Appendicitis

I think we are getting a good experience here in the beginning of the mission with different things that can happen to our missionaries.  This is our second cause of appendicitis but you can't keep Elder Barreto down for long.  He is a great missionary and has decided to learn to cook while he is at the house recuperating.  Brownies are his first try!

Dia de Gracias

It has been a very busy two weeks but we took time on Friday Nov 25 to celebrate the holiday of Thanksgiving in the United States.  We loved having a few missionaries with us and a few of the great people that help us keep things going.  We missed the picture earlier when we had 4 more who help maintain the yard.  Some of the new food tasted was traditional pumpkin pie and my least favorite thing to make but favorite of my kids is Rainbow jello.  

It was nice to share the day with so many.

Bienvenidos!

A big welcome to out new missionaries that we have waited for an extra week!  Problems in the country shut down the Visas to any missionaries not coming from Paraguay.  We thought that this might take a while to work out but thanks to prayers and good people helping fix the problem, we were able to receive fifteen new and excited missionaries on Wednesday coming from the Mexico, Utah, and Buenos Aires trading centers.

 

Welcome Elders Schmidt, Brower, Olson, Glasgow, Armstrong, Lovelace and Whipple.  We are so happy to have you!

Adding to our great group we have Elders Mosquera, Robalino, Martinez and Leyva with Hermanas Novoa and Hermana Pardo.

Last but definitely not least Hermana Flores and Hermana Fisher.  We are so glad you are part of our mission family!  There are many great things that need to happen we are so grateful you are apart of this! 

Wow! An amazing visit to a family

A blessing of this calling is that you get to see how individual the gospel really is.  Arrangements were made for a pioneer here in Paraguay to meet in an intimate setting with Elder Rasband.  She and her husband were the first of the indigenous people in this country to come to know and accept the gospel.  Hermana Flores brought most of her children to meet with Elder Rasband.  Her husband passed away about a month ago.  Elder Rasband reminded her of the many lives she has influenced with her testimony and decision. The spirit was amazing as this family was visibly touched by the blessings of a living apostle.  Incredible!!

A day with an apostle

We have had the incredible opportunity to be with Elder Rasband this week.  He has been traveling through the South American South Area for the past wo weeks and Paraguay was his last stop.  He was accompanied by Elder Craig C. Christensen and Elder Mark Bragg as well as their wonderful wives.  This has been especially sweet for us as this is who set us apart in this calling.
We were able to gather our entire mission together for this.  This is probably something that we will never have happen again.  The morning of this meeting we gathered all the missionaries to the building which houses the office.  All missionaries were checked to make sure their best appearance was congruent with our expectations.  The shoe shine kits, razors and extra clothing were not needed thanks to an amazing group of missionaries who understand the significance of meeting an apostle face to face.

It is hard to get us all in one shot so a panoramic is the only way but we look a little distorted. 

10x their weight In gold

Were do you even begin to calculate the value of a senior missionary couple?  The Cranneys  are a senior couple who has served amazingly over the past year and a half in a district about four hours from the office by car....or by truck, as the roads are so rough you need a truck.  They are amazing and all the missionaries know the Cranneys are the best part of the mission.
We personally are already having anxiety over our loss as they are the ones who have come to stay with Travis when we have to be gone.
They came a year and a half ago thinking that they would work in the office.  They were asked to go to Horqueta and give up many comforts of life.  They are a incredible example of "I will go, I will do the things the Lord commands".   We have tried to talk them into staying but the thought of grandchildren and family is calling louder.  We hope that you enjoy every second because we will still be missing you!  Thank you so much!

Goodbyes

Lots of feelings!!

Goodbye Hermana Sanchez, Hermana Torres, Elder Flores, Elder Choquera, Elder Santiago and Elder Barrios

Hermana Añasco 

 Hermana May, Hermana Douglas, Hermana Trujillo, Elder Burge, Elder Libby, Elder Harder, Elder Struhs.  All of you have done amazing things in this beautiful country.  Never let it leave your heart! 

Last day

Six weeks is way to often to send missionaries off! These missionaries have a way of wiggling into our hearts and it is hard to see them leave.  Tradition calls for a session in the temple and a dinner at Paulistas.

I am not sure why I didn't get hose Elders on this picture but I defiantly got them eating.

A weird first day

How can these changes come so quickly?  This change has been especially different because we were only able to receive one missionary out of the 17 that we thought.  Visas were closed to any missionaries not from the country of Paraguay until further notice.  Elder Rossi is our solo missionary!  He was born in Paraguay and so he is coming home but we consider him a miracle. We love him!

While he has been waiting to leave he created the angle for the top of our mission Christmas tree.  Thank you for sharing some of your talents!

P-day!

We get a lot of traffic through the office on pday.  Maybe you can see someone you know :)

Plan for great things!

All the leaders meet once a month to receive directive from President Evans and counsel together.  These missionaries work so hard as they share the gospel each day and work with other missionaries to train and help move the mission forward.  Thank you for all you do!  

Pantalones!

Last year at one time 40% of the missionaries here in Paraguay were sick with Dengue.  With the seousness of Dengue and Zika there was new directive that the Hermanas serving could wear pants and long skirts in the times of mosquitos.  It was a little weird to see our first Hermanas wear pants. It is our hope to keep these missionaries very health this year.

Hermana Rodriquez Granados, Hermana Scott and Hermana Christiansen you wear this new look with well.  It may take us a little time to get used to this.

Elder and Hermana Bragg... whoops a little out of order!

This is what happens when you don't get things done right away.
Before we left for our trip to Mistolar we had the fabulous opportunity to have Elder and Hermana Mark Bragg come visit our mission.  We had a mavelous opportunity to be taught by them and enjoy their company for three days.  Every missionary had the blessing to be with them in three different conferences.  We wish we could have them all together with us much more frequently, it feels very similar to having all our family at home.

Thanks for coming!  We have loved being with you and are so grateful for you love and concern for our mission and all our missionaries!

Sunday in Mistolar

A great meeting in Mistolar on Sunday morning included testimonies from the missionaries.  Hermana Trujillo and Hermana Jara taught Young Women's with two beautiful young girls while the Elders work helped in priesthood.  After primary received a great boost of energy from the Hermanas and the Elders teaching them, "Families can be Together".

To the corner of the mission... Mistolar!

Our window of opportunity to visit the famous place of Mistolar happened on October 29& 30.  We had to wait for good weather conditions, enough daylight and to have the vehicles that could transport the nine of us into this community.  Not only did we encounter bad roads but we struggled the last little way through dirt that was equal to powder in some places 2-3 feet deep.  You do not want to stop in these areas or you may need to relocate in Mistolar yourself! I am pretty sure that this is not a typical situation in most missions but out of neccesity we had a camping trip for one night.  All the Elders, President and Travis slept in the back of the trucks and ......on the hoods! The Hermanas slept in a small trailer with Hermana Evans.
We had the great opportunity to take clothes that had been donated through an Eagle project of Austin  Herbst.  The children and mothers were so grateful to have these! This set the stage for a great opportunity when the children came to our camp that night to teach and play "Duck, Duck, Goose" with them.  They LOVED this game! They probably played with us for two hours and then left andwent to play in another part of the camp well after we went to bed.

Campo Am' pu

We had the opportunity this month to visit the north western part of our mission to the vIllage of Mistolar.  On our way there we were able to help a man and his wife who had problems with their "moto".  Amazingly enough last time they broke down a man from the church had found them and was able to help them get back home.  I do not think this is coincidence!  The missionaries had been meeting them in another area and they were loving everything that they were being taught.  We were able to take them to their village of Campo Am' pu.  There we were met by about 25-30 people.  We taught them the importance of families and recording who their family is and was.  They had many questions about families.  Something that we take for granted can be so foreign when you have never been taught about the family unit.  There was an incredible feeling there.  We were able to leave them with the little pamplet "Mi Familia", which they were very excited to fill out.  What a blessing it is to have the Plan of Salvation and know that the family is an eternal blessing that can be ours for all eternity.

Belated goodbyes

Change week is always exhausting.  Not only is it physically draining but emotionally as well as we say goodbyes to eternal friends.  We know life will be wonderful for you but we cherish the moments that we have shared.  Thanks for sharing one last time in the temple with us!  It reminds of the eternal nature or our relationships.  We will meet again!

Hermana Cornejo working hard through lots of back pain, wow!

Elders Zarabia, Gutierrez, Mendoza, Rodriquez, and Herman Pisco, thank you for touching our lives and the people of Paraguay!  You have made a great difference!

Elders Dias, Zambrano,Hunter, Bingham, Nelson, McNulty and Hermana Luna

We are excited to see you do amazing things in your lives.

Hermana Rodríguez and Francani working hard to the end and even through a change of flight plans adding one extra day to the mission. Thanks for touching a few more lives!

Now you can go to bed Elder Zaugg and Elder Bickley! Two of the many missionaries working hard to make everything run smoothly.