Carta de 13 de Marzo

Hola mi buena familia y amigos! Lot's of crazy news! It seems like big things happen every week now. Anyways, to start, you're probably wondering why I'm writing on a Wednesday. Well, we moved our preparation day to today because we're going to see a bullfight!! At 5:00 =) We are all pretty excited. We also played a big zone basketball game this morning. Our district was me, Elder Dixon, Elder Biddle, and Elder Farah, This last week we had zone conference in Valencia and it was so great. He talked a lot about having a vision in mind, goals to achieve it, and making plans to achieve those goals. The planning part is always the harder part that most people forget. It was super good though. Hna Pace talked about a training for mission presidents recently where Elder Holland talked about a lot of things. One of the things she passed along to us was having a a more personal experience with the Book of Mormon.all of us being 6'2-6'5 and so we were giants =)
Yesterday in Castellón I prayed to read something in my studies that I could share with somebody else. I read from about Mormon 8 to Ether 5 and learned lots of things for myself but wasn't sure what I could apply to an investigator, mostly all deep doctrine stuff haha. We passed by later in the day by a lady who mentioned to us that she didn't like to read in the scriptures because they were written in the past and she felt that things have changed, culture is different, which is true, but that the scriptures didn't apply. The Spirit brought to rememberance something I read from Moroni, about how ¨he said "I write unto you as if ye were present, yet ye are not. But Jesus has shown you unto me, and I know your works." And so we were able to teach about how the scriptures, especially the Book of Mormon, were written for our day. So that was neat.I was impressed by reading how Mormon mentioned that ever since he was young he grew up watching wickedness all around him. Kind of like our day, or walking around Spain seeing wickedness everywhere haha. I saw evidences of how he was prepared by the Lord. He was of a sober mind and quick to observe and learn to take up the records of the people and scriptures. He was a man large in stature to gain the love and admiration of the people to become a leader. The Lord used him as an instrument to be a prophet to the people, even though they used their agency to ignore God and his teachings. As they saw the destruction of their people, standing on the hill Cumorah looking over hundreds of thousands of his people dead, he still mourned for them and how they had fallen from such greatness, because of his charity that was in him. Moroni even watched the death of the 24 remaining including his father, and alone survived to hide up the record and fulfill the Lord's purposes. He states "The eternal purposes of the Lord shall roll on and all of His promises shall be fulfilled." He didn't know how or when, but saw our day and worked together with the Spirit and Jesus himself from time to time to carefully prepare the Book of Mormon, write what he was commanded and leave out what the Spirit restrained him from writing, even though he expressed desires to teach us them, to try our faith in applying what we have already been given.

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!

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!

Bound for the promised land :)

Finally! Going to Spain! Elder Ryan Coombs, with the other Spain visa waiters from the Ogden, Utah mission are reporting to the Provo, Utah MTC to get their visas processed by a visiting consulate authority.

Vamos a Espania!! I Thought I'd send my quick update! We got here in the MTC and got all of our stuff signed.The guy was telling us about how it was a little on both ends in Madrid and Los Angeles as to why it has taken so long. Basically, they had a slow few months from August to January and were really understaffed, so our stuff sat on the desk. But, everyone should get visas pretty quick now, they are optimistic and hired new staff. Sounds like all of the newly called won't have to wait. So we fly out to JFK tomorrow morning, fly out from there to Barcelona, flying all night and arriving the next morning in sunny Spain! We are all super stoked! There are a lot of missionaries heading out today, tomorrow and next week. There are a lot more for Madrid and Malaga, only a few we have met headed for Barcelona. Elder Miskin has been in the MTC call center the whole time. He leaves Tuesday. Also, I saw Elder Hunter Black (Skylers brother) here when we arrived this morning, He is leaving for Costa Rica soon. That is all my news.. I will see if I have a chance to call from New York. Os quiero!