November 16, 2015

Hello to all.  We so much appreciate the ongoing support we receive from our family and friends.  We are grateful for the technology that makes it possible to stay in touch - via email, Skype, WhatsApp, etc.  It helps us know that all is well at home.

We are doing well.  We sort of hit a lull in the work the last couple of weeks.  We have new missionaries that don’t invite us to participate with them in lessons, Family Home Evening, or other visits as often as previous missionaries.  We try to invite ourselves, but they are not used to working with couples - so they usually just forget.  As a result, we will be relying more on the Branch Council to help identify families that we need to visit each 2 weeks and then go out and do it.  We have had some success recently with just visiting less actives, letting them know we miss them, inviting them to come to church again, and telling them that we and their Heavenly Father love them.  They seem to appreciate the fact that we don’t apply as much pressure as the young missionaries and as a result we nearly always receive an invitation to return and visit again.  In some cases, these members won’t allow the young missionaries to visit them. We keep reminding ourselves that the young missionaries are here to do their work and they have great motivation to do so - so some times the press hard as they have been taught and counseled to do.

Yesterday was Voting Day for the new mayor and council for the city of Horqueta.  The campaign has been going on for months and finally yesterday the elections were held.  It was Sunday, so we were sure that not many people would come to church, but we had 35 in attendance.  Some had voted prior to church and there was plenty of time for the rest to vote after church. The campaigns always provide free food in exchange for a promise to vote for them, so tons of people come in from the outlying areas for the food and beverages.  The polls closed at 500pm, and the winner was announced by 7:00 or so.  For the rest of the evening supporters of the winning party (the Colorados) drove around town in caravans with horns blaring, screaming, etc.   Quite a sight.  Fortunately they only have these elections every 4 years or so.

We are staying busy with our other church assignments.  We are very busy with our calling in the District Presidency - meetings 1 or 2 times per week in Concepcion, branch visits on Sundays, talks to prepare, visits to make, etc.  The people here are so kind and loving, yet struggle to serve in their callings.  As Pres. Eyring has said, many struggle to serve because they have already served for so long, and others struggle because they know how much more there is to do and they get discouraged.   So we continue to work, teaching, encouraging, etc. 

We asked Justin to send us a package with a small PC Projector to use for training in the branches and District.  We also could use it to watch General Conference, devotionals, and other church broadcasts.  They don’t have much to use here and we were so excited to have it arrive.   Well, it did arrive at the airport in Asuncion, but it will cost 300,000Gs (about $60) just to retrieve the paperwork and we then have to pay taxes which could be more than the value of the projector.  We are frustrated, concerned, and praying to do the right thing.   We really need this equipment here but feel we have been pinched by the system here.  So we  are searching for the correct thing for us to do.

Cheryl has started to cough again.  The hot, dry weather continues to generate tons of dust and she is coughing more than before.  I nearly wilt in the heat, but we drink lots of water, use the cooling towels that Lori sent, and try and plan our trips and visits during the parts of the day when it is not so hot.

I attached some photos:

1- Daisy Duarte voted before church yesterday.  When you vote, they dip your finger into ink so that you can only vote once.

2- The Hermanas had a baptism on Saturday.   Sara is a cousin to other members in the branch and is so excited to be a member.

3- This morning for Preparation Day, we invited the Elders and Hermanas to our house for French Toast.  It turned out well.

4- The other night at the church we had a small visitor.  It is some kind of beetle that is about as big as our nametags.  Weird.

We have invited the missionaries to join us for Thanksgiving dinner.  They have to work since it is  not a Paraguayan holiday so we will only have an hour or so for dinner.  We plan to have baked chicken, mashed potatoes, cooked carrots, rolls, and hopefully an apple pie.   More to come on this topic.

Thanks again for all that you do for us.  Love you all.

Jerry and Cheryl.