Week 69~Transfers coming ~Love's Sanabria's

I think last week went by faster than the last.. Its crazy how fast the time goes! I´m soakin it all up though, we had a good week!

QUESTIONS:

1. Did you take your suits to The Branch President's wife to have her wash them for you since her husband said that last week about her being your mom now? I'm glad there are people that are being good to you and loving you!
Heck yeah we did! I´ll never turn down someone cleaning my suit for free! And she did a great job.. She always brings us bollo to eat after church- its soo good! Bollo is like a ball of dough, fried like a scone, roll it in sugar, and put jelly or dulce de leche in the middle. mmm! Its probably my favorite thing here.

2. Have you had many dinner or lunch appts. in your new area? 
We had our first one last Monday! We had Milanesa and potatoes at our Branch President´s house.. Milanesa is like a Paraguay version of the Chicken Fried Steak from Milan.. Or something like that. Thats probably my favorite meal-type food here. And it was all-you-can-eat! Hermana Sanabria made a ton!

3. Are Transfers this next week?
Yeah we find out tomorrow! I don´t know what will happen, I think Elder Whaley and I will both be here next change because we both have little time in the area.. So we´ll see!

4. Has Fernando and his wife scheduled their baptism date yet?
Not yet! :( Fernando´s grandpa had a stroke, so we haven´t been able to teach them all week.. It´s ok though! It will all turn out the way it´s supposed to!

5. President Agazzani asked you if you were related to an Elder Heiner, did he happen to tell you a first name or where he was from. There are lots of Heiner's but a different branch of Heiner's so we were trying to narrow it down a bit.
Yeah.. Haha thats what I was thinking. He just said Elder Heiner from Idaho, he served in the Buenos Aires North mission from 1988 to 1990.. He really likes toothpicks I guess. That must be a Heiner thing! First President asked, "Elder Heiner.. Does your dad like toothpicks?" And I was thinking.. What the heck... President.. Why? But I said, "Yeah...?" President responds, "Did he serve his mission in the Bs. As. North mission as companions with Elder Agazzani?" I could just hear the AP´s laughing in the background, so I thought they were trying to do something funny, but I was still really confused.. Then he said, "I had a companion named Elder Heiner from Idaho, and I just wanted to know if it was your dad.." I told him that his companion Elder Heiner was for sure a relative of mine, and that I´d ask. So anyways... hehe

6. What was your most memorable of experience of the week this past week? (Uplifting, motivating, funny, frustrating....share with us!!
I´ll tell an uplifting story then a funny one.. Then frustrating.
Every Tuesday we have our Branch Council with Pres. Sanabria to talk about our investigators and everything.. President´s a stud! Anyways, out of no where he put his head down and started to cry a little. After about a minute, he looks at us and said, "I´m sorry.. These past couple of days have been really hard for me, and I just had a doubt answered by a really strong impression of the Spirit.. I know that the Lord is content with us right now, everything we´re doing and our way of doing it, is how the Lord wants it done." I know what he said was true.. Little by little we´re seeing progress here in our little branch, and one day its going to be a ward.

Yesterday, we kind of got frustrated because almost everyone we talked to was drunk.. I´ve found that people can be really nasty when they´re drunk. Not just mean, but they just say bad things.. Seriously though, probably 8 out of 10 people we talked to yesterday were drunk. I want to help them, but I can´t do it without the Spirit, and the Spirit cannot be there in that environment; it´s impossible.

Another story from yesterday, I re-contacted a guy! I remember him from a few weeks ago.. He ased how much money he can get from the Church just for being a member.. None, obviously. So we talked to him again yesterday! I didn´t realize it was him until I shook his hand.. He asked, "Hey are you guys still looking for people to join your church?" And I said, "Yeah that´s why we´re here! We´re looking for people to help." Then he said, "I know TONS of people, I have lots of friends and I´ll get them to join your church.. all I need is 100 mil a person and I´ll do it (100 mil is like 25 dollars). I´ll bring as many people as you want.. So we´ll meet up in front of your church on Tuesday, noon.." I told him that the Church doesnt work like that.. I tried to tell him that nobody makes money, not the bishops, councelors, teachers, or even the prophet. But he insisted that I talk to the "jefe" (boss) and rode off on his scooter.. It was really funny actually! He was dead serious.

Paraguay´s just an interesting place.. OH!! Another thing that happened.. hahahaha! We tried to teach this guy that´s a pastor of one of the Evangelist churches here, and his cousin. We were having a good start, getting ready to sing "I know that my Redeemer lives" for him, but they stopped us and started asking what our beliefs were about the purpose of this life and about Heaven and Hell and all that.. Then they went off about how we´re false prophets and that the Book of Mormon isn´t the word of God and how we need to "convert" to the true gospel. So they started to "pray" for us and as they got further into their "prayer" they started yelling and begging God to "help these two young men to know the truth and to feel the power and authority of God!" Then he put his hand on my head and cast out all the evil spirits in me.. Because I appearantly had a lot.. After they finished their little show, we got up, looked at them with a smile and left.

I can´t wait for the Second Coming. It´s something I used to be scared of because I didnt fully understand. Now I know how great it will really be. So many people in the world are lost and don´t know where to go. When Christ comes, He will be the ruler of the earth. I know a lot of people say, "He already is!" It´s true, but only for the people who truly follow him. I know that Jesus Christ lives. I know He restored His teachings, ordenances, and church through the prophet Joseph Smith. I dont have a single doubt. I asked God. He is a God of miracles and He lives and speaks to us today. He lovs us.

Until next week!
Love,
Elder Colby Dane Heiner