December 26, 2016

Hello again fam bam!  AHHHH yesterday was seriously the BEST CHRISTMAS YET!  LOVED being able to TALK and SEE YOU GUYS! I LOVE MY FAMILY AND THIS GOSPEL! So glad to have both.  This Christmas was different, but such a good different.  I have so many pictures to send.  This week we had a Christmas activity with our zone and also with our Rama. I gave the Nativity set to the family that we live with along with the advent calendar.  Also I shared the scriptures from that Christmas Symbol book! Thanks for sending that :) Hermana Córdova is super stoked that she made our Christmas card.  She told me that she is famous in the states.  HEYYYYYY if Jacob doesn't find a wife soon....she is the one.  She loves food just as much as him haha We spent our Christmas with the families in our Rama.  WE ATE SOOOOO MUCH MEAT! Christmas here is seriously like New Years Eve in the states.  Lots of fireworks and everyone stays up till 12 and after has a party and a dinner.  Hermana Córdova and I loved our Christmas PJS.  I can't believe our President of our Rama and his wife saw us in our PJS.  We wore them for dessert hahaha We also attended another Baptism. Arthur is 8 and Hermana Córdova and I were able to teach him the first 3 lessons.  He is grandson of our President.  Our Rama had a get together for Hna Córdova.  Everyone said a good thing about her and gave her a Paraguay traditional shirt.  We also had CRAZY weather beginning this week.  The streets were rivers.  We taught this guy named Ramon for 2 hours because it was horrible to go outside (we were stuck) I hope you guys have a good week.  Always remember your Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Thanks for your prayers.  Merry Christmas from Paraguay! 

Love,
Hermana Alexander

December 19, 2016

First off I want to say that I have the BEST FAMILY EVER! Thank you for the package and sweet letters! I will admit dads letter in Spanish made me tear up a bit.  I seriously love the spanish language! Sure loved yours too mom! I loved all of them! Loved the drawings and the letter from Matthew.  I still cannot believe that Matthew is 17 and Adam is 7.  Hermana Córdova and I love our stockings, calenders, and the goodies.  Hermana Córdova was seriously so stoked!  We also have a ward christmas party and an activity with our zone this week! THE GINGERBREAD MEN! Totally forgot that they were a thing haha The people here LOVE the candy canes! They don't have them in Paraguay!  Christmas here is really different, but of course a good different! Also I loved recieving a christmas card from the cahoons! 
We had zone conference on Saturday.  We were able to hear from President Evans.  He talked a lot about faith, repentance, and baptism - not only for our investigators, but for us too. He also talked about how we need to go about doing our best.  This is the Lords time.  He mentioned the promised blessings that are to come from the dedicatory prayer.  Now is the time for more baptisms.  We had 2 baptisms this week.  More miracles!!  So earlier this week we got a call from Ramon (the father of Almiris) saying that MariaHelena wants to get baptized!  This was such a shock not only for us, but for our rama as well.  She finally was willing! We touched on the lessons and made sure she was ready....and she was! I know that through Almiris, MariaHelena was able to have a change of heart. She got called this Sunday to be in the Relief Society Presidency.  What was really neat was that President Evans, his family, and the elder assistants were able to come and be apart of their baptism. The spirit was very strong. President Evans spoke and specifically told them that thier next step was to prepare to enter the Temple.  Hermano Ramon was beyond happy to baptize his daughter and wife.  
We also had a great lesson with our less active.  He wants to change, but is having a hard time.  His wife wants to be baptized. She attends every sunday with their son.  She is being such a great example.  He was able to recieve a blessing to help overcome his addiction with alchol.  Please pray for him. We also have a new investigator, Fatima.  She was a bit difficult at first to talk with, but she has completely changed.  She attended church this Sunday and loves this gospel. She knows that this gospel is what she and her family needs.  She is hoping that her husband will be able to attend next Sunday.  We also have Emy.  Emy and Fatima live in the same housing.  
Hermana Córdova and I are excited to skype you guys this Sunday.  We have church at 9 and are only doing Sacrament Meeting.  I love you guysss so much! Best wishes to everyone and hope everyone has a Merry Christmas.  This time is sure special, because the world remembers their Lord and Savior.  I am grateful for my Savior.  I know that He lives. Through Him, we can change and have eternal salvation.  He is our ultimate example.  Let us remember Him always. 

Love, 
Hermana Alexander

Almiris and Maria Helena's special day!

Yummy Candy Canes! 

December 12, 2016

Oh the weather outside is frightful hahaha The motto of the week. We sure have had some crazy rain and thunder storms! BUT that doesn't stop us! We just go for it and try to find people!  My comp is hard core, which is awesome! We share an umbrella haha  This week has been another great week.  Our friend Jorge is now an active member!  He has attended three times.  We took a picture on Sunday. He sure has changed and regained his testimony.  I also said goodbye to Hermana Antonia and her family.  They moved...which is so sad, but I am happy for them because their new situation is for the better.  We had lunch with them every Saturday.  Her daughter - Emily and I would talk about music! haha We also did a lot of service this week.  We helped favio - a member in our ward with his place. He makes sushi and has like a dinning place outside his house. 

We also had a big end of the year Relief Society activity.  The Hermanas shared their project that they have been working on.  We had such a great lesson with Almiris.  We are sure seeing miracles! She remembers the things that we have taught her.  We teach very simply and have her color photos of what we have been teaching.  I also had my first English class.  It went really well.  I just taught them the basics - How are you? My name is.... and also the forms of I, she, he, we, they.  They learned the sayings and how to respond.  I also had them do roll play and practice.  I cant wait to teach more! 

We had divisions with the Hermana Leaders - I worked with Hermana Rolim.  She is from Brazil.  Hermana Rolim has a really good Spanish accent.  She also speaks a bit in english, but the whole time we basically spoke in Spanish.  It is easier for both of us haha I actually can understand most of what people say in Portuguese but is harder to speak the language! We had some great lessons.  We taught an inactive family - Flia Diez.  We talked about the importance of reading the Book of Mormon and praying together as a family.  Also the Hermana is feeling alone and like God has abandoned her.  We read over the part when Joesph Smith was in Liberty Jail.  When she read this passage she had a different perspective.  Also the Hermano and the kiddos listened and were apart of our visit.  The Hermano has a major drinking problem but hopefully it will get better. The family that we have been teaching - Flia garay are progressing, but there is always something in the way that stops them from going to church.  Hermana lidia attended this week.  They will hopefully get baptized though later this month or in January. Please pray for them.

We have been working hard with our less actives.  Lots of Family Home Evenings.  The people here sure love the video that the church produced.  We got new investigators this week! Pretty excited!  We have zone conference this week with President and the other missionaries serving in Conception - another area.  We are going to do an activity for Christmas.  I will also get my package! WOOOOOOOO speaking of CHRISTMAS...I am beyond excited to Skype.  Also I want to say HAPPPYYYYYYY BIRTHHHHHHDAAAAYYYY TO ADAM AND MATTHEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I will be celebrating for them in Paraguay! 

Anywhooooo I loveee youuuuu allllllllll

Love, 

Hermana Alexander

Good thing I have always loved the rain!

Shopping China!

Hermana Rosi.  She is the best!  She has been having lots of health problems.  She is the presidents wife.  She spoke in church about pornography on Sunday - she is seriously an incredible lady. We do service for her every Wednesday and Saturday.  

Relief Society Activity!

Ewwww!

Jorge!!

December 5, 2016

Seriously so happy that today is Monday!  This week was another great and busy week.  Lots of great things are happening in Pedro Juan.  We have been working a lot with our less actives and investigators.  We had a Noche de Hogar with a family and talked about the Holy Ghost.  We played a game where one person was assigned to be the Holy Ghost and everyone else had to shout and be a distraction. As we played this game, the person who was blind folded had a hard time following the voice of the Holy Ghost.   We also read in 1 Nefi chapter 8.  We also found 3 new investigators from our less active friend - Hermano Ceclio (he needs to attend 1 more Sunday and then he will be active) He lives with so many people which is great because we keep finding more investigators!  We have Eva who is 12, Aldo, and Roberto. We felt that being able to visit with Aldo was a miracle.  Last Sunday, he was praying and felt inspired to stay in his house and not leave with everyone else (I can't remember where they where going) anywho we showed up! - We all knew that we were an answer to his prayer.  Gabriel and Mathis worked with us all day yesterday! They are very interested in preparing to serve missions.  We live right next to Gabriel and his family.  Mathis is super strong - he is the only active member in his family.  It feels like he is my brother. I love the members in my ward!  We are seriously all family.  I love President and his wife hermana Rosie! We did service this morning with Ramón. What was so fun was that we rode in the back of his truck! Yes I was in my happy place!  Oh we also have a new investigator Poala.  She is 12.  
Almiris is getting baptized on the 17th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Her dad bore such a sweet testimony yesterday. I shared mine too!  I seriously love the opportunity to share the gospel.  I also have been able to sing in English!  The people love when people sing in English.  We actaully contacted this family and he was like do you know the song you are my sunshine.  We sang it together and I wrote the lyrics for him.  I am also going to teach classes in English.  The Flia Garay are also so ready for their baptism, but we have to move the date farther because they didn't attend church, due to the fact thier nephew was in the hospital.  Pray for Edison.  The work here is sure hastening!  The 8th might be hard for us- it is the day of Virgin Mary haha I'll tell you how it goes! I cannot wait to SKYPE!  Charolette is such a cutie!  Hold her lots for me when you get the chance.  That is so crazy that Rebecca is coming home!   SOOOOOO exciting about DESSSSS! Seems like the boys are busy with sports and school.  That is very exciting that Matthew made the team!  So exciting about Adam and Matthews birthdays.  Later today we are going shopping at China.  I LOVVVVEEE YOUUUU ALLLLLLLLLLL oh also I taught about the Light of Christ in District Meeting - love Moroni 7:16  I love how the Light of Christ is super strong during Christmas.  Everyone needs to remember to have this light always. 

Love,
Hermana Alexander

Moroni 7:16  For behold, the Spirit of Christ is given to every man, that he may know good from evil; wherefore, I show unto you the way to judge; for every thing which inviteth to do good, and to persuade to believe in Christ, is sent forth by the power and gift of Christ; wherefore ye may know with a perfect knowledge it is of God.