November 28, 2010

November 28, 2010

Dear Friends and Family,

Last Sunday we had a nice evening as we went to a missionary fireside at the Centro Stake. There were future missionaries and returned missionaries there to learn how to prepare for missions and share testimonies of their missionary experiences. After the meeting the returned missionaries had displays set up from their missions . One sister served in San Antonio , Texas and learned English beautifully. Mark spoke also along with the stake president. The area presidency is really encouraging the people here to prepare for and serve missions. It will really strengthen the church here when the number of missionaries from Paraguay increases.

Tuesday we went to a district meeting in San Antonio here in Asuncion . Elder Taylor is working hard to lead his district! That night we got a nice phone call from our son Robert saying he had gotten a new job that he was really excited about. The Lord is blessing his family! Laura also changed jobs and found a better situation for her. They are both happy about their new jobs.

Wednesday we went to sign our legal documents so we can stay in the country for another year. We also went to the international police as part of the process to be fingerprinted. We asked to meet with the main boss there so we could thank him for helping us with all the missionaries’ legal papers. We were visiting with him at the end of our conversation and we gave him a music CD of some hymns and also a DVD about the Savior and some chocolates. We asked him to let us know if there was anything we could do to help the process and he said “ What I really need is a computer!” That wasn’t exactly what we expected him to say. Here he is the head of the Interpol begging for a computer from us! Things run differently here !

Thursday we had a nice Thanksgiving dinner with our office staff , the assistants and our helper Lidu and some of her family, her daughter Christy and son Andy. Lidu and I cooked all day Wednesday and made a nice traditional meal. I learned a few things since my attempt here last year so the meal tasted just like it would have at home!

As we were preparing the meal Thursday morning Lidu made President a big glass of fresh squeezed lemonade made from our lemon tree here at the house. That’s not something we will ever have at home on Thanksgiving but it was perfect! We were glad our children in Utah were all able to gather together that day also!

That afternoon we went to a plastic surgeon to have a little spot taken off President’s hand. The surgeon was trained in Germany and came highly recommended so we felt okay about it. I did have a few doubts when we went the first time and he was ready to do the little procedure until he realized he didn’t have any sutures, so we had to reschedule it. He seems to be healing fine and it hasn’t held him back.

Friday morning we drove 5 hours to Ciudad del Este for a couple of meetings and then spent the night and returned to Asuncion the next day. While in Ciudad del Este we visited with our waiter, Robert who we gave the Book of Mormon to last time we were there. Elders Roberts and Facer have been meeting with him. He was excited to tell us his children are excited to read the Book of Mormon and Bible. We had a good visit about the importance of studying the scriptures together as a family and bore testimony of the way it helped our family. We’ll see what happens with him and his family!

We brought Elder Avila, an area seventy , back with us from Ciudad del Este. He had some meetings there and some more with Mark here in Asuncion this weekend. He is a wonderful man and we enjoyed the time in the car visiting with him.

Sunday we were invited to speak to the ward in Nemby. The whole meeting was focused on missionary work with new members speaking and bearing testimonies. It was a nice meeting. Elder Guenther and Rivero are serving in that ward . Wherever Elder Guenther goes he gets the work moving well!

I have been thinking of my gratitude for the Book of Mormon this week. What a wonderful gift is ours to have that book to read and study. I finished reading it this week and as I was reading about Mormon and Moroni and Ether it really hit me how much we owe all the early prophets and leaders who did really hard things in their lives so we could have that book in our lives. Each one of those men had times in their lives when they felt very alone but they still held true to their convictions and covenants so the work could come about the way the Lord needed it to. I am grateful for the opportunity we have to come to know the Savior more by reading and studying that book.It’s time to start over in First Nephi! We hope you all have a wonderful week and try to stay focused on the important things during this holiday season! We love and miss you all! Mark and Sandy