Fotos:
1- Elder Mark A Bragg of the Seventy and 2nd Counselor in the South
America South Area doing a member visit with us. Hermana Benitez has
had cancer for some time and is receiving chemo treatment. It was a
most memorable visit.
2- Cheryl and I at the Galeria Mall in Asuncion. It is a really
cool mall and we had a nice evening (some might even call it a date
night!)
3- Dinner with Mark and Yvonne Bragg, President and Sister
Escobar - President of the Concepcion District, President and Sister
Evans - our mission President, and us.
4- A foto taken when the Braggs asked to see our house - it was cluttered but clean!
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Greetings:
This has been a wonderful and very interesting week.
The highlight for certain was our zone missionary conference on
Thursday with President and Sister Evans and Elder and Sister Bragg of
the Seventy. Elder Bragg is the 2nd counselor for the South America
South area in Buenos Aires. Our area includes Argentina, Chile,
Uruguay, and Paraguay. The missionaries gathered from far and near in
the “lejos” or far away zones - from Pedro Juan, Santani, Santa Rosa,
San Pedro, Horqueta, and Concepcion. The good news for us is that the
meeting was in Concepcion which is only 40 km away and where we spend a
lot of time anyway. The conference was amazing - it was 3 hours and
then we all just visited for a bit. After the conference the Mission
President and his group went east into the Chaco to visit the members
who live way, way out in the middle of nowhere. We were assigned, in
advance, by our mission president to drive Elder and Sister Bragg back
to Asuncion. So we had the opportunity to spend nearly a whole day
with the Braggs. They are such wonderful and nice people. We stopped
at our house - as they wanted to see what a mission couple home looks
like, and we made a few other stops along the way. We learned a lot
from them and it was so cool to be able to ask him questions about his
call, his training, and his assignments to serve in South America. What
a blessing for us.
The best experience of the week, the month, and maybe even the year
occurred after the conference in Concepcion. We were visiting and the
branch president from Rama 3 was there and had the chance to meet Elder
Bragg (who speaks excellent Spanish). A short time later received a
call from the branch president asking if his mother, who is in chemo
treatment, could possibly meet Elder Bragg. We arranged it and waited
at the chapel - but when Pres Benitez came he said that his mom was too
sick to come to the chapel, and would it be possible to go to her house
to see her there. Elder Bragg did not hesitate a minute. We loaded up
the pickup and went to see Sis Benitez. We were shocked at how thin and
frail she looked, but what am amazing strong spirit. Elder Bragg gave
her a kiss on the forehead and then spent the next 40 minutes visiting
with her. When we got ready to leave, he offered a prayer and the
spirit touched all of our hearts. We are so grateful for this good
servant of God who ministers to the one. Sis Benitez needed a visit -
and he was glad to do it. It was amazing.
We are starting to distribute things that we don’t need anymore and
that we cannot take home with us. Two weeks from tomorrow will likely
be our last day in Horqueta. We are grateful to be going home…but so
very sad to leave these good friends, neighbors and members of the
various branches of the church. I am certain that we will shed many
tears when we finally say goodby.
We sure love you all and appreciate all that you do for us. We
have learned so much during the last 18 months - but we are just
starting to understand.
We love you all.
Jerry and Cheryl.
We love you all.
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