WOW that has to have been the most fun, and most humbling and coolest week so far in the mission!
This last Tuesday I left at 5:30 in the morning to get to Asuncion to pick up my trainee! Rolled up and waited for a good amount of time with the other 5 trainers (all gringos) and waited knowing it was a group of Latinos. Man, I will not forget how sick I felt, knowing I was going to be bringing a brand new missionary back to Paso Yobai. BUT I CAN NOT TELL YOU HOW SWEET AND LOVING OUR HEAVENLY FATHER IS.
I'd like to introduce to you ELDER C from PARAGUAY!!!
Yes, Elder C is from the city of Asuncion, and is 23 years old. He was born in the church, and his Dad is also a bishop. He has been working for close to 2 years as a personal private pilot, and the previous activities he enjoyed before the mission were his punk rock band as the drummer, his international hip hop dance team, and his church calling as a ward mission leader. After feeling the need to grow more spiritually, and devote more to the Lord, put his papers in to serve a mission. He speaks Guarani wonderfully.
BUT CURVE BALL. He is also an English speaker and was originally called to serve in the Pennsylvania mission, and is just in Paraguay to wait for his visa. He has 2 changes here in Paraguay, and upon finishing his training will head out to the states to preach in English.
So, Heavenly Father has placed a Guarani speaking spiritual giant in PY for 2 changes, so we will be able to do as much damage as possible and really help this area in more ways than were ever possible before. We are so excited and focused to get to work and help these people be spiritually self-sufficient.
He is such a humble guy and keeps reminding me how excited he is to learn from me. He is a very energetic and crazy dude. We are alike in a lot of ways, we are both going to learn a lot from each other.
A really cool, spiritual week in the few days we had to work. I can't tell you how many people broke down with joy that, "God sent them a Paraguayan so they could now really better understand the gospel." We even spent a day going by people who we had previously dropped as investigators because they just weren't understanding--and almost all of them were like, "Wow, that makes so much more sense now, that's so important. I want to know more."
I don't feel like I'm training at all. Yeah, I have to help him with the numbers and planning, etc. But the 2 years as ward mission leader, he knows all the lessons and most of the doctrine and already teaches really well. It's awesome, and has been a lot of fun.
People who wouldn't even look at us before or would run from us, have come up to us and talked with us and invited us to their house. This week has been a week of really seeing these people as who they are--a really warm, friendly, loving, laughing people. I've been able to get past the "scary outsider" stage.
Elder C was also able to help me understand the culture a bit better too, and explained how intimidating it must have been for these people when 2 Americans speaking Spanish would show up, and how not wanting to be wrong, or not knowing how to communicate with us, would rather hide or run. But now, a lot of people have such a better understanding, and I've learned how a part of the culture Guarani is--and not just communicating.
Needless to say, I've been practicing and speaking a lot of Guarani.
Excited for the next week!
Elder Yocum
I got these pictures from Elder P's Mom. She commented along with the pictures: "A couple of pictures of our boys! I know B is going to miss P. He really enjoyed being companions with him. B has this thing with machetes. . . thought it would be funny to take some pictures. He said they put it on timer and were trying to keep a straight face but kept laughing. Just look at their clothes, they're so muddy! B says the sister who does their laundry is amazing at getting everything so clean."
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