Sick Week :(

¡Hola familia y amigos!

I don't have too much to write this week - we spent most of it getting better.

My sinus infection got a little worse before it got better, but we made it through the pain and discomfort and I'm now on a definite upswing. I have been humbled by the service and love that has been shown to me this week. My companion was by my side through it all - she is seriously an angel and definitely one of my best friends. She served me like crazy - I couldn't even sneeze without her handing me some toilet paper (we haven't found Kleenex here). The Elders were there to give me blessings of health and comfort and even bought our groceries for us. The members came and did divisions with us so that my companion could go visit with people and, while on divisions, the President of Relief Society Hna Jara cleaned our apartment while I slept. Hermana Evans was on the phone with us every day while I was still pretty rough and the doctor called her to follow up on how I was doing. Even though it was pretty rough for a moment, I was not short on angels lifting me up.

On Friday we were able to go out for a bit and by Saturday I was well enough to atleast walk and talk to people. As far as missionary work goes we had a pretty fun weekend- We participated in the ward choir and had two Noche de Hogares Wasu (big family nights). This next week we are looking forward to more Noche de Hogares Wasu and General Conference! We will be able to view the transmission in our chapel and the members are very grateful to not have to go all the way to the stake center to see it.

It's been a great lesson in patience this week. I take heart in the scriptures and the stories of Alma and the Sons of Mosiah. (Alma 17:9-12)

With love sent from Paraguay,

Hermana Carr

Ain't Nobody Got Time For That

¡Hola familia y amigos!

Well this week started out great! We traded the sketchier parts of our area to the Elders for some of the safer parts of theirs and we had a blast contacting new people, finding our "new" recent converts and finding new investigators in new territory. We've also downsized the expanse of our area and have saved money on not having to take collectivo rides as much and have been able to walk and visit a lot more people.

Fun things this week: New areas, dinner with the Familia Jara, holding a puppy during lunch with the Familia Portillo and going in for a fry and coming out with Idaho at Burger King.

Not so fun thing this week: So for a little over a month my voice has been pretty hoarse, fading and coming back here and there. I've had an on-and-off cold for a while. Last Sunday I lost my voice completely, but it was back by Monday morning. On Thursday it started leaving again and by Friday night it was going, going and gone-zo. That's also when my fever and cough hit and long story short, we've had some sleepless nights, missed church yesterday and went to the doctors this morning. We've been on the phone with Hermana Evans all weekend, and she's been in contact with the area doctor, who said yesterday that I probably have bronchitis - ain't nobody got time for that. Today we had a doctor's appointment and he, being able to take a closer look, said it looks like just a persisting bacterial sinus infection, gave me a good list of medicines and told us if I don't get better by Thursday to come back for more analysis. My companion has been a champ and an angel, catering to my every need and staying up with me through the mid-night coughing fits and early morning aches. We're praying she stays healthy and doesn't follow my example in this sense.

It's been a rough go these last few weeks- but I've been reading in Alma and seen great examples that give me strength. I read, specifically, Alma 14 - when Alma and Amulek (the epic companionship) are put in prison - and how they suffered SO many afflictions with patience, humility and faith. Though they suffered much, in the end "the power of God descended upon them" and the walls of their afflictions literally came tumbling down, crushing their opposition. Alma and Amulek then came out stronger than before and continued the work. Trials are but a moment - that's something I know. Even more, I know our Savior is right beside us through it all.

With love sent from Paraguay,

Hermana Carr

Did I die?

¡Hola familia y amigos!

It's been a great, uninterrupted week here in Salado.

With our lice under control we've been able to focus in hard on our area and meeting our goals. We've been working hard and have been trying to get better every day. Hermana Sanchez is rocking it and we can't believe that we are now in week 10 of the "First 12 weeks" program.

It's been a relatively normal week. Yesterday we had a funny moment while attempting to find a recent convert before church. We had gone to go get Maria and walk with her to church, but when we clapped at her house a super drunk guy came out. We asked him if Maria was home and he just looked at us, then asked, "¿me morì? ¿Estoy en los cielos?" (Did I die? Am I in heaven?) After asking him again for Maria he just kept asking us if he had died, so I told him directly, "No, te falta un poquito" (No, you've got a little more to go). My companion died laughing. We shortly figured out she'd gone to Sedden's house and were getting ready to go to church together.

Also, it's official. In an effort to avoid Dengue and other mosquito-transmitted illnesses, as Hermanas, we had a training and have ordered dress pants this last Wednesday. Pictures coming soon in October....

With love sent from Paraguay,

Hermana Carr

Our house

Elva and her baby

P-day with Hermanas Luttman and Martinez

San Ritas - my favorite flower/tree in Paraguay next to Tajy/La pacho

Stairway going to our apartment

Miracles and Mayonnaise

¡Hola Familia y amigos!

This week I don't have a ton of time to write- we had to go to migrations this morning for Hermana Sanchez - but I'm going to give you a quick- efficient update!

We worked hard and had success serving and finding new investigators this week!

Our work was uninterrupted until Wednesday morning I realized my head was itching like crazy and we figured out my lice had made a strong comeback. Talking with Hermana Evans - mission president's wife- we went to Campo Grande Thursday to wash and dry ALL of our shirts, sheets, blankets, scarves, etc, and we did a home-treatment that consisted of drowning our hair in mayonnaise overnight and throughout a day, then washing it out with lice-killer shampoo. So fun. We got back to work in our area Friday. Saturday we had divisions and I worked in Salado with Hermana Brunelle, she's so cute and we had a fun day. Sunday we enjoyed stake conference and today we've been running all over the place, as usual, preparing for this upcoming week.

Quick miracle story: Yesterday we took a long, short-cut through yuyal (jungle?/weed field) in our area in the early afternoon to get to an appointment with an investigator. It was raining and no one was out. When we got to the dead center- the farthest point away from humans on all sides, we ran into a man walking with a knife in hand. I felt a calm come over me, tightened my grip on my closed umbrella and hard cover, contacting Book of Mormon and got ready to fight or fly, depending on what he wanted. As he came closer I walked taller, saluted him and... nothing happened. We just kept walking. We were probably the closest I've ever been to being robbed or worse in my mission, the man had slowed down his pace, looked us both in the face- the odds were not in our favor- but he just saluted us in return and nothing happened. Seriously- it was a miracle. We are so protected.

With love sent from Paraguay,

Hermana Carr