October 19, 2015

 hola mi familia :)

Two lies and a truth!

1. I got proposed to this week. 

2. We were on a bus and a car hit us. 

3. Isaias has told us that he doesn't want us to visit him anymore.

1. TRUE. hahhaa.. and believe it or not it's actually the third time that someone has asked me to marry them on my mission. YIKES right? It's usually from drunk guys.. and this week he was especially drunk. shoot. 

2. False. But everytime we ride buses I think it's a miracle that people don't crash here. It's so funny.. the traffic here is nuts. If there are traffic rules or laws.. no one follows them. It's just so funny. But as of now.. we are safe and haven't been in an accident :) hahah. don't worry mom!

3. FALSE. And thank goodness. He is doing very very well actually! I love him so much! He is reading the book of mormon still. We studied and read with him 1 Nephi 8 this week about Lehi's dream. It was so great. He is drawing connections and applying the things that he is reading in his life now. and telling us about it. We also had another charla with him about the spirit and how we can recognize answers from God. It was very neat and we left him with the challenge to truly try and find out for himself and to have real intent. We explained to him that if he wants to know that the Book of Mormon is true just because he is curious.. he won't actually get an answer. But the Lord will only answer us if we have the intentions to ACT and do something about it after we get an answer. he still hasn't come to church. We don't know what more we can do to help him come.

hmm.. what more. This week was kind of hard number wise again. We are TRYING trying trying our best to be obedient and follow the spirit and do our best and work hard and love the people.. but our plans keep falling through. It can be discouraging with long days.. but we are working through it together. Hermana Lopez is so great. I'm lucky to have her. 

We did have some good miracles and found some people will some good potential.. but we'll see what happens this week! 

Something funny that happened this week is that we were going to visit a less active.. and we were walking up to their gate.. and there was already someone there. We quickly realized that they were missionaries!!!...... but from Jehovas Witness. or here.. they are called testigos de Jehova... great.. now we are competing with the testigos. boo. But it was funny. We laughed and laughed. we initially thought they were elders!!.. but we realized that obviously it couldn't be and they didn't have name tags.. and then we realized who they were. It was funny. hahaha. 

This week also was EXTREMELY HOT. but also we had some rainy thunderstormy days as well. Crazy weather here.. but always an adventure. Love paraguay. 

Anyways.. I'm working hard. I am seeing growth and change in myself every day.. and every day I am more grateful for my mission. For all the things that I am learning. I love this gospel.

We talked, this week, in district meeting. I gave a capacitacion.. I don't know what that word is in english. But like a little talk thing. and I talked about when we are rejected we are becoming more and more like our savior.. because he was rejected throughout his whole life. 

Anyways.. I love you all. I hope you have the greatest week. 

xoxo 

Hermana Ehlert

Our zone made zone jerseys! Arent they sweet? Here is Hermana Lopez and me.

when we made them.. we put the number of how many months that we had at the time. When we ordered them I had 6 months.. and Hermana Lopez had 1! so they are even more special. haha.

hi family!

hi family :)

so its only been a few days since I last wrote.. and not much has happen that is worth telling. 

We had a lot of our planned lessons fall through. so we ended up contacting a lot.. it was kind of rough. on friday.. we didnt have one lesson. not one. but we contacted some really great people that day. we walked and talked to the entire world it felt like. lots of rejections.. but a few gems.. so we will see how they turn out this week :)

We did have a lesson with Isaias this week on Saturday. We taught the plan of salvation. he is reading the book of mormon and is half way through 1 nephi. I love this kid. 

I just wanted to tell you all a little bit about the lesson with him though. it was incredible. the spirit was tangible.. and it was so cool to see the spirit working in him. I heard one time.. I cant remember if it was in the mtc or before my mission.. but I heard one time that we arent really teaching this people new things. they learned and accepted these doctrines before this life.. and what we are doing is just bringing this truths back to their remembrance.  Thats what it felt like.. and he even told us.. "This just makes sense doesnt it?"

The spirit was testifying and bringing these things back to his remembrance. 

The spirit for me in that lesson was just this peaceful calm feeling. I havent stopped feeling that way since we left that lesson. Even though it wasnt a great week number wise.. the lord has blessed me with the spirit and I know that we are working hard and doing his work and his will here in Hernandarias. 

I have felt his peace and assurance and love in my life and I know that he is real. I am so happy and I know that he is happy and proud of me. 

I have been working on this week.. trying to see others through christs eyes. it was something that they talked a lot about in conference... and it is changing the way I see things and people and the way I work. 

I am so grateful for the spirit and this work and the love that I feel for my Savior, his gospel, these people, and this work. 

I love you all! 

Have the best week. Thank YOU for your prayers. 

xoxo from paraguay! 

Hermana Ehlert

HI... finally :]

Ah! What a crazy week it has been. You all just have no idea. 

1. I'm no longer in a trio.

2. I have been out of my area more than I have been in my area this transfer. 

3. I wasn't able to watch conference because the power went out. 

1. okay.. true. crazy right?! Right now it's just me and Hermana Lopez again. So last week.. on Wednesdaywe were eating lunch with a member.. and we got a call from our zone leaders. They told us that we had to travel BACK to Posadas that night because there was emergency changes and Hermana Palomares was going to be with another Hermana in Argentina. We were all dying. It was crazy. We had just gotten back to our area and hadnt even been there for more than a week.. and we already had emergency transfers. To rewind a little bit.. when I first got the news that I was going to be in a trio.. to be honest. I was not that thrilled. I had been in a trio doing divisions before and it's hard and just not that fun. But we were just getting adjusted to eachother and everything was MUCH better than I thought it would be.. and then boom. changes. So we went back and started helping her pack and everything and then we left. Another 6 hour bus ride back to posadas to drop her off and then just turn around again to come back to our area. man.. I love LOVE my mission.. but travelling is definitely a downside to the mission here. we travel LOTS. So yeah.. it's just us now. I was very sad to say bye to Hermana Palomares. she is a light and I learned SO much from her. I was really lucky to be able to be her companion even if it was only for a short time. and I know that I will see her again in the mission!! So that was comforting. So now Hermana Lopez and I are back and getting back into our normal routine of things. Man.. I love Hermana Lopez. She is amazing. But yeah.. you never know what is coming next. 

2. true. It's just because we have been travelling so SO much. To do paperwork to be legal here.. or drop off or pick up companions.. there is always a million things going on. It's really hard because it's really important to be in constant contact with the people we are teaching.. and it's hard when we aren't in our area. but we are praying like crazy to help them not forget what they are learning and feeling and how they are changing. 

3. false. THANK GOODNESS right?! Okay.. conference. wow. I loved LOVED it. Because I'm in a Stake now.. we were able to go to the stake center and watch it there.. and guess what?! There was an option for all the gringo missionaries to watch it in English. YES. It rocked. I loved it. It was such a blessing. Some themes that I picked out from conference were 

-Sabbath Day observance. I actually wasn't surprised with this one. We, as a mission have been focusing and talking so much about it. In our wards and branches and stakes.. the leaders have also really been stressing the importance of the sabbath.. and how it helps us remain more unspotted from the world. 

-For more.. there was also a lot about the gospel of christ.. and how it helps and protects us. whether it's commandments or peace or strength to keep going.. or consuelo?.. (I don't know what that word is in english).. but yeah. And just following christ.. and how if we are living the gospel and being true disciples of christ it doesn't matter.. everything will work out. Like Sister Marriott said.. it doesn't mean it will work out right now.. but it will work out" and that ALL things are for our good. 

-We can find peace and happiness and purpose in this life no matter what our challenges or problems are that we face. 

-another cool part for us as a mission was when Elder Fransisco J Vinas spoke.. I don't know if you remember.. but he came to our mission in May I think it was? We were able to meet him. He is incredible. I loved his talk.

It was so funny.. all of the gringos before conference were sitting in this little classroom waiting for it to start.. and it was so funny. It was like christmas or something. So awesome. Anyways.. I won't bore you with more of my thoughts and revelations.. but I TRULY hope that each of you were able to listen and think about what was said. i know that those men are truly inspired and prophets and apostles of God. How amazing was it to watch the 3 new apostles be sustained? I LOVED the testimony of Elder Dale G Renlund. It blew me away. 

Also.. sweet President Monson. I'm worried about him. He looked struggly. 

I was then thinking about last year.. and where I was last year listening to conference. I remember sitting in my apartment watching it with my roommates.. and it was then that I recieved an answer to go on a mission. I had prepared questions and prayed to know if I should go.. and it was then that I recieved that answer. How Grateful I am to have recieved that answer... and now here I am. I am so grateful for prophets and apostles and the love that God has for us to give them to us. 

Another HIGHLIGHT... ISAIAS came to conference! The sunday morning session! It was a huge step for him because he will NOT come to church and we are working SO hard on that. He is progressing very well. He is reading the book of mormon from the beginning and every time we pass he has more insights and is marking the things that he likes. He is almost done 1 Nephi. I LOVE him. We are trying to get him to accept a baptismal date but he is still hesitant. The book of mormon is powerful and I know as he reads he will recieve an answer. 

Anyways.. I love you all. I hope you have the best week. Sorry.. I was at a meeting this monday.. and haven't been able to write until this morning! We are busy!! But I should be able to write this monday again. I love you all! 

xoxo from Paraguay. 

Hermana Ehlert

Then there were 3!

So HI everyone :)

Wow what a week!

My fingers are flying.

1. I got a bug in my foot this week. 

2. My new companion is from the States! 

3.... awkward. I can't think of anything else.

1. TRUE. are you kidding me? Yeah it's true. I will spare you the long story.. but long story short.. there was a tiny little bug in my toe. it was black. I was travelling because I had pick up my new companion.. so I was with another hermana named Hermana Bernal. We disinfected a needle and some tweezers and she just started digging at it to get it out. turns out there were EGGS too. yeah. it's real. I was dying. I wanted to cut my toe off. we ended up calling the mission nurse and she told me to go to the hospital to get it all taken care of. So we went to the hospital and they did some more digging around and disinfecting ad got it all taken care of. It wasn't a big deal.. but yeah. SICK RIGHT? It was infected too.. so I'm taking an antibiotic for that. but it's healing good now.. and I don't have any more pain. haha. 

2. False. My new comp is from Peru! I don't have any pictures with her yet.. sorry. But she is great. Her name is Hermana Palomares. And you guys.. she has the craziest life. I can't believe it. It's very sad actually. Her mom died when she was 14 from an accident.. And then she joined the church 4 months later. So she is a convert. She is the only member in her entire family!! Her dad works a TON.. and she takes care of her little brother. He is 12.. and basically she is his mom. She raised him. he was 6 when her mom died.. so she was the mom and woman of the house. She doesn't have the support of her dad or any of her family for serving a mission. She doesn't recieve any emails or anything. She recieved one from president and one from her friend from the MTC. that's it. I could't believe it. so sad. please pray for her.. she is having a hard time and missig her home. but has a super strong testimony. she is a great teacher. I love her lots.

Umm.. so a trio is weird. but we are adjusting. I know this is where I'm supposed to be. We are TRYING to do everything we can to work better with the branch ad with members.. and find new investigators. We are working hard.

PS.. this keyboard is terrible. paraguay probs. The "n".. doesn't really work. You have to press it like 10 times to work. dangit.

We didn't get back to our area until thursday night late.. so we only worked friday and saturday and sunday. and we haven't had tons of luck. The only thing is Isaias... he is progressing lots. I love him. His prayers are SO sincere.. and he truly is looking for the truth. he is reading and understadig the book of mormon more and more. He will not come to church for the life of him.. so we are working on that.. but yeah.

Speaking of.. general conferece this week! YAY. I'm so excited. Hopefully I'll be able to liste to it in English. Can you believe that the last general conference I was in the MTC? So crazy. I'm so excited though!! I hope you all prepare this week and are able to get what you need from it.

I love you. I pray for you all. by name. I miss you terribly. 

xoxo 

Hermana Ehlert

This is during tranfers with me and Hermana Lopez and Elder Salazar from Chile. He is such a great missionary in my zone!!

  

My beautiful area 

The second one is with a family that is less active. we are reactivating them. Remember when I told the story of the lady Mirta that started crying in the middle of her prayer when we taught repentence? That is her. I love them with all my heart. 

The third one is Hermana Lopez and I trying to be artsy. Isnt my area beautiful? I'm so lucky!

This is us three. the day we picked her up. Aren't my companions darling? I love them lots. 

Expect the Unexpected...transfers!

HEY FAMILIA :)

Two truths and a lie.. 

1. I was sick for most of the week. 

2. Charles (the mouse) is still alive and active

3. Hermana Lopez is still my companion

AH. What a week it has been... 

1. True. Unfortunately.. it was kind of a rough week health wise. Monday night I was up all night super sick. Everything was coming up.. sorry tmi? So Tuesday I just drank sips of gatorade and rested.. but my body would not have it. It didn´t want ANYTHING inside it. It was horrible actually. I didn´t have an appetite until friday.. so basically i just slept and hung out. yuck. We went out a few hours during the evening most of the days.. but I was just too exhausted and nauseous to do much. I felt bad for Hermana Lopez.. and I was worried about our investigators!! But Friday I was able to eat some rice and an apple and I didn´t throw up.. and then Saturday I was able to eat pretty normally. I´m feeling MUCH better now. I don´t know what it was.. I think I ate some bad chicken or something. But yeah. It was kind of a bummer.. and we weren´t able to get a lot of work done. But Friday and especially Saturday we pounded hard to try and make up for the lost week and go and invite everyone to church. 

2. TRUE. Can you believe it? It´s terrible. So we bought mouse poisening supposedly. It looks kind of like rice but it´s red. We didn´t want to buy a mouse trap because we didn´t want to have to deal with a bloody dead mouse. So. Anyways.. we put this poisened rice stuff all over the pension and then in the morning.. ALL of it was GONE. Not one piece left.. So we thought it was a great sign.. and waited for a dead, poisened mouse to show up. but to no avail. This week we have put out mouse poisening every night.. and every morning it is gone. So.. either charles has some friends and cousins and brothers.. or we have a super strong rat that is immune to our poisened rice stuff.. great. It´s awful. At night we can hear his moving around and stuff. YUCK RIGHT? Missions in Paraguay are fun. hahaha. I´ll keep you updated on our little rodent friend. 

3. TRUE... kind of. OKAY. SO shocker of the week. As you know.. we just finished the last week of transfers. Officially I have been with Hermana Lopez in Hernandarias for 6 weeks. I was going into this transfer super chill.. I didn´t think there would be transfers.. like no way right? Hermana Lopez still needs to finish her training.. and I didn´t think he would move either of us after the white wash.. well. It´s true... neither of us are moving.. BUT... we are getting ANOTHER COMPANION. A third.. and she is NEW. So.. I am going to be training Hermana Lopez.. who is halfway through her training right now.. and then training another who is brand new. I don´t know her yet.. but I do know that she is Latina as well. So yeah. We are going to be 3. It is going to be an adventure for sure. holy moly. Can you believe it? Yeah.. I couldn´t either. Also.. I found out that I will also be an Hermana Leader.. that means that I am over the other hermanas in my zone.. and I will be doing divisions with them and stuff. I´m excited!! It should be a fun time. So yeah.. totally unexpected right? like woah. Right now we travelled all night.. and are in a city called Encarnacion.. right by the boarder of Argentina. Wednesday we will cross over and get our new companion and then return to our area Thursday!

Something I´ve learned on the mission.. the Lord likes to put me in positions that are WAY out of my comfort zone. I know that the second I get comfortable.. something is going to change. "There is little growth in your comfort zone, and there is little comfort in your growth zone". It´s a cheesy little saying.. but it rings true to me. The Lord has different things in mind for me than what I had in mind. I just have to trust Him.. and as his disciple.. and especially as his missionary.. I have to trust that he know´s what is best.

Umm.. this week was REALLY hot. It´s starting to get hot here.. like super hot. like "wow I´m going to die my melting.. hot"... but not to complain.. haha. Everyone keeps telling us that we are just in spring. yay. hahha.. but really. I was really grateful for our AC this week when I was in bed most of the week. the humidity is crazy too. It bothers my companion more than me though.. which was surprising because she is from here. 

I was also able to do a quite a bit of reading and studying.. when I wasn´t sleeping I was reading.  I´m studying and trying to figure out what an investigator needs to feel and experience to be converted.. and my role in that.. and how I can help them feel the spirit and power of conversion. I´m learning lots. 

So I told you that we went out and worked Saturday. The week was really hard and made me REALLY miss home. Being sick sucks.. but being sick when you are in Paraguay and all you want is your mom.. sucks more. So when I finally had enough strength to go out and work.. it was amazing. I had a whole new appreciation for what I am doing as a missionary. I just felt so much peace and the spirit so strongly as we went from house to house and talked to people on the streets about what we were sharing. It was like a calmness.. but also I had a drive inside me that I haven´t had a ton of this transfer. I don´t quite know how to explain it.. but I just am SO excited about the work right now. I know there is lots to be done.. it is very clear and visible in the rama here.. but this transfer I´m so SO excited to start getting work done. I can´t wait. It should be good.. and weird with three people.. but I´m sure we will figure out our rythm and groove. 

We have some really cool investigators too.. but this letter is already real long. Remember Isaias? He is truly searching. and pleading and praying to find an answer.. and it´s cool to see a change and growth in him. He finally opened up to us this week a little bit more. He is VERY shy. But this week he told us that a part of him thinks that our church could be true.. but basically he is just comfortable in la iglesia catolica.. and his whole family is members.. and yeah. He STILL won´t come to church.. so we are working on that with him. But his prayers at the end of lessons are my favorite part. I have never heard someone pray some humbly and fervently. I love listening to them. He is growing lots. Our goal is to baptize him this transfer. 

Anyways.. another week gone and passed. I can´t believe it´s almost October!! And THEN general conference so soon too! Crazy. 

I love you all. I pray for you all. 

XOXO 

Hermana Ehlert :)

September 14, 2015

Well hi family :)

1. There is a mouse in our pension

2. I sang in our branch choir for branch conference. 

3. I ate chicken heart this week. 

1. TOTALLY TRUE. Can you believe it?! We named Him charles. He has made 2 appearances this week... and BOTH involved screaming and standing on chairs with brooms in hand. hahah.. it was fun. I'm literally afraid to sleep. And we don't have beds in our pension. we only have mattresses that are on the ground... so I literally can't sleep. It's fun. We bought mouse poisening today.. and hopefully he dies soon. wow.. morbid. but true. haha.. so fun. Only in paraguay. 

2. false. I didn't sing. Hermana Lopez did.. and I played piano. It was seriously great. hahah... I had to hold my laughter. They are think they can sing.. and just belt it out without embarrassment. It's awesome. I'm so grateful that I can play piano. It has helped this little branch. I love being able to offer that little service. 

3. false... haha. I totally didn't eat chicken heart. I had it offered to me.. but definitely didn't. yuck. are you kidding? So sick. 

What else.. this week was great. lots of work here. We are trying hard to reach our goals that we put with faith. 

Our district leaders had a baptism on saturday and we were able to bring one of our investigators.. Isaias. He loved it!! But didn't come to church the next day.. ugh. That is probably the hardest thing for us. Getting people to come to church. 

Enrique.. the catholic priest.. he has decided to start running away from us and avoiding us. It's also really sad. Because he has so much potential! We are still praying for him.

This week we were teaching a less active about repentence. I have been thinking and studying a LOT about repentence. A few weeks ago when we had our conference with presidente, he said that everything we teach i just knowledge, and is great and true and wonderful.. but basically means nothing unless the people that we are teaching ACT. and DO something with what we are teaching. Everything we teach leads to one importanct action.. and that is repentence. So we were teaching her repentence. And I could tell that she was having a hard time. The spirit was strong and powerful. It was a special lesson. I asked her to say the closing prayer.. and in the middle of it.. she paused.. and then burst into tears. like sobbing. She prayed fervently and sincerely to be forgiven. We encouraged her after her prayer to continue praying and trying to better her life and put her life back in harmony with God's will. We promised her blessings. What a blessing it is to be able to repent and to be able to turn and put our lives back in harmony with God's will again and again. I have been studying so much about enduring to the end, and repenting.. and I wish I could express to you all how much I'm learning. I'm so grateful to be a missionary this week. 

I love you all so much!! 

We keep hearing again and again how awesome the branch that I'm in USED to be. And how many members USED to come.. and all the activities and fun things and how strong it USED to be. And it's sad to see that it's kinda dead right now.. it's sad. I feel a burden on me to try and strengthen this branch. They need life again.. and hermana Lopez and I are working hard and seeking the help of God to help the members here, and to know how to excite them about the work. 

I love you all. I love this work! I sure am going to miss Paraguay one day when I have to leave. It's so great here. I wish you could all be here with me. 

HASTA LUEGO. 

xoxo 

Hermana Ehlert

September 7, 2015

HELLO LOVELY PEOPLE :)

1. members here have and use functioning wells... like to draw water from the earth

2. we taught a lesson with the elders this week.. 4 missionaries. 

3. we were on a bus that was the fullest of my life.. and my hymn book got stollen out of my backpack.

hahaha. how fun. 

1. true. totally true. hahahah. i laughed and laughed. there is a least 4 families here that are members that TOTALLY have wells. that old fashion wells.. where you lower a bucket with a rope.. and pull it up and its full of water! HA! Isnt that awesome? I'm going to try and take a picture. 

2. true. we totally taught a lesson this week with our district leader and his companion. So this is what happened.. I think last week I told you that the boyfriend of one of the members decided that he wants to get baptized and that we started teaching him? Well.. his name is marcelo.. and we started teaching him.. and he's AWESOME. But we found out this week that he actually doesnt live in our boundaries.. and actually lives in the Elders area.. so we had a lesson with him.. and the elders bishop and the elders.. to kind of "transfer" him over to them. it was fun. but also REALLY weird to teach with 3 other missionaries. but a adventure at the same time. I was bummed at first that we wouldnt be able to continue teaching him.. but he is progressing really well.. and he is going to get baptized regardless.. and that is what matters. he is understanding.. and his questions make it seem like he is truly INVESTIGATING and coming to know these truths for himself. its a really cool process. the elders will be really great for him. We will for sure go to his baptism though. He's great. I'm so happy and excited for him.

3. false. kind of. so background story. we had a multi-zona conferencia this week. with another zone in the mission.. and presidente and hermana lapierre came! It was so fun!! We learned lots.. and it was so great to see president! But.. yeah. to get to the conference.. we had to take a bus to centro.. and everytime I get on the buses in paraguay.. they never cease to amaze me. every time I get on one.. they seem to fit more and more people. They dont really have bus stops here either.. you just wait on the side of the road.. and flag one down.. and the one we got.. was SO full.. like there are two stepsto get onto the bus you know? Yeah.. hermana lopez and I were STANDING on those steps.. and then a guy gets on behind us and holds on to two bars on either side of the door and whistles and the bus driver goes... does that make sense? It is crazy. SOOO FULL. But the false part is.. my hymn book didnt get stolen.. hahah. 

Um.. what else this week? Oh.. Eli.. remember her? How I didnt think that she was married... well we asked her.. and she said "yes.. but only civily".. which meas legally. She is married legally but just never got married in a church! ISNT THAT AWESOME! She is learning and progressing quickly! Goodness I love her so much. The church building is about a 35 minute walk from her house.. and we focused this whole week on committing her to come to church..and she said she was going to come! and then sunday came.. and she didnt come. so that was kind of sad.. I was bummed. we will visit her tomorrow and see what happened. 

But we did have about 4 less actives at church. it was fast and testimony meeting.. my favorite sunday. I love hearing the testimonies of the members here. it was a spiritual day for sure. 

What other fun stuff.. umm. next week we are having branch conference. so our Branch president wants a choir.. and I am playing the piano for them. and yeah shoot.... paraguayans just cant sing for the life of them. I literally had to muster every ounce of my self control to not laugh when I was playing. there is 4 members and my companion that are singing.. and it is so funny. they are singing something really simple too.. come come ye saints. 

haha.. my companion and I laughed and laughed about it. they are so sweet. bless their hearts.. ahahahha. 

ayways. I love you all! I'm workig as hard as I can! 

I hope you have a great week. get on your knees and pray and talk with your heavenly father this week. This week.. I felt his strength. Saturday was hard in the morning.. but after studies and just kneeled next to my bed and prayed as fervently as I could for help and strength.. and that day turned out great. 

I love you all! 

xoxoxox from Paraguay!

Hermana Ehlert

1. we got rained on HARD this week. SO HARD. we got home soaking wet. you cant really tell in the pictures.. but SOAKING.

2. waiting for the bus selfies are fun. 

3. playing sports on PDAY last week. so fun.,