We helped translate for visitors, in English!

Dear family!

I am sorry for the loss in the family... I didn´t know Greg but I can imagine that is rather hard for you. I am sad to hear about the loss of Ed as well. Please send my best wishes to everyone.

Wow! It sounds like you had a nice trip home! That is excellent! I am glad you got home safe and everything. I remember taking those car trips and it being a good time. Although, most of the time was spent sleeping or on the gameboy hahaha. Oh the joys of being a child hahaha.

Stake Conference! I love Stake Conference!!! Thanks to the family, ward, and stake for their support and prayers - they mean a lot! :).

Well well well. This week. We had a baptism in the ward! One of the families we are preparing are getting closer to their goals. Their 16 year old son decided to be baptized so Elder King and Elder Henriquez prepared him! It was nice going back to see the family and their progression. I hadn´t seen them for a couple of weeks besides Sundays so it was nice to be able to teach them once again and see how everyone was. The dad is so great - he is helping the missionaries teach his neighbors! Those missionaries are going to be super busy! :). Elder Eddy and I have been working hard getting to know the members and less actives, and teaching their families and friends. We have found some excellent people and we are excited to activate members, strengthen the testimonies of the members (all of them) and finding the prepared people the Lord has put in our path. It´s amazing seeing the testimonies and the faith of the Paraguayan people, even if half the ward isn´t Paraguayan... :). Well, not half but a good portion. This Sunday we had many people from the US, a good chunk being from Utah. What happened? A service medical group (Hope Alliance?) came to Ciudad del Este to visit the hospitals and health centers. They gave us a call to ask to help translate, being as they are all from Utah, members, and very few speak in Spanish. So we have been talking, helping and translating. It´s been a blast, as well as we have been receiving many references to go and teach. It is awesome. But it has helped me to know, that being a DOCTOR or anything of the sort is not for me. Sorry! No can do. ;). But we are excited to keep helping until Thursday and finding more teaching opportunities! They are amazingly awesome people too, so loving and willing to help. They came to the baptism Saturday and Sacrament Meeting on Sunday. Such great people! :). We have a zone conference this next week with Pte Arnold who is coming on tour of the mission next week. It will be really intense. I am so excited. I have never met him, but talking with the other Zone Leaders has given an idea. Also, the zone leaders will have an interview with him... AHH! I am so excited and ready to become a better missionary! So cool! :)

That´s about it for now. We are moving into a new apartment, and it isn´t fun moving. But that is life! I love being a missionary. I love you all so much! Take care of yourselves! Say hi to all for me!!! :)

Lots of love

Elder D. Watson

PS Please don´t send too many more packages... they are asking us to reduce the number, for several reasons which you will be reading about in a letter from President Callan, and any packages we do receive we will have to pay extra to receive them. I feel it would be better to save the money and use it towards a better cause after the mission. Thank you so much.

Teaching with Members is Awesome!

Hey Family!

Wow... wow... wow... my cousins are all getting married. Crazy stuff. That´s awesome though! Send them my love and congratulations. Wow! Kyoko! How is she? And all the family??? It sounds like everything is going awesomely great!

This week was rather interesting - we gave up our investigators to the new missionaries and started working in the side of the area where the missionaries have not been in years! A funny side note - we are teaching more people that speak English than in Spanish... hahahaha. Cool jacks. Anyway, it is amazing to see how the Lord works and puts people in our path. It´s amazing to be a missionary! We are having so much success working with the members, teaching in their houses. The Spirit is so STRONG there. It´s such a difference. When we teach the members´ friends and family in their own homes, the missionary work is such much more effective. The Spirit can testify even more through the testimonies and experiences of the members. All of the success we are seeing in our area is because of the members and their inspired help. It is absolutely amazing. I can´t wait to help the missionaries when I get home because that´s where true success is in the missionary work. IT´s helping the members teach their loved ones the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I am REALLY sorry for another short letter. I have been having to report more numbers of late and information being a Zone Leader. Not cool, but sacrifice is necessary. I love you all so much! Take care of yourselves! Say hi to all!

Elder D. Watson

P.S. Thanks to all for their letters and support! I love you all so much!!!

Busy Week!

Hey Family

Sorry this week is going to be a short letter too. We had our Zone Leader Meeting here in Asuncion and the bus leaves soon.

The work is going great. I get to play tour guide for 3 missionaries but this is the Lord´s work, so it is possible. We had 6 investigators come to church in the rain - what a blessing.

Elder Eddy is such a great Elder. I am going to be learning tons from him. Let´s just say I am learning that I can humble myself even more all of the time. There isn´t an end to pride, unfortunately.

We have a baptism this weekend if we prepare them really well! If not, next weekend. I am excited. They are the children of a family we are teaching, and the parents are doing paperwork so that they can prepare to be baptized as well. They are a really good family.

We have an investigator who has SO MUCH faith, but she is moving to the other zone, so we will pass the reference on so she can be baptized over there. She already says she is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ. Too cool.

Elder Eddy has had a lot of success working with members and I am excited to be able to work with him. Elder Flint came with his parents this Sunday to church - way weird. But cool.

I have to go now. I love you all. Never forget that.

Elder D. Watson

Pioneer Day

Dear Family

Pioneer day? What´s that? ;) Elder Flint asked me if I knew what yesterday was and I almost didn´t remember. Luckily I guessed and I was right!! Elder RAY!!!!!! Oh man! I remember him!!! Wow... time flies doesn´t it! Other than that, sounds like your week was rather calm. Sweet! And you are teaching a class online mom? Since when? Cool jacks! Sounds like fun! Katey´s wedding? Awwwwww man!  I want to see that! Well, I guess I will have to settle for pictures. That´s alright.

Alright! This week! WOO HOO! Well, there are changes (Awesome being a zone leader I know them today!! :) ) and my new companion will be Elder Eddy. He is coming from Coronel Oviedo. I don´t know him too well, just that he has a transfer more than I do and that we are going to work! I also have to play tour guide a little bit because our area is being split in 2 and they are opening Ciudad del Este 1.2 (A second part of the First ward). So we will have 4 missionaries in the ward now! Which is awesome because our area is really big! It´s a relief now that we can focus on a part of the area without worrying about forgetting all of the other people. Pretty sweet! It will be a fun week this week, but I am so excited!! :) More missionary work!

We have been finding tons of new investigators these past two weeks and we are excited to keep working with them and helping them progress! We are working with a Brazilian neighbor of ours who has a thick thick accent on his Portuguese. Kind of hard to understand, but he is really willing to change and leave his addictions behind. So excited! Another neighbor is half Paraguayan, half Brazilian, and we are starting to teach her as well. It is fun teaching Brazilians because they are so different! Plus I can learn Portuguese! :D.

I have such a strong testimony of the word of wisdom and the law of chastity - they might be super ´unpopular´ but they are some of the most important commandments God has given to us. If only the world could live these 2 commandments, families would be so much happier and united. How many single mothers are out there without a husband? And how many times has alcohol, tobacco or drugs destroyed a family? I testify that these are actual commandments from a loving Heavenly Father who gives them to us so that we can be free! Free from addiction, free from physical and spiritual damage, and families that are united and free from hate, suspicion and filled with love and confidence. I don´t care who says they are stupid - know that they come from God. There are heavy heavy consequences from breaking these 2 commandments, as they not only affect the person who breaks the commandment, but also their loved ones, be it friends, spouse, or innocent children. Can you imagine Christ breaking these commandments? I testify that He would NOT, He who is our perfect example. He who has a perfect love, charity, patience, understanding. Live the promise of Christ himself - John 7:17. He who does these things will know if they come from My Father (Christ being the Son of our Holy Father in Heaven) or if I speak by Myself. (Roughly translated). Not only is Christ our divine Savior and Redeemer, but He did nothing that was against the will of our Father in Heaven. Try it, See. Put your faith in God and live the commandments. You might be surprised to see the blessings that will come flowing! I know it to be true - and I will stand by it!

Alrighty... enough of my rant. I love being a representative of Jesus Christ. I love being ordained by His Holy Priesthood to proclaim repentance. I glory not in myself, but the Mercy, Power and Love of Him who has called me to this holy calling. I glory in the fact that He has allowed me to change, and that I am learning how to be molded by His perfect hands. I declare unto all that this is no invented idea. No invented power. No invented authority. I have been called by a LIVING prophet to be a Witness of Jesus Christ for these 2 years. I have seen His hand work in the lives of the people of Paraguay. I have seen lives change. I have seen sadness turn into joy and happiness, and desperation turn into hope. Have faith. Have hope. Search for the truth. And once you find it, calling upon God to know the truthfulness thereof, NEVER let go. NEVER LET GO. I KNOW without a doubt that this is the ONLY true church of Jesus Christ. The only place where we find modern revelation, having the privilege of being guided by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in our days. I testify will all of my heart that he who diligently seeks the truth, shall find it. And he will be forever changed by it. I personally have seen my life change and hope that I can continue changing my life to live in harmony with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I love you all so much!!! Take care of yourselves! CHAU!!!!!!!

Lots of love

Elder Watson

Searching for Investigators

Hola Familia!

Wow! Sounds like you had a fun week! Nothing rather exciting! That´s always good. Oh man... dentist appointments. I am sure they are going to throw a fit with my teeth since I haven´t seen a dentist in a year and a half... hahaha. But mind you I brush my teeth well - much better than what I did when I was home. I´m sorry for the teeth pains - those are no fun at all. At least you´ll feel better afterwards! Elder Flint tells me that his parents too saw Harry Potter and said it was awesome. Eh. Little boys and girls waving sticks at each other. Fun stuff. ;)

Well... this week! We were searching, searching and more searching for new investigators. I am sorry if my English is bad. Anyways. We had an awesome contact on Monday  - there was a young man (20´s) walking back to his home about 9 at night, while we too were heading home. We stopped him and began conversing a bit. He began to ask us what is it that we do, with what purpose, and how. So we explained a little bit about families being united, and he explained to us about an argument he had just had with a pastor right before we talked to him. He basically told us his life story summed up in 5 minutes about going to every church he could find and family problems coming from this. He chose not to follow his mother´s new religion because he knew it wasn´t true, and in faith walked out of his house so that he could find the way to follow Christ truthfully. Since then he had lots of problems, but things were starting to look up in his life. We explained that God listens to our prayers, and that we weren´t here to obligate anyone, only to invite others to come unto Christ. We invited him to pray to know the truth of what we were saying and he told us - hey... No one has ever told me that. They only ever try to obligate me to follow their commandments and rules, but never to pray to know the truth. You know... that seems right. I like this! We fixed a appointment to visit him and we are now working to help his faith in Jesus Christ grow. Awesome! :) I love the fact that we can invite all to ask our Heavenly Father to know the truth of all things. It is a powerful promise that only the true church of Jesus Christ can offer to the people. We had interviews this week also with President Callan, which was an awesome experience as always. We went on divisions later in the week with a trainer, Elder Butler who came with me to Ciudad del Este. He also has a twin who is serving in Neuquen. Fun stuff! There are a lot of twins in my mission. Elders Massey, Harwell, Butler, and some more but they´ve already headed home. It´s kind of funny to tell the truth. Hahaha

Well, my time is up again... where does the time go??? I love you all so very much!! Take care of yourselves!!!!!! LOVE

Elder David Watson

PS. Yay! Please tell the Martinez´s Hi and that I love them! (Hola Familia Martinez!! Gracias por su amor y todo! Les extraño y les quiero!!)

BAPTISM! AND MAWWWWWWWWAIGE!

Dear Family!

What a joy to hear from you! I am glad that everything is going well for you all. I am sorry but I have to keep this rather short. So everything necessary!

This week. BAPTISM! AND MAWWWWWWWWAIGE! Yeah! So cool. Basically a miracle happened. A couple we were teaching completely changed their lives. They decided to get married and baptized. So cool. And her brother who is a recent convert baptized them. So cool! The Ciudad del Este First Ward helped out SO MUCH!! It would not have been possible without them! This is my first ward that actually functions like the states! It is amazing to see what happens when a ward does its part so that the missionaries are just missionaries! Miracles happen! SWEET! So excited! I am sending pictures. Some of divisiones, most of the mawaiage and baptism. Don´t laugh I can´t spell anymore.

Anyway. We are working hard to stay focused and find more people to teach. Elder Flint will be ending his mission in a few weeks so we are really focused on the mission work and not time.

I am so glad to hear that all is well at home. That mom is healing and dad swimming. Happy day! Take care of yourselves. Really I mean it. Don´t sweat it. Take care!! I LOVE YOU!!


Elder David Watson

Happy 4th of July!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hey Family!

I didn´t forget this year! Last year I did forget... whoops! Things are so much different... one just forgets sometimes. ;) I missed the email this week, but I am sure everything is okay! This week was pretty good, not much happening but that´s the way it is sometimes.

Well, like I said last week, we started it off out in Asuncion for a couple of meetings on Monday and Tuesday. We got back pretty late Tuesday night, but safe and sound. Wednesday was a workday, but we finished it off with a ´movie night´ for Ward Night watching the movie Joseph Smith: Prophet of the restoration. Pretty sweet! Thursday... nothing to special happened. Except that Elder Sorensen, one of the district leaders in the zone, came to my area to do interchanges. He was in my very first district here in Paraguay and has one more change in the mission than I do. We had quite a good time teaching together and catching up on what has gone on in the mission.  He said something I really liked - that in these 2 years we have the opportunity to talk with anyone and everyone, because that is what we do! We have an excuse to do it - to change the lives of others so that they can come unto Christ. Gotta love the mission experiences. Friday we had a recent convert came with us to go teaching, and it was an awesome experience. It is so cool to see how the gospel completely changes someone´s life. Saturday was a good experience too! All of our plans fell through in the morning, so we decided to go to a contact´s house that we had done a while ago (before I got here) and he let us in! And it turned out that they were going through a couple of tough experiences and our message was just right for them! They loved it and wanted us to come back the next day. Which we did, and shared a little bit of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and about the Book of Mormon. They were so excited to be able to read the Book of Mormon. I´m jazzed. :). I had a similar experience in Carapegua (part of my last area) and I am so excited to be a missionary. It’s just so sweet. Sunday was a good day too. We had 6 investigators in church! We are having a baptism this week too (no matter what) of a family that is ready to go! A new family, the Rolim family, in the ward (from Brazil, they moved here about 2 months ago) invited us over to their apartment in downtown, so we went and did an activity about sharing the gospel with people they knew. They are an amazing family, and even though they don´t know anyone, they were really willing to find people to share the gospel with. I am definitely going to try and learn the basics of Portuguese... it will be cool! On Sunday, we found a guy that didn´t really understand Spanish, so I tried to teach a little in Guarani. It worked! A little bit... hahaha. I am not the best, but it is cool being able to teach principles of the Gospel in other languages.

Well, my time is up. Don´t know where it ran off. I love you all so much! Please take care of yourselves!!! LOVE YOU!!!

Elder D. Watson