Caaguazu

Hermana Lopez from Argentina

So this week has been so crazy and long. I can’t believe it’s been only a week since I wrote. It feels like a month with how much happened. On Tuesday we were waiting all afternoon for them to call and tell us about transfers. Last time they called around 2 with the changes. At 5 we finally got the call from our district leader.... he told me I was leaving San Lorenzo. We cried a lot.... especially Pablo and Wanilda. That was really really hard.... but they already wrote me. Today in my email I had a letter. Pablo kept telling me that he can never thank me for all I have done for them, for being there and loving them and forgiving him and for crying with them and for being with his wife when he wasn’t there. He told me he had never felt so much love and that he knew that I saw him like Christ does... It was sad to leave Ivanna too. She cried a lot but she told me something that just sunk down deep in my heart. She said whenever you ever feel like giving up, you can’t. Just remember me and know that there are people waiting for you. Waiting for the truth. I was and you were so patient with me!! She kept saying what do I have to do to get you in my baptism? What do I have to do... haha I’m so excited for her. She will be baptisted this next Saturday!!!

So we packed all my things up and I left my home in San Lorenzo. More than any other of my areas it hurt to leave. I felt like I was leaving big parts of my heart there... but at the same time it just felt like a split and that I was coming back in two days. It still feels like that. I think San Lorenzo will always be my home. 

In the terminal it was crazy. There were so many people and it was raining so hard. Hermana Mcdougal stayed in San Lorenzo with my old comp, Hermana Guardado!!!! She just came from Hermana Austin and now she is with Hermana Mcdougal. That made me happy. I know she will take care of San Lorenzo and she is going to be a great Hermana leader.

So as for me I was really shocked. I thought I was going to keep being an hermana leader but just in another part. Turns out I’m going back out to the country!!!! Remember my first area, Coronel Oviedo? Well my new area is an hour past that!! We are only 3 hours from Brazil! It’s super poor and really beautiful. My comp is Hermana Lopez from Argentina! She just finished her training. She is so cute and new in the mission. I went from being around Hermanas every day to being the only companionship of Hermanas in the zone! It’s so different here. My cute comp has a lot of excitement to work. She just had a little of a rough start. Her trainer is great and they had 3 baptisms but they just didn’t really look for people. They stayed in the houses of the members a lot, which is cool because all their converts are referrals from members but it’s hard. The members are really used to the sisters spending 2 or 3 hours just talking after lunch. We need to go and be doing things. So I’m trying to help her to see that she is on board. It’s just the members.... I think it will take them a little while. I went from one of the strongest stakes of Asuncion to a little rama.... branch... but they are really excited about missionary work here. I really really love it. I’m excited for the new challenge.

I got sick on Thursday. So sick I couldn’t walk.. I was really dizzy and I wanted to throw up. I don’t know what happened. I have never had to go back to the house for me but we went back and I slept all afternoon. We had an appointment at night so I sucked it up and went and then when we came home I crashed again. I woke up Friday basically fine so I think it was just some bug. I’m just needing to get used to the water here haha I have been in the city too long! Man they speak so much Guarani here!!! I’m so rusty, but I’m getting it down. It’s fun being with a Latina. Everyone thinks we are from Paraguay until they see that we can’t speak Guarani.... here in Paraguay its not impressive to them that I learned Spanish.... it’s not enough without Guarani... haha but I am trying really hard. I am pretty sure I will finish my mission out here which I’m pretty happy about. I love it here and the people are really great. There is for sure lots of work to be done. I love you all.... PS: I’m writing so late because literally everything is shut down for Virgin de CAACUPE day tomorrow. They all walk to this big basilica in CAACUPE to visit the Virgin.... I remember this day last year. No one wanted to talk to us. Anyway we had to get a member to bring their laptop to the church so we could write....

ROHayhu,

hermana Vokapipopo

Ponderize. Alma 18:17

I am a servant and I’m just here to do the work of my Father.