THE ATONEMENT IS FOR EVERYONE!!!

But this week was a good week. Tuesday we had a zone conference where we were learning how the atonement is for everyone. They are really pushing the work so that we are inviting the people to be baptized in the contacts and are inviting everyone to accept the atonement in their lifes. It was pretty powerful. My companion and I decided that this week we were going to put the goal to invite every single person we came in contact with to be baptized members of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Thursday as we were doing our contacts we felt the need to talk to a man that was walking towards us. When we started to talk to him we explained our purpose here as missionaries and that we were inviting all to repent and be baptized in the church of Jesus Christ. He looked at us in shock.....with tears in his eyes.....and said....I want to be bapitzed. I want to be clean, I had been praying for someone to invite me to do this.  I then asked him the question of all questions.....WILL YOU FOLLOW THE EXAMPLE OF JESUS CHRIST BY BEING BAPTIZED THE 12TH OF JULY.............. he responded YES!!!!!!!!!!!!! and then he asked us what he needed to do to prepare to be baptized. This man lives in the area of the elders in our branch. We wrote down his direction and were planning on giving the direction to the elders that night in the branch night. We then gave the man a phamphlet of the gospel of Jesus Christ and we went to teach another lesson. That night when we found the elders in the church house, in the moment that we were about to give them the reference....They said....hey we got to know your friend today. WHAT!!!!!!!!!! Two hours after we had found him the elders found him waiting for them in front of his house. This man called them....telling them that the hermanas told him that they were going to pass by for him. The elders taught him the restoration. Sunday he went to church, all by himself, in a white shirt and slacks, and a nice pair of shined shoes. I cant even explain to you all how I felt to see this man in the church house. He was the only investigator in the church and we taught him doctrine principles. My mission president and his wife were in our branch yesterday.....President Agazzani had an interview with our branch president. I don't know what that means....its really rare that something like that happens.......but anyways back to this man. In gospel principles we taught the elders, us and the Hermana Agazzani about baptism. This man only had one question for us. How can I make sure that I stay strong after I'm baptized and I don't fall in sin.....WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! MIRACLE. It was also pretty cool that President Agazzani could get to know him. 

Another miracle... this week we found 4 different families that we are teaching. A family who will be baptized on 12 of july. They are family of members, had never heard of the gospel, and want to be baptized. They have a baby boy of about 11 months. Also another family , They are Jehovahs Witnesses who accepted a baptismal date......WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! hahahahaha we couldnt believe how strong the spirit was in this lesson. We are seeing miracles in the area. And it is because the atonement is for everyone. The 1st family I mentioned  seem to be the family with the most interest. We were so excited because they were a family that we contacted after finding our 1st man I mentioned. They accpted baptism and told us that they would be going to church on sunday. Sunday in the morning we went their house and nobody was there. Sunday night we went back and found the father distraught. His mom had passed away at the age of 52 the night before. We taught them the plan of salvation. they told us that they know it is true. that they read the Book of Mormon and that they are going to be baptzed. Its amazing.  But know that I love you all and that you are all in my prayers. 

Love, Hermana Ross

Crazy week!!

OK sorry for the last letter it was really short. So I'm going to try to give more details. My new companion is from El Salvador. She has a TON OF ENERGY!!!!!!!!!!! We are opposites, but she wants to work, I want to work so that's what it is. She is from the same stake as one of my previous companions. She is 19 and comes from humble circumstances. Her parents are converts and she has an older sister who is special needs. Her brother just returned from his mission in Nicaragua. She has 5 months here in the mission. We are working our butts off.

This week our district came to work in our area. Helping us find people that are ready to hear the gospel. We´re at a dead end. I feel like the second coming will happen in like an hour. There is so much wickedness in the world. We´re trying to find and help more people come to the church house, but its not easy here. In the mission it was never easy but right now it is really hard. We were the primary presidency again this week. 

Well the great thing is that our district is baptizing. There are 10 people who will be baptized the next week in areas around our area. The mission for just the month of June has baptized 96 people. I am grateful to say that one of those 96 is one of my converts. These last couple of days we have been freezing to death. The people here think we are crazies to leave in this type of weather. But we keep going. 

I love you guys so much. Looks like things there are pretty crazy. I cant believe that i will be seeing you guys in about 5 months. It is passing by really fast. And I don't want to come home. I'm working. I am not worried about the things that are happening there because I know that my sacrifices are giving you guys much needed blessings. 

so I don't know what else to write.....WE practically were swimming in mud to get to the homes of some of our investigators. Did I ever tell you guys that before coming on the mission I didn't think that the missionaries worked in this kind of weather? And that those Sundays they just stayed at home reading the scriptures....Well that's what I thought. But I was very wrong. I am very tired. I know that I have little time left. I'm reading the scriptures and trying to apply them in my life. 

Love you guys with all of my heart,

Hermana Ross

Transfers

Hey hows it all going at home,

This week we had transfers. My new companion is the from El Salvador. She has 4 months in the mission and more energy than she knows what do with. hahaha its exactly what Pribebuy needs. I'm finding that I'm so tired. This week has been a huge roller coaster for me and for my companion. We´re working hard though and i know that the lord will bless us.  I don't have any access to facebook. Here in Paraguay they are so far from opening the lines to face book for the missionaries. It has rained a lot. But out here we are not seeing a whole lot of flooding. Ive heard that my first area Yukytu is all covered in water. Here I'm not seeing a whole lot of that. It gets cold here. Literally I'm sleeping with what ever clothes i can put on. I'm sure that I'm used to the warm weather of Paraguay and that's why I'm dying in this cold. I don't have a whole lot to write you guys this week. Sorry. My mind is a lot tired and a little crazy.  Its hard work. ha ha but i keep going. We´ll be seeing miracles. I know it. Ive changed here in the mission. So many things have happened here in the mission field that its hard for me to believe how fast is going by the time. Its shocking really. 

Hope everything is good for you guys,

Hermana Ross

Miracles!!

Hey family. Wow sure sounds like you guys had a fun week. Me too! really it was great! Its amazing to see the blessings of the gospel in your lifes and in mine.

So I'm going to try to summarize everything that happened here this week and answer all of your questions. 

Monday we went to Esubio Ayala, an area that is a rented home for the church for our district activity.We ate Chipa and popcorn. And found out that the elders there were going to baptize a couple that they had been teaching. They would be coming to Piribebuy to be married and then be baptized on Saturday. So we were even more excited because The young man we had been teaching was still planning on being baptized this Saturday. 

Tuesday we went to the temple. We had to be there in the temple and 9. We left here at 5 45 in the morning. The new video was amazing! It really brings the spirit to the temple.  But the cool part was that every name that we did were from the family of President and Hermana Agazzani. And there is one amazing feeling of being in the celestial room with all those missionaries. After words we went to the church house next store (door. Yes she has forgotten her English) and had a testimony meeting. It was amazing. I had the opportunity to write down all those names that needed to and it was great. We went for zones to the temple. And after our district ate at Burger King, which is in front of the temple. We got back to our apartment and 8 30 in the night time. 

Wednesday was a normal day. Trying to help and teach our convert to keep strong for his baptism.

Thursday was TERRIBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It rained. And it was going to be the day that our friend had his baptismal interview. The zone leaders had to come to do the interview at 4. Well at three thirty our investigator called us and told us I have to go to work at  4 30 so we need to do this interview now. The elders hadn't left from their other area. It's more than an hour drive for them to get here. We called them and they told us they were hitch hiking to get here. They weren't going to get there in time and they didn't. Our investigator left to work. And he doesn't have a phone. Well the elders had to leave......And we had to help the elder and sister Keller, a couple missionaries here, look for less actives. Well we got a phone call from the elders about 1 hour after telling us that when they entered the bus they found our investigator. He works in the buses collecting the money. IT WAS A MIRACLE!!!!  Satan was working so dang hard to make sure that he wouldn't have his interview.The elders put a time for the next day to meet with him and he passed!!!!! 

So at the end the day Friday we found out that we were going to have a HUGE BAPTISMAL SERVICE HERE IN PIRIBEBUY, OF 4 PEOPLE BEING BAPTIZED. And just so you know........All of the elders called us asking if we could decorate the church for the wedding and make three cakes for the 35 people who would be coming to the baptism.....ELDERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! they´re crazies. 

I'm going to be sending pictures of the baptism. Our friend was so dang excited to get in that water. He changed his clothes so fast and he was the first one to be in the church on Sunday waiting to receive the gift of the holy ghost. It was amazing. He is a testimony to me that God is very aware of every single one of his children.

OK as for Erin.....YOU ARE GOING TO LOVE PARAGUAY!!!!! Don't worry about a coat with a double liner, it doesn't matter but make sure that the coat is water proof. that's the most important. Lots of socks. Bring good tights that are thick for the cold. Buy the garments in Utah but save some unopened for when they start to get bad.I would even recommend buying long garments. IT GETS COLD!!! especially when you will be coming. There is cold and there is HOT!!!! I loved my towel that stays cold for the heat. (She purchased a towel that you can get wet and it stays cold in the heat. I have seen them at sport stores and Hallmark) It helped me a lot. You will want a strong but durable umbrella that will withhold the wind and rain. Some things that maybe all missionaries would love to bring. DVDs from the church. The Testaments, Together Forever. I bought these here but we use them all the time to teach the people. Just make sure that they have the translations. Any DVD that is published by the church, no others. Music, we can only listen to music that is appropriate for the sacrament meeting. Cd's are great so you can change music with others. A nice strong flashlight but that is light weight and small. One that has a strong light. When your in the fields there are no lights and this is your best friend. I hadn't had to use mine until this transfer but its helped a lot. Well if I think of anything else I´ll let you know. You can share this with the Seffkers, too.

God is real and loves us so much,

Hermana Ross

p.s. For those that are going here on their missions, you don't need any books but maybe a nice set of scriptures in Spanish.  They give you everything in the MTC,  including dictionary and Spanish helps, Preach My Gospel, everything.  But I did like the small Preach My Gospel in English and Spanish.  You can buy them here but it was easier to get them at home.

Monday in the church house we had a great big family night with the branch

Me at the temple

These are the cakes we made for the baptism.

Decorations for the wedding.  We laughed and
said it was a dalmation wedding.  We couldn't find white balloons
anywhere in town, but we couldn't complain.

He is super HAPPY!

Those that were baptized.  A whole lot of white, Right?!