Trent - Awesome week!

Hola Everyone!

Love you and miss you all! This was another great week! I have little time but I want to share a short experience. 

So i have been diligently seeking the guidance of the Spirit. I want to KNOW what the Lord needs me to do and where he needs me to go. So, we were walking back from an appointment and it was 8 oclock. I got this random feeling that we needed to visit this one kid that we contacted once at the top of this freakin mountain haha. So I dragged my comp up this moutain haha because he didn't want to go because we literally had to run up this huge mountain to be able to make it back in time. Haha so we ran up this mountain and the whole time I'm just praying for a miracle. I didn't make any sense to go visit this kid that we contacted once and never were able to find again. So we get to the house and his dad answers and its dark and he's like, umm yes what do you need? I didn't really know what to say and I was drenched in sweat, but I just said, we have a powerful and very important message that we need to share with your family right now. He was like, "Bueno, pasen" haha. We got in and gave one of the most powerful lessons I've ever been in. We testified boldly of the restoration of the same church and authority that Jesus Christ has on the Earth. It was truly powerful and the Spirit was there so strong! Then we sprinted down the mountain and made it back with like 1 minute to spare! It was so awesome! The Lord guided me and blessed me for my diligence in listening and ACTING on the promptings of the Spirit! And now I'll pay him back by baptizing his precious children! I love this work! Love you and miss you all! Till next week!

Rhett - The Gospel Changes Lives

Hola Familia!

This week was kinda difficult but a good one. We have a lot of new investigators right now who are progressing and want to learn more from us. We have been trying to find a lot more investigators who are ready this week. Here in Paraguay the people are always super nice and willing to listen to our message, but a lot of times they are just being nice and dont really want to change or act on the things we say. But also there are a lot of people who are prepared and really want what we have in their lives. We have been trying to focus on really bringing the Spirit in every lesson. Because if the Spirit is there, nobody can deny the message we have! This message can bless ther lives of all who find it. As missionaries we are here to help people find it.

This week we had another miracle with the Espenola family. Haha I talk about this family every week, but they really are an amazing family. I feel like they are my family here in Paraguay! They are always inviting us to come over and cooking for us. They seriously cook us a huge steak dinner everytime. Even though they may not have that much money or are having a lot of problems, they are always trying to get us come over because of the message we have given them. The gospel is truly changing their lives. This past week we found out that one of the daughters, Dalma, has something wrong with her nose and is having a really hard time breathing. She went to the doctor and they said she needs surgery and that it would cost 12,000 dollars. The father told us that when he heard this he knew they didn't have the money and didn't know what to do. After he left the doctors office, he went to the side and just said a prayer. After he prayed, the next day or so he was talking to his boss that he works with and he said he could pay for all of it! And that they could pay it back little by little over time. After that they also found out about another hospital that my companion told them about and this hospital can do the surgery for 3,000 dollars! This was a miracle! The mom told us that he just started crying. Man, I am so excited for this family and for the opportunity I have to be here with them. They have a lot of things to do right now and many problems but even so they want to get baptized next month! The daughter is going to have surgery next week or so, then the parents are gonna get married, and then they want to get baptized. I feel so blessed to be here with this family. The gospel blesses families. In this life we have so many problems, so many difficult things we have to go through... but through it all we can have joy through the gospel of Jesus Christ!

This week we found a lot of people ready for the gospel in their lives. I am excited to continue working with them, because I know this gospel truly will change their lives! I know this church is true and I love this work is the people here in Paraguay! Love you guys!

Sorry for not sending pictures once again, I lost the adapter for my camera to import the pictures to the computer. Next week there will be a lot of pics!

Elder Reilly

Trent - Stayed in a Hotel and Heard an Apostle!

Hola Everyone!

This week was really awesome:) The Lord is really trying to teach me a lot and he is guiding me in everything I do. It's a great feeling to know that I'm doing His work and His will. I can really feel that out here in the field.

Man the Lord has been preparing a lot of people for us this week. We were in the street talking with everyone and this girl just came up to us and was like, "Hey I want to know more about your Church and why you're here walking every day." As a missionary I was silently jumping for joy haha because that never happens. It was so awesome. She is truly prepared to receive us. Her name is Camila and the coolest part is that I have this unshakable feeling like I know her. I recognize her and I don't know why. I really feel like I met her before this life and I was sent here to Argentina to bring her the joy of the Gospel. 

Through impressions and feelings that I can't describe, I KNOW that I was guided by the Lord this week to where I needed to go and with what I needed to say. This is truly his work. He directs it. I am only his vessel. I feel like I've never been so in tune with His Spirit. I feel what I need to say and do and I know it's its divine guidance. Its truly a blessing and so comforting to know that I am an instrument in the Lord's hands to bring joy to his children.

So this week was crazy hearing from the PRESIDENT of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles! They bused us all to Neuquén in this giant bus haha. It was FULL to the brim with missionaries for like 8 hours haha. Then we all got to stay in a HOTEL! It was crazy. There was a nice shower with unlimited hot water and the beds were so comfortable. Never thought I would stay in a hotel in the mish. It was awesome. But even more awesome were the words from an Apostle of the Lord to our mission. He told us that in a world that is getting darker and darker, we need to shine brighter and brighter. He said that we were the Hope of Light in the world! Jesus Christ and His church are the only way to shine the light of happiness and joy! It was a really special message and I know it's true with all my heart because I'm full of that light right now and I'm sharing it with everyone! I love you all! SHINE THE LIGHT!!!!!

Elder Reilly

Rhett - 4.17.17

Hola Fam!

This week was a good one. We didn't do much for Easter because people don't really celebrate on Sunday for Easter. We had a big lunch after church though with a member family. They are awesome, they cook for us every week. There is this stuff here called chipa, which is like a bagle with cheese in the middle. But during the week of Easter everyone in Paraguay makes and eats chipa. Haha so that was fun this week eating lots of chipa. Yeah...I'm actually starting to get a little fat haha. I'm starting to eat a lot more healthy now. All the members are saying that I look bigger than when I got here! Something else cool that happened this week. Two cousins from member families in our ward here just came back from their missions. One served in Peru and the other in Chile. They were awesome missionaries and have been helping us out a lot this week. They want to come to lessons with us every week. That will really help with the work here. One of them is seriously a beast, he was telling me different techniques and things to use as a missionary to help me and it was really good stuff. It motivated me a lot. The work was good this week though, We just need to get our investigators to come to church so they can be baptized! Its going good though! 

I just want to say that I love this work. Me and my companion are continuing to work hard to share this great message with everyone. I know this gospel is true and can bless anyone who finds it. I'm grateful for the opportunity to share the gospel with the people here in Paraguay. I hope you all had a great Easter! Love you guys

Elder Reilly

Rhett - Great Week!

Hello Fam,

I dont have much time so I'm just going to go straight to some experiences this week. This week was a great one. We had some miracles happen.

The Espenola family... Man they are doing awesome! This week we were talking with them and the father finally decided to come and listen to us. At the end of the lesson we explained to him that in order for his family to be baptized, he and his wife(girlfriend technically) haha need to get married. We talked to him about why it's important and how the gospel can bless his family so much if he just does those things necessary to follow it. He and his wife are now getting married and practically the whole family wants to get baptized. It was awesome! He also commited to stop smoking and drinking and promised his family that he would stop. I know the gopsel is gonna bless them so much. I feel like I was sent to this area so that I could teach them! They are awesome!

Another cool thing this week. We contacted a lot these past couple weeks late in the night. One night we were contacting this house and this lady Mariella let us come and teach her. As we were talking with her she said that she has been Catholic pretty much all her life but just has never really read the bible or gone to church all that much. During the lesson we talked about the Book of Mormon and how is another testiment of Jesus Christ like the bible. We gave her a part to read and the next visit she said she read most of it. We talked to her about the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ and about how the same church that was on the earth when Jesus Christ was on the Earth is literally on the Earth today. She said she believed in what we were saying and said she will pray to see if it is true. She said if she knows she will get baptized. Man...What an awesome lesson. I know I was sent to this area to teach people who are ready for the gospel like her. I know the Lord knows us each individually and he wants the very best for us. He has given us this gospel so that we can return to live with Him again. He loves us and He knows us. Love you guys, Have a great week!

Elder Reilly

Our zone has started something called the Jesus Journal. Each of us has a journal with a picture of Jesus Christ. Every day during our personal study we are gonna pick one scripture about Jesus Christ, write it in our journal and then write down something we learned about Him. The point of this is to help us come closer to Christ. If any of you would like to do with me, I invite you to do it!​

Trent - Almost done with Training!

Hola Everyone!

As usual, I dont have very much time! But this week was really great!

We have been meeting with our investigator Edmundo a ton and he is progressing so much! He has a baptismal date for the 22 of April and he is really excited for it! He truly loves the messages we are sharing with him and I can see a change in him. He's so happy and that brings so much joy to my heart! Two weeks ago, we couldn't find him and we almost stopped visiting his house, but we didnt leave him behind because he is a precious son of God! And now, the Gospel is bringing so much joy into his life and he's going to be baptized! How awesome is that?! I truly love this work. There is nothing else that I would rather be doing than bringing souls to Christ! Theres nothing else that brings more happiness!

I have been praying constantly for the gift of charity and I can feel myself changing. I really LOVE the people here so much. Every person I see it's like I'm seeing my family. They are my brothers and sisters in God and I truly love them so much! I notice that as I devote myself completely to them and try to do all that I can to serve and help and talk with everyone and invite everyone, I am so filled with joy and with the spirit. I can feel my Father in Heaven guiding me. Things are truly brought to my mind to say so that I can touch the people's hearts and help them feel that our message is true. There really is nothing better than being a servant of the Lord. I love it!

Also, something cool that is going to happen next week...President Russell M. Nelson is coming to speak to our mission! On Friday a bus is going to pick us all up and bring us to Neuquen. We are going to stay in a hotel! Haha and we get free breakfast! I'm so excited to hear what an apostle of the Lord has to say to specifically our mission. I can't wait. 

I love you all and am so thankful for your emails and prayers!:) Till next week!

Trent - Another week of Miracles! :))

Hola everyone!!

This week was the best yet. I have very little time as usual so this letter is going to be pretty short(Sorry Tori!). Anyway, this week we saw some awesome miracles. I have been really praying hard to know God's will and what I need to do each day to be the best missoinary that I can and I have really felt His guidance this week! Randomly I got this impression that we needed to visit this lady that has rejected us like three times and I dont know why. My comp told me that we needed to stop visiting her because it was a waste of time, but I couldnt shake the feeling that we NEEDED to visit her so we went. She let us in and we had the awesomest lesson with her about the gospel of Jesus Christ. The Spirit was so strong during the lesson it was amazing. In tears she told us that she knew that we were sent from God and that our message was true. She told us that we were her angels. There was such a special spirit in the room. This woman has a true desire to change and return to God and we were able to help her with that. How great! We felt the Spirit and felt that we needed to to challenge her for baptism so we did! She accepted for the 22 of April I believe! The Spirit was so strong when we testified to her that God sent us to find her and that he is trying to being her back to Him. Truly a miracle! This woman, her name is Corina by the way, had rejected us three times, but the Spirit led us to her when she was ready. We didn't give up on her because her soul is precious and we knew she needed help! 

I love this Gospel and the joy that it brings to those who live it! I know it's true with all my heart! I've felt it so strong that I can't deny it! I love you all and I'm sorry I cant write more! Remember how blessed you are! Till next week! :))

Rhett - Conference!

Whats up familia,

This week was a good one. We found a lot of new investigators to teach so that is good. I am excited to see how they are progressing at our next visits with them. Victor and the Espenola family are doing really well. We have been teaching the Espenola family a lot and one of the daughters is progressing a lot. Her name is Dalma and she actually came with us to watch conference. It was super cool. She said she really liked it. She has a baptisimal date for this month!

Man...conference was awesome. And I got to watch it in English! There were a lot of really great talks! One of my favorites was during the Saturday session when Elder Holland spoke. One thing he said that really stuck out to me was "Come as you are but dont expect to stay as you are." This is very true with the gospel. Continually we are changing everyday. As we come closer to Christ and his gospel we can continually change and become better. Sorry don't have much time but love you all! Have a great week!

Elder Reilly

Sorry no pics this week!