Week 27

Hi family.

soooo....sorry i forgot to tell you last week that we had a specialized training yesterday so my p day got switched to today. So thus the late email. But I have to say that the past two weeks I have just had an outpouring of emails and letters. THANK YOU to everyone so much! It is so nice to have so much support. It really makes a difference...and I really do appreciate it. I'm so grateful for the great family and I friends that I have! I love you all!

Today was SO fun! I know mom and my sisters have asked me if I do anything other than play basketball on pdays...haha and so today I can say yes!! Today I got to go see the molinos! (windmills) If you know anything about Don Quixote de La Mancha....you know about the windmills that are here :) and I've wanted to go see them the whole time....but they are kind of far away and closed on mondays (our normal pday!) So today the Cleggs were nice enough to drive us out to see them! They are the most famous windmills in Spain. In Consuegra. The zone leaders live super close so they drove out and played with us too! It was such a blast!!! So we saw all of the windmills, got to see how they work, took lots of pictures and also went inside the castle that is there. Oh ya know, no big deal, I just spent the whole day in SPAIN in a CASTLE on my MISSION. whatevs. That kind of stuff just never stops being cool. I took so many pictures. It's the first really like sight-seeing super spain thing I've been able to do...loved it!

Ok....so I had, or WE had, (because everything I do is a we...haha) quite a powerful experience yesterday. First of all, during our specialized training President said a lot of really cool things of course (have I ever bragged about my mission president. he's the best. no i'm not biased. but really.) and answered a lot of prayers for me. One thing he said is that when we bear our testimonies and feel the spirit, that is the Lord telling us that our work is accepted and that He loves us.

So later in the afternoon we had a cita with a really nice spanish couple. We were pretty excited for it and we got in and sat down and got to know them, you know...the usual get to know new people kind of thing....and found out that the man was an evangelical pastor. The evangelistas are known to be bible bashers. And it didn't take long before they were trying to turn our words around and trap us. He was actually really rude. And he said flat out right off the bat that he has read the whole book of mormon and thinks it is fiction. It was the first time that I had really been put into a situation like this. I mean, obviously I've met people who are against the church, or argue or rude or whatever...but never in teaching appointment in someone's house like that. And never in such a direct way. It was obvious the only reason he had invited us over was because he wanted to tell us we were wrong. His mind was already made up. I wouldn't trade this experience for the world. I can't even explain the feeling that was there. The spirit guided us so much. We were given our words. We didn't get upset, try to fight or even pull out a scripture to prove them wrong. It was so amazing to be able to look those people in the eye and bear my testimony with all my heart and have the spirit confirm at that moment that what I was saying was true. That the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that I am a daughter of God. And then knowing that being able to feel that way meant that my work had been accepted by the Lord and that He loves me. There's just nothing better. We left with nice feelings between us and them....and we just felt so uplifted and supported. Turns out this man has a history with the missionaries of course...but sadly I think he is more used to the missionaries giving a better reaction. I love being a missionary. I know this is Jesus Christ's church. What a great thing :)

well fam bamily, I hope you have a great week! I love you so much!!!!

olé

con amor,

hermana ross