Bible Bash no more

On Monday when P-day ended, we got a call telling us that we had to get to Asuncion the next morning so my companion could sign some documents.  Since we are the furthest out, we had to take a taxi at 11 to get to the bus station, then we left there at 12, after a 6 hour bus ride we got to the terminal in Asuncion, then we arrived at the office, had to wait there for a while until the office elders woke up.  Then we sat there until about 11, got back to the bus station, and got back to our area at 7 pm on Tuesday.  So after 12 hours of bus rides, more than 60 dollars in travel, and an entire day and night wasted, my companion successfully signed his papers.

On that Tuesday, we saw a kid running out of a house, and a man that came out shortly after chasing him.  The man chased him for about a block, then lost his balance, and belly flopped on the rock road. needless to say he was slightly red.  A girl that came out after him chased down the kid, and came back with him 1 minute later.  Not sure what happened there, but it was like watching America's funniest home videos all over again.

We found this man that was drinking, and he told us to sit down.  He bought us some soda, and turns out he is a swiss millionare that lives here, and speaks English as well.  He was super drunk, and super atheist, so the conversation didn't really go anywhere.

We found a family sitting outside on Thursday, and we went to teach them.  The wife hurried and got chairs, and so we thought they were really friendly.  Then she disappeared when we sat down, but came back in like 2 minutes, but this time with a Bible in her hands.  I know you wouldn't think that is something weird, but from my experience, when a Paraguayan brings a Bible to talk to us, it is only because they want to "Bible Bash."  Needless to say, I have had my
fair share of that to know it is ineffective, so I tried to push through the lesson.  She kept trying to stop us to argue, but I just kept going on.  We got to Joseph Smith, and well she still kept arguing, and so we told them we weren't there to argue, adn left. Earlier in my mission I would have just taken the challenge and proved her wrong with her own Bible, but I have realized the humble way to get out, is by just leaving the lesson when they want to argue.  The good thing was that I didn't feel the spirit leave the lesson, so at least we did what we should do.  My companion was disappointed though, and wanted to see me prover her wrong.  Oh well, he'll learn.

We were teaching someone this week who said he liked the Catholic church better because it doesn't require anything out of him..... well I guess I can understand that.  We explained to him that God requires sacrifice, and that Satan tries to give us the so called "easy way out."  The true church of God would have to require sacrifice.

We had a tough week this week.  Partly for losing a day going to Asuncion, but overall it was just a tough week.  I think I have been getting a little impatient with my companion, so I definitely need to work on some patience to make sure we work together better.

Yesterday we were sitting in church and nobody of our investigators had come.  (our sacrament is last)  I had been praying a lot in the morning for a miracle with our investigators coming to church, and so it was kind of frustrating.  Right before the sacrament meeting started, we had an investigator come in.  God really does work in mysterious ways, different than we can ever imagine.

Also on Sunday, we were teaching a lesson, and I told my companion to invite them to be baptized.  His response, "I've never invited anyone before."  Apparently he and his companion didn't invite very many people to be baptized.  Well needless to say, we practiced that this morning.

Well honestly I need a lot of miracles from the lord at this point. I've got challenges with the ward, the investigators, my companion, and my district.  I really need the help of the lord, and I am seeking it out daily.  There is no better time to come closer to the Lord than on the Christmas holiday.

Love you guys tons, and I look forward to talking to you on Saturday.

Elder Ryan Griffin