My last week as a nuevo........I don't know how I feel about that.

Ok I love you guys and miss you guys so so so much. This week was really quite hard for me. I'm struggling. Saturday was the baptism of Lucia and Ismael. But every single baptism has to have its problems. I swear Satan is real and does everything possible to bring us down. The mom of those two kids couldn't come and they didn't show up in church to receive the Holy Ghost because it was raining.  I thought I knew what rain in Paraguay was like but Saturday night I found out what its really like. Çrazy!

 

This is my first week that I will be a normal missionary. We have cambios tomorrow. I will be receiving a new companion. I am not sure what to expect. Well, it started to rain Saturday night like downpour. I was wet in three minutes. We had on the way to our house bought three eggs at a little store that was around the corner and some milk because I wanted to make the cake that you guys sent me today. Well my companion didn't want to get wet and decided to run in her high heels. High heels and Paraguay really are not a good mix at all. Well she fell. with the eggs. and I have a picture that I need to send you. It really is pretty funny but it was kind of a mess.

 

Well yesterday Silvio came to church in his white shirt and tie. It was so cute. And he is preparing and practicing for the primary program. Yesterday we were talking to a man in the street and he started singing to me. We asked for his address so that we could pass by another day. Well to say the least he said "Si is que la rubia me llame voy a responder" In other words if the Blondie calls me I'm going to respond. I get this a lot! Its really quite sad. We will pass by the men in this area and they will say Adioooooooooooos, HAHAHA. Well sounds like you area all doing good. I yearn to go to the temple but I cant. Please keep going. Sounds like you are all doing good. Keep going!

High heels, broken eggs, and a down poor.

My new scripture case!

Aren't they cool?




Silvio and his1st 2 baptisms.  He was given missionary agenda!

 

Love, HERMANA ROSS

What do you do when all of your investigatos move out of your area?...... Look for new ones!

 

 

Silvio with his CTR ring!! Thanks uncle Craig!!

 

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Ok first off I received your other package! I loved the package mom. I look at those quotes and receive a lot of motivation. The skirt fits perfect. I loved hearing how the missionaries are doing in the ward. My dear family, do all you can to make those that are taking the discussions feel welcome in the ward. We are starting a new thing that only the members can baptize those that are going to be baptized. We have a lot of people that are becoming inactive because the missionaries leave and they don't feel welcome in the ward. I want to hear how you guys are doing the work.

Mom don't worry I am going to tell you all about Silvio. Hermana Cortez and her companion Hermana Michael are actually the ones that found Silvio. But they never had the opportunity to teach him. They passed by his house a lot of times and he wasn't there. They actually found his brothers first. Hermana Cortez told me that she felt something so so so special from this sweet boy and that they needed to teach him. We actually taught my very first lesson with his dad. Silvio sat right next to me and we began to teach lesson 1. The restoration. His face lit right up when told the experience of Joseph Smith. And after we taught the first vision, we taught him how to pray and that he too could receive an experience and know that this church was true. I remember his first prayer. He said the words and he had so much faith. Well we continued to teach him the lessons and we had taught him all of the lessons in like 3 weeks. We were so excited. The first time we visited  him he wanted to be baptized. The week before his baptism he told us with tears in his eyes that his dad wanted him to wait. He was so sad. We were in the front porch of his house and we asked him what he wanted to do. Well, we said a prayer. We knelt down and he said a prayer. His words were from his heart, the sweet boy. He asked that his dad would let him join the true church on the earth. He wanted to be baptized and he ended with stating that he knew he would receive permission. His dad wasn't against him being baptized but wanted him to wait for a while and get to know the church more. His dad is a member and his mom isn't. He lives with his dad but his dad, because of hard things that have happened in his life, has fallen away from the church. Silvio didn't even know that he was a member. The day after Silvio said that prayer we went with the papers for his father to fill out and sat down with the two and asked if his father would sign the papers. But before Silvio bore his testimony to his father and told him why he wanted to be baptized now. The spirit was so strong. His dad signed the papers and Silvio was baptized the next week. Even though the water was cold, He was happy. You remember the story about his mom. His dad didn't come to the baptism. Well the day that Silvio was baptized he brought a friend. .His friend was at his baptism and the next Sunday when Silvio was confirmed a member of the church I brought his mom and his sister Lucia. This Saturday is the baptism of Silvio's friend and his sister. We taught these two friends of Silvio with him and on many different occasions we would be begin to teach them and they wouldn't´t understand. Silvio turned to his friends, explained the topic, bore his testimony, and then asked if they would live the law. Just so you know the lesson was on the law of chastity. HAHAHA Hermana Cortez and I were struggling because we knew that the mom of these two wasn't living the law of chastity. But Silvio taught the lesson and the two kids understand it better than I or any other missionary could have taught them. Yesterday his friend's sister came to church by herself because the little brother was in trouble with his mom but she has been coming to the young women activities and is growing in the gospel a lot!!! Silvio yesterday in the sacrament meeting helped the piano player by holding the papers. And he has received a talk that he will be giving in the primary program in about three weeks. He has given us 5 different references and right now we are teaching 3 and 2 will be baptized. He always wears the CTR ring that we gave him, and he is always looking for ways that he can bless others with this gospel. He is my little brother. I love this kid so so so so much. Even right now I get teary eyed talking about him. He doesn't have the support of the family. But he gave us the direction for his mom and he wants the elders to visit her. And his dad little by little is responding to us. Silvio is a miracle and a missionary. Those children need to know that they are the ones that can share the gospel better than anyone. They are closer to Christ than anyone here in the earth. Their friends that don't have the gospel can have it through them! There is no greater joy. 

This week was hard. You guys remember that Oscar and Catalina moved out of our area. They were going to get married. Well this week Mariela, Raul and olga and their family, and Diosnel moved out of our area. We cant teach them anymore. Do you know how frustrating it is to know that they live somewhere where I cant go and they are like the golden investigators!!!! 

Oh while I'm thinking about it. I would love if you could send me for Christmas different ideas for family home evenings. This is really the way that so many are enjoying the gospel. Or even in an email would be great. Some different ideas. This is the last week with my companion. Next Tuesday is transfers. And I know that things are going to change for me. Today we are going to have the activity of district and we are going to hike the hill Lambaré again. Its raining. Yesterday and today it rained a ton! Its amazing how much the people don't like the cold or the rain. This Saturday is the baptism of Silvio's friend and his sister. They are so special. The little boy is a little stinker sometimes. He reminds me of Jared in some of the things that he does. But I love him. And  his sweet sister hopes for a better family. She wants the best for her life and her future family. She told us a story this week about how in school they are taught to say prayers a certain way. The catholic way. It was her turn and she stood up in front of all of her class, turned to her teacher, and asked if she could say the prayer a different way. The teacher was surprised but said yes. She started and ended her prayer with Heavenly Father, and "in the name of Jesus Christ, amen". WOW!!! Hermana Cortez and I were so surprised. The first time we taught this girl she didn't want to be baptized because she thought that her baptism in the catholic church was valid. This same girl walked to church yesterday in the rain alone. This same girl assisted all of the mutual activities with the young women in the ward. This same girl is so excited to be a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints this Saturday, and as she says, have a happy family one day. What blessings!

I love you guys so much. i think about you a lot. Write me letters and send them please. It is so lovely to receive letters from you guys. 

Love,

Hermana Ross

Crazy Week!!

(Sorry, I should have posted this yesterday!)

 

First off I received your package with my skirt and everything. I loved it and I seriously wanted to cry. I am going to send you guys pictures today so my letters going to be a little bit short. This week was a little hard for me. We had a lot of investigators that told us that they don't want to hear any more and we were rejected a lot.  You guys know how I don't like to feel like this! But life goes on and so does the work. When I opened my package mom all the elders from my zone were there and they all think your catholic. HAHAHAHAHA Because of the pictures of Mother Maria that you sent me. Just so you know you don't have to send your things with those pictures any more. They go through the church and rarely are things opened. It was just kind of funny. This week we did teach a lot of lessons. But sometimes things are hard. Mom I am perfectly healthy.  The members feed us a tone of food and I don't have to worry about loosing too much weight.   We have a couple that wants to be  baptized. They aren't married though. So we are planning a wedding. And Silvio's friend and his sister have yet to be baptized. Mom I'm perfectly healthy and happy. This is only hard because those decisions of my investigators affect their life for eternity. I can't even imagine how Christ feels to know that we taught them everything we could and they wouldn't accept him. Right now I feel a little of what Christ feels. But then I remember the joy that I felt with those that did accept. Silvio and Natalia. Oh the joy that I feel is not even possible to describe. In two weeks we have transfers. President told me to be ready. I also received the money and everything from Midge and Jiggs and grandma and grandpa. I can't write a whole lot of letters to send because it costs me 16 mil guaranis. I Love you guys so much and am going to send you pictures this today. Sorry this weeks letter is short. I have the computer that the backspace doesn't work again. Its super way super frustrating. I know I cant spell in English and am having to delete a lot because I find myself writing in Spanish. TERRIBLE!!!!! I don't know how I'm going to remember my language when I come home. I love to hear how you are all doing! Mom and dad have  you guys had the missionaries  over to eat yet? I want to hear everything. But right now I'm going to send you guys pictures with my new handy dandy picture sender thinga majig! Love you all,

 

Hermana Ross   .

  

This picture is the cerro lambare that is in my area from the area Yukuty not all of my area is like Yukuty      

Our bathroom. There is a switch we flip for hot water.




Our garbage truck?!!

Me with an investigator's puppy.
She doesn't want the discussions any more.



Where we study

 

 

MAILl!!!!

Well my family all of the elders in my zone and district hate me about right now because I was the only one who received mail this past Tuesday. I got all of the letters from Grandma and Grandpa Lee and Ross and a letter from Nolan and Dana and Miranda and Jessica and Midge and Jiggs and Ahnica and I also got a paper that I needed to sign to receive a package. So this Tuesday I am going to be getting a package. I don't know what it is but its all good. So don't worry about that. Thanks for all the love from the family! It means a lot! 

So this past week we had so much success its absolutely Insane!!!!! This week we had divisions Thursday, we didn't have them last week because the Hermanas had different plans. The two Hermanas are the district leaders. We split our area in two and went our ways. I went with a Hermana  from California. She is a convert and her parents are both from Mexico. But at the end of the day we had 8 new investigators and 5 with a date for baptism. WOW!!!!!!! Our area is on fire. We have 11 that have dates for baptism. And we are planning a baptismal service this Saturday for the friend of Silvio. And the next Saturday for his sister. WOW SILVIO IS ON A ROLL!!!!! But it was so fun doing divisions. I learned so much from  this Hermana. She is so good at what she does. I seriously received so much more excitement to do the work. Which reminds me............... GUESS WHAT I FOUND IN THE STORE THE OTHER DAY...................PEANUT BUTTER!!!!!!!!!! Oh my dear family I wanted to cry. Hermana Cortez laughed at me. . Its a good thing that yesterday was fast Sunday. But we didn't have any meals with members planned but the elders in our ward did. In fact Sunday they had two meals planned so we received one of their meals. BLESSINGS. Sunday we had 7 people attend sacrament meeting. The new couple AND THEIR FAMILY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am teaching a family that have accepted a date for baptism and the whole family went to church!!!! And Silvio's friend and his sister came with us too. We taught 14 lessons this week and another 10 that were with members. Tons of lessons this week. Sorry this letter is a little jumbled in my thoughts. 

We teach all of the friends of Silvio every Tuesday and Thursday in the nights. He has invited about 6 different friends and 4 of them have dates for baptism. We were teaching the plan of salvation to all of them when Silvio raised his hand and asked if he could say something. He has a speech impediment. I don't think I ever told you guys that. But no one says anything to him about it. Anyways he raised his hand and asked if he could say something. He stood up from his chair and looked at all of his friends and said. I know that Jesus answers our prayers and that this is the true church. He answered my prayers and he can answer your prayers too. I looked at Hermana Cortez and we both seriously wanted to cry. It was wonderful! He is so strong!

So Sunday nights our Leader of the district calls and asks us about our numbers for the week. I had the privilege of telling him our wonderful numbers. And when I finished he came back and said... 7?!? you guys had 7 assistencias? JAJAJAJAJAJAJA Well he hung up and about 10 minutes later our leader of the zone called us and asked if we could talk to our zone this Tuesday about what we are doing. WHAT!? The problem is that we aren't doing anything different. Its the investigators and their decisions. We just have faith in them and in our heavenly father that he will help them want to grow. It really is a miracle. 

This week it was hotter than hot! I wanted to die! But the benefit is that when its hot everyone is out and about. This is really great! Its the reason we had so many different lessons. I made omelets for Hermana Cortez. She acted like she had died and gone to heaven. She had never had them before.  Mom have you guys had the missionaries over for dinner recently. You guys should because it really is great when we have lunch with members. I would love for Christmas some sticky notes. The small ones that are plastic. I use them to help me find scriptures. I would particularly love the color purple, blue, green, orange. These colors because they are the colors of the chapters in Preach My Gospel. I'd use them to help me with my studies. Because sometimes its hard to find scriptures in Spanish. I received new scriptures and now I'm just waiting for my scriptures cases. 

Weird experience for the week. We had investigators that are Catholics. The ones I told you that is sang too. Well we taught them and in the middle of the lesson the wife started telling us that she had received a gift from the holy ghost. A gift that the leaders of her church had given her by the laying on of hands. The gift of tongues. Well she then started talking to us in a language that doesn't exist. And then she told us that she has a friend who received a gift that she can interpret this language. Well the spirit wasn't in that lesson anymore! poof! Gone went the real Holy Ghost! And after that she started rocking the rocking chair next to her back and forth and said that she had seen Jesus in her life. When ever she is cold she remembers Jesus Christ. WEIRD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Not much that I can say about that. But we have the good experiences and the weird experiences. But right now I know that this is where I need to be. I love this gospel with all of my heart. And I love you all with all of my heart. Have a fun holiday.  Love you all!,

 

Hermana Tiffany Ross