Ndai Pori Easter Traditions!‏

Good Afternoon All!

I title this one in complete honesty. It has rained almost every day this week. And the streets have flooded a bit. It was crazy fun! However, it kinda scares me to think that we just barely began Fall and still have all of Winter.... Yeah, it's gonna be a rainy one.

In any case, this week was definitely interesting. I'll focus on the most relevant things:

Investigators:

Diana Rodriguez, who is progressing, was gone all week because it was Holy Week (which is mildly celebrated here). They went off to visit family. So, nothing really to report. The one lesson we did have went very well and she's still progressing towards baptism on the 3rd!

We haven't been able to find the other investigators either, so I'll have to tell you about the cool experiences we had!

Sebastián: We were on our way to a visit and found ourselves with quite a bit of time, so I talked to a guy who was planting plants in his garden and had what was his sister and mom working with him, and he was interested. He'd gotten to know a few of our beliefs, but wanted to know more in a genuine way. We taught him the entire message of the Restoration, and we taught really well, and he understood really well! He accepted a Book of Mormon, wanted to read it right then and there, and wanted to know when and where he could come to church. It was so awesome! We're going to see him tomorrow. 

Familia Rolón: Members, our Saturday lunch appointment, and the very member family that is helping us to fellowship Diana Rodriguez. Well, as part of training, I watch training videos with Elder Gallegos and we talk about what we learned and how we can apply it in our daily work. Saturday, we watched a video about working with members, and made plans to apply what we learned and try something I personally have never done before on my mission. We shared a part of the message of the Restoration with the family and then asked them how this Gospel and message has blessed their lives, and the head of the family (a single mother) responded very well. Then we talked about sharing these blessings with the mother of Diana Rodriguez and asked Sister Rolón how we might help her with that. We ended up getting together a plan, and then she told us about two other neighbors she'd like to invite to hear us, and we helped her and gave her the necessary things (pamphlets and a copy of The Family: A Proclamation to the World) to help them come. The Spirit was so strong there and I felt that the Lord blesses us when we do as He asks in the way He asks us to. I know that the Lord's way is the right way, every time, and this was just a little testimony of that.

Now, some less-spiritual things:

The title is pronounced "Die PO-ree" and it's a Guarani phrase that means that there is no or aren't any. And really, there are almost no traditions for Easter Sunday. They celebrate Holy Week more than anything, and a lot of people don't eat any meat on Holy Friday, but that means that the whole world makes homemade chipa (a Paraguayan cheese-bread), and we profited wildly from such an event. :)

Other facts:

During Holy Week, all channels only show movies about prophets or other Bible stories from both the Old and New Testaments. These movies are all American and were made back in the days of yore (probably the 50s or 60s). I gave in and watched the very end of Joseph of Egypt during lunch with a member. I feel so unclean!

Well, that's pretty much all for the week, I hope you are all doing well. The only other thing I have to say is that it's RAINY during the Fall time here.

I love you all!

Love,

Elder Harris

Keeping it Funky Fresh

So, Piro'y is a Guarani word for Freshness or coolness. That's the only reason why I titled this email that way.

But, this week was super awesome!!!

Tuesday:

Temple trip! Once a year (unless an convert goes through the temple), and it was just this Tuesday! I was so happy. I realized the significance of what we do there, because I saw parallels between it and EVERY single tiny aspect of what we do in the church. From the reports we give about our missionary work to the way we teach primary, our temple covenants and what we learn in the endowment influences everything about us. And it's brilliant. I urge everyone to go to the temple, feel the Spirit, and learn. Learn everything you can about everything you can while you are in that sacred site.

Wednesday:

We chopped of the branches of a big tree. In the pouring rain. We then tied a rope to it and five men with their might pulled that tree to the ground. I feel kind of like Hiccup's dad in How To Train Your Dragon when he speaks of the day he split a stone with his head. We are mighty!!! 

Not really, but it was fun and awesome, enjoy pictures.

Thursday:

We had a third lesson with Diana Rodriguez, an investigator who came to conference and showed a ton of progress, and we brought the Young Women's president and her son to the lesson with us because she's fifteen. The result?

She'd been attending seminary all week, reading in the Book of Mormon, andpraying. Had no doubts whatsoever and is firm in progressing towards her baptismal date on the 3rd of May!!! I loved that lesson so much. The Spirit was very strong as we talked of the first 5 Principles and Ordinances of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The testimonies we heard of baptism were powerful. She came to church the following Sunday and it was a beatiful meeting. She cried a lot and I think it really went well.

We had another investigator in church, who is also a fifteen year-old girl. Her name is Angélica and she should be attending a Family Home Evening tonight with an active member family. 

Now don't go thinking that all of our work is with a bunch of teenaged girls!!! We work hard with folks of all genders and ages. Just thought I'd include that note.

Due to these among other things, we didn't have hardly any time to work this week, and due to some foot problems on my companion's part (flat arches), we'll be losing time this week as well, but I should be able to write next week with more stories and news of the progress of the Gospel in these parts. 

I hope you're all doing well and keeping strong. Enjoy some more pictures!

I love you all.

Sincerely,

Elder Harris

A Season of Conference, a Season of Change

Hello Dear and Beloved!

I want all of you to know that I love you individually and personally.

Okay, this week has been really, really crazy! Training is difficult! I'm so not ready to be a dad!

In the mission, one's trainee is often called his "kid" and that missionary's trainer is his "dad," and there's a reason for that. The missionary who trains you will have an effect on you that will last for your entire mission. I still find myself doing things (good and bad) that I inherited from my trainer. So, I keep finding myself in a lot of the same awkward gray areas that a father might find himself in. All I can say is that I have a ways to go before I want to have to really face that challenge. 

A long ways.

Anyways! This is Piro'y! It means freshness or coolness in Guaraní. It's a lie.

There are three pairs of missionaries in this WARD. Yeah, it's a ward. With a really awesome bishop and all the garnishings. 

We inherited the area that's the biggest, but most deserted. I never plan on transversing my area all in one day, because a large part of it are fields and empty places, and we either have to take a bus or walk places. The emptier parts of my area consist of two long, paralell roads that run up the area. The roads that run all the way along those two take like fifteen minutes to walk end-to-end, so that's pretty big. Exploring in there, we were able to find a number of people, and even a new investigator.

Also, in this area, there is an "Asentamiento," AKA the poorest possible locations near marshes or lakes where the government gives loads of free land to poor folk. What does it compare to? Basically, a more spread out version of my last area. I didn't realize it at the time, but my last area was incredibly poor. I love it still, and never felt really in danger, but now that I've seen what "normal" Paraguay is like, I've realized that my first area wasn't really it.

What is normal Paraguay like you ask? BEAUTIFUL.

Red earth. Green everywhere. Incredibly diverse wildlife and plantlife. Hills and beautiful views. The sky is farther away here, but that means you can see more of it at a time and sunsets and sunrises can get pretty epic. I love this place so much and I can get distracted just walking around. I've been pressing and taping flowers during my time in the field, but this place has too many!

Houses are also nicer, with whole families and very accepting hearts. This is a brilliant place and it was inspired for me to come here.

Elder Gallegos: Coming from Guanta, but having spent months each year in the Peruvian section of the rainforest, he's actually really well acquanted with this place. He says it's just like the jungle there. I was kinda disappointed by that, because it's always fun to show cool stuff about the country to the new guys.

Anyways, he studied Industrial Engineering in a University not too far from home and was able to reactivate in the faith and leave on the mission. He's taught me a number of things about living on one's own and he cooks bachelor dishes like mad. Mind you, they are Peruvian bachelor dishes (Arroz con Leche, Tortilla Peruana, French Fries with Fried Egg, etc.), but they're good and we like showing each other random foods from each other's countries. We talk about the differences and similarities of our countries a ton. Peru is a cool place, and I definitely want to visit.

He's kinda quiet, though he converses easily if you get him interested. He gets a little nervous when the pressure is on, but learns very quickly and we're starting to get some good harmony in our teaching. I'm too dominating in lessons still, but we're working things out.

The people are amazing! We have the stake Patriarch in our Ward, and they feed us on Thursdays, and his son Ariel is recently out of work, so he's been going and doing visits with us like crazy. So we see them quite a bit, and that man is so special. Patriarchs have a very special spirit about them. It's amazing.

We get lunch every day! Except Mondays and Tuesdays, but I'm serious! These members feed us! It's fantastic! They also have an excitement about the work that we need to start using a little better. I'm struggling to find more efficient ways of planning lessons so that we can get members out with us each day, but every once in a while we get something golden.

So far, we have some really good possibilities as far as investigators go, but nothing's super solid, so I don't want to mention things quite yet. You guys will probably hear a lot about Samuel though. Samuel is a 17 year-old who was baptized a few weeks back and he's going through a really rough time at home. Our goal is basically to be a role model for him and guide him to do what is right in his life. He is a really good guy and has a good heart, but sometimes either peer pressures or a desire to rebel make him do less-gospel friendly things (like getting his ear pierced! That punk!)

Those were a lot of outward changes, but may I remind you all about CONFERENCE!

It was so brilliant. We were doing a fast to get more out of it, and I really did get a ton out of it. It was so uplifitng and strengthening. One of the things that impacted me the most was an idea stated a few times that we must listen and come with the disposition and desire to change. Listen to God's servants in this day with a desire to change your heart.

Here on the mission, I learn more and more every day how love and devotion to God are the most important things and the foundations of gospel life. Our love for the Saviour is what drives us to live righteously, to make covenants, to serve others, etc. My love for the Saviour is expressed by my obedience to His commandments and promises I've made to Him. In the end, love is that force that drives us to bring ourselves closer to and serve the object of our love. If we truly love our God, we will do His will, knowing that by doing so, we make ourselves One with Him, which is as close as you can get, and by doing so, we serve Him in a more perfect way than we could ever imagine. Let us be humble and desire to do the will of God. His word and His work were made for our success. Jesus Christ didn't suffer, die, resurrect, or creat the world, nor will He end the world for the sake of a few. He has done and will do all things for you individually that you may be saved. The Plan of Happiness is that, happiness. Any other alternative outcome makes that plan null or useless. Let us make us of the plan! Let us fulfill the role of our existence! I testify that doing so means living the Gospel and following the Saviour. "Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in Him."

I invite us all once again to do so.

In the name of Jesus Christ.

Amen.

Love,

Elder Harris

P.S. here's a picture of the area and myself and Elder Gallegos