The Cranney Mission: 9 Febrero 2016

I am a day late because we drove home from Asuncion yesterday and arrived late in the evening. Regardless, I am excited to share a good week with you all.

Definitely the highlight of the week (or month….) is the birth of a new baby girl for Jessica and Justin. We are so very grateful that she arrived safely and that she and Jessica are doing well. We are all anxious to learn her name.

On Tuesday we spent about 2 1/2 hours cleaning the house of the two Elders who left. We only picked up all of the garbage, old shoes, trash, papers, clothes, etc. We had 8 large bags of garbage and we hadn’t really started to clean. We will be working with the Zone Leaders to finish the job and then we think the mission accountant will charge the missionaries that left for the cleaning supplies and try and remind them that they are responsible for their apartments.

We had a very successful Branch Council meeting also on Tuesday. We nearly started on time (7:15) and everyone but the Relief Society was in attendance. We talked about people and how to best help them. The new Sister missionaries are not afraid to visit with anyone, anywhere, anytime.

We are so grateful for these two new sisters who are working here in Horqueta. We love all of the missionaries so much but there are some who just know how to work and just do it. They have new investigators, church attendance has climbed up again, and they are very obedient. Hermana Scott is from California and Hermana Martinez is from Asuncion, Paraguay. She speaks Spanish, Guarani, a little Portugues, and a little English. The work is progressing.

We spent a few days in Asuncion watching the house and young son of the McMullins. He is a very active 14 year old who doesn’t spend much time with his parents. So we went to Burger King, Kentucky Fried, Pizza Hut, and 4D ice cream. We visited the Mall (Shopping del Sol) and it was fun. We enjoy helping them out while the McMullins were in Buenos Aires for a Mission President’s seminar.

While we were there, we exchanged automobiles. We have been driving a SsangYong Rexton, which is a mid-size SUV with a Mercedes engine, leather interior, electronic everything, and a very nice road car. However, it was taking a beating on the back roads of Paraguay so we now have a Nissan Frontier pickup truck with 4x4, electric winch, manual transmission, etc. It is a nice vehicle and will be much more useful for us in our work.

We also visited the Distribution Center to purchase some materials we needed for a Family History class, and some missionary materials in Portugues since many here speak portugues.

Our trip home was good and we stopped to visit with the Guterres, the other missionary couple, in their home in Santa Rosa. Hermana Guterres seems to always have something good to eat at her house.

While in Asuncion we had the chance to work with the mission recordkeeper to loads all of the baptismal records and creates membership records. We had at least 7 members of the Horqueta branch who had never been properly set up in the system so they did not show as members. They could not go to the temple, receive the Priesthood, and so we loaded them up. I am so grateful that some of the office elders take their jobs very seriously.

Sunday at church in Asuncion was very interesting. We went to the Campo Grande ward and there were many visitors there. Two of the sister missionaries are returning home due to back problems and one of the fathers was there to accompany them home. We also met two American families who are in the ward - both employees of the US Embassy (the Craners and the Bindrups).

It feels like we are back in the saddle again - now receiving invitations from the Sister missionaries to participate in Family Home Evening and other visits. We are looking forward to being more involved and active. Two other interesting things:

1- While we were in Asuncion there were two Sister missionaries staying at the mission home due to Dengue. We were told that there are at least 12 missionaries who have Dengue. So all missionaries have been instructed to use insect repellant and to use Permithryn on our clothes to help fight both Dengue and Sika viruses.

2- On the trip we stopped at the Colonia Rio Verde near Santa Rosa. It is a farming community of German farmers and business owners. At one of their stores we found homemade peanut butter, Cheerios, and other goodies. It was fun and tasty.

Well , we love you all and appreciate your love and support. Thank you for praying for the good people of Paraguay who need so much help.

Love,
Jerry and Cheryl

1- After the baptism in Tacuati - Elder Simao on the swing

2- A member girl trying her hand at driving

3- In Tacuati with (starting L to R on the back row). Hna Cranney, Rosalba and her baby, Pedro Garcia (Group Leader), Mirian Garcia, Elder Mendoza, (front row) - Elder Simao and the children of the Garcias and Rosalba.

4- A contrast of old and new