Colonel Oviedo

Family and friends, miss you all a little extra today. Thank you for all the tender birthday messages that you guys sent me. They truly made my week. Let's get into what's going down.


Arrived in PARAGUAY
So we're out here now. Traveling here was a fun time and all went smoothly for the most part. We did have a couple of little problems in Lima when we were leaving, but they were dealt with swiftly. We got here pretty late and headed to the mission office, kicked back for the night there, and then the next day we got our comps (new comp Elder Radcliffe, he's a stud) and our assignments, met the mission prez, and we even got to go out and do a little contacting, it was dope. Then the next day we headed out to the first area, and yes, ladies and gentlemen, they sent me to the boonies for my first area. Colonel Oviedo. I'm about 4 hours outside of Asuncion in an area where they haven't had a lot of success. I'm gonna keep it real with you guys, when we first got here, I was buggin'. It was so hot, and our apartment was freaky (I'll talk about that later). My comp was telling me, "Hey, you're gonna be here for a minute, so get used to it," by "a minute," he means 18 weeks, so I'll probably pop out of this joint in early July. So at this point, I'm kinda trippin' out. I'm up in here like, "This is the worst birthday present ever." However, my perspective has changed. The people of Oviedo need the gospel, and I'm gonna give it to 'em. Oviedo is home for the next little bit, so I better learn to love it, haha, and there's some work to be done here, so day by day, step by step, I'm gonna see what I can do, as an instrument in the Lord's hands, to help uplift the people of Oviedo while I'm here. Brothers and sisters, that's the plan.


The MORG
I probably spelled "Morg" wrong, my bad, feel free to correct me. This is too good and it deserved its own little section. So our apartment building is an old hospital. Our room used to be the morgue, where they put the dead bodies. So as you can imagine, it's very homey. And we have neighbors who are demons that have taken the form of these little Chihuahuas. The whole building is all tiles like a hospital, right, so when they bark, it echoes all throughout the building. And when the Chihuahuas bark, it's an absolutely terrifying sound. Pray for these Chihuahuas that they may chill out and find some peace in their lives.


The Barrio
First Sunday in the ward was super chill. Members seemed dope. Everyone was super nice and patient with my poor Spanish. I can understand a lot of things, but when old people talk to me, I have no freakin' clue what they're saying. However, there's this one old guy who's so funny, and he has a stray dog that's not his, that just follows him everywhere, and he's totally chill with it. He got up to bear his testimony, and this big dog follows him up there and is like trying to jump up onto the pulpit. Nobody cares, though, it's so laid back here. My guy still delivered a fire testimony with a stray dog trying to climb the pulpit.


Spiritual
This week and recently, I have been enjoying my scriptures so much, no joke. The best part of the day is when I can sit in the study den and just get so deep in the study bag, I cannot even express the joy and strength I have been pulling from the scriptures. This week, my buddy Elder Weeks was doing a little English & Spanish Book of Mormon reading side by side, and he shared something with me I really liked. And what's cool about the Spanish version is every once in a while there's a little wording difference. In the English version of 2 Nephi 26:11, it reads, “For the Spirit of the Lord will not always strive with man. And when the Spirit ceaseth to strive with man, then cometh speedy destruction, and this grieveth my soul." In the Spanish version, instead of strive, it uses the verb “luchar,” which means to fight. Every day we each have our daily battles, simply we need the spirit to fight with and alongside us. Having the spirit fight alongside us in our daily battles makes all the difference, we are further uplifted and strengthened.


Anyway, I'll hit you guys next week about life here in Oviedo.


Hit me back with an email if you feel so inclined.


As always, peep Google Photos.


Love you all, get after it this week.


Elder Pick






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