March 7, 2011

hola familia! i can´t believe another week has gone by.  i do feel a lot more at peace now. i got a lot of things sorted out. i was really praying to find out what was missing. i don´t know. i just felt like something was missing. one morning i sat down to do my personal study and prayed that i could find an answer in my studies. i had planned to read some where in preach my gospel, but i decided not to and happened to pass by a page in chapter 9. So i looked up the scriptures and came across 1 thess 2. read it. it is way short. i realized what was missing. i really do feel a love for the people, but i realized i was missing something. the motive behind it all. i realized i needed to do it more for them and for God rather than to feel like i am being obedient. yes i need to do my part to build up the kingdom of god, but i need to remember more that it is to help and serve his children. I needed to take my love for the people to another level and really leave myself out of the picture completely. we still have a lot of challenges with the rama and everything. we met with one of the 2 chicas from the rainy day one other time but she didn´t have much more interest.  i know that we really need to work hard to have a turn around in the rama to be in a state that can support new members. when that happens, i think it will be blessed. I am learning the difference between sadness and discouragement. we are sad when someone doesn´t want to accept bc we know how much it can bless their lives, but i can´t let myself get down about it. they have their agency. i know there are people here ready to accept, we just have to find them somehow. i have been trying to do whatever i can to be worthy of the guidance of the spirit. trying to keep myself more focused always and not let my mind drift off. the language is hard. understanding is the hardest part for me. the paraguayos kind of mumble a bit. but everything else has really been more difficult than the language.
thanks for the updates with everything. i can´t wait to hear zade is here safe and sound. i don´t have much more time, but thanks mom for sending the package. i can´t wait to get it!! whatever there is will be perfect. a piece of home. oh and we played tennis again today! a good day. love you all so much. always remembr that through our Savior our family will be together forever. you are stuck with me.
love,
hermana plummer

Feb 28, 2011

Zone 8 at Zone Conference.  Can you find Hermana Plummer and Lozano?

hola familia! mom before I forget, can you get on facebook and find kate´s address? she sent me a letter but it came from the mtc and I know she isn´t in the mtc anymore, so I need her address in VA. that would be so awesome. and you asked if I listen to my ipod. YES. everyday. whenever we are in the pension, we are listening to it. it is my saving grace. I don´t know what I would do without it. I put on a lot of music from the house that dad would always play on sunday mornings growing up through the intercom. I hear them and feel at home. I hope this old Ipod lasts through the mission. cross your fingers.
well, this week we had zone conference. one zone has to travel to ciudad del este to join up with the 2 zones there. apparently not very many hermanas get to visit ciudad del este because all the others are in asuncion. we were the only females besides hermana callan. we are always quite the minority. so we got up at 2 in the morning to catch the collectivo and ride there. it is about 3 hours. thankgoodness I slept pretty much the whole way. being short i can just curl up in the chair. they are big coach buses with chairs that ricline and all that. the zone conference was so great. I learned so much that helped me out. we really have been praying to be able to dig up some more faith. pres callan shared a quote from joseph smith that basically says if we want more faith, we need to sacrifice more. i was like. dang it all. no jk. so I guess I need to make some changes. I realize that i need to consecrate my time more and not let my mind wander. also, I really got a confirmation that it is ok if I am doing everything i can and dont´have baptisms. I think i got really bogged down about that. every night when the distric leader would call to ask for our key indicators, i felt ashamed, but I feel ok about it now. hermana lozano and i both feel the spirit more and feel like we are improving in a lot of ways. we have a lot of obstacles to overcome in this area. we are living out the consequences of things other people have done here in this rama, but I keep thinking back to a quote i heard in the mtc that says, are you going to tell God how big your problems are or are you going to tell your problems how great is God? A lot of the time i feel inadequate to handle everything. i don´t have any experience, don´t really know the language, can´t do it kind of thing. But one thing we learned about the atonement at the zone conference is that after all we can do with our ability, the Savior fills in the rest. I realized that no, i can´t do it based on my experience and ability, but with my Savior, i can. I have to put behind me my doubts in myself. That is where my problem is. I am learning to rely on the Lord in a way that i have never ventured to try out before, but I know it will be ok. Thanks mom for the words of wisdom and also the ideas! they will be so great and helpful. ok speaking of ideas. i have been meaning to share an idea with you forever. I am so happy right now that I finally remembered. you have to try this drink. blend oranges with carrots. if you have already tried it then you know it is good, but i had it at a member´s house and it is so good. anyways, I am glad to hear that i am not the only sister missionary that started out rough. I felt so guilty with thougts that i really didn´t want to be here. when I saw hermana lavaka, she was saying how much fun she is having, and I was like. I felt really guilty. I think this is the first p day I haven´t cried. yay. I am really trying to take what I have and be happy no matter what and be thankful. we were really excited yesterday because a bunch of inactives came to church. we had the highest asistencia in a while. a member who we have been visiting finally came and a few others. oh and our relief society president finally came after 5 weeks. this member though we have been visiting is so great, he has just gotten really bogged down with problems in his family and needed a boost of energy. he is the only member in his family. his 2 children join for the lessons but his señora is a catolico fanatico as they say. she won´t listen. anyways, we were really excited about that. now we just need them to come consistently.
we played tennis again today! it was so great. I do what I can in the pension to exercise, but isn´t much. so it is such a relief to be able to run around and play TENNIS! well, I have to go. any news on Tiny? how are you amy? can´t wait to hear when my new nephew is here safe and sound. love you all so much. I think of you and pray for you everyday. Like mom said in her email to me, I am away from my family for 18 months so other families can be together forever. I guess it isn´t too much of a sacrifice for such a reward. mom, I hope you are continuing to get better. We are going to play so much tennis when I get back. love you all so so much.
love,
hermana plummer

Feb 28, 2011

oh mom!! I am so proud of my Chiefetres that is so awesome!!!!!!!! 7h in the nation in kick and state champs in kick and pom... keeping our legacy... this picture is so sweet. please send carmen a note how excited I am for them and that I wish I could visit sometime to say hi. for some reason i still feel like it is my team even though I probably don´t know even half. haha. all those girls are seniors right? I don´t even remember how long it has been. please send a message that I love them and wish them the best of luck.

Just curious to know who is from Mesa and Houston, that look at Whitney's blog on a regular basis.  I have a tracker and can't think of anyone from there.  Maybe some of Whitney's BYU friends???
Thanks,
Louise Plummer

Jan 21, 2010

All of the Hermanas Feb 10, 2010

hola familia, I can't believe either that it has already been almost 4 months. I guess I am getting more used to life here in Paraguay. It is actually hard to remember my life before. I can´t remember a lot of things. My brain is filled with all new things, and I guess there isn´t any room for the old stuff.
To answer dad´s questions, the literacy rate varies. Some people can read and others can´t. I have really had to change around how I learned to teach in the mtc because they won´t understand a lot. It has to be really simple. They don´t really like to read. Some will read the book of mormon. We got caught in the rain yesterday while doing a contact and she just told us to come up on her porch out of the rain. so we decided to teach of course. This woman and her friend both said they will read in the book of mormon. we have a list of questions of the soul that are in preach my gospel. a lot of times we ask people if they have interest to find the answer to one of the questions and tell them they can find the answer in the book of mormon. they both wanted to know how their familes can be more united. a lot of people have this question, but they don´t really want to accept the answer because it involves change. they want a quick fix, but someone who is prepared to receive the gospel is ready to make changes. It was funny because when we started explaining a bit about the book of mormon she asked where she can get this bible because bibles are so expensive. she said she wants to read but they are so expensive. we were like, you can have this for free! anyways, I really hope they read and want to learn more when we visit again.
mom, I don´t really know if I need more winter socks. actually, my brown tights are a bad color and ripped in the mtc so I could use some more brown ones. ya I hear it gets cold. we have a space heater in the apt and there are extra blankets, so I think I will be fine. thanks for getting the mormon doctrine, he is going to be way excited. We don´t really do a whole lot of service around here. I asked hna lozano but she said that there isn´t really an opportunity. we want to find some service to do though. we did help the mom of one of the members out by cleaning her house and around her house. she was in an accident and is in recovery and can´t really do anything. it took longer than expected, but was fruitful still because before when we went over to this member´s house and she was there she would hide from us. didn´t want to be around us or listen to a message or anything. but now, she is open to listening and doesn't hide from us anymore. so they are really happy and excited. the ideas you gave are good though. I really want to see what we can do. we have been trying to spread the word that we are starting english classes every wednesday. I hope people will come! I hear it can be a great way to find people.
I think you can just send the skin care. the pads were great, but the skin care will be good. my skin is fine. actually quite manageable.
yes i would love the spanish fhe and some food, nutella would be heaven! the muffins and rice were good. whatever is fine. you know what I like. anything from home.
thanks for the ideas. RECIPES would be great. they really like sweets here. if there is going to be something sweet people will come. maybe we can do the soccer tournament or something and have them bring their friends.
now I have need for more ideas but this time for games we can play for fhe and such!
we are trying to do what we feel is right for this area. it is frustrating becasue we know that numbers are important, and our leaders just ask where are you numbers? but we focused on that and had all these new investigators but nothing. neither of us were happy. we both felt like there was something missing that we weren't doing and we weren´t having success either. so we decided to focus on the members to gain their trust and help them. there are so many families that need help and visits from members, but no one does anything. so we have to visit these families while trying to get the other members to get involved. and everyone lives so far apart, so then we have less numbers and I am just really overwhelmed. I don´t know how to do it all. but we have been praying so hard and feel like we should follow the spirit. ya our numbers are a bit low, but that is because we have to do all the ground work first. we finally felt the spirit and felt good about our work and then get a lecture at night that our numbers are low. it is really frustrating. I called hermana callan this morning in tears. I was praying for direction and felt I should call her. she was so glad I called and helped me a lot. she kind of fills in the role of mom a bit. afterwards she called back and said that while she was reading in the book of mormon she was thinking of me and felt like she should call and tell me to read the chapter she was reading jacob 5. I havent read it yet because I haven't had time, but her words of encouragement helped a lot. anyways, what a blessing that lil tiny moved and is in position for delivery. he and amy have been in my prayers and I know this is a special soul coming into our family. I love you so much amy and hang in there. can´t wait to hear of his arrival all safe and sound!! well, got to go. I love you all so much and miss you more than you can imagine. I know this church is true. I know the book of mormon is true with all my heart.
love
whitney

Feb 14, 2010

hola familia, thanks mom for your words of encouragement. i can´t even tell you how much it helps keep me going. Yes it has been rough lately, but I am doing better. sometimes i am weaker than others and i break down, but most of the time I am doing ok. i guess i have just felt really alone in everything. it has been really hard to connect with my companion. she comes from a very different culture, and there are a lot of things that make it hard that i never expected. but what I am realizing is bothering me so much is that i feel like i need to be doing more. i feel like i should be working differently, but feel trapped because i dont know how. She is a great missioary, but she works a lot differently than what i would do. the rama has a lot of problems. last year they had about 80 attending sacrament meetings and now there is only 30 to 40 each week. seems like every week someone else didn´t come. the relief society pres hasn'tcome in a month. we are trying to get the help of the members bc that really is the only way to have success, but hardly any are active and don't really want to help. we are trying to figure out how to gain their confidence and get them excited about missionry work. ideas for activities with them would be of so much help. i have just felt like everything i do is of no use. we did get a reference from some elders of a teenager they taught once and she came to church and loved it. she really is prepared to receive the gospel. they had to pass her off to us bc when they taught the law of chastity she wanted to live it but was living with her boyfriend. he didn´t agree and they broke up so now she is living in our area with her dad. she is only 17 and has a cute baby, but she is so ready to turn around her life. she has incredible faith. we found another woman who i just don´t get. she knows the church is true. she was praying and fasting to know what path to follow in her life when we came to her house. we felt the spirit so strong in the lesson and i know the spirit led us to her. we set a baptismal date, but when we went to visit her again she was like, i am good in my church. i wasn´t born to be a mormon. ya she had talkd to her pastor. what she is looking for is right infront of her but she doesnt have the guts to grab hold. i almost cried.  we convinced her to let us come back and visit again but when we did she had her daughter lie to us that she wasnt home. they do that a lot thinking we don´t know. ha.anyways, it breaks my heart when they reject because I just know how much happiness the gospel can bring into their lives. i want it so bad for them . I want to much for them to really understand the atonement and how much it can help them, but they are just so closeminded. haha. when we talk to them in the street, they are just say tengo mi religion. soy catolico apostolico romano. they think this will make us leave them alone if they say they have their religion, but oh so wrong they are. the way they say it hilarious. when you come mom and dad you can hear if first hand. they all say that every one has their own beliefs and ways of worshipping, but I like to share ephesians 4:5 one god, one faith, one baptism. anyways, I am trying to stay afloat and be humble enough to learn what heavenly father is trying to teach me right now. I love you all so much and pray for you every day. mom it brings tears to my eyes to know that you have found something that is helping. what a blessing. i hope all is well. dad i hope you had fun with the hodgdons. can´t wait till that is me next year!!
love,
hermana plummer
ps: in the package can you send the dry idea deoderant, more of the facewash you sent, more wrinkle release stuff, peanut butter!!!!, handsanitizer, and more toilet paper to go (almost out)
also happy late birthday mike!!!!!!!!
also dad do you think you can see if the book mormon doctrine is sold in the states in spanish? a member wants it so much but can´t get it here. let me know how much it is if you find it thanks

Feb 10, 2010

Short and Sweet.  She needs your prayers!!!

hola, oh goodness it was hard not having a p day till today. no we didn´t have a change. everything is the same here in rama 2. there are 3 trios now with the new hermanas. h gonzales is in one and I think h sargent too. very different to have a trio out here in the field. crazy to think carli´s mission is so different from mine riding the german metro and going to the opera house on p day.  there isn´t really much to do on p day but get together with the elders and play soccer. but today we played tennis!! it was so great. there is a court right by our apt, but we havent´ been able to play until today. they have raquets and balls and you have to pay, but I dont´care. it is like a piece of home. so fun. and yes the courts is clay of course. the best 2 hours. I needed it.
no h lozano and I don´t really share emails and stuff. she knows a little bit of english but not much. her accent is cute when she talks in english. and yes I read my farewell book quite often actually. at least a few times a week. i have really needed it. my shoes are holding up just fine. usually my shoes don´t get too wet, just muddy. one of the black pairs I dont´really like turns out, but the other 2 are great. I only had one blister on the ball of my foot but didnt´get bad at all.
I am so excited for emily to get out in bolivia. probably going to be a lot like my mission. except she doesn´t have to learn guarani. I know a few words, but right now I am focusing on spanish.
love you

All the Hermanas