Last Missionary Email!!!!!!!!

MMOOOOOOOMM!!!!!!!!! I'M GOING TO SEE YOU ON THURSDAY!!! I'M SO EXCITED!!!!  but don't worry, I'm staying focused for my last 2 DAYS of proselyting.

.... I kind of feel like it would be pointless to tell you guys about my week, because I'll just tell you about it in person in a couple of days. BUT, I guess I'll give you the run down.

My last week went by so fast! We went into Asunción for Consejo de Liderazgo.... which I think I already told you about.... Then Tuesday had a good full day of work in our area. On Wednesday we went and did a division with Piribebuy, and I got to hang out with the amazing Hna Bronson all day. She is a new missionary just finishing her training, and is super nervous to have her first change of companions! That day I got to teach all about the importance of our authority as missionaries and preaching BAPTISM and REPENTANCE. For some reason, that day it just finally clicked in my brain my purpose here and what I have to do to really, truly push forward the work. WELL GEEZ LOUIS, why did I have to figure that out my LAST WEEK IN THE MISSION!!!!! Everyone always told me not to worry about not knowing what to do, and that I would only figure it out when I was ready to go home, and you know what? THEY WERE RIGHT! I wish I had figured this out way before hand!! Well, at least I got the chance to teach it to Hna Bronson.

On Thursday, Hna Jorgensen came and got me from Piribebuy, we headed back to Ca'acupé for Capacitación de Zona, worked a little bit, then went straight out to Ypacaraí to help the sisters out there. Hna Pinto has back issues and is stuck at home for a while, so I went with Hna Gleed so they could do a baptismal interview. It was such a special moment to watch their convert be with his family, talk about his goal to be sealed to them in the temple in a year, and hear him say the prayer to end everything. I almost cried at that point, it was so sweet.

On Friday we headed out to Coronel Oviedo to do splits with Hna Escobar and Hna Ball. Once again, we got an amazing  chance to teach the sisters about our power and authority as missionaries, and our responsibility to invite everyone to be baptised. OF COURSE, when I went out with Hna Ball, we had one of the hardest proselyting days that I've had in a long time. Everyone was catholic and wanted to bible-bash!! EVERYONE!! Needless to say, we earned our sleep that night. 

Basically, it was a super busy last week in the mission, and it flew by so fast. I'm so excited to get to come home and sleep for a solid 3 days! I truly loved getting to be a missionary in the service of the Lord, and I'm going to take full advantage of these next two days.

I can't wait to see you guys on Thursday!!!!!

Love,

Hermana Jeppesen

It's the Final Countdown!!

BARROW'S PIZZA!!!!! ........ok, I am SO down for that plan! As for being released, it would be really great to have the whole family there, but I kind of just want you and Dad to pick me up from the airport, nobody else. Is that ok? I can get the big welcome from everybody else at the house. I CAN'T WAIT TO SEE YOU GUYS! And everybody is invited to my homecoming, including Br. Jorgensen, who I would LOVE to meet.

Everything down here is fine. Not too much going on. We hardly worked in our area because of divisions on Tuesday and Wednesday, my final interview with President Agazzani on Friday, and then going into Asuncion AGAIN last night to be there for leadership council this morning. Other than that, there really isn't too much to report! It's really hot and humid and we are sweating like crazy. When we aren't wet from the sweat, we're wet from the crazy thunderstorms that spring up out of nowhere. I've just kind of gotten used to being constantly damp.

One fun thing that did happen is that Hna Keller gave us the most precious and prized gift that you can give to an american missionary: a bottle of maple syrup! We were so excited that we took it with us on divisions so that we could make the latina sisters some french toast. They absolutely loved it! It's the small things like that that really make my week :)

Sorry if this email is super short and not as detailed as usual, but I'll be able to tell you guys everything in person really soon, so don't worry!

I love you guys and I can't wait to eat pizza........ I mean.... SEE YOU next week!!!!!!

con amor,

Hermana Jeppesen

Clock is winding down, but we are still working hard!

Hey Momma! I'm glad to see that everything is going so well with your new job! I hope you know that I'm so proud of you and the whole family. I may or may not talk about you guys all the time ;)

I'll be honest, this last week was a rough one. Divisions have been wearing us down to the bone. I absolutely LOVE doing them and getting to help all of the sisters with the work in their areas, and not to mention the awesome Peruvian food that Hna Martinez always makes for us when we go to Ca'aguazú, but the traveling and the energy it takes to pump up the other sisters is difficult when we don't have someone to pump US up too.

We were so exhausted this week that it started to show a little bit in our work. Our best investigator that was going to get baptized this week started having doubts about why she wants to get baptised. On Saturday night she was all for it and super excited, when she wasn't in church on Sunday, we started realizing that something was up. So we decided to actually pay for a taxi to go get her and bring her to sacrament meeting. When we got to her house, she didn't want to come and said that she wasn't sure if she still wanted to get baptized! I was so mad!!! Taxis are not cheap! But we talked to her about it and realized that she had a realization that baptism is a serious covenant, and she wants to be sure that she's doing it for the right reasons and not just because she like being our friend. It's a very valid point. We explained the importance of personal revelation, and committed her to keep praying and reading in the Book of Mormon. Please pray for Fabiola that she'll receive an answer through the Spirit!

Anyways, all of that put us in a bad mood yesterday, and we may or may not have had to call a few elders last night for snapping at them during church. I won't go into details, but it was a very humbling moment to see that a lot of the problems that we've been having and have brought about a lot of stressed this transfer are things that we caused ourselves. Isn't it interesting how God shows us our weaknesses so that we can make them strong? I got shown a LOT of weaknesses this week. But don't worry! Hna Jorgensen and I have a good list of goals going that will help us a ton!

Anywho, that's what's going on in Paraguay. I'm totally trunky to the maxity-max (which is kind of Hna Jorgensen's fault for teasing me a bunch) BUT we are working like crazy and doing our best to enjoy the time that we have.

As for a homecoming party.. do you mind waiting a week? It might be a little overwhelming, and I kind of just want to be with you guys for a bit. I am so excited to see my family again for the first time in a year and a half :) A family party, however, is highly encouraged. All aunts, uncles, and grandparents are invited that first weekend I get back. MAN I WOULD LOVE THAT SO MUCH!

Have you made any plans with the stake president for my release? That's kind of important too....

Love you guys!!!!
Hermana Jeppesen

Missionary work in mysterious places!

HOLY CRUD I HAVE MY FLIGHT INFO!!!! It's kind of hard to believe that I'll actually be going home soon! Honestly, I don't know if I fully believe it yet.....

This week was pretty normal. The bad news is.... my camera lens broke. I'm going to look around and see if there's a place that can fix it up a little. The good news is that my comp is always taking a ton of pics, so I'll just have to steal a ton from her. 

This week we went to Coronel Oviedo again to teach in their Zone Conference. It was even funner the second time! The best part was getting to practice making a bed and ironing a shirt... because apparently some of these elders have to learn. 

Other than that.... well, we just worked!! It was pretty normal. I think Hna Jorgensen had some crazy stuff happen involving taking someone to the hospital because her c-section wound was open and infected, but we were on divisions with Ypacaraí, so I wasn't involved in that. The craziest thing that happened to me was a guy ripping into me for being American and is convinced that I am personally involved in/responsible for the political dominion that the US apparently has on all of South America. Yup. I just smiled and invited him to church :)

More good news! I got permission to call the bank and I got everything worked out with my card. I even had a really sweet moment when the lady on the other end of the call thanked me for my service as a missionary and for blessing the lives of so many people. It just made my whole day! And, thanks to her, I can now start stocking up on souvenirs ;D

That's honestly all that really happened this week. Please keep us in your prayers that we can keep having success and finding more people who need to hear this message!!

Con MUCHO amor de la misionera que no puede esperar hasta que vea su familia,

Hermana Jeppesen

Really busy week!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM, DAD, AND NOELLE! I always loved "Birth-week". Make sure to eat LOTS AND LOTS of cake for me!!!

Mom: I love you so much. I don't know how on earth I would get through life without your advice, love, support, and comfort when things don´t go as I planned. I love that I can consider you one of my closest friends here on this earth. Happy Birthday <3

Noelle: Will you just STOP GROWING?! Geez Louis, girl! Your gonna be going on dates and all that wierd stuff soon! That is just so crazy bizarre to me. I am really proud of you, though. Thank you for trusting in me when you were struggling, and for always trying to keep me updated with what's going on in your life. I love you and am super proud of the daughter of God that you are growing into. Happy Birthday!!!!

Papa Bear: Did you know that I absolutely LOVE it when you send me little bits of your testimony? I am so glad that I have you as a father to strengthen me and remind of the things that are really important, putting in the "big rocks" before the "sand". Geez, Dad. You really are an amazing example for me. Happy Birthday :)

This week was exhausting. We had to go back into Asunción on Tuesday for Zone Conference, in the which Hna Jorgensen and I got to help teach. Everyone, including Pres. and Hna Agazzani, said that we did really well, so.... that's good! Because we have to do it all over again in Coronel Oviedo for THEIR Zone Conference tomorrow!! By the way, did I tell you guys that I got your package the week before? Thank you so much! It really did make my Christmas.... although it's already January.

Anywho, the next day we had to get up early again to head out and do divisions with the sisters in Coronel Oviedo and the next day in Villarrica. It's actually kind of ridiculous how much we really are traveling. We finally got to our area on Friday, worked our butts off, and then had an AWESOME baptism on Saturday! Two girls that we've been working with for a little while were baptised with 2 other of the elders' investigators. The next day is where the adventure really begins, however. It was 45 minutes until the start of sacrament meeting and their confirmation, and they were still pretty far away and had no possibility of making it on time. Hna Jorgensen and I thought, "Nope, we're going for them. They HAVE to get confirmed today!" So we managed to get an incredible couple, the Chapparro family, to take us to their house in their half broken down truck to pick them up. We got the girls, hopped back in, and......... the truck wasn't starting. Hermano Chapparro and I got out and started pushing to try to get a rolling start. Once we were moving I jumped in and just started praying that God would send us angels to push us to the church building. Just as I ended the prayer, the car started!! We chugged and chugged and chugged up the hill, and the very second that we pulled into the parking lot, the car died again. NO JOKE! We barely made it! Ugh, I wish I could tell you guys this story in person, because it really was a miracle, and the two sister were able to get confirmed and recieve the gift of the Holy Ghost. 

Btw, I'm going to see you guys in exactly 1 month from today. I'll make sure to tell you the story in it's full glory then :)

I love you guys SOOOOO much, and I am so incredibly excited to see you all soon.

Love,

Hna Jeppesen

Divisions in Villarrica

BAPTISM!!! Irene, 11, on the left, Luna, 13, on the right

Five more weeks!

Yay for school starting again! I'm sure everyone is super excited, right?? And can we please go hiking/camping/adventuring when I get home? That would make me super happy. I'm starting a "trunky list" of things that I want to do when I get home..... which may or may not be a good idea. 

And, Mom, you are going to do such a great job teaching the Relief Society this Sunday! If you can teach a crazy class of little kids, you can teach a bunch of cute ladies, no big. As for putting the Lord first, I don't think it really was much of a difficult decision. It just kind of made sense to leave everything behind for a year and a half to go serve the Lord. Obviously I miss you guys a ton, and I have no idea what's going to happen when I get back as far as a job, my studies, etc., but I have honestly never felt so happy as I feel here on the mission. Also, I have seen the blessing that come as people put the Lord first and keep God's commandments, as well as what happens when they DON'T keep the commandments. There is a sense of peace and joy when we know that what we are doing is in line with what God wants of us. WE ARE ALWAYS IN HIS DEBT.

Sorry if I'm kind of rambly, there is a sea of missionaries in the cyber with me and it's kind of difficult to concentrate....

This week was a blastity-blast. 

Monday: TRANSFERS. Hna Jorgensen just straight up rocks. I have no words to describe her. Just..... no words. Also, I told Eld Lyon that his mom commented on my letters that you post online. We got a pretty good laugh out of the thought that our moms are friends. :) I guess more people than I thought are reading these letters. On that note: HI HNA JORGENSEN'S DAD!!!

Tuesday: The Kellers (the missionary couple here with us) picked us up to go have dinner with the German branch president and his family, and we may have gotten side tracked and did some off-roading to try and find a short-cut. Hna JorgensenLOVES our German friends.

Wednesday: We walked FOR EVER to get the house of the RUSSIAN couple that lives in our branch. They speak little to no Spanish, and absolutely nothing in English. Communicating is way fun with them. Their house is way way way in the back of our area, and it's kind of what I imagine the Garden of Eden would look like. They grow grapes, mango, papaya, avacado, grapefruit, banana, and who knows what else, and dehydrate most of it to use throughout the year. They are the most self-sufficient people I have ever met. I think Dad would absolutely LOVE to get a look around!! Also, that night we had to go home an hour early to avoid all the crazy drunk drivers. Happy New Year! DON'T WORRY, MOM, I'M SAFE!!

Thursday: My comp and I literally had to STUFF ourselves into a bus full of people to get to Asunción. I sincerely wish I could get a picture of what the buses are like here, but I would get robbed in a heartbeat. Think can of sardines.... and then add more sardines. We spent the night with Hna Boley and Hna Cheney because bright and early in the morning we had.....

Friday: LEADERSHIP COUNCIL! The mission is more or less changing its focus from BAPTISE BAPTISE BAPTISE to baptise, retain, and reactivate by getting away from the door to door contacting that we do everyday and depending more on references from the members, whether they be less active, active, etc. Honestly, it's the way things really should be, and it's so obvious, but it's something that we tend to forget sometimes. Tomorrow we get to teach all of what we learned to the rest of the mission in our Zone Conference. Wish me luck!!

Saturday: We went to the elders' baptism, and then worked like crazy.

Sunday: While trying to get Irene and Luna to church, we waited for 2 hours for somebody to get home to watch the house and then ran (or at least walked REALLY FAST) to get to sacrament meeting in time. When we got there... SURPRISE! Pres. Agazzani and his wife were there visiting the branch! Presidente just kind of does what he wants, I guess.... The nice part is that we got to introduce him to these two girls (who, btw, are getting baptised this Saturday!!!!)

Today: We stood in line for an hour and a half to pay our rent at the back. We rewarded ourselves with Burger King afterward.

This was my super crazy week. I only have 5 more until I get to see you guys again..... not that I'm trunky or anything.... 

I love you all so much. Please keep me in your prayers,

Hna Jeppesen

Post Christmas/Pre New Years!

Hey Momma!
The mission has taught me to be way more bold when it comes to sharing
what I know is true. Just yesterday we met a guy who told us that he
wants to give up smoking, so I asked him for his cigarettes, told him
that I wasn't going to give them back, and that he had to stop and do
what the Lord wants him to do, which is take care of his body. He
completely agreed with me and took a pamphlet about the word of
wisdom, and then after the lesson, I dumped all of his cigarettes in
the nearby stream! I'm not gonna lie, I felt kind of cool....

I really did love talking with you guys on Christmas. The elders were
kind of teasing me that it would probably make me super trunky, but it
honestly motivates me to focus on the work, knowing that you guys are
doing so well and are so happy. I just love seeing all of your
faces!!!

So this week is a little different because.... TRANSFERS!!! Hna
Goering flies out TONIGHT instead of the usual Wednesday night since
it will be New Years Eve. It's way cheaper and less insane if the
missionaries just go home now instead of in a few days. I'm still
chillin' out here in Ca'acupé with the newest sister trainer leader,
Hna Jorgensen!!! I AM SO STOKED THAT SHE IS MY COMP!!! This girl is
absolutely hillarious, and we've been budies since she got here just 2
transfers after I did (that is, 3 months). The funniest part is that
at the Christmas activity that we had last week, some of us started
guessing who was going to be called as the new sister leader, and I
may or may not had been inspired by the Holy Ghost when I guessed Hna
Jorgensen. She is just a hoot and a half, and a super hard worker who
gets stuff done. We are going to work miracles during my last transfer
in Paraguay!!

Transfers themselves involved getting up at 3am this morning, so I may
or may not be half asleep writing this email.

Hna Goering's last day in the mission was one of the best days we've
ever had together. The Ca'acupé branch had their annual end of the
year activity, so she and I sang a song, everybody watched He Is The
Gift, and the Russian couple that lives here played the accordian and
sang a carol in their native language. No big deal. While everyone was
eating, Hna Grebe, the wife of said russian couple, just sat quietly
and played a polka on her acordian. I don't think I could have been
any happier. I would send you pictures... but I forgot my camera
cord...

I love you guys so much. Make sure to say hi to Hna Goering (Rachel
Goering) on Facebook for me!!! And let me know how your hinking trips
go!!!

Con mucho amor y mucho ÁNIMO,
Hna Jeppesen