March 31, 2014 - Week 13

So the first major news is that we got changes this week. Of course I am in the same area with the same companion, so that`s cool, but I got to see what it was like! So everyone just waits until they get the call and then they go to the office the next day and get their new companion and go to their new area! Crazy, right?? Wonder when I`ll get my first REAL change...? Anyway, Hermana Hunt left. It was a sad day, but she was also really ready to see more of Paraguay. She`s been in Itaugua for like 6 months, so she was sad to leave, but ready at the same time. So she actually ended up going to Hermana Braunersrither`s old area. We had a going away party for her with the members and they were all SOOOO sad to see her going. They really love her. Also, Hermana Hernandez totally got cake in Hermana Hunt`s face and I got a picture of it. It was great. So now we have a new hermana living with us. Her name is Hermana Francois. She is from Haiti! Cool huh! She also speaks really good Spanish (she has been in the mission for like a year and 2 months--she`s close to being done!) and English and French (her native language) and Creol (?--which is like Haiti`s Guarani) and a little bit of Guarani and Portuguese (because her last area that she was in for like 7 months was Pedro Juan and that borders Brazil)! That`s pretty cool, right?? She is super sweet and a great missionary. So that`s the newest in our house. Also, me and my companion have become WAY more close this week. It really is because Hermana Hunt is gone. Haha that sounds sad, but it`s true! Hermana B and Hunt were super good friends and so when we were all together, they would be talking or whatever. Now, she only has me! Haha so we have become a lot better friends this past week.

Also, our zone got split in two this change, and our district leader is now our zone leader. They also divided up the elders area in Itaugua and put two new elders in. One of them is our new district leader. His name is Elder Chinchilla. So now we have 8 missionaries in our ward. That`s a lot, huh!

So as for missionary work, things have been pretty good this week. We went with two of the elders that are in an area that borders ours called Mboi`y (pronounced: boy-oo, but with a Guarani accent ;) to a reference that OUR recent convert, Lourdes (the mom of my first baptism here) gave us. She happened to live in the elders area, so we went with them and Lourdes to meet here. She is THE GOLDEN INVESTIGATOR. Seriously! She is just really interested and stuff. The lesson that we had with the elders was a super good one, too. They are just really good missionaries. The spirit was there sooooo strongly! Wow, it was great. The elders have also been visiting her and they told us that she ready like all of 1 Nephi chapter 1 and they didn`t even give her a BOM yet! Lourdes gave her one! So that`s good for both of our companionships cuz they have a great investigator and our recent convert is just out being an awesome missionary now! Plus, after the lesson with the elders, Elder Willes (who is almost done with his mission--he has like 4 weeks left and also lives in Sandy, Ut...Just a fun fact) told me that he was honestly super impressed with my spanish. He said it was really good for how long I`ve been in the mission. So that was cool! Also it`s good that he said that, cuz I have been feeling really down about my Spanish this week. It`s so weird, learning a language! Cuz one day I feel like really good about speaking and the next, I feel like I haven`t learned a thing! It`s pretty frusterating. But it`s ok cuz I will just keep learning and it will be easier!

 

We had some other really good lessons with the people this week. We have a really cool investigator named Vivi who is like all ready to just get baptized and stuff. She has a testimony and everything. She just needs to get married to her marido (which pretty much just means your ¨guy¨ that you have some kids with, but you`re not married yet--there are a lot of those in Paraguay... Pretty much everyone hahaha). He is a menos activo, so hopefully we can get him back to church, them married, and her baptized! Also, we have an investigator named Veronica. She is 17 and is living with her cousin (who is a member in our ward). She is really shy, but this week she really came out of her shell with us. She is such a cutie. Also, she came to church yesterday and sat with me! So that was fun. Church was really good, also. I don`t know if I have already said this, but our chapel in Itaugua has been under construction for a long time. I think like a year, but it is like almost done now. It looks really pretty and I can`t wait till it opens. They are just waiting for seats, I think, and then we can use our chapel. As of now we just all meet at our chapel and then we take a free colectivo, that the church pays for, to the chapel in Mboi`y. So anyway, on the whole ride back from Mboi`y on the colectivo, I had a conversation with two of the kids in our ward. They were being so funny! I don`t even know what they were trying to explain, but it lasted the whole 30 minute colectivo ride! I`m just loving it here. The people are awesome and I feel like I`m making better relationships with them. It`s great.

Also, we got some sad news. So apparently familia Portillo moved. They just packed up and went like last Sunday. Sad huh! We had no clue! We found out when we went to their house and Hermano and Hermana Portillo (the brother and sister-in-law who are the members) told us that they left. It was sad to find that out. I hope they will be able to find the church and other missionaries wherever they are, cuz I know that they have the desire to be baptized! We also had some good lessons with Sabrina this week and the best one was yesterday. We talked with her and her boyfriend, Nelson. It was a really powerful lesson and they both said that they are going to work towards coming back to church (for Sabrina) and baptism (for Nelson). I just love the familia Flores so much. I have become so close with them! Sabrina told me that she loves me the most ;) I just really hope for the best for them. I know that she has the desire to quit smoking and to change her life. She just needs to act on it! Her parents are just the greatest, too. The hermano can now say my name, so he always greats me by saying Hermana Whittaker now instead of Hermana W. He`s the funniest guy, too! And the Hermana told me that we can come over to her house any time that we want! Cuz her house is our house. Haha it was a lot funnier in real life.

Speaking of names though, here`s something funny. So we have a Presidente of the branch here instead of a bishop of the ward. He`s a super cool guy. He is like really young, too. He`s a returned missionary and he went to Argentina. His wife is awesome too and she`s the cutest thing ever. She is pregnant with her first baby. ANYWAY... We eat at their house every friday for lunch and they have a hard time with my name. SO... She decided that she is going to call me Hermana Chuchi. Chuchi means like expensive and fancy and stuff along those lines in Guarani. Apparently I`m chuchi cuz I put on makeup and wear earrings and stuff. Hahaha it`s so funny though. I`m sure that pretty soon the whole ward is gonna call me that. It`s now like this huge joke. BTW--being chuchi isn`t a bad thing. It just means I`m a little bit high maintainance is all.... ;)

Well.... That is it for the week. Love you guys so much! Glad you had a great week! Talk to you next week!!

Te amo muchisimo!

Love, Hermana Whittaker