Elder Acor: 6/24/24

 

La Senda de los Convenios

Well this week like always was very interesting, but it had some pretty awesome highlights!

So a little update with my companion, Elder Shulsen. It's been decided that he will be going home the same time as me. It's definitely a tener mercy because I didn't want to be sent around like crazy for the last little bit of my mission. My companion definitely wanted to go home quicker but it all worked out because it'll only be for a bit longer.

With that this week was just little interesting. It's just different having a companion who really doesn't want to be on the mission, but huge highlight was that we had zone conference this week. We traveled to Ciudad del Este which is about four to five hours from where we are at. I've served in Ciudad del Este so it was so cool, and kind of weird, to head back to an old area. I loved my time in Ciudad del Este a lot. On Friday we had our zone conference which was amazing. First things first I love seeing all my mission friends because being around them and talking with them just makes me feel awesome! One main focus I had going into zone conference was taking what I learned in this zone conference and applying it to myself after the mission. Well it was pretty easy because we talked all about covenants and our covenant paths. It was awesome and I learned so much. One of my favorite things that I learned was this. The fact that we have made covenants doesn't mean we are blessed, but as we keep our covenants we are blessed. I also got to record my last testimony for the mission Facebook, so look our for that. Then I had a good time to talk with friends and it was just awesome. Then we headed home and got home pretty late because we were the area farthest away. Then at night my companion was feeling sick and threw up. So that wasn't fun.

Saturday my companion woke up and threw up again and just wasn't feeling good so we couldn't go to Paso Yobai. I was a little bummed because that would've been the last time I would have gone to Paso Yobai, but I know the next Elders are going to do a great job there.

Sunday was a really good day! I had the opportunity to give my "farewell" talk in my branch which was honestly super awesome! I talked about covenants and the importance of them because that was fresh in my mind. It was honestly so cool because they thanked me for serving and it was just awesome. Made me feel really good. I then had the opportunity to teach Elder's Quorum as well so that was fun. We read Elder Holland's talk from last conference "Motions of a Hidden Fire". After church we took a walk to a park right next the chapel. It has capybaras which was fun to see them. I even managed to touch one! See my Google Photos to see that.

So that's everything, it's weird that my mission is coming to an end. This Thursday I go to the mission office and do all the activities that returning missionaries do. I've finished my last full week in this area. Next Monday, also my last Pday, will be my last full day in Paraguay. So you all will get one last email from me! Something very important that I learned this week is how being positive truly makes a difference in your attitude. I know mention this a lot in my emails but it's important. As you can imagine I've heard many negative thoughts and many negative things said by my companion and I've been trying to help him think positively because then he can have a better experience, it's not really working, because he really doesn't want to be here. I cant control everything with this situation but I can control myself. Something like slapping on a smile when you don't even feel like it can make you feel happier. It truly works. We're not here in this life to suffer and be sad and mope. We are here to have joy. We decide how we feel, nothing else.

That's everything for this week! Thank you all for reading my email! Also I go to the temple this Saturday and I couldn't be more excited because it's been over a year and a half since I've been!

¡Adiós!

Love, Elder Acor