March 4th Update

Lots of fun stuff happening here! I love Valencia, it is so great!! The city is super pretty. Most of the buildings look more Spain-like, and aren't as dumpy. The streets are bigger too, so the buildings are more spaced out and it feels less cramped. The weather is super nice normally. The first few days were pouring rain all day, and it was cold! It was like 40 F, but the humidity and wetness made it a lot more cold. After the storm, it was back to normal Valencia weather for this time of year-65 and sunny! Perfect weather =) Today it is cloudy and might rain, but it's not really cold. The food is good too. It depends on who we eat with, if they are spaniard or foreign. The most famous Spain dish is probably paella. It's like a rice and seafood mix. Valenciano Paella is usually made with rice and rabbit or chicken, which a lot of people like better, or sometimes is made with noodles. Pasta is pretty popular too. Chicken, rice, and bread are mostly what we eat-its perfect for me! They have lots of good little snack foods too. Napolitanas are basically croissants stuffed with chocolate and are delicious. Donuts, bread, and similar things are always in bakerys. You can buy un barro de pan like 2 feet long for like 30-50 cents, and throw on some olive oil or nutella spread and you're good to go! They have this hamón stuff, kinda funny. It's basically a raw pig leg that's salted/prepared than buried underground for like 5 years, and somehow throughout the process it is fine to eat. It's like a rubbery piece of bacon basically. It's actually pretty good, but I don't think worth the money to buy, so we just eat it when members have it. Spain food is usually pretty plain, so that's fine by me =) When we eat with africans or south americans is when it gets spicy or decorated. We have an appointment with a Bulgarian couple this week-supposedly last time they had a wierd pig ear dish...we're kinda worried about that :)

We have seen miracles in finding a few potentials. We met a man, Luis, as we knocked on a door, it was opened with a rope strung up to the top floor through the middle, which was kind of wierd. As we were going up the stairs, we met Luis in his door, talked to him for a little bit, and went into his home and shared a quick scripture message. We left him with a Book of Mormon and invited him to church, although he wasn't able to make it. We also have received a few referrals from the Sister missionaries who were here before, and met a man, Elijorson, who had a fecha and basically has a testimony, but is struggling financially and is still un poco duro with a few doubts because of the whole situation. A couple days ago he called us out to the pueblo where he lives, and while waiting for him there, we contacted two young chicos playing guitar on a bench. We talked for a bit and ended up leaving them with Restoration pamphlets and Book of Mormons. THey expressed some interest and we think that there will be some good things happening there with Israel and Manuel.
We always get lost in the city. It's also gigantic and there is like 30 different bus lines to hop back and forth between, and a metro. I applied for an all in one travel card, but I can't pick it up until tomorrow so I've had to use the 3 separate for bus, metro zone A, and metro Zones AB to travel out to the pueblos. We cover downtown Valencia and some pueblos outside of Valencia to the northwest.  This week they start las fallas. It's a huge annual celebration where they put up tons of decorations, build giant statues and then at the end of the celebration they burn them! Apparently they are spectacular, ands its like the best time of year to be in Valencia.

Keep cultivating faith in the Lord and grow closer to Him, His yoke is light and burden is easy. There are days when I'm a walking zombie but yet somehow have the energy and little bit of motivation to knock a few more doors or contacts! That for sure doesn't come from myself-my thoughts are about falling into my bed during those times haha. I am in 3 Nephi in my Book of Mormon studies, I've been reading through marking references to 'power', and there is a lot about the power of God/heaven in the Book of Mormon! Time after time missionaries and prophets receive extra powers or the Spirit works powerfully through them to do the will of God, and it inspires me to be a more powerful missionary. With the power of God, all things are possible! I was really impressed reading about the early chapters of the Savior's administration as I carefully read them, usually I just kinda speed read because I've read it a hundred times, but that's a habit I'm trying to break =) Reading the D&C in spanish has been neat too, except there are a lot of unfamiliar words so it's good language study =)
Well, I'm out of time, keep being awesome and inspiring! Thank you for your prayers, I'll try to send more the other way to balance the score a little haha. Love you all!