Got two packages!

Two packages!

Thanks a bajillion for the packages from you and the relief society. I have no idea what I'm going to do with that pantry full of spices. I was thinking some steak sauce and garlic salt would be sufficient, but when I find something to use chili pepper and cumin powder I will be ready. Thank you so much for finding my patriarchal blessing, I love reading it.

Jedi Master LaFaye

Short on time today. Here's the run down.
Had interviews with Presidente Callan for the last time. He is the man. We will see him in the 70 for sure.
Elder White is awesome. We have a lot of fun and work hard. That's a great combination.
We fasted as a zone to find the chosen people of God who are ready to be baptized. Found 3 this last week who si o si are getting baptized.
Enrique came to the baptism last week. He said is was too bad he wasn't wearing white or he would've been baptized too. I will have to give you the full story on this guy next time. He is the man. Reminds me a lot of dad for some reason.
Elder Oaks once said that missionaries don't bible bash... but when they do they win. A few wins under the belt, I'm doing pretty good :)
Randy, you look like a stud in your senior pic. Hope you like the semi truck I sent you.

We are going to skype the day before mothers day.

Gotta go, love ya!

Elder LaFaye

Hey, my brother's name is Randon!

Letter to the mission president

(Ryan typed this update letter to the mission president in Spanish. Since he was short on time, he just put the whole letter into a translation site and pasted it in an email. I am copying as is, mistakes and all.)

Baptism of Fernando

Hello President,

Last week was spectacular. Fernando was baptized on Saturday. It was
so buenicimo. He has many friends in the church are very supportive.
His testimony after his baptism was excellent. We are super felizes.
Now he wants to learn everything, has the desire to serve a mission in
the U.S. is practicing English and then read the book of Mormon in
English. Now let's try to teach your family, will be difficult but I
know that they can see the testimony of Fernando and change in your
life.
The assistants Elder Durrant and Love helped us a lot. I learned a lot
of Elder Love. The thing I like most is that he is always using the
Book of Mormon. The Book of Mormon is everything. Is written with a
purpose. First it starts with a story of a family and slowly builds
into the doctrine of Christ. My desire to study the Book of Mormon are
so strong now. We work with a lot this week and saw some miracles
encourage incredible. Dyed a night home with a family member and
neighbor. We found out that she read the book of Mormon in Guarani,
Guarani learned through reading this book. Quire baptized but now she
is not married to her husband. We set some plans for a wedding next
week. He does not want to talk to us but we will see if this family
member can talk to him about marriage. Then we find a young, is 15. We
teach the restoration, and at every point we talk about baptism. He
offered the final prayer, in his prayer he asked if the Book of Mormon
is true, and if he should be baptized. Then the spirit and the silence
was very strong. He said, "I feel that these things are true. I will
read this book, and I will be baptized on May 12."
My first week we teach a woman, was very good but moved. We find him
again yesterday and she loves foyeto. studied hard. You're welcome to
be baptized on 19 May, she is very happy and feel something when we
are teaching these things. We are very excited for her.
I am studying in the book of mormon, the wars between Captain Moroni
and Amalickiah and Ammoron. I love the wars of the Lord. Has a big
impact for me because after my mission I will be an officer in the
Marines. As a leader I want to get the attributos of Christ and be
like Moroni, that the powers of hell would never have power over me.
Elder White as well. He has so much love Fernando and our
investigators. The love of Christ is central to this work. My trainer
always told me Schone Elder, the two most important things in this
book is a strong testimony of the Book of Mormon, and love for people.

Thanks for everything,

Elder LaFaye

Macanadas

Transfer to Encarnacion

Encarnacion, Paraguay-looking across the river to Argentina

So to save time I'm just sending my letter I write to Prez Callahn to
you guys. Writing in Spanish takes a little longer so I don't have a
ton of time to write. I'm now in Encarnacion! It's the very bottom city
of Paraguay, borders with Argentina. I can see the Argentina city
across the river, pretty cool. My new companion is Elder Devin White
from Logan Utah. This area hasn't had a baptism in a while, but I'm sure
they have been planting seeds like crazy, now its time to harvest and
reap the benefits. Sorry i didn't write much, I will get more in next
week. Hope you all were spiritually and chocolatly edified for Easter
weekend. Love you all a ton.

Elder LaFaye

Elder White, First Counselor Beto, Me

Hola Presidente,
Estoy muy animado para trabajar aqui en encarnación. Elder White es un
bueno misionero y muy obiediente. Vimos mucho milagros este semana
pasado y estoy seguro que vamos a ver mucho exito este cambio. mi
compeñero me dijo que estaba plantando muchos semillas, ahora el campo
blanco está ya para la siega. tenemos fernando, tiene 20 años. vino
los ultimo dos domingos y esta muy animado para bautizarse el 21 de
abril. nos dijo que quire aprender todo ahora para prepararse a servir
un mision. tiene muchos amigos en la iglesia que ayuda mucho. despues,
tenemos fabian, él es demasiado curiouso de todas las iglesias,
siempre tiene preguntas de cada religion. leó el libro de mormon hasta
helaman, va a terminar esta semana. solo problemo ahora es que él no
piensa que tiene que bautizarse otra vez. él no aceptó la invitacion
porque piensa que su bautismo era una ejemplo de fe y no importa si
era verdadero. vamos a hablar mucho de la autoridad para ayudarle.
estamos trabajando con un menos activo quien esta viviendo con una
mujer. estamos ayudandoles para casarse y despues ella puede
bautizarse.
estoy estudiando en el libro de mormon donde alma regocija en su dios,
quiere ser como un angel para predicar la palabra a todos en la
tierra. es interasante que él dijo que este es un pecado. aunque sus
intenciones son muy muy buenos, él tiene que ser contento con lo que
Dios le dio. me gusta este parte porque puede aplicar este principio
en mi mission. a veces quieremos más que tenemos, pero Dios nos ha
dado todo lo que nesecitamos para tener exíto.
Gracias por todo,
Elder LaFaye

General Conference was AWESOME

amigos

A cutting-down-a-tree-in-rain-and-lightning
service project.

Conference was AWESOME. I thought there was no way it could get better than the last one, but I was wrong. I loved how every talk was about families, and especially how the book of mormon can help our families. I was re-reading some of the notes I took, I can't pick a favorite but here's my highlight reel:
Prez Monson's story of the marines in WWII
Bednar's story of the conversion of his father
Eyering's talk about overcoming trials
Anderson's story of the 3 kids who survived Haiti
I can't wait till the conference liahona comes out. In the mission, general conference is like the super bowl and the liahona is sports illustrated, but even better because its twice a year!

There are so many things that happened that i need to tell you, sorry if my letters and been short. I can't write fast enough to tell you all everything. So here's short summaries:
The temple was amazing. b-e-a-u-tiful (jim carey voice). I did endowments and baptisms for the dead. I felt like Alma baptizing thousands in the waters of Mormon. I understood the video pretty well but the talking part was near impossible cuz the guy helping me mumbled with a paraguay accent. I just mumbled confidently so I sounded like I knew what I was saying. God understands mumble, if not, the intentions were just.
Witnessed a pig die, never want to see or hear that again!
Cambios are this Wednesday, I think I might be leaving but I will find out tonight.
We almost missed a conference session after some extraneous events. Collectivos (buses) take super long because they are always stopping and going to pick people up. The only way we could make it to Paraguari in time was to hitch hike. So we threw up the thumb and after much rejection a pickup truck stopped, we hopped in the back and got off at Ita after 20 min. Walk for a little while longer and a semi truck stopped by, hopped up in the cab and he took us to Paraguari for another 20 minutes. It was pretty sketchy at first but we saved 5 mil and gained a sweet Paraguayan experience.

dormiendo en el collectivo

I recieved the notice for my package, so I have to pay a bit and then I will recieve it next week.
Randy Reece and Robby, because I'm rediculously nice I want to buy you guys a soccer jersey. Olimpia (black/white), Cerro (blue/red), or Guarani (black/yellow). cual quiren? Guarani is just another under dog like Cerro. Olimpia is like the Yankees of futból.
An investigator gave me his trompo, a giant spinning top that you throw with a rope. it is the coolest paraguayan toy ever, but super hard to throw. I'm going to master it by the time I'm done here.
Out of time for now, but I love you all, hope your doing great. Dad you really know how to attract people to crash in to you, but I hope your burns feel better pronto. When I get back I will get in line a week in advance for the next hail damage storm and by a sweet civic or something so no worries. Por lo menos we got a free flat screen with the car.

Oh, this week I encourage you all to watch some of the conference talks again on the computer, maybe some of the ones I highlighted. But there's many more about families that are perfect for family home evening.

much love,

Elder LaFaye