Week 79 - Tajuasape - No Cake, Cow's Tongue, 20 kids, Sugarcane farmers, D&C 4

Well, I got taken out of Villarrica, and now I´m towards Asuncion again in the Tajuasape ward, which is really close to Kennedy (an area he served in for 7 months).  I´m pretty popular lately, I´ve seen people I already know about every other day, so that´s been kinda fun.

 

It´s kinda weird being in a place with so many members. I really enjoyed church this week because there was more than twice as many people ate church than there were in Villarrica. It´s also really nice not having to worry about people only speaking Guaraní.

 

My new companion is Elder Diaz, I want you all to guess where he´s from.  Elder Diaz has the same amount of time as Elder Liddell (his former companion who he just tranined) in the mission, just a couple of months, so that´s fun. Yes, companions are always together.

 

They had been working with a man called C*rl*s, and when we asked him if we could bring a cake to the baptism, he said that he didn´t want one because the baptism is all that mattered, and he didn´t even really want to sing or do songs, because he just wanted to be baptized, that was pretty funny.

This week I tried a new food, and it was super good, cow tongue, they asked if we wanted it.  It wasn´t sure if I did, but I said yes just so I could try it, and it was real tasty.

If you both would like to come to pick me up.  I would have no problem showing you around, there are hotels to stay in in, you would just have to do your research to find the good ones (or maybe ask the mission office). Usually the office likes to know a little ahead of time so that they can schedule the flights good. If you want to get sick you can.   I am fine either way, if you would like to come thats fine with me, and if not, that´s ok too.  All my areas in Asunción are within 2 hours of each other (in bus) and Villarrica is 3-4 hours away from Asunción.

They have district conference about the same as stake conference.

In Villarrica everyone grew sugarcane for a living.

Families have anywhere from 1 kid to 21 kids (20 is the most I´ve heard of).

My favorite Paraguayan desert is what they call crema (cream) its the cream of the milk with burnt sugar in it, and it´s really good. I drink water or juice or soda.

People need to go to church 3 times before they can be baptized. Being able to help people get baptized does make being on a mission very worthwhile.

Luckily the summer is slow coming this year here too, it´s sprinkling today, so that´s nice, since it was pretty hot yesterday.

 

The house I´m in has a super long lawn, so we´re gonna be whacking that down with machetes today, so that´s gonna be kinda fun.

 

The old people here in Paraaguay aren´t nearly as healthy as the old people in the states, most of them are crazy here.

 

I had D & C 4 (see below) memorized before the mission, now I can´t keep it straight in Spanish and English.

 

1 Now behold, a ^amarvelous work is about to come forth among the children of men.

2 Therefore, O ye that embark in the ^aservice of God, see that ye ^bserve him with all your heart, might, mind and strength, that ye may stand ^cblameless before God at the last day.

3 Therefore, if ye have desires to serve God ye are ^acalled to the work;

4 For behold the ^afield is white already to ^bharvest; and lo, he that thrusteth in his sickle with his might, the same layeth up in ^cstore that he perisheth not, but bringeth salvation to his soul;

5 And ^afaith, ^bhope, ^ccharity and ^dlove, with an ^eeye single to the ^fglory of God, ^gqualify him for the work.

6 Remember faith, ^avirtue, knowledge, ^btemperance, ^cpatience, ^dbrotherly ^ekindness, ^fgodliness, charity, ^ghumility, ^hdiligence.

7 ^aAsk, and ye shall receive; ^bknock, and it shall be opened unto you. Amen.

 

I like the mission, becaue it is just great, and helps me have more charity.  

 

Before this change, I have only had one Latin companion from Peru, so I really can´t tell you much without assuming all of them are like Elder Ag**l*r.

 

When I´m sick I usually try to work anyways because nobody likes staying in the house.

 

I haven´t seen any weird animals recently, just birds, dogs, dead dogs, cats, cows, horses.

 

Iwish that I could sleep from 8 to 8 that would be awesome.

 

-Elder Bowles