Hermana Owen ~ Paraguay Asuncion North: "Lift Up Your Head and Rejoice"

So I know 27 is my lucky number... but I don´t know if any week could surpass this last. It was OFF. THE. CHARTS. I have this huge list of incredible things that took place and I could seriously write 10 pages or more so mom when I get home (in a year) we need to go back and reminisce over this week. Don´t let me forget to tell you.

The list: ...I will highlight a few...

1. Hermano Kristhian Duarte Vazquez was baptised at 6 pm on Saturday, October 26th and I couldn´t have asked for anything better. The spirit was SO strong, the whole bishopric was present, tons of ward members came and Kristhian´s family, we had members bear testimonies while waiting which had Kristhian´s mom go right down to bawlin, and tons of food afterward. Success!! Celcia hugged me afterward and we both started to cry and she whispered in my ear before pulling away, ¨Voy a recordarle siempre en mi corazón.¨ Seriously I love them so much. WE are going to their house tonight for family night.

They made empanadas after the baptism. Yum

His sign says "Gracias Hermana Goimarac"
She was Hillary's last companion that helped teach Kristian

2. Erin, Pte. McMullin´s daughter salio con nosotros ayer. President and Erin came to church with us. Sacrament was focused on missionary work and my comp bore her testimony. She is so awesome. President also spoke and gosh the spirit was so strong. Kristhian got confirmed and I wrote do/tried to write down all of it so we can type it up and give it to him. Anyway it was so fun to have Erin come with us. She is a mix of Ellis and Mish. Hilarious I felt like I was hangin out with my family :) She is doing so well in Spanish and it was neat to watch her figure out how to explain things in the lesson. It made me realize I actually have progressed a bit in my spanish BUT still have a long way to go. I am seriously learning SOO much though living with these 3 latinos!! It is so awesome!

3. So yesterday we had a realtively low asistencia for Loma (91 asistencia) which I had no idea until after church cuz I was so pumped with gozo en mi alma we had the WHOLE ENTIRE (you ready for this Faith??) PAVÓN FAMILIA en la Iglesia!!! Serious. Not lying. They ALL came and their son spoke with the bishop about starting mission papers!!! Ya I was about to cry with joy. Gloria, Milagros, and Faviola (who is so ready to be baptized) came to church. Long time no see! Cuz I am working on the other side of the transchaco (giant main road). and.... CELIA CAME!!! It was so cute, Kristhian was waiting by the door until she came. They sat on the front row and his blessing/confirmación was beautiful.

4. Another golden moment was that this young man- Gorge Casco, 25 years old- came to church. We have never met him. He has never heard of the church, suele passes by no mas and was curious so he came. WHAT!! yahhaha!! We talk him with cute little miss Erin after church and he´s already a new. Could get baptized this month on the 16th that is when we are gonna put a date for Celia. We asked him if he had any questions about what he learned or heard, and he said I would like to know more about Joseph Smith and just more about what you teach. Uhaha lesson one please! Chaching! You guys the Lord is preparing people left and right. As long as we are prepared the Lord will place them in our paths.

5. Hna Duarte and his experience with prayer that day... the Lord prepared him for the NDH it was so cool!

6. Sunrise, Sunset... incredible! I got a picture of the sunrise and seriously if I had a latter I probably could ahve touched the clouds that were passing over my head from where I stood on the roof. The sunset the night before wasw UNREAL. Sometimes I just stand and gape at the beauty of this country. Bright yellows, oranges, and hot pinks lit the horizon with dark thin purple clouds behind this thick green field and tall paraguayan mango trees. I love it here.

7. Some of our investigatores (recent as of last week) came to the ward activity. First ones there and we had a BLAST with them! We showed them around the church and they loved it! They have tons of potential. They are a huge family and want me to organize a class to teach them English how fun huh! I think we are going to cuz Gorge and tons others are asking! :)

8. Had probably one of the coolest experiences yet. I was super discouraged and overwhelmed the other day. I just wasn´t happy for some reason. I knelt in prayer begging my Heavenly Father to help me find peace and feel happy. I did something I haven´t done in a while. I thumbed the side of my scirptures, knowing that I have recieved answers before by just opening up to a random page, and opened to Alma 8 and read verse 14-16. The spirit rushed over and I literally fell to my knees in humility and just started praying to my Heavenly Father saying ¨Thank you thank you thankyou¨. I love the scriptures so much. The Lord knows us so well. I think we often forget that simple truth. We truly can recieve person revelation. I have no doubt about it. I´ll let you read those verses, but from em my favorite part says, ¨lift up your head and rejoice¨ So that´s my quote this week. I love you all so much. xoxo

Con mucho cariño,

Hermana Owen