Comming soon astory that will change the way you think if you let it.

On the deserts of Paraguay is the small village of Mistolar. This community is distinct: all villagers are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Later-day Saints.

In the early days of the church, whole congregations were sometimes converted.Willford Woodruff's prompting to preach in the south of England is one of the best known examples.of the Lord's leading a missionary to a group of people ready to receive the gospel, Similarly, Paraguayan mission president Merle Bair felt prompted to seek out Walter Flores, a native of the deserts in Chacao in Paraguay whom he saw in a TV Interview It took 3 years for the missionaries to find Flores, but once he was taught, he readily accepted the gospel. His testimony of Jesus Christ and his Church was so compelling that several hundred of his fellow Indians were converted as well.

Wanting to Gather away from the worldly influences to establish a sion community, as had the Utah pioneers, this group secured a large stretch of land in the desolate uninhabited part of Paraguay near the Pilcomayo river. For food the people planted gardens and fished. Their efforts toward becoming Self-sufficient were proving successful.

They were isolated and happy, but were at the mercy of the elements. As the snow melted in the Andes, The river overflowed its banks and flooded the small community. The residents were forced to relocate about 6 miles from the river. but the flmods cane again, this time with higher water and greater force Their tiny chapel, homes, gardens, fences - all were washed away or destroyed. They were left with only the clothes they were wearing when the floods came. For more than amonth they waded through knee deep water.

Yet, their faith remained strong.

Elder Brewerton, an Area authority was sent from Argentina to help.
Argentine leaders helped prepare supplies fo him to take to the saints in Mistolar.

The relief supplies filled two small trucks. There was a tredle sewing machine, bolts of fabric, and quatities of rice, beans, and salt. They also tucked in a copy of Gospel Principles, recently translated into Nivacle, the dialect of these indian people.

From Argentina to Mistolar in Paraguay was a hard two-day trip. The first day the company made good time, traveling nearly three hudred miles.on a good road, and arrived in filadelfia, Paraguay after seven hours. The next daym they traveled a heavily rutted, sun-baked route. They spent more than nine hours goig little more than half the distance traveled the day before. Had there been the slightest rain, the uneven road would have quickly become muddy and impassable.

Elder Brewerton described what they found when they arrived at the village of Mistolar.

"We were watmly welcomed by mostly women and children. I asked where some of the men were and was told they were hunting, the sisters said 'Anything.' "Some of the men had walked the twelve-mile round trip to the river to fish.

The settlement's surviving livestock were three sheep, a few chickens and goats,and a scrawny dog. That they had little nourishing food or clothing made the 20-degree winter weather of June that much colder. At nightm their stick-and-reed homes offered little protection from freeing temperatures.

Their situation was bleak, but smiling villagers greeted the relief team. they had faced severe hardshops for months, but continued in faith and with no complaints.

That aftenoon they slaughtered oneof their sheep tpo providetheir guests with a suitable meal. Said Elder Brewerton, " We ate sparingly of the meat, knowing hey would use anything we left."

Sympathetic to the Circumstances of the people And concious to the fact that the Nivacle Indians are particlarly susceptible to disease and early death, Elder Brewerton asked the young president of the Mistolar branch, "Do you have any sick among your members?"

this is the frst half of the reason I have less faith in Doctors and their medicine. The true power over body is in intellegence. maaaawaaaa! by the power invested in greyskull, I have the power!