cockroaches, conference, and easter :)

HEY CUTE FAM :)

This week was great and reaally fast. 

So from the pictures.. we went to Asuncion to do some legal paperwork and stuff. So check.. I'm not illegal in Paraguay.. YAY! Then we came back and a companionship of hermanas were moving pensions because there's was literally INFESTED with cockroaches. I'm not kidding. It was TERRIBLE. So what we helped them with.. we had to de-cockroach every single piece of furniture that they had. Beds.. desks.. fridge.. shelfs.. seats. And they were really good and in there. Like everything.. and then sand it and repaint it. It was so much work.. and we did that the whole day on Wednesday. I have never killed so many baby cockroaches in my life. wow. 

So we only worked from Thursday to Sunday this week.. but it was actually GREAT. We were able to find some new people with some great potential.

Things are progressing along with Lucy.. and she will have her baptismal interview this week. She is excited and glowing. We were supposed to have a lesson with her on Thursday in the church and we got there.. and called and called and texted and waited for 40 minutes.. and she didn't show up. I was worried.. and anxious. But we were able to get in touch with her on Saturday night.. and everything was fine. We has miscommunicated days and was in Brazil where she works on Thursday. But it's allll good now. I love her. She is amazing. 

On Sunday we were able to have a charla with her after church. We were going over a few of the baptismal interview questions.. and I asked her what it meant to her to be a member of the church and why she wanted to be a member.. and she sat and thought for a minute, and then said "it's the restored church of jesus christ.. why wouldn't someone want to be a member of this church?" My heart just smiled. It's moments like that in the mission.. where you just know you are doing your job.

My favorite thing about the week was being able to talk and preach and testify of christ and specifically his resurrection. I forgot where I read it or where I learned it.. but because HE was resurrected.. it means he truly is the Christ.. the son of God.. and the only person to walk the face of the earth to have the power to overcome death. And because he is the Christ.. we have hope in this life, and in the life to come. 

I know he lives, and I know he was resurrected more than 2000 years ago. I know he is our Savior, and because of Him we will live again. I can't wait for that day. This transfer I started the Book of Mormon over.. and I am going to try and finish it before the end of the transfer. I love how it talks, teaches, and testifies of Christ. I was humbled this week to be a representative of Him.

I can't wait for conference this week. I should be able to watch it in English which is SO HAPPY. yay yay yay. We joke as missionaries.. it's kind of like the super bowl for us.

I hope you all have an amazing week, and especially weekend. Mom.. maka cinnamon rolls and eat two for me. 

I love you all.

xoxoxoxo

hermana ehlert

hot dog finger.. i promise it was worse in real life. #yuck

Hermana Wanlass and I at the temple in Asuncion when we went last week. and some good fail jumping pictures too.

 

chocolate chips and bee stings

Well another week has gone by. The weeks are so fast.. but really can be so slow. 

Hmm.. this week. It was a good one. We travelled to a city in Paraguay called Encarnacion for a meeting with all the leaders in the mission. It was so fun.. and as always.. president brings the most special spirit. Him and hermana Lapierre finish their mission at the very beginning of july. It is so sad.. because they will be so missed. He is amazing. 

We were back in our area working by wednesday. I am still getting to know the area.. and remember last week when I told you how big my area is? Well.. its actually 140 km long... yeah. and did I mention that we don't have a car? and do it all my foot or bus? Yeah...there are MANY parts of the area where missionaries have never even been able to touch because it is so big. In a week.. we touch about 25 km... maybe. depending on the week. it is just GINORMOUS. but its an adventure.. and it's exciting. But not going to lie.. it's definitely been an adjustment.. especially compared to little Corpus which has approximately 24 streets... so yeah. I am slowly figuring out the bus system and schedule.. and trying not to get frustrated. Something I have ndefinitely learned on my mission.. is that i need to be more patient with myself and that I need to not expect perfection. BUT DARN... it can be frustrating. hahaha. *rant over*.

So last week I'm pretty sure I told you all about Lucy as well? Well she came to church again this week.. just glowly in a new dress that she bought just to wear to church. she was only wearing pants to church before.. but proudly told us.. that if she was going to be baptized in the church.. that she needed to start looking more like a member. and she brought her darling daughter as well. We were able to have a lesson with her after church.. and it was SO AMAZING. I feel so grateful to be the missionary here at this time to be able to teach her. she is SO prepared. She told us this week instead of listening to president hinkley talks while she is working.. she decided to listen to president monsons talks.. and that she LOVES his stories. We talked about repentence and the atonement.. and then had to talk about the law of chastity.. because she has a boyfriend.. but she isn't living with him. after we finished expalining.. shesat thinking for a minute.. and then said.. "you know what hermanas.. this is something new for me.. and it won't be easy for me to tell my boyfriend.. but i will pray and ask God if it really is a commandment.. and when I come to know for myself that it is from him.. i will keep it completely." I was just amazed with her willness and faith. I have not stopped thinking about her courageous answer. AND how amazing.. that in our church.. we encourage all to turn to God and recieve confirmation and answers for ourselves. I LOVE that. She accepted the date to be baptized April 9.. and we will be working with her the best we can to make sure she is prepared for that day. and i know she will be.. because she is SO ready. I love her. 

I really hope that story made sense.

SO. funny thing of the week. man.. I just have TERRIBLE luck with bugs or something... but wow. we were walking back to our pension to eat lunch and a bug flew into my facek out to get it away from me. I then looked down and it turns out the bug was a bee.. and it was still on my shirt. so i tried to casually brush it off and it ended up totally stinging my ring finger. dang. I didn't think too much of it.. but it just kind of hurt. we kept working normally that day.. and it started to get pretty swollen.. so that night I just took an ibuprofen and went to sleep.. and thought it would be normal in the morning... welll.... yeah... it wasn't so normal in the morning. it was about twice the size that my finger should be... and really red. seriously.. it looked like a hot dog.. and we joked about it the whole day. so apparently i have a small allergy to bees. so yesterday.. sunday... i had a hotdog finger. but not to worry.. i battled through playing the piano for sacrament meeting.. and member gave me some crushed up plant mixture to put on which supposedly is the best remedy in paraguay.. and I took an anti allergy pill.. and today.. it's basically back to normal. SO PHEW. haha. things are good. 

I realized i missed paraguay this week.. and I am happy to be back in this country serving these wonderful peope. 

also.. bonus this week. I found REAL hershey's chocolate chips this weeks to put in some banada bread that i made (because since i have started my mission..i haven't been able to find then.. and if you want chocolate chips.. you have to buy a bar of cholocate and cut it up yourself.. so it really was a huge blessing.. because i couldnt really cut with my hotdog finger).. and soy milk in a random grocery store.. that is actually VERY similar to what you would find in the states. so yay. they were happy finds. 

i hope you all have the greatest week. 

xoxo

hermana ehlert

MINGA GUAZU

heeeyy familyyy :)

to be totally honest.. this week was kind of a longer one.. but I will do my best and update you in a nutshell.

1. I left my beloved corpus.. and was SO sad to say bye some of my favorite people who I have met in my mission.. both members and investigators. it was very hard to also say bye to Hermana Fox.. but I KNOW she will take great care of that special place!

2. After we left Corpus we went to Posadas.. and we had to opportunity to welcome all the new missionaries that were coming into the mission!! It was so fun.. and we were with them for all day and a night while they had interviews with president and orientation and stuff.. and then after that.. I was quickly whisked away to cross the boarder to Paraguay!

3. Minga Guazu: So I don't know what "minga" means.. but Guazu in Guarani means "giant". MUY GRANDE. My area is the biggest in the mission right now. IT IS HUGE. like 60 kilometers long.. and like 15 wide. SO BIG. we take lots of city buses to get around.. but from one side of my area to another in a city bus.. is like 2 hours. it's so big. 

4. the members. are just FANTASTIC. They are seriously awesome.. and right now.. the church they are attending is actually in another city close to where we are.. but is about 30 minutes away for most of the members.. BUT they are building a new church that should be done right after general conference right in Minga Guazu.. that will be MUCH closer for many of the members. so that is so exciting.. and everyone is just so excited for that! YAY. I am still in a branch technically.. but it's pretty big... or the biggest that i have been in my whole mission. This sunday we had an attendance of like 70 people!! It felt like SO many to me.. I mean.. I'm like used to little branches.. where there is like less that 30 people. so we are working to try and convert Minga Guazu into a ward!! So that is exciting!! 

5. My comp Hermana Martinez! She is GREAT. like i said last time she is finishing her mission this transfer.. but she is a very hard worker. To be honest.. we have the most differences than any of my other companions have had. she has a completely different style of doing missionary work than me. I'm not saying that it is bad or the wrong way.. it is just very different than my way. So we are slowly trying to figure the balance.. and how we work together. It is going to require a lot of patience and work on my part.. but it has gotten better every day, and I feel very strongly that we are supposed to be together.. and that I can learn a lot from her. i just need to humble myself a little more I think. 

6. We have an AWESOME investigator. her name is lucy.. and she actually is the daughter of a recent convert. she has come to church and done quite a bit of research on her own (like a lot of research on her own.I'm pretty sure she knows more of the church resources than I do..) but she actually works in Brasil which is like 20 minutes away from our away every day of the week. BUT.. this sunday after church we were able to have a lesson with her in the capilla.. and we were able to figure out a time that will work for her and us.. to be able to start teaching us. She expressed to us that she has desires to change her life.. and that she wants to have the change in her life.. that she saw in her mom and brother that were recently baptized. She is 24.. and literally STUNNING. like beautiful. and so sincere.. and yeah. WOW. I am just so exciting to be able to start working with her. But something so strongly I felt.. while I was in the lesson with her.. is how much the Lord really is in charge of this week.. and how we as missionaries.. we are simply just tools in His hands. God knows his children.. and preparing each one. Like.. I did absolutely nothing in the process of helping lucy be prepared.. like NOTHING. and I won't do anything either from this point on.. but solely be a tool for the spirit and God to work with.. so that He can help one of his daughters come to know the truth. Does that make sense? It was a great realization I had this week.. and something that I always knew.. but something that really clicked and hit home during that lesson. How lucky am I to be able to be here during this amazing time of change for Lucy. I am excited to see where she goes. 

7. PARAGUAY. goodness. where you can find things that are actually from the united states of america.. like large jars of JIF peanut butter.. and snickers chocolate bars. bliss I tell you. where you eat mandioca with literally everryyy meal. this fattening, potatoey root.. that somehow kind of tastes good. I forgot how different it really is from argentina. Like.. welcome to the land where EVERYONE SPEAKS GUARANI. to me.. it truly sounds like an asain language. ugh.. so difficult. but I especially love the paraguayan people. they are so special.. and kind.. and wow. just the greatest. it's fun to practice the little bit of guarani I know.

anways. things are just going great in this part of the Lord's vineyard. just pushing along with my shoulder to the wheel. :)

have the greatest week. 

xoxox

Hermana Ehlert

jumping for joy even though i was sad to be leaving!

saying bye to old members

bus ride from posadas to paraguay!

the new area. with hermana martinez

Changes!

mi familia! 

I hope you all have had an amazing week. 

SO.. biggest news. Transfers are here.. and I am seriously so sad to say that I am leaving my beloved Corpus and Roca. I am so sad to be leaving these two little towns. AND.. I am heading BACK to Paraguay.. or the promised land as it is known in the mission :) haha. I was shocked and pretty sad when I heard the changes. I was pretty sure that I would be able to stay one more transfer here with Hna Fox.. but the Lord has other plans. I have not been this sad to leave an area since I started my mission. I just LOVE the people here so much. They are my family, and I will miss them so bad. I am heading back to a city called Minga Guazu. It is actually pretty close to my old area Hernandarias. I will miss Argentina though a lot.. and especially this little town. But I am excited and ready for this new start that the Lord is giving me.. and I am ready to hit the ground running and give Him everything I have.

Other than changes.. the week was pretty uneventful. We were actually in Posadas for quite a few days because Hermana Fox was getting more medical tests done. Update on her.. she is actually doing better every day.. and according to the results.. she seems fine. But just needs a requires a lot of rest still. I am grateful from her.. and love her lots. 

So remember Ivan?? We were able to visit him one time this week.. and he was there!!! And we were able to teach him the Book of Mormon. He was emotional and struggling with his health.. and we were just able to bear a simple testimony of the Atonement.. and about Jesus Christ.. and that he knows.. KNOWS everything that we go through.. and has felt what we felt. The spirit was there.. and my testimony burned a little deeper into my soul. 

Cristian and Lorena are doing great. OH.. how I am going to miss them. I love them SO much. But I know that one day they will all be baptized as a family.. and be able to be sealed in the temple for all time and through eternity. They started reading the Book of Mormon together as a family this week. The spirit is working in Cristian´s heart.. in incredible ways.. and is such a testimony builder to be to see the changes in him. 

This weekend we had stake conference..and it was so great. We travelled back to Posadas Saturday night for the adult session, and then stayed the night and then we had the normal session Sunday morning. WHAT A JOY it was to see SO MANY members in one place at one time. The chapel and back room were overflowing onto the stage.. and we had 2 other FULL rooms of people. It was AWESOME. 

President and Hermana Lapierre both spoke.. and my favorite part was when president talked in the adult session. shoot... that man is just so amazing. His testimony just burns from him. He got emotional as he bore testimony of Christ and of missionary work. He is coming to the end of his mission.. only 4 months left and is very sad to be leaving. This place will miss him. 

OH.. I almost forgot.. my new comp! She is from Mexico!! Her name is Hermana Martinez.. and guess what?!? This is her last transfer... so now that is 3 people that I have "killed" in the mission in the last 6 months. darn. pray for me.. it´s really not the easiest thing. 

BUT.. it has always been hope of mine to have a mexican comp! I am totes excited. She is awesome!! and we will be together as hermana leaders. It´s funny.. I have actually done divisions with her a few months ago. She is great.. and I am excited to be with another Latina! WOOT. 

Sorry.. not the most entertaining email.. I will try and be better next week. 

I LOVE YOU ALL.

xoxox

Hermana Ehert 

February 29, 2016

hi fam :)

Wow! This week was a FAST one.

We were out of our area for different meetings and stuff that we had at the beginning of the week.. but we got back to our area on Wednesday afternoon.. and I was able to do divisions with an hermana that just started the mission.. from Costa Rica! SHE IS DARLING. It was so fun! Only for a few hours.. but it was awesome. 

We visited Cristian and Lorena.. and we finished teaching them the plan of salvation. It was such a spiritual lesson.. and it´s amazing to see how the spirit is working on Cristian and softening his heart. He told us that he is still thinking about baptism.. which is like A HUGE step for him. and he told us that he started praying this week for the first time in years. I LOVE seeing how this gospel changes the lives of people.. and how grateful I am to be the instrument in the hands of the Lord to bring this amazing message! 

Thursday and Friday.. my comp was sick again... bummer. So more days just sitting in the pension. It´s hard.. because I just end up thinking lots.. and am not able to take my mind of myself and go to work. But I am trying to keep myself busy. We were able to go out for a few hours on Saturday night and visit a couple that we are teaching named Luis and Teresa. THEY ARE SO COOL. I have never met someone who is truly SEARCHING like Luis is. He just has question after question.. and just wants to follow God but he just doesn´t know how. He reminds me of the scripture that says.. there will be people searching for the church.. but just don´t know where to find it. His wife is a little more skeptical. So we will keep working on them. Stay tuned :)

We are focusing on just trying SO hard to follow the spirit. We are not the teachers.. it is 100% the spirit.. and we are solely instruments. I am trying harder at that. To prepare myself personally before hand.. and then just do my best to follow the spirit. 

Wednesday we had the COOLEST opportunity to listen to Elder Bednar talk to all of the missionaries in Chile Argentina Paraguay  and Uruguay. he was in Buenos Aires.. but it was broadcasted to us.. and it was just so amazing. It is such a cool experience to see apostoles of the Lord in less formal situations. He truly just talked to us.. and was so humble. He talked a LOT about the spirit and conversion. And the thing he encouraged us the most.. is to only take notes on the things that the spirit tells us. NOT just write down everything he is saying. and then actually go.. and study the notes that we took.. and PONDER them.. and pray about them.. and ask the Lord how we can put what we learned into action. He talked about how in the church.. we have a foolish tradition about taking notes and writing down what the speaker says and then never looking at those notes again. He talked about how he wasn´t the teacher.. and that we aren´t teachers.. but the spirit is. It was powerful. One of my favorite parts is when his wife actually talked. There was a chance for the missionaries that were there to ask questions.. and someone asked the question.. ¨how do we stay humble?¨and he actually let his wife answer. She talked about being completely dependent on the Lord. How in her life.. and with the calls that Elder Bednar has had in the church.. and how it was really hard for her. She said after explaining multiple examples.. "I thought I couldn't do it.. but He helped me do it. In every occasion. I relied on him.. and he carried me through".  The coolest part.. was at the end though. when he just got quiet.. and bore one of the most powerful but simple testimonies of our savior jesus christ. I couldn´t help the tears that came to my eyes.  I am SO grateful for apostles.. that live and are called of God and are real. I am so grateful for the priesthood authority that we have today.. and for a loving God who wants us to be happy.

He exists.. and does everything he does..so that we can be happy. I know it. I know he is real. I love Him.

I am so grateful to be a missionary and help other people know that too. 

I hope you all have a great week.

xoxox

Hermana Ehlert