Semana 19!!!

Hola Todos!!!

What a week it has been!!! (haha) It's been crazy getting to know a new area and a new comp and everything, but I'm doing just great! We found a TON of people last week that have a lot of promise to progress towards baptism so that's been fun. We found a MIRACLE on Wednesday. There's a part of our area that's really poor, and we were contacting there in the afternoon and we ran into three sisters named Nigeli, Yessica, and Michel. To make a long story short, Yessica and Nigeli are members already, and Michel is 9 years old and hasn't been baptized yet! We invited her to be baptized and she said YES! She's awesome! I love working with the kids, it's so much fun to teach the gospel SIMPLY! Anyways, come to find out all three of them told us that they don't think their mom will give permission for Michele to be baptized. We told them we would talk with their mom and see.

Anyways, so we were praying really hard for an opportunity to get to know their mom a little better cause she works a ton and is super busy. We decided to fast for it on Sunday. We passed by Sunday afternoon to teach Michel and her sisters, and their mom was there, but they were moving their house to another part of our area. We decided to ask if we could help. The mom said yes they needed help! (haha) So we helped them build their house yesterday...  In our skirts! (haha) It was like building a little fort! It was so fun, and the best part was that we won the confidence of Micheles parents! (haha) I'm not gonna lie, I was exhausted after but it was all worth it. Michele is going to get baptized on the 17th, si o si!! One thing I learned with Hna Cheney is that we really need to show the Lord that we are willing to do whatever it takes to help these people. When we really do that, that's when we start to see miracles happen. I'm sure a lot of Sisters would have just told Michele and her family that they would come back another day to teach, but we went the extra mile to help them out. I know from experience that the Lord is going to help us because we've shown that we are really willing to go the extra mile!

One thing I learned this week was that my Trainer was AMAZING! Wow! (haha) Being the Senior Comp's a little bit different...  The good thing is Hermana Cheney had me prepared. Sounds funny but it's the truth! (haha) She taught me how to do EVERYTHING! And it's been such a blessing this past week. Hermana McDougal's amazing, but her trainer didn't help her learn the little things like Hermana Cheney did with me. I've really seen how big of a blessing it is that I know how to fill out our paperwork, and how to do all of the little things that we need to do as missionaries.  

Anyways, that's about it for this week! It's been a good one as usual, we're working hard and having fun! I love you all. Hope you have an awesome week!  

Hermana Austin

Semana 18!!!

Woah what a week!! First of all we had Changes again this morning, and I am in a new area!!! The area's called Ita Enramanda, and it is in the CITY! It's a little weird, and I feel a little out of place coming from the house of the Familia Flor, but it's all good! My companion´s name is Hermana McDougal, and she´s from Arizona! She´s awesome, and she´s NEW to the mission. It's her first change after her training, and she´s still getting used to the Spanish. I´m actually Senior Comp, which is crazy 'cause I´m still really new! But I'm excited to get to work here! Hna McDougal has told me this area's a little dead, as far as baptisms go, but I´m optimistic! I know we are going to find people, and there are a ton of people in our Carpeta de Area (Folder with all of our paperwork that we have to fill out) that have been to church three times, which is a BLESSING! That means we just have to resolve their doubts and they can get baptized, sí o sí!! Anyways, I'm super excited to get started here. I know there are people that we need to find and help them in their lives. Heavenly Father sent me here for a reason, and I'm excited to find the people that I'm supposed to find here!  

Not gonna lie, it was hard saying goodbye to the Familia Flor yesterday. They were all pretty sad to see me leave, but I told them that I can go to the temple with them in October, and they were all stoked! I´m so excited for that day! Also, Hermano Flor blessed the Sacrament yesterday, and it was perfect! And the oldest son that´s been baptized, Ruben, passed it! Can´t think of a better way to end my time in Costa Bonita than that! It was such a cool experience to see their progress in the gospel. If there´s one thing I´ve learned here, it's that the gospel changes lives. I've seen so many amazing changes in that family, and I´m so grateful I got the opportunity to teach and help them. They are really special, and I miss them all already!

We also had the Actividad Del Fin Del Año this week which was a blast! The entire mission was together for the day and it was a party! We played Fútbol and volleyball and all kinds of games and just had fun for a day! I also got to see Hermana Cheney again which was AWESOME! She has two baptisms this Saturday and is happy as ever! One of the best parts of our area is that we get to have Intercambios with her again!!!! (haha) I´m so excited can´t even wait, she's literally one of my best friends.  

Christmas was awesome. We passed by for the Familia Flor Christmas Eve to give them their Christmas presents, (Thanks Mom!) and I have never seen happier kids to recieve something so small! Ricardito y Joni, the two youngest, they're 8 and 6 years old, were so excited to get those little cars. I've never seen them so happy. Not gonna lie, it was an eye opening experience. They have so little, but are happy, thanks to the gospel! I´m going to miss the Familia Flor a lot!  

Anyways that´s about it this week.  I know nothing about my new investigatores right now. I´ll have to tell you about them next week! Love you all. It was awesome to talk to you on Christmas! Have an awesome New Year! Have an awesome week!

Love, Hermana Austin

Semana 17!!!

HOLA TODOS!!! Feliz Navidad...  Almost.  (haha) Things are great here in Paraguay, as always! Our baptism did fall through this week, which is a bummer, but Luis just isn´t ready...  Easily the best part about this week was we had intercambios with the Hermana Lideres which means that Hermana Cheney and I were together for 24 hours!!! (Haha) It was easily one of the funnest days of the mission! She came back to our area and we worked together all day! (haha) I missed her a ton, it was like seeing an old friend!

We for sure are going to have a baptism! Aurelia, this dream contact that we had last week, is so ready to be baptized! She's awesome, and is reading the Book of Mormon a ton. We gave it to her last Thursday, and she´s already in ALMA!!!  

Anyways, Im good! Don´t have much time this week cause I get to talk to you on Thursday! But I´m doing well. Have an awesome week, and Merry Christmas!!!!

Hermana Austin