Week 8 in Concepcion

Mba'echapa che gentekuera ha chera'akuera?
Come estan mi family y mis amigos?
How's it going people?

Elder Smith II and I had another great -- but long -- week here in Concepcion. I don't know why, but for some reason, it was really hard for us to find lessons. Normally, if we have some time after our scheduled lessons fall through, we clap in front of a house we haven't visited before and they let us in right away to share a quick message. If the first house doesn't let us in, the second house does no matter what; this week, we clapped in front of what felt like hundreds of houses without even a door-response. Unusual. And a little discouraging, but we still managed to get good things done!

This Tuesday I led my first district meeting and... it was really scary. It's hard teaching a large group of missionaries you respect and look up to (I'm in-charge of a really fantastic district). But I survived and actually did a decent job. I need to take more organized notes so I don't get lost as I teach, but aside from that, it went relatively smoothly!

After the reunion, I had divisions with my zone leader, Elder Barreto. I guess he was supposed to help me learn the ropes of being a district leader and all that, but mostly we just chatted about how he doesn't want to attend BYU anymore (I knew he was lying to pressure me into doing the research regarding how he can get into BYU for him -- can you help me with that Josh? -- but I went along with it); how he needs to learn English; and how it's a disgrace that I've been in Paraguay for 10 months without trying the traditional dish "mandio chyryry" (we fixed that problem pretty quickly by stopping at a street shop for a snack). Then we worked as usual. It was a pretty good division.

Wednesday was one of those days where we just could not get into a lesson. We walked from house to house to house -- even visited the houses of members that are always available to give us some referrals -- but couldn't get into lessons like normal. I didn't know what to do -- all of our fixed lessons fell through, so Elder Smith and I took a quick run home to get some water, and said a prayer asking to know where to go. After the prayer, I asked Elder Smith where he felt we should go and he, completely abandoning our plans for the rest of the night, suggested that we visit J, one of our investigators that's typically been a little difficult to find... and you know what? We found him and had a great lesson. He's on track to be baptized the 10th of September. Elder Smith is still struggling with the language and a few of the other difficulties related to being here in Paraguay, but he's got a pretty good connection with the Spirit.

Thursday, among one of the many things we did, we visited a referral that one of the members here gave us. His name is C and he knows the member because they used to take dance classes together. He is the best referral I've been given in the mission! He attended church in Pedro Juan (a city on the border of Paraguay and Brazil) years ago and liked the church a lot, but never got to be baptized. Since he moved to Concepcion he hasn't gone to church because he doesn't know anyone there, but he's super excited to come back and to read the Book of Mormon. I'm really excited about working with this guy!

Aside from those things, the only other notable thing that happened this week is that the weather here in Paraguay is bipolar. Earlier this week, I was sweating, wearing my sombrero, and wishing for cold weather. Starting Friday, I got my wish. Rain, clouds, and cold air blew in and they've stayed with us ever since. But, man, is it cold! I've had to leave with a long-sleeved white shirt, a sweater, my thick winter coat, and a rain pancho every day and I'm still cold! For the bad weather, our church attendence was significantly lower this week, but we still had some investigators make the long cold journey to the chapel, so that was awesome!

This week, one of the big things on my mind was worry about my new assignment as a district leader. I want to make sure that I do a good job. As I studied one day this week, thinking about my responsibilities and the things I need to do, the story of King Benjamin in the Words of Mormon really stuck out to me. Something I've never really paid much attention to before is that when King Benjamin started out, things weren't all that great. Words of Mormon 1:15-18 talks about all the "false prophets," "much contention and many dissensions," and the "stiffneckedness of the people" that King Benjamin had to work against before he could establish peace in the land (and give his powerfull discourse in Mosiah 2-5). My favorite part is the last verse that says: "Wherefore, with the help of these, king Benjamin, by laboring with all the might of his body and the faculty of his whole soul, and also the prophets, did once more establish peace in the land." I'm no king, but if I "labor with all the might of (my) body and the faculty of (my) whole soul, and also the (missionaries in this district)," we'll accomplish a lot of good together.

Thanks for all your support, prayers, emails, and all the things you guys do for me. I love you all and I know that the church is true!

Love,

Elder Fairbanks

P.S. For the rain and crummy weather, I haven't been "putting the camera to good use" this last week... So I don't really have any new photos to send. But next week, no matter what, I'll be flooding your inbox, so be prepared! I love you tons!