A long awaited day....

Shortly after we came to the mission President Evans started having people telling about member of the church in a very remote area of Paraguay.  This was supposedly a great people that would send their children to the surrounding areas of Asuncion for education but they would return to their paradise.  This place Bahia Negra became pressing on his mind.  He and two missionaries flew to this area in March and found a goldmine of people that were members and desiring to progress and bring others with them.  We successfully made this trip after one failed attempt by land in May. After this trip he purposed to the Area Presidency that the area be opened to missionaries.  He received the okay for a little late for last change and so for the first time ever this change missionaries will be in Bahia Negra for at least two changes. Elder Reyes and Elder Robinson will be the ones to open the area.  Elder Reyes has extended his mission for this opportunity.  We are so excited to see the gospel grow in a new area of Paraguay!

This is not our truck but the man that was following. Thank heavens!

New residence for the next 3 months.  

Other types of talents...

Elder Rocha will be leaving at the end of this change.  He has brought to the mission a talent for cutting hair that has blessed the heads of many Elders and helped in their finances as well.  On this day President Evans got to try out the famed fingers of Elder Rocha.  I can testify that his fame is legitimate!  Thanks Elder Rocha for a great haircut!

Train and Eat......

Having the Leaders in our mission in our home every 6 weeks is a treat for us.  To be surrounded by the great spirit that they bring in our own home is wonderful!  This time President talked a little about some of the things that are going on in the mission as we all study the Plan of Salvation.  The homework assignment will be due next month when each missionary puts on one piece of paper everything they know with references about the Plan of Salvation, and without drawings.  Follow up was done on our Pilot programs in each Zone.  We are still working to be the best leaders that we can so a little presentation on this as well.  Seven final testimonies were given.  We welcome change but miss our missionaries. 

Staying busy

During changes there is some time here and there when are waiting for our new missionaries.  Our trainers and those that are leaving missionaries stayed busy the whole time doing more building blocks to send to the children of Bahia Negra.  They are always so happy to serve!

Moving on

The joy of receiving new missionaries is always just a little hard when we realize that we receive we give back the awesome missionaries that we have been working with.  This time was no exception.  It is so hard for us to believe each time when we send this missionaries home that we have had them for as long as we have.  Time is weird on the mission the closer you get to the end the fast the time flies.

Elder Cardenas

Hermana Lyman with her Family... now that is fun!

Hermanas Gomez, Ruiz, Elders Ollero, Vasquez, Castro, Torres

Elders Richard, Hill, Smith Slone, Hermansen, and Hunt

Elder Cedres going home just a tad early without an appendix- not the way we like to send them home.

                       Some first days for this group 

Elder Vasquez

Elder Castro

Elder Smith

Elder Hermansen

Elder Slone

Elder Hill

Elder Hunt

Elder Schmidt

Hermana Ruiz

Hermana Perez

Hermana Lyman

Elder Reyes

Elder Ollero

Elder Cardenas

left to right and front to back
Hna Gomez, Hna Ruiz, the old ones are us, Hna Perez, Hna Lyman
Elder Reyes, Elder Vasquez, Elder Oyola, Elder Smith, Elder Richard, Elder Hermansen, Elder Schmidt, Elder Hill, Elder Castro, Elder Cardenas, Elder Slone missing Elder Hunt, Elder Torres and Elder Ollero, Elder Cedres

 

From all corners of this part of the world.

We have been gathering in our new group of missionaries from all over this part of the world.  They come from many countries and many different MTC`s.  We have the MTC`s of United States, Columbia, Mexico, Brasil, Argentina and Dominican Republic.  We are looking forward to serving with these great young missionaries!  They feed life into us with their new enthusiasm!

Elder Chavez from the Provo MTC

!

Our Brazil and Dominican Republic group coming to us at almost the same time, Elder Costa, Hermana Diaz and Elder Cunha

Our Mexico group Hna Hafen and Elder Parkinson

I should have got a little closer to see Hna Cortes coming from Columbia shortly after Hna Hafen and Elder Parkinson from Mexico.  

Our Argentina group Hna Medinaceli, Hna Delgadillo, Elder Diestra, Elder Parredes, Elder Guillen

Hna Cortes de Columbia

Hna Diaz de Dominican Republic

Hna Hafen de United States

Hna Delgadillo de Bolivia

Hna Medinaceli de Bolivia

Elder Costa de Brasil

Elder Parkinson de United States

Elder Diestra de Peru

Elder Guillen de Peru

Elder Cunha de Brasil

Elder Paredes de Argentina

Elder Chavez de United States

Elder Clemente de Peru

We were still waiting for Elder Chavez when this was taken but in this group we see the potential for many wonderful missionaries.  We are so excited to see how they will lift our mission and bless the people of Paraguay.