Email June 25, 2012

Hello Mom,

Things are fine here in Paraguay! I haven't seen any of the reaction out here in Paso de Oro. I was able to watch when the senators voted President Lugo out of office though. That happened so fast! In like 3 days everything went down! The mission has just told us to be smart, but nothing will happen. No one has a problem with the missionaries. I always heard that Bolivia is poorer than Paraguay, but I could be wrong. 

As far as this area goes, it is very poor, not nearly as nice as La Paloma. It is a branch that used to be a ward. We have had about 50 people in church these last 2 weeks, so we are hoping to better that. My area is very big, I have to walk a ton. I almost missed the sacrament on sunday because a house of women called asking for a blessing sunday morning in one of the farthest parts of my area....  it is truly a blessing when almost every single house hold in your ward back home has the priesthood. Something you don't appreciate until the missionaries are almost the only ones who hold the priesthood. 

The food... Well the water is killing me. I am actually quite sick right now. I threw up this morning. I also had the runs. My comp was in the shower... so guess where I was doing those 2 things? In the back yard! Hahahaha it was really funny. Mango leaves don't work super well as toilet paper, but I managed..... 

This week was good. We had a 2 zone training with Pres Madariaga. As you can see from the photos, we also had a wedding and we had the baptisms of Mariano and Araseli. It was super great. It felt so awesome. Mariano is super quiet and never laughs, but this weekend he was laughing and talking and it just felt great. I love the work. I love completing families. My prayer is that they can stay strong and make it to the temple in one year. Marisol, Mariano's wife, has a brother in  the branch presidency that baptized the 2, so I think he will be able to help them stay strong.

We found a really cool family yesterday from Pedro Juan. The guy recently got in a motorcycle accident, so their prayer quantity has gone through the roof. Naturally, the 2 mormon missionaries found them. The talk by Elder Koelliker titled, He Truly loves us, from last General Conference really struck me last night. Everyone reading this should read that talk. Also the wife speaks Portuguese, which made me super trunky for La Paloma! Oh yeah! I love me some Portuguese! Anyway. I know that Heavenly Father truly loves each one of His children, and the way for us to have happiness is to live the Gospel. I am grateful to have this chance to be here in Paraguay. I love these people.

Love, Elder Naegle

p.s. Quote of the week by Johnson. "Curiosity killed the cat... but not before the mormons baptized it!" I love this kid!

Email June 18, 2012

Hello Mom,

I will try to answer your questions first. Elder Johnson is from Burley, Id. He has been out for 9 months. He served in a place called Luque. It is huge, cant miss it on a map. 6 people in our district. Kennedy shares our chapel. The chapel is actually in their area. Super funny about Angie's husband. We do our shopping at super 6, I ate there last week. We played soccer today at the San Lorenzo stake center. The food is really good. 

Also, I saw Alyse(Wilde- a girl from our home ward) today... Kinda weird... I had like 10 missed calls after playing soccer. Turns out they were trying to find me. One of the office elders was like, some lady has called me like a hundred times trying to get a hold of you... Hahaha but they finally did and they came and found me in San Lorenzo. I got my package! Thanks Mom! Haven't really looked too much at it yet, but I am sure it is great. It was kinda weird seeing someone that I know. It was kinda awkward, I don't really know how to act in that type of situation, but I think I did alright. hahahaha 

Funny story of the week. Our power breaker couldn't handle our shower... So sometimes the power would cut in the middle of your shower, well friday night I went to take a shower and it fried the breaker and the wire to the power lines... Awesome... Random side note, while I was showering in the dark in the cold water I thought about the time I went skinny dipping with Mohl and Niglet at Bear Lake in the middle of the night! hahahaha. Anyway, the next morning I had to go contacting, for an electrician! Found an old man who doubles as a plumber and shoe repair man. He climbed up on an old ladder that didn't quite reach and attached the new wire directly to the power line. That is how it is done here in Paraguay. At least he tied his ladder to the pole so it wouldnt fall.

Then we had the baptism of Paolo and his younger sister. Paolo couldn't get baptized last week, but he pullled through strong this week and quit smoking. He asked me to baptize him and I gladly accepted. 

This week was really good.  A lot of rejection, but it was still good. I have found that rejection just makes the good moments that much better. I am sure we will have some really good finds this week. We will also have the baptism of Mariano and Araseli this week, which means figuring out another wedding.... Gonna be fun! Wouldn't be a mission if it wasn't a challenge! 

The church is true. if you don't know, well it is pretty easy to find out. Read the Book of Mormon and pray to know if it is true. If it is true, Joseph Smith was a true prophet. If Joseph Smith was a prophet, this is the true Church of Jesus Christ with the authority of God. I know it is true.

Love, Elder Naegle

p.s. We burn our trash here in Paso de Oro. Is that better than throwing it in a well like I did in La Paloma? You be the judge!!!!

Email June 10, 2012 Transferred!!*

Hello my dearest Mom,

So.... I have been transferred... I have left the small La Paloma after 6 months. I am now in Paso de Oro. Looking on a map you won't find it I don't think, but it is right outside of a big city called San Lorenzo, near a place called Kennedy. My area is huge! Haha a big change. My comp is Johnson.  Very very different from me, but he is a good kid. 

So I have a ton to tell you this week. Changes happened. It was so hard to say goodbye to people in Paloma, but especially Isaias. He is such a good friend to me.I gave him my Indians hat and we hat a very spiritual goodbye. It was awesome. Then I came in for changes. I got to my new house.... Absolute disaster... Hahahaha let us say that I will be spending my p day cleaning today and I have spent every free moment cleaning up to this point. 

Then we had a wedding/baptism this weekend. It was a crazy time getting it put together and it seemed like it was left to the last minute, but we figured it out. The husband has to wait to be baptized but his wife Yolanda was baptized on Saturday.

Sunday I was able to have a good long walk and talk with our branch president because our area is pretty far away from the church. Probably one of the coolest paraguayans I have ever met. He is so excited about the gospel. He is a super fun guy and I am excited to work with him.

It has been a crazy week. We have Paulo's baptism this week and we were able to put 2 more people with a baptismal date for the following week last night. This will be pretty crazy this next few weeks, but I am super excited. The Lord is definitely blessing me here in Paso de Oro. I love the mission. Such a good experience. I hope everyone at home is doing well.

Love,

Elder Naegle

Email June 4, 2012

Hello Mom,

Sounds like a good week there in Utah. Good old Utah. And Idaho. Can't forget Idaho. Anyway... Before I forget, I just came from the awesome restaurant Costillon. It was delicious. To give you an idea of how good it is here, while we were there, the mayor from Saltos and like 20 of his minions came walking in. He walked around and said hi to everyone, even us. It was pretty funny. He spoke english as well. I noticed that while he was talking to us his body guard snapped a photo on his phone. Good publicity! Those American missionaries! That is what I am talking about. Them government people, they just know how to work don't they? anyway.

For my package, if you could please include the following. a few ties, but not any of my good ones (I have a problem of giving ties away...), a few ziploc bags(big and small), a big thing of taco seasoning, and a brownie mix would also be great. I am going to be saving that for the 4th of July. Thank you Mom.

Well today I just want to tell you about my cool experiences with the awesome convert, Isaías. This week we took him out to visit our investigator Eogenio. I apologized on the way because it is a pretty far walk, but his response was. "No problem, we are serving God, it doesnt matter how far it is". Oh yeah! Feels so good to hear something like that. Then at the end of the lesson Isaías just took it away with his testimony. There is nothing like hearing a testimony half in Guaraní and half in Spanish. So awesome. The Spirit flooded the room. Then this Sunday during testimony meeting he got up to share his testimony for the first time in church. He started by thanking Elder Gardner and me for helping him, and then finished by saying that he has no doubt that Joseph Smith was a prophet, The Book of Mormon is true, and that this is the true Church of Jesus Christ. It was awesome. 

We are starting now to really focus on his mom, who is member hace mucho, and we are hoping to be able to baptize his younger brothers this month, one of which came to church yesterday. It should be a pretty good month. Well I better go. I think the power is going to go. I just heard the loudest thunder I have ever heard in my entire life. Love you Mom.

Love, Elder Naegle

Email May 22, 2012

Hello Mom,

Sorry the email is a day late, but when the internet is down in all of the district of Canindeyu.... What can you do? hahahaa. So anyway. To answer your question, yes missions are hard work and a sunday nap would be great... But I love sundays. I don't mind giving talks anymore. So yeah. Transfers are next week by the way.

Alright. So I am a little short on time, but I will fill you in on my week. So we had some cool lessons this week. Our investigator Eogenio is struggling a little bit to find a job and move out so he can live the law of chastity. Pretty tough I know. So we went back to the Book of Mormon. We helped him understand again that his testimony depends on the wonderful book. We read with him in Nephi, when Nephi goes back to get the plates. It was an awesome lesson. The Spirit was super strong, and his mind was enlightened to the truth and knowledge that he can find in the Book of Mormon. So sweet.

Saturday. We teach a lesson to Isaias and talk about his conversion and the conversion of Alma. We share the scripture about how Alma knows these things by the Spirit. It was a great lesson. Then we were walking to our lunch appointment. I was feeling good about having a good lesson with my Isaias, and I decide to go into a despensa to buy something really fast. While inside I hear a crash in the intersection right outside. so I walk outside, and the first thing I see is a motorcycle on its side. Then I see Isaias and his little brother laying on the ground. Never has my heart turned like that in my chest. Never. I took off running to where he was. Fortunately when I got there he was getting up. He and his brother were ok, just banged up a bit. I know God was protecting them. His little brother flew about 15 feet and landed on empadrado and wasn't hurt at all. Nonetheless, it scared me really bad.

I know this is the true Church of Jesus Christ. I know that He leads this work. Have a great week.

Love, Elder Naegle

p.s. This is a picture of the lady I taught in Trinidad. She got baptized right after I left. I finally got it. So awesome! She is so cool! That is Elder Shirk's convert who is baptizing her.

Email May 21, 2012

 Hello Mom,

Sounds like things are going well. I am glad you had a good time up at the cabin. I sure miss it, but well it will be there when I get back. Enjoy your work this week, always loved thinning fruit trees in the orchard.... hahaha but I actually miss doing that kind of work. I just get to settle here in Paraguay picking mandarin oranges the size of Shaq's fist. Well maybe not quite that big, but they are delicious. I will be sad when they run out.

It was a good week for me. Tuesday was mother's day here in Paraguay. The women of the branch decided to invite us to their get together in the church.... Super awkward, but well they weren't going to eat all those hot dogs! So I left will a full belly and i was able to set up the projector for them.

Thursday we did  a division with Puente. Richins came here to Paloma and I went there. The kid he is training is named Smith. Good kid. Already has a date with his girl... May 20 somethin of 2014... Hahaha good luck. Anyway. We taught their investigators in Katuete the law of chastity and it was super cool. They were a super cool family, and I was able to fit in really quick. They accepted the teachings and are progressing quite nicely from what I hear. We also did some more house shopping while we were over there in Katuete because President wants to open it up in 2 weeks. Richins had already found one, so I just had to go over contract stuff with the people. The guy was just like Daniel Craig, but from Defiance. Plus he was German, born in Brazil, raised in Paraguay. Let us just say he spoke 5 languages perfectly. Pretty cool. So I got it all figured out, got all the stuff emailed to Hermana Madariaga, but then she called later and said the house wasn't quite big enough because they have to have sacrament mtg there.... Hahaha so Richins gets to keep looking.

Saturday was a good day. We had an awesome lesson with a guy named Eogenio. He had been to church a bunch of times prior, but he has a law of chastity problem because his wife lives in Brazil and he is living with another women. So we taught the law of chastity, it was a powerful lesson. He is committed to finding a solution and he knows that baptism is the right thing to do. He was in church the following day with his señora. He is a great guy.

I also played the piano in church yesterday. I actually played pretty good. I was pretty proud of myself. My branch president realized that both Shumway and I can play so we are going to take turns and switch off every week. It was super fun. Also, quick fun fact. Shumway is good friends with Kurt Warner's daughter. As in he has been to their house  a bunch of times and Kurt knows him by name.... Really cool. He says that Kurt's daughter is actually writing one of his friend's that is on the mission. 

Well anyway. I hope you found my email interesting this week. If you didn't, well I am sorry... but just so you know, nothing more worthwhile than the Lord's work. I love it. I really love Paraguay I have realized. It is just a great place. Anyway, I am going to wrap this up now. Love you all.

Love, Elder Naegle

Email May 14, 2012

Dear Mom,

Sounds like things are still good at home. It was great to talk to you! Happy Mother's day! Love you Mom! That is cool about Clint and Brent, 2 of my favorite people in the ward. Tell them to learn spanish and come to La Paloma so I can have some Priesthood holders in my branch....... hahahaha not sure their wives would go for that.

Well here I am in Salto del Guiará. Played some soccer today and had our little half zone meeting. Pretty fun. Except I almost threw up after burger king. You will see that one on my card mom.... Things are still good here. I gave a talk yesterday in church. It felt really good to just get up and express myself freely without problems. I didn't have to write anything down, I was just able to share some experiences and hopefully give the branch some excitement to work.

I had a cool experience with my testimony this week. I have been reading that cool original Book of Mormon that you sent me Mom, and I got down on my knees to get another confirmation that it is true. Later that day, a preacher from some church started asking me questions about our doctrine. I didnt know he was a preacher, but I figured he was after about 2 seconds. He was looking for differences, and well he found it. The fact that women can get up in church and speak and they dont have to wear veils. So dumb. Anyway. He went off for about 5 minutes about how I was teaching false doctrine, and then I caught him off guard with my testimony. Never have I born a testimony of Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon so strong. I know. I know. He was without words. It was a great experience. I got my answer. Then, as we were leaving, I watched his dog leap a six foot brick wall only skimming the top...... I about pooped my pants..... But he just wanted to play! Hahahaha good thing God protects his missionaries.

The Book of Mormon is true. "Leave no doubt!" -Remember the Titans. I really want to watch that.....

Love you all. Have a good week. 

Love, Elder Naegle