Happy Belated Easter! How are you all doing? Things are exciting here as usual. I bet you probably were wondering since the last email where they sent your daughter to serve for 16 more months. Haha. It is okay! Everyday is a brand new adventure.
In Paraguay they celebrate the entire week of Easter- Semana Santa- and they visit family and the Catholic church has huge gatherings and they eat lots and lots of Chipa and Sopa (the ethnic bread here). We had two great lessons- one with Ismael and one with Maria Celsa and we set fechas (dates) with them for baptism but none of our investigators came to church =/ so all of their dates fell through. They have to go to church three times to show their commitment to becoming a member and none of them have accomplished that yet. Hopefully this week will bring some new investigators and more commitment.
I am loving the people I work with- Hermana Astle and I get along great. The ward members are muy chulina and very loving towards us. I cannot always understand what they are saying but my companion helps me out when needed. I love my mission President and his wife, Hermana Madariaga, both of whom are from Argentina. They are very inspired. Between them and my MTC instructor, Hermana Ortega, I think Argentinians are becoming some of my new favorite people.
Some funny things:
- We went to a member's house and she wanted to see how tall I was in meters. I didn't know that she had pulled out her tape measure and measured me! Haha. Yes they do think I am a giant here.
- All of the women greet each other with a kiss on both cheeks. So even if I have just met them, I am kissing both of their cheeks. It was kind of weird at first but now I am getting use to it.
- No one can pronounce Brittner. I pronounce it like 'Breetner' rolling the R and they still look at me like it's way too hard. They just don't have names like that here. Only the brave try to pronounce it.
- All the hamburgers here have sunny side up eggs and ham on them. It's pretty good!
-We ate French Toast with Fmia. Flores and they loved it. French toast doesn't exist here and I guess the last hermanas who made it with them messed it up but we made it perfect. They don't have syrup so we used jam.
- Fact: about half of our investigators can't read. Many have not finished high school. So when it comes to reading the scriptures, we have to have a family member read to them. So there's something we Americans take for granted.
I haven't been feeling very well for the past couple of days. There is some kind of bug going around so if you could keep me in your prayers for salud (health) I would really appreciate it.
I'm not sure if I adequately thanked everyone for the birthday packages and wishes! I appreciate it so much! It was truly a birthday to remember.
Since it was Easter, I would like to close by sharing my testimony of Jesus Christ. I know that He lives! He is my Savior and my Redeemer and the Savior of everyone in the world. Because of Him, I can live with my family and God again after this life. “Oh sweet the joy this sentence gives! I know that my Redeemer lives.” It is because of my love for Him that I am on this mission, to help others know of the great happiness that the Gospel of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints brings. It is the only true Church on the earth today. I am so grateful to have it in my life. I am so happy to be here in Paraguay and be able to talk about it with people every single day! What could be more important? Put Christ in the center of your life and everything else will fall into place.
I love you all!!
Hermana Brittner
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