Esta Semana!

Hello Fam!

Okay, first, Happy Birthday Aunt Jen!  I hope this year is awesome!!  

This week was pretty awesome here! We have some progressing investigadores (investigators), and they are doing really well :) First, a 17 year old married couple, with a one year old baby; and also a mid-twenties couple with two baby girls. Both families are awesome and I know they have felt the Spirit.  So, I'll be sure to keep you updated with how things go for them. :)

This week was just as crazy as any other week... I mean even to get here at the Cyber (internet café), Elder Lopez y yo (and I) took a bus (Similar to the buses in Paraguay, pero a little nicer) and it was crazy packed so I was riding like outside the door! It was way fun! :)

Every day is a little adventure! I hope I can recount it all.  Case in point, early this week an Elder I live with, Elder Arellano, and I got hit on by a guy... so that was super weird.  But also reallyyy funny, so it’s all good!  Hahaha!  I mean we got his address for the missionaries in his area.  So, maybe he'll take the lessons - who knows?! Hahahaha!  Let's hope so!  Ohhhh and it rained yesterday, pretty hard, and so we're walking back in the rain and we get offered a ride in the back of a member's pickup to our house, and oh-my-gosh that was soooo fun! Streets were flooded, we were getting pelted, (Dad that Costco jacket is waterproof and an absolute blanket) Anyway, at one point we had to pass under an overpass, and it had a drain just dumping water under the bridge, so we all hid under our umbrellas and, oh man, that was so much fun!

Okay, there were some spiritual things that happened this week too :) I've come to really feel, understand, and recognize all of the Lord's answers to my prayers. So often they come in a way I would not expect or at a time I wouldn't expect, but they always come and are so apparent. Like one night Elder Lopez y yo had a lesson run long and we were running late to the ward council meeting, and we were just sitting waiting for a bus. So, I prayed that a bus would come and pick us up soon. Like five minutes later, we talk with a lady right by the bus stop, and she offered us a ride to the capilla (chapel). Now, was it a bus? Nope, but was it an answer? Definitely. It reminds me of that song from Joseph and the Dream Coat? Or something like that? 'You know better than I'.  And that's way true. The Lord found it sufficient to get us to the capilla (chapel) faster, and for free. Quite simply, He knows better than us, and will answer us in ways that he sees fit. It's really humbling and an example of His love for us. It's like when Dad would ask me to do something on one of the cars, and I'd think of some way to do it, and he'd say 'well, you could do this, it might be easier' and boom there it is. It's the same with our Father in Heaven.

Jeez, I swear I'm missing stuff. I don't know how Lauren would do this! The weeks are so full and my mind is all over the place.  Okay another spiritual experience was with our young family. We asked the Mom (the Dad was at work so we didn't teach him) to pray that night, by herself and ask if the things we taught her were true. Long story short we stopped by the next day and we asked how the prayer went and she said she felt so good, that it was indescribable!  I kinda got super excited because this was the first time I've gone through this process with someone!!  But Oh my gosh, she felt the Holy Ghost and Wow! it was amazing!  I know that absolutely everyone who prays with real intent about this message will feel its truthfulness.

My minds still racing.  IT’S DECEMBER THOUGH so like in a couple weeks we can FaceTime!!!  And Dad, Lauren, Julz, and Abu - I'm gonna try my best to speak Spanish with you, but I'll only have 2 months out here so you'll have to speak kinda slow, lo siento... Also, I'm sure all your accents are wayyyy different that the latinos here!

Elder Lopez and I are awesome, He's absolutely hilarious and we get along awesome!! Like I've said he's 100% latino and can't speak English and so every day we get a little closer because every day we can communicate a little better! :)

Also I've been dreaming in Spanish!! And my companion said a few nights ago I was talking in Spanish in my sleep!  Que Chido!!!  Also I've been translating for my comp and Elder Josse a lot, which has been awesome practice!  Taking English to Spanish, and taking Spanish to English is getting easier and easier! :) It's actually really fun!

Okay there's not a whole lot left but yea, :) I hope you guys have an amazing Christmas time and take a moment to enjoy the presence of one another, not just the presents of one another :) quote by Elder Fardos :)

Okay well I guess that's kinda it this week :) I honestly love this work out here. I'm trying my hardest and although we may get rejected and what not, it really is satisfying and gratifying work. I'm beyond grateful for this opportunity. And when I get down, all I think about is the family back home and it picks me right back up! :)

Thanks everyone for the love and kindness and support and all that! :) It means the world to me.  Can't wait to hear from you guys in a week!

Till next week,

Nick