3 Month Mark

Hey guys, 

This week was wonderful!! So much better then last week, I am so glad, to have Hermana Hall with me, I could not imagine going through last week without a companion. She is amazing!!! Chicken Little´s motto, kept me going last week: "Today is a new day!"

But this week was great in comparison to last.

The new Elders in my district, are wonderful, we played volleyball last week, and we are all terrible in our own ways, it was so much fun!

This past week I hit three months mark, crazy sauce, it feels like yesterday I was at the airport! But in reality I have been in Santani for a month and a half, we have a cake place (super good) and I speak Spanish (somewhat)! It is amazing and really crazy how fast it goes by. I was a little sick this week but feeling much better now, and that is always good. Santani is really big, at least our area is, so that means a lot of walking, so Hermana Hall and I have started picking really picking popular movies and picking characters for everyone  in our district, so that is fun.

We had interviews with president this week, they were amazing!! Our president is so amazing, I am glad we got to talk. This always meant we had our zone leaders come and teach little rotations- these Elders are the cream of the crop, they are great!!! I have started reading Jesus the Christ.. some pretty deep stuff let me tell ya, it is amazing, I am really liking it (make sure if you read it to take breaks, you will probably get headaches, you have been warned). Looking forward to this week!!! 

Cool quote from my lovely sister Kaia, by Elder Holland:

"No misfortune is so bad that whining about it won´t make it worse."

Hope you all have a wonderful week, and enjoy all that you have, find joy in the little things!

Love, 

Hermana Douglas 

2nd Change

So we had changes this past week and.... I am still in Santani, suprise!!! I was not planning on going anywhere because I am still in training. Also I am still with Hermana Hall (for those who are just tuning in she is from Spring Texas, has a wonderful family and it just dog-gone great!!) 

Taina's Mission Peeps (Her District, I think)

We lost a couple of Elders in the change, but the new ones that have come to the area seem nice enough. It has already been twelve weeks, it is just crazy how fast time is flying by!! Things that I found out this past week;

• Frogs here have the right a way, as in they will sit in the middle of path, Just staring at you, like "what you gonna do about it" and that is always fun. 
• One of our recent converts knows how to build a boat...which was not the answer we were expecting when you were talking about Nephi and his boat, and how hard it would be to do something we had no idea how to do. 
• I have also decided I would like the song, Savior, Redeemer of my Soul, sung at my funeral, new favorite folks!! 

This week has been an adventure, but I am looking forward to continuing serving in Santani, the area is really rough but I could not imagine starting out anywhere else. Have a wonderful week!!!

Love, 

Hermana Douglas 

Agua and Flan

So sitting here, about to write, and it suddenly starts pouring outside... Yeah! Paraguay!! This week has consisted of a lot of Sponge Bob quoting, Batman voice practicing, and Opera singing. (Have I mentioned the walks to get to places are very long....) But do not worry, my Spanish skills are getting better :) Half of the Sponge bob quotes can be easily translated! But I am doing well... A lot of thinking this week, as Gaston says ´a dangerous past time´. But just about life stuffs, you never know how you can influence someone. Anyhow, about this week we made cinnamon rolls (spelling... was never my strong suit, you know this) for the reunion por la districto and an Elder in our district accidentally turned the oven on to broil... so they were broiled , and very burnt! It was really funny, he had no Idea what to broil was. Fun fact: I do not like Flan- shout it from the roof tops, but it is not something I enjoy to eat.

Taina and Hermana Hall

The "lots of walking" picture

This week really was an adventure, we did not have water for four almost five days... so good times!! We were able to borrow showers from some of the members, but it was definitely an adventure, and a test in patience. Things that I learned from it, do not take for granted the ability you have to shower, or have water come out of the faucet (even if it isn't the water you drink) (because water out of the faucet will kill you, unless it is purified) another thing learned, no matter how bad you feel you have it, someone else has it worse, always. We went five days without water, but people here sometimes never have water, and others go without food because they were not able to work and get money due to the rain, or other such reasons. We are so blessed to have what we do, and I know I knew that before my misión, but not to the extent I know it now. Sorry lots of tangents today...

Taina and the Sugar Cane

I saw a Little girl carrying an armadillo body in a bag this week... I am not quite sure why she had it, but it was pretty cool. I had my first people this week Bible bash with us... it was awful and as soon as they started attacking us I felt the spirit leave. But them, trying to prove us wrong just helped to show me just how right we really are, it was a great testimony booster. Other fun stuff, we ate pure sugar cane this week... yes that is a thing. It is supposed to be chewed on and then you spit out the stalk pieces once all the flavor is gone. it was pretty interesting. But things are well, I am actually getting a watch tan.. it is crazy!!! Love you guys lots, keep up the emails, I really do love hearing from you guys!!!

Love,

Hermana Douglas 

Cutting Grass with a Machete

Hey guys!

So this week was... interesting. It was not that anything crazy or weird happened, just that I think I am getting used to it. It has almost been six weeks, and I can not believe how fast it is going by, it is like the CCM never happened, and that this is the only thing I have ever known. I love everyday, and can not imagine who I would of become without my mission (it has only been 12 weeks!!!!) So much has changed about me and I am really glad to have had this opportunity to serve!

Sorry, stepping down from the soap box now- It really was a good week.

Things that happened... A family in the rama made us pizza, and holy cow!!! I have never had better, it was amazing, and the closest to actual American pizza I have had in a while. While eating at this family's house, a trash pile that they had been burning, which was not on fire- at all, suddenly started on fire again, we were just sitting there eating, and the fire nation decided to attack, that was fun :) We then were able to visit the family that we killed the pig with, do not worry, no animals were harmed...this time. But they are super sweet, they let us feed the chickens, and I am told we get to kill one, in the next weeks, fun!!

View outside Taina's home at sunset in Paraguay

 We also missed the colectivo that day... and walked for an hour in order to catch another, it was fun! Another fun thing, in honor of my wonderful twin little sisters, we bought cake and chocolate milk! That is how it works right, you buy yourself cake in honor of someone else's birthday?! The cake, was pretty much corn bread that looked like it should taste like chocolate, but it was fun! Other things that are fun, cutting grass with a machete, a really big knife, that was fun, also if you have never swept up a yard, not rake, sweep I highly suggest you do so!! As dad likes to say: SO MUCH FUN!!! 

I hope you all have an amazing week, and keep the emails coming, I love hearing from all of you! 

Quick spiritual thought: I absolutely love the talk by Holland Called Missionary work and the Atonement, please take the time to look it up, you will also love it, but one of my favorite parts is when he is emphasizing why salvation, and the steps to achieve such are not easy 

"If He could come forward in the night, kneel down, fall on His face, bleed from every pore, and cry, “Abba, Father (Papa), if this cup can pass, let it pass,” 11  then little wonder that salvation is not an easy thing for us. If you wonder if there isn’t an easier way, you should remember you are not the first one to ask that. Someone a lot greater and a lot grander asked a long time ago if there wasn’t an easier way."

I really am so grateful for the opportunity I have to serve and share this gospel with the people of Paraguay. I am in love with my mission, and am grateful for the gospel in my life. If you are questioning or unsure, ask- through prayer and you will receive a answer. I know this church is true and the principles that are taught, through the atonement and in this church will help us to be able to achieve the greatest glory, living with our families forever in the presence of God- 

Have a wonderful week!!! 

Love,

Hermana Douglas