Itagua

Walking and Walking and Walking. Itaugua is huge! But I love it. It has been awesome to get back to teaching people all day long. While we walk, we speak in English. I am helping Elder Perez speak english so that has been fun! Today though, was not so great. We had to go to Asuncion for leadership council. Itaugua is super far from Asunciòn, and the meeting starts at 8 so we had to leave early. We left at 5 am. The busses were so crowded that I was squished between people the entire time. After finally getting to San Lorenzo at 6, we got on another bus to Asuncion.............that bus was terrible. Again, squished so much I could barely breathe. Some old guy had is huge water jog and terere and it was constantly jabbing my back haha. At 7:30 am, we finally made it....to the bus terminal! Oh my. So we got off and took a taxi. We showed up at 8:05, luckily President was late too. But wow, I will never do that again. I told me comp next time we are taking a taxi from Itaugua! haha

The first couple days here were not the easiest for me. It was hard to get accostumed to the people and such. But, I did make one great friend, "M". His family is really wealthy, and we are teaching him! He is 18 and the first time I showed up to his house, his first words to us were, "I'm sure. I am so sure!" We asked him about what and he said that he is so sure he wants to get baptized. !Que facha! His date is for April 29th! We ate lunch with him on Saturday and he came to church as well. Last week he started studying to be a pilot, and this week he starts studying english. So we are gonna help him out with the english when we go over. I hope he continues his progression! Please keep him in your prayers!

We are also working with Familia "C". They are a super humble family, but were not always this low. The dad started a business, but after a couple unfortunate business moves on his part, he has basically been kicked out and taken over by his partner. That was super sad, but I know that God works in mysterious ways. Because of the financial struggles, they recognized the need to include God more in their life. So had this not happened, we probably would not be teaching them. He might be getting a good job at a nice hotel. His friend offered him a spot or something, he should find out this week! I love going over because they have such great personalities. They are super funny and sarcastic, so its not a bland hour when we go. They have to get married, but we are planning on helping them do that on the 29th of April as well. They could also use some serious prayers! 

I am so thankful to be here in Itaugua. The ward is awesome, and there are a lot more investigators that we are teaching. I am thankful for the opportunity we have to listen to the Prophet and Apostles this weekend. Couldn't come at a better time! I hope you all have the chance to see it! 

Love you all

Elder Zaugg

PICS

1. Elder Crofts Parada and I. Elder croft's last change!!!

2. Marcelo!

3. Elder Murphy and Elder Passos. Elder passos trained elder murphy in the field, and i trained him in the office!

4. Hna Llanos! Her friend is Cutter's companion right now!!!! super cool!

pictures....saying goodbyes'

CHANGES

Well, after 1 week in Aregua, I am headed out! I was actually a little sad. I loved Aregua, and we found a bunch of new investigators! But as I have learned lately, God has a plan for me and for each and every one of us. No matter what happens, it will always work it. 

So Aregua is awesome. It is an actual functioning ward here in Paraguay, which was pretty awesome to see. So many returned missionaries! That was super cool, and they were calling me to see if they could do visits, which NEVER has happened in my mission. One of them actually came back in December from my brother Cutter's mission in Cordoba! Then, on Saturday we were eating dinner with a young couple. They just finished building their house and it reminded me so much of a wood cabin. It was so cool! She told me that her sister was serving a mission in Cordoba. I said, "No way, so is my brother!" Then she said, "Oh cool, I will ask her if she knows him! One sec, I think Ill show you a picture of her." She showed me a pic of her sister's zone and guess who was in the picture? CUTTER! HAHA That was super awesome! Lastimosamente I forgot her name....it is probably Gon..... or something. As we were leaving her house, they had just mentioned something super funny so we were laughing pretty hard, and in a hurry to get home on time. Well, in their fence/gate to their house, they had a pretty thick metal wire stringing across the top. At 9pm, I didnt see it at all and ran straight into it. It almost sent me to the ground! Now I have a cut on my nose in between my two eyes. I was so lucky that it wasnt barbed wire....

I am headed off to Itaugua this week. It will probably be my last area so Im ready to see what it brings. I loved this week because I was reminded of how much I missed being out in the field. The mission is not easy. But I noticed the joy I receive from serving the Lord. One night this week, I was thinking about the day and read my patriarchal blessing. In it I was told I would find joy in serving in the Lord's work and I thought about every lesson and every time I felt the Spirit testify to an investigator, to a member or even to me of the truth of this gospel and I felt joy. To be able to feel and recognize the spirit is joy. To have this restored gospel in my life is joy. I am so grateful for the last 3 months I have to give it all to the Lord, and I know he will bless me and always allow me to feel joy in his service. I promise all of you that as you go about serving in the Lord's work, he will help you find joy in it. Sharing this gospel is an opportunity we all have, and when we do share it, the Lord will bless us unconditionally! 

Love you all!

RATSSSS? I AM OUT

yes. We found rats in the office/church this week. Tuesday Night, Elder Murphy and I were setting up for a mission conference the next day. I walked up to the stage, and as I got up to the last step, I heard a bunch of noises that sounded like a dog trying to run on wood floor but always slipping. My first thought? "I really hope that was a cat." I looked around but didn't see anything. I started carrying down some chairs and I noticed a little pebble like thing on the chair. I realized that was rat poop...I got down and Elder Murphy turns to me and says, "I think we have rats...I was carrying this stack of chairs and I swear a rat jumped out from the middle one and ran to that corner!!!" We immediately stopped what we were doing and went to the supermarket right in front of the church and bought mouse traps and poison. We placed out 2 traps that night. Before we had left the building, we had caught 2 rats. Since then, we have caught and killed 7. These things are everywhere in this poor church....but luckily they are so dumb we put out the same sticky glue traps and poison and they fall for it every time.

It has been a good run here in the office, but it looks like this will be my last week from the financiero office! I should be headed out to my new area this next Wednesday. I am super excited to get out and finish my mission in a normal area! Hopefully I remember how to walk all day long? I should probably ask for a portable air conditioning unit...

I have seriously loved the time spent here. I have learned so much. You could definitely say my mission has been a little different than that in the mind of every 18 year old when he is about to leave. I never thought I would manage money for the entire mission! But I learned that God knows each and everyone of us personally. He has a unique plan for each of us to succeed in his grand plan for us to return and live with him. He knows how to help us learn at every moment of our life. He has blessed me so much for serving a mission, I couldn't be more grateful

Love you all!

Elder Zaugg

fishing no fish....

Today we went fishing on the Rio Paraguay.....annnnnnnnnnnndddddddddddddd we caught nothing!!!!!! Surprise surprise. I already knew I did not like fishing when we went, but everyone wanted to go so I kind of had no choice. President Evans is a huge fisher so he was pretty excited. It was really hot, Elder Murphy got really really sun-burned, and we didn't see any fish on hooks for 3 hours. But hey, it was something different and now I can check something off the list of "things to never do again in Paraguay". 

This morning, Elder Crofts, Murphy and I went to an anciana's house to cut her grass. It was a lot of grass. But it was super fun. After almost 3 hours we finished. To be honest, it wasnt a profesional job. It would not have passed for my mom's yard inspection, but with a Paraguayan weed wacker, it was the best we could do. She gave us some homemade mango ice cream after that was soooo good! So it was a win win for all of us.

While I was reading in Alma this week, I really liked the story about the lamanita pueblo that converted to the gospel from the teachings of Ammon. I loved verse 19 in chapter 24:

19 And thus we see that, when these Lamanites were brought to believe and to know the truth, they were firm, and would suffer even unto death rather than commit sin; and thus we see that they buried their weapons of peace, or they buried the weapons of war, for peace.

"They were firm". They would have rather died than kill their brothers. I have had the blessing, like many of you, to know that this church is true, to know that Christ is my Savior. Would we rather die than commit sin? These people showed a love to God that is very hard for me to understand at times. But, I do know where their firm foundation comes. It comes from Christ. If we build our testimony on Christ, we will not fall when Satan "sends his mighty winds" at us as Helaman teaches us in Helaman 5:12. Christ is our Savior, Lord and Redeemer. Only through him can we be saved, only through him can we be lifted up in our trials, only through believing in him, can we begin to build our foundation of faith so that when sin comes our way, we like the people of Ammon, would rather die than commit sin. I know Christ's love is there for all of us. We were sent here to Earth to learn for ourselves and progress. We are not perfect, but we are to become perfect and only through Christ will we ever reach that righteous goal. 

Love you all!

Elder Zaugg

Pics: 

So we went to dinner with Hno Galeano. Seriously one of the coolest guys I have ever met. he speaks amazing english too. (Really the whole family speaks amazing english). In fact, he was the one that translated for elder rasband when he came! i have never met a man so optomistic and happy. He is definitely a man I look up too!

Hospital scare

This week I had quite the scare. I woke up and Elder Murphy and Behrens were gone. At first, I thought they went running. I was kind of disappointed they didn't tell me to be honest, but I was super impressed with Elder Murphy...at this point, we all thought he tore a muscle in his butt a couple days before. He was having so much pain. "Wow," I thought, "That is dedication." Turns out, I saw my phone and had a missed call from Elder Behrens. They hadn't gone running......they were at the hospital!!! Elder Murphy was in so much pain so they went to the ER! "Man....I am going to be here for another change!?!?" That was my first thought...Well, after a long night of pain and a dreary hospital visit, a minor surgery, and some bloody bandages, it was determined Elder Murphy actually had an infection! But the good news is they fixed the problem, and he is on antibiotics right now. He is doing a little better now, just has a sore rear end right now.

We were driving back to the office and I thought of some elderly women in our ward that we should visit, so I asked Elder Avellaneda and Cárdenas if we could go visit them. Immediately, Elder Avellaneda said he was thinking the same thing and was just going to ask if we could do the same! We definitely thought it was the Holy Ghost prompting us to go. We pulled up to their apartment to find them standing outside their house, just looking lonely. We walked up to them, and the first thing they said was that they both needed blessings. Their health wasn't doing them any favors lately and they needed some help. It was yet another testimony booster that the Holy Ghost does speak to me and everyone else as well. He is always their to guide our lives if we listen and act on his promptings! Without a doubt I can promise that our Heavenly Father speaks to us through this vital 3rd member of the Godhead. He knows what is best for our lives, because he sees the big picture, the eternal picture. So, he sens his messenger to help us out when we need a direction to go. He is kind of like the Cheshire cat in Alice and Wonderland, but a lot less creepy! And really, more helpful. I know that Christ lives, and that through him comes happiness. I know that our Father in Heaven will guide us back to him as we seek to obey him and follow his son. 

Love you all!
Elder Zaugg

PICS: some members from Del Maestro when Elder Castro went home
Food. really, the office life involves a lot of food.

News Report Live from Paraguay

A week full of changes! Am I out? Am I staying in the office? Do I really have health problems? Tune in now, Live from Paraguay. 

Let's go to Shopping Mariscal where Elder Zaugg has the story.

Thanks Elder. This Friday a day called "P-day" to mormon missionaries we caught up with a group of them to see how the enjoy this day. We found them in Johnny Rockets, a well-known American burger & shake chain. As I spoke around with the workers, we found out that these missionaries are regulars! Almost every "P-Day" they hit the diner to enjoy a nice burger and shake (or in the case of one, a nice salad/chili cheese fries). We snuck in just in time to catch one of the hourly dances preformed by the workers. But this time, we noticed one not dressed in the "Johnny Rockets atire". Below are the attached photos. His name is Elder Zaugg who jumped up and began dancing. He sure did look like a regular out there, almost hitting the steps as the workers. From this experience, we learned the mormon missionaries are real humans. This is Elder Zaugg, reporting live from Paraguay. Back to you in the studio, Elder.

Thanks Elder. What a wonderful story. Coming up, we flash over to Villa Hayes, where there were some unexpected delays in a house move. But first, a message from our sponsors.

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We're back. Saturday. A blistering heat came over Asunción and we caught up with an odd group shutting down a rented home after 11 years. Let's go to Elder Zaugg in Villa Hayes for the story.

Thanks Elder. A great relationship came about between a paraguayan grandma and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints as 2 mormon missionaries (not always the same) have been renting an apartment from her for the last 11 years. This Saturday, they were forced to close down the rent. Due to the lack of missionaries, the mission was forced to eliminate an area, causing this area to close down for what we hope, a short period of time. As the two Elders, Elder Cárdenas and Elder Zaugg, were helping carry down the first bed frame from the second story apartment with the 2 movers they work with frequently, they heard a loud noise and came down to see that the front tire on the transport vehicle had exploded. Yes, exploded from the heat of the pavement. At 2pm in Asuncion and its roundabouts during the summer, it can get pretty heated like one of the college football games between ASU & UofA or BYU and Utah. This big vehicle needed some help to fix it. Great news, everyone to do it was closed. So, the 2 movers (Hno Sanchez-a super awesome happy guy and his helper) went to work at it. Not 1, not 2, but 3 car jacks were needed and 3 hours of time until the tire was finally replaced and the move began again. With tears in the landlord's eyes, the missionaries turned in the keys and left Villa Hayes, lucky enough to be headed home just in time to get some great photos on the Remanso bridge of the river and Asuncion. Photos are attached. From a sad ending to a relationship, we see the beauty Asuncion rarely has to offer. Elder Zaugg, reporting live from Paraguay. Back to you Elder.

Thanks Elder. What a beautiful scenery in Asuncion. You sure don't see that often. Up next we hop on over to Sunday morning bright and early. We've got Elder Zaugg reporting to us live from Santaní. There seems to be technical difficulties so we will not have pictures or a live feed.

Thanks Elder. This Sunday, I caught up with a group of missionaries in Santaní-President Evans and his family along with Elder Zaugg and Elder Behrens who left at 6am to make it to a ward in Santaní. The beloved senior couple Guterres were headed back to Brazil after completing their mission and it would be their last Sunday. The members of the Santaní ward were not successful in stopping the rivers of tears during and after the church services. Even the heavens were crying as the rain did not stop to and from. We learned that Santaní really isn't a pile of dirt as once expected. It looks like a "nice" paraguayan city. Only information to report was that Elder Zaugg reported a minor bruise to the head at the end of the trip due to the fact that he slept with his head against the window the entire way back driving on Paraguayan roads, which as you know, are not the best-at all. In fact they might be the worst. That is all from Santaní. Elder Zaugg reporting live by phone. Back to you Elder.

Wow, what tender moment in Santaní. And for the head of Elder Zaugg. Must be causing some pain. Finally, we jump to Wednesday for our Big Report. Is Elder Zaugg staying in the office? Does he have health problems? Will he finish his mission in the office? Coming to you live just after the break.

"The LDS temple. Sealing families for time and all eternity for over 150 years."

We are back here in Asunción with the update you have all been waiting for. Change after change, his exit was anticipated. Change after change, the country was shocked (or maybe just the Asuncion North mission). Rumors spread like wildfire that he had health problems. Even he began to think he had health problems even he was unaware about. But after 7 changes as Financiero, Elder Zaugg has finally received his replacement. A tall BYU swimmer from Reno, Nevada has joined the office squad in what looks to be a small miracle. Elder Murphy comes in at 6'4", just a little taller than Elder Zaugg at 5'11". He loves to swim (can't do that here), hang out with his girlfriend Vanna (also can't do that here), take long rides in his Jeep Wrangler (also a no-go) and count money (ding ding ding we have a winner). They have enjoyed their 3 days together and are committed to keeping the mission debt free. It was an expected move, anticipated for weeks. Elder Murphy had been told by every missionary and their dog(and in Paraguay, there are a lot of dogs) that he would be the Financiero. The started the change off right at Paulista's, eating everything that was delivered to them (except 1 cut of meat that they swear had not yet touched the grill). It seems to be a good fit. More updates to come in the next six weeks. 

This is all we have today, live from Paraguay. I'm Elder Zaugg, wishing you a happy and safe start to your weekends and encouraging you to hit up a local chapel this Sunday (if you are in Arizona or Utah, you are bound to find one super close to you) to worship and remember our Father in Heaven and his son and our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Love you all. Hope you enjoyed the news podcast :) More pictures and videos on my blog! Thanks mom!

Elder Zaugg

 Elder Murphy the new financial secretary

Elder Castro is headed home

Elder Castro Hermana Leoncia and Silvia

Office Crew at Johnny Rockets

Brody couldn't resist!

Elder Castro

Driving the 2017 Mission Van.  Its pretty nice!

Beautiful View of Paraguay!!!!