Week 72- Paraguayan Paparazzi, Service, and Nice Weather!

“I know that my Redeemer lives. What Comfort that sweet sentence gives. He lives, he lives, who once was dead.” Hymn 136

July 2, 2012

You may as well call us celebrities because we have the paparazzi following us everywhere we go. We have started running more frequently and have quite a rigorous schedule. Since we moved houses, we aren’t as close to the stream/nature-y part of the area so instead, we run in the neighborhood. It seems the whole world is watching. Paraguay is a very early morning society. People sleep to the pattern of the sun- they go to sleep early and arise early so at 6:30 when we go out to run, the whole world is up and moving about. We have had some interesting comments from members and investigators about us running in the morning. Let me remind you that the concept of doing physical exercise for your health is an idea about as foreign as seeing two blonde Yankees running around in basketball shorts. No one jogs here for exercise. The only time a Paraguayan runs is if they have a soccer ball at their feet or they are about to miss the colectivo. One of our investigators, Liz Mabel, said she saw us running. Well, she saw my companion running. I was walking. It was at the end of our circuit. I was tired. I am old on the mission but I know, no excuse. She asked me why I was walking when my companion was running. Nothing like having the whole neighborhood watching you to motivate you to keep going. Another lady, who was very large said, “Why are you running? You are already so skinny!” Another investigator, Justo, commented on seeing us running on the main route. He said, “You don’t remember when you tripped and fell flat on your face?” Ha! And I thought no one had seen! Well, nothing like the Paraguayan paparazzi to motivate you to get in shape!


It seems like we need to find some new ´gente´, as our investigators have been falling through with their commitment to come to church. We don’t seem to have many willing to sacrifice to keep the Sabbath day holy. Ruben and Lela came again to Sacrament meeting. We have started visiting them again. They are such a cute young couple and hopefully the Spirit can teach them how blessed they will be if they give up the things of the world and decide to follow Christ through baptism. Liz Mabel and Luis didn’t come and it seems like they aren’t getting it. It’s pretty frustrating because we care about them so much and we can see how the Gospel would help them and their little family. When you are a missionary, you have the ability to see through spiritual eyes. It’s as though the temporal is gone and all you can see is the Gospel, how it will bless people if they keep the commandments, and how they lack those blessings when they fail to do those things. The Gospel really is the most important thing in this world.


Our area is pretty crazy because it is huge! The actual “centro” part is not that big but there are all these other parts that are very far, called companies. They are like the outskirts of the city. There are members from many of these companies and very few come because of the distance. For example, there is a company called Cordillera that takes about 2 1/2 hours to walk to on foot- 20 minutes in colectivo. If it’s raining, the colectivo doesn’t come and you have to walk or if you don’t have any money, you have to walk. The kids are not able to come without the colectivo. There are a handful of hermanas who come faithfully from these far away areas. They don’t come every week but they come as often as possible. Their sacrifice is inspiring to me. It makes me realize that going to 9:00 AM church, 5 minutes from my house, is a luxury. And yet, I still don’t always make it on time there.


Something that this area and the Spirit have been teaching me is the importance of stepping outside of yourself and helping others. The ward members here don’t see the importance of doing visits, like visiting teaching, etc. But it is so important!! Many times in life we are so caught up in our own problems, in our own lives that we fail to reach out and help others. That is the only way to true happiness- caring about others and making them happy. It is so important to magnify your callings, especially that of home and visiting teaching. I have decided that those could possibly be the two most important callings in the Church!!


This past week was ‘San Juan’ week and they celebrate here by having parties and making mbeju, a traditional Paraguayan food with flour and Paraguayan cheese.


Well, life is great. The weather is fantastic. It has been warm and sunny enough that new freckles have been sprouting on my face again! Last winter must have been abnormal; some kind of freak cold front that came through, because it was FREEZING then, but this winter has been just beautiful! Despite the warm weather, apparently some kind of bug is going around. We haven’t gotten sick yet but keep us in your prayers, as we don’t have time to deal with nonsense like that. Also, if you could pray that we will find the chosen ones- the ones ready to change their lives for Christ, that would be great!!!

LOVE YOU ALL!!!

PS Happy 4th of July!! I am proud to be an AMERICAN!

´Til next week,
Your favorite Paraguayan,
Hermana Brittner