A Lifelong Pursuit

Learning to be like Christ is a lifelong pursuit.¨ (Preach My Gospel, pg. 123)  So it´s not as easy as I thought.  I realized something else this week.   We are here, as it describes in the poem of ¨After All You Can Do¨ by Robbie Pierce, to just be the callers, the herders, the preparers.  We are the ones to call down the deep, dark, damp holes saying, ¨Don´t worry, get up, nothing's the matter.  Take sticks and take rocks and build up a fine ladder.¨   Then as the people put in their effort the Savior makes up the rest.  We don´t take or make up that part, He does.  He is our Redeemer and Savior.  I know He lives and He lives for the moment when you can see someone come to know that truth as well.  Oh sweetest moment of life.

This week was bitter and sweet.  Hows about the sweet stuff.  First off Monday we had a stellar noche de hogar with Mariela´s entire family!  Celebrating her birthday as well.  We drew a giant man in the sand with the whole armor of God on it was so fun!  

CAAAAKE - Family Home Evening dessert
(notice the kids hand above Hillary's head - she didn't mention it so I will guess he didn't put her face in the cake)

Having a good time with Hermana Border and families

"It was unleashed"

referring to her "V Face" - we called it, that she discovered in like 5th grade and always made people laugh

Thursday we headed to Concepción for a zone conference. Wait, I have an Announcement!  From the first presidency!! Speaking of the first presidency I am stoked for GENERAL CONFERENCE!  Anyway it´s that missionaries now have to teach all five lessons before baptism while we were usually just teaching 1-4 before.  

A storm rolled over during the conference.  We caught a bus back to Horqueta at 7:30 or so and upon arrival the lights went out.  I felt like I was in a black maze.  Luckily our district leader and his companion live close to us so we all walked home together. It was PITCH black.  The lighting lit up the tunnels (or streets)  that made it like walking through a vortex.  It was awesome!  We had to stay home for the last hour of the night because it was dangerous to leave.  We were starving and so we decided to cook in by candle light. It was so fun!

We went running Friday morning and there were huge lightning streaks that ran across the sky every few minutes.  Kinda dangerous.  However, I got a few cool shots with my camera!  

Luckily the rain cleared up that evening to have our Book of Mormon night held in the Martinez´ home.  It is something new we are starting. We go to a members home each Friday night and read a little from the Book of Mormon.  The spirit was unbelievable I tell ya.  I look up from my Book of Mormon to see 15-20 members, books open, and listening intently to every word.  I wouldn´t have traded it for anything.  This week Hermana Severiana´s house. :)

It´s Spring! officially :)  haha the flowers were a week early.  And now they´re all gone.  Only lasted a few days.  Sunday was, ¨Día de Primavera y la Juventud¨  (the day of spring and youth) cute huh!  

English class is becoming more and more successful.  We even had a young man come and contact US, asking about English classes and stuff- friend of our Líder misional.  Hermana Border and I had fun acting out noodles, lightning, chipa, snoring and all sorts of things while two teams had to shout out the word in English.  Good times! 

Sunday we had Hermana Frutos and Sofia at church! Success!  The chapel felt full again and there was such a beautiful spirit about it all.  

I had two exciting calls this week.  One from Hermana Gutierrez in Campo Grande telling me Hermana Elizabeth!!!! Is going to the temple to take out her endownments!!!  AND Elder Crandall called from Mburucuya telling me that Flia Medina will be sealed this next week in the temple. I wish I could go sooooo bad. But I told them to advice them that we will be doing a session in October with everyone. What day should we do it?  

Love you all so so so much!  Keep on sprintin!

Con Cariño,

Hermana Owen

 

This Mary Statue is in Concepcion and is the largest Mary Statue in all of Latin America !!
You can go up inside and listen to music

This was our Zone Activity.
We won !

"The masterpiece"
some soup we don't know about - she didn't tell
but it looks good

This is Hermana S's (investigator)
 "seed of faith" plant - It's growing !!
(Hillary asked us to pray that her faith and our faith will continue to grow.  And that testimony to grow.) 

Pics from the Horqueta Cemetery.
Pretty awesome buildings around it

EPIC