May 19, 2014 Letter

Alright, well this week we have just been searching out new people because we have a ton of investigators but we cant get any of them to come to church.  They all have kaiwei (lazyness in guarani).  We had also planned Mariela´s baptism for this Saturday but she couldnt make it because she let her cigarrette win and gave in to temptation on Tuesday.  She has been trying to quit and has been so faithful since and so now she has to not smoke for one whole week and then can be baptized.  We visit and call her everyday so that she always has constant support.  The members of the ward are also helping her stay on track by calling and visiting her.  She is super ready and excited to be baptized and it has been a miracle to see the changes she has made in her life and how God has worked through her to be a better person and find happiness in her hard life.  So far, she has not smoked since Wednesday and says she is going to make it to her baptism this Saturday.  Poor thing, it is a everyday battle for her and there are temptations everywhere, but she is strong and I know she can make it. 

Since we have been visiting Mariela each day, we have been finding and contacting more people in that area.  We always passed by this one old and small shack of a house and I always saw one special boy sitting out side.  He always stared at us and I had the impression to visit but I ignored it because we were always running late to another appointment.  Saturday night we were leaving from a visit when we heard a little girls voice calling to us from that strange house.  It said, "Hermanas, hermanas! Ayudame!" As we got closer, we could see throught the dim light at she had knelt down next to her unconcious mom.  She ran to let us in and explained to us that he dad was drunk and had been hitting and fighting with her mom when her mom fainted.  The other 3 boys were trying to get her to wake up and my companion suggested alcohol under her nose as I tried to give her water.  After some time, she finally woke up and we told her that everything was going to be ok and that we would sing a song for her and say a prayer.  

All of the sudden her crazy drunk husband walked out of the house saying that Jesus forgives him and that he would never hit his wife and children.  We ignored him and started to sing Come Come ye Saints.  He didnt like it so he turned on his music super load so that we were hard to hear.  We keep on singing anyways.  He then started to pray out load Padre Nuestro (the catholic prayer) almost yelling.  We hurried and said a prayer feeling that we were fighting against Satan.   As I finished the old man shoved his kids one by one against the wall.  I wanted to leave but I couldnt let the man beat they kids up.  Then the mom fainted again and fell to the floor. (Luckily, because it made the old man stop beating the children) We and the three boys carried the mom into her room and onto her bed.  

As we put her down, the evangelical pastor walked in.  He announced that we should not worry and that he was going to take the demon out of her.  I told him no, that she wasnt the one with the problem, it was the man hitting and yelling at his children.  Next thing I know, he is practically strangling her and taking her to the floor he yells "God I take this demon from her!  Leave from my presence and never come back!" He said other crazy stuff but the woman was howling out in so much pain from his tight grip on her neck that it was hard to hear.  It honestly looked like he was trying to kill her.   By then I was grabbing my companion to run get out and run away. The little girl pleaded with me, "Por favor ayudanos, mi papa me va a pegar!"  We kept running until we found a house where a police officer lived.  We asked if he could help or give us the number of the police station and I couldnt believe my ears when he said that he would have to look for the number! 

Finally the police showed up and I explained the situation to the officer.  He then told us that they couldnt do anything unless they got permission from the woman to enter into the home.  But she had fainted!  The little girl ran to get her mom and I dont know how, but she walked out of the house. We talked to her and she gave permission to go into the house.  As the police walked in,and tried to talk to her she fainted again!  Then the kids tried to carry her to the truck bed and the police said that they would take her to the hospital.  They were about to leave the kids with the dad but we told them that they needed to take the kids or the dad would beat them.  So in the end they all went to the hospital.

I was really frustrated with system because the police should be there to protect and save.  They are the only people who dont need permission from any body to enter and to save! We want to visit them again but we dont know if it is safe but we really hope to be the only light in the eyes of the children.  They need and are searching for the gospel.  

Well,  Love you all and talk you later

Hermana Gunter

It has been a while

So we have been bad with updating the blog so far so we are going to start again. This is Syd's letter from May 5, 2014...

We have been so blessed to be able to work with a such a great soul and son of God Don Lorenzo.  He can hardly walk and doenst speak much spanish...mostly Guarani but could feel the power of the restored gospel in his life.  Just this Saturday he was baptized and in spite of his disability, with the help of an elder and the president of the branch, he was baptized and confirmed as a member of the branch.  We tried to sing a song to bring the spirit...I sang alto but we were so nervous and stressed that our voices were super shaky...and i am pretty sure i hit some bad notes.  But Lorenzo sure felt the spirit and love for the gospel because on Sunday he wanted to beat his small testimony in Guarani.  I was utterly shocked as her hobbled slowly up to the pulpit to tell the everyone that he felt good in the church and that he knows that Christ lives.  

Our other investigator Mariela is progressing so much and realizing the changes in her life that she is making.  I have seen her testimony grow and I am so impressed by her amazing example.  I can honestly say that she was chosen of God for this time.  She even fasted to be able to quit smoking this Sunday.  

We werent able to work as much as we wanted this week because we were preparing for the baptism, some of my sisters had some emotional problems and then my companions mom had an operation to get rid of her breast  cancer so she had permission to call her famiy.  So if you get a chance, Luckily, she is recovering fast we just hope that they dont find anymore or she will have to go on chemotherapy.  Please keep her in your prayers.  

Last of all, there were changes...but dont worry...I am staying in Pilar.  My companion is going to Argentina and leaves tomorrow!  I thought I would be the one leaving but the Lord needs me here.  I am fine with it because I can make sure that Lorenzo has an easy transition and that Mariela gets baptized but I am sad to see my companion leave because we got along really well.

Well I love you all,

Until next week,

Hermana Gunter

 My companion and I

More pictures:

Homes in our area

Our recently baptized member!!!!

First week in Dec

Alright so this week we have been visiting a family from Brazil and they only speak portuguese.  It is really hard because sometimes we understand them and sometimes I have no idea what they are saying to me.  They invited us over for lunch in their house and we ate vegetables from their garden...pretty much the first time I have been offered vegetables here.  Then they invited us to come the next day...but we didnt understand when they invited us so they ended up waiting 2 hours for us to come!  I was super embarrassed when I found out because I hate being late to our appointments here.

My spanish is far from perfect but I am starting to understand a lot better and put words together better.  Well there is always something random that happens everyday but I cant remember right now.  So I guess this is all I will send this week, but I was wondering if you all watched the Christmas Devotional? How was it? I didnt have the chance to see it because I was in a family home evening with some members...they are starting to support us now!

Well as always I love you all and hope to continue to hear all about what is going on in the USA.

con carino,

Hermana Gunter

My leg from a spider bite!

Argentina NO!!!

Hola todos!

After traveling for 2 days straight, we finally arrived in Paraguay where were supposed to get a flight to Argentina.  Unfortunately, we could not step onto their soil without visas.  So we had to purchase visas which took forever and then we rode on this crazy looking blue bus with pictures of jesus all over it until we got to the mission home in Asuncion Paraguay.  

They fed us and then we got to go see the temple and eat these yummy chicken burrito things.  The water was not good there so we drank sprite.  After we waited for a long time and then did some more signing for our visas in Argentina.  Then finally we rode another bus for about 8 hours until we met our new mission president and his wife (who are small people).  We left our suitcases in the chapel and slept ate dinner at their house.  Then we slept at a super nice hotel in Posadas.  

At our meeting, president told us that we wouldnt have our argentina visas for a while so we were being reassigned to places in Paraguay.  I am no serving in the puenta kyjha.  It is like the spanish fork of utah.  it is the country not the city.  People here are super poor and many of the children run around without shoes on.  We saw a dead dog in the road and it was super gross because blood was everywhere and no one would clean it up.  

The people also mumble really quietly and dont say their s´s so it is hard to understand them.  I am slowly picking up the language but it is really hard.  I have a companion who is from Buenas Aires and doesn't speak any english.  I struggle a lot trying to communicate with her.  A lot of times I get frustrated and wonder why I came, but then I remember all the people who need me. When I can speak the language (probably 7 monthes) I will have definitely earned my 17 credits of A´s at BYU.

One of our investigators Jonathon(age 16) wants to be baptized but his mom wont let him.  He is also part of the mafia and they will kill him if he leaves.  When we were teaching another investigator named Carina, her sister jumped up in the tree and peed right above my companions head!  And to make things worse, they sang god be with you til we meet again to get us to leave.  que triste.  

There were only 18 members at our church and they all came late.  I definitely have my work cut out for me.  Our apartments is roughly as big as our kitchen at home but is super big in comparison to what other families have.  Their houses are made out of super thin wood, brick or tin and everything is super dirty.  Its like living at lake powell except the bathrooms arent even that nice.

Surprisingly the food isnt that bad but it scares me to eat it because they dont ever wash their hands.  Well I love you all and I will continue to work hard so that I can return with some cool stories.  My new address is 

Córdoba 1243

Posadas, Código Postal 3300

Misiones-Posadas-Argentina

Casilla de correo #12

Adios! escribame cartes!

Hermana Gunter

Letter from Syd's President and Pictures

August 31, 2013 Dear Gunter Family, My wife and I had the privilege to welcome Sister Gunter to the Argentina Posadas Mission. We are excited to have Sister Gunter in our mission to contribute to edify the Church of the Lord here in The Argentina Posadas Mission. Sister Gunter was assigned to labor in the Puente Kyhà Branch with Sister Dominguez as there trainer. During her mission, Sister Gunter will have opportunities to work in the Providence of Misiones in Argentina and Paraguay due to the mission having two countries. Although, Argentina and Paraguay are neighbors, they have different cultures and customs. On Monday, they will have their preparation days where she will be able to communicate with you every Monday. The communication is generally done over E-mail, or to communicate with letters or packages, the direction of the offices of the mission is: Sister Gunter Córdoba 1243 Posadas, Misiones 3300 Casilla 12 Argentina We are very grateful for sending us a missionary spiritually prepared; she will be an influence in the lives of the investigators that they will teach, members who they will get to know, to her companion and other missionaries. With love, Lee LaPierre President of the Argentina Posadas Mission