Elder Jonathan Turley: June 8, 2015

Hey how are y'all doing?

So this week was pretty interesting, for sure not a "real, normal" missionary week.

So my comp was sick all week so we had to stay in for the most part which was alright. It was nice to get a little rest and to be able to sleep a little more. Haha! But it was kinda boring and it made it so we didn't really get to visit all the people that I really wanted to visit. We do still have 3 dates for baptism this month, which is pretty exciting! I am super stoked for the baptisms because as y'all know, baptisms don't really happen that often here in the Chaco. The fact that we are having a family get baptized is super, super cool! ;)

So yeah, this week was pretty boring on the lesson side, but it was super exciting on the service side. We did a ton of service ... we went out and we built a house. Yeah, we built a house for a family. What happened is that we took their house apart and started building it again in a different spot. Seriously, we spent a good like five hours digging the holes and getting it all ready, and we started building the house, but it was slow going because it was just my companion and I, and we weren't able to finish the house that day, so we made plans to come back the next day and finish it. So the next day my companion and I show up to finish the house, and the dad had taken the day off of work to supervise and he told us that he wanted his house built in a different way. So we had to take apart everything we had put together the day before and put it back up the dad's way. So we were halfway through rebuilding the rebuild and the Mennonite leaders came by and told the man that he didn't need to move because they were marking the lots and the original location the man had his house was just fine. Soooo we had to re-take down the house (that we had taken apart and built three times) and re-build it in its original form on its original lot. Haha! So, yeah, that was super crazy and another interesting "Chaco" experience.

We also did service in Filadelphia, where we helped the Mennonite ministers cut trees and grass with machetes. It was pretty cool! The coolest part is that as we were leaving, one of the ministers who runs Mennonite radio station, which is always bashing the "Mormon" missionaries, said that they were going to announce on the radio that the Mormon missionaries came out and worked hard and helped clean up the community! That was some huge progress we had with them because in Filadelphia the Mennonites hate the Mormon missionaries. In fact, they hate us so much that they go on the radio and tell their people that they shouldn't listen to the Mormon missionaries because all the Mormon missionaries want to do is baptize their daughters and take all the Mennonite "virgins" to America. It really is a lot of funny business that is not that funny! ;) So the progress we made with the Mennonite ministers was huge, and it was all because of doing service.

But yeah, so today we were in Asuncion because my companion received a call that he would need to go to Asuncion to do some immigration stuff. It was kind of sad because for five months straight I have been having my p-days with Elder Luke and this is the first one that I haven't been with him. The struggle is real. Haha. I guess I need to get use to the fact that he's not going to be around because he goes home next transfer. Haha!

But yeah, today I had to go to the dentist because a little while ago I realized that I had a cavity. Honestly it kind of scared me because there isn't the best dental care here and so I wasn't planning on going to the dentist and I was worried that I would have like ten cavities when I got home, and that would cost a lot for mom and dad. But I talked to the Hermana McMullin this week and told her that I had a cavity and she said that the insurance the mission has covers cavities and so I went to the dentist today. It really wasn't too bad, they filled my cavity in 45 minutes so that was cool.

Right now I am at a bus terminal waiting for a bus that will take us to Abundancia for our district meeting tomorrow. This is probably the longest bus ride I will ever take to get to a district meeting. Haha. ;).

I just want to say Feliz Cumpleaños to my father! Thank you, dad, for being the best dad out there and for always being there for me when I needed it. I love that you have always supported me in whatever I wanted to do, even if you knew it might not be the best thing for me. Haha. I love you, dad, and will always be grateful for you! Oh and I am pretty sure my future wife and children will be super grateful to you as well because you have shown me the way that I need to treat my family and my wife. I could not have asked for a better example than you!

I love y'all and hope y'all are well!

Elder Turley

Questions of the Week:

1. What was your happiest moment this week?
Going to Asuncion

2. What was your hardest moment this week?
Staying in the house all week ... and not being able to be with Luke on p-day

3. What was your spiritual moment of the week?
A lesson we had with Adofo when he said that he had a dream that Jesus Christ told him he needed to join the church

4. What was your funniest moment of the week?
We found some leggings and put them on .. you probably had to be there. ;)

5. How many people were in church?
We had18 this week. I think we would have had more if we would have been able to visit everyone this week that we wanted to visit.

6. Who are your investigators? Right now we have a baptism date set for June 26th for a family ... Adolfo, Daisy, and Nidia.

7. Who is your favorite person this week? Probably Aldofo. He progressing like crazy and has a real desire to change his life.

8. Did you eat any crazy food this week? What was your favorite meal?
I never eat anything crazy. I did eat at Burger King this week and that was really good.

9. Do you know I love you more than life itself?
Yes mother, I do.

Building the House ... three times!!!