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!