Interesting Times...

Hey everyone I hope you're all doing good,

This week was kinda wack, disappointing, and extremely interesting haha.

Starting off, today marks a month to the day that I said goodbye to my family at the airport. I can't believe its been a month. Being here the weirdest things make me think of home. Like the other night I was looking up at the stars trying to find the southern cross, (still have no clue where it is) and while looking I saw the constellation Orion. I didn't know that I would be able to see that constellation from down here, but once I did I got a little emotional. Because everytime I would hot tub with my family that constellation would be right in front of me and I would stare at it while having deep talks with my fam. So seeing that definitely made me miss them a little.

Don't cry mom, because we're done with that sappy stuff now haha. 

This week was also a little disappointing. The Martinez sisters sent us a text saying that they were no longer interested in learning about the gospel and didn't want to be taught anymore. I told my comp that we should go over and just have a regular conversation with them, nothing about the gospel, just about us and who we are. He agreed so we brought pictures of our friends and family from home and talked with them like we were normal people. 

They asked a bunch of questions about our families, our homes, our friends. My comp showed some pictures of his family and so did I. They were amazed at the sight of Lake Tahoe and couldn't imagine a lake that big or that clear. They were especially interested in people we have dated in the past. The sisters are in their young 20's so they are interested in stuff like that. 

After a long talk with them they decided to let us come back for another lesson so we were pumped. So the next day we went back and taught them a little bit and they were very into it and we even set a new baptismal date for both of them.

But, for whatever reason we woke up the next day to another text saying that they aren't interested again and don't want us coming back. We are super confused as to why this is happening and we want to continue to teach them because they are great people and honestly I feel like good friends with them. But we don't want to be overly pushy and end up pushing them even farther away from the church. 

However, on a good note we met a new person this week who is very interested in the gospel her name is Fidela and she is a staunch believer in the New Testament. When we talked to her and told her that we have another record of Jesus Christ she was extremely excited and told us she would read it. The lesson with her was interesting mostly because of her interesting taste in decorating her house. She had the Paraguay equivalent to Victoria Secret calendars all over her walls which was interesting to say the least because she's like 60 haha. 

Fidela mentioned something very interesting to us. She said that all of the other churches in this area only invite people to come and say that if you don't you won't be saved. She really like the way that we come into the home and teach and serve. She emphasized service and how we teach through that because that's the same way that the Savior taught in the new testament. I really liked that she could tell a difference between us and other churches. 

On a less spiritual note this week my comp and I woke up one morning with really bad stomach cramps, I popped a pepto and was good to go. Fighting through stomach cramps all day. This was actually the day we met Fidela so I was glad I made my comp come out and work. However, the next day the cramps continued and my comp claimed to be too sick to go out. So I had a whole day to study and read. 

I used the day to study the Book of Mormon, but in my free time I had also started reading the book Saints, both volumes are in the gospel library and because I had a whole day of free time I read a lot. Throughout the rest of the week whenever we had down time I would read too. I actually finished both volumes. My testimony of the early Saints and the Restoration only grew because of these books. Reading accounts of people being willing to give up everything they have multiple times all because of their religion really moved me. I some day hope to have a testimony as strong as some of those saints. 

Mom and dad, do you remember right before I left and we were cleaning the office? I mentioned that this would be my last time I would have to mop a big building.  Looks like the Lord had different plans.  I had to mop the entire church this week haha.

I would like to close this email with a couple things I've have learned about Paraguay or from Paraguay. 

1. The people here love mayonaise like they seriously have an infatuation with this stuff. I've seen people put mayonaise on their food, start chewing and then decide they didn't have enough mayo so they would squeeze some more onto their fork and put just straight up mayo into their mouths.

2. I say "squeeze" the mayo because all their condiments come in bags here, so that's always a great sight seeing mayo squeezed out of a bag haha.

3. I've learned that pick up trucks are obsolete, I have seen the passenger on a motorcycle/mo-ped hold or carry as much stuff as can fit in the bed of a pickup. So I really have no idea why people buy trucks when clearly the cheaper solution is in front of them.

4. This past Saturday was Paraguay's independence day/ mothers day. I was extremely disappointed when I didn't hear a bunch of fireworks go off or people parading around with flags. I definitely miss the US nothing can replace the 4th of July.

 

I love you all

Email if you want 

Elder Schofield 

Orion. You can see it if you look close enough.

Sunrise

The forearm looking good haha

On the left is the brand president and his wife. In the middle is the 2nd Counselor of the mission and his wife. 

One of the awnings started to pull away from the wall and this is where we have our clothes line tied ups so big bummer there. UPDATE: the awning completely fell down today. 

The comp and me. Sorry dad, I'll stop with the signs ;) When it gets in the 60's everyone pulls out their gloves and hats.

The new drying rack

Bunch of people enjoyed the pit zipper comment, so here ya go

Bagged condiments. 

Trying to find a shortcut to the next road over so we wouldn't have to go all the way back into the city just to come out on another road that parallels the one we were on.  After all of this we ran into a bunch of really spiky agave plants and had to turn around. Part 1

Part 2