And eating strange plants?

Highlight of the Week: We got the Conference issue of the Liahona!!! 

After a week of rain and wet feet, I am thoroughly happy for some sun. It`s actually not the rain that bothers me too much. But mud is tricky stuff. And sometimes stinky too. Luckily I`ve got a nifty pair of fashionable crocs that allow me to splash through all the puddles and street-rivers in Villeta :) 

I did end up battling it out with two broken umbrellas two days in a row. . . and when it came to drawing blood (ok. it poked my thumb. but there was a little blood :) I decided it was worth the 22 mil guaranies for a fully functioning one. So now we have two paraguas that work, and no more rain :) 

me eating strange plants :)

Well, we brought two investigators to church yesterday but lost them before Sacrament Meeting. . . we were kind of sad about it. But we found some new investigators who are ready to learn, so it all works out in the end. 

closeup of said strange plant

(this is my favorite plant in all of Paraguay)

Love you all! Faith is so important! And Mormon 9 is a fantastic chapter.

 

I love Paraguay winter

Highlight of the Week: Making headway in Guarani. . . and finding 10 Brazilian cents :) 

I love Paraguay in the winter. I think I`ll probably end up living the rest of my life in this season, winter in the states for one half of the year, and then for a change of pace I`ll spend the rest of the year enjoying winter in Paraguay :) 

Apparently when you cut your hair here you have to be careful not to leave it on the ground, because if a sapo (frog) ends up eating it you`ll go bald. At least that`s what Antonella, our investigator told us. 

The river is still rising, apparently due to rain in Brazil. I don`t know. I lack a good map to really understand it. 

I prepared an amazing talk for this Sunday . . . then totally messed it all up when I got to the pulpit. But that`s ok because I now have an awesome talk prepared for the next time :) 

The church is true!!! We are here to change and become better! Love you guys!

This is our house (well, in the middle)

This is the river Paraguay, and Hna. Isabel`s boys moving their stuff to higher ground

There`s this green algae that is just so cool. . . gonna figure out how to grow it some day, but not in my house.

 

Villeta, service, dirt and shovels

Highlight of the Week: Service! I love dirt and shovels and Paraguay.

Villeta is a port town (is that how you say it?) So the people here make a living off of fishing or working in the big old factories that have set up shop nearby. And right now the river is rising. So many people are moving and building lean-to type structures on higher ground. We were able to help one of our recent converts build their house this week (in skirts, cause hey, that`s what Hermanas do :), and tomorrow we`re going to help them move and finish it all up. They have a boat that they use to cross the river and buy mandioka in Argentina (apparently it`s better in Argentina)

It`s windy here, so all the boys run around with pandorgas (kites)  made out of plastic grocery bags. I might make one today :)

I MADE GNOCHI!!!! I think that's how you spell it. It's pasta made out of potatoes, it`s delicious, and I figured out how to make it :) I don`t think it`s strictly Paraguayan. Maybe more from Argentina or Brazil. . .

Hermana Puma does not like Avocado Pie. Pobrecita :)

Ah. Yesterday I ate morcilla (along with nearly half a cow too. . . gotta love asado). It's a type of sausage thats really really dark in color (scarily dark. . . nearly black) and I`ve seen it around plenty of times, but never had the courage to try it. Or to ask what made it so dark. But yesterday we had dinner with the Branch President, and I figured that if the President was serving it to us, it couldn`t be that bad. . . but I didn`t let them tell me what it was until I had finished it. Turns out it tastes pretty good, and it`s really good for you. . . especially if you`re anemic. Make sense, since they told me afterwards that it`s made out of blood. Not sure I'll be able to eat it again. Not sure I'll need to :)

My companion and I have begun to read the Book Of Mormon in Guarani. We don't understand any of it. But give us another 4 weeks.

I love being a missionary! and the Tupao Jesukristo Mangaratukuera Arapahapegua is true!

goodbye to the city

Highlight of the Week: Returning to el Campo! 

I`m in Villeta!!! Villeta is little, beautiful, and in a bend of the river Paraguay. So I`ve said goodbye to the city and busy streets of Monte Lindo and I`m back to walking with cows and listening to the Relief Society lessons in guarani :) I`m quite content. I`m apparently the first Nortamericana in the branch though, so all the members have preconceived notions of sister missionaries from the states. . . we`ll soon fix that :) 

The weird thing is that most of the streets in town are paved. . . the first few days I kept thinking every few minutes, "where are all the rocks?!" 

My companion is Hermana Puma from Lima, Peru. That makes three of five companions from Peru. . . guess that means I`ll probably get around to visiting Machu Pichu after all :) She uses the word "Rayos!" a lot. So when I come home doing the same, don`t be alarmed. 

What I hadn`t realized I`d missed so much was the smell in el campo ( grass and burning things :) and all the crazy random weeds. I`ll give more details next week :)

Love you all! Keep reading the scriptures and going to church! :) 

 

life is good

Highlight of the Week: One of our contacts came to church! On her own! Yes!

Short and sweet: It`s cold, but the sun came out this week, and life is good. 

Paraguayans like to give their trees `haircuts` and sometimes I have to just tell myself it`s ok, because with the way things grow here it`ll be back to normal in a year or so. 

Pomelo season is over, but I`ve heard there`s another mango season coming. . . 

We have cambios tomorrow! I`ll let you know more about that next week.