Just Another Week in Paradise!

It is always great to have preparation day to rest from the pace of our mission. In actuality it is hard to just stop and rest and not worry about all there is to get done. After waiting for so long to have our project numbers updated to 2024(so we could do anything with them), and waiting for official approval we have a few projects to move ahead on and lots to do. We also have projects to finish up that were started long before we got here. It is a bit trickier with those as we aren't familiar with the people or what has and hasn't been done. Again we need to remember we set our own pace and the Lord is never frantic. Saturday and Sunday combined gives us time to regroup, refocus and walk back from the ledge.

Here is the large avacados they have here. We weren't sure what they were for the last few months. Glad we figured it out.

Last Sunday they asked us to say prayers in Sacrament meeting and Ken taught the priesthood lesson at the last minute. So last minute he thought they were joking. He did great!

Chris was able to join our Minnesota ward Relief Society Zoom meeting. In Minnesota it was -43°F with a ground blizzard so church was cancelled. It was nice for her to be able hear the gospel in her native tongue and comment with the correct words. 

This week's meal with the missionaries included the two interns Noah Mortimer and Ben Smith. They are here for the semester from BYU and helping in the Welfare and Self-reliance office so they come with us on visits sometimes. For dinner we had this amazing cheesy garlic bread, chili and brownies. Chris is finally getting a bit better with the temperature and times of this oven.
We also started our English Connect 2 class. We only had 4 students show up on Zoom but we are hoping to bring the others along in the next few weeks. There is a real need for teachers, for those of you who would like to volunteer to teach let us know and we will connect you with a director.

One of the projects we are trying to help with is a part of town were a man is helping the poor. Last year the church purchased some containers for classrooms(top two pictures below). This year they would like more containers as some of the older containers that housed their health clinic were destroyed and they now have the health clinic in the school classrooms around the compound(school is not in session now during their summer break). 

The cement pylons are ready for two new containers and we are hoping to be able to move them soon.

Wednesday for lunch we learned how and were treated to Caldo de Porotos from the building guard and cleaning lady. In a previous blog post we mentioned Paraguayan soup broth is vegetable based with carrots, onions, tomatoes, garlic and bell pepper. The vegetables are minced so they sort of melt into the broth. After soaking the beans for at least 6 hours they are cooked in the broth for about 25 minutes along with adding cubed squash (kind of like butternut), linguini noodles and at the very end, paraguayan cheese cubes. Delicioso! and Juan and Claudia are so kind. We get most of our Paraguay cultural learning from them.

Chris was also able to spend some time on the sewing machine this week and get it working. We also purchased a thread stand so they can use the size of thread spools they sell here without overworking the tension disks. Today she hopes to get our mending done so we can return it to the church for others to use.

Thursday's visit was to another hospital needing their mammography machine digitilized. Right now it is just literally gathering dust because they can't find film to make images anymore. Hopefully this will help the women of Paraguay.

We have been trying to organize getting to the temple with one of the young women who was willing to do some temple work for some of our ancestors. We had mentioned on Sunday doing it this week but we hadn't heard from her. We left the office at about 4 pm on Thursday, completely exhausted. When we arrived home we got a cute little message that they had just found out our temple appointment was tonight and they were on the way to the temple. Luck for us we are two blocks from the temple so we just grabbed our stuff and went. It was a beautiful oasis from the pressures of getting projects done and changed the whole feeling of the day.

There was a group from Brazil there so many of the ordinances were in Portuguese. The picture below is with a family who had to leave Venezuela about 6 years ago and immigrated to Brazil. It was a boost to be among them.

We took our temple helpers out to our favorite ice cream place after the temple session.

Friday morning came and Ken had to stop and get his empanadas and Sprite. In the States it was McDonalds. Here in Paraguay it is the AutoServicio.

This week before heading out to For the Strength of Youth we stopped at an non-profit eye clinic. What amazing work they do. Not only do they consult and perform surgery here but it is a teaching hospital as well. The church has helped in the past. Some of the donated equipment is shown in what they call the "fishbowl."

Here we are with most of the equipment that the Church is donating with this project. It doesn't look like much sizewise but it will help premature babies to not loose their sight which at this time is a big problem in Paraguay. The directors were such kind and enjoyable people and they love the work they do.

Below we are at For the Strength of Youth (PFJ) with all the directors who consecrate so much for the youth of Paraguay. This week Emily from the main office in Salt Lake was there. She is the Director of Operation over For the Strength of Youth under the Priesthood and Family Committee. It was fun to talk to her and see how happy she was with how PFJ is run in Paraguay.

It was a great week. We have made many connections with people who are working hard to help the people of Paraguay and we hope to be able to help them, not because we have all the answers but because of generous people who give to the Humanitarian Fund. We really try and listen to what they want.
We were shown part of this video in the MTC. The principles are amazing and the story of the hippos memorable. You only need to listen til minute 6:09 to get the point and after that at some point there is a swear word. Impressive principles.

Lastly Chris investigated the new app from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints called GOSPEL STREAM. You can stream all audio and video that is on churchofjesuschrist.org but it also has a live 24/7 radio stream with Christian music. Great for a pick me up.

Spiritual thought this week:
Many times while reading the scriptures and words of the prophets this week, it has been made abundantly clear that our choice from the beginning has been and always will be either to be separated from God (death, spiritually or physically) or to be in His presence (eternal life). Every story, every principle and every doctrine is to help us understand that choice for ourselves and others. Pierre Teilhard de Chardin said,"Joy is not the absence of pain, but the presence of God." We have felt that in our lives here in Paraguay and at the death of our daughter, Sarah. We know that even if at this time we can not be in His literal presence we can have His Spirit with us. We know we don't have to be perfect to feel his presence but we must have our heart, might and mind turned toward Him. Choose Him every moment of every day and if you forget choose Him again tomorrow.

We say this every week but we love the notes of encouragement and all the love and prayers sent our way. They really help us make it through the times we are stretched.