Snow Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 My son got his mission call letter in the mail this week. It came several days ago, but my wife, who was at BYU dropping off my daughter for school, made him wait until she got home to open it. Then she had all my local sisters and cousins over to watch him open it. Oh Brother.He is called to the Asuncion Paraguay Mission and will report just prior to Thanksgiving.Paraguay has about 6+ million people, 1/3 in and around Asuncion (assumption - of Mary) and is about 90% Catholic. There are 2 missions, 1 temple, 9 stakes, 11 districts and about 70,000 members.I think the mission has been open since 1949 but the membership growth seems to have started in the late 70s or 80s. Asuncion looks to have a strong Spanish colonial influence.http://oberonrotary.files.wordpress.com/2007/06/paraguay.jpgWhen he opened the letter and read through it, he was so worked up that he was shaking and seemed to be a bit stunned.Note to self: work on helping son to perfect the ability to appear stoic and uninterested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pam Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 Congrats to your son. That's awesome. Hey then you two can speak Spanish to each other. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john doe Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 That's great Snow. I've always wanted to travel South America and see the cities down there. Will your son be learning Spanish or Guarani? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BenRaines Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 Congrats Snow. Having served a mission where spanish was the mission language when my son was called to a spanish speaking mission was awesome. Some very humble people in South America. Ben Raines Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Traveler Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 Glad to hear of your son's mission - you will know that he is progressing well as a missionary (calling peopel to repentance) when he writes home to call his parents to repentance. The Traveler Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
talisyn Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 Wow that cool, Snow. It's a beautiful land with beautiful people. I betcha your son would havehad the whole 'stoic and uninterested' look if he had been sent to Boise, Idaho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Palerider Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 Congrats Snow....my son served in Panama and had a hard time and great time....:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelPAGuy Posted August 30, 2009 Report Share Posted August 30, 2009 Congratulations on the mission call. Your son will serve the lord proudly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JoshDwellington Posted August 31, 2009 Report Share Posted August 31, 2009 Congrats !! It's going to be a blast !! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snow Posted September 1, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 1, 2009 That's great Snow. I've always wanted to travel South America and see the cities down there. Will your son be learning Spanish or Guarani?Spanish yes - a former Stake Pres who is teaching my son's mission prep class says that he will also learn Guarani... which I had never heard of before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john doe Posted September 1, 2009 Report Share Posted September 1, 2009 According to Wikipedia, Guarani is spoken by 90% of Paraguayans, while Spanish is spoken by 75%. They also claim that the LDS church has almost 75,000 members in all of Paraguay, half of whom are new members within the past 5 years. I assume those numbers are fairly evenly split between the two Paraguayan missions. Do you know yet if your son will be going to the Provo MTC or one in South America? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snow Posted September 2, 2009 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 According to Wikipedia, Guarani is spoken by 90% of Paraguayans, while Spanish is spoken by 75%. They also claim that the LDS church has almost 75,000 members in all of Paraguay, half of whom are new members within the past 5 years. I assume those numbers are fairly evenly split between the two Paraguayan missions. Do you know yet if your son will be going to the Provo MTC or one in South America?I knew they had about 75k members - I checked the cummorah project but until this thread I knew nothing of the 2nd language.He goes to the Provo MTC. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ferretrunner Posted September 2, 2009 Report Share Posted September 2, 2009 Congrats to your son. The one thing I definitely missed out on being a convert- the chance to go on a mission. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snow Posted December 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 11, 2011 So my son is back from his Mission - got back last Friday and gave his homecoming talk today. Everything's great. The interesting part is we went from the airport to the Stake Center to debrief with the Stake President and get him released. The Stake President put his hands on his head and said: I release as a Missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter0-day Saints and strip from you the protective powers of the Spirit and leave you open to the fiery darts of the enemy that he might sift you as chaff and vulnerable to every wind of doctrine... Seemed a little melodramatic to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pam Posted December 11, 2011 Report Share Posted December 11, 2011 No way. It can't be 2 years already. I remember when you first announced his mission call. And then of course the story of breaking his hand in the MTC. Something about getting tangled in sheets? :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleWyvern Posted December 11, 2011 Report Share Posted December 11, 2011 I release as a Missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter0-day Saints and strip from you the protective powers of the Spirit and leave you open to the fiery darts of the enemy that he might sift you as chaff and vulnerable to every wind of doctrine...Darn, all my Stake President did was say I release you as a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Didn't even put his hands on my head. I feel a little left out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snow Posted December 13, 2011 Author Report Share Posted December 13, 2011 On Saturday I was complaining to him about how I dislike the SS lessons from the manual (I teach Gospel Doctrine) because they don't, in my opinion, ever teach you anything. Let's say you are reading Revelations - or whatever - I want to know who really wrote out, how, when, why, what does it mean within it's own historical context, etc. Instead the lesson just proof-texts the book to find various passage that tell you that you should be obedient - and that's what the real lesson is about... obey, obey, obey. I want to learn something new instead. So in his homecoming talk, in front of the Bishop, Stake Presidency, and the whole congregation he calls me out, repeats what I told him and then tells me I'm wrong and here's why... Send on a mission and they come back thinking for themselves... why I otta...! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skippy740 Posted December 13, 2011 Report Share Posted December 13, 2011 I release as a Missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter0-day Saints and strip from you the protective powers of the Spirit and leave you open to the fiery darts of the enemy that he might sift you as chaff and vulnerable to every wind of doctrine...Seemed a little melodramatic to me. It's almost like pronouncing a blessing that you will be "blessed" with opportunities to learn humility, patience and charity! Be careful what you pray for... you might get it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMGuy Posted December 13, 2011 Share Posted December 13, 2011 · Hidden Hidden No message Link to comment
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