Our Project List is So Long Now We are Prioritizing

Sunday along with going to church and renewing our covenant to always remember Him, we had a great visit with the Hermanas. They are such a ray of sunshine and strengthen. They always make us feel needed and wanted.

We were excited that Juan the guard at the office attended church in the ward by his house, well actually he went to the one in his ward boundary which is not the closest one to his house. We are excited for him and hope to go to church with him one week too.

Joseph made it to the party

Monday came with our prioritized project list and it really helps to keep focused on what we need to get back to when interrupted. All the the top priority projects from this week moved along to where we wanted them, or at least were we are waiting for other people to do their part. We had a planned meeting with Defensoria del Pueblo, the omsbundman of Paraguay. We are working with them on our hygiene kit project and they are preparing another solicitud for the national teaching hospital. These guys really know the needs of the masses. We also were able to share the gospel as we showed the beautiful pictures in the office to the director.

New obsession

Chris broke down and turned on the heat n Monday evening because she was tired of suffering the cold. It made her think of all those less fortunate with no heat and no warm clothes. We have so much to be grateful for.

Tuesday was a big paperwork day but a morning meeting was not much fun as we spent more time and focus on the need to share our projects on the big stage. We just want to help people, we don't care if anyone else knows about it. We are hoping the new senior couple in Communications will shape things up soon so the communications representatives will take over and we will be off the hook for our least favorite part of the work.

We love lunch with our lunch group. We are going to have to get a bigger table.

Now at month seven Chris is finally understanding the why's behind some of our project steps. We were taught to write project measures using a four block chart but when we came to the field everyone said it didn't make sense, partly because we weren't sure how the four blocks in the training measures chart fit in the Chas (Humanitarian record keeping software) two block measures chart. Humanitarian speak is the other language we are learning on our mission and when the light of understanding comes on, it is glorious.

By mid afternoon, Chris was a bit stir crazy from sitting at the computer writing measures and headed home to make chili. Ken said the chili was one of her best. Good because we froze half for later.

Saturday's try at muffins without a muffin pan
Lemon Zuchinni

Wednesday morning meetings are always tough but the non-coincidental timing of the conference talk Call, Don't Fall was just what we needed to understand how to get through those meetings better.

"Praying—calling—can be a sign of our hope. But taking action after praying is a sign that our faith is real—faith that is tested in moments of pain, fear, or disappointment. "(there is usually at least one of those happening in Wednesday morning meetings)

More things are getting delivered and projects are helping people help other people. Most of our special needs schools and homes are getting ready for approval. Another project is for a small country hospital that we visited in January and finally have things worked through the Ministry of Health so babies and mamas can be safer in childbirth.

Still waiting on our temporary residency card. We found out we need a comprobante de mesa de entrada de la solicitud which we don't have and need to go downtown with our travel guy to get. He says he is too busy. Well, we'll give him a pass this week as it is transfers in one of the missions and we know 17 missionaries are going home, and another 17 are coming in but next week, fingers crossed. On a positive note they did find our papers!

Chris got the fabric cut for the mammography capes. Here's hoping someone shows up on Saturday to make them with her. 

Ken's tummy wasn't feeling good so he took a rest at home while Chris went to the temple. Heavenly Father loves us all so much and just doesn't want us separated from Him or each other. It is a beautiful thing. Gathering us under his protective covenant wings to be near Him, like a hen with her chicks.

Learning meekness as Neal A Maxwell put it (roughly quoted) "when the meek speak up then never speak down." Understanding meekness is standing up for ourselves and for what is right without putting others down in any way. When we put others down it isn't a show of power or strength but a sign of weakness and insecurity.

Thursday was lots of paperwork on the computer again. Lots of laughs at lunch. Chris's computer crashed and now she is working on the church laptop that has a trackpad that has never worked. They said tech should call within three days. They called Friday but thought we were in Argentina and wanted to come working on the computer. Umm long flight. We will see if I get help or we give up and just use a different computer and spend another day getting everything uploaded to it. Don't have time for this. Monday the Macbook is traveling to the office.

Thursday night Chris helped teach with the Hermanas. Getting brave about sharing in Spanish and getting better about getting things across. It was a very spiritual discussion. Edgar should be getting baptized on Saturday!

   

Friday came and we were off to a former project to look at a replacement panel. We got there and the equipment wasn't charged so we waited and heard our phones ding with project approval emails! What a lovely sound! We also got to share with Paola the 2023 Caring Summary. She was amazed at all the the giving in so many different countries. It was joyful to see her epiphany of the work of the Church going on all over the world.

Friday we also were able to meet for the first time with the Catholic Charity Pastoral Social. Wonderful people and we will be helping them develop some projects for indigeous students, single mothers and old people like us. There was such a great feeling to be working together on a common goal.

Friday night the Allen's came over for homemade chicken pot pie, mashed potatoes, salad and brownie pudding plus a game of Quirkle and the view of the Asuncion from the roof. It was a wonderful end to a great day and a great work week. They are also taking the trip with us to Villarrica for the entrega ceremony at the hospital next week. What a blessing to have them here. 

Another beautiful Ñandutí lace picture

Spiritual thoughts of the week: 

Alma 16:13 Alma and Amulek preached repentance in the temple. We don't have to be perfect to go to the temple. In the temple we learn more fully how to change through the power and grace of Jesus Christ to prepare to meet Heavenly Father. The things we do need to be worthy of his Christ's name, even our acts of daily repentance. Shake off the natural man and allow your divine to shine through the Savior's power!

Alma 17-18 The story of Ammon and the king's sheep. Everyone loves the excitement of the story of Ammon fighting the bad guys, but have you ever considered how many ways Ammon is a type of Christ in this story. Start the video at about 3:45 and consider the things Ammon says and does in relation to what Christ does with The King's sheep, other shepherds and his manner of being faithful to the King. You will not look at this story in the same way again.

Our brains are so mixed up with weather and dates because it is so different down here from what is going on in the Midwest of the US. It even took us a minute to remember where we were when someone said the polar vortex was coming from the South. We are giving our all to the work. It is a great work and we are so blessed to be a part of it. Not an ounce of regret for coming when we did and where we did and how we did.

Have a great week!

"Well, it's two hearts and one dream"

Well, it's ok, it's so nice

It's just another day in paradise

Well, there's no place that I'd rather be

Well, it's two hearts and one dream

I wouldn't trade it for anything

And I ask the Lord every night, ooh

For just another day in paradise

-Phil Vasser

Another week goes racing by in the heartland of South America. Much of it was full of love and healing. When we look for the loving hand of the Lord in our lives helping us become more loving, patient, kind, merciful and long suffering like He is, we can be grateful for the rain and the sun in our lives. Both serve a purpose to prepare us to be like Him, he overcame all of it so with His help and direction we can too.

Monday Chris woke up with a headache but went to work for the first half of the day. She came home and instead of taking a nap phoned a friend. It was a great catch up. Ken stayed at the office and helped a recently returned missionary with his resumé.

Some of the Young Women performing a dance on Independence Day

Tuesday was Paraguay Independence day and although no one else was at work in Paraguay we still had our senior missionary meeting and did some work until lunch. We walked home for lunch and then Chris stayed to clean and move the living room around. Ken went back to the office to organize files. In the evening the Relief Society (the women's organization of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) had a celebration of mothers. We had some fun and Chris's team won both games (video of one game below). Chris got home in time to have a chat with another friend and another great catch up!

A rose with a chocolate bonbon for Mothers

Tuesday night one of the sisters at church taught Chris a new word in Guaraní, jarýi. She told Chris it meant muy bien or very well. Wednesday morning she tried it out on the guard who told her it was a slang way to say very well but it really means abuela, grandmother. He said use of the word as slang comes from the fact that grandmothers always know what's good. This Gran has to agree. 

The whole time we have been out on our mission we have prayed for our family to heal. There are a lot of reasons too personal to share in this public forum. Sometimes it is tough to see the long view and we focus on the immediate. Wednesday was our Sarah's birthday and Dia de Madre, we enjoyed some healing and peace. Our present from Sarah.

We want to share a sweet little thing that happened on Wednesday. It has been a tradition at our home since Sarah died, to leave a candy in her Christmas stocking and find it the next year. (Sorry if that grosses anyone out. It actually happened by accident and the kids came to the conclusion, Sarah had left it for them so we kept up the tradition.) It is finally sweater weather in Paraguay(or winter coats for the Paraguayans) so Chris pulled a sweater on Wednesday to wear to work. She reached in her pocket and found some mini Reese's peanutbutter cups. Nothing miraculous in Chris having left them there while in the Mission Training Center but timing is not coincidental. Also you can't find Reese's here in Paraguay, so although slightly stale, they were still heaven sent.

 

Our strawberry shortcake to celebrate Sarah's birthday was a little different this year. Strawberries from a can, whipped cream from a powder (it was gross and tasted like the smell of the market where we bought it.) But on the blessings side, this was the first day it was cold enough for the coconut oil to solidfy to make better baking powder biscuts for the shortcake.

We finished off the day with time in the temple and the love of friends around us. Questions from a friend for her school project triggered reminders of how we want to emulate Heavenly Father in the way we treat others. 

It's sad that on nearly a daily basis we see prejudice against the Paraguayan people. Some may say it is just stereotyping but isn't that a form of prejudice, pigeonholing people and not letting people progress because of a perceived limitation? On a personal level when we hear it from someone else's mouth it helps us stop and think, how do I treat others and am I trying to hold them back in other ways?

Thursday came and we had big plans that were interrupted by better plans. We were able to accept a certificate on behalf of the church from Fundacion Ebenezer, they help people who can't afford funerals. The Fleitas family are genuine in their desire to help others at a vulnerable time.

Shortly after visiting with the funeral people Chris received a text from her cousin that Chris's aunt on her dad's side had passed away. It is always said to see people leave this world but we are sure there was a happy reunion in heaven on Thursday.

Not long after notifying siblings about Auntie's death, we got a call from the young sister missionaries to see if the left over lasagna previously offered was still available. Chris ran home and added a salad and ice cream to the meal for them. They are the cutest and it was a breather for all of us before going out and working our hardest again.

As Chris was heading back to the office, Ken was meeting a new senior couple from Arizona (we are the only senior couple assigned to Paraguay in the last few years that hasn't been from Arizon. They are definitely better prepared for the temperature, but we are more at home with the heartland lifestyle) They had just arrived in the Paraguay Asuncion Mission on Tuesday and were in the office to receive training because their assignment had been changed from MLS (member and leader support) to Mission Office Finance. While visiting they asked where we were from and Ken said he was from Wyoming and that his wife was from Rhode Island. The sister asked my maiden name. Ken said, Greenhalgh. The Sister said she knew some Greenhalgh's and Ken told her Chris wasn't related to the ones in Arizona. Sister Allen then said she meant the ones in Rhode Island, where she had lived a long time ago. Shortly after, Chris arrived to hear someone calling her by her maiden name. It was Jan Fellows Allen, Chris's young womens leader who is now serving in our mission. Chris didn't recognize her at first but then it was like they hadn't skipped a beat. The Allens had to go get trained but we hope to get together and catch up more soon.

We walked out the door after 5 pm but had sent our hygiene kit service project for FIDELA (Foro Interreligioso de las Americas /Interreligious Forum of the Americas) with the Organization of American States on for approval. This will be exciting because we will be working with a member of our ward here in Paraguay who works tirelessly to help the indigenous people around Asunción.

Got to visit with Chris's sister and her husband on their ride home from grandparent activities. Friendly voices bring comfort and love.

Just found out we have to drop the wipes out of the kits to get approval.

Friday we stopped at the Puesto de Salud Juan Bautista Morel with donation plaques. It had been raining all night and the place to park was so much easier to get in and out with that gravel. What a huge difference! The doctor was busy which is good but we missed her. 

We also visited the National Hospital which is big and getting bigger. They are supposed to be in the planning stages for another hospital or wing that will add 500 beds to the already 700 or so beds they have. These pictures are of the patient's families who camp outside of the hospital in these government set up tents because there is no where else to stay. It got down in the 40's last night with non stop rain. Paraguayans ask for very little and are very ingeneous with the little they have. 

The orange tents in the back are what the families of patients live in while family is in the hospital

Dropped the promised apple pie to our buddy Gustavo at the Albergue along with some donation plaques. He is just such a sweet person. It is such a joy. We both agree it is the smaller projects that make a big impact in unmeasureable ways of goodwill and showing forth the fruits of the gospel. The big projects end up being a very transactional relationship with more of a corporate feel at all levels including the entrega ceremony. We are grateful for the small projects that fill our buckets.

Chris's big brother Rhod turned 62 on Friday so we also chatted with him. It is so nice to know we are all supporting each other in the trip around the sun.

We found some lemon pie filling so we bought two cans, stay tuned for the taste test.

Another great find on Friday was celery salt for potato salad!

Just a bird outside our office window.

We are wondering what will happen to these documents in the travel office. Still haven't found ours Eek!

Spiritual thought: Alma 12:15  There are two phrases "believeth on his name" and "bringing forth fruit meet for repentance." To repent is to turn to God, not only a physical turn but also a turning of our hearts and minds, our whole soul. Do you worship Him as your God? Are you willing to turn from living a life without Him to living a life directed by Him? What are the fruits in your life today of turning toward Him? As we say our prayers at night we can visit with the Lord about the progress we have made in turning to Him and what we can do better tomorrow. In our morning prayers we can ask for direction from Him and pray for opportunities to turn to Him and then look for the wonderful ways both painful and miraculous with which he blesses us to feel his love.

We love you all. It is wonderful that our circle continues to grow in love as we add to it. Have a great week.

Oh the Places We Go

 Biggest news of the week: Polly and Oakey had their baby, Collins Marie Johnson. She was a whopping 9 lbs. 5 oz. and was born Monday afternoon. She is the cutest thing and what is even cuter is the way Cooper and Kenny take care of her.

              

 Last Saturday was a wonderful P-Day. We just relaxed. On our trip to the supermarket we both commented on the fact that we never walked to the HyVee down the street from us to even get a few things, forget about all our groceries for the week. We decided we would look at distances when we got home but thought it was pretty similar. Surprise, Hyvee to our house is 1 mile or 1.6 kilometers. Our apartment here to Superseis is 2.25 kilometers. So we got exercise then Chris made two apple pies to share with some friends and energy bites for the district president we are visiting this week.

Sunday evening after finishing English Connect at 6 we left for an asado at our friend, Sandra's house. Her family is wonderful and fun. We laughed so much. Chris was asked to say the blessing on the food, eek! She brought her Cilantro Lime Hummus and Sun Dried Tomato Hummus with crackers and cut carrots. It was a novelty and a hit as was the apple pie. So an asado starts with sausage slices and sopa paraguaya. After that you then have a dinner with beef, pork, chicken and mandioca, lettuce and tomotes. It was sooo tasty and we finished about 10 pm. We really need to have more days between our asados. One every week is keeping our tummies too full. 

We are learning a lot more how to give a hand up instead of a handout with our projects. It is easy to see so much need and just give things believing that having stuff will change situtations. In our giving of things we need to make sure there is a process to initiate incremental self reliance through suggestions and accountability in ways to use what the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints donates so the project will sustain progress.

Monday was a 12 hour day which helped to keep us busy while waiting to hear of Miss Collins arrival. Organizing new solicituds and moving the project dial ever closer on that project that we revisited in March. A meeting with DIBEN which helps people subsidize operations and medical costs that aren't free and they were the initial start of the wheelchair program in Paraguay. We organized our trip to the Chaco and planned a meeting with our friend Burkhardt to try and move ahead on a water project in Mistolar. 

On Monday we also found out that the refurbished shipping container that was supposed to be moved before we got here for a Puesto de Salud in a much needed area will finally happen! This Puesto was flooded and then experienced a fire. While school was out they moved into the school but in January school began. Thursday it was moved and we hope to go visit soon to see if they need another one. 

Tuesday we had meetings all day. It seemed like one just flowed into another and nothing led to much progress. A high point was that someone thought Chris looked liked she had lost weight! Yeah!

Blessings came that day in the form of a chat with Polly about the birth of her third child and first daughter.  Precious time. Things are going well and she has lots of support from Oakey and the boys.

We also got to FaceTime with some MTC (mission training center) friends who we did teaching roll plays with while there. The Bushmans are serving in inner city Tacoma and have lots of interesting stories of an entirely different type than ours. It was great to laugh again with them.

Wednesday was a day of more meetings and until we actually looked at the date we didn't realize it was our anniversary. We knew it was coming up but days fly by and then it was like oh, today's date is that day. Thirty seven years of try to treat each other like a celestial family - thank goodness for repentance, forgiveness and determination.

On Wednesday our boss asked us to use a drone to take pictures of the entrega ceremony on Friday to show how remote the clinic is (remote is a relative term in this case). Um last time Ken used a drone he lost our grandson's drone to the storm sewer. We are still traumatized by the accident, no drone. If something happened there is no way Chris would be able to keep her composure without laughing and snorting so it was a firm, NO.

We went to the temple in the evening, dodging rain on our walk to and from. Chris did the temple work for a woman who's birthday was on Thursday the 9th. Happy Birthday Gertrude May White.

On Thursday we left Asuncion for the Chaco with a stop at Hospital Regional Villa Hayes. It was a nice visit to check out a donation of things the Church had given them in 2022 for their blood bank. They are on the short list for their mammography machine to be digitalized and we also found out that another solicitud for different equipment had been sent through the channels but we haven't seen it yet. 

We made it to Filadelfia and found a ghost town. Who knew it was Feast of Ascencion holiday (the Mennonites are serious about their holidays) and even the supermarket was closed. We invited the missionaries serving in Filadelfia to have dinner with us at our hotel just out of ease but we think it may have been the only thing open. 

On a rainy day it was rather cold. We have become quite Paraguayan in our tolerance. We sat by the pool and Chris was freezing but it was 17°C which is about 63°F. But the drop from upper 90's to 63 in Paraguay is as shocking to the body as upper 60's to 33 in Minnesota, right?

Chris was having one of her uncontrolled laughing attacks as Ken was trying to take the selfie. Get yourself under control he begged but it only made it worse!

Dinner was great with Elder De Jesus from the Dominican Republic and Elder Head from Layton, Utah. They said they don't go out to dinner much in Filadelfia. It takes a strong, disciplined and dedicated missionary to preach up in the Chaco. Language barriers, cultural barriers and just physically getting through the mud in the streets could certainly get old. These are some of the finest. 

What a treat to sleep in a king size bed again!

Friday morning dawned and we had remembered everything for our entrega ceremony with Fundación Vision. Number three is a charm. We got there early enough for them to attach the Donación por la Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Últimos Días tags on the equipment. It was amazing to see the camera and other  equipment and how it will help to improve the ability of the surgeons to work with premature babies to detect a specific eye issue. We have made great friends with fabulous people who are helping the people of Paraguay live fuller lives. 

At our entrega ceremonies the church representative officially signs over ownership to the organization.

Our gift from Fundación Visión

They also had amazing food at this entrega! No pictures but it is the first time we enjoyed cinnamon rolls with a dulce de leche glaze. Yum! great pan (bread) and dulce de leche together. Can't miss.

After the ceremony we went to try and find a sick member with President Gaona. The member had gone to work so President Gaona was going to try and find him and get him home to Abundancia. While he did that we went with our meeting with the First Lady of Boqueron (Governor's wife), Ruthie Bergen to talk about projects we could help with. One of the projects was teaching sewing in a few communities that lack sewing machines but have volunteer teachers ready to teach. Chris is excited, something she knows about.

Ruthie has been helping to pass out the Church's school kits that the youth made at For the Strength of Youth conferences in January. We invited her to the entrega and she came. We asked her if 
her husband had been in politics long and she said he had not and she was against it. We asked what changed her mind. She said Jesus! Yes! our kind of people.

Missionaries riding home

Friday before leaving Filadefia, Ken needed to go pick up some shaving gel. He likes it better than foam and we can't find it anywhere but in the Chaco. When we finally had time to get there is was 11:55 and they close at 12 noon for siesta and don't open again until 14:30 and by that time we needed to be on the road. The guard stopped us and asked if we were just getting a few things and we said only shaving gel so he let us in before locking the door. We located the shaving products and found the last can of gel, our tender mercy. After paying we saw the elders trying to pack their groceries into 4 bags to hang from their bike handles on the way home. We asked if we could take their stuff in our truck and follow them home. It was nice after receiving a tender mercy of our own to share in helping them.

While drivng up and back we saw many animal crossing signs but none of the animals except one skinny deer and many cows. The different birds were a pretty sight. We saw some Greater Rhea or ñandú which looks like an emu or ostrich in a field, Jabiru storks and lots of white cranes.

    

 

 

I think these may be Jabiru storks

This is a white crane

Spiritual Thoughts come from Alma 5:

When we stand before God and see Him as he is we will recognize and understand our sins. If we study and learn the true character of our loving God we will want to change now to emulate Him. He wants a people prepared to meet him. Prepared not perfect in the way the world sees perfection. Prepared means we are always learning (by study and also by faith) and turning to Christ (repentance).
Interesting that it talks about blood covered garments, as garments can be cleansed and need to be cleaned often, especially if we are working hard. Again let's not wait for our garments to be cleansed through the power of Christ's sacrifice and sing the song of redeeming love for ourselves and to others in the way we treat them.
V.37 triggered thoughts of the hymn Softly and Tenderly:

1 Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling,

calling for you and for me;

see, on the portals he's waiting and watching,

watching for you and for me.

Refrain:

Come home, come home;

you who are weary come home;

earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling,

calling, O sinner, come home!

2 Why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading,

pleading for you and for me?

Why should we linger and heed not his mercies,

mercies for you and for me? [Refrain]

3 Time is now fleeting, the moments are passing,

passing from you and from me;

shadows are gathering, deathbeds are coming,

coming for you and for me. [Refrain]

4 O for the wonderful love he has promised,

promised for you and for me!

Though we have sinned, he has mercy and pardon,

pardon for you and for me. [Refrain]

Happy Nurturer's Day tomorrow for those in the US

In Paraguay we celebrate on Wednesday