Week 67

Haupei Yall ! 

Happy Things! 

1. 15 months this past week...wow.

2. YALL PRAYERS HAVE BEEN ANSWERED! We got a phone call this week from Presidente Evans saying that Dionisio has received permission to be baptized from the First Presidency!!! WE ARE SO HAPPY! He is literally and physically so happy and feeling a lot lighter and less stressed. We are so excited for him. 

3. Reina and Patricio, a wonderful couple we are teaching moved this week :( to a different area...BUT came to church on Sunday! we love them SO MUCH. 

4. We had a baptism this week of our sweet little Danilo! CRAZIEST DAY EVER. no water in the chapel...so buckets were filled, tears were shed, and finally in the end the president of our branch decided to come home early from his trip and just happened to arrive to bring us a hose that worked...MIRACLES. and it was a fab baptism. 

life is good in Paraguay and its going to get even better for the whole world THIS WEEKEND! Its General Conference again! This weekend Saturday and Sunday! Watch live at lds.org! 

xoxo, 

Week 63

Haupei Yall! 

Happy Things! 

1. We have two incredible progressing investigators, Mariza and Cristian (not related), but they are two youth that have been attending seminary and all the activities and church and are making so many friends. They are both getting baptized in a few weeks and we are just so so happy to see miracles still happening here in Aratiri! 

2. We went to the temple with our recent converts this week on a big trip with the whole stake! It was one of the greatest things I have ever participated in on the mission. It was such a blessing to see all the recent converts taking the next very important step to go to the temple and do family history work. 

3. We had a Multistake Conference over broadcast with Elder Ronald A Rasband and other general authorities. Coolest part= one Elder Gavarrett started talking in GUARANI! Probably one of the coolest moments and really brought it all home for the Paraguayans listening. 

"We might need to study more intently, pray more earnestly, or just let some things go so we can hang on to those things that really matter. We may need to let go of the world so we can on to eternity." -Gary B Sabin 

xoxo,

Hermana Vergara

3 Nephi 5:13 

Week 61

Haupei Yall!

Happy happy birthday to HERMANA KRIEGER! The best freaking missionary there is in Portland :) 

Happy Things!

1. YALL, our awesome investigator Fernando, who still doesnt have permission to get baptized...keep praying for him, is in MORMON in the Book of Mormon! He has read so much and is still reading everyday! He is a rockstar. I almost cried I was so happy! 

2. We had a fun zone activity where we went to one area and all went out and contacted. I got to do a division with my bestie Hermana Fisher and it POURED DOWN on us. We were the only pair that got caught outside in the rain...the rest were in lessons inside...hahah our luck 

3. We got some awesome food poisoning this week...hahaha our lunch with kidney, liver, and intestines of a chicken. The sweet member served it to us and said "I am so sorry hermanas, but I cannot tell yall what it is..." thanksssss 

4. BUT on the up side for lunches this week we had BOLIVIAN FOOD! We have an investigator and menos activo family who are from Bolivia (where my comp is from too) and they invited us to sopa de mani and pikemachu...SO GOOD. hopefully they email us the pictures soon then I will show yall. SO GOOD. 

"When we put God first all other things fall into their proper place or drop out of our lives. Our love of the Lord will govern the claims of our affection, the demands on our time, the interests we pursue, and the order of our priorities." -Ezra Taft Benson 

xoxo, 

Hermana Vergara

3 Nephi 5:13 

Week 64

Haupei Yall!

Happy Things!

1. We celebrated 3 different birthdays this week! 1st was with Mama Rosa, 2nd with Elder Baez the Elder in our Ward, and 3rd with Meri, our investigator, who we went to with ALL the Young women to celebrate her birthday! It was a great fellowshiping and amazing to see the love of the Young women.

2. We got permission to go to bishops storehouse this week and volunteer! It was WAY FUN! All the volunteers treated us like Queens too...aparently we are the first sister missionaries to visit since they had closed!

3. RODRIGO our convert that has been inactive for almost a year is reactivated AND passed the sacrament on sunday!

4. Guillermo is an investigator who reminded us that 22 days ago we gave him the first lesson and he had been waiting for us to come back...what he does not realize is he would never receive us back until this week! It was a pure manifestation to me of the seeds we plant everyday on the misión and how sometimes they end up growing!

5. CHANGES...I am leaving Aratiri after opening the área and after 6 months...way too bitter sweet...but more to come next week on the new área and new comp!

"Although answers vary from person to person, there is one answer all of us can give: Without the Savior we would be unchanged. His grace does not just correct; it endows. It does not just cleanse and console; it transforms- and not just in a narrow way from smoker to nonsmoker, drinker to nondrinker, but from unholy to holy, from justified to sanctified, from human to divine." -Brad Wilcox

xoxo, 

Hermana Vergara

3 Nephi 5:13 

Week 62

Haupei Yall! 

Happy Things! 

1. TODAY i hit 14 months...yikes. AND instead of buying 14 alfajores WE MADE THEM! and they turned out amazing. 

2. We had zone conference this past week and our little crew did a musical number. I mean really and truly zone conferences are the best. I absolutely love seeing President and his wife and know that I was called to this mission to be with them! 

3. We had divisions with the hermana lideres too! Sweet Hermana Blattner and I had fun working in Isla Bogado and just getting to know each other. Shes incredible. 

4. We had a super fun noche de barrio this week with minute to win it games and it to make it even better a super menos activo convert came and made friends and just got exactly what he needed to start coming to church again! Tender mercies! 

5. We had a sweet zone activity where they all came to our area for a few hours to go out and contact our area! We literally have the best zone and such hardworking missionaries and we were so grateful for the help! 

6. My best friend in Aratiri HAD HER BABY! Evolet Baez was born on monday and we were invited there an hour later to see the newborn baby! it was the best day of my life. 

xoxo, 

Hermana Vergara

3 Nephi 5:13 

Week 65

Haupei Yall!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY BABY BRO RYAN!!! 

Happy Things!

1. This has officially been the most insane week of my life. I had to despedir Aratiri on monday then on tuesday we had changes! Only to find out I was going FAR!!! And had to wait ALL DAY in freaking Mariano Roque Alonso MY FIRST AREA SOOO I got to despedir all of my converts and members in MRA! It was a dream come true. I was literally in the clouds the whole time. 

2. THEN another dream come true...I got to ride on the second floor of a omnibus in the very front with the big window in front of me. just ask any companion down here, its all I have ever talked about. 

3. I AM IN PEDRO JUAN CABALLERO. go look at a map right now. thats right. I am right on the border of BRAZIL. as in this morning I walked across the border and was in brazil. crazy right!? I am with a newbie again, Hermana De Leon from Guatemala! And she is an angel and is so ready to be on the mish! 

3. The BRANCH and the members are a dream come true. I am literally dreaming. I already love this place SO MUCH. 

4. We got to work with Mormon Helping Hands this weekend and paint and clean an orphanage. We had a lot of fun with the youth and our zone helping out! 

¨He giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run, and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint. -Isaiah 40;29,31

xoxo. 

Hermana Vergara

3 Nephi 5:13 

Week 66

Haupei Yall!

Happy Things:

1. Being right on the border of Brazil, I am learning to speak Portuguese too! We proselyte in 3 different languages- Guarani, Espanol, and Portuguese, while I am always speaking in english with my comp to help her learn...its pretty fun!

2. PJC is also very well known as a sketchy area lol and heres why~ our chapel was robbed this week, the elders were robbed at gun point, and we caught to different groups of young kids smoking weed behind the chapel...normal week in PJC 

3. Dionisio!!! Our investigator who is waiting for permission from the prophet to be baptized needs LOTS of prayers! He has been waiting since MAY and we have heard his case is being processed...but in the mean time he has gotten VERY sick...please keep him in your prayers! 

4. And now I say unto you that the good shepherd dothcall after you; and if you will hearken unto his voice he willbring you into his fold, and ye are his sheep; and hecommandeth you that ye suffer no ravenous wolf to enteramong you, that ye may not be destroyed. And now I, Alma, do command you in the language ofhim who hath commanded me, that ye observe to do thewords which I have spoken unto you. I speak by way of command unto you that belong to thechurch; and unto those who do not belong to the church Ispeak by way of invitation, saying: Come and be baptizedunto repentance, that ye also may be partakers of the fruitof the tree of life. -Alma 5:60-62

xoxo, 

Hermana Vergara

3 Nephi 5:13 

Week 60

Haupei Yall!

Happy Things!

1. WE MOVED! into a brand new beautiful apartment. it is incredible. we are MUCH happier. and our district is BOMB.

2. We had our first Noche de Hogar Wazoo! It is a big family home evening in the chapel with a member family that hosts and our focus is on our recent converts in the ward! its way fun. 

3. Elder Hielo, one of the elders in our ward, one that i saw be born on the mish, is heading home this week for a surgery :( we had a big ole despedida with the ward yesterday that turned out great! We will really miss him! 

xoxoxo, 

Hermana Vergara

3 Nephi 5:13 

Week 59

Haupei Yall! 

Happy Things!

1. We had changes and I scored the best comp EVER! Hermana Pardo is from Santa Cruz, Bolivia, is such a hard worker, is so funny and fun, has a great attitude, AND WE GOT HERE TOGETHER! that is the best part for sure. We both feel super in sync here on the mission and like we have been together forever already! Also super fun having another comp from Santa Cruz! Si o Si will be making a trip there after the mish! 

2. Those delicious alfajores that I send yall in pictures WE LEARNED HOW TO MAKE! Graciela is an amor and never ever invites missionaries in, but we bonded on a deeper level (AKA food) and she invited us in to teach us how to make them. I love her a lot. 

3. I get to play the piano again in church! It is so nice participating in the meetings in this way. 

4. FERNANDO IS BACK!! Yall remember fernando who almost got baptized then the week of his parents said no all of a sudden? well he went on a two week vacation and we hadnt seen him UNTIL THIS SUNDAY! He came to church! Everyone was way siked to see him. 

5. The work is moving like crazy! Aratiri needs Hermana Pardo right now and I am so blessed to be working with her! Lots of prayers for the work here in Paraguay please!

lalalalove yall! 

xoxo, 

Hermana Vergara

3 Nephi 5:13 

Week 58

Haupei Yall! 

Feliz Cumpleanos a mi HIJA HERMANA MONTAÑO!!! 

Happy Things! 

1. YALL cannot even believe it, but I hit 13 months on the mish...yikes. 

2. We had the most incredible Noche De Hogar on Monday with the Familia Caceres. We decided to work on Family History and pulled out the Mi Familia folleto and started working with this family of 7 on it...the excitement WAS REAL. They all got siked from the youngest to the parents. We did not want to leave and they didnt want us to leave either! The Spirit of Elijah is SO REAL. 

3. We had a super fun Noche de Cine this week where we watched the long version of the Restoration. Always a good watch! 

4. welp. its change week...and we got our phone call last night. OPA trio....Hermana Gonzalez and Vasconez are leaving ME...I am staying in Aratiri for my 4th change! Im excited for sure!! 

Hermana Vergara

3 Nephi 5:13