A peek into the past

Hola!
It was a great week for us here! We saw a few miracles this week. The first one: We need new investigators, and we prayed and fasted to be able to have new people to teach. What happened in the following 2-3 days was incredible! We received at least 6 or 7 references! Hopefully this week a lot of these people can convert into new investigators! We did have a visit with that mailman, but we went and they called him in to deliver an urgent package or something, so we didn't get to teach him.

Another miracle was that everything went well in Madrid, that Elder Gil received his visa, and that we were able to enjoy TWO sessions in the temple, one Thursday mediodía and another Friday morning before the embajada opened up! It was a once in a lifetime experience! I was impressed by the peace and serenity and above all the Spirit. We had been that afternoon to a Catholic cathedral, an Egyptian temple, and couple other places, and there is a noticable difference between the true temple of the Lord and those of the world =) I felt the Spirit strongly and was impressed more about the person who I am deep down and what the Lord expects of me a little better. And it was SUPER beautiful =) After one of the sessions we walked around the temple and saw all of the rooms and such too.

Oh, and my peek into the past: We ate dinner and breakfast in the MTC there with the other missionaries, and stayed in the hostel for members on temple trips that is downstairs. It was interesting. At first they all thought we were new missionaries, but then we proved ourselves to be missionaries out in the field. They didn't really talk to us though, just the teachers. I think I didn't miss out on too much in the MTC, I think I would have still liked the Provo MTC more. So, looking back, the Lord is indeed merciful in His mysterious ways! And I still got to go to the temple! ¡Toma! It was great =)

Well, that's all that I have for this week. Hope that you have a wonderful week and keep the faith burning bright!

7 de Enero de 2014

Hola! So, I have a lot to share, but I don't know how to start and honestly I don't have a  lot of desire to type it all...if only I could just telepathically send it across the world. Oh well, cound my blessings I guess =) We'll see what we can do here.

First item of business: Elder Gil is still with me! We went into Lleida for Zone Enfoque on Wednesday. Elder Gil's package had arrived monday, but he couldn't pick it up because the mailman still had it whereever he was in his route, and Tuesday and Wednesday the office was closed for holidays. So, he came with us, and the Zone Leaders planned an intercambio with us, and Elder Weiss was to come back to Zaragoza with Elder Gil and I and E. Dixon stayed in Lleida with E. Carrigan. Well, 5 min before our train was supposed to leave, we get a call from President Pace. He said that he thought Elder Gil's package was a divinely sent sign, and it gave him more time to think about things and that he felt much more comfortable with sending Elder Dixon to Barcelona. "Uh, sure President sounds great! One problem...he's in Lleida and we're boarding our train." So, we got back to Zaragoza and put E. Gil on the first train back and E. Dixon got a train to Zaragoza to come pack his bags, then Thursday morning he left! So here we are!

Next on the list: Elder Gil is going to Madrid on Thursday for an embajada appoitment for his visa, and I get to go with him. Woo!! So he goes in the morning, and then supposedly if all goes well he can have his visa that evening. Then whenever the next transfer day in Mexico is he would go, maybe end of Jan. or something. So we'll have all late morning and mediodía to go do stuff, and maybe go see the temple!

I usually like to share something I learned from my studies this week, but I can't think of what to share out of all the good stuff I learned! I started the Book of Mormon again for the new year, made a comparison chart of the callings of prophets (how old they were, their reaction, their circumstances/background at the time, etc.) and a lot about member missionary work stuff. So yeah, everything in that general area I guess. =) Mainly I guess I noticed how natural the things of God become to those who consistenly study, pray, and live them. Then missionary work is easy and exciting, your relationship with God flourishes, and blessings are abundant.

Hope that everything goes just great and that you have a fantastic week =) Un abrazo!

Random Pics

December Updates

12/9
I love being with Elder Gil! We are in kind of a weird foursome now. Elder Gil is waiting to go to Mexico City on his visa, and we got him here on Wednesday. He is a very prepared missionary, even if he hasn't been through the MTC yet. He is fun to be around and always laughing and causing laughs. He's from the Canary islands. He teaches all the new missionaries in our piso spanish and helps me perfect my vocabulary and accent =)
So yeah, we are getting by! This is only temporary, there is a "mini transfer" on the 17th for missionaries going home early for christmas and school, and we might see a change there. We decided just to keep the area how it is and not split it, then share/trade off teaching people. It has been interesting working four in the area with not too many people as far as investigators go, so we have been working on passing by the list of less active members to get to know them and invite them back, and try to find new inv. No fruits as of yet, it has been hard to find someone home or open their door for now, but we keep working with faith!

It has also been freezing cold this week! Last night it was -1 celcius, but super foggy so like 100 % humidity. It has been a rough adjustment for Elder Gil haha, being from 20-25 year round on his island. I haven't gotten any packages yet. We have Zone Conference on Friday, so I might get stuff then, and I will have to go into Barcelona maybe to renew my residency card sometime.

I'm glad everything happened in the move!! My thanks to all who helped you guys. It sounds like the new place is great to be in, with a few future additions haha. We've had to go buy more stuff to house us 2 extra missionaries in our supposed 4 man piso too. Last week the Belén was closed so we might try again soon. Today we are going ice skating down at that giant super mall complex. =) Congrats on all the wins, keep working hard. Sorry to hear about all the crazy things happening, and losing stuff =) New Christmas gift, right? ;)

This month of December I am studying the attribute of humility and trying to put it into practice. To remember the humility of our Savior in condescending below everything to be born here in the earth in normal, or below normal circumstances and how he demonstrated it throughout his life. It's been really great. Also, as a mission we are going for a "white christmas!", not only for baptisms but also being purified, as in the story of 3 Nephi 19. So some great things happening.

Well, that's about all I have for this week. Keep being great, keep sending prayers! Hope all is splendid =) ¡Qué Dios os bendiga!

12/16

My fingers are a little slow typing this from the cold outside, but we're doing great.We have been passing by the list of Less Active members and trying to visit members to get to know them. We've also had a lot of people busy and hard to get a hold of! Normal aspects of missionary work I suppose. 

The Zone Conference was really great. I always love messages about the Book of Mormon because I love the Book of Mormon! It is always a good reminder to refocus on the Lord's chosen evidence for His work. I am going to rededicate myself to teach from the Book of Mormon with greater power!

A miracle that we saw this week was the Christmas Program here. It was such a neat experience to be a part of the Christmas Program here in Zaragoza. All of the missionaries here in Zaragoza (like 14) participated, and they even brought up Elder Glenn from Valencia (a fellow Pleasant Grove-ite! He's Patrick Glenn's (the good saxophone player from Jazz Band a few years ago) brother.) to play in a piano duet with Hermana Pace, that Sleigh Ride arrangement. They did super great of course. We sang tons of Christmas songs, in English, Spanish, German, Aftrican, you name it haha. An Hermana here from Sweden sang a tradicional song from her country as well. I felt the Christmas Spirt, the Spirit of Christ, as we sang and helped others to feel it. There was a lot of work put into it, so I was glad to see good results! It was also a great privilege for us and for the members to have the Pace family with us for the weekend. Their testimonies and comments inspired many and they always tell us what a great mission president we have =) Their daughter just finished her mission in Norway and has been visiting President and Hermana Pace before going home for school. Their son should be coming to visit this month too I think.

Another small miracle was being able to catch the train from Lleida right after the meeting because it came 10 min late =)

12/23

Hola! I can't believe how fast this month has just flown by! It feels like the middle of December still! It kind of doesn't even feel like it really. We are excited though =) It hasn't been quite as cold this week, mainly because the fog blew out finally and we had some sun. It was still 0-8 degrees C but more dry with sunlight so it was hardly noticable with a coat and such. 

Lots of news this week:

First off, it is great working with Elders Dixon and Gil. They are great missionaries. Elder Dixon has a spirit of obedience and in doing good. Elder Gil connects with everybody. EVERYBODY in the ward loves him =) Maybe because he is Spaniard, but he is just super fun to be around. They both love to learn and work hard.

This week's miracle was María Angeles' baptism. It was E. Wiscombe's last day, so it was special for him especially. It was such a neat and spiritual experience. The Spirit was strong and she just has such a special testimony. She has a long life's story of difficulties and hardships, which are evident in her outstanding character and personal strength. She is already connecting so well with the members! At the Relief Society dinner they all had a great time and she has already donated clothing and jewelries and service to so many people in the ward! She is just incredible. She will be a great strength to the ward here. She was a little late for Sacrament meeting, but made it just in time to be confirmed =) 

We have spent a lot of time finding--knocking doors, contacting in the streets, looking for less actives. We don't have many investigators right now so we hope to find many soon! We have been blessed to see miracles and if not new investigators yet, the Spirit has come into us. 

Most of Spain celebrate the 24th largely, and dinner on the 25th, but the main gift giving and presents are on 3 Kings day, the 7th or 8th of January. Also, no, we do not have iPad's yet. I would love them, but it's whenever they roll around I guess.

Thanks for your neat messages and comments. I hope that Christmas will be a nice day for you all and that you can continue to feel the Spirit! Thanks for all of your prayers and remembering me =) The Senior couple serving in Lleida are going to the office today to pick up mail and they're supposedly delivering stuff to us tomorrow maybe, so hopefully my package is there! Anyways, that's all folks. ¡Bon Nadal a tots! 

12/30

I have been seeing a noticable change in many of the members throughout our time here. I feel like we are reaching the hearts to the members in a unique way. Elder Gil has been wonderful at getting many to open up and they love talking with him. I have been trying to comment more during Sunday School and church meetings. I feel like a lot of missionaries tend to sit back and not participate, leaving it to the class, when for me I feel that a missionary's involvement can be a great opportunity for teaching and inviting the Spirit by testimony. Elder Dixon has proved to be a talentful person and impressed a few people as well!

We did get some sad news however: They are moving Elder Gil into Barcelona because someone's companion needed to go home to fix some medical things and so we got a change a week earlier than transfers next week. President has already told me that he plans on me staying for a while, so we'll see. We're all sad to have Elder Gil leave though 

We have been blessed to have such great missionaries working here in Zaragoza. I hope that things do start for the better this year. We have some plans to put into action as far as helping the members catch the Spirit and the ward I think will hopefully catch on with some resolutions for the year.