Goodness in Everything #Godnevermakesmistakes

This week was CRAZY, we went to Itagua (about 2 hours away) on Tuesday and our PJC loop through Horqueta, Ybyjau and PJC Rama 4, getting home on Saturday morning at 10.  WHEW.

SO to be able to get to the faraway places, we have to take a cool double-decker tour bus thing, so we got on one, got settled in, and we realized we were right next to the trash can.  We were like, GREAT!!  That means that we won't even have to get up to throw things away!  Haha, it was so funny when Hna Noorda looked over after a few minutes and saw a few cockroaches...haha. We looked at each other and busted a gut and then said a VERY VERY heartfelt prayer:)

Itagua: I went with Hna Diaz, and we had a good day, with lots of contacts and we went to contact a new part of her area, and there were a ton of cool people, I am excited to see what happens with that.

Horqueta: I was with Hna Ross, but when we got there they told us that she was sick, so I ended up staying in half the day to clean their house and study. From what they told us, they have had some interesting experiences in the last two weeks that have been challenging, so I hope that in some way we were able to help them.

Ybyjau: I was with Hna Chamberlain, One thing that I really do like about her is that when she gives her testimony, she does it in a way that invites the Spirit, which is, ya know, kind of essential.

PJC Rama 4: I was with Hna Ashby, and we had a good day. We contacted a lot, and it was so nice.

We left Pedro Juan at 10:30 Friday night, and then about 2 hrs in our tire went flat, so what usually is a 7 hour trip ended up being a 10 hour one, but it was really nice, because I was able to see some parts of Paraguay that I had never seen before, and we were able to do everything that we needed to do on Saturday, even though we ended up getting home at 10:)

There were so many experiences this week that helped me to realize that God's hand is literally in everything we do.  There were so many things that could have gone wrong, and a few did, but in the end, they were what we needed, and I know that God is aware of us and that He knows what we need and when we need it.  We just have to have the patience to hang on a sec and see what He has in mind.

Home again, home again jiggity jig.  We had a couple of awesome days here in Salado. We have some great investigators, one of which is on track to get baptized this Saturday, and even though the majority didn't come to church, we went afterwards and had some great lessons on the dia de reposo and the Book of Mormon.

I asked for a priesthood blessing yesterday, just to help me stay focused.  I haven't had one in 18 months, so I had missed the priesthood A LOT.  It was so nice and sweet, and, like usual, I cried my eyes out.  I know that everything will turn out okay, and I am going to miss these people so, so much. Not the third worldness, though, I am SO EXCITED for a few things like:

carpet
a decent piano
central air conditioning
did I mention carpet?
and a washing machine  #smallthings

Yeah, I am scared, but excited.  I have learned so many new things in the last few months, and I am interested to see what kind of differences there will be because of the new things I have learned.  Its gonna be interesting.

But I am doing so well, we are so busy and it will keep me running until the very end.  That is what I want, and I hope that everyone knows that I am so grateful for this experience.  I love this gospel, and I now can apply it in my life and continually strengthen my testimony of the truthfulness.  It is the greatest.

We are both learning so much, and I am happy where I am at. Thank you for your time and have a great week! I love you all!!

Hermana Farish

Hammock in the kitchen.  The best!

Flooding in Paraguay.

"In Summerrrrrr!!!!"

Y bueno, I am now dying of heat again, seriously, I had forgotten how it felt.  Today it is 100 degrees, and we are still in winter, sad day. AND our air conditioning just went out...great.

This week went by really fast, we contacted a lot and are doing well with our two Books of Mormon every day.  We were thinking on how we could find more quality people to accept the baptismal invitation, and we decided that we are going to knock at least 20 doors every day.  Here in Paraguay (all of South America), it is really easy to let yourself get caught in the trap of working only with inactives, that let you in the door but don't really have the intentions to return.  So, new goal, 20 doors every day at least, and from there we can work with recent converts and inactives.

Apart from that...we had an area-wide stake conference, with Elders Cook and Hales, and they spoke on the Sabbath day.  It was so interesting to me, how they said that by keeping the Sabbath day we become who we want to become.  And then, we went to a member's house for lunch afterwards and they went and bought everything to make us dinner.  We were like...we need to tell them that we are not going to eat if we are the cause of them breaking the Sabbath day.  Dangit.

Yesterday we had a great lesson with an inactive family, the dad is a returned missionary but they still haven't been sealed.  I was thinking that he stopped doing the small things like praying and reading the scriptures and that is when he fell.  I was thinking as well that the mission has made me somewhat of a cynic...haha, I don't trust ANYONE apart from Heavenly Father, Pres. McMullin, and a few others.  Even if they have a plaque, it doesn't guarantee a thing.

About the food thing, I was just thinking about that this week as well.  I was thinking about the Sunday dinners, the hours peeling potatoes and laughing and making rolls will always be a highlight of my life.  I loved it:)  That being said, how many more people would we be able to visit if dinner was more simple?  How could we include more people in our Sabbath day activities?  If we have a big dinner, who could we invite to share it with us so that they have a good experience?  I think (my personal opinion, totally 100% biased) that as a missionary, we eat as fast as possible so that we can visit more people.  That being said, maybe continuing big meals is a good thing, but how could we help others to share in the spirit and the love that we feel for each other as we prepare and share over dinner on the Sabbath Day?  Many people watch tv or are on facebook becaue they don't have anything better to do.  Just some thoughts.

I was talking to mom about Josh, and that I am so incredibly glad that I am not in training.  Those first few months were kind of hard.  But, to answer your question, I have been able to change so much, and I love that I am not the same person.

How has my relationship with the Savior changed in the past year???

Well, to answer your question, before my mission, I knew that the church was true, and that it was taking me in a good direction, but I had never really knelt down and asked God if He was there, I always just knew, but after reading Preach My Gospel, it says that we need to ask every so often to confirm the answer that we have received. So, I knelt down and asked, and from the experience that I had, I know that he lives, I know that He loves me more than I can even imagine, and I know that I am nothing without Him and His atonement.  Later, in April during the General Conference, during the talk of Elder Bednar, I had the thought that I will never deny what I have felt and what I know.  I have received my own personal witness, and it is like drugs, I decide beforehand that I am never going to take them, and I have decided now that, no matter what happens, I will not deny what I have felt, the miracles that I have seen, the covenants that I have made, and what I know to be true. I love Him, and sometimes I am frustrated because my weaknesses are in the way, but I know that through Him, I can do whatever He needs me to do.  It all just depends on what I do and if I do it with all of my heart.

But hey, life is good, a little hot, but that's okay, the worst thing that happens is that I lose a little weight;)  I love you all and hope that you have a good day!

Hermana Farish

Too Much Study!