Week 15

Haupei Yall! 

It was not the most exciting week, but it sure has been a sweet one! 

Happy things!

1. We had a wedding on Friday! It was so so fun. There was also so much good food, so we were super happy :)

2. We were walking down the street and all of a sudden we heard IN ENGLISH "Sisters! Can we get your help?" We were pretty worried we were walking into a sketchy situation, but we went. He then starts introducing us to a couple and starts talking about how we are always around to help, we cam to Paraguay to learn the language and share what we know and love, and that this couple is fabulous, but the message we have is purrete and will increase the quality and love for life. We just sat there with our mouths wide open. This guy was so smooth and basically got them to invite US back. Come to find out he is a returned missionary as well and he was just killing it at being a member missionary. Seriously SO SMOOTH. 

3. Okay yall. I dont think everyone knows but my favorite favorite time of the year is coming up this weekend. Thats right. GENERAL CONFERENCE! I am SO siked. Heres the link to the sessions. And my invitation- whether you are a member or not we ALL have questions about life. I PROMISE and TESTIFY that your questions will be answered if you prepare them and ask them and wait for an answer from the spirit during these sessions. I know that we have a living prophet on the earth TODAY and he is going to speak to us. I can truly testify of this and the power that he has DIRECTLY from God.

I love you all SO SO MUCH! 

xoxo,

Hermana Vergara

3 Nephi 5:13 

PS. Wedding! Familia Barrios with their eternal family goals! and 3 months on the mish! Feeling like a coke add THAT WE CANT DRINK. lol AND my package!!!

AND CONFERENCE LINK! https://www.lds.org/general-conference/live-viewing-times-and-options?cid=HP_gcban_16-09-2016_cta_1dOCS_fGC_xLIDyban_&lang=eng

Week 14!

Haupei de Paraguay! 

Happy Things! 

1. Mariano Roque Alonso had our capilla abierta this weekend! We have been inviting for weeks and the day finally came! All the organizations set up their own little room to explain what each organization does in the church, and any and all people got to take a tour of the chapel! The members did a really great job of presenting who we are and what we do in a manner of minutes. 

2. "No entiende su idioma" This quote just makes me bust up laughing every time. I had started a contact with a mom and her few kids, and the youngest kid is looking at me real hard and finally turns to his older brother and says I don't understand her language! We just start laughing and I say I'm speaking your language! It was pretty funny. 

3. Zone activity is pretty much explained in the picture below. We had a challenge to get to know our comp really well and if you couldn't answer a question about them, they got to pie you! Hermana Taylor and I know each other pretty well if you cant tell :)

4. 17 Miracles. This movie. I love it. We had an in day this week and we decided to watch the movie with the directors commentary. We learned a lot of really cool movie tricks and facts, but more importantly it gave me a huge appreciation for what the Saints went through. We aren't asked to die for the gospel or do what they did anymore, but we can use their spirit and keep pushing through the trials and challenges we face today! It was a testimony builder to watch this movie again.

Matthew 6:33- "Mas buscad primeramente el reino de Dios y su justicia, y todas estas cosas os seran anadidas." A little thought- We always go where we set our eyes. Ever tried running in a straight line and then looking at that dog you were running by then tripping on the curb? Yes, its happened, but your body goes wherever you look. If we look to the Kingdom of God first that is where we will go! If we do everything, that means keeping all the commandments, and understanding that all these "rules" from our Just God keeps us safe, the Lord will provide. It is that simple of a blessing! You go where you face so set your eyes on the temple, on the kingdom, on the LORD! I know that he will always add to our faith and is always ready to bless us! 

I love you all so much! Que Dios les bendiga!

Hermana Vergara

3 Nephi 5:13

Pictures!

Week 13

Haopai! 

First of all the BIGGEST of Happy Birthdays to my baby brother Ryan! And another grateful heart for the best country in the world and the remembrance we always have on 9 11 and all that our armed forces do. 

Happy things here in Paraguay!

1. We had multizone conference this week! Our zone got together with two other zones in the office for a huge capacitacion given by President, his wife, the APs, and testimonies given by our zone leaders. The focused and emphasized the importance of the Book of Mormon in conversion and I can testify that if we pray to ask if the book is true we will be given an answer and will know with a surety that this church is the Lord-s restored church on the earth today!

2. PANTS. yes you read that right. We had a huge hermana reunion where they told us we are wearing pants from october to april in the summer to avoid more dengue and zika. Our mission last year had the highest number of cases of dengue in the whole. world. So we are taking more precautions! 

3. I went to the CHACO! not really. but got the closest that an hermana can get in the mission! We did a rescate with our zone in the area of Benjamin this week. We all got together, got a map, and they said go talk to everyone possible and come back with a list of future investigators for the elders there! It was really fun to see another area, and I am oh so grateful to be in Mariano!

4. Elder Bragg, an area seventy, visited our branch this Sunday! It was a blessing to have the spirit of a general authority all the way out here in Paraguay! 

6. We found the sweetest girl ever this week. Remember Yanina and Erika? Well they are still progressing! But they also introduced us to their friend that lives with them, Nicol! She is only 12 years old, but she is so excited for the gospel! She reads the Book of Mormon AT SCHOOL and loves us so much she wants to be with us everyday! We are so grateful for her love and her fun spirit. 

Something I want to share with yall this week is a talk on humility from this past Aprils general conference! Its called Be Thou Humble and it has become our go to to share with our families here in Mariano. I thought and think a lot about my home or my different homes I got to make in college and how much this principle applies to the environment we are told to create in our homes. ªOur genuine concern should be for the success of othersª How can we all be more humble and think of others more often? We can pray for others, we can think of others, and we can always ask the Lord to help us learn this christlike attribute through prayer. Something I also love and can bear testimony of is that we need to be humble before we are made humble by just life experience. Very often we are brought to our knees in prayer with a humbling experience when we start to become prideful and forget to thank the Lord every day. Think of how much easier life would be if we could apply humility in all things. Easier said than done, but I know that we constant prayer that is specific and heartfelt, we can be more humble in the sense that we truly need the Lord every hour. I know that when we are humble we can avoid contention and receive the blessings that the gospel bring. 

I love you all so much!

Hermana Vergara

3 Nephi 5:13 

Week 12!

Haopai! 

Im pretty sure I spell that greeting differently everytime, but Guarani is something I only ever hear and never read! One day I will find out... 

Happy Things from Paraguay!

1. Noche de HogarES= We had two noche de hogars this week that were purrete. We had one on Monday night with Familia Barrios and a family from the ward, Familia Samaniego. It was incredible to have members reach out to this convert family and we had so much fun! We also had one with one of our converts, Adrian, and his non-member family. The first time ever his family listened to the missionaries. As soon as we started singing the opening song he started bawling. It was a huge moment for him and for his family to learn a little bit more about what he will be doing in a few months AND the family invited us over for almuerzo. They expressed their support for Adrian profusely, which is something he never hears, and their support for us. It was incredible. 

2. Mariano had its anniversary this week! There was a HUGE parade. ALL the schools in Mariano marched and put on special uniforms and played drums for the entire morning. The president of Paraguay was in town too and we saw him! 

3. We went to immigrations today to sign our visas and I saw the girls that I came to Paraguay with! Hermana Alexander, Thomas, and Brunelle! They are all so sweet and doing so well. AND we have all had our first baptisms! It was so fun to get updated on their areas and how much fun they are all having too! 

4. Investigators! After having everyoneee drop us, we were incredibly blessed this week. We found some purrete people who are progressing too! First up- Hilberto. He has been searching for truth for a while now and after teaching him the Evangelio he said that he feels that this is the most truth he has ever heard in one church. Second- Juan Cabrera. Who is actually an old investigator that we went back to! He had a problem with drugs and the law about a year ago, but now all his papers are in and he is just waiting for a signature to get off of house arrest. He knows the church is true, reads the Book of Mormon, and still wants to get baptized! Third- Yanina and Erika! My sweet sweet girls! We went looking for her mom who was listed as a futuro investigadora in our carpeta. We found her, but she was on the way out, but made her girls sit down and listen to us! Well, they accepted baptism, came to church, and felt the spirit so strong in testimony meeting they were crying. Did I mention they are only 13 and 11? They are so sweet and already have so much support from their mom. 

Well, all happy things really! It is freezing, freezing cold and really really rainy, but we bundle up, trust the Lord, and head out. I am really grateful for the diligence and obedience of my companion too. She is truly setting the bar for me and I love her for it. I really hope and pray all is well back home!

A quick thought for those that have made it to the end. I have always loved the parable fo the lost sheep. I have always felt the love that the Lord has for that one lost sheep and that he will always come and find us when we are lost. Something that I am learning out here on the mission is that he cant save those that do not want to be saved. His invitation is simple- Come follow me or draw near unto me. We have to choose to have faith and he has already taken care of the rest. Lean on him and rejoice in him! I have so much love for Christ and for his incredible sacrifice he gave for me and for each of us! Have a great week and always try to draw nearer to Christ!

Love, 

Hermana Vergara

3 Nephi 5:13 

P.S. Nyokis with Blanca! My CCM girls! Church with Yanina, Erika, and Tatiana.