Monday, May 16, 2016

¡Feliz Dìa de las Madres!

¡Hola familia y amigos!

Even though I got to talk to my family last week, yesterday was Dìa de las Madres here in Paraguay. Even though a lot of people used it as an excuse to not come to church, we had an awesome RM in our ward bring his (non-member) mom to church before they celebrated. I can't think of a better way to honor your mother than to come closer to our Heavenly Father. I love my mom and I'm lucky that Heavenly Father sent me to her!

This week has been a week of diligence - working hard every day, coming home insanely tired at the end of every day, but feeling a unique satisfaction from our labors.

We've been working to start doing ward night more consistently and this week I taught piano for the first time! I vaguely remember trying to teach Javier the piano basics and did my best to apply that to my lesson -- I'm not sure how much information was retained, but it was fun and I think people will come again next week!

The Elders also had a baptism and asked us to make brownies. Even though they were very modified, Paraguay-version brownies it was a big hit and everyone raved over how good they were. My confidence as a pastry chef has been greatly enhanced.

On Saturday I had a blast from the past re-visiting Juan de Salazar to help with their ward "Rescate". I got to go out with a young woman named Sarita and got to visit Fatima, our old-recent convert, and a few other menos activos that we worked with during my time with Hermana Getz and Còrdova. It was SO surreal! It feels like years since I worked there - but it's really only been a few months.

This Sunday Maria was confirmed and I gave a talk on missionary work and did my best to tie it in to a tribute to mothers. If it wasn't for my mom and her example I would not be here in Paraguay sharing the gospel as a full-time missionary. Thanks Mom! <3

Funny and spiritual story of the week: Yesterday we did our Sunday study right after church. As we were leaving our apartment we saw the clouds in the distance and thought, it'll probably rain, however we did not stop to put our scriptures in the grocery bags we carry in our back-packs. The members who feed us lunch Sundays live in the middle of the Elders area and we were a little lost trying to find the right road to take when all of a sudden these HUGE deep purple clouds come over us and everything got darker. Stopping on the side of a soccer field/open area we said a little prayer/prayer in our hearts that it wouldn't start raining until we got our scriptures tucked away in bags. We took off our back packs, got our jackets out, put the scriptures and our things in the bags and, as I zipped up my back-pack, I said jokingly "Alright, bring it". Not 30 seconds later, as I started putting my arms into my rain-jacket sleeves and my companion struggled to get her umbrella open a wall of rain rolled over the trees across from the field and came pounding towards us. We yelled in surprise and pitifully tried to run a few steps before we realized the rain was coming, ready or not. Hermana Noorda struggled more fervidly to get her umbrella open as I struggled to get my jacket on and hood over my head, regretting and laughing over my poorly chosen words, "bring it".

As I pondered over us getting caught in the rain just after being able to protect our scriptures I thought about the power of prayer and how mindful our Heavenly Father is of us. In Matthew 7:7-11 it talks about how Heavenly Father will not give us a rock if we ask for bread, neither a serpent if we ask for a fish. I learned yesterday that he will hold the rain right up until we say "bring it" and, as I now know from experience, only then will it be brought. Heavenly Father loves us so much and listens to our every prayer, even the ones of the heart.

With love sent from Paraguay,

Hermana Carr