December 11, 2010

December 11,2010

Dear Friends and Family,

On Monday, after business in the office and getting the car checked out because of a warning light we drove to Ciudad del Este to begin our specialized trainings /Christmas meetings with the zones. Monday night we spoke with Robert the waiter we had given the Book of Mormon to a while ago. He is meeting with the zone leaders, along with his wife and three sons. We gave him a DVD about the birth of the Savior and wished him a Feliz Navidad. He said he had a gift for Mark also, so the next night at dinner he gave him a white “ao po’i “shirt. It is the traditional fabric that is hand stitched with designs on it. “Ao po’i “ is guarani (the other national language)for fine cloth. Any way it was so nice of him. He is such a nice man and we hope he and his family will receive the message of the missionaries well.

Tuesday we met with all the missionaries in the 3 zones in and around Ciudad del Este. We spent the morning in training and then we had lunch. We focused on planning and using our time well and how important our personal and companionship study time is. As part of those messages each missionary received a calendar with photos of everyone in the mission as a reminder of planning and using their time well. They each received a poster of the cover of Preach My Gospel for the wall above each study desk in the apartments as a reminder to be effective in their study. They also receive a small spiral book of key scriptures that will be helpful for them to memorize along with a few sweets .We also spent part of the time letting the zone leaders share with the mission the goals they had set for 2011 during the zone leader council held a week ago. Speaking of our zone leader council meetings, our desire is to help the mission leadership experience a true council setting. We want them to be prepared for similar council settings after their missions in other Church callings. During last week’s zone leader council, Mark and I let the zone leaders wrestle for a couple of hours with the important process of receiving revelation concerning the 2011 goals of the mission. They knelt in prayer multiple times to seek the Will of the Lord. It is so important for them to learn this divine pattern. They then presented the goals to President Callan and shared their testimonies that they came from the Lord. All sustained the goals by the uplifted hand. During subsequent specialized training meetings this week, the zones leaders presented the goals to the missionaries and described the revelatory process they experienced in setting them. President Callan then asked for a sustaining vote and the goals were unanimously sustained. The Spirit was very strong and it was wonderful to see our humble and confident zone leaders bear strong testimony that the Lord would be with the mission as we dedicate ourselves to reaching our goals during the coming year. These goals will make us stretch but they are believable and achievable. After lunch in each specialized training meeting, we had a testimony meeting and sang Christmas hymns. We repeated this same pattern in two meetings in Asuncion on Thursday and Friday. It was so nice to hear the beautiful music the missionaries made as they sang. It was even nicer to hear their testimonies. Every missionary in each meeting shared their testimony. It was such a powerful experience to hear 170 testimonies during those three days. We will have one more meeting next week in Encarnacion and hear from the rest of the missionaries. I am so impressed with the young men and women who are working hard and learning important lessons here in the mission. It is not easy for most missionaries at some point in their missions. How sweet it was to hear them testify of the things they are learning and how they are being prepared for their futures. Their testimonies of the Savior and Heavenly Father are growing and we received a real gift for Christmas to be able to hear each one of them share their testimonies.

Wednesday morning we were on the road to head back to Asuncion at 3:30 am. We needed to get back to be with two sister missionaries who were leaving Thursday. It also was a national holiday. It was the time when everyone walks to Caacupe to give thanks to Mary for what she’s done for them. The streets were pack in the town and for miles either way people were streaming into town as they made their pilgrimage to the cathedral there. We heard there are 200,000 people there during the height of the activities. It took us 45 minutes to drive through the little town that usually takes 5 minutes. It was such a visual reminder of all the people here who need our message!

We spent the day with Hermanas Plessl and Edwards going to lunch and the temple and having a testimony meeting. These sisters were the first missionaries that we have had for their whole missions and they were two wonderful missionaries. Even between lunch and the temple there was a little time so they went around our neighborhood to finish up their 10 contacts for the day! They stayed here in the mission home and went with us to the specialized training held on Thursday. We said good bye to them at the airport that afternoon amid tears. We will miss them here in the mission!

It has been a good week. It always is when we can see more of the missionaries when we gather for meetings. We love our missionaries and want to see them progress in their lives and share the gospel message with others. We know with the Lord’s help they can do both of those things! Have a good week! Love, Mark and Sandy