I'm such a slacker! It's been months since we returned from Spain and I'm finally getting photos posted. I'm starting with Barcelona, when I first got to hug Hermana Holly after 18 months. We trekked up a hill to Monterrat museum and monestary, where we could get practically a panoramic view of the city. It was amazing! You'll also see we were at the Olypmic Stadium. Enjoy!!!
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Benidorm!
We´re at a little internet locutorio right now trying to straigten out April´s debit card. That´s right...April! She is here! What a surprise to see her in the lobby of the Westin Hotel in Valencia when we stopped by just to take a few photos! That Holly is slick. She knew all along April was coming and I was totally clueless. She pulled it off so perfectly. I was speechless to see April and Melanie standing there. We have had so much fun. We have still been in missionary speed, getting everything in possible from morning til night. The fallas were amazing. It was so much fun to share it with April and Melanie. We went to the ¨virgin¨statue our last evening in Valencia and saw how the princesses make their offering of flowers and the men add the flowers to the ginormous statue. By now it is covered in flowers. So many parades with princesses in their beautiful authentic spanish dresses and bands playing and men and boys throwing fireworks and what seem like bombs in the streets. Yesterday we came down by rental car to Villajoyosa and Benidorm. Such a beautiful drive through farm houses and orange orchards! The coast and Mediterraneaan are so amazing. Such deep blue water. Well, everyone is ready to go, so bye for now!
Monday, March 16, 2009
Barcelona, Palma, and Valencia!
I´ve been in Spain exactly one week! Last week just zoomed by. So glad I have more time here! It was amazing picking up Holly. The taxi driver dropped me off outside the mission home and I had to explore a little to find the right door to enter. Got scared a bit, thinking I was in the wrong place. When I walked in there were all these hermanas and elders just grinning at me. I walked down the hall and there was Holly off to the side. We ran to each other and hugged and had a shed a few tears! and hugged some more! Since then I have been her constant companion. Poor thing! So good to get her back safe and sound. I've missed my little buddy so much, and I'm so proud of the wonderful work she accomplished in Spain! She is one energetic hermana who is hard to keep up with. That's what I've heard over and over from the missionaries, even from her Mission President!
Palma was amazing. It´s so beautiful. Words just can´t do justice! Had a beautiful flight over. There are old time windmills everywhere. And buildings in town made out of stone. Windy roads and beautifl scenery. Lots of mountains and hills. And yes, the deep blue mediterranean! In the evening we went to the central shopping area walked around the little shops. We went to a castle the day we arrived and a monestary at the top of a mountain, where we could look over the entire island. It was amazing! Holly is doing so well. She DROVE the rental car here in Palma, and she was so cute the first time she sat in the driver´s seat! We had an awesome ¨villa¨ to stay in way out of the way. Marriott rocks. They treated us so well! It was beautiful. Truly the trip of a lifetime! We ran so fast to get everything in that we could. We didn't hardly stop to eat. We went to a grocery store and got stuff that we keep in the car and we just snacked on it. But we have had some authentic spanish food that is so good. Tortilla potatas sandwiches are so yummy! And I had real spanish chocolate and we went to the Barcelona central market. What an experience!!!!! The food and presentation of it is incredible!!! It was great having a car to get around ,... made our time really productive. The weather was beautiful. Holly is happy and cute as ever. Barcelona was incredible. There was so much to see that we already have an agenda for when we go back there for out last afternoon before flying home.
In our second day in Palma, we woke up to beautiful weather and a cloudless sky. We drove to the far side of the island to a place called Formentor. It´s a point way up high in the mountain where you can see out to the Mediterranean forever! Try googling it. The wind was blowing mightily up there but the view was to die for! Wowzer! On the way back we stopped at a couple of little villages and took pictures of an old church and a place where there are caves. In the afternoon, we went to the Quierolos for dinner and Carolina cooked up a masterpiece. I finally see why Holly said that we would be fed well. They are so hospitable! Amazing family. It was so fun to see Holls rattle off the Spanish like it was her native tongue! She is absolutely amazing! Then we went over to another couple´s home and other people showed up to see Holly. She is loved so much in Palma! And they fed us more food! Holls navigated the island like a pro in the rental car. What a great time we had!
We are now in Valencia staying with Paquita, who is a hoot! She is a member who doesn´t come out very much, but loves the hermanas. Her husband died 16 months ago and she misses him so much. She has made us feel so much at home. She is a talker!!! The fallas are going on. There are fireworks going off constantly! Yesterday after church, I watched the primary kids get fireworks out of their scriptures and light them right on the street outside of the church! I don´t even know how to describe the fallas! Huge satiric statues painted bright colors everywhere. People people people everywhere. Streets and plazas blocked off to cars and people milling aroung everywhere. Street vendors selling everything! And I look up and there are the most amazing buildings...some like castles and some very old and ornate. Beautiul parks! Oh my, it´s just so much to take in. I feel like I´m on a movie set and it isn´t real.
Church yesterday was amazing. The spirit was so strong. They actually sing like they mean it! Beautiful voices in espanol! Everybody loves Holly so much. You should have seen the hugs and tears. She gave her heart here. It´s amazing. I don´t know how to describe it. We have appointments to visit and eat with several members while we are here. Today we are going to see some of the biggest fallas statues and try to get to the lladro factory outside of town. Oh! The metro is just like in Japan! We were squished in like sardines last night when coming home! I´m going to try to attach some photos. Well, doesn´t like like this computer will let me. Sorry! Maybe another time!
Palma was amazing. It´s so beautiful. Words just can´t do justice! Had a beautiful flight over. There are old time windmills everywhere. And buildings in town made out of stone. Windy roads and beautifl scenery. Lots of mountains and hills. And yes, the deep blue mediterranean! In the evening we went to the central shopping area walked around the little shops. We went to a castle the day we arrived and a monestary at the top of a mountain, where we could look over the entire island. It was amazing! Holly is doing so well. She DROVE the rental car here in Palma, and she was so cute the first time she sat in the driver´s seat! We had an awesome ¨villa¨ to stay in way out of the way. Marriott rocks. They treated us so well! It was beautiful. Truly the trip of a lifetime! We ran so fast to get everything in that we could. We didn't hardly stop to eat. We went to a grocery store and got stuff that we keep in the car and we just snacked on it. But we have had some authentic spanish food that is so good. Tortilla potatas sandwiches are so yummy! And I had real spanish chocolate and we went to the Barcelona central market. What an experience!!!!! The food and presentation of it is incredible!!! It was great having a car to get around ,... made our time really productive. The weather was beautiful. Holly is happy and cute as ever. Barcelona was incredible. There was so much to see that we already have an agenda for when we go back there for out last afternoon before flying home.
In our second day in Palma, we woke up to beautiful weather and a cloudless sky. We drove to the far side of the island to a place called Formentor. It´s a point way up high in the mountain where you can see out to the Mediterranean forever! Try googling it. The wind was blowing mightily up there but the view was to die for! Wowzer! On the way back we stopped at a couple of little villages and took pictures of an old church and a place where there are caves. In the afternoon, we went to the Quierolos for dinner and Carolina cooked up a masterpiece. I finally see why Holly said that we would be fed well. They are so hospitable! Amazing family. It was so fun to see Holls rattle off the Spanish like it was her native tongue! She is absolutely amazing! Then we went over to another couple´s home and other people showed up to see Holly. She is loved so much in Palma! And they fed us more food! Holls navigated the island like a pro in the rental car. What a great time we had!
We are now in Valencia staying with Paquita, who is a hoot! She is a member who doesn´t come out very much, but loves the hermanas. Her husband died 16 months ago and she misses him so much. She has made us feel so much at home. She is a talker!!! The fallas are going on. There are fireworks going off constantly! Yesterday after church, I watched the primary kids get fireworks out of their scriptures and light them right on the street outside of the church! I don´t even know how to describe the fallas! Huge satiric statues painted bright colors everywhere. People people people everywhere. Streets and plazas blocked off to cars and people milling aroung everywhere. Street vendors selling everything! And I look up and there are the most amazing buildings...some like castles and some very old and ornate. Beautiul parks! Oh my, it´s just so much to take in. I feel like I´m on a movie set and it isn´t real.
Church yesterday was amazing. The spirit was so strong. They actually sing like they mean it! Beautiful voices in espanol! Everybody loves Holly so much. You should have seen the hugs and tears. She gave her heart here. It´s amazing. I don´t know how to describe it. We have appointments to visit and eat with several members while we are here. Today we are going to see some of the biggest fallas statues and try to get to the lladro factory outside of town. Oh! The metro is just like in Japan! We were squished in like sardines last night when coming home! I´m going to try to attach some photos. Well, doesn´t like like this computer will let me. Sorry! Maybe another time!
Friday, March 6, 2009
Last Emails from Holly
Here are Hermana Holly's final emails to me! Tomorrow I pack, and the next morning I leave for SPAIN!! I can't believe it's actually happening. Today I got so emotional thinking about my reunion with Holly. I can't wait to hug my daughter again!!!
February 16:
hey mom! we just got done hiking up to the top of a castle here in Alicante. it was so much fun. vaya. i think i just got my exercise in for the day. if i lived in alicante i would do that every single day! haah. wow. what a week. are the weeks flying by or what? haha. i am really excited but so sad to leave the mission. good news is on sunday we invited to karina to be baptized and she will be baptized my last saturday in the mission. WAHHOOOO!I am so excited for her. she is so excited for it too. since we started teaching her about 4 months ago, she has missed one sunday at church. one sunday. that is amazing. and she comes on her own.
so on saturday we had a paella in the mountains and it was so much fun. the whole branch and us went up there and ate a HUGE thing of paella. i couldn´t believe it. i´d never seen so much paella in all my life. and they told me that it wasn´t the biggest one that they do. debbie was scared to drive her car down so it ended up that Presidente Sempere, our branch president had to drive it down for her.
I am trying to make the most out of the short time that i have here in benidorm. every second counts for me and even though i still have a hard time sleeping and eating, i am still the same Hermana Thomas that i have always been! Jumping over those hurdles! anyways until next monday, when it will only be 2 weeks! AHHH!!!! Love you. Big hugs for the cats! Holly michelle
by the way, get this... the mission president that will replace mine is president hinkelsys son! crazy. i`ll be gone.
February 23
so i don't have much time cause we are going to Guadalest, a beautiful pueblo in teh mountntains of Bendidorm with some members. I love benidorm. i am so excited to have been here in this area. They were about to give up on it and it's the area where i saw the most baptisms. 6! That is amazing. vaya. I cant believe it. i only have one more preparation day left, after today. more stories next week.... gotta run. Love you more than i love chocloate frosted cookies.... !!!! HOlly Mihcelle
Hey mom. It´s me again. Ya i have more time because we just went to GUADALEST with our English members and now we are back and can do internet for 20 more minutes! SO i can explain more. First of all, GUADALEST was AMAZING! you have to see my pictures. It´s this old spanish town with a monestery and all and little shops and its just really spanish. So. THis week was also really great. We had so many members helping us and so many really good appointments. This week we are going to Murcia again for Zone Conference. It´s my last and then i just have a week and a half. Weird. I am really happy for these baptisms that we are having cause, well first, i am just excited for them, and second, it will keep me on my toes until the VERY end! SUnday they get baptized after church, and the next morning i take a train up to Barcelona to see YOU!!!! Weird. I can´t believe that i will see you in 2 weeks. i really can´t believe it. You are just going to love spain. Sunday was our branch conference and all the stake members came from Valencia. it was good cause i said hi to them and told them i will see them again sooN! And PALMA! Hermana Henderson is so excited to meet you. Oh, and by the way, if you have room, bring your haircutting sissors cause hermana Olson wants some hair trimmed and i offered your services, since nobody likes to get their hair cut in the salon here in spain cause all you end up with is a mullet. i hope that´s okay. you can be the haircutter :)
OH, on sunday we went searching for inactive members in Villajoyosa, the town next to our town, and we met the craziest couple ever. we knocked on the door and just heard this weird man screaming who is it? who is it? and when he saw us through the peephole he was like, oh, it´s just the missionaries. their house smelled like a dirty diaper or something but they were so sweet and they want to come to church next sunday. oh, did i tell you that i accompanied an entire choir on sunday (well, the branch choir!) in our special musical number and didn´t mess up at all? I sat down at the piano and just started freaking out cause there were so many people there! We are almost a WARD! with these 2 baptisms that they will have coming up, we will be even closer! New chapel, coming right up! I hope so. Love you more than the fact that i will see you in 2 weeks from today! yesterday i made 18 months. time has sure flown by. Holly mICHELLE
March 2
ONE WEEK! AHHHHH! KARINA IS STILL GOING STRONG. SHE IS SO EXCITED FOR HER BAPTISM AND I AM EXCITED FOR YOU TO MEET HER. IT IS GOING TO BE FUN. NEXT SUNDAY AFTER CHURCH WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A BIG PICNIC IN THE CHURCH AND THEN JUST HEAD ON OVER TO ALICANTE RIGHT AFTER. GUADALEST WAS REALLY FUN AND ZONE CONFERENCE WAS WEIRD CAUSE IT WAS THE LAST ONE. REALLY GOOD. GAVE ME THE STRENGTH TO ENDURE TO THE END. LINA CAME TO CHURCH AGAIN! WE ARE GOING TO INVITE HER TO BE BAPTISED THIS WEEK... MAYBE FOR THE END OF MARCH. I CAN´T BELIEVE IT.
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE SO MUCH FUN! OH MAN. VAYA. WE EVEN HAVE A CAR? 30 EUROS TO RENT A CAR FOR 3 DAYS? THAT´S INSANE! I THOUGHT IT WOULD FOR SURE BE MORE EXPENSIVE. OH MAN. YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE THE SPANISH DRIVING EXPERIENCE. THIS IS GOING TO BE INTERESTING! HAHA. IT LOOKS AMAZING. I CAN´T BELIEVE THIS IS ALL HAPPENING! OH MAN. I CANNOT WAIT FOR PALMA. GET READY TO LIVE A DREAM MOM...
LOVE YOU SO MUCH. SEE YOU NEXT MONDAY!
February 16:
hey mom! we just got done hiking up to the top of a castle here in Alicante. it was so much fun. vaya. i think i just got my exercise in for the day. if i lived in alicante i would do that every single day! haah. wow. what a week. are the weeks flying by or what? haha. i am really excited but so sad to leave the mission. good news is on sunday we invited to karina to be baptized and she will be baptized my last saturday in the mission. WAHHOOOO!I am so excited for her. she is so excited for it too. since we started teaching her about 4 months ago, she has missed one sunday at church. one sunday. that is amazing. and she comes on her own.
so on saturday we had a paella in the mountains and it was so much fun. the whole branch and us went up there and ate a HUGE thing of paella. i couldn´t believe it. i´d never seen so much paella in all my life. and they told me that it wasn´t the biggest one that they do. debbie was scared to drive her car down so it ended up that Presidente Sempere, our branch president had to drive it down for her.
I am trying to make the most out of the short time that i have here in benidorm. every second counts for me and even though i still have a hard time sleeping and eating, i am still the same Hermana Thomas that i have always been! Jumping over those hurdles! anyways until next monday, when it will only be 2 weeks! AHHH!!!! Love you. Big hugs for the cats! Holly michelle
by the way, get this... the mission president that will replace mine is president hinkelsys son! crazy. i`ll be gone.
February 23
so i don't have much time cause we are going to Guadalest, a beautiful pueblo in teh mountntains of Bendidorm with some members. I love benidorm. i am so excited to have been here in this area. They were about to give up on it and it's the area where i saw the most baptisms. 6! That is amazing. vaya. I cant believe it. i only have one more preparation day left, after today. more stories next week.... gotta run. Love you more than i love chocloate frosted cookies.... !!!! HOlly Mihcelle
Hey mom. It´s me again. Ya i have more time because we just went to GUADALEST with our English members and now we are back and can do internet for 20 more minutes! SO i can explain more. First of all, GUADALEST was AMAZING! you have to see my pictures. It´s this old spanish town with a monestery and all and little shops and its just really spanish. So. THis week was also really great. We had so many members helping us and so many really good appointments. This week we are going to Murcia again for Zone Conference. It´s my last and then i just have a week and a half. Weird. I am really happy for these baptisms that we are having cause, well first, i am just excited for them, and second, it will keep me on my toes until the VERY end! SUnday they get baptized after church, and the next morning i take a train up to Barcelona to see YOU!!!! Weird. I can´t believe that i will see you in 2 weeks. i really can´t believe it. You are just going to love spain. Sunday was our branch conference and all the stake members came from Valencia. it was good cause i said hi to them and told them i will see them again sooN! And PALMA! Hermana Henderson is so excited to meet you. Oh, and by the way, if you have room, bring your haircutting sissors cause hermana Olson wants some hair trimmed and i offered your services, since nobody likes to get their hair cut in the salon here in spain cause all you end up with is a mullet. i hope that´s okay. you can be the haircutter :)
OH, on sunday we went searching for inactive members in Villajoyosa, the town next to our town, and we met the craziest couple ever. we knocked on the door and just heard this weird man screaming who is it? who is it? and when he saw us through the peephole he was like, oh, it´s just the missionaries. their house smelled like a dirty diaper or something but they were so sweet and they want to come to church next sunday. oh, did i tell you that i accompanied an entire choir on sunday (well, the branch choir!) in our special musical number and didn´t mess up at all? I sat down at the piano and just started freaking out cause there were so many people there! We are almost a WARD! with these 2 baptisms that they will have coming up, we will be even closer! New chapel, coming right up! I hope so. Love you more than the fact that i will see you in 2 weeks from today! yesterday i made 18 months. time has sure flown by. Holly mICHELLE
March 2
ONE WEEK! AHHHHH! KARINA IS STILL GOING STRONG. SHE IS SO EXCITED FOR HER BAPTISM AND I AM EXCITED FOR YOU TO MEET HER. IT IS GOING TO BE FUN. NEXT SUNDAY AFTER CHURCH WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A BIG PICNIC IN THE CHURCH AND THEN JUST HEAD ON OVER TO ALICANTE RIGHT AFTER. GUADALEST WAS REALLY FUN AND ZONE CONFERENCE WAS WEIRD CAUSE IT WAS THE LAST ONE. REALLY GOOD. GAVE ME THE STRENGTH TO ENDURE TO THE END. LINA CAME TO CHURCH AGAIN! WE ARE GOING TO INVITE HER TO BE BAPTISED THIS WEEK... MAYBE FOR THE END OF MARCH. I CAN´T BELIEVE IT.
WE ARE GOING TO HAVE SO MUCH FUN! OH MAN. VAYA. WE EVEN HAVE A CAR? 30 EUROS TO RENT A CAR FOR 3 DAYS? THAT´S INSANE! I THOUGHT IT WOULD FOR SURE BE MORE EXPENSIVE. OH MAN. YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE THE SPANISH DRIVING EXPERIENCE. THIS IS GOING TO BE INTERESTING! HAHA. IT LOOKS AMAZING. I CAN´T BELIEVE THIS IS ALL HAPPENING! OH MAN. I CANNOT WAIT FOR PALMA. GET READY TO LIVE A DREAM MOM...
LOVE YOU SO MUCH. SEE YOU NEXT MONDAY!
Monday, February 9, 2009
4 Weeks and Counting!
Holly's email today:
4 weeks mom! that´s like nothing! now i´m having a hard time eating and sleeping just thinking that i am going to see you in 4 weeks!!!!! okay. focus. the good part is that i have all this energy cause i am ending, that i am still running around talking with everyone and we are seeing miracles day after day!
4 weeks mom! that´s like nothing! now i´m having a hard time eating and sleeping just thinking that i am going to see you in 4 weeks!!!!! okay. focus. the good part is that i have all this energy cause i am ending, that i am still running around talking with everyone and we are seeing miracles day after day!
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Story Time for Asher
I visited Becky and Asher the week after Christmas. Yes, again!! I'm not one to miss an opportunity! This is the cutest video of Becky reading a book to Asher about a kitten who does the funniest things. I just love Asher's little sense of humor. He gets such a kick out what the kitty does in this book! Enjoy! More photos to come of my trip!
Monday, February 2, 2009
All is Well
February 2nd email:
Well, the wind is gone. the fire is out. debbie is in her new place. and i am EATING again! you do realize that i only have 5 weeks left!!!!! i can´t believe it. i just absolutely can not believe it. i am freaking out in my mind! I don´t dare say anything to my comp cause i don´t want her to lose focus. i just want her to feel like it´s another normal transfer here in benidorm! but really, i am not sleeping again cause i am so scared to come home. ahhh!!!!!! and excited. we are going to try for 4 more baptisms. haha. we´ll see. but really mom. can you believe it? I am going to see you soooooooooonnnnnnnnnn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, the wind is gone. the fire is out. debbie is in her new place. and i am EATING again! you do realize that i only have 5 weeks left!!!!! i can´t believe it. i just absolutely can not believe it. i am freaking out in my mind! I don´t dare say anything to my comp cause i don´t want her to lose focus. i just want her to feel like it´s another normal transfer here in benidorm! but really, i am not sleeping again cause i am so scared to come home. ahhh!!!!!! and excited. we are going to try for 4 more baptisms. haha. we´ll see. but really mom. can you believe it? I am going to see you soooooooooonnnnnnnnnn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
The Final Transfer - She's Staying in Benidorm
Excerpts from January 27 email (what a crazy week!):
Okay, so SO MUCH STUFF HAS HAPPENED THIS WEEK. where do i start? okay, so monday night, debbies kitchen burned down. it was a short circut and it put debbie in the hospital for 3 days!
Saturday SPain has a FREAK windstorm and the mountain above our house catches on fire. I´ve never seen a bigger fire in all my life. IT was INSANE!!!! trees falling on cars, kids getting literally blown away, glass shattering EVERYWHERE!!! and to top it all off...
Hermana Henderson has been transfered to the Island of PALMA, and i am getting a new Hermana Olson from San Diego California! I can´t eat i miss hermana Henderson so much. I woke up this morning and made some pancakes for the sisters from ALicante who came to benidorm to stay with me cause hermana henderson had to leave yesterday morning and i tried to eat some and i just couldn´t. I miss that girl so much! we were like an earthquake in benidorm. i just don´t know what i am going to do without her. but hermana olson, the comp that is coming is really funny and i know that i am giong to love her just as much as i love hermana henderson, i just am having withdrawls... so that is our exciteing week.
Note: Here is a news article and You Tube video of the Benidorm fires.
Okay, so SO MUCH STUFF HAS HAPPENED THIS WEEK. where do i start? okay, so monday night, debbies kitchen burned down. it was a short circut and it put debbie in the hospital for 3 days!
Saturday SPain has a FREAK windstorm and the mountain above our house catches on fire. I´ve never seen a bigger fire in all my life. IT was INSANE!!!! trees falling on cars, kids getting literally blown away, glass shattering EVERYWHERE!!! and to top it all off...
Hermana Henderson has been transfered to the Island of PALMA, and i am getting a new Hermana Olson from San Diego California! I can´t eat i miss hermana Henderson so much. I woke up this morning and made some pancakes for the sisters from ALicante who came to benidorm to stay with me cause hermana henderson had to leave yesterday morning and i tried to eat some and i just couldn´t. I miss that girl so much! we were like an earthquake in benidorm. i just don´t know what i am going to do without her. but hermana olson, the comp that is coming is really funny and i know that i am giong to love her just as much as i love hermana henderson, i just am having withdrawls... so that is our exciteing week.
Note: Here is a news article and You Tube video of the Benidorm fires.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Benidorm Fotos
Holly sent us the following fotos at Christmas time. She and Hna Henderson seem like they are having the time of their lives saving Benidorm! A few repeats of baptism fotos. Enjoy!!
Benidorm Baptisms
December 22 Excerpt:
Hey. so get this! OUr english family is GETTING BAPTIZED!!!!! Yep. The third of January, they are the best ever. came to church on sunday and loved it so much! today is my 16 month mark. crazy! i´m so having mixed feelings. like it´s so little time, but that it´s not going fast enough! with this baptism coming up, we have our hands full!
December 29 Excerpt:
well, not a whole lot has happened sincei spoken with you on thrusday. lots of food. i spoke in church on sunday about missionary work and i slaughtered the piano! it was so bad. man. i was ashamed. we had 6 investigators in church. it was so great. we ate baked spaghetti with our swedish members. so good. i was in heaven. their house is the best ever. you have to see it when you come cause it´s like a little community of all so rts of different houses. i don´t know how to explain it. it´s just fun. and it feels so swedish. you have to come and see it!
January 5 Excerpt:
The baptism went just as planned. Basically, our ENTIRE branch came to support them. We had a huge caravan of cars and we even managed to bring 6 investigators with us! It was so nice. James went first, then Debbie.Then afterwards, little James shared his testimony about how he knows that Nefi and Alma were prophets of God and that the Book of Mormon is true. He is a light in shining armor. Vaya. Sunday was their confirmation, and it went really well. In fact, we have another baptismal date with Deb´s daughter of 14 Hayleigh!
SO, Tuesday night, we get this frantic phone call from some members that just moved into the branch.¨Hermanas! Hay que venir ahora. Hay una mujer que quiere conocer la iglesia¨ or SIsters! Come to the church right now there is a woman who want´s to know the church. Hermana H and i were so confused. so we finsished our cita and we went to the church. it was a SPANISH woman named Rosa who has been looking for the church for 14 years or so when some sisters in Cartagena stopped her on the street and gave her a book of mormon. Appartenly her husband said that she couldn´t read it and she lost contact with the churhc, but a few years ago her husband died and she started looking again, and it just so happens that these members moved into her town, and she walked over to their house and said, please tell me you are members of the mormon church. they said yes and she said. i have to have it. so they brought her to the church to meet us and we set up a cita to teach the next day and invited her to be baptized, and she´s set for the 17th of this month. AMAZING. I´m not even joking when i say she fell out of the sky. it was incredible. vaya. she´s a spaniard. yep. a real, authentic spanish baptism. that makes 2 spaniards, 3 africans, 2 swedish, 1 brazilian, and 2 english. That´s incredible. i am serving in the entire world here in spain! man. i am the most blessed person on the face of the earth, i really think so. i just love my life.
well... this week is full of many exciting adventures to come. I can´t tell you enough how much i just love the church of jesus christ. i know it´s true without any doubts. it has changed me. it has changed others. it is a miracle. and it´s a miracle that i was able to come here to spain for 18 months to share this with everyone.
January 12 Excerpt:
Hey there family! Yesterday we had 8 people in church! It might even be a record. and 14 lessons with member present. Vaya. Our members are helping out so much! And we are going to have a 2 more baptisms this Saturday. Vaya. So much for closing Benidorm! My mission president said in our last interview You sure are making it hard to close Benidorm! I just had to laugh cause i´m not doing anything. It´s the Lord who is doing it. We´re just doing our part. We had a really good Noche de Hogar (Family Home Evening) with the branch like we do every Friday night. It´s the best Friday night activity ever! Lots of games, lots of food... Yum.
Rosa is doing good. she is so excited about her baptism. She can´t hardtly wait! Hayleigh too. She is like the little sister that I never had. james reminds me of Robbie when he was little! Too many people that i have grown to love. how am i ever going to leave Spain and my language??? Oh man. Don´t think about it and you´ll be okay! haha. There was a rainbow yesterday. that was fun. I have written 2 songs on the piano now. one about the mission, the other about debbie´s family. I´m excited to play them when i get home. Today we are going hiking with Debbie and Hayleigh. It´s going to be fun. we have a picnic planned :)
We are teaching a woman named Karina, from ecuador who just needs to get married to get baptized, so we fasted with her this week and her husband, who hasn´t wanted anything to do with us fasted with her and came to church!!!! It was a miralce. we are going to have wedding soon... and then another 2 baptisms. YES! I want them to be baptized before I leave the area. I have 2 months to make this miracle happen.
It was the day of the wisemen here in spain on the 6th and we ate a cake. the tradition is that if you get the bean in your cake you have to buy it and if you get the king (they are mini figures they put inside) then you get to wear the crown. haha. hna h got the bean! i just got cake.
January 19 Excerpt:
BAPTISMS!!!! Yes. Hayleigh and Rosa were baptized and confirmed this week. oh what a MIRACLE! They were both baptized in Alicante on Saturday at 5:30. We had another caravan of members who came with us and we all drove together in a big line of members. it was fun. Rosa went first, then Hayleigh. They are both so great. Rosa wore a lot of black because they have a tradition here in spain where after someones mom dies they sometimes wear black for an entire year to show that they are in mourning (i think it´s a catholic thing?) and after she was baptized she said that she came out of the water and heard her mom say, Get rid of your black clothing. I´m alright. So on Sunday she came to church with a cute purple shirt and a green skirt! She is amazing. I am so excited for you to meet her.
Transfers are next week, so I have hermana henderson for another week and then i am almost 100% sure that she is gone, and i will have a new companion for the last part of my mission. weird. i only have 7 weeks left, next week 6... i´m scared out of my mind for come home.
last monday hiking with Debbie and Hayleigh was so much fun. we just laughed and laughed. it was the best prep. day ever. i am going to miss that little english family so sosos os os os so os much. i can´t even think about it right now.
Hey. so get this! OUr english family is GETTING BAPTIZED!!!!! Yep. The third of January, they are the best ever. came to church on sunday and loved it so much! today is my 16 month mark. crazy! i´m so having mixed feelings. like it´s so little time, but that it´s not going fast enough! with this baptism coming up, we have our hands full!
December 29 Excerpt:
well, not a whole lot has happened sincei spoken with you on thrusday. lots of food. i spoke in church on sunday about missionary work and i slaughtered the piano! it was so bad. man. i was ashamed. we had 6 investigators in church. it was so great. we ate baked spaghetti with our swedish members. so good. i was in heaven. their house is the best ever. you have to see it when you come cause it´s like a little community of all so rts of different houses. i don´t know how to explain it. it´s just fun. and it feels so swedish. you have to come and see it!
January 5 Excerpt:
The baptism went just as planned. Basically, our ENTIRE branch came to support them. We had a huge caravan of cars and we even managed to bring 6 investigators with us! It was so nice. James went first, then Debbie.Then afterwards, little James shared his testimony about how he knows that Nefi and Alma were prophets of God and that the Book of Mormon is true. He is a light in shining armor. Vaya. Sunday was their confirmation, and it went really well. In fact, we have another baptismal date with Deb´s daughter of 14 Hayleigh!
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| From Christmastime in Benidorm |
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| From Christmastime in Benidorm |
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| From Christmastime in Benidorm |
SO, Tuesday night, we get this frantic phone call from some members that just moved into the branch.¨Hermanas! Hay que venir ahora. Hay una mujer que quiere conocer la iglesia¨ or SIsters! Come to the church right now there is a woman who want´s to know the church. Hermana H and i were so confused. so we finsished our cita and we went to the church. it was a SPANISH woman named Rosa who has been looking for the church for 14 years or so when some sisters in Cartagena stopped her on the street and gave her a book of mormon. Appartenly her husband said that she couldn´t read it and she lost contact with the churhc, but a few years ago her husband died and she started looking again, and it just so happens that these members moved into her town, and she walked over to their house and said, please tell me you are members of the mormon church. they said yes and she said. i have to have it. so they brought her to the church to meet us and we set up a cita to teach the next day and invited her to be baptized, and she´s set for the 17th of this month. AMAZING. I´m not even joking when i say she fell out of the sky. it was incredible. vaya. she´s a spaniard. yep. a real, authentic spanish baptism. that makes 2 spaniards, 3 africans, 2 swedish, 1 brazilian, and 2 english. That´s incredible. i am serving in the entire world here in spain! man. i am the most blessed person on the face of the earth, i really think so. i just love my life.
well... this week is full of many exciting adventures to come. I can´t tell you enough how much i just love the church of jesus christ. i know it´s true without any doubts. it has changed me. it has changed others. it is a miracle. and it´s a miracle that i was able to come here to spain for 18 months to share this with everyone.
January 12 Excerpt:
Hey there family! Yesterday we had 8 people in church! It might even be a record. and 14 lessons with member present. Vaya. Our members are helping out so much! And we are going to have a 2 more baptisms this Saturday. Vaya. So much for closing Benidorm! My mission president said in our last interview You sure are making it hard to close Benidorm! I just had to laugh cause i´m not doing anything. It´s the Lord who is doing it. We´re just doing our part. We had a really good Noche de Hogar (Family Home Evening) with the branch like we do every Friday night. It´s the best Friday night activity ever! Lots of games, lots of food... Yum.
Rosa is doing good. she is so excited about her baptism. She can´t hardtly wait! Hayleigh too. She is like the little sister that I never had. james reminds me of Robbie when he was little! Too many people that i have grown to love. how am i ever going to leave Spain and my language??? Oh man. Don´t think about it and you´ll be okay! haha. There was a rainbow yesterday. that was fun. I have written 2 songs on the piano now. one about the mission, the other about debbie´s family. I´m excited to play them when i get home. Today we are going hiking with Debbie and Hayleigh. It´s going to be fun. we have a picnic planned :)
 |
| From Christmastime in Benidorm |
 |
| From Christmastime in Benidorm |
We are teaching a woman named Karina, from ecuador who just needs to get married to get baptized, so we fasted with her this week and her husband, who hasn´t wanted anything to do with us fasted with her and came to church!!!! It was a miralce. we are going to have wedding soon... and then another 2 baptisms. YES! I want them to be baptized before I leave the area. I have 2 months to make this miracle happen.
It was the day of the wisemen here in spain on the 6th and we ate a cake. the tradition is that if you get the bean in your cake you have to buy it and if you get the king (they are mini figures they put inside) then you get to wear the crown. haha. hna h got the bean! i just got cake.
January 19 Excerpt:
BAPTISMS!!!! Yes. Hayleigh and Rosa were baptized and confirmed this week. oh what a MIRACLE! They were both baptized in Alicante on Saturday at 5:30. We had another caravan of members who came with us and we all drove together in a big line of members. it was fun. Rosa went first, then Hayleigh. They are both so great. Rosa wore a lot of black because they have a tradition here in spain where after someones mom dies they sometimes wear black for an entire year to show that they are in mourning (i think it´s a catholic thing?) and after she was baptized she said that she came out of the water and heard her mom say, Get rid of your black clothing. I´m alright. So on Sunday she came to church with a cute purple shirt and a green skirt! She is amazing. I am so excited for you to meet her.
Transfers are next week, so I have hermana henderson for another week and then i am almost 100% sure that she is gone, and i will have a new companion for the last part of my mission. weird. i only have 7 weeks left, next week 6... i´m scared out of my mind for come home.
last monday hiking with Debbie and Hayleigh was so much fun. we just laughed and laughed. it was the best prep. day ever. i am going to miss that little english family so sosos os os os so os much. i can´t even think about it right now.
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