Oh how happy I am to finally be here!!! August 4, 2014
The CCM experience flew by. I am so grateful for the time I had there and in Argentina, but I am so happy to be in the place I was called to. We flew into Paraguay (only an hour and a half flight) and it just felt so right to be here. I am so happy I get to call this place home for the next 17 months. Flying overhead I saw tons of trees, lots of red dirt roads, and a few buildings. But I love the roads! They don’t always feel so good to walk on, but I love the red. Most of the roads are cobblestone and my feet are feeling it. But I am enjoying all of the things that I am experiencing.
So day 1, we flew in and the mission president and his wife picked us up at the airport. Presidente and Hermana McMullin are so nice and they are jus the best. I am so blessed to be a missionary under their leadership. After a few hours of orientation stuff and going to the temple, we got to contact outside of the temple. It was really nerve racking at first but after awhile we got the hang of it. I could barely understand anybody but it was a fun learning experience. The sisters here are so good at being missionaries! I hope one day that I can be like them and work my hardest and speak the language! The accent here though is a bit easier I think to understand than in Argentina. So they talk a little more clearly for me, but a lot of people know and speak some Guarani here. So I never know when a word is Spanish or Guarani. I can kind of tell the difference. So I have learned a few Guarani phrases and words, as well as Spanish of course.
The CCM experience flew by. I am so grateful for the time I had there and in Argentina, but I am so happy to be in the place I was called to. We flew into Paraguay (only an hour and a half flight) and it just felt so right to be here. I am so happy I get to call this place home for the next 17 months. Flying overhead I saw tons of trees, lots of red dirt roads, and a few buildings. But I love the roads! They don’t always feel so good to walk on, but I love the red. Most of the roads are cobblestone and my feet are feeling it. But I am enjoying all of the things that I am experiencing.
So day 1, we flew in and the mission president and his wife picked us up at the airport. Presidente and Hermana McMullin are so nice and they are jus the best. I am so blessed to be a missionary under their leadership. After a few hours of orientation stuff and going to the temple, we got to contact outside of the temple. It was really nerve racking at first but after awhile we got the hang of it. I could barely understand anybody but it was a fun learning experience. The sisters here are so good at being missionaries! I hope one day that I can be like them and work my hardest and speak the language! The accent here though is a bit easier I think to understand than in Argentina. So they talk a little more clearly for me, but a lot of people know and speak some Guarani here. So I never know when a word is Spanish or Guarani. I can kind of tell the difference. So I have learned a few Guarani phrases and words, as well as Spanish of course.
Day 2 we finally got to meet our trainers and know our area. My trainer is Hermana Lutz. Shi is from Colorado and has been here for 15 months. She is wonderful and such a hard worker. She knows the language very well and she is such a good example to me. I am learning so much from her everyday. As for my area, I am in Molino. It’s about 20 minutes away from Asuncion. So after we left, we were in our area pretty quickly going to work. I’m pretty lost most of the time but I try to do my best listening and figuring out what they are trying to say. The hard part is understanding them. I can get a few words here and there but its hard to piece them together. So when my companion looks at me for me to say something, I freeze up at first because I have no idea if what I want to say is on topic. But every time I talk, I let the spirit lead me and I have faith the Lord will put his words in my mouth. I have been trying to have as much faith as I can with the language. I know that the Lord is blessing me with the gift of tongues. I couldn’t do any of this without his help or gifts. Yesterday I bore my testimony in church. Everybody is just so nice and I love the ward. I tried to explain the best I could what I wanted to testify, but then I just told them that I can’t express everything so I hope they can feel what I want to share. I was really nervous but the ward is just so nice and loving. They were all so welcoming. I have learned a bit of Guarani and included it in my testimony. Che ha’e Hermana Wiscombe. And I can ask for water, which is very helpful for hot hot days. I have no idea how to spell it, but here it goes. Ekatu ja’u de’u. Its been interesting learning a bit of 2 languages. But I have been focusing on Spanish because that is what I’ve been called to speak.
Some days are harder than others, but I can feel Christ lifting me up. He is giving me the power to wake up every day and do his work. I couldn’t do this without him. He is giving me the strength to learn and to teach and to talk to the people. I still have to do my part and work super hard, but I know his hand is in my life and in this work. This is his work and I am just a little tool!
Talking about welcoming, one thing I love here is how everybody kisses each other on both cheeks as hi and bye. Of course we only do it to the women, but I just love it because nobody has a personal bubble and everybody is more open here.
Walking down the streets here is very interesting. The weirdest thing I’ve found about Molino is that one moment is feels like you’re in a pretty decent house (for Paraguay) and like 5 minutes later it feels like you’re in Africa or something. By that I mean, 4 walls and a roof for a house and chickens running around on the dirt yards. A lot of people live in a house that their bedroom, their kitchen, their living room and every other room is all in one space. Its pretty crazy. A lot of times we’ll be teaching lessons on a bed cause that is the only seat. Its so different and humbling. People have nothing yet some are sacrificing what they have for the gospel. It is so inspiring and makes me want to be a better person.
There are so many dogs here. Not any scary ones yet, but they are everywhere running around barking.
As for meals, all I have had to cook so far is breakfast. The members feed us lunch everyday. The big meal here is lunch and so it’s pretty good. We don’t ever go home before 9 and so we don’t have dinner. Most days that’s fine, I’m not even hungry. So it’s a different eating schedule. Everything I’ve eaten here has been so good. My companion says nothing really Paraguayan yet. A lot of times we have noodles with red sauce and meat. And everybody drinks a lot of soda with their meals.
The culture is definitely a lot different here but I love it. I wish I could understand people and their true feelings but that’ll come with time and the language. Something that has been really sad to see is that a lot of girls have babies. Out of marriage, and sometimes not even out of high school. And another sad thing is that a lot of people have a family together and aren’t married. Sometimes they don’t want to get married. Sometimes they haven’t gotten a divorce yet. This is really sad when they know the church is true but they can’t get baptized yet (or get sealed) without eiher marrying or separating. And a lot of people can’t see how important that is. And so they don’t progress because they don’t want to get married or whatever. But we are working with people and trying to help them understand!
.I am learning to love it here. Right now the weather is pretty good. It hasn’t rained here yet since I’ve gotten here. But the scary thing is, is hat I am sweating everyday. It gets pretty hot in the middle of the day. And it’s the middle of winter! Its going to get really stinkin’ hot in December. But that’s ok. I know I am supposed to be here!!
I love all of the plants here. Every single house has so many plants outside in their yard and I just love it. My companions have probably gotten tired of hearing about how much I love the plants.
Anyways, me and my companion are doing great. We are working and trying to do the best that we can! I hope you all are doing wonderful and enjoying the wonderful days that God has given you! One scripture that I want to share with you is 1Nephi 4:2 I think. Sorry, I can’t work this keyboard. Anyways, it talks about Moses and his power and then if you look at the foot note, it leads you to Deuteronomy 11:8. That is how Moses got his power. If you have the faith and obedience, you can have the power of God! Isn’t that a beautiful promise! Yes it is :)
Well, till next week! Notice the blessings everyday that God is giving you!
Love Hermana Wiscombe
Some days are harder than others, but I can feel Christ lifting me up. He is giving me the power to wake up every day and do his work. I couldn’t do this without him. He is giving me the strength to learn and to teach and to talk to the people. I still have to do my part and work super hard, but I know his hand is in my life and in this work. This is his work and I am just a little tool!
Talking about welcoming, one thing I love here is how everybody kisses each other on both cheeks as hi and bye. Of course we only do it to the women, but I just love it because nobody has a personal bubble and everybody is more open here.
Walking down the streets here is very interesting. The weirdest thing I’ve found about Molino is that one moment is feels like you’re in a pretty decent house (for Paraguay) and like 5 minutes later it feels like you’re in Africa or something. By that I mean, 4 walls and a roof for a house and chickens running around on the dirt yards. A lot of people live in a house that their bedroom, their kitchen, their living room and every other room is all in one space. Its pretty crazy. A lot of times we’ll be teaching lessons on a bed cause that is the only seat. Its so different and humbling. People have nothing yet some are sacrificing what they have for the gospel. It is so inspiring and makes me want to be a better person.
There are so many dogs here. Not any scary ones yet, but they are everywhere running around barking.
As for meals, all I have had to cook so far is breakfast. The members feed us lunch everyday. The big meal here is lunch and so it’s pretty good. We don’t ever go home before 9 and so we don’t have dinner. Most days that’s fine, I’m not even hungry. So it’s a different eating schedule. Everything I’ve eaten here has been so good. My companion says nothing really Paraguayan yet. A lot of times we have noodles with red sauce and meat. And everybody drinks a lot of soda with their meals.
The culture is definitely a lot different here but I love it. I wish I could understand people and their true feelings but that’ll come with time and the language. Something that has been really sad to see is that a lot of girls have babies. Out of marriage, and sometimes not even out of high school. And another sad thing is that a lot of people have a family together and aren’t married. Sometimes they don’t want to get married. Sometimes they haven’t gotten a divorce yet. This is really sad when they know the church is true but they can’t get baptized yet (or get sealed) without eiher marrying or separating. And a lot of people can’t see how important that is. And so they don’t progress because they don’t want to get married or whatever. But we are working with people and trying to help them understand!
.I am learning to love it here. Right now the weather is pretty good. It hasn’t rained here yet since I’ve gotten here. But the scary thing is, is hat I am sweating everyday. It gets pretty hot in the middle of the day. And it’s the middle of winter! Its going to get really stinkin’ hot in December. But that’s ok. I know I am supposed to be here!!
I love all of the plants here. Every single house has so many plants outside in their yard and I just love it. My companions have probably gotten tired of hearing about how much I love the plants.
Anyways, me and my companion are doing great. We are working and trying to do the best that we can! I hope you all are doing wonderful and enjoying the wonderful days that God has given you! One scripture that I want to share with you is 1Nephi 4:2 I think. Sorry, I can’t work this keyboard. Anyways, it talks about Moses and his power and then if you look at the foot note, it leads you to Deuteronomy 11:8. That is how Moses got his power. If you have the faith and obedience, you can have the power of God! Isn’t that a beautiful promise! Yes it is :)
Well, till next week! Notice the blessings everyday that God is giving you!
Love Hermana Wiscombe