6/16/14 Tayuasapé Week 2‏

Hello!! Today is the 16th of June 2014. You know what that means?? It is going to be a great day. That is what that means. I've got a couple pictures and a couple things to write so I hope you enjoy the show.

Feliz Dia del Padre: Yesterday was Fathers Day, so I would like to wish a Happy Fathers Day to every dad in the world so that they can know that they are loved. Fathers Day is not really celebrated here in Paraguay as much as mothers day. It might even be like that all over the world. It was an excellent day though. Happy Fathers Day to my Dad too. One big shout out to him. This very second he might be sleeping, but that is OK. Happy Fathers Day Dad.

Arnaldo: We have an investigator named Arnaldo that wants to be baptized. He came to church last week and he should be getting married and baptized this Saturday. We are very excited and I will take tons of pictures. We have to talk to the judge and make sure that everything goes OK, but if everything does go OK then we will be partying it up this Saturday!!! This man is 24 years old and he has a little girl and his wife is pregnant and she is due in about 3 months.

I'm sorry but I have to go. I sent pictures of the new house and I hope you guys love them. I also touched a cow. That was pretty cool.

I'm learning a lot here in Paraguay. Before I know it I will be gone. Love you all! Have a great week!

Elder Jessop

6-9-14 I Got Changed !!!

Hey everyone, I want to let you know that I am no longer in Ettiene. I've got a couple of things that I would like to share. Just listen tight and enjoy the show, well not really a show but at least you can enjoy the letter :)

San Lorenzo: My new area is a place called San Lorenzo, my area name is Tuyuasape 1.1. It is one of the largest cities in Paraguay, but I'm more on the outskirts of San Lorenzo. We have to take a bus to the city every Monday to go buy food and stuff. I'm pretty excited to be here. This is my 4th area and I will probably be here for a little while to be honest because I just got here. If you guys want to see where I live and you want to look for is on Google Map. The streets where I live in Fortin casí De La Victoria. I live on the 2nd house behind a gas station. I will have pictures of the new house next week.

Changes: This change week my trainer Elder Morgan went home and I saw him in the terminal and took a picture of him. He finished his mission very strong and I was sad to see him go, but I will see him again someday. The changes are the best. My new companion is Elder Villar and he is from Chile. He goes home in July, or the next change, so we will only be together for 6 weeks. Very short, but I'm really excited to learn a lot from him. My mission President, Presidente Agazzani, called me on Tuesday and told me that I was going to be one of his new Zone Leaders. That is pretty cool. I've really learned to be humbled and accept the will of God. I am the Zone Leader of Zone 9 of 14 Zones and there are only 14 missionaries in my Zone. It is a very tiny Zone, but I'm still very excited and ready to go. 

That is about all I have to write. I've got to go anyways. My hour is about up. I know sometimes my letters are short, but I will make it up next week. I hope you enjoy the letters and thank you for your support.

The church is true.

Elder Jessop

6-2-14 Happy‏!!

Hello Everyone! I don't have much to write, but I will write as much as I can. I'm kinda tired and a lot of the words I write might be spelled wrong so just hang with me please. 

Changes: The transfers are this week and we will know the transfers tomorrow I think. I will probably be staying here in Ettiene, but you never know with the changes. Some of the missionaries kinda freak out about the changes, but I have been here so long that it is just a normal routine. My trainer, Elder Morgan, goes home tomorrow. I remember when he picked me up from the office just 1 year ago... Man does the time sure fly out here when you are having fun!! I have fun every day, there are miracles here everyday and all the changes do is help us keep learning and keep finding miracles daily. 

Tired: I've been really tired lately with all this stuff. A couple of days after we planned I just got in bed and slept. It was rough, I think it is the change in the climate here that is making me so tired. There is not enough sun anymore. GOTTA GET THAT VITAMIN D!! It has been raining a bit and the sun hasn't been out. It literally went from 100 degrees daily to like 60 daily in a week. If you guys have any advice on what I can do to be less tired I will gladly appreciate it :DDD

Companions: I was thinking a lot about companions. Every missionary in the church has a companion, or like a partner in proselytizing. A sidekick maybe, something like that. My companion right now is Elder Peterson and he has helped me a ton develop many of my attributes. I was thinking about how companions here in the mission just help prepare you for your future eternal companion, or in other words, a wife. Elder Peterson and I clean together, talk together, work together, teach together, sleep together (in different beds), WE DO EVERYTHING TOGETHER. I don't know if marriage is like that, but it might be maybe a little.

I have to give a couple shout outs to some people. Or just one really. Taylor Bergstrom! I don't know if you read my letters, but if you do I want to wish you a happy graduation!!!! You are graduating high school which is crazy and Cody told me that you are going to UCSD!!!! That is awesome and you are going to kill it!! I know I'm missing your graduation, but I would love to have a picture!!! Congrats!

There is nothing like sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. There are no words that I can use to describe what I do here and how I feel and what I'm learning daily. I am happy, I cant describe the joy I feel with the opportunity I have to help others receive the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. I love each any every one of you. Thank you for the letters and support.!!

Elder Jessop

5-26-14 How the Time Flies.‏

Hello, I really have no clue what to say this week. It just went by so fast. It is blowing my mind. Every preparation day my mind gets blown about what happened in the week. It just feels like it goes so fast. 

Elder Peterson: So Elder Peterson, my companion, thinks he is just the funniest Elder in the world and is constantly reminding me of how much time I have left. Every time an airplane passes by he just makes one joke. He says, "That's about (how many days left I have to finish my mission) away". For example 3 days ago a plane passed bye and he said, "That's about 11 months away". I've gotten used to it. I've been out here so long, but not long enough. It is going by to fast. Elder Peterson has stopped recently though, so that is good.

Doctor: I went to the doctor on Thursday and it turns out that I'm going blind.... Hahaha Just kidding, but I will be in need of glasses pretty soon. I can no longer see very far with my right eye. It is all blurry. I think that is called nearsighted. I'll see what happens, but I´m not too stoked to get glasses if I have too. Can you guys picture me with glasses??? I might be rock-in them in the coming weeks.

Cold: It got cold here in Paraguay!!! It got down the 35 degrees... I know that is not that cold, but after having lived a summer here in Paraguay, 35 degrees might as well be Antarctica. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday was really cold. I even busted out the thermals to wear under my clothes. Those did help, Thank you mom for your brilliant ideas. I wouldn't have brought those if it wasn't for her. Go moms.

District Activity: We had a district activity, which is like a fun day with other Elders and Sisters. I'm the district leader of the office of elders, so they only had time on Saturday, so we got permission to have the activity on Saturday. We played soccer and the Latins kicked butt, then we played basketball and the Americans kicked butt, not that there is a rivalry or anything... Then we played Football, which was awesome!!! I haven't played football in a year and my companion has a football and he brought it to the activity and we played and it was way fun. I'm kinda sore, but that is OK. 

I learned a lot this week about the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I learned a lot about how us, as missionaries, we have to tell everyone about the cleansing power of the Atonement so that the people who haven´t been cleaned by it can be cleaned if they repent and get baptized. Everything that I do here in Paraguay is only because the Atonement of Jesus Christ permits that I can help other people be clean, and it's like that in the whole world! The Atonement of Jesus Christ is for everyone. Everyone can be cleaned and healed if they repent and accept the Atonement in their own lives. I'm trying my best here in Paraguay to forget about all the little things and focus on helping people accept the Atonement We believe that through the Atonement of Jesus Christ all my kind may be saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. THE ATONEMENT IS EVERYTHING!!!! If it wasn't for the Atonement of Jesus Christ we wouldn't have the opportunity to be healed or saved and do anything. I know that though the Atonement of Jesus Christ we can be cleansed and healed because I have been cleansed and healed by it. God loves us, so he sent his son. His son died for us and took upon him the sins of the world. How can we not accept his sacrifice and do his will? I'm trying to help people learn about the atonement so that they can accept it and be cleansed of their sins and healed by the atoning power of his sacrifice. I love my God, I love this work, and I love inviting people to come unto Christ and be baptized for the remission of sins.

Elder Jessop

5-21-14 Week: Paraguay‏

Hey everyone! I'm here writing to you guys from a computer....
My legs really itch because I just got 3 or 4 bug bites, but I'm going to tell you all what happened in my life last week. 

Compras: I took a picture of all the things that I buy every week and I sent it. I buy all that food from the picture in 1 week. 5 liters of milk and yogurt, fat free and sugar free. 7 apples and pears. 12 bananas. 1 pound of peanuts. 2 chicken breasts. Half a pound of meat. 12 eggs, 7 tomatoes, onions, green peppers, and carrots. That's about it. We usually have lunch with members too. So now my mom knows that I'm eating just fine :)

Independence Day: May 13th was independence day for the Paraguayans. It was a pretty normal day actually and it is nothing like the 4th of July in the States, but they were pretty happy that there was no work.

Mothers Day: I got to Skype my family last Sunday!!!! That was really fun and uplifting. Mothers day here though is the day after independence day and I got to eat Asado, which is like the most expensive/popular meat here in Paraguay. It was way good. This weekend we were basically spoiled food wise. Friday a family made us American hamburgers which were really good. Saturday we ate excellent as well. Sunday too. It is not the healthiest food but it sure does taste good. 

Friendly Box: I got a box full of stuff from a family member. My dads cousin the Kearney's. I want to say thank you very much to the Kearney's and I appreciate your thoughts and prayers.

Wedding!!!!: I got to be a witness in a wedding. Here when you want to get married you have to have 4 witnesses and on Saturday I was one of the witnesses of a marriage. The girl Maria got married and then baptized right after the marriage and my companion got to baptize her and that was a great day!! I sent a ton of pictures and I hope that you enjoy them!!! 

I love you all and I appreciate your prayers and love. The time is flying by, but I still have work to do here in Paraguay and people to baptize! Mateo 28:19!!!!!

Have a great week!!!

Elder Jessop

5-14-14 Ché Paraguayo‏

Hellos everyone!! Happy Mothers Day!!!!!! I know that it is not until Sunday, but Every day should be a great day for good ol´ mom. Right mom :D

This week was pretty good and I will let you guys in on what happen in just a bit. 

El viaje al templo: We went to the temple this week in Paraguay. It was a pretty short trip now that I'm here in Asuncion, but it was excellent. I sent some pictures to you all of the temple and some of the missionaries I was there with. The Elder who is my companion is the Elder who is about the same height as me and that is American, his name is Elder Peterson and he is excellent. We are doing tons of stuff together and we are enjoying the ride. He is the lucky Elder that will be with me when I hit the half way mark. Every time he hears a plane he tells me how long I have left until I'm done, which is really bad but we just kinda laugh it off. I don't want to leave, it is not my time yet. I learned a lot when I was in the temple and especially I learned about the importance of the plan of salvation. The reason why missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints invite people to be baptized is so that they can know about the plan of happiness that God has given us so that they can find it and not only find it but receive the happiness that God has promised us. I like seeing people happy and I know that getting baptized will help them be happier, then these people will have the opportunity to do other covenants with god so that they are even more happy. Everything God has done is so that we can be happy and it is kinda cool.

Stake Conference: We had stake conference this weekend and it was awesome and they had a really cool presentation about missionary work, which involved 4 teenagers. There was a 16 year old kid in one of the wards in the stake where I'm serving who is a member and he shared the gospel with his friend. His friend ended up being baptized and was baptized about 1 year ago. The friend shared the gospel with a different friend who ended up getting baptized too and he got baptized 6 months ago. Then the kid who got baptized 6 months ago shared the gospel with another friend who got baptized 2 months ago. It is amazing to see the chain that was shown here when one kid shared the gospel. The first kid decided to share the gospel with his friend and as a result 3 people got baptized. If you are a member reading this I invite you to share the gospel like these young valiant men and the Lord will bless your life and if you are not a member yet I invite you to research and talk with the missionaries and listen to the message of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. 

WE are still looking for a house here too but we think that we might have found one. It isn't much of a house, it is more like a giant room with a bathroom. I will let you know what happens.

I love you guys and I got to go. I will be skyping the good old family this week and hopefully that will be extraordinarily awesome and I am very excited.

Elder Jessop