7/4/2016 Happy 4th of July!

 

Well, Happy Birthday AMERICA!!! Oh how blessed we are to live in Los estados unidos de America!  Well, of course we had to celebrate!  We had a zone celebration!  The day was filled with lots of great friends, good laughs and a good game of kickball!  We had cake, hot dogs, and of course we sang the National Anthem!    :)    Wow, I am so proud to be an American!  

This week was FANTASTIC!  We have been so busy and SO blessed!  The day in the life of a missionary is not like anything else.  We get to do what no one else does, with a power that very few people have.  It is so thrilling, emotional, exciting, spirit filled, and well, just simply AMAZING! 

We got to meet Presidente y Hermana Svec this week.  It was a short moment, but oh how great it was!  I know that he is called of God and the mantle has been placed on His shoulders.  Each calling is important to God, and He has a reason for every calling.  We are called for a reason, and as we fulfill our callings to the best of our ability, he places power behind our words and actions.  What a great opportunity it is to serve Him, in whatever capacity we are called to.

CA.   This woman, is so special.  She was a reference from a member.  Her boyfriend is (was :) ) an inactive, and she agreed to get to know his church.  We started teaching her last week.  On Thursday we had a lesson and had invited her to pray about Joseph Smith, and it see if this is the TRUE church of God.  On Friday we received a text from her saying,  "Hermanas, I am so incredibly happy!  Thank you so much for you support, and all the time you dedicate to helping me.  I cant wait to see you tomorrow!"  On Saturday when we met with her she told us of the experience she had while praying.  She described the spirit as feeling "like I was in heaven.  I have never felt that before.  I know that what you have taught me is true, and I cant wait to take the first step by being baptized!"  Nobody could have wiped away the ear-to-ear smile I had in that moment!  God answers prayers when we ASK IN FAITH, DETERMINED to ACT.  She then looked at us and said, but I believe I need a Book of Mormon to be able to learn more. We had not even mentioned the Book of Mormon at this point, but she had read about it in the pamphlet.  I looked at my companion and she looked at me.  We gave her a Book of Mormon and oh how she treasured that.  She could not believe that we would gift her a Book of Mormon. She said,  "I cant wait to be able to learn more about Jesus!"  Oh how sweet is the conversion!!!  I love being able to participate in this great work!  There is nothing sweeter, more worthwhile, or fulfilling than working for the One and Only who created all.  I know He lives, He loves us, He answers those who seek, and He wants us to succeed!  CA. is preparing to be baptized the 30th of July! 

On Sunday, we were seated in sacrament meeting with about 15 minutes left of the meeting.  I was thoroughly enjoying the testimonies, when my companion jabbed my side.  She pointed to the door, and there in the window were three familiar faces!  FA. and her 2 children came to church!  What a happy surprise!!!  We found her contacting about 2 weeks ago, and felt something really special from day 1.   We were so surprised that she came, but so incredibly thrilled!  Sometimes all is takes is an invitation!  

Well, its been a good one here, and I hope all is well there!  Enjoy yourselves, and Remember Christ in all!  I love you all!

See you soon,

Hermana Fox

Sorry for the lack of pictures...Virus infested computers.  :(

6/27/2016 New Beginnings!

Wow...it has been a week to remember!!!!

So, we went to Itiapu today, which means we went to BRAZIL.  Itiapu dam is a hydroelectric dam on the Parana River located on the border between Brazil and Paraguay.  It is the largest power plant on the earth!  That was awesome, but I am not able to send pictures, so they will be coming!  The dam is HUGE!  It sustains 80% of all power in Paraguy and 12% of Brazil.  It was quite the sight!  We went with a group of missionaries and it was really fun!

It was a good week.  It went by fast.  We have had quite a few lessons.  There are a few who are progressing.  We are teaching 2 couples who are young.  The males are inactives, and the women are investigating.  THEY BOTH came to church this week!  THAT WAS AWESOME!  We have a lot hope with these part member families.

Well, President and Hermana LaPierre are headed home.  We had our last zone conference with them, and WOW can I tell you, it was the BEST conference I have been in.  It was EXACTLY what I was I needing in this moment!  Early in the week I had been feeling like I wasn't enjoying the spirit as much as I would like.  I felt like I was going through all the missionary motions; speaking of Christ, testifying of Him, and inviting others to come unto Him...but I felt like it was without feeling.  I had mentioned to my companion, and we had a good discussion.  After much prayer and 2 days, God blessed me with an abundance of the spirit.  It was so incredibly special!  I have never felt like that in my life.  Since then I have really been trying to NOTICE the spirit in every moment and to keep my thoughts centered on Christ.  Being a missionary we have spiritual experience after spiritual experience, and after a 1 year, I think I started to forget how special that REALLY is.  It was really nice to reflect and remember how special the gift of the Spirit is.  I am so grateful for him, and the comfort, guidance and love he shows me.  Oh what I would give, so that everyone could feel this way!  There is nothing quite like it. 

 

I am so grateful to be on a mission and be able to experience each moment.  There are days I wonder if I am really accomplishing anything, but as I look back I see there is no greater convert than myself.  Oh how grateful I am for my Savior and Father who has given me this opportunity to serve them.  It helps me to see a bit their greatness.

It was a bitter sweet goodbye to President and Hermana LaPierre.  I know that they have finsihed what they were sent here to do, and another has been called.  May God bless them and each of His servents.

See you soon,

Hermana Fox

6/20/2016 The most important work of all!

 Missionaries at the bus terminal in Asuncion Paraguay.

Temple in Paraguay.


Hello!

This week has flown by so SO fast!  On Monday night we hopped in a bus and traveled to Asuncion for legal paper work for Paraguay.  We spent half the day there before returning late on Tuesday night.  It was a great trip, but the most special was seeing the temple!   I have not seen a temple in 1 year!  We were not allowed to do a session, but we sisters snuk in and the temple workers brought us temple role papers.  We sat in the front room for about 4 minutes adding names to the prayer roll.   Oh how special it was!  I can not explain the peace that is found in the temple! I have missed that place so much and can not wait to go back!  The rest of the trip we got to go to Pizza Hut and McDonald´s, and had lots of fun with missionaries!  I am so grateful for all my peer missionaries, and have made some of my dearest friends!

Friday we had divisions!  I got to go with Hermana Ehlert, my old Companion!!!   We had such a great time!  It was just like old times, teaching together!  Oh how I love that angel!

This week we had to push back the baptism date of CA.  We are still working with her, but hope to see more conversion, before she enters into her first covenant.

 

There are a lot of people walking around with machine guns guarding homes and businesses.  At first it freaked me out a little, but I am used to it now.

Yesterday, I met AO.  That was quite the "charla"!  He is an old investigator.  Lives here in Ciudad Del Este (CDE) alone.   In the last couple of months all of his family has been baptized in Pilar, which is about 9 hours away.  The hermanas had dropped him because he had excessive questions and lack of faith to find the answers.  In the first part of the charla he started to enter into asking tons of questions and thinking in circles.  We weren't getting anywhere.  We were trying to REALLY listen to him and to the spirit, and the spirit TOOK IT AWAY!  We asked if he really desired to find the truth, and join it?  He sincerely said," YES" .  In the end there was an agreement that He will live like a latter day saint, and learn all he can, being completely dedicated for ONE month.  And in the end if he doesn't receive answers and feel something, we will let him be.   :)  But at least he has to TRY the cake, and not just judge it from the outside!  I am so excited to work with him!  I know that whatever person who is TRULY looking and PUTS forth an effort to find the truth,  IT WILL BE FOUND!

I am so blessed to participate in such a special work.  There is nothing like it.  THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT WORK IN THE WORLD!   It is the work of Salvation!  I dont know why the Lord trusts all of these 18-20 year olds, but oh am I grateful that He does.  It is changing me, and millions more.  I love my Father in Heaven, and Savior, Jesus Christ.  This is their work, and it will press on!

Thank you all for all your support and love!  I appreciate it, and hope all is well with you at home!

See you soon,

Hermana Fox

6/13/16 Bom dia em familia

Hola Family and Friends!

 

I hope all is going well there and that you are all enjoying the warm sun!  Winter has come, and oh it is cold!  Actually it doesnt drop below 0 C.  There isn't a single building with heating.  After being without heating all day, you feel it quite strongly.

It has been quite the week! I know I'm not going to be able to share it all, but I'll do my best!!!

So it has been a week of miracles!  Wednesday we passed by an investigator that we had lost a bit of hope in, due to the law of chastity and boyfriends not willing.  We decided to pass by one more time, and reteach this law.  She testified to us throughout the whole lesson that it would be a great law to live.  Then in the end she said, "so I told my boyfriend that He can live here anymore until we are married." Say WHAT?!  Ha, she told us that she is feeling a lot better since he left, and BAM FETCHA BAUTISMAL!!!  We are working to prepare her for the 25th of JUNE! 

Oh but it didn't stop there, right after we had a lesson with JA.  She is the less active, who had the miracle with her baby living after receiving a blessing.  We walked in and asked her how she was doing, and how her "boyfriend" is doing.  She got quiet, and said, "Well Sunday I told him that if he doesn't want the church, then I don't want him.  So I kicked him out, and oh, can I tell you how good I feel?!"  I was literally SHOCKED!  The change in this woman is incredible and she desires to just do want is right even before we invite her. 

Thursday morning we recieved a call from a member.  He said he wanted to bring us breakfast.  Ok, WHY NOT?!  We dropped down from our apartment and he had 2 kilos of  Dulce de leche (similar to carmel), and nothing else. Haha!  People here are so funny here, yet so very generous!!! :)

Also we had a lesson that was FULLY in Guarni this week!  Thanks to members and all their help to make it posible.  Basically there was a lot of translating.  We taught and then the member repeated in Guarani.  The members continue to help and bless us!!!  I am blessed beyond measure!

Yikes we found quite the Catholic this week. She said, "There is only 1 HUGE difference between me and you.  "You are Christian, and I am Christian AND "Mariana" (HUGE believer in Mary)".  It makes me so sad to see people who place things in the way of coming unto Christ.  I know that Christ is the ONLY way.  He is the ONLY Savior.  There is NO other way, and there never will be!  I am so grateful for the sacrifice and investment He made for me. "I STAND ALL AMAZED"!  I love this gospel, and I am so grateful to stand up to the world and testify of Him.

See you soon,

Hermana Fox

starlee.fox@myldsmail.net

 

Mission Argentina Posadas

Cordoba 1243

Posadas CP-3300

Misiones

Argentina

6/6/16 Hola from Paraguay!

Hola Familia!

First week in Paraguay, Ciudad del este Barrio  is literally paradise!!! This ward is the reason I am here in the Argentina Posadas mission!  I am in love!!  I have recieved the warmest welcome from all the ward members!  There is so so much support from them!  They seriously just want to serve us in everyway that they can!  We enjoy lunch everyday with them.

A little about Paraguy, Cuidad del Este, It is a HUGE city and I LOVE IT!!!  Everyone basically speaks 3 languages or more.  Portuguese, Spanish and Guarni.  On top of that there are a lot of Chinese.  We were shopping today and in one store I heard a conversation in all 4 of these different languages,  AT THE SAME TIME! HAHA!  Sunday dinner was Brazilian and absolutely DELICIOUS!!  I am loving all the comodities that I have been missing out on.  I'm loving showers with water pressure, a kitchen sink with hot water, a toilet that is NOT plastic,  just to mention a few.  HAHA!  The people are VERY humble.  It doesn't matter if they have money or not, they want to talk with us and listen.  The people here are incredibly loving!  Just about everyone lets us in to listen, and then we cant leave without them feeding us.  Im just praying I can control myself and not get FAT!

We are currently working with a couple of youth, who are progressing for baptism.  There is so much work to be done here.  I have never had a ward who fully understands that EVERY member is a missionary, like this ward.  We are constantly recieving references, and having lessons with members.

There is a family Ojeda.  Their grandson was literally dying.  They were in the hospital and the Doctors said that there was nothing else that they could do.  It was 4:00 in the morning.  The Grandpa, (active member) called another member to give the baby a blessing.  During the blessing the baby start throwing up and started to react!  What  a miracle!  The mother,(less active) was touched and started to come to church again!  :)  I know that God is a God or miracles!  He loves us and is aware of each of us.

Funny story:  So the bishop came to fill up our propane tank.  We live in a apartment building on the 4th floor, so I threw the tank over my shoulder and packed it down.  When bishop saw me he was like,  " WHAT?!    Now, you have my respect!"  

Hermana Lopez is an angel!  I have so much to learn from her!  She has the biggest heart full of love, and so much patience.   I feel so blessed to be serving here with her at this time!  I love this gospel!  I love to see such a happy people, that LOVE to live the gospel!  This is the only way, and oh how very blessed I am to have this knowlege!

See you soon,

Hermana Fox

starlee.fox@myldsmail.net

5/30/16 Transfered to Paraguay! Wahoo!

Well HELLO!

It has been quite the week, full of growing experiences!

First off, TRANSFER NEWS:  I will be leaving Argentina this Wednesday and off to Paraguy I go!  My new companion is Hermana Lopez from Honduras.   :)   We are going to be in Cuidad del Este!  For all  who dont know, that is a HUGE city on the boarder of Paraguy, Brazil, and Argentina.  Here we go with Portugese and Guarni language as well as Spanish!!!  Needless to say, I am sad to be leaving the small town of Corpus Christi and Roca and the eternal friends I have made here, but I am excited for a new adventure!    :)

As for Corpus Christi and Roca, I am going to miss so much the branch members here!  I remember my third night here in Corpus, after I passed out with the Dengue fever, Karina and Ruben came and took such good care of me: getting me to the hospital, buying me a Sprite, and giving me a blessing.  I remember thinking, Wow Ruben is the ONLY preistood holder here in town and I am blessed enough to have him here with me!  And how how blessed I feel to be a part of the Pittana family (This family basically makes up the whole branch of Corpus).  President and Andrea take such good care of us.  Washing out clothes, feeding us multiple times a week, and just being the greatest support for us missionaries!  Then in Roca there is family Piava.  They have kept me on the edge of my seat LAUGHING!  They have 2 children, but more than 30 exotic pets!  They are always so excited to feed me odd things and then tell me after what I ate!  And oh how I will miss the youth of this branch!  I have loved teaching Sunday school each week and feeling of their GREAT desires to follow Christ and SHINE out in the world today!  Sorry for the short moment of reminiscing.    :) :)

So yesterday we taught a young man, and can I tell you how much I love it when someone ACTUALLY thinks about what we are saying!  We were explaining that Christ established His church and how only Him and His 12 apostles had the Preistood authority.  "And as each of them died, this authority was lost and the Chrurch of Christ wasn't on the earth in its plentitude."  He looked at us and said, "So I guess we just have to wait for the 12 apostles to be ressurected!"  Well, BASICALLY that is what happened!  That was  perfect way to enter the Restoration of the Preisthood and the church! It was great!  He has agreed to learn more and pray for answers!

Thank you all so much for all you do for me.  I appreciate all the love and prayers that come my way!  I feel so blessed to be on a mission right now.  I know it is where I need to be.  God has a plan, and it is PERFECT.  I would not want to be in ANY other place.  I know that God lives, and that the church of His Son, Jesus Christ, is on earth today.  What a privledge I have to share this with my brothers and sisters her in Argentina and Paraguay!      :)

See you soon,

Hermana Fox

starlee.fox@myldsmail.net

 

Mission Argentina Posadas

Cordoba 1243

Posadas CP-3300

Misiones

Argentina

P.S. Im really sorry, but pictures are not sending again.  We have a very weak connection out here.        Just imagine me HAPPY, for THAT I am.

5/23/16 Hey, Hey, His work moves on!

 Hello Family and Friends,

Ask and ye shall receive!  It is a common phrase my mother always taught me.  When last week, the topic came up about a church that believes and practices CONSTANTLY "el don de languas" or the "gift of toungues".  I always wondered what it would be like, because it is a false church.   So how does that work?  I told my companion, "I want to hear it!"

So this week, I RECIEVED!  We were in a lesson, and apparently the truth we were sharing with a couple, irratated them quite a bit.   Out it came!  I heard all sorts of things including: God loves me, but I teach false doctrine.  I have it all wrong.  I will not be saved. More that what I heard was what I felt! It was oh, so very dark and something I never ever want to experience again!  It makes me so sad to think of how many of  OUR brothers and sisters are confused. They are so lost in false doctrine that they confuse the whisperings of the Devil to be from the Holy Ghost. 

La. is doing well.  She faithfully dropped Coffee and is reading diligently the Book of Mormon, even though she only has a 5th grade education.  There are just some people, who find God's treasures and really treasure them!  This is La.!  Her "husband" has decieded to reject the gospel, and will not get married.  That makes it so that Lorena's progression is a halted.  It was so sad to see her face as she came to the realization that she will not be getting baptized here in the near future.  We pray for her each day, and know that she is in God's hands.  As she does HIS will, He will provide a way!

I know that this is God's kingdom on the earth!  It will prevail!  Nothing can stop us...till death we will fight.  I am so grateful to be on a mission!  It is like nothing I have ever experienced.  I am so grateful for what I have learned.  We are so very blessed to have the truth in our lives and live the FULNESS of His Gospel! 

Love you and see you soon,

Hermana Fox

starlee.fox@myldsmail.net

 

Mission Argentina Posadas

Cordoba 1243

Posadas CP-3300

Misiones

Argentina