Jamie's Final Letter- "My Missionary Experience"

Can words accurately describe what it’s like to be a missionary...the anticipation of the long-awaited call signed by a prophet, the surprise when you open it, the realization that you will actually be gone for a year and a half? It’s the shopping for sister missionary shoes that are the ugliest things you’ve ever seen. It’s the MTC, the food, your district, your teachers, trying to learn the language. All of it is new, exciting, overwhelming, filled with the Spirit. Then you are off to the airport for the biggest adventure of your life. You have no idea what is before you or what to expect. You land in a foreign land and you have no idea what anyone is saying. You pray and you beg for the gift of tongues. You think it would all be easier if you could only express what you wanted to say and be able to understand what in the world these people are saying. Days are filled with sicknesses, surprises, rejections, spiritual lessons, miracles, and a lot of walking, getting used to the culture, how people talk, the customs, what is important to the people. Your testimony grows as you see that the Gospel is the answer to all of life’s problems. It’s the way to be truly happy. You leave your trainer, learn to work with new companions and learn to work with and love the members. Packages from home arrive with much-needed supplies and encouragement. Zone conferences are attended and interviews help with the mission president, which help you to improve your way of teaching. It’s realizing that those ugly sister missionary shoes are your most valuable possession, since they are comfy and trusted. The Spanish comes and the Guarani you understand only by using context clues. You see the miracles, the baptisms, the baptisms that didn’t happen because people chose something else over God. You see a family enter the waters of baptism and you know that they will never be the same. They have made a change for eternity. You pray that they will accept Jesus Christ; you pray that they will see the importance of it all. You begin to train, even though you feel like you were just trained. You feel like your imperfections are magnified but you can only hope that what you are doing will be enough.

Before you know it, it is ending and you look back at what happened, what you learned, what you accomplished. As you have served others, you have grown and received many blessings for yourself. You have met amazing people who are amazing examples of how to live the Gospel. You have made friendships that will never fade. As you stand to give your closing testimony and say goodbye to the people you have served and loved, you can’t help but give thanks to a loving Heavenly Father who gave you such a wonderful opportunity and was with you the whole time. You express your love for the Savior and how He made everything possible in this life through His atoning sacrifice. Your voice is shaking and the tears begin to roll down your cheeks because you realize that while you were in the "service of your fellow beings, you were only in the service of your God" (Mosiah 2:17). You realize that you will never be the same because of what these people taught you and you realize that you have and always will love them with all your heart.

Every mission ends but the lessons will never fade. You will think of your mission everyday for the rest of your life.

Hermana Brittner

***Jamie will be arriving home tomorrow. We are holding an Open House at our home on Saturday, August 18 from 5pm-7pm. On Sunday, August 19 she will be speaking at 9am & 1pm at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on Jeffery Way in Brentwood, CA. Everyone is invited! For those of you who live in Utah, Jamie will be returning to BYU on August 23 and would love to catch up with you then.

Bobbie Brittner

Week 78- Making a mark on Paraguay!

“I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:”

2 Timothy 4:7

 

13 de agosto, 2012

Where has the time gone? I feel like I just said goodbye to my family and walked through the doors of the MTC, into the biggest adventure of my life. My time is coming to an end in Paraguay and I don’t know how that happened so quickly.

One of the elders said, “Why don’t you ask President to extend your mission three weeks or so, to make up for the time you were sick with dengue?” The other elders have been reminding me that if I were an elder, I would have 6 months left. Yes, I’ll admit, at this point, I’m a little jealous.

On a funnier note, my companion has officially inherited a whole new wardrobe from me. She got my skirts and shirts that have been mended and re-mended that you would really only be excited to receive if you were still serving a mission in Paraguay. Lol. Also, can I just add how much I love being tall! So many men that come up to us, grab Hermana Greer’s arm or hand and try to kiss her. They even propose to her. I guess they think I am out of their league :) or better said, out of their height range. The funniest time was when one snake (annoying man) slightly drunk, talked to us and expressed his love to Hermana Greer and then as we walked past him down the street, he said, ´mi amorcita´ my little love. Lol. I just laughed and laughed because it wasn’t me for once!

Well, we had a baptism this weekend!! Yes, a totally unplanned, unexpected baptism that was the perfect going-away gift! Such a miracle! We showed up at Lujan’s house to go on visits with her mom and she came out and sat with us. Lujan is a long time investigator who is 13 years old. We worked with her when we first got to Piribebuy but had to drop her because she kept putting off the whole baptism thing. She almost got baptized two years ago but it didn’t happen for one doubt or another. She has been coming faithfully with her mom but had some kind of fear of going in the water. We have been visiting her periodically over the last few months, seeing if she had changed her mind but we didn’t see any changes. Anyhow, we showed up at her house on Wednesday and told her that I was leaving (did I ever mention that I kept the date of my departure a secret until 2 weeks ago?). So we jokingly asked her if she would like to get baptized before I left so I could be there. Surprisingly, she agreed!! Wow, what a great going away present! She was successfully baptized (on the first attempt) by the branch President, Pres. Benitez. She exclaimed when she stepped in the water, “it’s too cold!” Her mom had tears rolling down her cheeks as she bore her testimony and spoke of how the Lord answered her prayers- her daughter finally agreed to be baptized! Lujan is a cute, spunky girl and it was a pleasure working with her and teaching her (and trying to keep her attention, haha).

On Sunday, we had the baptism after church. Sunday was the 12th of August- the anniversary of a big battle which was fought in this town. They always have a huge parade and it’s a really big deal. They have been banging the drums all week practicing, which has resulted with us doing our morning studies to the boom-boom beat of the drum. I love how patriotic Paraguayans are! Church was pushed back to 4pm with only a Sacrament Meeting. I gave my final talk on the importance of visiting members, especially new converts. Unfortunately, very few people came to church. We did have a great turn-out with investigators, however! 5 were in church!!! Lujan, who got baptized and 4 other investigators who we stopped working with because they weren’t progressing. We have been telling everyone it’s my last week and so they came to see me off. Santiago came and I think he will get baptized in the next month. Luis and Liz Mabel, the cute family we were working with, came with her little brother and stayed for the baptism. I was SO happy to see them all there.

We have been seeing so many miracles in the past couple of weeks and finding tons of families and potential Priesthood holders.   I don’t even have time to write it all. I also forgot to mention that when I went back to Loma I found out that two of my old investigators got baptized! One of them was Justo’s older brother, who had run away and we were so worried about him. I feel so happy and blessed to know that people we have to drop sometimes eventually get baptized.

It seems that everyone here in Piribebuy cries when I  tell them I am leaving, which includes me. I will miss the people here SO much. I love them with all my heart and I will never be the same. As Hermana Greer said, “You have made your mark on Paraguay and Paraguay has made its mark on you.”

As my companion has pointed out, I will probably spend the next 6 months, if not my entire life, saying, “One time on my mission...” Hope you’re ready and excited to here about it! Family and Friends thank you for your constant support and love in my life. I feel so blessed to know each one of you and to have been able to share my mission experiences with you. I hope they have helped you in your life and strengthened your testimonies.

I want you to know that I love this work. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ is the only true church on the earth today and I feel privileged to be a missionary in this church. I love Jesus Christ and I know that He lives. He died for us and asks that we follow Him to find true happiness in this life. Thomas S. Monson is a true and living prophet of God. I have spent the last year and a half testifying of him and defending his name. I know that he is guided by Jesus Christ to tell us the will of God. I love the people of Paraguay and because of them, I will never be the same.

May God bless each one of you and strengthen you during the hard times and the good times in your lives.

With Sincere Love,
Hermana Brittner

Week 77- Saying Goodbye to Loma Pyta Friends!

Wow, what a week. I was able to go to Loma Pyta to say goodbye to my friends there and although I didn’t get to see half the people I wanted to, I am very thankful for that opportunity. I got to see 5 of my converts and it was so great! Josecito and the Suarez family came to the chapel to have one last lesson with me. The Spirit was so strong! I couldn’t help but smile as I shared my testimony with the people that I love so much. I feel honored to have been in the presence of so many strong members and to have been able to learn from their examples.

Hno. Suarez shared something with me that I would like to share with you. He compared ending a mission to completing our time on earth. We existed before we were born and we will exist after we die. Before we were born, the spirits in the Spirit World bid us farewell and expressed votes of confidence. They were sad to see us go but knew it was for the best. We were welcomed into the world as babies to loving families and all were excited to see us. When one departs from this world those who are left behind mourn their death while those in the Spirit World rejoice and have a grand reunion. Such it is with a mission. Those at home anxiously anticipate the missionary’s arrival while those in the mission field (or Paraguay) lament such a loss of the missionary.

I think that is the only way to describe it. And honestly, being a missionary is like being on the other side of the veil, because all you can see is the Gospel and all the temporal is removed from your eyes. You see things as they really are and you see how much time, effort and worry is wasted on the things that don’t really matter.

This week Juan Leon came to church again. I think he will get baptized. The only problem is he has very limited understanding and we will have to teach very simply. We are still working with Marium and Jorge. They didn’t come to church however.

This week is cultural week which I am really excited about. August 12 is a huge holiday because it was when a battle was fought here in Piribebuy. I don’t know the details, only that women and children fought. Anyhow, they are having a huge parade on Sunday, which is the day August 12 falls on. All the high school kids are required to participate to pass their classes so we are having Sacrament Meeting at 4pm. My last Sunday in Paraguay.

Well, love you all!!

Hermana Brittner



Going Home

 

By: Elder Phil McAnelly (1986)

Today I watched an elder leave, it almost made me cry.
He shook our hands and walked away, then he turned and waved goodbye.
I didn't know him very well, because I'm new you see
but in twenty months or a little more, that elder will be me.

His eyes were stern, his mouth was set, but the tears began to fall
As he started on that long, long walk; the longest walk of all.
Though only a hundred feet or so, five times he turned and waved.
Looking over a place he loved and at the friends he'd made.

From a simple bamboo airport shack across the blacktop strip
He began his homeward journey; the long awaited trip.
Now is the time for looking back, reflecting on his soul.
Did he give the Lord his best? Did he strive to meet the goal?

What others thought, or did, or said, has no meaning now,
for he must answer to the Lord for what he did and how.
Because the longest walk of all, the one he made today
Is the one you make within yourself as you grow and learn each day.

In twenty months or a little more, that elder will be me.
I hope by then I've done my best, for now and eternity.

Week 76- Family Baptism, Friendship Day, Snakes speaking German!

“...Charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever; and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him.” Moroni 7:47

30 de julio, 2012

What an awesome week! I had my first baptism of a family!! It was so awesome- a very spiritual experience. Ruben and Leila finally got baptized! It was wonderful. There was a big turn out! My companion and I sang the primary song “When Jesus Comes Again” and it turned out well. There is something very special about seeing an entire family enter the waters of baptism. They have a common goal now to follow Christ and support and help one another. There is power in that, which isn’t present when only part of the family is baptized. The most memorable part of the baptism, besides the Spirit, was that Leila had to be baptized three times! The branch president’s brother Ruben, is a pretty strong guy (in construction) and when he first lowered Ruben, he threw him under so fast that water splashed all up his front! Afterwards, he gave him a huge hug. It was sweet. Then Leila went in and he lowered her so fast that her feet flew up out of the water. That happened twice and by the third time, she stood shivering in the unheated water (it is winter here) and decided to crouch down in the water and finally made it all the way under.

It was so fun teaching them and watching their testimonies grow. On Sunday, we taught them about temples, family history work and eternal marriage. Now that they have been baptized, it’s time for them to help others do the same thing!

During the baptism I thought about how much love I have for the Paraguayan people. I thought about how it’s not enough to only go to the Celestial kingdom yourself nor is it enough to only bring your family. We have to bring others with us- we have to help other families and individuals find the truth and gain a testimony and live the Gospel so that they can experience the same joy that we do in the Gospel. “Remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God.” (Doctrine and Covenants 18:10)

Sunday was Branch Conference and we didn’t have a very good turn out due to the stormy weather. We woke up Sunday morning to thunder and lightning outside and we had no power and no water. Finally, the power came back on so we could get ready for church.

Happy Friendship day! Yes, it’s Friendship Day and they take this holiday very seriously here. People get one another little gifts and cards. It is also the one year anniversary of my first baptism, Thalia, in Paraguay. Not to mention, it’s Hermana Greer’s birthday! We are planning on having a sweet FHE tonight and sing Happy Birthday to her there. I love birthdays!

Just because it’s funny... This guy who has repeatedly tried to get our attention by yelling German phrases at us finally succeeded today. We told him we only speak English and he frantically tried to think of an English phrase. It was hilarious! The snakes just never cease to be snakey.

Well, I don’t have much else to say, except that I am excited because tomorrow I am going on splits to Loma and will be able to say goodbye to all of my old friends! I am really excited and happy that I get one last chance to see them and teach them.

Love,
Hermana Brittner

PS. Tell Sister Bush thank you for the sweet letter when you email her. It’s so exciting to have sister missionaries serving in the Hillcrest 1 ^st ward! I am looking forward to meeting them when I get home.

Week 75- Arise and Shine Forth

“...Arise and shine forth, that thy light may be a standard for the nations;” – Doctrine & Covenants 115:5

 

July 23, 2012 

 

Two falsehoods about missionaries:

 

1. Missionaries are perfect and know everything. 

2. Missionaries don’t have any problems. 

 

Growing up as a youth, I used to think these two things were true. Missionaries seemed to live in a blissfully happy world, free from toil and strife and worries. I am very happy, it’s true. How can you not be happy when you are talking about the Gospel all day? But you also deal with hardships, setbacks, disappointments, heartbreaks (not only the Dear John kind, but the “my-investigator-chose-not-to-get-baptized-after-all” type), which are a lot more painful, and illnesses as well. I can honestly say that during my mission I have grown more than I have at any other time of my life. My time here has been filled with  hard times but also good times- the miracles, the baptisms, the spiritual lessons and sacrament meetings, the tender mercies of the Lord, the strengthening of my testimony, the miracle of seeing the conversion of people and so much more. I have met people from all over the world who I will be friends with forever and I have learned to love a people and a culture that is not my own. 

I remember in the MTC that one of the speakers described the country which you serve your mission in as “a holy land.”  He said that if you ever go back, when you step off the plane go ahead and kiss the ground because that is sacred ground to you. I now understand what he meant. Paraguay is holy land to me.

Wow, what an amazing week we had! We saw so many miracles!! We once again had an amazing turn-out (it took my companion and I awhile to think of that word in English) at church. Five investigators and one potential investigator! Not to mention...Ruben and Lela are getting baptized this weekend!!! We are so excited! It has been a long journey for them. We have been working with them since we arrived in Piribebuy. We dropped them because they wouldn’t accept a baptismal date but then I felt that we should go back for them. We did so and now they are getting baptized. I felt like we would see them get baptized and we will! I’m not sure what changed, only that they have let the Spirit work within them and they are changing. They started to live the Word of Wisdom and after that, they were committed. Ruben told us that he is ready to get baptized on Saturday and it will be my first baptism of a couple- a family! I am so excited because that means in a year they can be sealed together forever in the Paraguay temple. We are going to see them everyday this week because Satan works overtime the week before a baptism. Ruben said that various people have told them that the Church is false and to not get baptized. We told them to keep praying and asking God for the confirmation to know that the Church is true and they said they would. Another challenge which arose for them happened at a Family Home Evening which we held with another part-member family. We taught about the Book of Mormon. The head of the household, who is not a member, basically attacked the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith, and advised Ruben to think very carefully about getting baptized. I was angry that he would say that to my investigator! I guess if it’s not coming from him, it would be coming from somewhere else! Thankfully, Ruben didn’t let it get to him. There is so much opposition in everything we do. Those who stay strong in the church are those who continue to do the little things that keep testimonies strong- read the scriptures, pray, go to church. The truth is that the simple things that seem to be of no grand importance are really of utmost importance!  

 

Strangely, my testimony was strengthened at hearing this attack against the Book of Mormon. I know that it is the word of God. I know that Joseph Smith translated it through the help of God. It contains the fullness of the Gospel and without it, we would be lost, like so many others. 

 

I also wanted to tell you about Marium and Jorge. Marium came to church carrying her baby, with her three other boys- 9, 7, 3 trailing behind her. She had to walk across town to get there. They are so awesome! Unfortunately her husband has yet to come but we have met him and he is a nice guy. Get this- they were about to move out of Piribebuy because they had to move out of their apartment and they didn’t know what to do. As it turned out, one of the hermanas in the ward had a house to rent and if all goes well, they will move in there and it will be great!! They will live very close to us and be in a much better position to receive support and visits from the ward. I have come to realize that the Lord works in mysterious ways. People don’t come into the church having perfect lives. They come into the church searching for something better- a better life and hope. We have what they are looking for- it’s the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

 

Also, Juan Leòn came back to church this week. He comes and sleeps through all the classes, but I guess he must like it because he keeps coming back. We are going to see how serious he is about baptism. 

 

Is July seriously almost over? I really can’t believe it. I want to thank Sister Brown for the nice Christmas card she sent me and the photo. I received it last week. Christmas in July, right? Lol. It was sent in December but at least I got it! I love the picture of your family at Kelli’s wedding. It is really beautiful and is displayed on my desk. 

 

Notice:  Please don’t mail me anymore letters because I will be home before they arrive here! You can just hand them to me in person :) 

 

Love you all! 

Hermana Brittner

Week 74- Wow, Wow, Wow!

“Shall we not go on, in so great a cause?” -Joseph Smith

July 16, 2012

Wow, wow, wow!!! This week was full of miracles! It was definitely the best week of transfers/changes and I only hope I have time to write about all of it before time runs out.

Well we had 7 investigators at church and 2 other potential investigators! It was so cool! They just kept coming and coming. Our ward mission leader said the investigators were about to outnumber the members. Not quite true, but almost. Not quite a good thing either.

Let me tell you a little about this week and the investigators:

---Ruben and Lela. Well you already know all about them. We have been working with them for months now. They are a cute young couple. We taught Ruben and Lela the word of wisdom with Ruben’s brother, President Valazquez, and they accepted the two week challenge to live the Word of Wisdom and they have been living it ever since. They have stopped drinking coffee and alcohol and their baptism is set for next Saturday. The only catch (there always is one) is that Ruben has an alliance to a Saint who he thinks healed him and doesn’t want to be unfaithful to him. He is also worried about sinning by getting baptized twice. We are working on those doubts.
---Marium and Jorge. We found Marium while visiting a less-active family. She had just moved here from Caacupe and she had been to church once there. She really wanted a Book of Mormon which we willingly gave her and she has been teaching her son to read from the church pamphlets we gave her. She is really cool- a young mom with 4 boys. Yesterday, we walked with her and her kids to church. Unfortunately, her husband didn’t come. But get this- my companion a while back was contacting someone on the bus, when this man named Jorge came up to her and asked her for a pamphlet to read. He got off before she had a chance to get a good address from him and wanted to go look for him. A few weeks later, he came up to her again when she was on the bus and told her we had already shared with his wife. Turns out it was Marium. So we met both of them at separate times and they both showed a lot of interest. They aren’t married and Jorge is really hard to get a hold of because he works two jobs but we have plans to see him this week. They also have a son Eduardo who is of baptism age!

---Luis and Liz Mabel- We are dropping them because they are not doing what they need to in order to progress. It is really sad because we love them so much and we can see how the Gospel would change their life. They also don’t have permission from her mom to get married and they aren’t willing to fight for it. Maybe in the future...

Hopefully that didn’t bore you. But here is the coolest story ever! We are working in a new area, a little farther out and we were contacting, as we always are. I saw this older man, wearing a huge cloak, flip flops and an old baseball cap that says, “Fight dengue!” He was pretty scruffy looking and unkempt. I figured, ‘why not’ and went up to talk to him. We told him a little about our message and invited him to come to church. He didn’t seem to understand anything we were saying and we figured it was because he speaks mostly Guarani. The mission leader who was with us explained how to get to church in Guarani and we didn’t think twice about it.

Well, Sunday comes around and we get out of the first hour and one of the members says that a grandpa is here and he was looking for us. We couldn’t figure out who it could be and then we saw him and realized it was the guy we had contacted. It was easy to recognize him because he was wearing the same clothes as when we contacted him. His name is Juan Leon Marin. How cool is that? He just decided to come to church. He had his nephew drive him to the church and drop him off. It just goes to show that you never know who could be interested in learning about the Gospel. You can’t judge based on appearance or anything. Everyone deserves the opportunity to learn more and choose for themselves. So open your mouth and share the Gospel! You never know who is ready and prepared to hear it!

Something else that happened yesterday which was really cool, one of the members who is related to Ruben and Lela, had them over for Family Home Evening. The member’s husband is also a non-member and she talked about how we all need to let Christ into our hearts and follow him. It was cool and an awesome lesson because it was given out of pure love for her family and her desire to see them follow Christ. Hopefully we will see some good progress because of it. I have realized that following Christ is so much more than saying that you have faith in Him. It is changing your life and repenting and agreeing to live the commandments of God that will help you become more like Him. Words are cheap but when our actions show that we are followers of Christ- that’s when we become like Him.

Some funny Paraguayan ways-
---The advantage to being so tall here is that when the strange men try to kiss your cheeks, as is the custom here, they can’t reach your face. Unfortunately, my companion doesn’t have that same advantage :)
---The average reading age is 8 or 9 years old. If you ask someone younger if they can read, their parents will look at you like you are crazy and say, “Are you crazy? She’s only 5!”  Lol.
---Walking down the street the other day, one of the Paraguay young women, Johana who was going out with us, starting laughing.  “Do you know what that little kid just said in Guarani?” Well, of course I didn’t. “He said, ‘what a big woman!’ looking straight at me. Bahaha.

Tonight is transfers/changes and I really hope there aren’t any. My companion is finishing her training program with me tomorrow and we will see if we stay together!

Well, off to buy some souvenirs!!

Love,
Hermana Brittner

PS Happy 10th Birthday Jenna Brittner!

Week 73- Leave it all on the field!

“Forever is composed of nows.” Emily Dickinson

July 9, 2012

I am not sure how many of you have had the chance to read the Hometeaching message for this month in the Ensign by President Utchdorf but it really impressed me. It had to do with always being in the middle point. He counseled that whether it is the day that you arrived in the mission field, or the day before you go home, you should always act as though you are in the middle point. That means giving it all you have and not thinking too much about the future or the past, but living in the moment. It was a good wake-up call for me to focus, as it sometimes seems more exciting to think about what is coming up than dealing with the frustrations and difficulties of today. Although it may seem strange, the only way to be truly happy is to live in the moment and focus on what is happening- the good and the bad. How can you make choices for tomorrow when tomorrow never comes? You can only make choices for today.

President Utchdorf also spoke about how we are in the middle point of our eternal existence. We existed before we were born and we will live after we die. This is just part of our journey of existence. I really liked that- the eternal perspective changes everything- it changes the way we view ourselves, others, and the choices we make. I know that we will live again. I know that I will see my Grandpas again. I know that Christ died so that we could have the gift of eternal life- living eternally in His presence and in the presence of God and our families, if we do everything we can to be worthy of that gift while here on earth.

I recall advice that my soccer coach gave us when we were winning by a ton or losing by a ton. “Leave it all on the field. Don’t bring anything home with you. Leave everything you have on the field and go home exhausted, satisfied and happy. Then it will not matter if you won or lost because you will know that you had played your hardest.”  It’s some of the best advice I have ever received. Play hard, no regrets. It ain’t over ´til it’s over.

Unfortunately our mortal bodies are frail and this week Hermana Greer and I both got sick. First, I got sick with some kind of cold- flu thing and then Hermana Greer but she was hit a little bit harder. We have finished a whole bottle of Dayquil, made a dent in the Nyquil, used lots of tissues and taken lots of naps. I am almost 100% better but not quite.

Sunday Hermana Greer felt the worst so I was in charge of teaching the Gospel Principles class. We headed home afterwards. I really love teaching. It’s so fun! I taught about fasting and I loved seeing the light go on in the student’s eyes. I taught the class in gloves and my long winter coat because, in case I didn’t mention it before, central heating doesn’t exist in Paraguay. Don’t worry though, we are spoiled and have a heater in our bedroom and don’t worry Mom, I haven’t heard of any cases of dengue here in Piri and anyway it’s too cold for the mosquitoes to survive, anyhow.

The miracle of Sunday was that once again, Santiago came! We often can’t find him during the week but he just still keeps coming to church. I think he is ready to get baptized, he just doesn’t know it yet. Also, he wants one of us to baptize him! Haha, a gentle explanation about how we don’t hold the Priesthood will have to be given. Nelli, a less-active Hermana came to church after Pres. Benitez visited her with us. If the members, especially the Bishopric could just understand the power of visits and the power they have as members to help less-actives and investigators come to church! If the Branch President visits someone, they are 10 times more likely to come to church than if we just visit them as missionaries. Also, we taught a recent convert, Maria Liz, about the importance of seeking knowledge through coming to church all three hours, and she came all three hours!! I think it was the first time since she’s been there the whole time since she was baptized! We were really delighted about that!

We also had some cool Family Home Evenings this week that I don’t have time to go into detail about. We have been holding FHE’s at member’s houses and inviting a few families to increase unity and cultivate friendships in the ward. It has been a lot of fun. Also, we taught Ruben and Lela about the word of wisdom with the help of his brother, Pres. Valazquez and I thought it was a really good lesson. Ruben’s response when we invited them to live the word of wisdom was “It’s going to be hard, but we have to do it, right?” They didn’t come to church Sunday but Ruben told me he was following through with his commitment to stop the social drinking he does with his friends. We will see how he did, as yesterday was the huge soccer game between Cerro and Olimpia, basically like the Super bowl here with the rivalry you would find between BYU and University of Utah (let’s be honest, my companion chose a perfect sick day yesterday because I didn’t want to have to work on game day with all the crazies out).

A little Paraguayan culture:
-One of the first thing Paraguayan kids want to know is what “club” you are, or rather, which soccer team you have chosen.
- School is cancelled when it is too cold or it’s raining. There isn’t even a question; you just don’t go, because you know no one will be there, not even the teacher. Now the whole, “It’s raining so we can’t go to church” makes more sense.
- Little kids and probably adults have no idea what a seatbelt is.
- Paraguayans use the inside of an oven to store pots and pans. Baking does not happen here.
- I saw the first clothes dryer ever this week. Chuchi, chuchi, chuchi. Mercedes, our laundry lady, bought it and we were in charge of teaching her how to set it up and use it. It was pretty hilarious. People can’t afford dryers, especially when the sun outside is free.
- In the winter, people go to sleep at like 6 or 7, because their bed is the warmest place in their house.
- The clothing style of winter is sweats or work out suits and tennis shoes. Seriously, it’s what everybody wears all the time. Jeans are not popular here. In the summer, all the girls wear leggings-spandex, and usually there is some misspelled English written on their clothes that no one knows how to pronounce.
- Halls cough drops are considered candy. I’m just happy because it means I can find them in dispensas when I’m sick!

Love you all!
Hermana Brittner

PS While writing this email, the power went out in the cyber and on the whole street, so we left, bought groceries and came back to finish it!