3 John 1:12-14

"¡Oh hermanos adios pues adios...! El momento de ir vino ya.."


Nothing could sum up how I feel right now. See you guys soon


Elder Kyle Horton

The Final Countdown..

So, I am about to start my last week in the mission. I can't believe it. I am filled with mixed emotions, sleeping this week will be tough. Nahhhhhh sleeping hs never been tough for me ha But I am excited to go home and see the family! Today we are going to travel to another city, and do a little shopping, andtonight I head out to Asuncion to visit the temple for the lst time tomorrow! I can't believe it, I really can't. Like I can't even remember what it was like to not be a missionary.


This week will be filled with a lot of lasts. I plan on enjoying it, and doing everything in my power to keep helping the people. We had 5 investigators attend church on Sunday, one of them being a couple that we found just this last week contacting! They are super awesome, and I hope to hear about their baptism here in a few weeks.


Well, that's about it. Thanks for reading my emails. If anybody actually reads them. haha


Love you guys


Elder Kyle Horton

20 Anos

So after a week of rest, boy was I ready to leave the apartment Friday morning to start working again ha It's hard getting all the energy and flow back after being out for a whole week with the flu, but we've been giving it our all! The investigators that are progressing the most right now is Luis and Sandra, the brother of the branch president and his wife. They recently moved in with him, and live with their 4 kids. I had actually known and taught the Brother (Luis) a year and a half ago on exchanges I did with other elders, which is quite the coincidence! But anyways, we have seen the most amazing change in him and his family. Before, they lived in Sandra's house (Of her family), but once her family heard that she was planning on getting baptized, kicked her out her family out of her house, and stopped communicating with her. She took it very hard... as anyone would! But has found a strength and peace that comes from living the gospel of Jesus Christ. This is just one of the may miracels I witness daily being a full time missionary in the coolest country ever ha


And yesterday was my birthdayyyy!! WOOHOOO I passed it very well. A few families invited us over for lunch and dinner with cake to top things off! A few converts from one of my earlier areas came and brought me a delicious cake, and a Sister, also from another ward, hunted me down and surprised me with Empanadas (Yum!) and a white tie made from Ao Poi, a style of Paraguayan art. It's super sweet, and I am super grateful to be a part of this work, this people love the missionaries so much, and I love them right back :) Ahhh man, all the little things just start making me all emotional, knowing that I will soon be leaving all of this behind... But that love and gratitude that the poeple here have shown me is something I will never forget. Next Monday, I take my final trip to the temple with all the other elders and sisters that I am going home with, and the following Tuesday I have my last interview with me Mission president. I honestly don't know how to feel or think about all of this. a few months ago I longed to be where I am now, but now that I'm here, wrapping things up, I long to be where I was 3 months ago! But, I guess I just will have to enjoy it while it lasts :)


Love you guys, thanks for the birthday wishes!


Elder Kyle Horton

Cough Cough

This week has been so boring... So it started off just fine, I went on divisiones to a city SUPER far away. Everybody there is very poor, and everybody had the flu... They don't even have a hospital in their city to make things worse ha.Needless to say, by the time I returned to my area in Ita, I was down with the flu... And I have spent the past 4 days in the house. I am now feeling 90 percent, a lot better! But my comp last night got hit super hard... and had a fever of 103. So we rushed to the hospital and he also has the flu. Dang. So 5 more days in the apartment! Doing... who knows what ha This is like the worst time this could happen too... So close to me going home, I can't believe it ha OH WELL It has given me lots of time to study the scriptures so I guess that's cool.


Well. This is my letter for the week then ha


Love you guys! Have a great one


Elder Kyle Horton

Mbohapy

What a whirlwind this last week was... But that's jsut how it is when you've got to organize 2 baptisms, baptismal interviews, have a Zone Training and are doing a bunch of excercizes because you are 23 months in the mission and realize that you are still a little on the shrimpy side ha (Skinny guy probs) Pero bueno..


So it's 5 o clock, 2 hours before the baptism, and we are feeling good. We've got our suit coats on, and head out the door with the Brownies and Lemon Bars that we've made for the after baptism refreshment. We get to the church, open the door to the Baptismal Font that we spent all day filling and..... The water is YELLOW!! We turned into a panic, and started bailing out the water by hand, knowing that the pump takes a solid hour and a half to take the water out. An hour later, it was empty, and we were tired (and not to mention sweaty). The font just barely filled up in time for the baptism, but it was quite the close call! haha (And my back and legs still kill btw)


The kid who got baptized (Tobias, age 15) I found out this week that he is the son of a guy who got baptized when I was here a year and a half ago. The dad was a reference that we got from his friend (Member) in a lunch we had with him... a year and a half ago later, and him, his wife, and now his son are members of the church. They are planning on getting sealed this october! I can hardly believe the progress the Hermano Gamarra has made


Well, to celebrate the 4th today, we have taken the decision to make Hot Dogs and drink Coca Cola. I'm pretty stoked to say the least


Love you guys, light some fireworks off for me! Just know that fireworks here don't cost an arm and a leg... It's about 25 cents for a pack of 20 firecrackers


Anyways... God Bless the USA


Elder Kyle Horton

Returning to Ita

So this week has been too insane... I can't believe I really am back where I started it all! Ita is a beautiful city, and I am so glad that the Lord has called me back here. I have seen an amazing growth here in the branch since I left it more than a year and a half ago. Not necesarily in numbers, but more so in the maturity of the leaders, and quality of the meetings. They have gotten so much better! I had my first Branch Cousel Meeting in like 5 months, and the classes where way fun. We got to the Aaronic priesthood class this Sunday, and it was so great. They are the life of the branch here. There are 3 missionaries that have left since I was first here, and many more are preparing everything to leave on the mission within the next year (5 or 6 more) which is incredible. It has been so much fun visiting all the members here... the majority surprisingly still remember me!! ha Which is funny, because when I was first here, I hardly spoke spanish... and now as I finish my mission, I could converse with everyone in Guarani! ha


This week, we will be having 2 baptisms, one called Ñaisendy (Light of the moon), and Tobias, 2 youth who ware super prepared and excited to get baptised. In both cases, their parents are recent converts, so it will be great having them there to help them keep attending church for after they get baptized


Soooo my comp is Columbian, from Bogota! He is such a stud, but has a very different personality. It's like a dry sarcastic humor, it's hilarious! Him and a few other members pulled a prank on me when I got to the area on Tuesday. We went to go visit a new convert, and when we got there, and entered her house, she was sitting down on the table fake crying holding a needle and a bottle of liquid! I was so shocked!! My comp started getting mad at her for relapsing, and starting to use drugs again, and I was suuuuuper confused. My comp looked at me, like telling me to share something with her to help her, but nothing came to mind! I just stood there stuttering haha I gave the cheesiest testimony that God loves her, and that she is his daughter, when they all started laughing at me, and that's when I caught on that it was all a joke! How awful is that, right?? hahaha


So that's pretty much it. Our zone is here honestly struggling for the moment, we hope to go visit a few areas this week to help out some of the branches that are having difficulties. I lvoe being a missionary, it's been too much fun :)


Love you


Kyle

Chipa

So teaching a blind guy in guarani was a lot more dificult than we thought it would be! But it's all good, we just pretty much have been resorting to having a few members come and help us out with the visits. Sadly Steven coudln't make it to church yesterday.. hardly anybody could! It was extremely cold yesterday morning, and nobody has hot water showers... or really showers! They just resort to a bucket of faucet water and a bar of soap! Burrrr!


Other than that, we had a unique experience to document the 'Chipa' making process, which I will now explain. So Chipa is a paraguayan cheasebread made with the following ingredientes: Eggs. Fat, (Usually pig fat). Parguayan cheese (Doesn't taste good at all... unless cooked), salt, and Mandioca flour, mixed with water. It's a very famous paraguayan food, it can be bought by multiple street venders that sell it on the busses, in street markets, and even with door to door motorycycle service. It costs about 5,000 guarani's (a little less then a dollar) for a big piece. We have a few recent converts and investigators that are featured below in the pictures that are Chipa sellsman. They make about on average 30 bucks a day (Minimum wage is about 12 USD $ a day) , which is extremely good for Paraguayan standards, and are self employed. The best is that they always share their fresh out of the 'Tatakua' (translation Tata - fire, kua - hole) or paraguayn brick oven (as shown below). It is not the most hygenic process, due to the fact of mixing and roling the dough with your bare hands, but I feel as if the extremely hot 'Tatakua' should burn off all dangerous diseases.


Well, the work continues here in Caacupe. It's been such a joy working with these wonderful people. They aren't perfect, but I guess I'm not either so we get along just fine. I also was able to dish out a lot of trash due to the U.S. beating Paraguay in soccer for the Copa Americana, so that's been qutie nice :) haha


Love you guys!


Elder Kyle Horton

Oro

This week we had a baptism!  She had some last minute struggles, like an hour before her baptism her neighbor almost talked her out of getting baptised by telling her that "Those mormones are just taking advantage of your financial situation to get you baptised". We had some members (her friends) step in last second to save the day, and she ended up making it there on time, and all ready to go :) (Phew!) Missionary work is so stressful sometimes


So I have oficially started a semi serious study of the BOM in Guarani! I understand about half of everything it says, but here in a bit I should get a hold of it :)


I had the privelege of doing some divisiones, and went and visited for 2 days this week a few neighboirng cities, Eusebio Ayala, and Ypacarai. The church in Eusebio Ayala has only been there for 3 years, and they have about 15 active memebers in the branch. The workd there is moving forward in this town, it has a bright future ahead of it! We talked with 3 families that are considering getting baptised, and places like this are in dire need of families


Remember that thing I had in my foot? Yeah well it's all good now, so no need to worry


We made lemon bars last night and they turned out SO good! I had almost forgotten about those suckers. I should have been taking advantage of that my whole mission, since there are unlimited free citrus fruit here


Caacupe... It's such a blast! My comp and I have been having way too much fun lately. We keep teaching a few indian families, which always keeps things interesting ha! One of the families we are teaching stopped drinking and finally saved up enough money to get electricity cables hooked up to their half abandoned house, so things are really looking up for em! It's amazing all the changes the gospel brings into ones life (Or it might just be inteligent money spending habits... how about both?)


Love you guys!!


Elder Horton

Mba'e ko Cheve?

Zone Training

Pretty much turned baptism into a science

Alright, sooooo the family that was going to get baptised had some legal document problems, which should get solucioned all here in a few weeks tops, and then they will be baptised :) This week, a 60 year old lady who lives right next door to the church has decided to get baptized. We have been working with her for like 3 or 4 months now, she would have gotten baptised earlier on, but she had to stop smoking. What has mostly helped her, are her 2 really good friends that are both members of her church. She has been investigating the church for more than 30 years, ever since the church was built here in Caacupe. We had an especially good "Call to Repentance" lesson the other day, and since then she has dropped the cigarettes por completo.




The zone training we had this week went really well. it was focused on "Teach Repentance", so that we can "Baptize Converts". We had a really powerful training, (jeffrey R Holland videos sure helped a lot) and we all left with a lot of excitement for the work. The numbers in our Zone have just been going crazy, and this week we already have 5 baptisms ligned up "Stake" (District) wide, which means we have to do lots of interviews, and lots of traveling! The biggest challenge we have been focused on lately with the zone would have to be working with the Area Book.




Here in our branch, the presidency got released, and a new one was called. There are very little options for stud priesthood holders out here, so they called a young 25 year old return missionary (The only return missionary in the branch) to be president. It was honestly such a good move, he will be able to really help to work move along here




Something that I liked about my study this week (Old Testament) was in the book of Jeremias 16:15-16, it prophecies about the latter days, and how people will leave "From the Northern Country" to "Hunt and Fish" in order to begin once again to gath Israel. It's so funny how it is all coming to pass! I feel a whole lot more like a hunter than a fisherman, moving speedily, talking with everyone to just looking for prey to baptize, haha




The power of the Atonement is so real. Something I am learning more and more is that the atonement is not just for becoming clean from sin, although it is, it is much much more than that. It is a fount of spiritual strength that one can freely draw from. It sounds cheesy, but it's true! I feel more light pouring into the inner me every time I say a prayer, or bear tetimony of the christs atonement. This is the power by which great changes are made, and souls become converted. This is the power that has changed my life forever




Thanks for reading my boring email and everything! 10 weeks and I'm home, so just bear with me a little longer haha Have a great one




Elder Horton

Lost in the Work of the Lord

Another week has come and gone... I can't believe it


We spent a whole day and a half traveling to and from a leadership cousel we had in the capital Asuncion this past week. I wish there was a way to avoid all the ridiculously long travels we have to do. It just wasts so much golden time! But there is just no way around it I guess


We had our progressing family attend church yesterday, and their baptism and wedding is set for this Saturday!! It's been a long fight with them to get them to stop smoking, and get them to church, but they have accepted things very well, and there is such a notable change in their house environment. I mean, not that their house is nicer or anything, they still live in an abandoned brick shack, but there is feeling of peace and love, whereas beforehand it was completely absent. We have had a Recently baptized family helping us out a lot with them, but it looks like everything is set for this Saturday!


Doctrine and Convenants touches many times on how we must study it out both in our mind, and in our heart, and then simply "put our trust in that spirit that leadeth to do good" in order for the Lord to help us make decisiones, big and small. We are currently putting together a Zone Training that we have to give Tomorrow, and it is amazing to see the Lords hand guide us, and show us how we can better portray the information or ideas we want to get across. Recently my comp and I just sat down and watched a few general conference talks that really touched me, and gave me the motivation I have needed to get out and testify, to work, and give everything I've got to the Lord, so that I can bring "Even just a single soul unto repentance". I love this work, and all the amazing opportunities I have been blessed with to serve and lift those around me


Have a fantastic week


Elder Horton


PICS


Oh and I have something living in my foot

Mothers Day

It sure was great seeing the fam bam, even if it was just over Skype! Looks like everything is great back home :)


So... today is transfer day! But looks like I am staying in the area with Elder Gibson (An Elder from my group) To finish out our second to last transfer in the mission, which is so crazy! A solid 80 percent of all our conversations are about after mission stuff, so we plan on concentrating ourselves a lot more this transfer and really just losing ourselves in the work just one last time. I love my comp, and the area is going to explode this transfer, so I am just fine with it :) We have a family and other people progressing towards baptism, so this transfer will be full of reaping our hard work we have done this past change.


Love you guys so much!


Pics of the temple trip`from a few weeks back


1) My comp $$ Elder Gibson


2) The daughter of one of my converts (Serving a temporary local mission)

Frio (Ro'y)

Soooo winter came around full swing this week... hitting some gnarly temperaturs (16 degrees Celcius)... Which for Paraguay is literally heck getting frozen over. Everybody has to just spend all day huddled up around their little carbon cooking fires to stay warm, so needless to say we have had plenty of around the campfire lessons this week, they are my fave! ha


Our temple trip this week was the best. It could have been a whole lot better had I remembered to use the restroom before entering into the session! haha I spent an hour just ``Aguantando´´ or waiting anxiously for the session to finish so I could relieve myself. haha It made it hard to feel the spirit when my bladder was jsut on the point of bursting... ha! Que mala suerte...


Say a sign today on the way to the internet cafe that said "Puede vivir como quieras, eres el unico barrerro" And I couldn't help but chuckle and think about all that Nefi teaches us in 2 Nephi 28.. The whole "Eat drink and be merry, because tomorrow we die" atittude is jsut so bad... It could never work inthe grand scheme of things! I love the scritpure in 1 Nephi 15:34 that says that "no unclean thing can live with God, therefore he has made a place for the flithy, Therefore if we are filthy we must go to the place of the flithies" or something along those same lines ha


This transfer alone I have memorized vaguely 60 scriptures from the BOM for all "Cane dropping" needs. This week we start on to D and C. It's so funny how I get so excited about this kind of Gospel fun. My pre-mission self would be laughing uncontrobably if it could see what I have become! haha


Well, that's bout it for now, love you guys a full!


Elder Horton

101

There is a torrential rainpour coming down right now, holy cow!!


Pero bueno... tomorrow I get to go to the temple for the first time in almost a yearrrrr YEAH It should be fun. Also we got a local missionary yesterday (Who are normal Paraguayans who serve for a transfer) from my old area! She was my almost convert, but I baptised her mom and her brother! It was great to see her and here that everything is going well back in Posta Leiva.


This last week we had 5 investigators come to church... and they are hardcore progressing! A family will get baptised this 17th of May, things are about to get real crazy. I really feal like my comp and I teach very very well together. Everything just flows, and the spirit is almost always present. (Except when the lessons get interrupted by drunks... which happens more than you would think)


We had to travel 2 hours in bus to do a baptismal interview and finished at about 6 in the afternoon.... only to find out that the busses stopped at about 5, so we were basically stranded in the middle of no where for the night. We decided to start walking, and eventually had to resort to hitch hiking to get us back home. A nice semi truck driver stopped and picked us up. He was 20 years old, and a really crazy driver (He has no drivers licensing, he said his uncle taught him how to drive) but we got him all safe and sound.


A recent convert is passing througha hard time with her family... they basically got in a huge fight, and they want to kick her out of the house with her family. She has been really devestated by this, and is asking herself, and us, some really tough questions... like why does bad stuff happen to good people? And why is she recieving so much opposition from everything by joining the church? Sooooo we tried explaining to her that there is opposition in all things, and that Satan has to be present for us to have agency (The freedom to choose), and a whole other bunch of stuff like that. I decided to dedicate an hour long study sesh to the subject and found some great scriptures, mostly taken from the story of Job in the bible, who passed through a LOT of trials. But he asked himself the following, after having lost EVERYTHING and being cursed with boils, and it sounded quite similar to the question the sister had.. "Why, when I look for good then evil clave unto me?" It's honestly so true though... There is jsut SO much opposition when someone tries to do what's right... I have seen in COUNTLESS of times, every day, here in the mission. But it is just a portion of what the Savior had to pass through.,. I can't even imagine how unfair he thought life was... But he just so humbly submitted to evertyhing the Lord had in store for him. How truly amazing He is.


Well, love and care for you mucho! 101 days left... haha


Elder Horton


2 Attachments

Vos Sos... Aleman?

So normal stuff this week. Until Sunday afternoon...So I will try to explain you why it was so weird, but it ws just one of those you had to be there in the moment kind of thing.


So here in Caacupe you find the occasional European resident, it's just normal sutff. Like I think I mentioned it before, but here in the Branch there is a German family and a Russian family that attend weekly. The branch here is basically run by non-paraguayans. (Them, among a Chilean family hold many callings in the District and branch presidency) I feel like it's because all the smart Paraguayans got themselves out of Caacupe years ago ha


But anyways, so long story short, we wanted to get to know the Russian and Aleman's houses, so after church on Sunday, we hopped a ride with the Russians and they took us to their house, about 8 to 10 miles down a long dirt road out of the city and into the countryside/jungle. We pulledup to their 4 acres of land, and were jsut amazed! It is the best kept houseI have ever seen my whole mission. They are just some old Russian couple who got fed up with working crappy jobs in Russia, so they sold everything and transfered it to Paraguayn money, moved down in the middle of no where (Caacupe) and built a russian style mansion. Talk about a great retirement plan! They live self sustained, their whole yard is filled with banana trees and various fruits. They leave their hosue only on Sundays to go to church. I found myself extremely impressed when they invited us inside their sweet house (We had to take our shoes off to enter... that's something I haven't seen in 2 years) sat us down, and took out their traditional russian instruments (acordeon looking thing and a guitar) and played us russian melodys and taught us how to dance. I am not making any of this up either! Haha I feel like I'm jsut talking about a weird dream or something, but it's true! ha


Anddddd after we went there, we went and visited the German family. They did the exact same thing, and literally own a whole Paraguayn mountain, where they raise cattle and horses. They live the most tranquilo lifestyle let me tell you.


The guarani is really coming along. Before, I just spoke enough Guarani to make a Paraguayn laugh, but now, it's really been making rapid progress, since my comp is basically fluent


Well until next time. Love you guys


Elder Horton

3

My new comp is pretty awesome. Like by far one of my favorites. We have quite a lot in common, and really puch one another to be the best we can. We have set some crazy high goals for this change, and have been doing everything we can to reach them. My companion is pretty much the smartest guy out there... He speaks Guarani. Like do you have any idea how hard of a language it is? I have been studying it qute thouroughly for almost 2 years, and hear it EVERY day, and can hardly have a basic conversation. But my comp talks like a native Paraguayo, it's quite awe inspiring. If you speak Guarani, the people LOVE you, but absolutely adore you. For example, we showed up to a family of "Guarangos" or Guarani speakers, which we normally just pass right by, because trying to communicate with them is just so dang hard. But my comp just walks righ up to them and starts jabering away in Guarani. Everybody was so shocked!! haha We then taught them a lesson in Guarani (well, mostly he did) and they accepted a baptismal date and happened to be relatives of a less active member. And this is just a start of all the miracles!


The zone is good. It's been quite a challenge working with so many missionaries... it's quite tiring being in diviones with the other Elders about 2 of the 7 days of the week, it takes a lot of energy out of you. But the Lords promise when he said (Rough translation) "Come unto me all ye who are heavy laden, and I will give you rest" applies jsut as much to us, being missionaries, as to those whom we teach. I have found a true peace being out here working as a missionary, and i truly feel the Lords divine help.


"And it came to pass, that I Nephi, saw the power of the Lamb of God descend upon the saints of the church of the Lamb.. y que se hallaban dispersados for all the world; and were armed with righetoeusness and the power of God in great glory"


Well, so Nephi saw us. I love being a misionary. It is so bittersweet that it is coming to a close... but I have been so blessed to be here in the Lords service. Love you guys!



Elder Horton

Transfers

So.... the transfers were this week! Andddddd I've changed areas
(Whitewash...again). My ex mission president is a new seventy, and the
whole mission system has changed. So let me explain:


First: Whitewash. With an Elder from my group! And the best part is,
is that he is AMERICAN WOOHOOO 7 and a half months and finally another
american comp. We are still in Caacupe, (Same city I was in before)
but a different area. We are the Zone Leaders here, of a brand new
mega zone consisting of an entire district, 8 branches and 24
missionaries- It's going to be a blast. My new comp has been my bro
since day one in the MTC!! He is the biggest nerd out here, which
means we get along super well. It's bout to be such a good time


So the change in the whole mission system, at least here, is that
there are no limits to the areas. We only have to stay within the
respective unit. Or a.k.a. no we can go where we want in a city of
about 10,000 people to preach and baptize. Word.


I got to talk on the radio this week. Cheeaaauuhhhh


Love you guys! Have a great one and keep the commandments


Elder Horton

La Gran Mision Paraguay Asuncion

So here in Paraguay, it is a catholic tradition to celebrate the "Semana Santa" or "Holy Week" as a way to remember Jesus Christ, and it finished On Sunday, or Easter. Being here in the catholic capital of Paraguay, it has been ironically more difficult to teach about Jesus Christ, on the very week that is dedicated to him. Buttttt i'm sure the rainy cold weather didn't help either. ALRIGHT ENOUGH COMPLAINING


The nice part about the Semana Santa, is that everybody makes a traditional food called "Chipa", which is sort of a cheese bread, made with flour, eggs, corn flour, paraguayan cheese (The kind of cheese that looks and smells liek straight up rotten milk), and pig fat. They then take this dough, and form doughnuts, which they cook in a brick oven that they fuel with firewood. It's a proven fact that a solid 50% of the time, it's delicious, and the other 50% it's absolutely disgusting. But everyone has been giving us Chipa this week, we carried around bags to take home and eat the chipa that tastes good, and just threw out the bad chipa ha


This week are the changes... I hope I don't leave! I mean as hard as this area can be, it's going to be tough leaving behind the converts, especially the Baez family! But they did promise that if I get transfered they are going to prepare us a special meal of either 1) Cabeza de Chancho (Pig head) or 2) Jakare (Crocodile). I sure hope it's crocodile!


A family that we had found and been teaching in my last area, but couldn't get baptised because they had to work through a divorce finally got married and baptized this week! Almost one year and a half of attending church every week, and lots of sacrifice to pay to lawyer to get their marriage papers, and they finally got baptized!! It blows I couldn't be there, but oh welllllll what are you gonna do. And the important part is that they got baptized! ha


Stoked for general conference this week! Just as the children of Isreal were guided in the desert by a prophet, so are you and me.


Love you guys! Have a great week!

Ha'upei?

ran out of cooking gas so we made eggs in our sandwich maker

"The Lord has not sent you to his vineyard to enjoy the grapes, but to prune the vines. The Lord has sent you here to work."


This was the message given to us by a surprise visit by on the the Seventy this week. It struck me to the core, what he said. He spirit that he radiated is something I will never forget. As I listened attently to what he counseled us, the spirit sent me personalized revelation as to what I need to do better, especially as to how I need to finish my mission.


The Lord as always called men to his work. He chooses them, and provides them the mediums and talents to carry out his work. This gospel truth especailly stuck out to me as I continued my study of the scriptures this week in the book of Genesis and Exodus. Joseph, the same who was sold into Egypt was blessed with such a positive attitude, such optimism, that even after being cast into prison for resisting Potifers wife, he maintained his faith and hope, and because of this attitude the Lord made him prosper in all that he did, and was put as a lider in the prison. Another powerful example is that of Moses, who had a speech impediment, but was told to only put his trust in God, and he would give him the ability to overcome his human weekness.


Now how does this apply to us? What do you think?


I am enjoying every moment here in the Lords vineyard, as I strive to give my all until my time comes, and I have to leave all this behind. But when I'm done, I want to be able to say that I have truly, both physically, mentally and spiritually, worked with all my heart might mind ans strength, so that I may be found blameless at the last day.


Love you guys! Pics are to follow


Elder Horton

8

This week was incredible...ly normal ha


We traveled to Asuncion (The capital) so I could sign some imigration papers, so that blew. Pretty much wasted a whole day traveling to get to there, only to sign two papers and take a picture. BUT we did stop by Pizza Hut for their lunch buffet, so that was AMAZING. Seriously the best thing that has entered into my mouth since August of 2014 ha


Other than that, it rained a bunch this week, which always slows down the work a bit. We spent a lot of it with the family that got baptized jsut last week... they are so cool haha We have such a blast together. They are something so spècial to me, I just wish you could see them like I do! haha IT makes the days spent soaking wet, walking for hours on end talking with everyone so worth it. It brings me real joy watching them change their lifes, and share the message of the gosple with family and friends. The mom of the family walked 2 hours with her two daughters to get to and from her friends house to visit them with the misionaries. They payed their tithing yesterday too, hardly even members do that here ha


This week we will be having the visit of one of the 70. That will be exciting.


So I'm starting to struggle inwardly with staying focused in on the work, and not thinking about how I will be home in less than 5 months. Any advice on what I can do to stay concentrated on the work and give it my all with this little time that I have left? It would be greatly appreciated!


Love you guys


Elder Horton


And I had awesome pics this week! But they won't load on this computer, so I will just have to describe them:


1. A scrumptiously delicious sandwich made of fried large cow intestine (a.k.a. Mundungo)


2. Me in my black suit... but it's no normal black suit! It's got the paraguayn and american flags sowen in on the inside!


3. Me and a bunch of sweaty missionaries just finishing from playing soccer. Same old same old


I hope you enjoyed my pics! Ahhhhhhh no offense but the weekly email thing got old like a year ago haha But love you guys, that I do! Take care

La Boda y El Dentista

So... we had the wedding of the familia Baez this week! Everything went so well. It was very well organized and carried out, we had the help of a lot of members, so it made it a lot easier. They invited a bunch of neighbors and firends to thier wedding and baptism, I would say there was abut 20 or 30 new investigators present! we had the baptismal service right after the wedding, and it was so spiritual. We watched a few videos and the branch president talked about Obedience. It has been so inspiring watching the familia Baez change... And truly become converts! The best part is that we didn't do hardly anything, it was all the spirit! Aaaaaand the mission president just happened to show up to our church meeting on Sunday t watch them get confirmed. Word.

Also, I had to go to the dentist the other day... I had been having really bad tooth pain for a few days. But I am afraid of the medical service here so I didn't want to go get it lookied at haha But eventually I just couldn't take it any more. We found the closest dentist available (Who lives in a little brick house abut half a block from the house)... Let me just leave it it that. This is one of those "This story will have to wait until I get home, if not my Mom will worry too much and call the mission president again to check on her 'Precious baby boy'"... But it only costed 15 bucks for everything! Talk about great health care

Love you guys,

Elder Horton

La Familia Baez

The Baez Family have been investigadors since the beginning of February, when we contacted them will they were sitting outside playing with their two daughters, one that is 9 years old, and the other is 4. Since we have found them, until now they have undergone SUCH a miraculous change, a chagne that could only be made through the holy ghost upon those who are willing to be humble and repent. They are getting married and baptised this Saturday! Let me explain...

So the dad of the family is going to be a future leader in the church. something that is needed so badly here in Caacupe. He has changed the most of his family. He knows how to read, but not well enough to read out loud, and never finished his basic schooling (stopped when he was 14) and was raised in a christian, not catholic home. (Which has helped him be a lot more receptive to the message). He works in his own Jewelry, but still lives very humbly (In the garage of his sister) But since day one, he has absorbed everything we have taught him, and the spirit has driven the message so deeply into his heart. He has left friends to keep the word of wisdom, amongst other changes. Last friday, his wife told us that he woke up at 3:30 in the morning, and knelt down in prayer, asking God to forgive him for all his sins, and thanking him for sending his messangers (us) to his house. He was able to explain the plan of salvacion, something that a lot of missionaries can't even do very well, after reading the pamphlet once. He. Is. The. Man.
And then there is his wife Luz. She is the one that has had all the doubts... from Joseph Smith to Tithing, but is still willing to understand. It more than anything has been the change that she has seen in her husband that gives here desires to repent, and put her life in orden with the commandments of God. She has also had the most opposicion... Her family basically is going to disown her for taking this decision. But it's been so inspiring watching her take ever step of faith... And all the opposition she is seeing now will only strengthen her in the future. She also had a dream almost identical to Lehi's dream.
I love them so much... I can't wait to watch them get baptised this week, and here in one year enter into the temple to get sealed. ANOTHER WEDDING WOOHOOOOOO


Elder Horton

This is gonna be a short one

So this week we:


-Tazed ourselves


-Walked. A Lot.


-Had a miracle golden family attend church last second


-Had a blast






Thats about all I've got for this week.






More than that, my scripture study has been focused a lot lately in D and C, and modern day revelation. We are so blessed to have a living prophet, God's mouth piece here on the earth to help guide and teach us. This week: We return to Aguaity to see the possiblity of opening a group there to partake of the sacrament on Sundays!






Love you guys






Elder Horton

Valentines Day

The lovely couple

Group Pic.

Jesus es mi Luz

We celebrated our valentines day starting Friday... with a wedding!!! WOOHHOOOOO haha My first wedding of my whole mission... POR FIN. I have always wanted to have one. Laura (Who got married with her husband who is already a member) then got baptised on Saturday. And I know I say this about all my converts... but she's pretty much the coolest. We have seen such an amazing chagne in her over this past month since we've been teaching her. She literally knew NOTHING about God, or religion, and it's been incredible watching her plant her seed of faith, and watching it sprout. Aaaaaaaand a year from now they are for sure going to the temple!! FAMILYYYYYYY


Spent 6 hours in a bus STANDING today going to a Liders conference. My. Mind. And. Body. Are. Dead.


Other than that, this week was just like any other hectic life being a missionary. LOTS of talking with everyone, and doing crazy last minute wedding plans ha It's so much fun


So in church on Sunday, the Ex-President of the branch showed up to church for the first time in 7 years... He stopped coming once he got released for giving out Bishops food storage to everyone. There is such a problem with that here. There are SO many less actives who hate the church liders for taking away their food storage, it's like the feel entitled to recieve constant help from the church, when in reality the program is in place to temporarily help those in need, and help help become self sufficent. It's just such a sad thing, to watch a family that has so much potential, trade their blessing for a pot of pourage... By letting something so small keep them from enjoying the feast of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and becoming clean through his atoning sacrifice


I studied in particular John 14, 15 and 16 this week, which contain a detailed discourse of Jesus that he gave after his Last Supper with his disciples. It truly touched me reading about his lving sacrifice for us, and the need we have to always have the spirit with us, it is obviously made of great importance by the Saviour in his last hours as a mortal being. It touches me beyond belief the great love he has for us. He believes in us! He had so much faith in us that he was willing to "Take of the bitter cup, and shrink" and die for our sins. I will forever be grateful for Him, and the sacred duty and privilege I have to wear his name on my name tag, and for all the wonderful spiritual experiences being a full time missionary has given me. Looking back on my mission, I truly feel... at peace with myself. I feel good about the work I have done and the progress I have made, and that is so important to recognize.


Love you guys so much! Have a great one




Dum Dum Dum Duuuuuuummm Dum Dum Di Duuuuummmm (Wedding march) played by the one and only. Turns out the years of suffering through piano lessons DID end up helping me out on my mission :)

Aguaity

So.... this week we went in search of the indian tribe.


Okay, so we headed off at 9.30 and took an hour and a half bus ride which took us through open plains, and thick jungle, crossing rivers and heards of cattle. We were told by the missionaries that there was a Pueblo... like a group of people who lived in a little town, like REALLY little town called Aguaity. We hopped off the bus with an unbreakable faith that we would find someone that would be willing to progress, with nothing more than a bag full of BOM´s... Feeling completely lost... haha We were the second missionaries ever to reach this city. Trying to communicate with the people there was near impossible, because EVERYBODY speaks pure Guarani. (Which sounds like someone speaking chinese with a bloody nose) hahaha It would be more funny if you could hear it


So I guess it's not really an indian tribe... It's more civilized than I'm making it sound! They live in normalish houses. (Little shacks) and everybody makes adobe brick for a living, and they have motorcycles, and some have cars and stuff. But like... where do you start in a situation like this? We decided to ask around for someone who spoke spanish so we could communicate easier ha And a guy gave us a reference for a lady who lived in a nicer house out side of a soccer field. We went to check it out... And turns out that the lady who lived there was a member of the church!!! hahaha She let us in with open arms, sat us down and made us lunch haha And then told us her story...


So she had dreamed for years of owning her own house... And having lived in this small group of Guarani all her life, she decided the best option for her would be to move to Spain to find a stable job (where she learned spanish) with all her family. In Spain, she met the missionaries and got baptised with her kids, and then moved back to Paraguay 9 years later (She was active for those 9 years) and decided to move back to her Pueblo and build a house. SO she is now inactive and lives a mere 5 miles from a church building (In a neighboring city). Now she just has to go to church again, and she can bring all her fmaily and relatives that live with her :) M I R A C L E


She then left with us to do visits, and bore her testimony and translated for us for all of here neighbors and friends. It's a bummer it's so far away, or else we would go there every day. We can only make it there Fridays, since it's one of the only days the busses go out to this town.


This week we have a wedding!!!!! YEAHHHH the branch president's brother (age 28) is going to get married and his wife (age 16) is going to get baptized!!! I know that it sounds a bit strange, but it's so normal here haha And they already have a kid soooo.... B A U T I S M O


I. Love. The. Mission.


And I love you guys too!


Elder Horton

KAQP

President thinks he's soooo funny always putting me with the short Peruvians! lol

He must be Peruvian

Paraguay

I am in love with this area. I have been having so much fun! haha I have never worked so ahrd in my whole life.


We had ourselves a Zone Training this week, which we were in charge of giving. It went really well. Honestly our Zone is really struggling as far as retention for the new converts go, so we had a discussion about how we can better do that. The spirit was there, and I really feel like it helped out


We have a Burger King like 2 blocks from our house. I still don't understand why they put one here, because it's jsut a small catholic town in the middle of a jungle in Paraguay, but I am not complaining one bit ha


We have been doing divisions all week with the Elders from our Zone, and I had the pleasure to go to an area called 'Arroyos y Esteros' or translated meaning 'Rivers and Streams'. Now THAT is a small town in the middle of nowhere. It's about a 2 hour bus ride area, and literally only potato farmers live there, and everyone speak guarani. Hardly any spanish! But I got to practice my Guarani a bit so that was fun


So me and my comp live with two other Elders, and basically it's a party every night when we get back to the apartment at night. Yeah. We have a hard time getting to bed on time. hahaha


I am just so happy here in the mission... I know what we are doing is the owrk of the Lord, and I feel him guide me from the moment we step out the door every day to new people to teach, and help come closer to Christ. My scripture of the week: D and C 64: 33-34


Love you guys!


Elder Horton