November 28, 2011

Heeeeeeeellllllllooooooo,

     Monday we had awesome Pday plans, but it rained. So OPA (finished, ended, done, etc in guarani) to our plans. Tuesday we had the same problem. One thing that was really interesting though was we contacted some Iranians and they invited us into their house. Their names are HooShanq and Foruogh Ahktad Howadi (very difficult to pronounce). They believe in a religion called Bahà`ì. Their religion accepts all the other religions in the world because they all worship the same God. 

     They "believe" in Christianity, but their knowledge of Christianity is very little or they would realize that it contradicts what they believe. They also believe that Jesus wasn`t the Christ, just a prophet, and that thier "Prophet" was Christ. So it was really hard to teach, because as we were trying to teach them they were trying to convince us of their religion. I don`t know if it was because of custom or they didn`t really want to listen, but they wouldn`t cooperate.

     Wednesday we went back to try and teach Dispensations, to HooShanq, but that didn`t work out. There was a lot of "fighting" to show who was right. Several times he said "If you prove to me what you say is true then I will believe". So we said, "Ok read the Book of Mormon and ask God, he will tell you". Then he said "why would I pray about something I don`t believe is true?" I guess it makes sense in his mind, but the Baha`i claim to be seekers of truth, so I don`t know why he wouldn`t do it. Plus a couple of times he said "I want to know if it`s true", but apparently not by praying.

     Thursday... Thanksgiving. Well they don`t celebrate Thanksgiving, but I did eat like a pig for lunch with Flia Gomez. Chicken, Milanesa, Potatoe salad, Normal Salad, Bread, Juice, Watermelon, Desert, etc. It was great.

     Friday was English class. Less and less people are coming. Is it even worth it? I hate teaching... besides the Gospel.

     Saturday was fun. We did service for an old lady in the morning before lunch because we can`t be alone with women we brought an 18yr old member named Jonathan with us and he helped out. We mowed her lawn, cut her weeds, burned her garbage, etc. Paraguay only has an electric motor, so I had to plug it in from the inside to reach one side of the house. I went out the back and ran up the 4 steps to get to the backyard. The fun part was I didn`t see the wooden beam at the top of the steps.

     Bam! I hit my head. I learned a little about equal and opposite reactions when it forced me to fall backwards, I learned about gravity when my foot slipped and I couldn`t catch myself, then I learned about how good of a stunt man I will be in two years when I landed on my back unscathed. My head didn`t even hurt, my butt did a little though.

     Well later that day we went to a family who was preparing for a wedding, so we got to eat wedding food. Then we ate cake at an investigators house who owns a bakery. Then we ate more when we went to watch "Joseph Smith Prophet of the Restauracion" with an investigator family. I`m glad we got fed so much cuz I gots no moneys. Only enough to pay for internet and travel to Oviedo for exchanges.

     Sunday was depressing because it didn`t rain, so there was no excuse for people not to come. There was 40 people, but no investigators, and a ton of them promised they would come. What makes it worse is I got a terrible sun burn on my neck from service yesterday.

That`s my week. Love Ya¡

Elder Zachary James Singson

November 21, 2011

What a week,

     Tuesday I had divisions with Elder Anderson. Tall Blond Football player. He is always smiley and funny, but bad at Spanish. Anyways it felt good to talk in English again. Man they have a bunch of inspired people in their area. We taught a Joven lesson three focusing on his doubts about baptism. After the lesson he said he didn`t have doubts anymore because he says he "Feels" that this is true. He accepted a baptismal date and even came to church on Sunday even though it rained. We also saw a Toucan, then gave baptismal dates to 3 random college students we randomly taught. I wonder how that went later on. Kneeling prayers from each of them, that was awesome.

     Wednesday I reunited with my comp and he annoyed the crap out of me all day. He made the plans and he planned the lessons and he did the contacts and he did the teaching. It was all him, I did nothing. The only times he let me do anything he told me exactly what I had to do and say, so is it really me who is doing it? Or is it just him coming from another body? He had a self righteous attitude that made him unbearable, so I just shut off my brain.

     Thursday after Weekly Planning we had a companionship inventory and I felt better.

     Friday was the super amazing Zone Conference. We got there at 7am ready to sit for a long time, but that`s not what happened. Oh! First. The first assistant to the President was a Latin and he had a special change and went home, so now my Favorite Elder, Elder Love, is now an Assistant to the President. I was shocked when I saw him, I knew that one day he would be an assistant, but I was waiting for it to happen in a normal change. Anyways for Zone Conference we studied 2 Nephi 31 really well to understand our purpose as a missionary better. It was really spiritual and awesome. Later we watched the President do some really funny practices on obedience. We also played basketball, golf, and a bunch of other activities that applied to our work as missionaries. It was awesome!

     For lunch we had some really good Chicken Sandwiches and Empenadas. I know that God loves me again. There were three hidden toothpicks in the sandwiches. I took a big bite and I found the first one, but instead of being vertical it was horizontal. So instead of stabbing me in the roof of my mouth and causing damage, or something similar, It just hurt my tooth a little. Was it coincidence or Love of God?

     After all the great lessons learned it was about 3:00pm. So we took a bus home. We would have gotten back right at 5pm to teach English classes, but one of the tires on the bus exploded, so we got back an hour late. There were still people to teach, but most of them went home, so we started our English class an hour late. Then it was Noche de Rama.

     Saturday we taught 4 lessons before 3pm, but then we didn`t get anything done the rest of the day because of 3 emergency bathroom runs. 2 by my comp and 1 by me. Then we went to the baptism at 6pm. Although it was supposed to be at 6, of course, it didn`t start till 7. The other Elders baptized two kids. Gabriel and Santiago. Their parents will probably get baptized sometime in the future, but they still have some doubts. The kids didn`t want to wait though. Elder Anderson had a really hard time with saying the prayer correctly. It took him 10 times at least. So we ate brownies and juice and watched a movie.

     Sunday it rained, but the kids and their family (The Paniagua´s) came anyways and had the confirmation. 27 people came, which is a lot more than when it usually rains. At 3pm there was a bus accident and one of the inactive member´s, Jose Martinez, dad died. The dad is a non-member, but the main reason why Jose doesn`t go to church anymore. Earlier that morning Jose called and said he wanted his patriarchal blessing and was asking what he had to do to get it. This might be the perfect oppertunity to reactivate him, teach his nonmember family, and maybe even his nonmember and not married girlfriend with her baby. ¿Who knows?

     One thing is certian though. I AM SUPER HAPPY! YAAAAY! 

Love Ya`ll,

Elder Zachary James nosgniS

November 14, 2011

This week wasn`t nearly as exciting as last week.

     Monday night we talked to the Flia Villalba and they tried to drop us, but with the help of the spirit and saying "We aren`t trying to change your religion, we are only trying to help you find the truth and follow God`s will. Will you pray to find out if this is the true church and ask God if it is his will to join this church?" That`s plus or minus what I said, but it worked well.

     Tuesday was District meeting and wow was it gloomy. Elder Pastul is so boring. Everybody looked like they wanted to die. There was no energy in that room. Even the Hermanas were sitting there with an angry look on their face. It kinda sucked.

I have another cool story for you guys though. We went to the Flia Gomez`s house and they gave us Watermelon! Yay I love watermelon. It wasn`t the best in the world, but it sure is refreshing when it`s so stinking hot outside. Anyways I left my bag with my scriptures on the chair outside. While we were eating Andrea had a thought that she needed to go outside to turn off the fan that they left out there. When she went outside she saw a little kid (6 or 7years old) with my bag about to walk out their gate. When he saw Andrea he dropped the bag and ran away. Cool huh? Just like the time when I left my bag in the capilla and Hna Raquel walked in right when somebody was about to steal my camera. I`m pretty sure God loves me.

     Wednesday there was supposed to be a movie night for youth and investigators, especially the ones that always come to play Soccer in the church. Well the movies that the president downloaded wouldn`t work so we brought the "Joseph Smith the Prophet of the Restauracion" instead. Only the investigators and members watched it and the Jovens played soccer outside. Hna Raquel burned all the Popcorn too so the church smelled really bad and was filled with smoke. Not the best movie night ever.

     Thursday it rained, Friday too. Friday I had really bad Chivivi, but Elder Anderson brought me some Pepto Bismol. I am so greatful for that. Too bad that there is no such drug in South America. Anyways Elder Pastul and I taught English class for the first time. Only a bunch of little kids and a school teacher showed up. I don`t know if it will be worth it if it continues like this. We played a little soccer for Noche de Rama against a thousand little kids. It was impossible to move up and down the field with the ball because you didn`t want to step on any of them.

     Saturday Villarrica had a tournament of soccer against Coronel Oviedo. Oviedo won the first 2 or 3 games, so they got prideful. Then came the fall. After that Villarrica won so much they became bitter and started playing dirty. We helped out a little with the spiritual side and crowd control for lunch, but we were told that after we left Oviedo started being worse. The funny thing is that all the nonmembers are from Villarrica and they acted better.

     That night we found my English Student and taught him. His name is Alcidez Brusuelda or something like that. His wife and two kids are Blonde as Germans. They were in a hurry because thier Grandpa was having a Birthday party, but we were able to teach them Lesson 1 and they liked it. We invited them to get baptized, they accepted, but we didn`t have time to set a date. That`s ok, next time.

     Sunday it rained again and only 13 people came to church. One of them was a recent convert and his friend and investigator. I ask ¿If a recent convert and an investigator can walk 20 minutes in the pouring rain without an umbrella, What is wrong with all the other members out there? I am disappointed.

     Instead of trying to teach Flia Villalba again we gave them a list of Soul Searching Questions that the Book of Mormon answers. So now they can get a personal testimony of the Book of Mormon. Turns out that their Daughter Diana was the investigator we have been searching for since forever. So now Diana, Genoveva (Mom), and Fausto (Dad) each have a book of Mormon and a question that they want answered that can be found in the Book of Mormon. Hope that works well.

TTFN Ta Ta for Now!

Elder Singson

November 7, 2011

Haldo Family,

This week was quite eventful compared to others.

     Starting with Tuesday, The Hermanas were in Asuncion for Capitations, so Elder Pastul took the opportunity to Drop the Cane. We received some new rules from President Callan and Reinforced a lot more, so that`s what we talked about in District meeting. I got some dear Elders ¡Yay! So besides the letters when we finally got back to Villarrica we taught a lesson with Pdte Arriola and his wife for the first time. We taught the Flia Villalba. It went well. Turns out that Pdte Arriola knows everybody that we visit, so we are just going to ask him for references from now on. Later we passed by the church and talked to the Guys that always go there to play soccer. Lots of them are actually interested.

     Wednesday we taught an old guy named Wenseslau Chamorro. He listened, but nothing registered. Here in Paraguay I always feel like Ezekiel 33:32. Look it up and know what the day and the life of a missionary is. Tell me if you don`t get it. We were passing by a cyber and we saw Hna Ramona there. Turns out that her son owns the place, so we went in and taught him. He is a really guy. Too Catholic for my taste, but maybe one day from the help of his mom he will read and pray about the Book of Mormon. We talked a lot with him and he said he would read. 

     While walking around we found a guy we talked to once, so we decided to stop by. His daughter invited us in. Cezar, the dad, had to go to work, so he told us another time we could pass buy. When we went outside the daughter started talking to us and I noticed a Poster. I looked at it and it showed partially naked women posing. I rapidly turned the poster over and the Daughter, Janee, noticed. She asked "Oh, you don`t want to come to my party". Of course we said no, but we found out this 17yr old girl is the very person who organizes the Sodom and Gomorrah parties that happen in Villarrica. She buys the beer and hires Underwear models to come to dance, so that more guys will pay to come. I was shocked. We asked her why she does it, and she says she likes being sexy and wearing immodest clothes that show off her body.

     I felt the impression to show her my pictures you guys sent me. I also blatantly told her that what she can`t live with God if she continues in her ways. Looking at my pictures almost made her cry. I asked her if she wants this kind of happiness. She responded "I wish my family was like that". I told her we can help her, but she needs to stop doing the thing she is doing. Since we can`t talk to her alone we invited her to a Noche de Rama. She was busy but will come next week and we will probably teach her family in the future. We have seen her doing some pretty crazy things in the streets since then, but I don`t believe she is happy.

     Later that night we went to visit Sergio Sosa but he wasn`t there. Turns out that somebody that works on the inside and a bunch of other people tried to rob the military base just outside of Villarrica. Now Sergio works, eats, and sleeps guarding the base until further notice... Dang. So we went to visit Miriam and ended up teaching her and her brother, Which is funny because she said that he wouldn`t like it, but he was intrigued at the very least.

     Thursday we were walking by the University called UPAP when randomly some guy comes out and says "Hey I want to talk to you guys, Can you come by at 2?" Turns out that he is the Director of the University and wants us to teach English and Religion in his University (Pay us to teach). That was a no go, but we told him that we could teach English Class in the church, so now he has a bulletin posted and about 30 people signed up. We also talked a little and he says that he hates how ignorant his country and people are, and insulted further the Paraguayans. Everybody that leaved Paraguay has the same opinion, especially if they went to the US. He asked us for a Book of Mormon too. Cool guy. At lunch I ate 3 plates of Ravioli, a slice of cake, and 1/8 of a watermelon, plus other stuff. I felt like I was going to explode! My stomach wanted to kill me.

     Friday we had division with the Zone leaders. ¿Why? Cuz my comp needs special attention. I stayed with Elder Alexander (For the 3rd time) and we found a Future RM investigator. His name is Fabian Gimenez and he is Gold. He reads for Comprehension and he said "Can I go on a mission?" we said "If you get baptized and prepare" then he said "When can I get baptized?" Now he has a baptismal date for the 3 of December, Dad`s B'day. I hope he keeps it because he is Gold. Basically the rest of the day was filled with contacts because all our plans fell. Pdte Lugo, President of Paraguay, came to Villarrica. We didn`t know this until we walked down the street where all his security personnel were. There were probably 40 armed military guys. We contacted a group of them. I was suprised they didn`t ask for our papers. Besides the Guards and some reporters, we were the only ones in the street. I don`t know why Lugo was there, but it was interesting.

     We planned a Cita with Sonia to teach her, but she decided to go pray to the Virgin in the Catholic church instead. She isn`t well in the head anyways, so we decided to drop her. We also talked with Flia.Villalba I think they talked to their preacher or something because they are also scared of talking to us. The wife still wants to listen, but she says she has doubts and her husband doesn`t want to change his religion. After all this crap I needed a boost so after buying an Ice Cream and some Watermelon we turned in for the night.

     Saturday I reunited with my companion. I realize now how bad of a robot he is when he teaches and does contacts. He is so monotone! It was rainy so we lost all our appointments. We went to the house of one of the Investigators that plays Soccer at the church all the time. He invited us in, but it turns out that his older sister is getting married at 8pm and everybody was busy. So instead of teaching we helped them out. Service is Key, just like Ammon did, so I don`t mind. Their family is awesome I hope they get baptized. They seem interested. Nothing else happened that day.

     Sunday was fast and testimony meeting. I totally forgot, but I paid my fast offering anyways. I bore my testimony. Everybody else has been testifying about tithing and I felt impressed to share my testimony on tithing as well. What happened shocked me to the extreme. While I was sharing my experience of paying tithing and not having enough to completely pay for my mission, I started talking about the members of the ward donating money for my mission. At this point I started crying uncontrollably, but not in the normal way. I wasn`t sniffing and my eyes weren`t swelled up and my voice didn`t change too much, but I suddenly felt an immense amount of gratitude and the tears came out of my eyes like a water fountain. I felt the spirit super strongly and intense heat and tingling and other things I can`t describe. 

     I wasn`t expecting that. I think that was the first time I`ve cried since Jack Frost. You will have to thank all the members for me. If it made me cry during my testimony I owe each of them a hug. I wish I could feel what I felt right then always. I guess I`ll have to wait until I reach the Celestial Kingdom though. Huh... Outer darkness last week, Celestial Kingdom this week. I`ve experienced the two opposites. I was surprised that I didn`t feel the spirit nearly as strong in my life. Not even in the Temple, but in a simple and sincere testimony of Tithing.

Right now I`m out of time, but I hope you got at least a fraction of my week. Marisa said that I needed to tell at least one good story every letter. I think this one covers at least 3 weeks of good stories, but I`ll keep trying to tell more.

Love,

Elder Zachary James Singson