Week 34

I just learned a new word from your title dad. haha apparently aldea means village. You learn somethin new everyday.

Look at cute Hermana Woodward. I really like that picture of her. Also, transfers have come and gone and we didn't get a call. Yay for keeping the same companion!! I'm happy she is still here with me. Also, just so you know, the next transfers will come mid-december. Pretty sure I'll be here for that transfer too....hna woodward...maybe not. we'll see.

This week was a little bit of a roller coaster. Mainly the weekend though. Ok, so we have been working on changing the boundaries of the missionaries in Murcia because Pres wants to sent another set of elders here next transfer. Our mish is growing up so fast :) So...Hna woodward's area got cut in half. But that is fine, our area was huge before. But then on friday night we were told that they were going to split the wards and our area was going to be put into the elders ward. So essentially hna woodward and I would be changing wards and we would lose all of our investigators and have to start from nothing. again. This was pretty tough news...we were feeling like we are really starting to make progress, get to know everyone, have baptisms and see miracles...just so we could change again. So after crying most of friday night because I didn't want to leave the ward or our investigators....of course, yesterday it didn't happen. nice. So, I suppose it could happen at any time, but until then, we are just going to go on with our lives and plans and goals. Because I LOVE Murcia!!

For example, something cool that has happend to us recently: ok, so my second night in Murcia, we went to some cita that we were supposed to have...but they weren't there. So we just decided to go all the way to the top of the building and we would knock all the doors on our way down. The first door we knocked on a 18 year old girl named ariana opened up, told us that she is a little bit atheist (i still don't understand how you can be a little bit atheist...) but then let us in because she said she had just been watching the tv and some program about Jesus came on and made her start thinking about religion. Needless to say, I was sooo excited. So, we taught her a few times and it was going super great...but a couple weeks later she called to tell us that she wasnt't interested anymore. Suckerpunch. So we went on with our lives and work. But, just last week-ish, (about a month after we had seen her last) she called us back. SHE called US. awesome. and she wanted to learn more again. Obviously we were on board. Since then we have had a couple lessons with her...and we have been inviting the youth to meet her...and she is seeing what truly happy 18-21 year olds look like. It is so great!! She even went to an activity on friday with a bunch of girls in the two wards and had a blast :) nothing makes me happier than that.

We are going to mass on saturday. I'll let you know how it goes.

The weather is pretty great right now. It is starting to get kinda rainy but it isn't cold yet. But I realized this past week that I was like the only woman in the whole city that was still trying to wear my sandals. I just didn't want to let them go. Also, it was crazy...it was like everyone changed from sandals to boots and winter clothes all in one day. How do they do that? It was like we missed the announcement to change our wardrobe. Super weird. Super europe. I better get some boots or I'm going to start looking totally out of place. haha

Adam's costume sounds so chulo! haha that is so awesome!! We were going to dress up like elders tonight for our noche de hogar...but the costume part of our party got shut down. lame. but...happy halloween!! :) do you get to dress up at work dad? I bet everyone would rather have batman or nacho libre deliver pizza to them than a guy from pizza hut :)

ohhhh....the camry. that car has issues. also, thanks for sending the music!!!

Well family, I love you so much!! The church is true.

con amor,

hermana ross

p.s. Shout out to Rachel- will you send me sasquatch's address? I don't have his russia one and haven't heard from him. Also, I love you and I LOVEDDDDDD the news I got today :)

Week 33

bahaha ok...I think these were some of the greatest mom and dad emails ever. Dad I'm really proud of you for putting work away for a whole week! whoa! All I know is it sounds like it was awesome! and I want to go parasailing too :)

So...essentially the life of a missionary is the best. I'm so happy to be here. I feel like just about everytime I see president clegg he says "It's a great time to be a missionary in Spain" and it's so true! haha no, really though. And here's a fun fact for ya, neal a maxwell came to europe and said about the mission work: chile has had it's time, brazil is having it's time and spain will have it's time...starting with Spain.

yeah. that's cool. but also our area 70 guy told all of the mission presidents that we are opening that prophecy right now. It's a great time to be a missionary in spain.

Remember how I told you about how Luis just showed up to church on his own? Well, Hna woodward and I realized that other people could do that too. Sooo at first we were just hypothetically talking about how it would be super great if more poeple would just come...and then we started praying for it by the end of the week. And do you know what happened? 3 random new people just came to church. Heavenly Father answers prayers :) We had a super good sunday! It was great. I love this ward so much. Also, I gave a talk yesterday...the bishop told me that I was the first person he thought of to speak (that is...after the other person had dropped out and he could only give two days notice haha) but I'm pretty sure it was one of those situations where I needed it more than the people listening did. But giving a talk here in front of a whole ward is way more scary than in front of a branch with 5 members I decided. ha. But I spoke about our baptismal covenants and how we promise to be willing to take upon us the name of Christ. In preparing for the talk, I was able to study a lot about what that means. It is a pretty big charge. We promise to honor His name and be like Him. It is something we should think about daily. While at some point I will take of the name tag...the covenant still stands. And I promised that when I was only 8 years old! :)

Next monday hna woodward and I have planned a ward family home evening/halloween fiesta! Because we are american, we feel like we have to at least do something on halloween. It's kind of a new concept here in spain. Anyway, we are super excited. I wish we could have a trick or trunk...but...that's ok. We are just going to dress up and hope people come :)

So mom mentioned about how I would know what all of the poeple in mexico were saying...but sometimes I worry that when I go home the spanish is going to be super different. Spain has a lot of different words. Luckily, I spend a lot of time with south americans...but they kind of adapt to the spain way of speaking too. haha it will be interesting. Oh, and for the record for anyone who is curious, I don't speak with a theta. (I've had a few people ask me in letters)

This is our last week of this transfer. what? This one went by SO fast! Every transfer gets faster...it's crazy!!! I can hardly believe it. I am really hoping Hna Woodward doesn't leave...but it is a possiblity. But I finally am feeling comfortable with the responsibilities of being senior companion. It has taken almost a whole transfer to feel like I can do it! But with the help of the Lord, I can.

I know the church is true! The book of Mormon is oh so true.

I love you family!!! I miss you! Have a good week!

hermana ross

Also, Sarah Grate's birthday was this past week....I doubt she reads my weekly emails...but I'll say it anyway, Happy Birthday Sarah!!!

This picture is of us and blaze and luis!

the second one is mainly so mom can see what I made :)

Week 32

Yesterday we had a stake conference so we got to go to alicante. It was super fun because Alicante is like an hour away but most of our members don't have cars...so the ward rents a huge bus and we all drive there together! haha It was super great.

This week we also had a little specialized training (you can see our picture on the mission blog if you'd like) and it was great. I love every time I get to see president and hermana Clegg. They are seriously the best!!! I love president.

Also this week I am soooo excited because of Luis!! Remember last week how I said that we got free new investigator that just showed up at the capilla (church)? He is from Colombia and has a million questions. Well...now him and blaze (the member from africa that we found) are like best friends and we have had awesome lessons with them. I have loved seeing this week how the Lord brought those two men to our path within one day of each other...and they are both here to help each other. Luis is totally getting baptized. I'm so excited it's insane! There's a few things that makes a missionary's life really happy...or at least in my life this week: an investigator telling YOU that he wants to get baptized, inactives learning that blessings come after the sacrifice of paying tithing, and seeing love at home :) we had a quite a few lessons this week that after we left we were just like bursting of joy haha it was so great. I've never been so happy before just from something like knowing someone paid tithing. The Lord is blessing us a lot...in lots of little ways.

So...just something that I know is that Heavenly Father knows us PERFECTLY. He knows what we need in terms of blessings but also in terms of trials. He gives us trials to prepare us for bigger things. But everything depends on our obedience through these trials. If we are willing to be faithful and maybe make some sacrifices, he will answer our prayers. Or...we can choose to get upset. and stay that way. I know He loves me. He prepares all of us for bigger and better things. Listen to how cool my mission president is - :)

"Every time we yield our will to Christ's, I believe that something divine happens within us. We become more and more like Him. He is our leader and He will prevail in this world. When we learn to apply our whole hearts unto Him, something happens within us. Through His atonement He begins to change us. He not only helps us to see our potential, He helps us understand that it is all possible. He doesn't just forgive our sins, He shields us against them. He helps us understand and have faith in the glorious blessings He has in store for us.

I believe that when you read the scriptures and survey the lives of the noble and great ones of previous gospel dispensations, you are not reading the lives of the extraordinarily talented. You are reading the lives of the extraordinarily OBEDIENT. They all started with no greater advantage or genius or strength than most of us. Somehow we view these men as prophets from the time they were born, where in fact they arrived at that point through countless sacrifices and countless events in their lives where they "...yielded their hearts unto God" (Helaman 3:35)."

Also, this week we have had an even bigger emphasis on the Book of Mormon in all of our lessons because we learn more and more how amazing it is. The Book of Mormon literally can answer any question or any doubt that we have! It is so cool! READ IT!

And we found out that there is a big zoo in alicante where you can ride elephants. I want to go.

Week 31

well. i guess i'm 22 now. whatevs.

I got my package the day before my birthday :) It was super awesome! thank you family, grandmas and friends for all of the birthday love! My birthday was super great! In the morning the elders ran over on all of our morning run to deliver the letters for me that got sent to the mission home so I could get them on my birthday. such nice elders! nothing like letters to brighten a missionary's birthday :) and as you can see, I chose to eat chowmein on my birthday! yes. I don't know who's idea it was to send me that but it was genius. Also, Mariela, our investigator that got baptized last week made me a cheesecake and they sang to me in spanish and english! haha it was so fun. It was just a super good day. Now today there is a joint bday party for me and one of the other elders with the jas (young single adults) so that should be fun too. I don't know that I really used my birthday power that much...maybe I'll use it today at the party. Except it is elder corradi's actual birthday...no importa :)

One of the coolest things that happened this week was saturday we were out walking to the bus station when this black guy came up to us and asked us if we speak english. duh. and then he told us that he is a member of the church and has been praying for a way to find the church here! and then he saw us :) so cool. He just got here tuesday and is going to live here 8 months because he is teaching english. He's from the Ivory Coast and has a really great british accent. Anyway, that was super fun for us. He doesn't know spanish so we were a little worried for how he would do in church...not understanding anything...but he was a champ. It was testimony meeting of course so he came and asked me if I would go up and translate for him. So I went up there with Blaze (yeah. that's his name) and he bore his testimony in english while I translated it into spanish. It was kinda funny. Everyone loved it. The whole ward just loves him now even though he can hardly communicate with them. It is really amazing how much of a bond the gospel creates.

It did kind of make me realize how I actually do know spanish. when did that happen? It's the first time that I have really had to translate for some one. Also, did you know that Elder Scott does his own voice over for conference? I have been telling our members because it makes a difference to be able to hear their real voice.

Also, we were blessed with another miracle yesterday. We showed up to church with Blaze and there was a guy there named Luis who told us that he is an investigator and just moved from Almeria. and he lives in our ward boundaries. Hello free new investigator yo! It was crazy. Such a blessing. You know, sometimes we do all we can to find people and search for the people who are prepared and then after all we can do, the Lord just places an electo on the church doorstep. sweet.

So something random that I think will interest mom is that we get gigantic cockroaches here! It is so sick. they come into our piso. They are like mississippi/africa sized ones. Like last night we had one and there was quite a bit of screaming and running around with a can of cucaracha spray. no bueno. We didn't have bugs like that in ciudad real...I think it is because we are so much closer to the ocean here or something. I don't know.

ok...I have to comment on some of these things. winco in vegas? what? that's the best! hello gummy bears. also, mom, you would like to know that one of my favorite things about Hermana Woodward is that she is totally fine with christmas music in october. we were so meant to be friends. and nixon is SO cute!!! He looked so handsome for his blessing :) that's so great. and I LOVE the story about caden :) and I learned from natalie today that genny is going to byu-i!!!! awesome!! it's the besht.

Well family, I sure do love you alot. Good luck with all of the new babies and potty training stinker babies. Have fun on your cruise mom and dad!

con amor,

Hermana Ross

Week 30

Happy birthday little baby parker!!!

Oh I love my family. I miss you all. I thought about you too during conference. But I try not to think about it too much...it sounds like caden is growing up so fast! i miss him.

So Saturday we had a baptism! For real this time! :) Have you ever heard of Murphy's law in relation to the week before a baptism? ha. yeah. But it's ok. Mariela got baptized. That's all that matters. She is great! I'm so happy that I could be here for it. I wish I could claim her as mine...but she has been an investigator for over a year...and I showed up just at the right time! It was such a great baptism. Watching her go under the water made everything so worth it. (that is her 2 year old daughter nataly :) in the picture too) Oh also, the musical number was me and two elders singing I like to look for rainbows. None of us can sing. It's fine....it went fine. Everything's fine. haha

I'm so excited for birthday power! I'm not sure what I'll do with it...I'll probably do some contacting :) we'll see. Maybe I'll get crazy and teach some lessons. Do you think birthday power works during a lesson? Maybe I can birthday power people into reading the Book of Mormon. awesome.

Conference is the best. I didn't want it to end. I lovvvvvved it! Plus our bishop is so great so he set it up in english for us. It was like heaven being able to sit there and listen to apostles of God for hours...in english. Also, I got to watch priesthood session! bahaha It was my first one :) but to be honest, that one was one of the sessions that I felt was most directed at me! Because there was so much about mission work. I may not have the priesthood but I do have the same call the elders do. Anyway, conference was incredible. I didn't get to watch the sunday afternoon session because it starts at 10 at night here....how was it? (also something kind of funny about it being in english is that every once in a while one of the members who knows some english would come in and listen to it for a bit in english and then ask us questions in broken english. It was like an english class or something. haha but then it made me realize what I must sound like to them...haha oh jeez.)

One of the repeated things it seemed to me this time was the scriptures. It is so important that we are in our scriptures everyday. The will tell us EVERYTHING that we must do. What more could we ask for? Also, something I loved was actually in the relief society session from Presidend Uchtdorf. He said that we can't forget the "why" of the gospel....when we understand why we comitted to making this a part of our lives, it stops being a burden and starts being a joy, beautiful and sweet. We are trying so hard here to help people see the why and to help the members remember why. We need good members who remember the "why" and who are willing to love others enough to share it. After all, we learned that "perfect love casteth out all fear"

Also, there were so many messages of our relationship with Heavenly Father. Reminders that we are His children and that He loves us. That we matter to Him. I think that's so great :)

Well, I'm so glad you had a good conference weekend too...now we just have to act on what we have learned! I'm so grateful to be a missionary. I love it everyday!

I love you so much!!!

con amor,

hermana ross