How awful am I? I totally forgot to thank the whole Anderson family,
Dad, Mom, Grandma Springer, Amanda, Chase, Sarah, and Laurel for
writing to me last week! And thank you so much Grandma Springer,
Teresa, Dad, Mom, the Blairs Goompa, and Ashley for writing to me this
week. Happy Blue Day, George! I wore jeans this morning just for you
(well...and because we thought we were going to go hiking...but I
thought of you!)
Oh boy. What to write about. You know, Dad warned me that there would
come a point when I wouldn´t be able to think of anything to say. I
never imagined that he´d be right about that. I LOVE to write. But
while it´s easy for me to think of something to say every day in my
journal, it´s hard for me to know what would interest you back home.
Teresa, I loved that list of Paraguayan things that you sent me. SO
true. I may have to come back and visit so I can do some of those
things. There are a lot of touristy opportunities that I can´t take
advantage of as a missionary, and lots of souvenires I can´t pick up
right now.
Here is some more information about Concepción to answer Dad´s
questions and let you all know a little bit more, too: It is the
farthest sister missionary area from the mission home. There are three
branches. We´re in Rama 1. Rama 2 has two missionary companionships
working in it, and Rama 3 has another. Even with eight of us there is
a lot of work to do. We all live close enough, though, that we get
together pretty regularly. Last Monday we played pictionary (I don´t
like to brag, but I creamed them), and today we went out to lunch. We
were going to go hike some old native Paraguayan-made tower or
something, but the Elders flaked out. We´re all worried about Changes
coming up so we decided to stay closer to home.
As is typical of most of the areas I´ve been in, if people live here
in Concepción, they work around here, either living off of their own
family´s despensa (mini convenience store thingie), selling chipa in
the streets, or taking care of other peoples´ children. There are a
LOT of women who take care of their families by themselves while their
husbands work out in the Chaco. It´s so sad how many times I hear
about how someone only sees their husband at Christmas. It´s worse
when the wives go to Spain for six years at a time, leaving their kids
with their husbands. I can´t imagine living like that.
There is a lot of Guaraní around here and I´m learning a lot more than
in the areas closer to Asunción. Because so many words are stolen from
Spanish, generally I can get the gist of what people are saying. But
if they expect me to respond, I just blank. I just learn to recognize
trigger words that let me know if it´s a yes-or-no question, or a
question that requires a full response. Even then, I mess up a lot.
They find it hilarious. :)
To answer some of your questions about my companion, Hna. Van Dusen
has only one Change less than me. She goes home in August. Yes, she
has Dutch heritage. But she´s a brunette. Many Paraguayans look at me,
then look at her, and figure that she MUST be latina because she´s not
blonde like me. They think all Americans are blondes.
Hna. Van Dusen is kind of my hero. This week was hard for her, because
some recent converts were falling to temptation and doubts about the
gospel. The way she handled it, I seriously felt like I was walking
alongside Alma the Younger or Captain Moroni. I hope we all get to sit
in Heaven and watch the video of her being a missionary someday. I
wish you all could have seen her. The way she bore her testimony with
unwavering conviction and authority and chastised the people with
loving, righteous indignation gave me chills. I´ve learned so much
from her about being confident in my call and loving the people so
much that fear has no power. She´d tell you that she´s a very
imperfect missionary, though. I think we may only have been together
this week and a half so that she could benefit from my adoration. Her
last companion was so hard on her, and now all I can do is praise her
for being so awesome. I hope that we get to stay together a little
longer so I can learn more from her.
This week our district leaders invited us to do a "Sacrifice Week,"
where we identify one thing that distracts us from the work and stop
doing it for a whole week. I decided to put my notebooks aside for a
week. I love to write, as you all know, and there were too many things
that I was writing down that had no real purpose in the mission--life
goals for the future, etc. So I gave them up for a week. It was kind
of hard, but much easier to focus on the task at hand. I think
"Consecration Week" is coming up next, so I hope I can really do away
with any of my own desires and just get to work with singleness of
heart.
We really have a great branch here. The branch president is actually a
recent convert, and his testimony is so impressive. He has such a
great love for the gospel and for the people. He´s very humble and
hard-working, and I´m sure all of his non-member neighbors are
impressed with him and possibly considering visiting the Church. He
certainly invites them enough. :) We have another recent convert who,
in the short time I´ve been here, as found four new investigators for
us amongst his own family, just by sharing his conviction about the
gospel so much. It´s so helpful and wonderful. That´s a sign of true
conversion right there--how they desire to share it with others.
I gave a talk on Sunday about the prophet. The new Liahona talks a lot
about Pte. Monson, and I just talked about how sometimes we´re so
quick to bear testimony of Joseph Smith, yet so slow to listen to our
living-day prophet´s counsel. The Liahona also helped me to talk about
how the culture of the church doesn´t differ from country to country.
Now that there are two American Hermanas working here, the members are
a little slower to listen to us because they say, "Oh well, in the
STATES, visiting teaching works, because you all don´t have to work so
hard to provide for your families and such. But here, it doesn´t work.
We´re the exception." I cracked down on that in my talk a little,
about how God is no respector or persons and how the prophet isn´t
just the prophet of the United States, any more than Jesus Christ was
the Savior of just Jerusalem. As is usual in any sacrament meeting,
here or in the U.S., many people weren´t really paying attention, but
I did my best with the hope that maybe ONE person will have been
touched by my words.
Well, I really don´t have much else to say about this week. Boring, I
know. I´m sure with Changes tonight I´ll have lots more to say next
week. I´m so nervous. I don´t want Hna. Van Dusen to leave me--not
only because we get along spectacularly, but also because I don´t know
the city well enough. It won´t be the first time I´ll have been
trusted to work in a strange area, but I still wouldn´t mind not
having to do it ever again. :) We´ll see...
Take care, everyone. I hope you´re having a wonderful Spring Break and
getting lots of sun. Pray that autumn comes quickly for me.
I LOVE YOU!!
---Hna. Springer
1-Me and Hna. Van Dusen looking adorable yesterday
2-A map of Concepción. Our house is the little blue flower down by the
temple sticker (which is the church). The little stick figure is
actually drawn in the wrong place. It represents the giant Virgin Mary
statue and should be two blocks down right in front of the catholic
cathedral.
3-A picture i liked of me and an investigator named Myrna in Ybera.
4-Some adorable ao po´i dresses that Hna. Van Dusen has.
Enjoy! Love you! Have fun in California! I´m jealous that you´re at
Sea World. Pet a stingray for me!
---Carly
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