So basically this week went really fast and it was a good week. Honestly, we really didn't do too much because it was Easter, and Paraguay decides to shut down Easter Week. That means all the stores shut down, the busses, everything. As y'all know, I am out in the middle of no where, and had to go to Abundancia in order to be able to watch Conference, so we have done A LOT of traveling this week. We started the week in Filidephia, because as of right now we still don't have a computer at our church (I am pretty frustrated with that, by the way), so I have to go to Filadelphia on Mondays to do all the Branch stuff I do every week, so we went to Filadelphia on Monday and came back on Tuesday.
Tuesday and Wednesday we spent a lot of the time visiting members and inviting them all to come to Abundancia to watch Conference. Then Thursday morning we had to leave for Abundancia because the busses were going to stop running on Friday afternoon. So we
went as far as Filadelphia on Thursday and then woke up Friday morning and took the last running bus to Abundancia, and I am back in Filadlephia tonight and will be until tomorrow. Basically I haven't been in my own house since Thursday of last week, and we have changes tomorrow. I don't know if I am going to get "changed", but if I do that means I will be going to Asuncion to get the changes, then going back to my house on Wednesday night to get my stuff and then going to my new area. So ... if by some chance I have changes, I will not have been in my house for about a week. Crazy stuff, right. I never thought that I would have to travel this much on my mission. It's actually been a little frustrating because the Mission Clerk has been talking to us because he thinks we are using too much money and he is trying to get us to cut down a bit. The problem is that the money he gives us doesn't last as long as it should because we have to pay for bus after bus after bus, but it's all good ... just normal Chaco problems. HaHa:)
As far as Conference goes, it was awesome. I learned a lot about how I am going to be a sinner if I don't get married right when I get home, Haha, so keep looking for someone for me, mom!
I really liked Conference. The talk I liked the most was about the Prodigal Son, I don't remember who gave it, but it was super good.
Between the last Saturday Session of Conference and before the Priesthood Session, the Elders in Abundancia asked us to all go out and re-invite the members to come watch Conference on Sunday. Abundancia is a one street town with like 50 houses. So we all went out there and re-invited the members for the fourth time. :) There was a part of me that was a little bit down on this idea at first because I didn't understand why we had to personally invite the members so many times, it seems like the members should know that it's Conference and that we should give them an opportunity to show their faith and come, but we decided we needed to go and so Elder Luke and I took the last 20 houses and we pounded through the invitations.
As Elder Luke and I were walking back to the chapel, we saw the other Elders and we decided to help them finish their houses. So we knocked on one door and invite the family, and then we knocked on another door and the guy asked us to sit down and talk to him. The man then told us that his children hate him, that they hit him all the time, and say that he isn't their dad. He said his children no longer want to go to church. So we talked to this man about Alma and Alma the Younger. We told him that he needed to be patient and pray and do his part and his children would come back to him ... just like Alma the Younger came back. I then told the man that if he were to come watch Conference the next day that he would hear something that he needed to hear. We told him that as missionaries, we don't always know what people are going through, but God does know and He will talk to each individual through our church leaders. It was a really neat conversation. I don't know if the man came to Conference, I hope he did because I know the talk about the Prodigal Son was meant to help him cope with the challenges he was having with his children who were being a little rebellious.
Between the last Saturday Session of Conference and before the Priesthood Session, the Elders in Abundancia asked us to all go out and re-invite the members to come watch Conference on Sunday. Abundancia is a one street town with like 50 houses. So we all went out there and re-invited the members for the fourth time. :) There was a part of me that was a little bit down on this idea at first because I didn't understand why we had to personally invite the members so many times, it seems like the members should know that it's Conference and that we should give them an opportunity to show their faith and come, but we decided we needed to go and so Elder Luke and I took the last 20 houses and we pounded through the invitations.
As Elder Luke and I were walking back to the chapel, we saw the other Elders and we decided to help them finish their houses. So we knocked on one door and invite the family, and then we knocked on another door and the guy asked us to sit down and talk to him. The man then told us that his children hate him, that they hit him all the time, and say that he isn't their dad. He said his children no longer want to go to church. So we talked to this man about Alma and Alma the Younger. We told him that he needed to be patient and pray and do his part and his children would come back to him ... just like Alma the Younger came back. I then told the man that if he were to come watch Conference the next day that he would hear something that he needed to hear. We told him that as missionaries, we don't always know what people are going through, but God does know and He will talk to each individual through our church leaders. It was a really neat conversation. I don't know if the man came to Conference, I hope he did because I know the talk about the Prodigal Son was meant to help him cope with the challenges he was having with his children who were being a little rebellious.
But yeah, that lesson with him made me miss a good half of the Priesthood Session because we talked to the man for a good hour and a half. I also didn't get to see the last session on Sunday because I had to get on the bus to go back to Filadelphia. If we didn't go then, we would have had to hitch hike back and that would have taken forever.
So
yeah, this week was pretty crazy as far as traveling goes, but it was really good because about 30 people from my Branch came to Conference, including all of my recent converts and the mom of my Branch President who isn't a member and has never gone to church. I was super surprised that she made it, it was super cool. Oh and Vivianna, a cousin to the Branch President's family came too, so we had two investigators there, which was way cool.
But I am happy that all of you are reading your scriptures (well
hopefully) and that y'all were able to watch Conference. I am in 1st Nephi, Chapter 14 right now and I am going to finish The Book of Mormon in about 80 days, that's what our mission is doing. :) I would love it if you would all of you would read with me so that you can be spiritually uplifted by the power of the Holy Ghost. :)
I love y'all so much and am grateful to have y'all in my life.
Love --
Elder Turley
This is how they watch General Conference
in Paraguay!
Oh no worries, they just have frogs
and beehives to deal with. :)
No comments:
Post a Comment