November 21, 2009

November 21, 2009

Dear Family and Friends,

Last Saturday we attended the evening session for a district conference with Elder Aidukitus in Nemby. It is interesting that they try to keep the regular format for stake and district conferences here. The Saturday night adult meetings are not very well attended mainly because of transportation reasons. Most people can’t pay for buses Saturday night and Sunday. It seems like it would be better to hold more of the meetings on Sunday but I guess I’m not in charge! Anyway it was a good meeting and it would have been nice for more people to hear it. We always love to hear Elder Aidukitus teach.

Sunday morning we were up at 3 am to leave for the airport at 4 am. We met the Wades (from the other Paraguay mission) there and together we flew to Buenos Aires, Argentina for our mission presidents seminar with the other 13 mission presidents and wives. We knew we were arriving early and we had been invited to lunch at the CCM (MTC) in Buenos Aires with President Gordon and Emolyn Wilson (Mark’s mom’s cousin). We had a nice lunch and a nice visit with the Wilsons and Wades and had a tour of the CCM. They recently received some art work and furniture from the temple there that is closed for remodeling. Emolyn has arranged things beautifully and the artwork really adds to the spirit of the CCM. So we attended Sacrament meeting and relief society and priesthood meeting at the CCM and then our shuttle came and picked us up and took us to the Sheraton in Pilar (outside of B. A).

Sunday night we had a dinner and an introduction to the seminar by the South America South area presidency and Elder Steven Snow and Elder David Bednar. We spent the next three days being taught and fed by the spirit. It was wonderful! We still are feeling very overwhelmed much of the time and it was so nice to have the spirit confirm to us that the Lord is helping us to be able to fulfill our callings. The whole seminar was so spirit driven and that message rang so clearly to us. In order to do what the Lord needs us to do we need to have the spirit with us continually. He not only will help us know what to do and teach but he will help us know how to do what we need to. The real key is that there is an urgency to the work and without the spirit we cannot accomplish what needs to be done efficiently. As we help prepare ourselves spiritually and help the missionaries do the same, miracles can happen. It was quite amazing to be taught for three days by Elder Bednar and Elder Snow. They both are wonderful men and teachers. We felt blessed to be in their midst. We were told at the beginning of the seminar that this was the last time the apostles would be attending the mission president’s seminars, so we felt especially blessed that we were able to be taught this last time. In fact ours was the very last of the seminars for the year for all of the seminars. The church is growing so big they just can’t be everywhere so they will teach the area presidencies in April now and the area presidencies will teach us. I’m grateful for the things we were able to learn, it will help us in so many ways.

As part of the seminar we went to an Argentine estancia. It is a horse ranch/dinner show. First we had a dinner with salads and asado (barbeque). After dinner was a little show of Argentine dance and singing. Then we went out and watched the gouchos ride the horses and showed us their skills. The same men cooked and served the food, sang and danced and then rode the horses. It was a fun break from the seminar. It was also fun to catch up with the other new mission president’s and their wives and meet all the other ones.

We returned to Asuncion Wednesday night late . Thursday was spent preparing for zone leader’s council . Friday we had the 18 zone leaders in for a conference from 8am to 2pm. We have some good missionaries hear and we are grateful for their strength and desire to work. Saturday we attended our own stake conference. Mark did some of the training at priesthood session and we both attended the Saturday night session and Sunday session. We both spoke on Sunday. There was a choir for both sessions made up of adults and youth all dressed in white shirts and blouses and black pants or skirts. They sang with the spirit about the importance of families. We were able to meet a lot of the investigators that the missionaries had brought with them . It was a great meeting for them to learn a bit more of the importance of families.

Well, I bought a couple little turkeys the other day and I think we’ll have a Thanksgiving dinner this week. We’re not sure which day. It’s not a holiday here but we will celebrate with the office staff . I think we’ll be able to have the complete meal pretty much like at home. Only the most important part will be missing!! Our family! I am thankful though for our wonderful family and we will miss you. We are so grateful for all of the Lord’s kindnesses to us .We are learning so much. At times we are pushed so far out of our comfort zone but I feel the kind prodding of a loving Heavenly Father who knows what we can do and become, even if we can’t always see it ourselves. We are grateful for good friends and family who are helping our family at home. We are grateful for the good people of Paraguay who are reaching out to us in love. Most of all we are grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ and the hope that it gives us in our lives. We hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving! We are thankful for you all! Love, Mark and Sandy