Another week gone by

Hey fam! LOve you all! I went with this subject this week because with Dia De Gracias this week it is important to continually ponder what it is that you are grateful for! I know that will be on my mind a lot this week. But i won´t really be able to celebrate it.. Not a holiday here, might have to buy some chicken or something.. But some things i am grateful for..

1. A loving Heavenly Father=he wants the best for us.. But yes he gives us trials to learn and grow. He wants to see if we will put our faith in him.. And turn to him and love him... but if we turn to Him, we will be able to feel that love from him and our Savior Jesus Christ.. They love us so much.. I know he is patient with us..

2. My family! I miss you all so much! You all are the best. Thank you so much for the support you have been giving me these first 3 months of my mission. Not a day that goes by where i don´t think about ya! And glance at the family pics! haha. Much love much love much love! 

3. A great place in and home which we live in. Some of these homes or shacks here i cannot even comprehend living in.. A family of 3, their house was big enough for 2 beds, and a dresser. There was about 4 ft of room from the end of the beds to the front door. Stone floor, bathroom is like homemade outside... Ya.. So we need to be grateful for the conditions in which we live.. I have a greater appreciation for what the Lord has blessed us with.

4. To be a MISSIONARY! Though at times it is hard cause i can´t share and understand and say what i want to say.. I just need to trust in the Lord! But being a missionary is great! I love it! ALways hungry, tired, in the heat! haha But i can see the Lords love in my life and the lives of others. LEarning so much i am constantly studying the principles of the Gospel. But it is GREAT! Can´t wait for doug to be called to the Gran Mision Paraguay! haha

Well those are some things i am grateful for! Now this week was great! Had my first Zone Conference! Good to see PRes. Callan and HNA Callan again.. 

Some new things i haven´t seen before.. We were at someone house teaching, and they have this dog that was all happy when we got there. So were teaching and the dog wanders off, comes back and just starts spazzing! Like falling over, and can´t stand straight. JUst totally struggle fest.. The grandma starts freaking out, get leche get leche Or milk... haha I guess the dog had eaten poison or something, and they shoved milk down the dogs throat.. haha. Took like 10 minutes and the dog was back to waggin its tail.. 

While talking about dogs, I don´t think I like them anymore... haha They bark all night long and are so disguesting... Most of em are afraid of you though.. 

Another new thing.. Got my first paraguayan haircut! haha. That was pretty nice.. Sending a pic, probably can´t tell. But just sending another pic home, of me not in my church clothes in the apartment.. ANother new thing i don´t think we have in the U.S is mandioka.. It is like a potatoe but like sweeter. LAst night i  had mandioka french fries... Which were really good... 

I can´t pray in ingles anymore.. We were visiting a less active member.. And they asked me to say a prayer in english.. And it was soo hard.. haha I cannot believe how hard it was for me.. Just cause i am always saying my prayers in spanish..

Another new, heard celine dions my heart will go on... haha. Weird when i hear songs in english..

But this week has been good. Flew by already.. Yesterday i had my first talk in church.. I spoke about the Book of Mormon and the importancia of the book of mormon.. I hope everyone could understand me and all.. CAuse i just had an outline, lots of scriptures and went.. It wasn´t a printed talk.. But ya, it went well.. 

Nothin really new about our investigators.. Slowly progressing, we have a couple with a baptismal date, but they work so much it is hard to find time to teach them.. We should have a baptism by the end of next month.. The mother that is pregnant who i have talked about, will be baptized after she has her baby.. But yes, things are good, just difficult to understand everything.. BUt things are good, there were a lot of hot days this week, but today we had our down pour of rain! 

Thanks for the love and prayers! Unitl next week!

Con Amor

Elder Van Leeuwen