April 18, 2011

First Baptism R with Plummer/Knapp

Reconnecting with MTC comps

Hna Gonzales and Lavaka

hola familia, i am sending pictures of the baptism. woohoo. so amazing. R is the tall and skinny white one, the viejita next to him is his mom who wil be baptsized soon. she just doesnt know it yet. the dark muchacho is M, a member who just got home from his mission a few weeks ago and has helped us out so much with R the past few weeks. then there is me and and then hermana knapp. we are in front of the chapel. this was on saturday and then his confirmation was on sunday during sacrament meeting.
oh before i forget, you dont need to send weird garlic pills. i think we are fine. dengue is quite rampant right now, but we use repellant everyday. a few people have died, but don't worry. and no we don't share the ward with other elders. we share the chapel, but there is a branch that meets separately. we only walk a few blocks to the chapel.
anyways, R has had a really rough life. he is 49 years old, was married but not anymore and has 2 kids, but we don't know anything about them. and right now lives with his brother and mom to take care or her because she is in a wheelchair. she is so cute, and so evangelical, but already says she likes our church better than hers.  she has come to church twice now, and was so emotional at the baptism. david cañete picks her up to bring her to church. well, tuesday he called us and told us he didnt feel like he wanted to be baptized anymore. he has had some major problems and said he was going to move back to his house in the interior. i cant really go into detail, but it was really bad and i cried. but we met with him on wednesday and he decided to stay so he can be baptized here. then on friday night before the baptizm he basically got jumped by guys who tried to steal his cellular. so much opposition, but all was well in the end and he was baptized and is so happy now and has worked out his problems. the power of God always overpowers the attempts of Satan. i can't even describe the happiness i felt at his baptism and to see how happy he is after such a difficult road to find happiness and peace. this work gives you a feeling like nothing else in the world, and is so incredible.
on another note, one miracle slash funny experience of the week was when we were teaching these 3 women for the second time. the first time we invited them to be baptized, and they accepted and the second time we finish teaching the restoration and then one of them says, ummm, i have to tell you, we are members. we were like, of our church? yup. but they have been inactive for a long time. a really long time. one of them isn't a member and is way interested, but all of them felt the spirit and was really incredible. they said they know the church is true but she doesn't want to come back to church until the bishop is changed because they are related to the bishop and she doesnt want an interview with a relative. but we invited them to church anyways and i really feel like she is ready to come back to church. it is going to be hard after such a long time, but she felt comforted that we are here to help her. at the end, we went into the house for a kneeling prayer (so much more powerful than sitting). we invited her to say the prayer and didn't want to at first but accepted. her prayer was so tender and heartfelt as tears streamed down her someone is ready to let him into their life. it is not by coincidence that we found them. we almost didn't pass by because after the first lesson we passed by tons of times and they weren't there and we were going to pass by one more time when we finally found them again. i am learning to see the miracle of how heavenly father works, and it is such a blessing to be apart of it. well, i have to go. i hope everything is going well on the homefront. i miss you all so much, but i am reminded everyday how little is my sacrifice Jesus Christ.
oh and here is a phrase for this week mom, se que la iglesia de jesucristo de los santos de los ulitmos dias es la unica iglesia verdadera sobre la faz de la tierra
love,
hermana plummer

April 11, 2011

Coronel Oviedo

Streets of Coronel Oveido

Saying goodbye

Saying goodbye with Hna Lozano

Chicken farm

hola familia, dad, I can just imagine you reclined on the couch watching golf and getting alot of enjoyment out of being able to fastforward though all the commercials. i can imagine our beautiful yard in PTC and how pretty and green it must be in augusta right now. in coronel oviedo, there were some really pretty areas in the campo. I have some pictures I will send. very green too. not much of that here in leopardi. it is all built up.
I just got done reading your email, and I dont have too much time. the answer to all your questions mom is, sure. whatevery you want to do is fine with me. but it seems like you think I am closer to the office than I am. we have to take a 30 min collectivo ride to get there. I am going to send some pictures so this will be short. but this week was so great. first of all, I read the transforming power of faith and character by elder richard g scott. so amazing and everyone should read it. I just want to read it over and over again. next, my testimony grows and grows every day of this work. it is so much bigger than me. sometimes I am just in aww. Ruben is so ready for his baptism and I couldnt be any happier. he bore his testimony in sacrament meeting and I just cried. the spirit was so strong and I feel blessed beyond words to be able to bring the gospel into his life. all we did was knock on his door and teach him the doctrine, and the Lord and the Spirit did the rest. I am learning really what it means to be an instrument in the Lord´s hands. this feeling takes away everything else and you dont want to be anywhere else but here. I cant even describe the happiness I felt yesterday. we were both crying, hermana knapp and me.
ok sorry. the computer isnt working out with the pictures.
please send my love in some way to the ptc ward. I still feel like it is my home there in ptc.
thanks mom for all the updates and everything you do to send me little parts of home. oh and dont worry about your heart you sent. I have it right by my alarm clock by my bed and I have it in my hand when I pray at night. I love you all so much. the expereinces of the mission have opened my eyes to so much and I am realizing more and more how much my perspective is changing. and it has only been 5 months. actually, almost 6. I cant believe how the time flies. crazy. my mission is almost 1/3 over and I feel like I am just getting started. cant wait for may 15th when I get to talk to you for mother's day! one month away. I think it will be really weird to talk in english. in my interviews with pres callan, we talk in english and stumble to talk in english, spanish always somehow is taking over. well, next time you hear from me Ruben will be miembro de la iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Ultimos Dias! I cant believe it is really happening. 
k I added pictures. I hope it works. they are a few of the pictures I took before leaving coronel oviedo and one from my new apartment and one from the polleria (way gross). yes I know I look awful in all of them. dont make fun. love you all so much.
love,
hermana plummer

April 4, 2011

YEA Whitney's large package arrived in 3 weeks and she didn't have to wait until the next transfer!!!  Peanut Butter and Nutella over dose and Easter candy before Easter!!!!!  She had a request for Charmin on the go.... now she doesn't need it in Leopardi.  Also included was a bottle of wrinkle resistant spray. I was worried customs would open the package because of the large liquid container.  I prayed this package would arrive un-opend and in good shape.  Prayers answered.


hola familia, this week was great. it happened to be one of those weeks where you get rejected alot. as a missionary, people lie a lot. and sometimes there are days or weeks where it seems like everyone rejects us, but so many good things happened this week, it didn´t even matter. first of all, Ruben is still going strong. he is such a miracle and such a blessing. he has such a desire to learn and understand and really find Christ in his life. he keeps saying how blessed he is that his hermanitas came to his house and shared this message with him. he has had a difficult life and steared away from God for a while, but really is looking for happiness and truth in his life. he came to 2 sessions of general conference and loved is. so many times hermana knapp and I looked at each other and were like, ahh this is so perfect for him. Such a testimony that Heaveny Father uses his servants to speak to us. conference was amazing. I cant even describe it. well, the week started off good. normal week. we had to do our weekly planning on thursday since friday we had interviews. so friday we went to the mission office for our interviews. my interview was great. President Callan always knows what to say and always has the right counsel. We talked about what a successful missionary really is, a missionary through which the spirit can work. I decided to ask if I had a package and sure enough, my package had arrived the day before. how perfect!! mom and dad you are the best. I am in heaven with all my goodies. thanks you thank you thank you!!!! hermana knapp also says thank you since she gets benefits too. so friday was way good, plus the weekend was conference. we got to attend all the sessions of conf. Pres Callan decided that is was necessary that all the missionaries be able to see all sessions but to do everything possible to bring investigators. we invited so many people. all our investigators we could think of. and called them and stopped by their houses, but no one but Ruben came. We were really hoping that someone would come since a few really said they would, but when it came down to it, Ruben was the only one who came. but I am just so grateful for him. quality is better than quantity right?
I learned so much from conference and have to admit it made me a bit homesick. when it was over I had mixed emotions. I had a stronger desire to go and preach the gospel, but also it was like saying goodbye to home again.
I noticed a theme of service. We have been summoned to serve others more. I realize that when I get back, I need to live my life a lot differently, to look outside of myself more. the life of a college student can be a bit self centered. also, a theme of the importance of the family. really the grand scheme of things is all about the family. everything we do in the church is to help the family and to achieve an eternal family. I dont have my notes with me, and there is so much! I cant wait to read the talks in english in the liahona. we had to travel about 30 minutes by collectivo to a chapel. it is so huge. bigger than some in the states. they had a big screen with the video and then a voice over in spanish of the talks. I learned so much and felt the spirit so strongly. I thought of dad at the end when they sang more holiness give me since he always said that is his favorite hymn. (oh dad, before I forget, I i believe we live in fernando de la mora). well I have to go. I love you all so much! happy birthday Chris and Nicole. love you both so much! I love this work.
love,
hermana plummer

March 28, 2011

I guess I asked too many questions, since she was transferred.  Just an overly anxious mother.

hola familia. mom, I know you are curious, I just dont know if I will have time to answer them all. yes I am famous in paraguay now. actually a lot of the members and even people we talked to on the street recognized me. how embarrassing. yes it was hard to leave coronel oviedo, but I can already tell I am going to love it here. it is interesting that hermana sargeant said that leopardi isn't very upscale because compared to coronel oviedo it is way rich. it has been a while since I have been in a house you would find in the states. I got in the habit of always keeping my backpack on my lap because the ground was always dirt, but I realized that I dont need to anymore because we are inside. before I continue, mom, thanks so much for the packages and such. you need not worry when they arrive and all that. I am just grateful that I am going to get one. you are the best and I am so blessed. sounds like you can take a break from the package sending for a while. 

a little run down of my living conditions.  I live normally. dont worry. we have someone to wash our clothes, we have air, we have water, a microwave, food. dont ever need to worry about that. you can worry about dengue. jk. it comes from mosquitoes and they are pushing repellent because a few missionaries have gotten it, including the hermana that was hermana knapps companion before. she got it right before she finished her mission, but is all better now and I am supposedly in her house.

this week was full of miracles. first of all, yes, the ward is incredible. they are so willing to help. it has a lot of families that have been members for a long time. I was really nervous for me and hermana knapp at first, but I feel really good about our companionship. she is so great and her spanish is awesome. I think my spanish is coming along. I understand more, which helps. 

yesterday was possibly the happiest day of my mission so far. we had an investigator come to church. Ruben Dario. he is golden. we found him just by knocking on his door. after we taught him he said, I am going to go to your church tomorrow. we were like, ok. ha. he came and participated in the classes and we had the perfect lesson about prophets since next week is general conference. at the end of the lesson he said how he is searching for the truth and searching to know the will of God for him. It was so sincere and I seriously almost cried I was so happy. I cant even describe the joy I felt. not only that, but this week we found so many people to teach. miracle from heavenly father to find him and the other people too. I am so blessed to get to be part of this work. 

last night too we were walking back because our appointments fell through so we decided to knock a few doors. we talked to a lady for a sec but she said she didnt have time, so we left her a pamphlet of the restoration. we were about to walk away but for some reason I couldn't. something inside me was like, no, you have to give her the pamphlet of the plan of salvation. I was like, no, she is already back in her house and I dont want to call her again. I tried to leave again and felt it even stronger that I need to give her the other pamphlet. so I told hermana knapp and she said too that we should just do it. I felt so awkward, haha, but i clapped again (we clap here not knock actually). she came back and I told her that I really felt she needed the part of our message and I explained more. still she said she didnt have time but I invited her to read the pamphlet anyways. i dont know why or if she will even read it, but I felt good that I had followed the spirit. only heavenly father knows. well, got to go. love you all so much. I love this work and know Jesus Christ is our savior. 

love,

hermana plummer

March 24, 2011

Transfered to Leopardi with Hermana Knapp


hola familia, thanks mom and dad for the updates on everything. what a miracle with the story of the missionaries in japan. everyone here is talking about it. seems like every year there is something more that happens around the world. sign of the times. those families are in my prayers. well, surprise, I am now in Leopardi. never saw that coming. I knew it was a possiblility that hermana lozano would leave so I was all prepared for her to leave. felt like I knew the area well enough. that took for ever because it is grandisimo. but they changed me to leopardi. my new companion is hermana knapp from kansas. she has one transfer. yup. two greenies together. hermana lavaka is now with hermana lozano. I was really nervous at first that we both are still figuring everything out. but I feel at peace that we are going to be ok. more that ok. I am really excited to work with hermana knapp. she is so great and we agree on a lot of things we want to do. the barrio is incredible. we had a meeting with the lider misional last night and he is a returned missionary. he helps the hermanas out so much to get the help of the members in the lessons and such. you have no idea how much of a relief it is to hear that. I can tell that the members really help in this area and i am so excited. we really struggled with that in coronel oviedo. they are great, but don't really have the drive to participate in the work. it is sad to leave coronel oviedo. I didn't feel like my work was finished. we were finally seeing some progress and had two with a baptismal date that we found this past week. I am sad to leave behind the families and investigators that I love. I keep thinking how lavaka and lozano are doing. so weird that lavaka is sleeping in my bed and walking the streets that I walked, and teaching my investigators. but I know there is a miracle waiting to happen there. I was way surprised, but I feel comforted that this is where heavenly father wants me.
well, my last week in coronel oviedo was good. I ate the liver and heart of a chicken. ya. took a while to get the courage to do it, but wasnt bad. I wasn't about to eat the head though. they seriously eat everything they can. all the members in pindoty work in a polleria and it is killing time for the pollo. smells awful. I will send some pictures. I also took pictures with a lot of the families when I left that I will send.
we were looking for antiguos investigadores this past week to look up again to contact. I found one I felt we should find. we found the house and the chica didn't live there anymore, but we decided to teach the girl who just moved in. paola. she is so ready. when we shared out of the libro de mormon, she was like, where can I get one of those, I want to mark that and read more. we were like, uhh, you can have this one. we invited her to be baptized and she accepted. I hope she progresses so much. I wont be able to hear about her progress. sad day. I know that was such a blessing to find her. she is so ready.
well, I have to go. I just got my valentines day package and yes I think I got your second letter. I finally got margarets letter too. thanks so much for the package and the books. I love the inspirational book. part of it really helped me. it says that even when life throws us a curve ball, we can still hit a homerun. so true.
and and by the way. even in spanish I cant escape jokes on plummer. they say plumero.
oh and I am famous in paraguay now. when we were waiting in the terminal, all the missionaries that had transfers, some news person was interviewing a few of the elders. I was sitting minding my own business writing in my journal when the guy decided to interview me. my hair was all messy because we just got off a 3 hours collectivo trip in which I slept the whole time and i just look awful. he asked me my name and where I am from and how long i will be in paraguay and where I am going right now. I said I came from coronel oviedo and how I am now going to leoparti for a while. didnt think very much of it, but when we went to a members house last night, the sister was like, oh, you came from coronel oviedo and are from atlanta. huh? they saw me on the tv. another member we met saw me too. so weird. anyways. that is the story of this week. love you all so much and am so blessed to have you all as my family. I love this work and know it is the most imporant work in the world.
Love,
hermana plummer

Transfer week and no email until Thur.

March 14, 2011

Coronel Oviedo District

Hna Lozano has finished her mission and sent these

pictures to me (Louise) on FB.  

Map Of Coronel Oviedo and location of pension.

What a payback to a parent.....  We did something right!


hola familia! goodness, sounds like you all had a crazy week with skiing and baby Zade! I was so excited to see pictures. so tiny. get well soon amy! can´t wait to meet him when I get back. thanks for filling me in on eveything mom and dad. so fun nicole and justin have visited twice already since I have been gone. crazy to believe it has been almost 5 months since I entered in the mtc. crazy. but already it seems like I dream that I was anywhere but here. mom, muchas preguntas. haha. I will try and fill you in on everything you want to know. well, this week was good. we worked really hard to find new people to teach, asking for references from everyone. We have some hopefuls, so I pray that the spirit will work out what is out of our hands. It seems like everytime we think someone is going to progress, we can´t find them or they cancel. frustrating, but we just keep pressing forward, trying to do everything we can. trying to keep the faith. I know I need more faith. to believe without seeing. to believe that someone will accept without seeing it, yet. oh and before I forget, I haven´t gotten the letter from margaret. hopefully it will come tomorrow!
we give talks every second sunday of the month. haven´t cooked much yet. but I am getting there. one thing that hna lozano loves from el salvador is fried bananas. she fries everything. anyways, it is with this special type of banana that is sweeter. it is short and fat. it is way good. but we don´t have this kind of banana in the states sadly. but if I like it and don´t like bananas, it must be good. I dont´really know what I eat. a lot of apples and cereal, and eggs, and pasta, and carrots and I don't remember???   hma lozano eats a ton of black beans. apparently they eat it with everything in el salvador. we eat lunch either in the pension or at a members house like twice a week but don't eat dinner till we get home at night. my clothes are holding up good. one of the buttons on a shirt came off. story of my life, but I will try and fix it today. shoes are still going strong. sorry you have to have such a crazy diet mom. it wouldn´t work here that is for sure. we are in a district, not a stake but I am sure they have district conference. yes they have a way to watch general conference. I am so excited! but I think I will have to watch it in spanish. they always have it in english mainly for the elders, but I can´t be in a different room than my companion, so I might not understand total, but it should be fine. I was reading the conference liahona yesterday from the last conference. I was reading the talk by elder holland where he shared the story about his mission and how his parents didn´t use his money. ya that talk. I remembered him crying while giving that talk, and started crying yesterday reading it. I thought of so many faithful members of the church who give everything they have to be obedient. who do whatever it takes to help another and to fulfill their callings. I am realizing a lot more what I have been blessed with in my life. My eyes have been opened to the reality of a lot of things. we talk about the family everyday and how our message will help people protect their families and unify their families. I thought of the times when I was young when dad wanted us all home to eat dinner and I was so annoyed because I wanted to eat at my friend´s house or what not. I look back and realized all the things you both did to try and unify our family and protect our family. I am so grateful now for growing up in a home with parents who taught me correct principle. I see kids 10 11 years old who walk a long way to church alone because their parents are less active. I cry thinking of how I took all that for granted. thanks mom and dad for setting an example for me and for doing all those little things, like family prayer and family scripture study and family dinners. I see now how important it all is, epecially now that I am trying to help others do the same. I love you so much. I can´t even describe how blessed I am. well, I have to go, I won´t be able to write until next thursday because next week is cambios. I love you all so much! I know jesus christ is our savior and we can look to him to help us through anything. until next week.
love,
hermana plummer