Well, another month has come and gone and we all have the
opportunity to reflect on what we have accomplished, what we perhaps
neglected, and how we can improve in the months ahead. We are still
fully engaged here in the Mission and we love the people with whom we
work and serve.
This has been a week for journal entries.
Tuesday
was change day for the missionaries. We knew that Elder Simao was
going to finish his mission and go home, and we were all pretty sure
that Hermana Ross would be leaving after 6 months here in Horqueta. We
knew of certain challenges in Concepcion and here with some of the
missionaries - health, motivation, emotional concerns, etc. At the
change meeting in Concepcion the Zone leaders announced that in
Concepcion 4 of the 8 missionaries would be transferred out. Then they
announces that Elder Simao, Hermana Ross, Elder Mendoza, and Hermana
Lundberg were all being transferred out and that the Elder’s area was
being closed for now. We would be receiving two new sister missionaries
and that was all. It was a shock for all, but reaffirmed for us that
the Lord and his chosen leader Pres. McMullin are inspired about the
missionary work here in northern Paraguay.
We ran around
like crazy to help the missionaries with what they needed to do to leave
in just a few hours after the change meeting. The branch had also
planned a farewell party for Elder Simao but only 3 members came due to
the storm. Then the rains came. It was a “tormenta” with high winds,
tons of rain, and the resulting power and water problems. We first
drove the Elders to the bus station with all of their luggage to catch
the bus and it didn’t come. So we drove them to Concepcion. Along the
way we saw the results of the storm with trees down all along and
sometimes across the highway. We then rushed home to say goodbye to the
Hermanas. Pres. Duarte drove them to the terminal where we waited for
the bus. Finally the station manager said the bus wasn’t going to come
to the terminal so we reloaded and drove to the highway to catch the
bus. It passed just before we arrived, but did in fact go to the
terminal. So we waited and finally got the Sisters and their luggage /
boxes/ bags/etc all loaded on the bus.
Cheryl and I then
reflected that for the first time we were the only missionaries in
Horqueta. Made us kind of lonely and sad.
We knew that due
to illness the Hermana’s house wasn’t very clean so we went over the
next morning and with the help of some members cleaned the house so the
new Sisters would have a clean start. We anxiously waited for the new
sisters to come. Neither of them had ever been in the north and not to
Horqueta for sure. All they had was our phone number. We got a call
that they were in Concepcion and would arrive in about 40 minutes. So
we met them at the terminal and took them to their house. Their first
comments - “we love the house’.
The two new sisters are
Hermana Scott for Harriman, UT and Hermana Martinez from Paraguay. They
were companions on the MTC in Buenos Aires and only have 5 months in
the mission. But they are excited, obedient, healthy, and Hermana
Martinez speaks Guarani! We already love these good, hard working
sisters.
On Wednesday we had Ward Activity night and we
taught the lesson on change….specifically the change of heart spoken of
in the Book of Mormon. The new missionaries were there and it turned
out well.
Thursday afternoon we went to Concepcion for
presidency meeting but left early to visit with our friends Alex and
Hilda. They are wonderful people and Hilda will celebrate her 1 year
anniversary of her baptism in June. We took Cheryl’s chicken/pasta
salad and they loved it. Hilda had made a squash sweet bread that was
to die for. They are good, faithful members who are planning to go to
the temple sometime in June.
We are very concerned about
some of the youth in the branch. A large percentage of active members
in the branch are youth. Many are the only members in their families.
During the long vacation from school many of they went to visit family
in other cities and did not participate actively in church while they
were gone. They also appear to be more connected to their cell phones
than to real life which does not help them stay strong in the gospel.
We are in dire need of a Young Men President to serve in the branch but
don’t have many options for candidates right now.
This past
weekend we traveled with the District Presidency to Santa Rosa, Santani,
and San Pedro for training and Sabbath Day meetings. We left Saturday
pm and checked into the Hotel Cristal. We had stayed there before and
for 200.000Gs or $40.00US per night it is a real bargain. Nice, clean,
comfortable, hot showers, free continental breakfast, etc.
Saturday
evening we had a fireside in Santa Rosa on the Book of Mormon. About
25 members attended including the two missionaries and the other senior
missionary couple, the Guterres from Brasil. After the meeting we all
went out for dinner (more or less).
Sunday morning we had a
nice breakfast at the hotel and left to fulfill our assignment in San
Pedro. We traveled with Ivan and Mirian Ibanez who are both leaders in
the Concepcion District. We had Sacrament meeting at 8:00 am where the
Ibanez and I spoke, and then we had a discussion about the Book of
Mormon at 9:00 where we showed a few videos (with our mini-projector!)
and had a good discussion on why the Book of Mormon is so important for
each of us. Because we only have a Group / not a branch in San Pedro we
only have a 2 hour meeting block. I like that idea!
We
returned to Santa Rosa for dinner at the Guterres and then we all went
out visiting. We finished about 5:30 pm and finally hit the highway
about 6:15 for the trip home. The Ibanez traveled with us as far as
Horqueta and then rode with Pres. Escobar on to Concepcion. The trip
home was very challenging for two reasons: 1) Pres Escobar was having
car trouble so we followed him home at and made sure his wheels didn’t
fall of, 2) we hit a horrible rainstorm and it was very hard to see the
road, potholes, motos without headlights, animals, etc. At one point we
could not see any lines on the road or if we were even on the road due
to the heavy rain. Then about 10 km prior to Horqueta the rain suddenly
stopped - almost as if a curtain had been opened and we arrived home in
time to unload the car before the rains came. What a blessing that we
made it home safely. It was a good trip and the members in these small
groups just begged us to return more often.
On Thursday of
this week we will drive to Asuncion to care for the son of Pres and Sis
McMullin while they are at a Mission President’s seminar in Buenos
Aires. We also will be exchanging our nice mini-suv for a Nissan
pickup with all terrain tires, a snorkel, an electric winch, and other
fun features. We also will have a chance to go to the Distribution
Center for some of the things we need there.
We are happy to
be here. We miss you all, but the time is passing quickly. Thank you
for your support, your love, and your prayers for us and for the good
members here in Paraguay.
Love,
Jerry and Cheryl
Foto: Breakfast at the Hotel Cristal
1- Our typical breakfast of cereal, juice, and toast. We didn’t have any fruit today - have to go shopping
3- A small fruit from Tacuati. It is a grapefruit that is neither full grown or ripe.
4- Sisters Lundberg and Ross “heart attacked” our house. 
Fotos from Kevin’s baptism in Tacuati:
1- on the trail with the Elders. We walked about 40 minutes to get to the river.
2-
Cheryl in front of a tree that shows the waterline from the flooding
two weeks ago. Look at the brown line on the tree about 10 feet above
her head.
3- Elder Simao ready to help Kevin into the Rio Ypane for his baptism.
4- Cheryl and Kevin after the baptism. 
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