25-2-13 Life is meant to be filled with change!

Buuuennnos tardes! I was glad to receive a few wonderful emails, and with pictures even! I was planning on sending some with this email, but the computer's USB drive here is a dud, so I can't. Lo siento. Quizas proxima vez =) I loved the news (well, most of it...I was kinda sad about the Aggies losing. I'm not even there to see it! Barcelona lost the other day too, a lot of people weren't too happy about that, except for Elder Ríos. He's a Madrid fan, and doesn't like Barça much =) They play tomorrow and Saturday for some cup, so that should be exciting.)


So, lots of crazy news from Spain. We went and visited the Park Güell this past preparation day, but a long crazy story of events led to me not having a camera there, so I didn't get pics =( It's a super popular place in Barcelona and has lots of cool stuff, so I was bummed about not having a camera, but hopefully I'll make it back again someday. Also, this last weeked we went to Barcelona to Elder Ríos' last area so that he could baptize one of his investigators there. The church in Barcelona, this one at least, was huge!! Most buildings here are multiple stories, this one has 3, and the size of each is like 2/3 of the average US building. There are 3 main wards that go there. Es super guapo también. Also, another change and surprise, they are sending me to Valencia today! The story-situation is that we received a missionary who was in another mission (he's from Romania, and I think he was serving there..), but was taken in by Pres. Pace because he was struggling there. He was in Valencia with Elder Dixon, and I guess things didn't work out and President felt that a native Spanish speaking, non american, great missionary like Elder Ríos could help him, so we're doing a swap basically. Everybody says great things about Valencia, apparently it's like the dream area right now, and I still have yet to hear one bad thing about Elder Dixon, everyone loves him. Apparently his a tall skinny guy like me, and same kind of personality, laid back and quieter. Everyone says he is super loving and humble and does great work. It should be fun =) I'm a little nervous but excited at the same time.

A big thing I've felt this last week is that as a whole I've felt more of the quiet influences of the Holy Ghost. I prayed that I didn't feel like I was being guided or helped by the Spirit as much, that I can feel it more and recognize Him in my ministry, and that I have! I've felt the quiet impressions of the Spirit in unexpected moments, as well as powerfully in baptisms, a musical fireside, and church/sacrament meeting. I know that God guides His missionaries and puts us in experiences and situations where we can obtain the maximum growth. He is merciful, wise, and always there to help through these experiences, but pushes us and tries us just hard enough that we whine or plead for His guidance or help, so that we still remember Him, and use Him and the Atonement of His Son to grow and change, which is the only way to do it and make it last. So keep trying, don't give up, look unto the Lord in every thought, and lean not unto your own understanding! In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths! La Iglesia es verdadera y Jesucristo es su cabeza, no un hombre o organizacion.
Cuidense mucho, les amo!

Mi carta a vosotros el día 18 de Febrero!

Buenos días! No puedo creer que ya viene el tiempo del día de preparación! Me siente que era ayer!
It has been a crazy week. First, Elder Ríos went on exchanges, so we had Elder García, another Elder native to southern Spain. He was super to have. He's only been out a couple months, but is super great. And he's a little more like me, super laid back and chill. I've noticed that a lot of Spaniards are like that. I'd fit right in here if it wasn't for being tall, blue eyes, and had an accent when I talk! Spaniards are basically all white with brown hair and eyes, like plain food, and talk in castellano con un acento de Catalá, at least here in the Catalunya area. Mom asked, we are in L'Hospitalet, kind of a suburb of Barcelona.

So anyway, then Thursday and Friday we had Specialty Training conference with the Hospitalet and Barcelona zones, and it was super good. I like how here President Pace gives more of the trainings. He and Sis. Pace both give something in the morning and in the afternoon, and los ayudantes or the zone leaders will give something right before lunch. In Ogden, it felt like zone leaders and the ayudantes gave most of the training. It's good because they learn, but we hear from them all the time anyways, and there's nothing like listening to pure revelation from the mouth of your mission president. I think my love and respect for President and Sis. Pace grows every day. They are so great! When Pres. talks to us, his words are not only inspiring, but at least for me I could feel the Spirit of his message, like how he felt when he received the revelation so it's like you are receiving it right then and there. They're testimonies are both so precious too. Our Ayudates are two of the most humble, hard working, and powerful missionaries I have ever met, they are incredible. Elder Archibald from Alabama and Elder Cerqueira from Portugal. So the conference was great. It was like feeling the Spirit all day, getting that recharge that I think I needed. Also, there were lots of tips about contacting, working with members, and how to go about the work, and also the reasons for why we are here and the power of our callings. There is so much I wish I could tell you about it, but I left my notes at home, and my camera too, lo siento. It was super great though. The problem though is that after you go about doing work again and you aren't feeling it super powerfully so you feel a little discouraged, but in the long run it is great! The testimony meeting at the end of the second day was incredibly powerful too. The missionaries here are incredible. I know God calls missionaries to where they need to be!


I read a thing about different kinds of missionaries this week, about becoming a more consecrated missionary. Basically, it described 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and what a 4th missionary is and does, with 4th being the best kind. A third missionary is what the world would consider successful, he is obedient, baptizes, does the Lord's will, except that he does it just because that's what he's supposed to do. Being a fourth missionary is still obedient, still reaps blessings, except that he gives his whole heart, might, mind, and strength to the Lord, and does it because he wants to, and those are the missionaries that come home changed. It was neat. There will always be something more we can do or give to the Lord, because we aren't perfect.

Grácias por todo! Os amo y hasta luego! Sé que esta Iglesia es verdadera y es el reino de Dios! Testifico que Dios tiene un plan para cada uno de nosotros y que él nos guiará en el camino que conduce hasta donde vive él, y que estamos parte de esto plan en las vidas de otras para ayudar y bendecirles, porque Dios nos usa como instrumentos y herramientos para bendecir a sus hijos y contestar sus oraciones sinceros!

Noticias en España

Buenas tardes!
I love Mondays, being able to open up my email and see news from home! Kinda like you said, it's just a little boost/confirmation that what I'm doing is right and boosts my spirits a little. It's not that it's boring or terrible here, quite the opposite actually! I guess just being away from home you start to wonder what is happening, how everyone is doing, etc. And hearing from home is always great =)

 It's interesting here, the missionaries search out their own pisos (apartments) instead of the church doing it like in Ogden. I guess the contracts are a little shorter term here, so missionaries basically search out their own, give a list of 3 or 4 suggestions, and the office will select one.

 I think for me one of the hardest things is just adjusting to the change of everything. We got all settled into what missionary work is like in Ogden, then we get here and the country and culture are different, the streets and buildings are all layed out differently and super easy to get lost (but then you can ask for directions and contact at the same time!), and the work as result of such is done a little differently. So all the other missionaries that have been here for 6 months are like the older experienced missionaries and we feel like greenies again (and the members all think it too because we always look lost and confused or something haha). I think it will be a quick adjustment and change after a few weeks since we do have some foundation.

This week was a thing called Carnival in Spain, basically a 2 or 3 day celebration just for the fun of it. It's like Halloween but without candy, except of course booths and stuff that sell random stuff. All the kids go around in costumes. Night time is when all the drunks and weirdos are out on the prowl, but missionaries have learned pretty well how to avoid it so it's all great for us. I was told it's basically like the Carnival in Rio in Brasil, but a little less intense. Yesterday was also a FC Barcelona match, the metro was PACKED on our way to church! Everyone had their jerseys, scarfs, and backs and such. I wish we could go to one, except they are mostly on Sundays. The only time we'd be able to go see a thursday or wednesday game is if by some miracle an investigator had extra tickets and president approves us to go, which is pretty unlikely haha. We just stick to stealing peeks on the bar tv's =)

So my learning from my studies this week. I read a story that a missionary in Ogden gave me, titled "Uneaten Donuts". It's too long to share, but basically the moral/what I took out of it is that the Savior suffered for everybody's sins, pains, and weaknesses, whether we accept and use that gift in our lives or not, or whether people even know about it or not. In the story, the teacher brings a big box of fancy extravagent donuts to class, and he offers a donut to each student. To give a donut to someone, a student that he had preselected had to do 10 pushups. If they didn't want a donut, the student still did 10 pushups and they had to just leave it uneaten on the desk. After 35 students or so, and the last one had the offer, the student just collapses on the floor in exhaustion. A neat story, I'll have to see if I can send it or not sometime. The Savior suffered for each of us whether we choose to accept it or not, no one could intervene or do their own, and in the end He finished His work and ascended to the Father. There are a lot of people out there in the world with uneaten donuts and la mayoría don't even know they have a donut available to them! THat's why there are missoinaries =) Also, Alma 37:39-47 impressed me a lot. Our guidance from the Lord will depend a lot on our faith, kinda like the quotes mom sent me last week. The guidance and miracles we receive will be by small and simple means, easy to overlook if we get lazy or fail giving diligent heed. It is just as easy for us to look to Christ as it was for them to look at a compass, both require our faith and will guide us to a promised land. We have a far better land of promise, we have the small and simple means (daily scripture study, sincere prayers, church attendance, prophets, etc..) and we have to only look and take the steps. God can guide our footsteps, but He won't if we aren't willing to move our feet!
Well, my time is up. Love you guys! Have a fantabulous week!

Spain at last!

¡Buenas dias mis queridos amigos y familia!
So, crazy week! We are in SPAIN!! It feels very different to think we are actually here. I love it! We flew all day Wednesday pretty much and got in to Barcelona Thursday morning. We got like no sleep so we were all (and still are) very tired. It's also weird to think it is like 4 am there right now! Anyways, Barcelona is great. We got the chance to talk to a few natives on the plane, which had us super excited the whole flight over. At the airport we were a little early so we had to wait like 20 min for the Paces and the office Elders to meet us. They are all great. Los ayudantes are Elder Cerqueira de Portugal and Elder Archibald de Alabama.

Elder  Ryan Coombs at Barcelona Airport!

 I've realized a lot of the missionaries are from the states and a few from south america, and a few native Spaniards. The first day we went to go see a castle that overlooked barcelona that is close to the shore, and it was super cool. This city is huge!

Barcelona

 President Pace took us each one by one to talk and welcome us as we walked around. There were 6 elders and 2 hermanas and a married couple that came with us on our flight, and we should be getting 3 more elders and 1 hermana next week. Everyone here was super excited to get us! We feel so popular!

After the castle trip we went to the office, the Paces fed us, and we settled in a little. President also told us to take a 2 hour nap, which we gladly did =) President Pace is the best though, and not just for that. He cares insanely much about each of us, loves people and is super lovable, knows how to work, and has an amazing grasp on things and a vision for where he wants to be. He felt strongly to make the goal for 20 baptisms a week in the mission, which is not where we are at, but where he feels the Lord wants us to be. We actually had about 13 this weekend throughout the mission! For the first day we split off on temporary assignments, I went with Elder Cerquiera and Elder Bozarth with Elder Archibald which was lots of fun. The next day we had the actual official welcome and interviews with President when we were actually a little more awake to remember stuff =) We also got another temporary assignment until our transfers in Feb. 10 days or so. I am with Elder Shiflet from Arizona, and Elder Shumway with Elder Olson from Utah. Both of them are great guys and lots of fun. They're the Zone Leaders here in Hospitalet. It's tons of fun! This mission, the president, and missionaries are definitely for me! Each mission has a unique feel, vision, and personalitly I guess you can say, and the missionaries are all a certain kind/type of people, if you know what I mean. I love it here! Obedience is focus, baptism is focus, and it's an optimistic, loving, and hopeful feel to it. The culture of Spain itself is different too! The housing is all apartments stacked super high and the ground level is all shops and stores. It's kinda hard to find/keep track of the doors, because there is one to get in. You push the doorbell/call button to whichever room then they have a button in their room they open it with and then you just walk up the stairs or elevator and walk right into their door to their apartment! The streets are all one way and the other half of the road is parked cars (which are all pretty small!) Most people walk or take the metro, so we contact a lot of people there. Espanoles son mucho mas duro, so it's different to contact them. They either don't believe in God, claim to be catholic and don't care, or are just wishy washy. There are people from everywhere here-it's more of a melting pot than the states! Most of our ward is de Ecuador, theres a few Bolivians, Peru. There's lots of European too, and Africa. There's actually quite a bit of middle east, and the chino stores sell stuff super cheap so missionaries love them =) It's pretty warm if you are in the sun, but all the buildings are so tall that you walk mostly in the shade, so it's a little more chilly. Still don't really know my way around, but it's nice already knowing the language, minus the accent so everyone can pin you as gringo right off. I love it here though! We feel like real missionaries at home at last! That's about all for now...we don't have much time to email. Love you all and hope all is great in the states! Tenga un buen dia y semana! Estoy bien aqui, y en manos buenos del  Señor y misioneros!