You know it's hot when the cockroaches come out!

Sent:	Mon 10/28/13 8:20 AM

I think we´ve killed a good five cockroaches in our apartment. But they aren't that big! Hermana Rojas is the one that is willing to kill the suckers. I don't want to even be near the things. I thought I hated spiders..............NO I HATE COCKROACHES!!!!!  The mosquitos here are terrible!!!!!! And the spray that i use doesn't work. And here they don't have anything other than spray. I need to find some type of lotion or liquid that is for mosquitoes. My legs have a reaction to the mosquito spray. Luckily a missionary here that left this area left her bug spray so I've been using that but the bug spray that I bought is not exactly working really well. So if you could find something that would be great. The shirts are only if you could find them. Its super hot here and iI didn't come prepared with just cotton T-shirts that I can wear without anything else here. Its crazy! But don't worry too much about the package! And just so you all know I really am super happy in the mission! For diarrhea I took the medicine that I brought and Gatorade, sprite, and I stayed away from the fruit.

OK so I think that I'm ready for a new area! Where are my investigators? Super super frustrating! And its a little difficult that Hermana Rojas only has one week left. This last week with her we are going to be working our tales off! And we will be in the offices a lot. Today we are going to the offices to be a part of a choir for some devotional in the future that is supposed to happen. Well we don't know anything more than that! President Agazzani is super good at keeping secrets. Nobody knows what is going to happen until we find out. Its crazy. She is super amazing. Some difficult things have happened to her in the mission and she is crazy strong! 

I'm super blessed that nothing has happened to me in the mission. So miracles of the week. Our dear sweet sister and her son!!!!!! We may not have other investigators but we have her and son. Want to know how you can tell if the person is going to be super strong in the gospel? When Satan is working with them harder than any other investigator in the world. She had a job interview this week where the boss is a pastor of a church. A church that absolutely hates our church. Well she got into some serious discussion with him. He literally tried to convince her that she would go to Hell if she listened to our message. That the Book of Mormon is just a bible that was rewritten. There are many different things that he told her. Well when we taught her the next day she told us these things. And that now when she reads the Book of Mormon these comments come into her mind. She seemed to be a little surprised to see that we weren't worried that this man was telling her these things. And that all we wanted her to do was pray and ask god. That's the only thing she hasn't done yet. JUST PRAY ALREADY!!! HAHAHA She is so prepared! But we were working throughout the week and we got a text message from her. In this text message she told us that her son wants to be baptized and she wanted to know what she needed to do to help us with the baptism!!!! WHAT?!? We went to her house and taught her son and he really wants to be baptized! But She doesn't want to accept a baptismal date yet. He will be baptized the 15th of November. We are hoping and praying that she too will have the desire to be baptized with her son. They are so prepared! Sunday the two of them came to church with us! We walked up to their house and her son was waiting outside for us. He reminds me a lot of Jared. a tough exterior but a soft heart. When he saw us he was smiling so big! We found out after the sacrament meeting that he knows Silvio. And Silvio being the little missionary he is helped him to his classes. EVERY SINGLE TALK IN THE REUNION WAS ON BAPTISM!!!!! HELLO!! I can hardly believe that Silvio has only been coming to church for 3 months. Later on this Sunday we passed by her house to because we needed a bathroom and water. We were so exhausted! So she let us in and she was a little surprised to see that we were so tired. She gave us water and we went on our way but as we were leaving her house she told us. You know I have been thinking a lot and I think that I need to do more thinking with prayers and my Heavenly Father!! MIRACLES!!!! 

Things in the mission are good! I cant believe that I have five months here! I love this gospel with all my heart! I know that this is the true church! Last month in Paraguay 182 people were baptized! The work is hastening on.
Have a happy Halloween everyone and enjoy the snow! haha I don't know how it will be to be dying of heat for Christmas! But i look forward to it! 

Gracias familia por todo!

Hermana Ross.

 

This man is a miracle. His family are members. His wife is the president of the relief society in our ward. He has a son in the mission field. And he never felt the need to be baptized. He was buddist. Well he was super sick. He had three different brain surgeries. After the third surgery he woke up and told his wife that he wanted to be baptized! He was baptized and he bore his testimony it is amazing the difference we see in him. He and his family are so happy. he was baptized by the stake president and his brother in law. He is still super sick but he is so happy! Oh and the two boys that are in front of us are two sons of a member that is inactive. They are not baptized but we are teaching them too. one is deaf and we are learning sign language to teach him and we are using lots of photos. Its super spiritual. They came and watched the baptism of this brother. The one with the jean shorts is deaf.

 

The "Son" is shining bright in Paraguay!

This week is by far the worst week with our numbers. We don't have anyone with baptismal date. Never in my mission have I had this. But...... We did see the miracles. So life in the mission is a little crazy... A LOT CRAZY!!!!!!!!!! I am always tired, I'm sun burnt, I'm walking all day looking for new people to teach, mosquitoes think that my blood is the sweetest thing around, and people are rejecting the gospel left and right so in other words..... I AM SO HAPPY!!! Isn't that really weird. You guys know that I really don't like being rejected. I take it to heart, literally. And I thought being rejected in normal life is hard. Its hard when they are rejecting you in the mission because they are rejecting their savior Jesus Christ. But its not important. We have to see the opposition in all things to see the blessings. And this week we did see blessings.

So the first thing that happened is we found this new family that we thought for sure were golden. We invited them to be baptized and............................... they are members. Inactives that are working to be baptized in another church. Crazy right? We taught them all of lesson 1 and they didn't tell us anything. When we  invited them to be baptized they didn't know what to say. Well after a long silence the sister, told us that the lord doesn't forget his children. It is no coincidence that we found them. The lord works in mysterious ways. We are working a lot with the inactives in the ward right now and the part family members. We have a lot. And our ward is getting smaller and smaller because people aren't assisting. Yesterday we had 39 people in the chapel. Those members aren't helping us a whole lot right now. And we have to ask the members for lunch if we want it. I don't know why... Darn it all. But anyways back to this family. After the awkward silence they showed us the pictures of their baptisms. It really was interesting. And they asked us if we would write the elders that taught them. That they would love to hear from them. So if I have time after I write this I will be writing elders that served here in Paraguay 5 years ago. 

Saturday we had the opportunity to do service. We got to help with the Project Operation Sunrise. The group that work to do surgery for those kids that have cleft pallets.   So we helped them set up and we gave the families water because they were all sitting outside in the heat waiting for the nurses to talk to them. Every single one of the doctors were speaking English. My companion didn't know what to do. And I actually did a lot of translating for different people. We met two ladies that are from Primary Children in Utah. They were talking to us a lot. It was cool. I felt  a little piece of home. And it really is the best feeling to do service. Everyone in this project knew us because in all over the world we are helping with this program. 

My companion only has two weeks left in the mission. Its crazy! She doesn't know if she is sad or happy. Haha. But ready for the miracle of the week....

An old investigator wants to be baptized!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! But she doesn't want to accept a date. She is a very spiritual person. Has had many experiences in her life that are super super spiritual. And she told us of a dream that she had. In this dream she was alone and it was dark. And She was super sad. She didn't know what to do and she asked a question out loud. "Why am I here on the earth?" after this she told us that a soft voice responded.... " To be happy" The next day after she had this dream she said that we taught her the plan of salvation and she asked us the same question that she had asked in her dream. I responded to her question... To be happy. She said that she knew in that moment that it wasn't a coincidence that she came in contact with the church again. But she feels like she wants to keep assisting the church meetings and get a better feel before she accepts a date for baptism. She says she doesn't want to be a hypocrite. And right now her problem is her son. He doesn't want to come to church. Please pray for a miracle! Go to the temple  and put her name and her son's. We are praying for a miracle with her. But it really is a miracle. She is the investigator that told us that she didn't want to be baptized and told us she never wanted to see us again. Crazy!

NEVER IN THE MISSION DO THE MIRACLES  CEASE TO OCCUR!!! It is super hard for me to be here and do a lot of this work. Its out of my comfort zone to talk to people in the street or ask people if I can have lunch with them. But it is the work of the lord. I know that this church is true and the the Son of God never ceases to shine in Paraguay. Thank you for your letters. I love you all so much. I love hearing all of your stories.  Mom I would love some more of the ped socks for my shoes. Walking a lot and they don't last very long. And they don't exist in Paraguay.  I love you all, And yes they do celebrate Halloween here. But it sounds like it is a little different. I don't know I guess we´ll see. I have five months in the mission in two days!! CRAZY!

love you all,

Hermana Ross

P.S. This picture is of me and my companion in the hospital with the fun hats that they had to entertain the kids. 

Don't judge a house by the virgin Maria that is staring at you from the window!

Hola familia, como estas? Todo bien? Estoy muy agradecida por la oportunidad yo tengo a hablar con ustedes esta "p day". Como esta su español?

Hello family how is everyone?

I'm really not perfect with my Spanish but its coming. I really am so so so grateful that I have my companion Hermana Rojas to help me more and more. I'm so so so grateful I'm not training right now. This week was good. Its hot and humid here. How is the weather at home? We are walking a whole lot! AWHOLE LOT!!!!!!!!!!! We are looking for the people who are prepared to hear the gospel and be baptized. Monday was p day and we had a reunion with our district and played football and basketball and then went to a super mall that was more like a Wal-Mart and had lunch. It was fun but we were so so so tired after. It was hard to leave and preach after doing all of that. Our district is really great. I liked what you said mom about the goal of three thousand baptisms in Utah. President Agazzani has a goal for this year and our mission. 2,000. In 2010 this mission had about 700 baptisms, 2011= 700, 2012= 700, and from the beginning of 2013 to right now, in the mission of Paraguay about 1,200. We are so close. And look at that increase of number for the year 2013! Crazy right. I know that the Lord is really hastening his work. We are looking for new people to teach and knocking on millions of doors, in the heat, and probably 4 out of 5 people have had the lessons from the missionaries before. Its really rare that we ever talk to someone that hasn't ever heard from the missionaries. CRAZY!!! The mission is not easy!!! AT ALL!!! But it is so worth it. Saturdays and Sundays are the days that we can really find those people. Our area is a little rich. Some houses are bigger than the houses in Utah. Like Park City, rich looking. Yeah crazy! I don't know what we did with Hermana Cortez to find those people that were ready to be baptized but we´re trying to do all we can to find more people to teach. Silvio is really good. Yesterday was the primary program and he spoke his part really well. He is so special. And ready for the miracle of the week.......... you guys remember that we were teaching that sister with an 11 year old son? Well, we have been teaching her again. And she told us that she understands how important it is to have a church. She doesn't want to be baptized yet but she came to church yesterday!!!!!! This is really a miracle. She's reading the Book of Mormon, And She's coming to church. Two months ago she didn't even want to talk to us. She was so angry. We found out that her neighbor is anti-Mormon and had been talking to her about the church. About pologamy and how much money we spend on temples and things like this. Well its really a miracle. Satan is working just as hard to bring people down but don't worry he's not working as hard as the Lord is to bring people up.  Did you know that the catholic church is talking about sending out missionaries into the world now. And we are always running into the missionaries from the Jehovah witnesses. And almost all of the other Christian churches have missionaries. Crazy. Well another interesting story of the week. We knocked on this door, and we knew that they were catholic because it had a miniature catholic church outside of the house with Maria inside. Well this older woman came out and was ready to like pound us down. HAHAHA Well we asked her if we could come inside her house and share a small message with her. She said, " You guys want to share a message with me?" haha we said yes and then she let us pass. We entered this house and I have never been in a house so catholic in my life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Crosses all over the wall, pictures of Jesus as a baby. Maria!!! And then we entered the kitchen. There was the table for eating, and then there was the round table in the corner with a 3 ft. Maria in a pink dress and Jesus in her arms standing and staring at us. There were pictures of those people who had died around her feet. Well we began teaching her about the doctrine of Christ. Faith, Repentance and baptism. you guys want to know how fast the work is hastening? The first lesson we teach here is lesson three and we invite them to be baptized the first time we teach. They either accept, or they don't. And we know their problems and they know why we are out and about teaching. We are specific with the authority and why the our church has the power. Its really crazy. We also talk about how it is a commandment to be baptized. Well we did this with this woman. HAHAHA She didn't accept or say anything. She just told us thank you and we left. It was interesting. I will never forget Maria staring at me from across the table. I wonder what Mary thinks of all these Catholics that have statues of her in clothing that didn't exist in her time with crowns on her head? HAHAH one day I hope to find out.

 

 I do talk to one sister who was babtized while ago. She is struggling, only because her husband doesn't like the church at all!!! He told her that if she goes to the church those Sundays that she will need to got to the catholic church with him. She hasn't come to our church for one month. We are working with her. She works a lot so it is a little difficult. Keep praying for her please. I cant believe that I almost have 5 months in the mission. And I have 5 baptisms. The work is so perfect! 

For Christmas......... pictures of you guys, A cotton shirt that is cute to wear in the heat. I don't know. Send what you want really. Have fun! Love you all so so so much. In two months I will be talking to you guys. Do you guys have skype or will we be talking for phone? Love you all tons!

Our district eating lunch at a supermarket on our P Day.

Hermana Rojas and Hermana Ross

 

Hermana Ross

My first Conference in the missionfield!

Well lots to tell you guys this week. Anyways this week I got your letters all at once. I loved them! I will try to write to you guys and it will be personal letters like mom said to do. My companion loved the pictures of Zion. She wants to go there really bad. Maybe one day she will be able to come and visit us in Utah. She says that is one of her dreams. Sounds like you are all doing really good. I love and miss you all. We have a lot of new people in the mission. All of the Hermana's that came this past transfer are from the states. Of the five sisters that I came with three are training. I'm so,0so, so, so grateful that it's not me. All that are training are 19 and are training 19 year olds that are learning the language. Way Difficult. But I'm grateful for the opportunity that I have to learn from Hermana Rojas. We got our refrigerator. We didn't have to pay anything.

So conference, it was good but its not the same listening to them in Spanish. Some cool facts is that Elder Scott actually recorded his voice in Spanish for the sessions. So it was his voice. But its difficult only because I long to hear the actual voice of the prophet. Conference was in our church house which is one block from our house. Saturday we went and didn't have any investigators and at the end of the first session the elders in our ward came and asked us a question. They asked us if we wanted to have a baptism today. We looked at him in shock and said what!? Well they had been teaching this man and they found out that he doesn't live in this area. He lives in ours. So Sunday between the sessions of the conference we had a baptism. His name is Emilio. Bueno! We had a baptism this weekend! hahaha! Silvio came to the conferences Sunday in his shirt and tie with his notebook to take notes. He was so excited to hear the prophet. In Paraguay they have the options to go to the center of Paraguay to listen or one block from our house. Well we didn't have a whole lot of people Saturday in the church but . A lot of people will watch in their homes by Internet but Sunday in the morning it was packed. And it was the best turnout for a baptism that we have yet to have. Right now the area is difficult. We don't have any investigators that came to conference. And we are searching for new people. But the peace of conference was wonderful. I can't believe how many missionaries are in the world right now. We have something like 45 missionaries in our mission and when my companion started there were 16! I just read your little email mom. I loved, loved, loved, the skittles. But in the package the bag exploded and there was confetti with them. Hahaha it was quite funny.  I know that this is the true church and that I am meant to be here. My faith is being strengthened every single day. The mission is not easy, but it is worth it. I can hardly believe that I have 4 months in the mission! And its getting hot in Paraguay. You guys are going to have snow and I am in the blazing heat. Its all good. Sorry my letters are getting shorter and shorter. But its really difficult for me to write in English. How weird is that!?! Yesterday we were doing contacts in the street and we ran into a lady that lived for 2 or three years in Virginia. She started talking to me in English and I wanted to tell her that she was super invited to the church every Sunday at 9. Well the way I said it in English is that she was super invitado to the church all Sundays at 9. Its bad. I couldn't even say invited. Invitado is invited en Spanish. Well love you guys a ton!

 

Hermana Ross

Hermana Ross and Hermana Rojas to the rescue!!!

So this week we had cambios, or transfers. Well............my new companion is really amazing! Hermana Rojas from Paraguay. Her family lives in the north mission of Paraguay. She won’t be here from Christmas because this is her last area. And I will be her last companion. She is 22 years old and drop dead gorgeous. Really thin with brown eyes and long dark black hair.  In this area we didn’t have anybody that we could teach so we started for the doors. This is the first time in my mission that I really have had to go searching for the people. But in one day we found a new family and a 16 year old girl that is living alone. The family Bordon has a date of baptism for the 26th of December. Janina, the 16 year old girl also. We are working a lot. The great thing about Hermana Rojas is that she can speak Guarani. The bad thing is that I can’t. But the Spanish is coming along. I understand a lot if not total and can speak for the majority of what I want to say. Hermana Rojas is way straight laced. She does what she is supposed to and we don’t break the rules. With Hermana Cortez it wasn’t exactly like this... but Hermana Cortez is an awesome missionary also. She is opening a new area and is training. HAHAHAHA She kept telling me that I was going to train but nope she is and she’s opening a new area. But Hermana Rojas ends her mission 6th of November. I don’t know what’s going to happen with me this next cambia. I feel peace with her. We are near the same age and we do the work with our hearts and the spirit. I’m learning lots from her and I am very grateful for the opportunity to be her companion. When I had my interview with President he asked me how my Spanish is coming and I told him that I needed to practice speaking with the people from Paraguay. Well he gave me a companion from Paraguay. She is super great with the people of Yukuty because she will speak Guarani. It’s really quite ironic because we will be speaking with a family. She’s speaking in Guarani and translating for me to Spanish. It really is super ironic how I am from the US and I’m having my companion transfer Guarani to Spanish so that I can understand. How funny is that? Another example, the elder Castro has a new companion from Utah.  Elder Jardine. I called them to talk about a thing with the ward and he answered and told me he couldn’t understand. I was talking in Spanish. Well when I started to talk in English it was terrible. I am absolutely forgetting my language. It’s crazy!

  I’m a lot more confident in my work. I love this gospel! Not a whole lot new has happened in the mission but my new companion. And that we don’t have a fridge. We will be receiving a new one soon.

Mom, I didn’t have the opportunity to see the relief society broadcast but it looks like you had fun.   I know that hard work pays off. I see it every day. I would like to challenge the family to do something. READ PREACH MY GOSPEL and the scriptures. This is how Trent and  Jared are going to prepare for their missions. Please continue to go to the temple for me. I love you all so much. And by the way the family that we are teaching, the family Bordon, they have a date of baptism.They are a mom and dad and baby. They need to be married but they are so amazing. I miss those investigators that left the area but we are finding others and it is so amazing all of the miracles I see every day. I can’t even express how much I love you all. I am so super tan. The sun is strong. But it’s beautiful. So many different tropical flowers.

 

 My scriptures were drawn by a man. I picked out the pictures and he customized it for me! How cool is that? This p day we are going to be cleaning or Hermana Rojas is going to be unpacking. But we can’t do a whole lot because we can’t leave the area. Today is a little cloudy or we would climb Cerro Lambare again.  I think I’m going to write some letters and sleep. I got a letter from Miranda and Midge and Jiggs. And I need to write Jessica and lots of other people.  It’s crazy! Well if I have other things that I need to tell you, I don’t remember. Oh conference. It will be broadcasted in our church and I will be watching it in Spanish because we have investigators that will be watching it with us. I’m very grateful that I can understand Spanish to listen to these talks.

Love you all,  

Hermana Ross