Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Week 7-8 now in Paraguay

Hey Everyone! 
Crazy that it has already been a week since I`ve been here in Paraguay, and also that its only been a week haha Sometimes the days feel like years but the weeks fly. 


I am in Pedro Juan, which is right on the border of Brazil! It`s amazing! As soon as I heard this area existed I wanted to come here and I got it! My companion is awesome. she is Latina, from Colombia. She speaks next to no english which is really hard sometimes but also an amazing blessing because I am learning so much spanish faster than I thought possible. Also its a blessing she is from Colombia because they speak the kind of spanish you learn in school, so its a lot easier to understand. She is amazing and I can understand nearly everything that is spoken in Spanish.  Now the problem is speaking it. One step at a time though right! 

Leaving the CCM was really hard, but I think that is also a blessing in disguise because I made some amazing friends there and we are all out here doing this crazy hard amazing work together. Sometimes I feel alone but as soon as I pray everything feels a little lighter. When I used to listen to the talk given by President Hinkley about his fathers advice when he decided he wanted to go home, and all his father said was lose yourself and go to work, I thought to myself thats horrible! Thats all the words of comfort his father gave his son who was struggling. But I now know that is literally the best advice he could have given. The mornings are especially hard for me, but as soon as we hit the streets and start talking to people and serving others the burden is lifted and I feel so much better.
The people of our ward are AMAZING they provide us with lunch every day.  Lunch is their big meal, and the food is porette (guarani for delicious). 
The past few nights we have had to run home to make it home before curfew. The streets are either rocky or dirt.  This is a crazy experience but I love it here. 
Our house is owned by members who sit outside of their house (directly in front of ours, we share a yard, back for them front yard for us) and make sure we make it home. 
We have had some crazy gigantic cockroaches in our apartment, my companion tried to kill them while I hid hahahaha She mostly just screamed and sprayed them with lysol, once they took flight we both dipped lol. 
This week was fast  and testimony meeting, it was amazing we went 20 min over and we had 80 people at church which has been our mission goal for a while! The spirit was so strong there and the people are so kind. 
Getting to Pedro Juan (my assigned area), we had to take a 8 hour bus ride, yes it was as horrible as it sounds lol but we made it safe and sound. 
I am going to try to teach english lessons which will be fun! 

I just want to thank you all for your prayers, I wouldn't be able to do it without your support and His help. 
I love you all! And i miss you loads! 

Special shout out to Taggart Happy Birthday ya loser.. miss you! hope it was amazing even if it was without me :) 

Love you All!!
Love, Hermana Speakman. 

                        President and Sister McMullin and my new companion sister Moreno

2 comments:

  1. It is so exciting to feel your spirit and love for the people and courage in the language and opening you mouth to strangers, who are only heavenly fathers children! Remember the Lord is in charge...no worries! Just do your best and then stand back and watch the majesty of His marvelous work! Way to be exactly obedient, then His spirit can be there to guide and "tell you all things what you should do"! Go with your impressions and promptings!
    Sister Larsen, who was in the MTC with you, has a wonderful grandma. I worked with her a few years in the temple, she now lives in St.George. Is her granddaughter in your same mission?
    Time does pass quickly, we have already been temple pres and matron now for 6 months...the end of April! Losing yourself in His work is the best way to find yourself and who you are and can become! You have been reserved for this day, for "such a time as this", for the hastening of the work period talked about in the scriptures. At least 10 or15 thousand years it took got us to be here at this time, we best be about doing our best. Each day@the temple I ask, what would Thou have me say and do today. We instruct the workers for there prep mtgs. each day...three times a day, because there are three shifts. People are wonderful, all trying to bless lives!
    We love you, the Lord loves you and will bless you! Love forever and always! Grandma

    ReplyDelete
  2. I just love reading your emails and blogs. You tell it like it is. Hard but good and that is how it will be all through out your service. You are understanding early on the best way to make the most of your mission. What a blessing! Keep working and serving and the Lord will provide. Your president and companion look nice. You are smart and the spirit will teach you. We love you and pray for you often. Keep pressing forward!

    ReplyDelete