Email 1-9-11

Just an FYI everyone... Presten could really use some letters!  Here is the addresses to send letters (only) to:

Elder Presten Beatty
Paraguay Asuncion Mission
Casilla de Correo 818
Asuncion, PARAGUAY

(It costs about a dollar to mail this way)

or pouch:  This must be a Single sheet of paper folded into thirds and taped shut, then write the address on the outside of the paper and put a stamp on it! (only costs 44 cents)

Elder Presten Beatty
Paraguay Asuncion Mission
PO BOX 30150
Salt Lake City, UT 84130 

Thanks for all your love and support!
Mamabee
You can also send pouch via DearElder! So Easy and it's free! Just type and send!

Hello everyone.  I hope that you had an awesome new year and break from school and work thus far.  hahahaha You know us as missionaries, we really don´t get a break, but hey it isn´t work anyway so we don´t need a break. hahaha This week we got lucky and didn´t have to deal with any crazy wedding/baptism plans in 3 days.  But to tell you the truth I’m pretty sure we wouldn’t have minded.  We really had to focus on finding "news" this week.  It’s been pretty tough because everyone has been shrugging us off.  Which is really weird for Paraguay?  The problem usually isn´t finding people to teach.  It’s finding people who will progress.  But this last week we just had a tough time finding people at all.  When it gets hot people get really nervous and excited and usually don´t wanna talk to you.  Which is weird again?  The thing about the people in Paraguay is that; because they don´t have a ton of stuff temporally, they will usually take joy in just talking to people and being “tranquillo”.....  Oh well we will just keep moving forward I guess.  Venancio is coming along AWESOMELY!!  He got his interview to receive his priesthood and so this last Sunday he got his priesthood.  Plus it was testimony meeting and he got up and bore his testimony without anyone telling him too.  Plus he told the bishop that he wants to serve a mission.  Wow!!! This kid is really amazing.  I think that the biggest example that he has been to me, is that he really doesn´t need an explanation about the things that are spiritual.  We tell him how something is and he just accepts it.  He doesn’t question- he doesn´t need an explanation.  He truly is like a child; ready and willing to learn and be touched by the spirit.  He is progressing at an awesome rate.  The dad in the Aldama Family got confirmed this last Sunday too and had his interview to get his priesthood.  Really its awesome to talk with them because no matter what we start talking about; the subject that we always end up on is-- temples.  They want to go to the temple so bad.  They keep talking about all the stuff that they have to do to prepare to go there.  It is really awesome to see them and that they have set their goal and nothing is going to stop them from getting it.  We all should learn from their example-- not only in spiritual goals but in temporal goals as well.  Don´t lose sight of the prize in the end.  We have found 2 new families this last week that we are hoping will progress.  They look and say that they are super catholic and so that kinda scares me a little bit.  But I have to remember, that really there is nothing that God can´t do to help us if we have the faith.

This last week I have really been thinking about stuff that has happened in the past; experiences in High school, college, in the family.  As I have been contemplating about those experiences; I have found that the moments when I really slowed down to take things in, I can remember the best, as well as enjoyed them the most.  I think of times, like sitting with Theron Joe after football games in high school after we won, waiting for everyone to leave and just talking about life.  Moments like that, where I really could just slow down and get the big picture of what was going on in my life and where I wanted to go.  Sometimes here in the mission we get caught up in the moment.  We forget the big picture.  We don´t think with the end in mind.  When we forget that, we stumble.  Being able to slow down and cherish the good moments in life, have made me more grateful as well for what I really do have.  Take a look around you.  We are so blessed to have what we do.  We have bodies, brains that function, families, cars, money, food, sports, a prophet, the gospel, the priesthood.  In Mosiah, King Benjamin talks about how we need to be thankful for all that we have because we are created from the dust out of the grace of God.  All that we have is a blessing.  At first when I started thinking about the blessings that I had I could only think of a few but as I started to focus, memories began to flood my mind of moments in school, with my family, in the church.  Every moment that passes in our lives is a gift. 

There really isn´t anything I would rather be doing right now than serving as a missionary.  Even though it’s tough..... it’s worth it......
....every single sweating moment of it.....
I love you all and am so thankful for your love and support that you give to me and to your families.
Rohyhu mi familia
--
Elder Beatty