Semana 66!!!

Wow, this last week was so great! (haha) So, to start things off, on Monday night Cesar got baptized!!! It was such a great day! (haha) Funny thing is we went like two hours before to fill the font up, and it got about two feet full, and STOPPED!! No water... (haha) We were so nervous, but Cesar showed up and he was like, "Igual Hermanas, voy a bautizarme hoy." (haha) He had to lay down completely to go all the way under, but it turned out good! He's so great. He came to church yesterday for his confirmacion and was in a white shirt and tie. He cut his hair and shaved. He looks like a completely new man! His baptism was a little crazy, but still the best! All the members are really excited and saying he's gonna be a leader in the Church! 

Let´s see! (haha) Oh yeah, so on Wednesday we had cambios and it was crazy 'cause Hermana Guardado and I didn't think we'd have them, but SUPRISE we did!!! (haha) Crazy! It was sad 'cause Hermana Guardado and I get along great and she really wanted to stay but yeah, so we went to the Terminal and I see Hna Ball and she's the greatest that's all... (haha) She was with another Hermana from my last district, Hermana Nielsen, waiting to see who Hna Nielsen's comp was... Firstly, Hermana Nielsen's so great! (haha) I was in her training when I was a Hna Líder and I got to do intercambios and studies with her a few times, so I knew her pretty well. So anyways, I was there talking with them and then an elder walked up and handed me a paper of my group. (I guess I was in charge of my group, haha) It had all of the companionships on it, I looked at it and immediately found my name it said, Hermana Austin (Sr) Hermana Nielsen (Jr)!!!! (haaha) I screamed and ran to Hna Nielsen and gave her a big hug! (hahaha) She was shocked! It was the best! We're already such good friends! It's been great! Crazy thing, is that was my last transfer before I go home... That's kinda been weird. (haha) Hna Nielsen's gonna kill me!  

Let's see, things have been kinda crazy this week 'cause there was a HUGE storm on Thursday night... We didn't have light until Friday night, and water until this morning! (haha) We didn't shower from Friday to Sunday... Finally, yesterday, I told Hna Nielsen I'd had it and we went to a members house and showered in water from their well... (haha) Good times! It's been really interesting 'cause like no one in the entire city's had water all week! We've just been camping, it's been great! So, if you could all pray our water starts working that'd be great. It's been kinda a pain. Also fun fact, tomorrow's el Día de la Virgen de Caacupe!!! (haha) It's a big holiday for all the Catholics. We're not gonna be leaving our house for the next few days. But it's cool, I love the culture here. It's a whole different world...it's crazy!

Other than that, things have been good. We had a family of less actives in church and that was great! When they came through the doors the Hermana said "Look Hna we made it, and we're gonna do all we can to come every week after this!" I was so happy, I wanted to cry! We've been working with them ever since I got here and finally this last week it clicked! They also have two daughters that are eight and nine that aren't baptized... So be praying they keep going strong so that we can help their daughters get baptized, and more importantly, get the entire family to the TEMPLE!!!!  

Anyways, that's about it! Life's good. I love the mission! Hope you all have a great week, thanks for all of your prayers!

Hermana Austin

PONDERIZE!!!!

"And now abideth faith, hope, charity, but the greatest of these is charity." 1Corintios13:13

Also if you have time go read Uchtdorf's talk from the Women's session last conference...  That's what inspired the Ponderize Scripture this week!!!

SEMANA 65!!!

Hola Todos!

Wow, so where to begin? This last week was CRAZY! (haha) It was so fun! Oh first things first... Remember Cesar? Well, he had his interview last Monday, AND he kinda forgot he can´t drink Coffee! (haha) He doesn't drink it on a normal basis, but it just so happens last Sunday his mom had made him a cup of coffee for breakfast! He drank without realizing... (haha) SO his baptism was postponed until tonight! Satan´s the worst.... But IGUAL NO MAS! He's still getting baptized, and thanks to that little experience he´s never gonna forget the Word of Wisdom! He's literally the greatest! He's so excited for his baptism tonight. Don´t worry, I´ll be sure to send you all a picture next week! 

Let´s see... Oh, Wednesday was the BEST! We had intercambios with the Hermana Lideres and I got to do an Intercambio with Hermana Bennett!! Wow! It was so fun to do an intercambio with my hija! We have both changed so so so much! We had a good time together. We bought some ice cream and some asaditos, and just worked our guts off!  

(hahaha) Two funny stories this week... So on Thursday, we were out in one of the more country parts of our area where there aren't very many people and all of a sudden I had to pee... (haha) We went to two less actives and they weren't home. I was pretty desperate. My companion was like, ¨Nobody´s around, just go behind that bush.¨ I thought about it and decided, ¨Why not?¨ (haha) So I popped a squat and went! (haha) Don´t remember the last time I did that.... I was probably hunting with Dad or Grandpa two years ago... But, hey! The mission´s always an adventure! (hahaha) The best part is the next day the EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED!! We were in the exact same spot and I had to go to the bathroom again... Luckily, (at least that´s what I thought) this time the less actives were home. (haha) We showed up and I asked to go to the restroom and the Hermana was like, ¨Sure, but it´s not your common bathroom...¨ I told her it was fine! Thinking nothing  could be worse than squatting in the woods, (haha) I was wrong! Their bathroom was a hole in the ground... There were two poles on both sides so you could brace yourself and squat... (haha) It was crazy, and a fun little adventure!  

Sorry... on a more spiritual note, remember those converts we found last week? They came to church again and their mom, Nilda is progressing poco a poco! She´s the greatest really! Her only problem is her husband! He´s a little duro, but that´s okay. We´re praying for miracles!  

Anyways, yeah, life´s good! (haha) Yesterday I had PIKE!  Which is like a teeny worm that buries itself into the skin on your foot and lays eggs and stuff! BUT, no worries the members have lived with that all their lives. They took it out and I´m good now! (haha) I love the mission, so many adventures! Love you guys thanks for your prayers have a great week!

Hermana Austin

PONDERIZE

DYC 6:36  ¨Look unto me in every thought, doubt not, fear not¨ 

SEMANA 64!!!

Hola todos!!

So wow, this last week was crazy! We've been working so hard, and seeing miracles. First of all, remember Cesar? Well, he´s the greatest! He works SO MUCH, it´s kinda been a pain teaching him 'cause he doesn't have hardly any time to share with us! (haha) So, long story short, we didn't get to teach him all week last week 'til Saturday...  WE were pretty nervous 'cause he was supposed to get baptized this Saturday, the 28th, and we didn't really know how he was feeling... We sat down and started talking and we asked him if he remembered the day of his baptism. He did! (haha) He said he´s ready and for sure wants to get baptized this Saturday! He´s a miracle! We passed over the interview questions and he´s so prepared! Saturday, si o si!

We've also been looking for all of the members in our area, like I said last week! Let me tell you, God is helping us SO MUCH! He guides us every day to the people we´re looking for. We've found so many people, but some of the greatest have to be Christina and her mom, Nilda. Christina got baptized about a year ago, and is 11. Her mom isn't a member... yet! She´s basically a member seco! She only has to get married and ya esta! (it is done!) But really, her husband's a little arjel no mas but that's okay, we´re praying for a miracle so that we can start working with the entire family!

So yea, this week was really great...same old same old. We've been eating some pretty crazy crap. (haha) Gives me a nice stomach ache, but that's okay! Thanks  for all of your prayers! Love you guys!

Hermana Austin

PONDERIZE!!!

So i realized I didnt´s tell you my scripture last week, but it was Alma 26:12

This week's is Luke 22:32  ¨But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not; and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.¨

SEMANA 63!!!

Hola Todos!!!

Wow this week was CRAZY!!! (haha) It´s so HOT! But luckily today we´re getting a little rain so it´s cooling off! So first of all, last week we had a Zone Conference! And guess who I got to see? Hermana Ball! (haha) She was there with all of the other Hermanas we worked with together! It was so great to see them all! She also got the chance to tell me about San Lorenzo and everything that´s happening there! I don´t know if you all remember the Flia Cáceres? I talked about them a little a few months back. They were a reference from a member. Anyways, their oldest daughter, Ivanna, was the one who was kinda interested so we had been working with her. Problem was, she didn't have hardly any time to share with us, I think we shared with her twice and then gave up 'cause she didn't want to make time to meet with us. ANYWAYS, Hermana Ball was telling me that Ivanna showed up at church ALONE a few weeks ago!!! CRAZY right? She said she had read 2 Nephi 31 and knows she needs to get baptized!! Hermana Ball said Ivanna's progressing and preparing for her baptism! What a MIRACLE!! I was so happy I almost cried. After all that Hermana Ball and I went through looking and looking and looking for the chosen ones, they´re gonna have another baptism there!  

She also updated me on Pablo and Wanilda and said they´re doing alright! They´re fighting every day to be strong... They sent me a letter and I loved it! I miss them so so much! They´re like my parents in Paraguay.

Also, I have a cool little story this week! So, one thing about the Campo is that it´s almost impossible to find people. We have a list of less actives we don´t know, and there are SO MANY! For their address it just says, Mbocayaty...  Which is basically like saying, Springville, or Mapleton! BAH! It´s ridiculous! So we were planning for the next day, Friday, and I was getting so frustrated. I knew we needed to find these people, but we didn't know how! I got so frustrated. I told Hermana Guardado, let´s plan in the morning, I can´t focus... Later that night, I was praying and telling God that I knew he wanted us to find these people, but I just didn't know how to do it. I was asking for help, then all of a sudden, I had the thought, almost a voice say, ¨I know where these people live. I´ll help you find them. Write their names in your planner tomorrow at the hour you´ll be looking, and be praying for my help and I´ll help you. Have faith, put your trust in me, and I´ll guide you to them.¨ Crazy right? The next day we did just that, put their names in our planner and left for the neighborhood where they lived... We had until 6:00 to find them and started knocking doors at 1:00 in the afternoon.  We were asking anyone and everyone if they knew these people. At 5:00, we hadn't found any of the three families we were looking for. It was hot, so we went and asked a less active member for some water. As we were talking to her, she mentioned one of the families we were looking for! Turns out she knew all the people on our list and showed us their houses right then! It was such a miracle! (haha) We worked so hard all day and in the end the Lord pulled through! He always pulls through!  

It was a good week! Cesar keeps on progressing! He´s for sure set to get baptized the 28th of November, if all goes well! He´s such a great guy! Thank you all for your prayers! I love you have a great week!

Hermana Austin

SEMANA 62!!!!!

Hola Todos!!

Wow, what a crazy week! This week was definitely a good one!!! (haha) We walked and worked SO MUCH! Funny thing about the country is for one, our areas HUGE! Another fun fact, is that Juan Manuel lives about an hour and a half walking/hiking from the central of ¨Ypacarai. We walked a LOT last week! (haha) We were preparing him for his baptism, so we had to visit him a lot! It was pretty exhausting walking in the Paraguayan heat! (haha) When the Elders came to do his interview, they were shocked at how far away it was! The pain was all worth it though, because he got baptized on Saturday, and it was so CUTE! He's the best little kid!  

Also, remember how I talked about Cesar last week? Well, he's GOLDEN!! (haha) He is like the best investigator ever! His biggest problem has been his work... He works so much, he hardly ever has time to do anything else! But last week, we passed by to teach him about the Día de Reposo (Sabbath Day). To make a long story short, he taught US the Día de Reposo! (haha) It was so great, and at the end he said, ¨Hermanas, I'm not gonna work Sunday morning! I'm going to church!¨ It was so great! He made the sacrifice and came! He's such a great guy, and is super excited for his baptism the 28th of November! He's such a miracle! (haha) He told us that when his girlfriend gets home from her mission, he wants to get married in the temple!  

So yeah! (haha) That´s about it this last week! We are working so hard and seeing miracles! I love missionary work! It's definitely the hardest work, but also the most rewarding! Hope you all have a great week!  Love you all, thanks for all your prayers!

Hermana Austin

PONDERIZE!!!!

¨I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.¨ -Philippians 4:13

SEMANA 61!!!

Hola Todos!

Wow this week was GREAT!!! (haha) We are working our tails off and seeing SO many MIRACLES!! Wow, I don´t even know where to begin... Bueno (okay), remember that Mitai Juan Manuel that I told you all about last week!  Well He´s a miracle! We went to teach him on Saturday and the goal was to get permission from his parents to Baptize him. Earlier in the week, we had left his mom with the form she needs to sign so he can get baptized! She said she was going to talk to his dad and then sign it. She´s all for him getting baptized! (haha) So, when we showed up Saturday we asked his mom what his dad had said and she was like ¨He doesn't want Juan to get baptized.¨ Hermana Guardado and I just sat there in silence, super sad 'cause Juan´s like the best kid ever... After a few seconds his mom goes ¨Igual no mas voy a firmar solo necesita la firma de uno de los padres, ¿verdad?¨ ("Maybe not, but I'm going to sign. It only needs one signature, right?") She hopped up went and got the form and signed it! (haha) It was such a miracle, and Hermana Guardado and I were just dumbstruck! The best part, is that afterwards we went to leave and Juan Manuel started following us to our next cita (appointment)! (haha) He visited our next few appointments with us! By the end of the day, he had Hna Guardado´s name tag and everything! He even taught someone how to pray! He´s the greatest!  

Also, remember Milagros! So, she wants to get baptized really bad but we´re having trouble getting permission from her mom... Igual no mas...  con tiempo. The real miracle, is that she has an aunt named Nilsa that shared with us for the first time last week and told us she wants to get baptized and come to church! She´s AMAZING!! Came to church on Sunday and everything! Best part, is we´re gonna complete the family cause her husband's a member. They have two little kids that are the cutest! It was such a miracle, 'cause we went for Milagros but really God had another plan... (haha) Funny how that works! Only thing, is she needs to get married still... (haha) and we're not sure if her and her husband are gonna want to... (haha) So be praying for that!

Also, remember Pedro? Well he has a Sister in-law that´s also not a member! (haha) Her name´s Luz and she shared with us for the first time last week too! Without thinking, I gave her a Book of Mormon and marked 2 Nephi 31. Next time we passed by, I asked her if she had read and she said, "Yes!"  She didn't really share with us that time, but we invited her to church Sunday. And guess what? As we were sitting in church, she showed up with Pedro and his sister Elva!! (haha) I couldn't believe it! It was a pure miracle! We didn't really think she was all that interested, but I guess she is! Super crazy! We have plans to pass by and invite her to be baptized, so we´ll see how that goes! She´s also not married... (haha) So pray that she wants to be too!

So yeah, one more miracle for you guys! (haha) So on Friday, it rained, and rained, and rained! (haha) If rain's bad in the city, it's even worse out here in the campo. Everything's mud, and wet, and there're nasty frogs everywhere! (haha) But we were walking along and all of a sudden Hermana Guardado had the thought to pass by for an old investigator. I was up for the idea, since our plans were falling through left and right! (haha) So, we passed by for this guy named Cesar, who´s hardly ever home, but thanks to the rain he was! Little back story about him, about two weeks ago his Mormon girlfriend left on a mission. The Hermanas shared with him before she left and he hadn't really had very much interest! We get there and sit down and he´s like, ¨Hermanas, I've been thinking, I´m gonna get baptized and become a member.¨ (haha) We were SHOCKED!!! He´s the greatest! He's been investigating the church for forever but just recently made up his mind! He couldn't come to church on Sunday because of work but told us this Sunday he´s for sure coming even if he loses his job! (haha) Crazy stuff, he´s such a miracle!

To top things off, just thought I´d let you all know I used the NASTIEST bathroom I've ever used in my life this last week! (haha) It was a tiny little room without a roof, and I kid you not, a HOLE to use the bathroom... 5 thousand times worse than a port-a-potty... You just squat and go! (haha) It was hilarious, there wasn't even a door, and when I stood up to pull up my skirt I could see everything around me!! The members were laughing at me 'cause I´m so tall, I cleared the walls of the bathroom! (haha) It was an adventure!

ANYWAYS... that about sums up the week! It was a GREAT one! I love this place! (haha) Sorry for the extremely long email! Thanks for all your prayers! Love you guys!

Hermana Austin

PONDERIZE!!!

¨For behold, I am God; and I am a God of miracles; and I will show unto the world that I am the same yesterday today, and forever, and I work not among the children of men save it be according to their faith.¨ -2 Nephi 27:23

SEMANA 60!!!

Hola todos!!

Wow this last week was definitely super crazy! We had changes, and I left San Lorenzo and Hermana Ball! Can´t tell you how sad it was to leave her! We´d been together since June! I miss her so much! One of my very best friends! It was also way hard saying goodbye to Pablo and Wanilda and all the rest of the people there that I love but hey! That´s the mission!  

So crazy, Cambios! I´m no longer an Hermana Lider which is cool, lots more tranquilo! (haha) I´m gonna finish super tranquilo out here in the campo... Stress free! I do kinda miss it though... (haha) I loved working so close with the Hermanas. So, my new and probably last Area is Ypacarai! COUNTRY!!!! (haha) It´s the BEST!!! Complete opposite of San Lorenzo! I feel like I´m going on a hike every single day! One part of our area is so far away we have to take a bus for like 20 minutes and then we walk in the middle of no where for like 45 minutes and then finally we get there! It´s crazy the people drink their water out of a spring and are SUPER poor! And, the best part is they love missionaries! (haha) When we knock on a house they just let us in invite us to sit down and give us some water it´s the best! I love it here!! (haha) My companion´s name is Hna Guardado and she´s from Honduras! She´s great! Ha LATINA otra vez! We speak straight Spanish, which is good for me! (haha) It´s been too long since I've had to do that! And I like it, Spanish is great! She has been a little sick though... A few weeks ago, she was in the hospital for like a week straight, so that´s not fun. She still has to be careful. Don´t worry though, I´m taking care of her. Also, we had a baptism this last week!!! (haha) It was the greatest! I showed up and they already had everything ready to go. He was all prepared! His name´s Pedro, and he´s 15! He´s the greatest! It was such a great baptism!  

Also, we have two Mitai´s (little kids) that are gonna get baptized in the next few weeks!!! Milagros is probs gonna get baptized this Saturday and Juan Manuel next Saturday! They´re both the cutest! (haha) It´s the best, I love the CAMPO!!  

So yeah, life´s good! I´m excited to start this new and last chapter of my mission! I can feel that it´s gonna be great! I just want to go work my guts off these last few changes cause it´s the only smart thing to do, right?   Thank you all for all of your support and prayers! Love you all!

Hermana Austin

PONDERIZE!!!

¨Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven¨ (Matt 5:16)