Every weeks a Good week with a Baptism!

Richard February 13, 2016

Well what can I say. It really can't be a bad week with a baptism!! Everything went smoothly with the baptism of Richard. It was awesome! Richard chose the first counselor of the bishopric to baptize him. If you ask me it's better for Richard. He has friends in the ward and it's obvious that he loved going to church. He told me he feels like he's at home and can speak freely and ask questions. This week I was teaching the Gospel Priciples lesson on the Holy Spirit and I asked Richard to tell his story of why he decided to be baptized. It's hard to tell exactly what he said, but basically he just laid a powerful testimony of the beginning of his conversion. He said that he was searching for a long time for the truth, Something that not very many 19 year-olds do these days. He said he just didn't feel right at any of the Churches that he went to. But from the very first time that he talked with us, he felt different. He didn't know what it was but it felt good. So as we were teaching him the lessons, we could tell that the spirit was with him. Hearing him testify of his conversion was incredible for me. It was amazing to see growth in such a short amount of time. But it works! It was incredible being able to teach him. It was a true honor.

As I was thinking about Richard last night and I was thinking that as a missionary, in the past 18 months, I haven't converted a single soul. I have only been an instrument in the hands of the Lord to help people feel the spirit. I feel that this advice is specifically for Dallin who is preparing to leave on a mission this summer. So Dal, Just remember you won't convert anyone. But you will see the spirit convert. It HAS to be done by the spirit. Because if it is done by any other means, they won't end up being converted to the Gospel. You just have to invite the spirit to be with the investigator and let the investigator choose. Do it for Christ Dal.

Other than that, I had a cool experience yesterday also. I was just sitting in the Sacrament meeting, by the back door to be the "usher" and a member from the other ward tells me that there were 2 people wanting to listen. So I step out into the foyer and I start talking with Oscar and Maria Franco. I could tell that they probably lived in very humble circumstances. I understood that they were from the interior of Paraguay and mostly spoke Guaraní. But from what I understood, They had come to Asunción to go to the hospital and they wanted to listen to the Word of God. So they just entered and sat down in the foyer until the member told me about them. as I explained to them what was happening, we entered and they started listening, During the middle of a talk, I could see Oscar whisper to his wife something and tears were streaming down his face. I'm almost sure it was the spirit. Then after the meeting, the Bishop starts talking with them and I never saw them again. but it felt good helping them!

My verse of the week is Alma 37:7 love it!!

Love you all

Elder Jared

The Power of a Book

Well this week has been a pretty good week. It really flew by so so quick. I don't understand how time can pass by so darn fast. it's incredible. But this week was just a normal week in the hot Paraguayan summer. Lots of sweat lots of water. Elder Polo is back to normal so it was good getting back into the work full time. Something really awesome that happened this week was that we gave Richard (our progressing investigator) the option to be baptized on the 13th because he has met all the requirements and really has a firm testimony and a firm commitment to got to church always. He accepted and will be baptized this Saturday. Yesterday we went to pick him up to go to church and we were arriving a little bit late and when we got there, he wasn't there. We were a little bit worried because he seemed so firm, we didn't know where he was. So we get to the church and he's there. We were so relieved to see him there and so happy that he took the imitative and went by himself. I think that it shows his commitment to follow Christ.

Other than that, there wasn't anything to special about this week. Every week in the mission is full of great things and full of tiny miracles that there is no way to talk about all of them.

There is one thing that I do want to tell you guys from my studies this week. Our area has challenged all the members to read the Book of Mormon before the next conference and so as a mission we have been doing that since January. This week I was studying a lot about Ammon and Aaron and all their missionary success. As a missionary, We study them a lot and learn how to be like them. But this time around what kept jumping out to me was the people they were teaching and their conversion. I realized that just being baptized doesn't really make us converted to the Lord. Baptism is a critical step on our way to being converted, but conversion takes time. A good amount of time. So I made a list of attributes of a converted people following Alma 24: the number is the verse that I found it in.

1. Converts are slow to anger
6. Converts are peacemakers
8. Converts recognize that their conversion came from the Spirit
10: Converts become converted through the Atonement of Jesus Christ
11. Converts realize that repentance isn't easy, but its worth it
13. Converts are afraid to commit sin
15. Converts will always give thanks to God no matter the situation.
18. Converts want to make covenants with the Lord
19. Converts will prefer to die than to break Convenants.

That's my list, I want to see if you could find more attributes and then let me know!! I really feel like in these 19 months, I have become more converted to the Lord. I'm on my way and will always be trying to better my conversion. I really loved this chapter and I want to know what you all think!!

Love you all

Elder Jared

Not too much!

Well this week was... interesting to say the least.... Basically there isn't much to report. It all started out Monday night. Elder Polo wasn't feeling to well so he went to bed early. And then at about 12:30 in the morning he just turns on the lights and he is groaning in pain. So I call the Mission President's wife, because she is a nurse. She's asking me all these questions and Elder Polo really can't respond. He was just in so much pain. So she just tells us to go to the Hospital. It was the end of the month and there wasn't too much money to be able to pay a taxi and there is a member who told that we could call him at any time. So I tried him and by the end of the fist ring he picked up. For me it was a miracle that he hadn't gone to bed yet. So he was at our house in like 5 minutes and we went to the hospital. The doctor said that it was a bacterica in his stomach that was causing him some pain so they gave him some medicine and watched him for a few hours. so it was about 5 in the morning when we got home. I am so grateful for Jony (The member. He is basically our dad now :)) So the doctor told Elder Polo to rest and just make sure he gets back to full strength. SO basically there wasn't much to do this week. We were stuck inside all day every day until Saturday and then we were able to leave and work. Even then we took it easy. So it was just a slow week. Not much to tell about.

Victor wasn't able to come to church yesterday, but Richard was and is progressing very very well. His family is starting to get interested too!! So we hope to start teaching them too. I really hope all works out!!

Love you all

Elder Jared

Investigators and the nice breeze

This week has absolutely blown by! I honestly don't understand how it goes by so fast! But this week was a pretty awesome week. Lots of hard work and finding new people to teach! Its always such a a special joy to be able to find new people to teach, but more of that to come later!!

Last week I told you about how hot it had been, this week seems to have been a tad bit cooler.. Which was really nice. I'm not sure if it really was cooler, but it just seemed like God was protecting us from the heat. It seemed like every time the heat was just getting to the breaking point, a small cool breeze would pass by, or a cloud would block the sun for a minute or two just to give us a little bit of time to cool down. So that really has been wonderful! God Really has protected us here. its been sup super nice.

But you ready to hear about some super awesome investigators we have started teaching this week!! haha I hope so because I'm ready to talk about them!!

The first is named Victor. He is 22 years old and he went to church as a young child and has immediately accepted us when we first talked to him. His aunt is a member from a long time ago and took him to church, but that was a while ago and didn't remember much. So this week we were able to pass by 3 times to talk with him. The first time, we shared the restoration. It was something that he thought was very inter sting. and you could tell that he was so focused on the lesson. He answered our questions perfectly. SO focused and you could tell that the Spirit was working so hard on him. He told us that he really felt different and he loved it when we passed by.He also accepted a baptismal date for the 20th of February. The second lesson we were able to share with him about the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the need to repent and be Baptized. Victor was baptized as a little child in the Catholic church and had a hard time understanding why he needed to be baptized again. but he promised to pray about it and everything like that. So when we passed by Saturday, the first thing he told us is that he prayed about baptism and he thought that he needed to be baptized again. So amazing. then we had an amazing lesson a bout the Book of Mormon and the importance of it in our religion. He really loved the fact that Christ came to the Americas and he promised to go to church and read. And yesterday he filled his promise. He went to church! He really loved it and said he was going to return Si o si.

The other investigator that we found is named Richard. He is 19 and basically is the same story as victor. We passed by the same number of times, taught the same lessons, felt the same spirit. Although Victor was baptized as a child, Richard wasn't so he was ready to be baptized- He also accepted the same date as victor and went to church. The members were really impressed with Richard because he wasn't afraid to ask questions or to comment on anything. Hes just a intelligent young man that has loved our teachings. His family is also very interested in listening to our message, but we haven/t been able to teach them yet! but this week it will happen!!

I hope that this week has been as good for you guys as it has been fr me!!

love you all}

Elder Jared

The sun and baptisms

Man this week has be hot ho HOT!! It really has been incredibly hot this week. I honestly have no clue how I survived because it was super hot and super humid. killer combo if you ask me! But really there has been someone else helping me through this heat. Members keep saying that we definitely have angles protecting us. Because even the Paraguayans cant stand the heat. Everyone thinks we are crazy because we walk all day in the heat... Haha Crazy missionaries... but man I love it. I know the saying that says "If you cant stand the heat, Get out of the oven" But I'm convinced that Paraguay is a huge oven. The only way to escape is staying inside. but you cant move mountains sitting on your behind. and you cant preach the gospel from the bedroom (well with facebook and internet you can, but I cant ;) so to the oven it is!! Haha so we just plan appointments for time of heat. And we leave the cooler hours for the appointments that might fall. so we survive with the help of angles.

The baptism went very well. it was well attended and there was huge support from the ward. It was amazing. Wensenlada and Rosalva were so happy after their baptism. It was so great!! I love baptisms so much!! Its the best feeling in the world helping people receive a remission from their sins and see them so happy. Its amazing!!

I should be able to send some pics. My Comp has most of the pictures so he will have to send them to me. Ill put them on google drive.

Love you all!! Hope you stay Chilly°!!

Elder Jared

More Changes!

Well this week has been an interesting week. To make things short, The trio no longer exists. Elder Castillo was moved to the office this week. So right now its just Elder Polo and I. If you don't remember, he is from Colombia. A really really pretty city called Cartajena. Its a little island on the north of Colombia. Hes pretty awesome we get along well and we will be working hard together. He has been in Hugito for about 4 months now. And since the trio ended, i've been thinking that I might end my mission here. We will just have to see!!

Other than the Trio ending. There isn't really much to tell you about. It was just a normal week of contacting, teaching lessons (nothing really special happened, but whenever you teach the gospel you just feel great)). sweating in the sun and running from the rain. Just another regular week here in the Paraguay Luque mission (Sometimes I feel that that is the mission I've been assigned to, Just because I haven't really left!!)

WE do have 2 investigators that are going to get baptized. Its a mother and daughter. The mom is named Wendenlada and the daughter is named Rosalvina. They are pretty awesome and have HUGE desires to be baptized. They have been to church the past 3 weeks and love the Book of Mormon. They both know that it is true and have received their answers. So i'm pretty excited for them. So hopefully there will be baptism pictures next week!! Haha

I think I told you about Victor. He also is investigating and has huge desires to be baptized also. He should be baptized next week if everything goes as planned.

I love you all,

Elder Jared

Actividad de Navidad Fotos
These are some pictures from a zone activity we did before Christmas. The first one is me and the mission president's son named Bryant and the second is my district. My sign translates to I love Christ because He is my Savior.

Sucked back in!

Well it seems that Luque just cant get rid of me. This week has been quite a crazy week.... To start, we had special changes. My companion Elder Fermin had to go home due to medical reasons. Just as he was starting to talk to me to. And also some other Elders went home so there were a lot of special changes... So to make things short, I am no longer in Trinidad. President McMullin decided to close the area. so my new area is called Hugito.. and where is it? Its in the same zone that I just came from. So I got sucked back into the Luque warphole. I am in the City called Limpio. Im sure I've told you about Limpio. I've been here for nearly all of my mission. But its a nice ward. The members are willing to work with us a lot. Oh and I am now in a trio. Thats right, three companions together again! Haha I like being in a trio. Its fun and we get a long well. My companions are Elder Polo from Colombia and Elder Castillo from Ecuador. Up so that brings me up to 6 areas and 11 companions. Not that anyone is counting... Haha But I don't know much to report.. We do have some investigators getting ready to be baptized.. I've only taught them once, but they seem pretty cool. One is named Victor who is preparing for the 23rd of January. I don't know much about him but he really wants to get baptized and he goes to church and reads the Book of Mormon. So that's pretty awesome. Another is Rosavalda. She is getting ready for the 16th I think. So that's all I really know. I got changed Thursday so I'm still getting used to the area. I really don't know what else to report, so please respond with questions if you have them!!

Love you all, Elder Jared