Another fun week has come and gone. Sunday was a nice day spent visiting the ward in Amamby. The church building there is the second one built in Asuncion. When they split the original Moroni Ward the ward there was formed. After church Mark went with his counselors to Coronel Oviedo a 2 ½ hour drive for a priesthood meeting. I had a quiet afternoon preparing for our dinner with the 7 office elders and 2 assistants. It was a nice evening. It still amazes me how much the elders can eat! We have some excellent elders in the office and also serving as assistants. This week we also welcomed two new assistants to help in teaching and training all the new missionaries we have received over the last few months.
I spoke on the phone with our daughter Jenny in the afternoon and she told me about a sweet experience she had at Relief Society. She sat by a woman she hadn’t met yet and chatted with her a bit. The next week she sat with her again. It was a friend of mine and Jenny told me how she was enjoying getting to know the people in the ward and getting reacquainted with the people she knew growing up there. Later that day I got the sweetest email from my friend Janet saying what a breath of sunshine Jenny was. She said sitting by Jenny those two Sundays was just what she needed. She also said that our missionary service was blessing her life because she was able to meet Jenny and feel of her great spirit. I am always grateful for the way the Lord works in all of our lives to help and bless each one of us. I was also able to speak to our Wendy, Sara and Laura that day. It’s nice to be able to speak to the family and stay connected while we are here. We spoke to Matt and Robert later in the week.
Monday morning we welcomed the new assistants Elders Woodruff and Urmston to the office and we had a staff meeting .Mark also had a training meeting with the assistants. Everyone in the office was busy preparing to receive the 6 new elders that came on Tuesday. There is always a lot to do the week of changes and it’s always amazing how things usually work out okay!
Tuesday we picked up the new missionaries at the airport and went right to the temple to talk about where we want the people we teach in Paraguay to end up –at the temple, sealed as families. Our flight times don’t always allow us the ability to go straight to the temple but I love it when it does. It helps the missionaries be focused from the first hour they are in Paraguay as to their purpose- Bringing people through the temple to Christ. We spoke a bit outside the temple and bore our testimonies and then we were invited to come in the temple for a minute so the missionaries could see the baptismal font. We went straight to lunch and then to the office for orientation and interviews. The office elders and assistants took the new elders out to do some contacts and then we all came to the mission home for dessert and testimonies. All the new missionaries bore sweet testimonies in Spanish and it was so wonderful to see their excitement to finally be here in Paraguay.
Wednesday we met back at the office for training meetings with the trainers and then the new companionships were introduced. They were all off to their new areas by 10:30 am. At noon we took the fieles (faithful missionaries ready to go home) out to lunch and then we went to the temple with them. We attended an endowment session and did some sealings and then went to the mission home for dessert and testimonies. I always love the contrast of the two testimony meetings back to back. There is so much growth that happens in the time that the missionaries are here. The gospel plan is so beautiful in the way that we are given opportunities to serve and when we do, we benefit so much even as we are helping others. The two hermanas (sisters) spent the night here at the mission home and the elders stayed with the assistants.
Thursday we took the missionaries to the airport and said goodbye. They are always a bit nervous and excited but they are so happy when they have served well and done their best during their missions. Friday we read and studied all day. Mark was reading his weekly letters and he shouted for joy when two missionaries he was concerned about both wrote that they were doing well. One bore strong testimony of the atonement and the Savior’s ability to understand and help us through our challenges. That is what the mission is all about—helping everyone , including the missionaries, understand and be changed in our lives because of the atonement of the Savior. What a great week!
I took my normal calls from missionaries. One phone call began with “Don’t worry Hermana (Sister Callan) we got the bleeding stopped!” He then proceeded to tell me a new missionary had a run in with some barbed wire. Luckily the damage was minimal and he was doing fine. Sometimes the missionaries are pretty excited about the great stories they get to write home about when they have injuries- I always hope they don’t exaggerate too much and make things seem worse than they really are.
Well, today was our preparation day and we spend the day reading and studying and running to the grocery store. There isn’t ever enough time to really prepare for all we need to do, but somehow things usually work out. We are receiving much help from Heavenly Father and for that we are always grateful. We love you all! Mark and Sandy
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