A mist-like rain fell Sunday morning as we prepared to leave our apartment to invite investigators to church. The dirt roads in all directions had been transformed into pools of mud. Rainy Sunday mornings on the mission: something I will always remember.
As we invited people whose commitments were “unwavering” just a day before, we got a lot of the usual Paraguayan responses: “Yeah, we’ll go...if it stops raining.” We made a quick decision and after inviting one of our most commited investigators, Joel, we bought some plastic bags from his little store to the side of his house. “We don’t usually like to make purchases on Sunday,” we told him, “but this is a special situation.” We ripped holes in them, put them on and, looking pretty goofy ourselves, began handing them out to investigators as they laughed at how ridiculous the idea was. Meanwhile, we laughed and just promised them blessings. 8 of them came, for a total of 15 people in our little Sacrament Meeting room and it was one of the most spiritual meetings of my mission.
Joel, happened to be in Asunción this week on the same day that we were for Zone conference. President Wade invited him to come, but he couldn’t make it. Yesterday, in our lesson with Joel, he mentioned with a chuckle that people were telling him that we got paid for every baptism. We laughed with him and assured him that it wasn’t true. Just another one of the many lies he has seen in opposition to this important step he will take. One of the obstacles he has, with incredible grace and continually strengthening conviction, simply overcome.
On the flip side, in once sense, yesterday was one of the “pay days” of the mission that make it all worth it. He told us, after a moment of silence and with a tremble in his voice that he is ready and willing to be baptized this Thursday. He only wants to make sure that it won’t cause friction in his marriage, or between him and his parents. He seems to be thouroughly converted and is a capable, intelligent man, who is a professor in the local university of Agriculture. I am very excited for him and feel he will be a great leader for the church here in San Pedro.
San Pedro is progressing GREAT. Despite the rain and other discouraging obstacles this week, we are excited to keep moving forward. Our little group is growing both spiritually and in numbers. The spiritual growth is most exciting. Juan received the Priesthood this week and will be able to baptize his wife and 2 children this week. Though they are humble and simple, they understand the basics and desire to serve. Those are the kind of people the Lord uses to work miracles!
Elder McCarty
Pics
001 We brought a bunch of supplies and books back from Asunciòn. We also needed a shelf, so we decided it would be easier to carry them all by putting them in it and taping it shut. Worked pretty well, even though they charged us an extra bus fare to stow it beneath, haha.
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