Week of 10 Sept-16 Sept

So this week was definitely a pretty good week and I hope to tell you about it. And I hope that I remember everything as well. I wrote some of it down so I think I should be good. Also I forgot to mention that I got your package with the mac, and the protein. Thanks for sending it, also if you would be so kind to kind of keep a steady flow of it that would be nice.

Last Monday was a pretty normal Pday. Like I said, we went to a fair thing and bought stuff, and that basically all that we did. We had some visits at night that went well and we had a good noche de hogar.

Now Tuesday was a really good day. I taught a good district meeting talking about diligence and obedience, which I hoped would help correct some of the problems we are having here in the district. Afterwards we had a really good lunch appointment to get us some good energy for work. We began working, which involved a lot of tracting and contacting as there is still not a whole lot to do here in the area, and it was pretty good. We talked with a lot of people and we were able to get a good amount of lessons taught as well. We found an older woman named Alejandra that weighs a good 350 lbs, and she has read the entire Book of Mormon wants to get baptized, but she can't walk, or get to church, so we are trying to figure out something with her. So the day wound on and we were getting toward the end, and my companion just wanted to go back home, but I kept wanting to work as we still had a good amount of time left. We contacted a lady, who wasn't too interested but gave us a reference to a house behind her. So we went and contacted it and I swear man, that the guy we found is pure gold. His wife as well. His wife has been searching for a church and asked God to help her a while back and she prayed before opening the bible and opened straight to James where it says "One lord, one faith, one baptism" or something like that, and she has been looking for the "one fatih" ever since. He is also trying to figure out what's up with his life recently, and we testified that it wasn't coincidence that we came when we did, and that we were guided there. He believed it was true and I'm sure he could feel the Spirit. So we left him a folleto and set up a return appoinment.

Wednesday sucked, and that's all I'm going to write.

Thursday was good but not nearly as good as Tuesday. We did a lot of return visits that we had set up on Tuesday and weeded out a lot of the not potential people and seeing who could really progress. We had another good lunch cita, which makes me happy.

Friday not good tampoco.

Saturday was really good as well and we got to talk to our golden investigator again. We didn't even get a chance to explain anything before he started asking us question on what he needs to do to repent and all that stuff. He is awesome, hopefully he keeps progressing.

On Sunday, we also had a broadcast stake conference for all the stakes in Paraguay and Uruguay. President Monson presided and Elder Walter F Gonzalez of the Presidency conducted. Some other people were there like Elder Neil L Anderson of the Twelve. Everybody spoke in Spanish except President Monson, but for that we went to another room that had the broadcast in English. All the talks were good and many people enjoyed it. I also saw many people from my old area because it's the same stake, so that was cool as well. After going back and doing studies, we left of divisions with Youth from the ward and we had a good time and got a ton of work done in between the 4 of us.

So yeah that was the week. I'm kinda struggling with my comp but I'm trying to work things out and see how I can help the situation. But over all I think all of the difficulties are helping me grow a lot. I feel that recently I have been learning a ton about myself and what i need to do in life personally, in the mission and for the real life. All really good things.

Also, in other news. The Local companion that I was with in Areguá, Ernesto Patiño got his mission call and will be going to the Mission Chile Santiago West, and will be going in November, so I was happy to hear about that. Cool stuff all around. So my week was really good in some aspect and not so hot in others but overall things are going well.

Also, 15 months.

Love you guys, have a good week.

Elder Treviño

Whoo, it was quite a week indeed. On monday, i dont know if i told you, but i went to Burger King and then went to a type of walmart place nearby and they had some cheap shirts that i bought for my morning exercises, one is flourescent yellow. be proud. Then nothing much happen last monday. I went and i bough some souvenir stuff for the fam of some cultural paraguayan stuff. Then nothing much happened.

Then on tuesday we had a zone meeting, instead of a district meeting, so i didnt have to teach, but now that i remember i had to teach a little bit anyway. We talked about a good many things, one of the which is what motivated us to come out on the mission, and what now motivates us to keep working. It was an open discussion within the zone, and ended up being more of a testimony meeting but it was good nonethe less and helped me to analyze and thing of what makes me tic. We then went out to work with a youth from the ward, and he showed us some more of the members and recent converts that we had yet to meet.

Wednesday, the zone leaders came to be with me, and some other elders in the district, and we left in trios to go work. Being in a trio absolutely screws a lot of things up but we got through it alright. nothing special.

Thursday, nothing special either but a good working day. My comp was really tired and said he would be sore the next day. I told him not to worry about it, but then....

Friday morning, my comp couldnt get out of bed and was having some strong back pain so he called the Mission Mom, and she called a doctor who is from the states and doesnt really speak spanish, but he managed to figure stuff out. Its was basically strained muscles, and pain killers would be the solution for the next couple of days. So we didnt work on friday, and on saturday not really either, but we did do a service project.

Then Sunday, was interesting....I dont really get along with the Bishop of the ward, just a difference in personalities i suppose, and when he doesnt agree he get mad and all up in your face. I asked him to print me off a list of members for reference and he didnt think it was expedient that we should have one and was all up in my face, but you know me i dont back down. Reminded me of the time Mr clark yelled and me and i yelled back. There was no yelling though. I try to be patient, and thankfully i am, so no problems. The Mission President also came to our chapel yesterday, and we had a small interview concerning the district, asking about current situations and things like that, and thankfully things are improving, but as always there is a long way to go. But yeah the week has been an improvement from last week, and hopefully things will keep improving.

Today we went to a cultural/city expo which is like the freedom fair in provo, whith booths and people selling stuff, and i bought some recuerdos. cool stuff. We are probably going to go back again because its close, and i want to see if there is anything else that i want to buy.

Anyway, i love you guys and i hope that you all have a good week!

Elder Treviño

September 3rd-ish

Thanks for your emails everybody, and i will keep trying to send you some more beefy messages when possible.

So this week was very intersting. on monday we did the normal work thing. after pday. On Pday we hung out with my second companion Elder Cab from mexico, who was also comps with ELder macias the comp ive been with for the `past 3 weeks. We played some pingpong in the mission office, then we went to Pizza Hut. Not quite states quality but still really good after not have real pizza for the past year. Nothing else really happened, then we went off to work in the night. Then around 1015pm we got a phone call from the zone leaders informing us about changes....

And i got changed! Not really what i was expecting, and i wasnt too excited because i really like working in the last area, but its whatever the Lord wants. So i got transfered to an area called Juan de Salazar, which is just on the other side of the main city here, about 40 min away from my old area. so not too far way. My new comp is also from Mexico, but this time he is from Mexico City. His name is Elder Limón, and everyone makes fun of his name when he presents himself. its funny.

On tuesday, i went around and said goodbye to the members and recent converts here, which is always sad but is part of the work.

on wednesday i went to the office in the morning for changes. Nothing interesting happened, just normal routine of going and tlking with old friends saying goodbye to the old comp and getting with the new one, jumping in a sketchy taxi and going to the new area.

Now in my area, there were two dying elders(or to say they were ending their missions) and they were lazy and the house was a complete disaster. So i spent the entire firstday cleaning up the mess and reorganizing and all that stuff. The new area seems really great. THe ward is really well organized and many of the members are willing to work and help one another. really good to see. We rent a big room on the side of a bigger house complex, and the owner is a really good friend of the missionaries for the past 10 years and she owns a store with basic necesities, and we can go over whenver and buy stuff which is really nice and convenient. and she also has a GYM ROOM WITH WEIGHT AND EVERYTHING, so now im waking up like 30 min early so i can work out in the mornings. Ima get ripped. Ive already lost some weight. Im super excited to be able to lift again after lieka year and a half of not doing so. cool stuff.

on sunday we left on divisions with some young men on the ward who were helping us find some of the members ho we dont know, which was really nice and helpful as well. Im hoping to get some good work in with them.

Now for some not so good news. THe elders that are in my district, they literally live like 20 steps from my house, are pretty disobedient. which annoys me really bad, so now i have to babysit them, not really, but its difficult helping people who dont want to change either. so fun stuff, we will see how things go.

News on the street is that, Elder Bednar, or Elder Holland are going to be coming down to visit a couple of missions here in the south america south area in october or sometime around there. Kind of imtimidating seeing as how the mission is not doing so well as a whole. Its possible that i will have special meetings with them seeing as how im in a positions of lidership. So i need to make sure that im doing everything i can to help out, not just because they are coming, but because thats what the Lord expects of me.

I went to Burger King again today. super good. and i went and bought some souvenier stuff for the women of the family, and the next couple of week im going to buy stuff for the men of the family. Just so you know that im thinking about you guys.

Week of August 27

Yeah i figured that things were getting more into the grind now with school and work starting. Things here are getting interesting as the changes are going to happen on wednesday, and we will find out tonight what is going to happen. Im thinking that i am going to stay here, but at the same time im not really sure as anything could happen.

On Tuesday we had Sone conference which went really well. President Madariaga talked about the difference between, doing, being, and becoming, and it was very good and applicable in many areas, not just in missionary work. The Hna Madariaga talked about the many opportunities that come form the mission and many of the blessings as well.

Me and my comp have been working hard these past couple of weeks to try and help our older investigators progress, but some circumstances outside of our control has lead us to dropping them, and trying another time, so we have been finding some newer investigators, which has been difficult but the ones we have found seem to be able to progress.

Our work was a little limited this week though as my comp shouldnt have been walking around after having got his wisdom teeth out but we worked when we could. This morning we are back in asunción because he got the stitches out. so we are thinking about going to Pizza hut, but we will see what time and money permits, as it is the end of the month and money is low.

Im happy that you found cinders again, i love that cat. Its possible that she is not eating becasue she might have a bug or something, so you might want to take her to the vet.

It got really cold this past weekend, as a big cold front came in, but things should be heating up now as we move back into spring. It will get very hot. like 105+ adding the humidity. fun stuff.

I was thinking, mom, about going to scholl the august i get back so that i keep myself busy, but the problem is that i have no idea what im going to do. I was thinking about retaking a lot of the classes that i got c´s in to raise my gpa, and help me to qualify for more scholarships in the future. So the spanish classes( which will be a breeze) some of the math classes, also the programming class, and whatever other one that i have a bad grade. It would be a full semester of just getting used to school again, and trying to figure out what i wasnt to so as far as work is concerned. I want to take a lot of those carrer interst tests that suggest what work field would be could based on interests and all those things, cause i really dont know what im going to do. Air Traffic Control still seems like a realy good option, plus i thinking doing ROTC with it would have its benefits, even though it would suck in some other ways. But i am definitely going to work at my financial job when i get back while looking for some other small side jobs.

anyway enough of that. anyway, love you guys, have a good week and enjoy spencer´s baptism and the temple open house!