Autumn has arrived and it hit with force. Paraguay is landlocked, so the weather can change completely between two days. A pretty warm week on Monday-Wednesday turned into the coldest cold I've experience on the mission until today, which was sunnier, but is still cold. It's only ever in like the 50s or every once in a while the high 40s, which really just is not cold, but with the humidity, you feel it so much more. You have to bundle yourself up so much more to fight it. It's weird. The colder cold hurts worse and pierces and stings, but without humidity, you can evade and escape it better. This cold isn't so painful, but it's is so much more present. Also, no houses have heating, those poor people! They just bundle up with blankets! It's so sad.
Okay, news this week:
Paola:
We had a lesson where we actually talked with HER. Her aunt, Diana, who was baptized at the start of May, has been the only one responding to us in all of the lessons, but we finally got to listen to her (even if it required some rebukes directed towards Diana). It went well. We established that her date should be pushed back a week (now it's the 7th of June), and that little Paola has felt pretty bad from a couple of our visits. It was a humbling visit and I realized that we've been failing a number of people in a number of ways. We will be able to do a lot better this week though. However, it was very productive, and we felt the Spirit and were edified. She's really good and works hard at gaining her testimony.
Natalia Castellani:
Yes! I finally get to put a new name on here! So many people have come and gone and it's just been a really frustrating couple of weeks as far as work goes. But, she called out to us and asked us to come share with her the week before yesterday, and even though we were with the Relief Society President who needed to go home because it was getting dark and we were in a dangerous place, we sat down and had a short lesson. She has three children, one who is in high school, and two little ones who run around quite a bit. She's single and her little family has a lot of medical issues. She was about to be baptized when her boyfriend at the time threatened to leave and take the kids with him if she did. So, she has a testimony of everything and really wants to come to church again because she loves it and, in short, she has received three lessons in total and it's been great. Her date is set for the 28th of June! Let's go to work!
Those are the two most important. No one was in church this Sunday (the attendance was 33 people when normally it's around 90), and that's because of the inclement weather.
There's a lot of temptation to complain a lot and not like the weather, and there are a lot of accompanying difficulties, but I've been trying to not let anything give me a bad attitude ever. That's kind of a goal in life. All things contribute to happiness, nothing contributes to sadness. All things are a gift, especially challenges. I'm not saying to be specifically and individually grateful for everything, but if we, as President Uchtdorf urges, have a spirit of gratitude, we will be happy. We will. I know it.
One more thing:
In my personal study I was looking up love in the Topical Guide and I had a realization; Jesus Christ tells His disciples maybe twice ever (as far as is recorded) that He loves them. And yet, they feel so much love and affection from the Saviour. The deduction? Jesus occupied so much more of His time and efforts showing His love with actions or with other words. People felt His love whether or not they heard His personal testimony of it. Can the same be said of us? Jesus Christ asked us, "As I have loved you, love one another." We should follow His example. Do something this week! Show your love! Be a little more thoughtful, a little more kind, and really gain a deep love for those around. You will feel your heart grow and greater happiness will follow.
May you all have a wonderful day.
Elder Harris
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