Trent - Miracle Week!

Hola Everyone!

This week was so awesome! By far the best week of the mish without doubt! My new comp is a beast! Hes from Chile and he actually speaks a really laid back and slow Spanish so I can understand him haha. Oh my goodness I have seen so much improvement in the language, its crazy. I can pretty much understand everything that everyone says which is really nice, let me tell ya... i finally know what is going on haha. Talking obviously is still a challenge but im gertting so much better. I dont feel nervous at all anymore talking to people even when i sound a little stupid sometimes haha. 

So, my new comp is a beast. We just straight up went to work this week. We talked with everyone and we prayed for the Lord to prepare people for us if we opened our mouths and showed our faith and he definitely did. We were contacting before these appointments we had in this one area that is super far away walking, like 45 minutes and we found this family that was so prepared it was crazy. This lady was outside literally watering her dirt( I have absolutely no idea why they do that here it is hilarious... they just go outside and spray a hose on their dirt haha) and she looked really mean and intimidating haha and I started to question whether I wanted to contact this woman. But I thought in my head that if I open my mouth, Gods going to fill it because im showing my faith. So I did. We started talking with this woman and she was really awesome and she was so prepared for us... it was crazy. She said she already has a Book of Mormon and she feels like its true, but shes never met with the missionaries. We proceeded to then close our mouths which were wide open at this point and then taught her the restoration and a little bit of the plan of happiness that our Heavenly Father has for us and she and her family loved it. It was truly a miracle. I opened my mouth and the Lord blessed me so much. It was so awesome to know that he is watching over me and helping me. 

I dont have anymore time to share the two other awesome miracles that happened this week, but I want to share my testimony of the power of God that I can feel every day out here in the mission. It is real and i know it without a doubt. Hes blessing me with people that are prepared when I show my faith. When I bear testimony of the simple truths of the Gospel of Jesus Christ I can feel his Spirit testifying of my words to the hearts of the people. It is just powerful. I know he is real and he is listening. I love you all with all of my heart and I know that God loves you more than you can imagine! Till next week! See yah!

Rhett - Awesome Week!

Hola otra vez!

This week was another great week. Probably one of the best weeks in the mission. My new companion is here and we are working really well together. His name is Elder Viveros. He is from Paraguay. He is super cool. This week we had a lot of really great lesson and I am starting to see how the gospel is helping people change and have more happiness in their lives.

I don't have much time to write, but I just want to say how grateful I am to be here in Paraguay. There is so much work to do here and so many people to find and teach. It is so great to see how the gospel can truly change lives. This week I was able to see that with some of our investigators. It just makes me want to work harder and share this message with everyone! Yeah... living the gospel may not be easy and it might be really hard to do sometimes but... Its worth it! There are so many blessings that come from it. The Savior is always at the door waiting to help us, all we gotta do is knock and ask! Love you all, have a great week!Elder Reilly

Espenola Familia and their neighbors

Victor showing his muscles

my new companion cooking some food for his companion haha

Rhett - 3.20.17

Hola Familia,

I dont have much time to write but I just want to let you know this week has been a great one. People are starting to commit to the gospel and it's making all this hard work worth it. I have been able to see how the gospel is starting to change people's lives and help that have joy in their lives. We had two new investigators come to church this week, and it was just great to see their desire to come closer to Christ and learn more about Him.

This week is transfers and sadly my companion is getting transferred to another area. My new companion is a cool dude. His name is Elder Vivera and he is from Paraguay. He doesn't speak hardly any english so thats going to be fun haha. He does speak Guaranee though! Pretty much everyone here in Paraguay speaks Guaranee so it is very useful to know as a missionary. As a white 6'1, blonde American, when I start spitting out some Guaranee the people cant believe it haha. I'm hoping I can learn some with my new comp.

This week I have really been able to see how much the gospel can help people in their lives. This week my companion and I found out about a lot of problems or challenges people were going through in Paraguay. It was sad to see some of the things that these people have to go through, but how great is it to know that the gospel can solve them all. How great it is to be here to help these people through the gospel of Jesus Christ. I know that through the Jesus Christ and His gospel we can overcome anything and get through any problems we have. All we have to do is turn ourselves to Him and follow Him. I am really looking forward to these next 6 weeks to help our investigators! I know this gospel will help them and help bring joy to their lives and their families! I love this work! Thanks for everthing, love you all!

-Elder Reilly

We have been planning an activity us and the hermanas serving with us in our ward. The activity was the the young men, young women, refief society, and elders quarum all had a country they were assigned. Paraguay, Brazil, Peru, and Mexico. Each had to prepare food from that country and then do a dance from that country. Hahah the activity was great and we had some investigators show up. It was really good for them. The members here are awesome haha!

Trent - First Transfer Finished!

Hola Everyone!

This week was crazy. The transfer ended and my companion Elder Llontop got sent to Neuquen to work in the office. I am staying here in San Martin and am going to meet my new companion in about two hours. He also speaks no English and is from Chile... which means he is going to talk really fast and I'm hardly going to be able to understand him haha but it will be fun. I'm excited for a new trainer and I'm excited to work even harder than the last transfer!

The work has been speeding up a little and that is great to see. We have some solid investigators who are ready to hear the Gospel. Its gonna be lit. Also, a flipping miracle happened this week! We have been visiting this less active, part member family for like the whole transfer and have been dropping the cane on them subtly every week and this week they finally came to church!!! It was so great to see them there! They were really happy and their kids loved it! Now we are gonna baptize them haha. 

Also, something really sad happened this week with our investigator Edmundo. He was for real one of the coolest people ever and he was progressing really fast, but for some reason he wouldnt answer the door this week. We couldnt find him and we visited three times. Then his neighbor came out and yelled at us... haha classic. But it was so sad not to be able to teach him because I know he needs the happiness and the healing power of this Gospel. He needs help and we have it, but we couldn't find him. Please pray for him that we can find him and help him this week. We will press forward in faith!!

Something really awesome is going to happen this week. Were having a Capilla Abierta this week and were inviting everyone. The members are super hyped and I have a feeling that its gonna be really special! I cant wait to find more people to share the happiness with!

I truly love this Gospel! It really does bring a joy and happiness into our lives that is unlike anything the world can give! So share it! Everyone needs this Gospel. Theres always someone who needs to know that they can live with their family forever in happiness with our heavenly father! With this Gospel we can hope for a better world to come after this life! I love you all! Have a great week! Peace

Trent - Best Week Yet:)

Hola Everyone!

Dang this week was just so awesome! Truly so many miracles of people who were prepared for the gospel at the exact moments that we found them! So, firstly, my comp and I had our first baptism this week! Cecilia Espinoza was baptized and confirmed and is now officially a member of La Iglesia de JESUCRISTO de los santos de los ultimos dias! Ive never felt a more pure joy than the joy I felt seeing her follow the example of Jesus Christ and show her faith by getting baptized. We made sure to get members there while we were teaching her and they have really taken her in. The whole ward loves her and she loves going to church and I know that she is going to be a faithful member. How awesome!

Also, this week I finally stopped worrying about my Spanish and opened my mouth a lot more and truly saw miracles. I felt so comfortbale talking to people and bearing testimony of how this Gospel can really bring them joy. It was so easy because I was just telling the truth. Haha sometimes I dont even know what they say but I just bear my testimony again and tell them that I left my family for two years to be here to preach the truth and help the people of San Martin. Then they always seem interested and they open up their hearts to us. It's awesome. My comp is a savage and he says hi, and then looks at me haha. Great trainer though! I'm learning so much and becoming confident. 

Something that I have learned so much out here is the importance of the Spirit in literally everything we do. If we are not listening then we aren't going to be following the Lords plan for that day and we are gonna miss people that are being prepared! I know it! When I'm really in tune with the Spirit and I am really trying to listen, then EVERY time the next person we find has been prepared. It's so awesome. We have this one investigator names Edmundo and we just randomly found him. We felt we should talk to him and we did and he was so prepared. His wife just passed away two years ago and he NEEDED to know that he can see her again. There was a sadness in his eyes that was changed because the Spirit testified to him during our lesson on the Plan God has for us! The Plan of Salvation! The Plan of Happiness! We saw a change in his eyes when we let him know he can live with his family again after this life with a happiness more pure than anything that the world can give. Oh my goodness it the coolest thing ever to be able to help this hurting man. Next lesson we are going to teach him the Restoration and challenge him to get baptized! Pray for him. The coolest part is that we've had so many more experiences just like this. People who are hurting and needed our message. All because we opened our mouths and let the Spirit do the talking! It was awesome. 

This week we cooked chorizo in our pension and it was the BOMB! Holy cow the meat here is for real amazing. I could eat Choripan all day every day. And, surprisingly, I'm not getting fat(yet) and that's nice. We walk like 10 miles a day haha so I dont see how it's possible honestly. But I guess it happens to everyone in this mish so I'm preparing myself early haha. 

Another funny side note. I got my hair cut this week by this member and she accidentally gave me this bald spot on the side so she had to make the sides pretty much bald to match it haha. So I'm pretty much Elder Vanilla Ice Ice Baby right now. Hey maybe it'll draw some more attention to the 6'3" white American in Argentina and we'll get some more investigators and be able to help more people haha. 

Anyway, Love you and miss you all! Every one of you is special and important in the eyes of God. He's always watching and listening and he wants to help you! Thank you for the prayers and emails! Till next week!!

Rhett - Lets Goo

Whats up!

This week was a really good week. We had a lot of really good spiritual lessons. I am really looking forward to this coming week. Yesterday we had a zone conference with the President and his wife. It was super motivational. Towards the end we watched a video by President Eyring and Holland. I want you guys to watch it. Its called "The Atonement and Missionary Work." It is super good. The Savior knows what we go through in our lives and is always there for us every step of the way.

Unfortunately this week we didnt get any investigators at church. The power went out in the whole city the night and morning of, so a lot of people couldn't make it. We went and saw Victor on Monday night and he felt pretty bad that he didn't come. He is awesome. We told him that it is ok because he can come next week. He said back to us, "Yeah... but I just missed an opportunity." Super cool, he is progressing a lot in the gospel. I know it can bless his life. I am really looking forward to this next week. I feel my Spanish is a lot better now and I can participate a lot in the lessons now. I love this work.

Something cool I haven't written about in my letters. For the past 3-4 weeks, we have been teaching an english class every Wednesday. The first week we had about two nonmembers attend but now we have about 7. Its awesome, and its actually helping my spanish a lot too. The people we have been teaching are super cool. They seem really interested in the church too. I love it. Things are going great here, I am excited for this week! You guys are awesome. Thanks for everything. You are not alone! The Savior Jesus Christ is always there! He can help us through it all. Love you guys

Elder Reilly

Rhett - 3.6.17

Hola Familia,

This week was a good week for finding and teaching. We had a lot of good lessons and many people that are progressing. I feel like my spanish is improving a lot and I am starting to understand more of what people are saying. Usually its just a few words here and there and then just trying to put the puzzles together and figure out what they are saying. During the lessons I feel like I am able to participate and help my companion out a lot more. It is an awesome feeling to be able testify and tell people that we have a message that can bless their lives. One thing that was kinda sad this week was that only one of our investigators came to church. But it all starts with one! I was feeling a little discouraged during sacrament meeting when we had no investigators that attended. Then all of the sudden about half way through, one of our investigators named Victor just walked in and sat next to us. It was awesome to see him there. He is about 65 or 70 years old and is really intelligent and asks a lot of really great questions. He actually looks a lot and sounds a lot like a South American version of Papa(Hal Jensen). Haha he is awesome. He also came to second hour of church but had to leave third our to go to a birthday. He told us that he wanted to come to all three hours next week. He is an awesome guy!

Someone else we taught this week. Her name is Laura. We taught her once by herself and another time with her husband. When we taught her the first time she told us thst usually when missionaries walk by or when people come by to preach to her she usually just tells them that she is busy or that she can't listen at the moment. After that my companion asked her why she let us into her house to teach her. She said she didn't know, she just felt like she needed to let us in. I know that this was a blessing from the Lord to soften her heart so that she could hear our message. I think it was a blessing that we found them.

This is pretty much it for this week. Thanks for all of your love and support. Everything is going great over here. I love this work and the people as well. How great it is to share this gospel with the people here in Paraguay. I can see the joy it brings to people's lives already from being here 4 weeks. Have a great week!

Elder Reilly

Trent - GREAT WEEK

Hola everyone!

So I have four minutes to write this haha so it is going to be short! But I love you all!

This week was super awesome because we found some great investigators that were so prepared. We finally got our bearings and know the area super well now. The members are killing it and giving us references and we are finding a ton of people to teach too! It's great. We have a baptism this Saturday for Cecilia Espinoza. We found her and taught her all the lessons and she loves it. She is so excited for her baptism. Oh my goodness it brings my heart so much joy knowing I'm bringing someone to Christ. Theres nothing better than that! It's the most pure and real happiness I've ever felt! I love this work and I love all of you! I'm going to keep working hard and making you all proud!

Remember that you are all important and special in the eyes of God! He has a special and unique purpose for all of you! Now go ask him and find it out! Search ponder and pray! Goodbye! Love you all!