Email July 22, 2012*

Hey Mom,

Well I was going to send you pictures today, but there is a happy little virus that runs around Paraguay that hides everything so you cant see your files. The guy in the cyber is taking it off for me right now, so hopefully it wont delete everything. I have most of it backed up. We were able to do quite a bit of service this week, and that is what the pictures were of. 

The funny experience of the week. We were with Mariano and Marisol´s family, and their son was taking out some trash so to speak. So I offered to do it. Basically that means go dump the trash on the huge trash pile in front of the house that everyone dumps their trash on. So that is what I did. As soon as I did, an old woman comes out of nowhere and starts yelling at me. Calling me "uneducated" and telling me to dump the trash in front of my own house. Chewing me out, half Guaraní and half Spanish, not letting me defend myself. Hahahahaha so funny.  Then she and Marisol started yelling at each other in Guaraní, oh man it was funny but I felt bad. As it turns out, the lady just has it out for Marisol, and she is a drunk, so I wasnt in the wrong. They always dump their trash there. hahaha. Anyway.

We also had our interviews with President Madariaga this week. pulled out my suit and found lots of mold and that these stupid bugs ate a bunch of holes in it.... hahaha. All I could think was, "ROY!!! INVINCIBLE!!!!!!" If you havent seen Shanghai Noon you should watch it. Sorry I forgot to mention that I am staying with Johnson. Hardly anyone moved in the mission. Tons of missionaries are going home for special changes this next month so lots of people stayed put. 

But back to my interview. I asked President how I can make my prayers more personal. He gave me some great counsel. He talked about how it is very easily to fall into a routine and talk about the same things. What he has found to work very well to keep prayers personal is to talk to Heavenly Father specifically about people. First and last names. But before he even starts praying, he takes time to ponder and write down things he wants to pray about. He told me to not be afraid to open my eyes during the prayer if I forget what I had written down. So using that advice, I tried it. It was great. I had a conversation with my Heavenly Father about my investigators, my family, my friends, church leaders, and myself. I have realized that it takes practice to be good at praying from the heart. Luckily our Heavenly Father understands us anyway, but it is good to be as sincere as we can.

Well I hope you enjoy that little piece of consejo from President Madariaga. Because it was something I really needed. I love you all. Have a great week. 

Love, Elder Naegle

Email July 16, 2012

Hello Mom,

Big news of the day...... I talked to KO on the phone about an hour ago!!!!!!!!!! OH YEAH!!!!!!!!!! It was so awesome. Hermana Madariaga called me and said that she had someone special for me to talk to. She passes the phone, I hear, "petey pablo, whats up?" So awesome!!!! He was at the dentist and he ran into her. I am so happy right now. But actually I dont think it happened by accident, I have a reference that I need to pass to San Antonino, but I totally forgot!!!!!!!!! hahahahhaha I am a terrible missionary.... So if you could please pass this reference Mom, to Pat, who can email him next week. Gloria and Mario Benitez. Apparently they were teaching them recently, so they should be in the area book if the missionaries were good. Maybe it was KO teaching them, who knows. but she just doesnt understand why we cant drink coffee. Her mother just died, and she is the cousin of some people we just baptized. Small world. Turns out I can get to Kelon's area in about half hour on a bus..... Too bad Kelon is so obedient.... hahahaha 

I don't have much else to tell you, so it is  a good thing that happened... I can tell you that it was branch conference yesterday, and I decided to be a half hour late.... Not my fault... But that is not the point. I was late, and that is that. The stare of the stake president was not a fun one.. 

Changes will be received tonight. We will see what happens. I believe I will be staying with my dear friend Johnson, but who knows? I love him to death, he is hilarious. He is far different from me, but that is what makes it fun right?

Jesus is the Christ. Joseph Smith was introduced to him by the Father. I know it. Can't deny it.

Love, Elder Naegle

Also, a woman cut and washed my hair for under 2 dollars today.  That is all.

Email July 9, 2012

Hello Mom,

Sounds like a good week there in Bountiful and Bear Lake. Here it is not so hot. The work is great, but man is it cold!!!!! Hahaha I must admit I am a big creampuff now though, so it doesnt really count, but still. My house is an ice box. The other missionaries in my district all have nice houses with ac units that double as heaters.... One day I will be lucky enough to have ac here in Paraguay.... but this way is actually more fun. It makes getting out of bed a real challenge that can only be matched by the klondike campout... Anyway.

I am excited to meet Joel too. Sounds like a cool guy. Ask him if he knows Arcadio Toledo from Paso de Oro. Coolest guy ever. Now the branch president here. Also, ofcourse we will go to the black market in ciudad del este, and also the falls, and the dam too. You gotta see the biggest energy producing dam in the world.

That is a picture of the Paradise Burger by the way. My comp worked at a restaurant in Burley, Idaho and he knows how to make a burger. 4th of July was great. Go America!

So this week. We worked really great with the members. We got them excited, and we  had many members leave with us. It was great. We had many people committed to come to church, and well, it was really cold. So, none of them came. I was pretty bummed when the meetings started. But a few minutes after sacrament mtg had started, our 2nd counselor in the branch presidency (paraguayan version of Kramer from Seinfeld, I love him) brought in a reference we had received from him. When we visited the guy with the 2nd counselor, he just wasnt interested. He is a former Jehovas Witness, and believes and holds fast that there is only the Bible.  So naturally we didnt go back. But he came to  church, and he loved it. I was able to teach Gospel Principles, which turned out to be on the Scriptures this week. Afterwords, I showed him the baptismal font and invited him to be baptized on the 28th of July. He accepted. It was a great lesson for me that the Spirit can soften peoples hearts, and members have a much bigger role than the missionaries.

The Church is true. The Book of Mormon is true. 

Love, Elder Naegle

July 2, 2012

Hello there Mom! So I made a voice recording, but I know you like my emails so I will send it in a separate one so it doesn't take so long. I am glad you are still thinking about me there at home! Sometimes it feels like you are forgotten here in the mission! haha not really, I know you are always thinking about me Mom, but the others.... Not so sure.the package was great! I don't need anything else right now that I can think of. I will let you know next week if there is anything. Tell Maxine and Dave that I love their ties. I am saving the brownie mix for that really crappy day! haha. The 4th of July!!!!! Oh yeah!!!!! You better believe I feel patriotic! "And I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free!!!!..." I will wake up on wednesday and sing my guts out. As far as my guts go... I feel much better. I was so dehydrated. Can't remember if I told you, but I was so dehydrated that both of my calves were charley horsing like crazy in the middle of the night. It was miserable, but surprisingly I was really craving tacos during all of that, so as soon as I could keep anything down, I made myself some tacos with the taco seasoning you sent me. Thanks Mom!!!! Love you! This week I realized how much more consecrated I could be to the work, so I decided that is what I would do. Saturday morning and afternoon was one heck of a trial to this, as everything we had planned fell, and my mood started to change a little bit. I realized this, and immediately directed my thoughts towards our loving Heavenly Father and thanked Him for my many blessings. Just then, I felt prompted to contact a lady washing her dishes as a man walked inside. She let us come in and sit down. I asked her to call out her husband, he came out and as it turns out is a member. He moved from a different part and stopped going to church. He wants to go back and his wife is interested in baptism. Tender mercy. It was really cool. I am so grateful for all of my many blessings. We have so many. Unfortunately it took placing me in a poor country to make me realize how blessed I am, but luckily I can say I am taking advantage of the opportunity. I love you all. Especially you Mom. Have a great week. Love, Elder Naegle