Hola Familia,
Sounds like you guys had a fun week. It got really cold here but it was still a good week. Oh boy right now I feel like I´m eating all of my words when I used to tease Brother Sandberg for doing all of his stretches before and after playing sports because this morning we played American football and I didn´t bother doing any stretches before and after about 45 minutes I was feeling all stiff and sore. ¿When did that start to happen? I now see the genius behind the Sandberg-stretching. Haha but it was really fun playing with the zone leaders. Then we all went to the church by the temple and the Hermanas made us french toast (some more great blessings of having a district of hermanas, they invite us to breakfast and many times they bring baked goods to district meeting).
The area that I´m in is right on the Paraguay River so it´s kinda a fishing community, asà que comimos pescado la semana pasada. I have never been a huge fan of fish but being on the mission has really changed my taste buds so it was actually really good. It made me think of Spencer because I feel like he´s probably eating a ton of fish and rice. Here they eat lots of meals that are either rice or noodles with some kinda meet mixed in it (sometimes its better if you don´t ask what kinda meat).
Well I'm having the hardest time remembering what all happened last week. I know that we had only 18 people attend our little branch on Sunday due to the cold (and for the first two hour we were less than 8 people including 4 missionaries). It got really cold all of the sudden on Thursday until this morning but it looks like it´s warming up again. We still don´t know transfers but my companion is super sure he´s gone (so sure that he´s already started to pack). We get along fine but he´s super caught on the idea of leaving. I always feel really bad for my companions because this last year I've noticed how hard I am to live with. Luckily the Lord has blessed my companions with a large dose of patience. I really think it´s important like I've said to not sweat the small stuff, be part of the solution not part of the problem, remembering that teaching a lesson never works, and look for the good in others while realizing that I myself have things about me and do things that get on people´s nerves. I can't expect to be everyone´s best friend but I can definitely get along with just about anyone as I focus on putting them before me. I always think of the Savior for that example. Putting others first doesn't mean thinking about them enough that things are fair or that they just aren't suffering, but it´s walking the extra mile. The Savior taught through His example and words that a leader is not the one that is great but the one that's on bottom lifting and loving everyone else up, helping and serving others. I sometimes think about how He washed the feet of all of His apostles, the humility that that requires and the love so that they would feel more comfortable. We don´t only have to serve others by doing things that they can´t do for themselves, we can serve others by doing things to simply try and make their day a little better or make them a little happier. I've learned that that is how we will feel happiest too. If I'm sad or down or frustrated or anything I'm realizing it´s because I´m thinking about myself a lot. The simple remedy to that is start thinking about others and their needs or just the things that they do and how I can help them. It goes a long way. Sorry you guys always have to put up with all of my little soap box spiels of little life lessons I´m learning here in the Paraguay but it´s been cool to learn things like this. I´m sorta embarrassed that I´m 20 years old and just now learning a lot of the things that I've been learning, but I feel like I'll be learning these things for the rest of my life. I love you guys and hope you have a great week.
Con amor,
Elder Zachary J. Hulsey
Con amor,
Elder Zachary J. Hulsey
P.S. i´m having a hard time sending fotos right now but I will try and send some next week.
