Weekly Highlights

Dear Family and Friends,

I truly hope that you all passed a wonderful Christmas with your families and that everyone has been filled with the love of God in this special time of the year.  It is my prayer that all year around we may continue to nourish this love in our hearts for all of our neighbors and search for the opportunities to make them happier.

Elder Evans and I were able to enjoy our Christmas a ton and it was a privilege for us to strengthen our faith and confidence in God and His Goodness.  Jesus really did give us a Consolador (Comforter or the Holy Ghost) to teach us and testify of the truths of God and thanks to the confirming touch of the Holy Ghost we receive a Peace that the World really cannot give us. John 14:26-27

John 14: 26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my   name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

This past week at least every other day we have received a bunch of rain. We hear of entire cities that have been flooded out and won’t be able to habitate for the next 4 or 5 months, which is a bummer. However, here in Pirayu we do not face those same difficulties.

This week Sister Pascula arrived home from the hospital the 24th of December and still is not doing too great.  One of the sons of the Familia Bobadilla cut his leg husking corn with a knife.  Our best progressing investigator invited us to her Christmas Dinner Party and then ''Stood us up.''  So that made us really sad and then also didn’t come to Church so we will go back and see why they didn’t come to church this Sunday.   Our other investigator that is progressing was not able to convince his children to give him a ride to church so he could not come because his feet are BAD.

On Christmas Day we had our P-day and so we went and met up with the other elders and played some Basketball and went out to eat.

The Highlight of the Whole week came from being able to talk and see my family once again.  I love them so much and am undoubtedly grateful for the restored gospel of Jesus Christ which allows us to be together FOREVER.

I love you all!
Take care,
Elder Call

Merry Christmas

Dear Family and Friends:

Merry Christmas!!!! This year actually we will not be having the privilege to Skype, but it is alright because I love you all tons. . . . Hahaha . . . , Christmas Day, however, the 26th the Cyber will be opened again and we will Skype and talk to you between 4 and 5 my time. We will start trying at 4. I can’t wait to see you all and hear your voice and updates there.

This past Wednesday we got to go to Ita, where we had a Christmas activity for the entire mission. It was great to see my old comps and actually Elder Cifuentes is in my first area and it was awesome to hear from them.

This week was great. Elder Evans has had a really hard time with this area, due to a hard last transfer, taking two families away from him that he was going to baptize. However, we both did a double fast this week and this Jorge Ortiz and his family, with whom we were introduced to their extended family and they are excited to learn a ton more. Also, we are working with Maria Servin, the mother of two inactive members and we taught them the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and when we invited her to become a member of this organization she was excited. We will be celebrating the 24th with them and sharing with them a little bit of the Call tradition of reading Luke 2 and sing carols.

I want to share with you a story that I received from Terry Brunson:

"A woman was out Christmas shopping with her two children. After many hours of looking at row after row of toys and everything else imaginable, and after hours of hearing both her children asking for everything they saw on those many shelves, she finally made it to the elevator with her two kids.

"She was feeling what so many experience during this season of the year: overwhelming pressure to go to every party and house warming, taste all the holiday food and treats, finding that perfect gift for every single person on our shopping list, making sure we don’t forget anyone on our card list, and the pressure of making sure we respond to everyone who sent us a card.

"Finally, the elevator doors opened. There was already a crowd in the car. She pushed her way into the car and dragged her two kids in with her along with all the bags of stuff. When the doors closed, she couldn’t take it anymore and she stated, “Whoever started this whole Christmas thing should be found, strung up and shot.”

"From the back of the car, everyone heard a quiet, calm voice respond, “Don’t worry, we already crucified Him.” For the rest of the trip down in the elevator, it was so quiet you could have heard a pin drop.

"May we slow down and reflect on the real reason for Christmas. .. . . . It is all about Christ!!!"

Let us remember where we would be without our Savior this Christmas season.

I love you all!

See you Soon,
Love, Elder Call

Most Powerful Thing

HI! Family & Friends:

Well, I am afraid that it will not be a white Christmas here in Paraguay.

As for this week, the elders from Caacupe were with us until Wednesday at about lunch.  While we were together we did a lot of divisions and Elder Bryan and I found a Beautiful little Family quite close to our house and we shared with them Tuesday and they wanted really badly to do everything so that they could be an eternal family. We shared with them once again on Thursday and they had read and were preparing to come to church. We went back on Saturday and the owners of the house had arrived and had sent them packing.  I guess they didn’t have a need that our family watch the house!!! It was devastating. We are not sure where they have moved to, because we had forgotten to ask for their phone number.

This area is hard. Out of the entire Branch of Pirayu there are only four people not counting the branch president and the missionaries that are worthy which makes it super hard because there is no example of how the new investigators should be like.  We have been working with them a ton and there is not much change at all.  We don’t know what we can do differently to help them.

We had also gone and talked very straight forwardly to the ex-branch presidente and kind of upset him.  However, latter that night he called and asked forgiveness and said that he would come to church this Sunday and he did and he brought some of his buddies.

Our plans for p-day today as well as almost every other p-day since we arrived here is to go to Caacupe, which in a bus takes 1hr and half to get there so that we can practice a song for the mission  Christmas party which will take place this Wednesday.

That is all folks!

My scripture of the week is Jacob 4:9, the Word of God is really the most powerful thing in the universe. May we conform our lives to its standards!!

I love you all
Love, Elder Call

Jacob 4:9 For behold, by the power of his word man came upon the face of the earth, which earth was created by the power of his word. Wherefore, if God being able to speak and the world was, and to speak and man was created, O then, why not able to command the earth, or the workmanship of his hands upon the face of it, according to his will and pleasure?

Just Obey

Hola Family & Friends:

Being here in the mission and talking around, I have learned a great truth more profoundly than I ever had. This truth is that I have the BEST Family Ever!!!! grandparents, uncles, aunts, cousins, especially my Parents and my brothers and greatly loved sister.  I have the best Family!!!!

AS for my week, it was cool.  We worked hard, as well as, we were able to give the branch president a boost to also go out and do some visits and we saw some fruits pay off.  That Ortiz family, that will not be able to be baptized for a long time, came again, as well as two other of our investigators, a little kid Nestor and his mother Mirna, which we were not expecting that they would arrive. It was awesome.  The only problem we are finding right now is that the members are not staying for the classes and they start little fights where they say stuff like, "Oh she receives the bishops storehouse why don’t I as well" but that will be able to be resolved with a little talking and understanding.

Tomorrow is the day of the Virgin of Caacupe and the tradition is that people walk from their house to go to Caacupe. So a lot of people have been passing by our house to walk to Caacupe. Also the missionaries from there are staying with us until Thursday, so that will be and is quite fun.

My scripture for the week is Alma 38:5 and I chose this scripture because of the promesa (promise) that is found in it about how we will be released from our trials in accordance to our confidence of Gods promesis.

I love you all and it is true, God fulfills his promises.  So do not doubt, Just Obey.

Love you tons!
Elder Call

Alma 38:5 And now my son, Shiblon, I would that ye should remember, that as much as ye shall put your trust in God even so much ye shall be delivered out of your trials, and your troubles, and your afflictions, and ye shall be lifted up at the last day.