17 Miracles

This week was FULL of miracles! We couldn´t stop counting!  In fact there was definitely more than 17 but I´m playing off the movie okay? :)

#1: The orange blossoms are blooming like crazy!  It smells like a Spring in Arizona and it makes every day ten times better.  The air out here in Horqueta is so clean and pure!

#2:  Wednesday you wouldn´t believe how much Hermana Border spoke!!! She is improving so much!

#3: We taught Atilio Gimenez (husband of this AWESOME investigator Zuni we have).  It was one lesson to remember.  He listened and we had his kids listening and interested and at the end we knelt in prayer and he offered the last prayer.  Oh that was a miracle!

#4:  Finally got a hold of, found the house, and taught a less active FAMILY (familia crystaldo).  They are awesome! Their niece is Suci, who was just baptized.

#5: HermanO Frutos shared with us this week!  We read from the book of mormon and he promised he would come to church on Sunday... didn´t BUT not discouraged we were just happy he was sober and home!

#6:  We arrived to teach some new converts (Roberto and Mariela) and guess who showed up right when we did!?  THEIR DAD!! He usually NEVER wants to share with us or ¨can´t¨.   But this time he ACCEPTED! And we shared the message of the restoration.  The spirit was so thick!  He accepted to learn more about the gospel.

#7:  HermanA Frutos is opening up to us so so much!  She told us her life story and conversion.  She gets so so excited to see us and ward members.  She is so much happier, despite the hard and sad life she has and does live.

#8:  Hermana Sofia (mother of Sebas)  went to pull out a good amount of money the other day.  It was for her buisness, and to do that it usually takes like 48 hours.  She was a little nervous something would go wrong or she wouldn´t be able to recieve the money.  Sebas looked at her and said something I´ll never forget:  ¨Mom, don´t forget ´the blessing.´¨  The blessing being the gospel :)  Isn´t that darling.  They have seen so many blessings since just Maria and Sebas have been baptized. :)  Anyway miracle part... she went and returned within just ONE hour with all the money!  That day we had planned to teach tithing and she was so full of gratitude, she not only accepted to be a full tithe payer but she wanted to start this  past Sunday.  haha I love her!

#9:  We have been completing all our goals this week and teaching a TON of lessons.  We were on a role.  A little sad because Saturday afternoon we were suppose to head to Concepcion for a leadership meeting and be there until Sunday.  However we recieved a call from our Zone leaders Friday night telling us that we didn´t have to come to the leadership meeting!  That meant ALL day Saturday in our area! We taught EIGHT lessons!  Haha you bet we went for another 1 mil ice cream cone! It was a stellar day. Exhausted, but success!

#10:  One night we were headed home after completing all of our goals, however we were a good 10-15 minute walk away (having 5-10 until we had to be in the house).  We started to run, but poor hermana border´s knees are a little soar from all the walkin and running so we decided to walk and not hurt her.  I said a little prayer in my heart that we would be able to make it home on time and guess what time we arrived home!?  9:27... three minutes to spare.

#11:  So there was this darling old lady expressing to us the other day how she is just getting old. Her heart is failing her, she forgets things all the time, she couldn´t speak for 15 days once, and her vision is failing her.  The poor thing!  I suddenly imagined the Savior (instead of me) sitting next to her and my perspective changed.  I saw her, you could say, as he would.  There was a sudden love that over took my heart for her and I felt as though she was my sister.  There honestly wasn´t much we could do but we took her by the hand and told her  how much she meant to her father in heaven and that she is a daughter of God.  She said, ¨ Thank you, thank you, my love.¨ And tears rimmed her eyes. Sometimes we need to take the time to see  people differently and remember their trials and difficulties do matter and learn to see them through the Savior´s eyes.

#12:   So little Faviola Frutos (daughter of Hermana y Hermano Frutos)  has now changed her mind about becoming a Judge when she is older.  She has told her mom, ever since we started teaching them, that she wants to grow up to be a sister missionary for a year and a half and then go study and become a judge.  :)  She reads to her mom from the book of mormon often, but not just reading it, she quizes her mom on what they read by asking her questions :)  So cute.  Such a little missionary already.

#13:  We found a golden investigator Liz Sanchez (21) this week.  She says she is actually searching right now in her life to know which of all the paths is the true path that will lead her back to God.

#14:  We ate like Kings!  Our mission leader is seriously awesome.  He bought us 3 meat shishkabobs(spelling?)  with  mandioca the other night; not to all the work he does for us.  Horqueta is very blessed.

#15:  ICE CREAM!  I think I mentioned this but this was really exciting!  OH one I didn´t mention was last nights´ GIANT bar of sopa paraguaya Hermana Pastora (the tiny gma who hits me and is so strong... we are BEST friends) she served us. It was AMAZING sopa! 

#16:  We completed the week with 6x7!  THat means we completed our goals EVERY day except for one!! We worked so flippin hard but it was so worth it!  I love this work!

#17:  Got letters!  That was exciting!  Thank you for the love and support you ALL give me! xoxoxo LOVE YOU ALL TONS!

Con Cariño,

Hermana Owen

 P.S. Congrats Kate on the job and starting college! What an exciting time! love you tons! 

pic: just some horqueta beauty!

I just love Hermana Border 

On the bus, our trip to Concepcion

bon apetite!  our bunny meat tortillas familia martinez gave us for breakfast! yum! actually a little creepy if you ask me.  I saw the skinned bunny.  5 days ago it was hopping around in their backyard. gulp.

Cleaning behind the oven
Before
After