Divisiones, Divisiones, Divisiones

February 9, 2015

My Guarani badge - It is the native language
of many Paraguayans

Hola todos!!! Como esta?? Mba'eicha pa!?! <Hi everyone!!! How is it going?? Little guarani for ya! Espero que todo esta bien en sus vidas ahora! Este semana fue muy loco! <Hope all is well in your life! This week was crazy!> I don´t have a ton of time so this email is going to be a bit short but I will give you the highlights. 

We were only able to work in our area together two days this entire week. We did divisions after divisions after divisions. Hermana Dance was in Posadas from Sunday until Tuesday night. I received a call on Tuesday from President LaPierre asking me to come down to Posadas to talk to him. So I hopped on a colectivo <mini bus> and headed six hours on down. I was there just for un ratito <a little while> and then came on back. I met an Austrian on our colectivo <mini bus> back to CDE. Fun stuff. Lots of sleeping occurred on the bus. 

I missed her a LOT this week!

Something I learned after I talked with President was that we may not always love the work or what we are asked to do in this gospel but like President said, "I don't think Christ loved being nailed to the cross, but he did it because he loves his Father in Heaven and he loves us." I had asked President how I could love the work more and have more animo <courage>. This was his response. Truly we just have to love our Father in Heaven and our fellow men which are the first two commandments. As we do this we are then able to have this desire and love for others and truly feel Christ-like love and charity. It is incredible! Changed my way of looking at not only the work of the mission but at everything. Truly all we do is based on love and if we truly love our Father in heaven enough we will do the things that are necessary to be eligible to return to him. Incredible.  

Unbelievable sunrise

Cooking Kate: This is a new section of my emails. I have found that cooking and baking are a huge stress relief that I never realized before. So this week I made Key Lime Cheesecake and Oatmeal Raisin cookies. It was good that we had so many divisions and visitors so I was able to share all of it with other people. But I was pretty impressed I managed it here in Paraguay. 

Cockroach Story: Was in the bathroom and I looked down and a HUGE COCKROACH was crawling in my pants. I quickly flicked it down into the toilet. Tried to flush it. Didn't work. Ran and grabbed the Raid and killed it and then was able to flush it. Don't know where it came from. I think it hopped up from the toilet into my pants. The worst!! But I survived and have a great story to tell now. 

Loving the sunrises here

The People: We met some new investigators this week that quickly labeled themselves the Adulterers. They let us right in when they saw us holding our Book of Mormon in our hands. (A new strategy we are trying). Then before we really even said anything else she told us that she was an adulterer and that she was sinning against God and that she couldn't be forgiven. Actually, really sad in reality. We are working more with her to find peace, forgiveness, and the love that comes from repentance and the use of the atonement of Christ. 

Best part of our week. Lauri Vera CAME TO CHURCH!! She is a member but has not come for about two months. We have been visiting her a lot and trying to get her back and finally she came. It was the best feeling in the entire world to see her there and then be able to sit by her in sacrament. The day before we had a lesson with her and she completely opened up to us about her life. It is incredible the hardships she has faced and conquered and is still facing. Because of this she was also able to receive a blessing right after church and stated that she felt much more at peace. It was so great. I love her so much and know that when I leave this area I am going to miss her and her sweet daughter, Ale, SO MUCH. It is incredible the love you develop for the people here. It is definitely of my Heavenly Father. There is no other way to describe it. It just fills you up and you  just want them to know how important they are to Him and to their Savior.  

Really this week was madness but I loved it. I know that this church is true and I know that we can do hard things. This is a quote I found this week on divisiones that I really liked. I am not sure who it is by but it is powerful and true for each and every one of you. 

"You are here now because you are DIVINELY ELECTED to be here now. The simple fact and plain truth is that Mary and Eve and countless other glorious women as well as countless magnificent men were NOT assigned to this dispensation. WE WERE! It is HUMBLING and a little scary. But do you think God would have left the last days to chance by sending men and women he couldn't depend on?? There is NO CHANCE He would have been that cavalier or careless. The cumulative verdict of patriarchal blessings in our time is that we were sent now because some of the MOST TRUSTWORTHY of our Father's children would be needed in the final decisive battle of righteousness. That is who we are and it is who we have always been!!"

Les quiero mucho!!!!! 
<I love you very much!>

Hermana Albach