, cats, and chickens)  When I got off the plane it just felt so right, I knew I was where the Lord needed me. The food here is pasta, rice, and meat.... So I will not be losing any weight haha, I love the food here! We eat lunch with the members.

My companion is Hermana Santos, She is from Guatemala!  Her spanish is much easier to understand, but still difficult! She is amazing, I have been so blessed to have her as a companion. She teaches me Spanish and I teach her English so the language barrier is starting to get smaller! We live with two other Hermanas. One of them is from Guatemala as well and the other is Ecuador( don't know how to spell that)

We have been giving lots of lessons, mainly Hermana Santos, with my little testimony and prayer.... But It is growing in Spanish. It is very humbling to not be able to say or understand anything... Hermana Santos and I went to go teach a young girl who is 12 and her brother who is 10. When we arrived I was shocked at there living conditions, I thought that some of the other circumstances I had seen were bad but this one was worse! we talked about the first vision with her and she listened with all her heart it was amazing! I was so amazed at this young girl and her testimony. It is difficult because her parents won't listen to us but she does. She had several little brothers so I gave them the pencils you gave me mom and I almost cried at how excited they were about receiving pencils.... It was just so touching!

We try and get references from investigators and members, and most of the time when we go and visit the references they are members who are less active.. I really want to help our branch become a ward here in Ysapy, The branch is already so amazing and strong! we have the best branch in the Mission ;)

One day we went and visited the branch mission leader and his family, Hermano Poli, and we ate budding, I think that is what it is called, and then we sang Joseph Smiths first prayer together, but before we began singing he sang the first verse by himself and no one was really paying attention, but while he was singing the spirit was so strong it was amazing I could feel his testimony and how strong it was in that moment!

I was studying this morning in the Liahona and I read a talk by Bishop Dean M Davies called a Sure Foundation. It was amazing! It was all about how we must build our spirits on our rock, the savior so that way in times of affliciones (afflictions) and trials we will not fall. I see that the people here need that message, because when difficult times come many of the people fall away from the church instead of leaning on it for strength and making their faith knowledge!

I was also reading in 2 Nephi 28 and wow is that a great chapter! specifically read verses 7-9 (Scripture Mastery), 22, 28-30,32! It is some powerful stuff that the scriptures have to tell us. We must never make excuse or justify things. When we do so it weakens our testimonies and prevents us from progressing and reaching our potential!!!

I love you all so much! And I am so grateful for all of your love and Support!!!

Till next week!

Hermana Dunagan!