Paraguay: 3/23

Hey everybody –

Hope all is going good--seems like it is. This week was very successful! We had gospel principles class full of investigators and had a baptism yesterday and have 2 more lined up for this week. I have a ton of pictures again, but I'll talk about those a little later. So as far as the lifestyle, what people do for work is all the same as the US. There is construction, bankers and ranchers, all the same stuff. What kind of houses they live in widely depends, I see everything from a grass hut to super fancy 3 story houses, most of those are in the other area of Caacupe but still there are some rich people here. My area is more the middle class and poor so most people have 2 bedrooms and a sink and the toilet is outside like some sort of attachment. For entertainment people listen to super loud music and have big parties - that is their hobbies. Yeah, everyone lives pretty close. There are people that live way out but the time it takes to get out there is too much, (we walk) and they can never come to church so we spend our time on those we think have a chance at teaching and keeping active. As far as yards and gardens go it depends on the people, some people have freshly swept dirt yards others have grass yards and then there is everything in between. Ok then as far as our branch it’s organized but not. It depends what you compare it to. For Paraguay, yes very organized the members don’t really help out but the branch has leaders and stuff. For the US no not very organized for example another missionary and I were talking about this. We decided if we needed we could call President Wade and say our Branch President is not working and give some examples and then President Wade would decide a change would be better and it would happen. The church is just different down here in that the missionaries can report this to our President and changes are made.

Next I’d like to say how funny Cathryn is - this part was awesome – “I want to know what they do for fun here?? There are no mountains and no lakes really that I know of so uh...what else do people do but snowboard and wakeboard?” That’s what I am thinking - ha ha - that part of your email Cathryn cracked me up. Ok, but seriously Paraguay needs some lakes and wakeboarding!

Ok so the first picture is of me getting buff -- Just an FYI I work out every day- just staying healthy! Ok the second picture is of me in a grove of pine trees - yeah I was so excited when I saw those I was like OREGON I need a picture of pine trees. The second picture is of the baptism yesterday and yes grandpa that is your tie! It’s now my baptism tie :) ok then I finally did a recording and also there was like 8 recordings of Cathryn, Mom, Dad, Riley, Kayla and I all talking and opening presents - it was kind of fun to listen to. Oh and there was Cathryn telling jokes off the Laughy Taffy so Cathryn even though you’re in Missouri you still make me laugh!

For the spiritual thought this week it is what I talked on last night at the baptism Mosiah 18:8-14 of the people at the waters of Mormon and how baptism is only half. The other half is the spirit. You can’t count him out because when we read or learn anything it’s the spirit helping us. Also it’s so incredible to me how much the restoration of the gospel blesses families. There is a section in preach my gospel that is all about how the gospel blesses families and I liked it so much we made a photo copy of it and gave it to Sofia who is a lady who is progressing really well and the “Together Forever” video softened her husband’s heart. I really hope this family pulls through I know they have great blessings in store if they will have faith, repent and get baptized. Like you said Dad I teach a lot of the 4th article of faith. Because I feel a little like Alma in Alma 31 because everyone prays to the virgin Mary so we have to be very bold when calling people to repentance. But yeah it sounds like Cathryn’s message is lesson 2 mine is lesson 3 when we teach lesson 2 they say yeah I know that .. so we call them unto to repentance cause they don’t know that lesson 3.

Love you guys

Love
Elder Morgan