Week 39- Paraguay Roads, Chicken Pox, and Lightning & Thunder!

Nov. 14, 2011

Five people riding on one motorcycle, a baby hanging off the side. A bus so jam-packed that people are literally hanging out the side. A 13-year-old driving a motorcycle with his little sister, going to the grocery store. A horse-drawn cart with a man on the back driving, next to a huge semi-truck and a taxi stopped at a red light.

These are just a few of the usual things you will see in Paraguay when you are walking around town. They have laws (I think) but I am not sure what they are. Jaywalking is expected across six lanes of traffic, babies don’t have car seats, people don’t wear seat belts and there is not an enforced motorcycle helmet law (which results in many fatal and serious injuries every year). Most people have motos or they take the bus. I imagine it is a lot like how the US was many years ago. The horse-driven carts just show how the old traditions of Paraguay live on, despite the changing environment and thriving technology.

Don’t worry, I still look both ways before I cross the street and I am very cautious. I just thought you would be interested to know what the roads are like here.

Well, this Sunday there was a HUGE thunder and lightning storm which meant that our church attendance was cut in half and our investigators didn't come like they promised. However, we are expecting them to come next week and planning a baptism a week from Wednesday!

My companion is great! We are having a good time together and even more exciting is that Hermana Astle and Hermana Van Dusen are going out to work with us tonight and then staying over!! Woot woot! They need a place to stay because they drove in from Concepcion for the Zone Conference they have tomorrow. I am sooo excited!! Some of my best mission comps! Woot woot! We are having FHE at Gissell’s house tonight and it’s going to be great.

Gissell is awesome! She has started reading all of the church books that we gave her for her baptism and taking notes on them.

Hermana Tua`one was sick on Tuesday so I spent a good amount of time writing letters and watching Mr. Krueger’s Christmas and the Testaments. While she was asleep, I received a call from Hermana Madariaga advising us that an elder has chicken pox and that we need to be careful. We had been exposed to him and his sickness. I have already had chicken pox but I wasn’t sure if my sick, sleeping companion had. I was thinking, ¨A week in this house?¨ and nervously awaited her awakening, but por suerte, she has already had them. Whoo. I’ve had enough sickness on my mission for both me and my companions, and I don’t want to spend more time in the house again.

Speaking of sickness, one of my old companions is going home for health issues, but hopefully she will be coming back. It’s sad but we’re hoping things can get worked out so she can come back.

I have had a few experiences this week with people of other religions that have just made me so very grateful to be a member of the true restored Church on the earth today. The Gospel just makes sense. The Book of Mormon is true. It’s the evidence of the restoration. We have a living prophet on the earth today. The Church was restored through the prophet Joseph Smith.

We are decorating our house for Christmas...lights and all. We don’t have a tree but little decorations..it’s chulina. We have our zone conference on Thursday- I am super excited.

Well, love you all, hope you have a great week.

Until Next Week,
Hermana Brittner

PS. Taylor- Great job on your volleyball season- Go number 24!!

Week 38- New Traditions, New Companion

“It´s a great day to be alive, I know the sun is still shining when I close my eyes.” - Lyrics from a country song of which I can’t remember the title.

Nov. 7, 2011

¡HOLA, FAMILIA!

Well, Christmas is fast approaching here in Paraguay even though the temperature says different to me. That means that in the grocery stores, lined up right next to the watermelons, are the artificial Christmas trees. Weird. Three Kings Day in January is when they exchange gifts. I am sure I will learn more about the traditions as the days pass.

Well, I am still in Loma!! Whoo! However, Hermana Young is not and I was very sad to see her go. The good thing is that we will both be at BYU together after our missions! When she got the call, she said, “I am leaving the best ward in Paraguay!” Which is true. My new companion is Hermana Tua’one. She grew up in West Valley, Utah but her parents are from Tonga and Samoa. No one here can correctly guess what country she is from. They guess everywhere but the US. She graduated from UC Redlands with a degree in Political Science. I think we will do well together. She is technically a Senior Companion but since I know the area and all the people, I am taking charge with planning and everything. It’s a lot of responsibility but I am getting the hang of it.

When we got on the bus today Hermana Tua’one laughed. I asked her what was up. She told me that it had been a while since she had gotten on a collective/bus and had everyone stare. That’s because it has been a while since she has had a tall, white, blonde companion that everyone stares at. She has dark skin and dark hair, so she blends in. Me, on the other hand, not so much…Good thing it doesn’t bother me anymore!

Two of our investigators came to church yesterday! They are the little siblings of Gissell who was baptized 2 weeks ago. We have been teaching them and they are planning to be baptized. We just need final approval from their Mom. They are so smart and receptive to the Gospel, they are great. The 9 year old even bore her testimony in Sacrament meeting yesterday. Yep, that’s our investigator!

We are on the hunt for new investigators…(this is the point while typing the email when I turn to Hermana Young and say, ‘what else happened this week?’ But she is not here.) When we went to the office for changes/transfers, I saw 6 of the 7 mission companions I have had! It was great. I’ll send pictures later. I’m at the point now where all of the weird things about Paraguay have now become normal. So I’m sorry if my emails are not as interesting as they used to be. Let me know what you would like to know!

If there is anything I’ve learned on my mission, it is that we are in the Lord’s hands. We do our best and put our trust in Him. We are obedient and He leads us to where He wants us to be, where we will be the happiest, grow and learn the most. When we are keeping the commandments, we can go forward with faith and trust that the Lord is guiding our lives and we need not fear. When we are baptized, we are promised the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. All we have to do is be worthy of it.

I am still happy doing the Lord’s work. Thanks for the letters and love.

Until next week,

Hermana Brittner

PS. The next transfers/changes are 3 days before Christmas...so hopefully I can stay another month so I don’t spend Christmas in a new area!

Week 37- Happy Halloween!

Oct. 31, 2011

Happy Halloween!

So you are probably wondering what Halloween is like here in Paraguay. Well, they don’t officially celebrate Halloween in Paraguay, although sometimes they have parties the weekend before. This past Friday the youth put on a huge Halloween dance and invited the whole stake. They sold snacks at the dance to raise money for EFY “Especially For Youth” (coming for the first time ever in January! Woot!) and it was a smashing success. They had decorations like in the States and a lot of people dressed up. They don’t have trick or treating or anything like that though.

Saturday morning we participated in a service project, painting walls and moving rocks at an addiction help center. It was fun- we even got to wear the yellow Mormon helping hands shirts =) Da gustar ayudar a las personas. OH and it was about 100 degrees outside! There were missionaries there from 2 zones. We hurried from the service project home to shower, then to our lunch appointment, and then we walked a half hour to get to the church and it was sooo hot! Our investigator Gissell was baptized!! Our baptism went well, even though the person who was going to baptize Gissell fell through and in the middle of the baptismal service we realized we needed another witness. But while they were watching a movie, the Bishop called someone and it all worked out. It had started raining hard and in Paraguay, that means no one leaves their houses or shows up to whatever activity is going on. So we had the Bishop, the 1st counselor who was conducting, with his family, Gissell’s neighbor and their family and us. Gissell´s mom went out of town and didn’t come. Gissell had the biggest smile on her face as she came out of the water! Afterward we served banana bread. (Paraguayans are crazy about that stuff.)

Sunday she was confirmed and I felt the Spirit so strongly. It was awesome! Her smile was a mile wide and you could tell that she is converted to the Gospel, not just a baptized member. She is awesome, so sweet and receptive. She was a reference from a member, one in three here get baptized. Which one of your friends can you refer to get baptized and receive the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ? After the confirmation Hermana Young and I gave talks on missionary work. It’s amazing how easy it is for me to talk for 10 minutes as a missionary, whereas before my mission it seemed like 10 minutes was forever. I spoke about the joy that comes from missionary work. I started crying while bearing my testimony as I thought about how much I have learned here and enjoyed this ward and this experience.

We went to TGI Fridays today as a Zone activity and I thought I was in America. SO weird!! That was my first time in a restaurant in a long time. The elders in my zone are pretty entertaining right now. I am happy, healthy and full of joy, the Spirit, and lots of food. Thanks for all your letters and support. Oh yeah, last thing: changes/transfers are on Saturday this week because President will be going out of town. So I have no idea if I will be going or staying or who my companion will be... I hope I stay but it’s in the Lord’s hands.

Until next week,

Hermana Brittner

Week 36- "Yankee. Gringa. Rubia."

“The nearer we get to our Heavenly Father, the more we are disposed with compassion on perishing souls. We feel we want to take them upon our shoulders and cast their sins behind our backs.” Joseph Smith, Jr.

October 24, 2011

Hola! Como estan??

Yankee. Gringa. Rubia. Just a few of the names that people call me- people on the street, as well as members. “Yankee” because I’m American (sounds more like “Jankee” when they say it), “gringa” because I speak English and am American (maybe this is like greenie in English?) and “Rubia” because I’m blonde. Regardless of what people call us, we always introduce ourselves as missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and Representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ in the area.

I can’t believe another week has passed. Where does the time go? Well, yesterday was the Primary Program and I promised Mom I would tell all about it. There’s only one word to describe a Paraguayan Primary Program: CHULINA! I loved it! It was very well put together and all of the kids participated and they brought a very special Spirit into the meeting. There were songs and different parts, just like our programs, and all of the girls wore little flower headbands and the boys wore blue ties. They had a big poster in the back with the theme and red and yellow and blue fabric draped across the front. It is amazing- the organization of the Church and how it teaches even the smallest of children the Gospel truths. That’s what is amazing about this Gospel: it’s so simple that even a child can understand it. It was even more special because I knew each and every one of the children who were speaking. I have visited and eaten with their families. I have watched their spiritual growth and taught their non-member friends. I am eternally grateful for the strong members of Loma Pyta and their examples. Each one of them has a special place in my heart. I especially loved hearing the Primary sing, “We’ll Bring the World His Truth,” and the loud little primary boys singing off-tune. It was very touching to know that they are being raised in the truth and that someday, they will be missionaries too.

Gisel is getting baptized this Saturday! We are so excited! We got permission from her Mom which was a miracle. Her mom isn’t interested in sharing with us but she has noticed the difference in her daughter and she wants her daughter to have this guidance in her life. She sat with us through one lesson, when we taught the 10 commandments. We started testifying about how the 10 commandments have blessed our lives and she said, “Gisel needs to hang out with you all the time. Whenever you want, you can come over.” She was impressed with our testimonies and desires to follow Christ. She is even coming to the baptism! This is very rare in Paraguay and we are so excited.

Edith came to church as well. She is so excited to get baptized. She is Chilean and we are basically harvesting what many missionaries before us have planted. She has shared many times with missionaries but now is her time.

Ariel didn’t come to church but we had a sweet Family Home Evening with him and we are praying really hard that he will come this Sunday and realize that this Gospel will bless his family, even if they don’t think so.

I taught district meeting about how we need to have faith in ourselves, in our work and in our investigators. We need to see them through the eyes of God- their eternal potential and not just where they are in their lives right now. That is charity- seeing people as God sees them, and not as the world sees them or even as they may see themselves.

We have started doing missionary work differently. Instead of clapping random houses, we ask members for references of their friends and then go and talk to and teach their friends. In a zone conference, we learned that 1 in 3 references from a member is baptized whereas only 1 in 1000 people from clapped houses is baptized. It’s a much more intelligent way to work and I like it a ton better.

One of the ward member's Dad passed away suddenly two weeks ago. I have been working with quite a few members and non-members who have recently had someone pass away. I have never felt the sting of someone passing away who is very close to me, so I don’t know fully how it feels. However, I have seen the reactions and the emotional state of many different people. This sweet Hermana is an incredible example to me of someone whose strong testimony of the restored Gospel has given her strength in this difficult time. Although it is very hard for her, she has found peace and understanding in what has happened. This is because she has a strong testimony of the Gospel and an eternal perspective. She has turned towards God, instead of away from Him.

Well, it’s getting hotter and hotter everyday. Will I survive a Paraguayan summer? I hope so.

Love you all!

Hermana Brittner

Week 35- Temple Day

October 17, 2011

¡¡Buenos!!

¿Como están? Well, I went through the Asunción Temple on Friday. Wow, it is SO beautiful and I felt so rejuvenated after being there. In the temple, we make covenants or promises with God that we will follow Him and it is also where families are sealed for time and all eternity. It is the House of the Lord and it is beautiful. While in the Temple, I was reminded of the eternal potential of each one of our Heavenly Father’s children- how He loves us and has more blessings in store for us than we can possibly imagine. But it is up to us to accept those blessings- to accept the commandments and then to work for our salvation and the salvation of others. As Elder Holland said, “Salvation is not a cheap experience!” I was surprised that mostly all of the workers were American. They are on missions, to help forward the work here. The Temple was dedicated in 2002. Little did I know when I was a little Beehive, that the Paraguay Temple was about to be dedicated and one day I would serve a mission there. (Maybe, little sisters, the temple where you will serve your mission, has not been built yet or was just recently dedicated.) I went through the whole session in Spanish and understood everything. Woot-woot for the gift of tongues! It was wonderful being in the temple with all of the other missionaries (about 40) and feeling the Spirit so strongly.

Random Paraguay fact: It is unusual for us to leave a lesson without being fed or at least given water. They usually offer us “terere” or “mate” but we aren’t allowed to drink it. The Paraguayan people are very friendly, very social and treat you just like family. Yesterday, we left lessons with a block of Paraguayan cheese and another one with a bottle of Sprite. I guess this is one reason I love Paraguayans! They speak to my heart as well as to my stomach. =)

Something cool about Paraguay is that they have lots of thunder and lightning storms. It’s a lot cooler when you are inside watching them and not outside getting soaked, but what can you do? =)

We had 5 investigators at church yesterday and all of them came with members or by themselves. Que purete! Gisel came and she should get baptized at the end of this month, along with two other teenage girls. Also, Julio, the older man, came- we were so happy! He truly wants to know Christ better. Also, a 21 year old girl named Lorena came. I think she is a chosen one- she got baptized in the Catholic Church but feels like she is missing something. We gave her a Book of Mormon and committed her to pray about it. Everyone we talk to has the opportunity to learn more and change for Jesus Christ. But being chosen means you are willing to change for Christ, to give up bad habits, sins, things that won’t bring you closer to God and replace them with obedience to his commandments. Unfortunately, Ariel didn’t come to Church. But hopefully he comes to the FHE we are planning tonight.

We also found a lady named Edith who asked if she could get baptized before we had even discussed that! Whoo! And she says she loves to read (uncommon here) and would, therefore, love to read the Book of Mormon! She went out of town this weekend but I’ll keep you updated on her progress.

Church was awesome! It was Stake Conference and the Mission President and his wife, the Temple President and his wife and Elder Patania, a Seventy (from Argentina) spoke. Argentineans know how to give great talks. They were very inspiring. It was all about the family and how we can have strong families by setting examples and living the Gospel. We spoke with a mother of four on Saturday night and she was worried about her kids and raising them in such a wicked world. Too bad she didn’t come to Church on Sunday because this Gospel is the answer to all of her worries and questions.

Happy Anniversary Becca and Jason! Whoo! Thanks for having cute babies! And to my little sisters, my little futbolistas, congrats on your great soccer seasons! It must be in the Brittner genes or something =) And T, keep up the good work with volley (that’s what they call it here in Paraguay). And congrats to Jennelle for getting married! I’m so happy for you! And Leslie I have still not heard about your wedding...write soon! Love you all!

Well, things are going well. I am happy, healthy and content. Thanks for your love and prayers and remember to stand as a witness of God at all times, in all things and in all places.

Con cariño,

Hermana Brittner

Week 34- 8 Miles + 100 degrees = TIRED

`Nobody rises so early or is so tired by 10:30 PM. Nobody else can clap houses quite so loud. Nobody else can get such a thrill at the end of a disappointing day when someone says, ¨Won´t you come in; we have been waiting for you. ¨´- anonymous

Oct. 10, 2011

Hola familia! Como están? Well, it has been another crazy week here in Asunción. We are working hard and teaching tons. My sister says that my letters are becoming too missionary-ish. But what do you expect? I am a “real missionary!” haha

Three days this week it hit 100 degrees but then cooled off again. I am thankful it’s spring and not summer yet. I think that the Lord was really looking out for me since I only have to live through one Paraguayan summer and two winters.

So, a random Paraguay fact: I am pretty sure that the collectivos/busses here are more fun than the Indian Jones ride at Disneyland! Sometimes you stand up and they stop really fast, we call this surfing when you have to hang on for your life and hopefully not fall over. Paraguayans are pros at this. It’s us gringos who have the trouble. Also, if you sit in the back, you can get some serious air when you go over a large hole in the road and there are many. Since the roads here are usually cobblestone, it’s a bumpy ride, all the time. Also, something else you won’t see in the states is the word Jesus on every collective or a scriptural reference and Jesus, Virgin Mary, and Saint stickers in the front of every bus.

We have some sweet investigators right now. Unfortunately, none of our super purete investigators came to church yesterday. Gisel is doing well as are her “Narnia” siblings. She left her Book of Mormon at a neighbor’s house so she went online to lds.org and started reading it online. She is so awesome! That just shows what kind of initiative she has as a 15-year-old, to learn.

We taught a 17 year old who was a referral from a member. She is very active in her church and reads the Bible often. We gave her the Book of Mormon and explained it to her and she invited us in to watch a video from her Church called “The Bible vs. the Book of Mormon.” I guess she didn’t realize that this was an anti-Mormon video, because she was just honestly inviting us in out of the goodness of her heart. No thanks. I would rather not be exposed to more of the Adversary’s lies. We politely declined. Lol.

Ariel, was going to come to church but his mom was sick. He said, “I want to know if this is true and that’s why I am going to pray.” Que guapo! (guapo here means, awesome, not attractive, btw). He pulled out the pamphlet from the church and said, “I want this. I want an eternal family.” His entire family is against him changing his religion, so he must have a lot of courage and really want to make this change because it will be hard.

We met a man named Julio, whose wife died a few years ago and he has experienced health problems that have made him re-evaluate his life. He said, “I want to know Jesus, how he is, even though I know it will take years to really know him.” He has a darling 10 year old grandson named Tobias and his grandson has been reading the Book of Mormon to him every night and then they pray together. Chulina. He said that he sleeps well after we leave because he has felt so good listening to us teach him (aka the Spirit)- we just need him to come to church now.

Another memorable lesson came from a contact off the street. While we were singing a person stopped and said, “You should sing more and talk less because that’s when I feel closest to God.” Haha, maybe that’s something to consider?

Hermana Lucas and Elder Lucas (an older missionary couple) came to our ward. I just love them. They are from Utah and she is the mission nurse for both missions in Paraguay and they are also in charge of the Perpetual Education Fund for the whole country of Paraguay. I’ve decided I want to be just like them when I grow up.

We visited a family in our ward. Their aunt just passed away from an operation gone wrong. Their Dad is still bitter about this and has turned away from God, instead of turning toward him. We taught about the Spirit World and it was a very cool/emotional lesson. I really don’t know what it’s like to lose someone close to me but the cool thing is that Jesus Christ does. And so when I don’t understand what the people I teach have been through, I encourage them to turn to someone who does understand, the Savior.

We worked so hard this week in the heat. Add walking for 8 or so miles everyday with it being HOT and this equals being TIRED. Missions consist of all kinds of days: long days, hot days, the dengue days, rainy days, P-days, `otro días`, baptism days, fast and testimony days, the good days, and the could’ve-been-better days. But it’s the people who are really searching to know, who make it all worth it. The people who have been searching and praying and waiting and wondering, to KNOW, to FIND the TRUE CHURCH, the real Gospel of Jesus Christ, that make it all worth it. It’s the quiet `gracias` after a Spirit-filled lesson, the look in their eyes when you know that the Spirit has taught them the truth, the knowledge that their lives will never be the same. All this because you left your air-conditioned life and stepped into the culture of Paraguay, because you opened your mouth and attempted to speak in your broken Spanish, because you made the choice to leave it all behind and give it all you have, that their lives will never be the same. But it’s not only their lives that you have changed, but also, your own. Because you have taught them about the one life that has made this all possible: the life of Jesus Christ.

Until next week,

Your favorite Hermana Missionary,

Hermana Brittner

Week 33- Still in Loma!

October 2, 2011

“Let us be as quick to kneel, as we are to text.” Elder Ian S. Ardern

Hola,

Well, I am still in Loma with Hermana Young! When I heard the news, I started doing the “happy dance.” It’s not as good as Rachel’s but I’m working on it. I am really happy and we are working hard. We have a new district leader- Elder Menesces from Argentina. He has only been a convert for a couple of years and his family doesn’t agree with his decisión to be a member and leave on a missión. He hasn’t heard from his family in a year. To me, he is a true first generation pioneer.

Highlights of the week: Apparently most ward events start a few hours late in Paraguay because that is what happened with the other ward’s “Festival del Bicentenario.” It was worth the two hour wait though. It was an amazing celebration of Paraguay’s 200th year anniversary and one of the wars that happened here. There was the traditional dancing, with girls wearing long red skirts, lacy shirts and their hair in a bun. The boys wore white shirts and ties, red, white, and blue belts around their waist and straw hats. There was lots of guitar playing and singing in Guarani. I understood like four words. But I enjoyed it so much! I love the culture here! It is fascinating and I feel as though the Paraguyans have taught me so much about life and what’s important. They really are a beautiful people.

The most exciting part of the week was definitely conference. I LOVED it! It was so awesome! This whole week was burning hot. Then Saturday comes, and at 8 AM, we start our studies and we hear a clap of thunder- it starts POURING! The streets turn into rivers and we think, “Oh great.” So a few hours later, we leave the house to catch a collectivo/bus. We cross the river (the street) and the water is up to our ankles. We finally get on the collectivo and this is the best part- there was water spraying up in between the wooden panels of the floor! It was hilarious! We finally made it to the chapel to find ONLY 2 Paraguayans there to watch the first session and about 20 missionaries. Haha. We didn’t have the keys to watch it in English so we watched the first session in Spanish. I understood it and it was cool, but I like hearing the speaker’s real voice and not the translator. It was amazing! I am so grateful for a living prophet and the restoration of the Gospel. The Spirit was so strong. I also loved watching the World Report after. The Church is amazing- the work is going on in every part of the world. How about another temple in Provo? Woot woot! Who knows, I may still be at BYU when it’s done. Haha. And who will be the new BYU president? The next three sessions I watched in English in the backroom on a tiny television. We were so grateful to watch it in English! Eighteen elders, and us two hermanas were there- what else is new? Thankfully, there were a lot more members there on Sunday than on Saturday morning.

We had two investigators at conference, Gisel (15) and Ariel (31). Gisel and her two siblings are investigators. They are very smart and read the Book of Mormon together on their own every night! I call them the “Narnia kids” because that’s who they remind me of. They are already in Mosiah. Ariel is an investigator too- a really nice guy. I hope that they both get baptized this month. Justo’s family is well- we are working on getting them to the temple to be sealed together as a family.

This week I met a 70 year old lady who can’t read. So many things I take for granted, the opportunity to read, write, learn and progress. I learned to read when I was in 1st grade and haven’t thought much about what a blessing it is, but truly, it is. (Thanks Dad :)

So we went to teach an inactive Returned Missionary. His wife got baptized about a year ago and they have a little baby. Well, when we got there, he didn’t really want to talk. He told us that he knew what we were trying to do and he knows that he isn’t doing the right thing by not going to church but he has to run his shop on Sunday morning to fix motorcycles and to make ends meet. He said to us, “When I was a missionary, I didn’t understand either. I didn’t know how it really is. And you can never understand.” Basically, implying that we were too young and naive to understand how life really is. WELL LISTEN BUDDY, I didn’t come all the way to Paraguay and drop my whole life to teach something that I don’t understand. I think he must have forgotten 1 Nephi 3:7, which says that God never gives us commandments that we cannot keep. Or Doctrine and Covenants 130:20-21, which says that only through obedience are we blessed. Or Mosiah 13 or Exodus 20 which talks about keeping the Sabbath Day holy. How sad for him! His family is missing out on all the blessings of coming to Church and obeying the commandments. Maybe I don’t understand his specific situation but as a representative of the Lord Jesus Christ, I do understand what’s important and I will never let go of what I know- my testimony and my desire to serve God. That is something that I do understand completely. I am grateful to be a part of this work. Les amo a cada uno de ustedes. Thank you for your examples.

Love,

Hermana Brittner