Week 51

Hi fam bam!

So what is the update on whitney's dad? I've only gotten very vague update's from mom and grandma. Maybe because no one really knows yet?

How is miami dad?

Remember that time when this is going to be Hermana Capener's last week in the mission? yeah. SO crazy. It's just weird. THis transfer has just FLOWN by! Every transfer seems to go faster than the last.

We are going to work our butts off this week so it will be a good one though :) Unfortunately, we won't have another baptism before she goes...we have been working for it...but it just isn't the Lord's time.

Not going to lie, I don't envy Hermana Capener only having a week left. I'm so glad I have more time to apply the things that I am learning...I guess she will too...just not as a full time missionary :)

But it also means that something will be happening to me next week. I will be at least getting a new companion...but I don't know yet! AH! sometimes it kills me.

Well, just a side comment, we heard about Whitney Houston. Yes...I realize I'm late in commeting...but I forgot about it last week. ha. We were so sad when we found out though. But it did make me laugh just a little because everyone we talked to that day wanted to talk about her because they knew we are american. It is interesting trying to turn a conversation from Whitney Houston into Jesus Christ.

Have I told you about Lucia? Lucia is our favorite investigator right now. She is a hoot! She has actually been an eternagator for quite sometime (eternal investigator) because she comes to church every week, reads the scriptures, knows it is all true...just isn't baptized yet. We weren't teaching her because she was living with someone...and we didn't want to get into it. A few weeks ago...everything changed. They seperated and she wants to keep the commandments! yay! So now, she could basically get baptized tomorrow...but she just has ONE cigarette a day holding her back. ONE. just one. But we have had some really good citas with her. She is so close. It is interesting how strong that addiction is. Or any addiction for that matter. It is such a burden.

But, when someone knows the truth...and understands the commandments. And actually, even people who don't know them...can't be truly happy until they are kept. She wants SO badly to be a member...because she can feel it weighing her down. But one cigarette? Doesn't that just seem ridiculous? But it is such a struggle.

I've been studying it and thinking about it a lot lately, Obviously, this addiction is all in her head. It is just a matter of changing her own mind. That is something as a missionary...we learn a lot about. That is the only thing that God can't change. Our mind. He can change anything in our physical surroundings. But our nature is our choice. He can give us promptings though the spirit. But because he can't interfere with agency...he can't change it. We have to change it. When we do, we are happier. I study this a lot when it comes to missionary work...giving your heart and mind to the Lord as well as your actions. But it applies to all of life as well.

Maybe sometimes we just hold onto a sin...like one cigarrette a day...because we secretly like it. We just have to change our mind and do it...because it is the only way to be more like Him. And, it will be hard, like it is for Lucia. She is struggling so bad...but if there was nothing hard, there would be no opportunity to choose the right. And we would have no need to rely on the atonement.

I hope this is making some sense. I feel a little scatterbrained today.

Well, I'll let you know what the news is next week.

I love you!!!

I hope whitney's dad can get better soon. He is in my prayers. Along with the rest of you :)

con amor,

Hermana Ross

p.s. buddha?

week 50

Well, in case you were wondering, Valentine's day was the best!!! :) We had a bomb zone conference...so I ended the day feeling uplifted and loved. perfect.

It really was an extraordinarily awesome zone conference though. Sometimes I wonder if it is because the zone conferences are getting better, the mission is getting better, or I am just getting older in the mission and understanding how to apply the things more. Maybe it is a little bit of everything. But I'm always so grateful for the correction and advice we receive.

Then, on tuesday night Hermana Capener and I made heart cookies really fast before we went to bed...just because :)

This week has been crazy busy. But that's a good thing. We've been teaching a lot. And running everywhere. A lot of the time even the buses won't get us places fast enough. So it also means that we are way tired. haha

This week we had one of the most intense citas of my life! It was with Alberto's mom. She isn't a member but she comes to church every sunday and has had hermanas coming to her house for a booty long time. Way too long. Anyway, we had a lesson with her on thursday to tell her that she needs to get baptized. But...we did it well. Not that we are crazy cool teachers or anything...because we totally aren't. The Lord just helped us out a lot. It actually is a really cool experience when this happens. We knew we would have this lesson this week. I was pretty nervous about it. I love Alba and I wanted it to go well. So, we had been praying for her, as always...and I had been studying for her all week. I can hardly study the scriptures with out her coming to mind. And we have been asking Alberto for advice. Anyway, after brainstorming all week and still not knowing how we should teach her, on thursday morning I prayed SO hard that we could know what to do. And as I began my studies...it was like everything just starting flowing into my brain. It almost felt like out of nowhere. But I know that it was from the Lord, through the spirit. He loves her too...and didn't want us to mess it up :) But really, it was 'pure intelligence' that I got from the spirit. so cool. And the best part was, when we got to companionship study, the things that I had and what Hermana Capener had....all fit perfectly together! :)

I love the gospel.

The cita went well because we were prepared and guided. And because we had a super woman member with us to bear testimony.

I hope we can set a date with her this week...

Pride is a huge stumbling block.

Ummm...I can't remember what else I had to say.

On saturday, we had a cosecha ('harvest') Where we invite other missionaries and all of the members to come out and do contacts in the street with us. It was stressful getting it all together...but it turned out so well! It was so much fun too because we had 6 elders come from other cities...the more the merrier! We got a ton of futures and it was a good experience for the members too. On of the couples that came was a family that we had asked references from just a few days earlier...and they kind of complained about it. Then they came, tried street contacting, experienced how hard it can be sometimes....and learned that it is easier to share the gospel with someone you already know. :) yes!

But we had a blast.

Then later that day, we had a ward baptism of two little kids. They asked us to turn on the baptism font for it...and I did it....but....forgot to plug it!! NOOO!!! baptism disaster.

we came back to the church later just before the baptism was going to start to find the bishop, Alberto and the elders with buckets filling up the font. It was totally my fault. Classic ditz move. But, the elders made me feel better and said that every missionary has to have a least one experience like that...sheesh. Every baptism has it's crazy. It's kind of like a wedding :) If it isn't the water...than it is the underwear, or the speakers, or something. anyway, we filled it up with buckets and everything worked out. hahaha now...it's really funny.

Well...I LOVE YOU!!!!

I will be praying for you extra hard this week.

con amor,

hermana ross

Week 49

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!! :) :) :)

umm...it's only my favorite holiday tomorrow. No big deal. I'm pretty excited about it. I bought a black and white heart scarf and we are going to play games with the elders today...maybe make heart shaped things to eat and cut out hearts from construction paper :)

They don't make valentines cards here like they do in the states in elementary school. It's mainly just something for couples. How silly. So essentially, a huge ward party where everyone gets a brown paper sack to decorate and we make each other valentines...probably would have been weird for them. But I would have loved it! jajaja

BUT tomorrow is zone conference! So that will be fun.

Also, just some clarification...that picture from last week is our ward mission leader, Alberto. Who just got of his mission (he served in Málaga too) He's great.

This week has been so cold again. It's so crazy. But, I just think about how much colder Rexburg would be...and suddenly I'm warm. I'm happy to be in Spain.

We had an AWESOME week!!! And because of that, we have a super busy week ahead of us! yay!!! I know numbers aren't everything...but they are a part of our daily life. So it's just so nice to have good numbers. For example, we got 14 references this week! That is just unheard of in my life as a missionary. Such a huge blessing. The miracles have just been falling out of the sky!

This week we set a baptismal date with one of our investigators, Pactora. She is just a cute, tiny, old spanish woman who is great. She came to church yesterday and loved it! I don't think she understood it all...but I think she just loved feeling like a part of everything. And she just soaks up the good feelings of the spirit when she is with us. We love her!

Also, Rosi comes back from Bulgaria this week (he was in Bulgaria for a month!) and we are so excited!!

This week we saw the movie 17 miracles...have you seen it? It will change your life.

ok...actually, I don't have any time to write about it...or anything else....

but, it's wonderful. The church is true. I'm loving life. and valentine's day.

I love you so much family!!!

you are the best!!

con amor,

Hermana ross

Week 48

So...only one week until valentine's day!! Who's excited? I know I am.

It has been SO COLD here! It wasn't crazy cold at all this winter until just this last week. We are frozen.

Remember how last week I raved about Alberto being home from his mission and how now he is our ward mission leader? Well, it is still the best thing ever to happen in our lives. For real. Here is a picture of us and our beloved ward mission leader. He has been spending his time studying the scripture and visiting the less active members...he's a saint.haha but we love it.

To give a little perspective on how small he is, I am 5'10" and Hermana Capener is 5'5". And his mom (Alba) is our investigator...and is even smaller. haha it's crazy. Hermana Capener always laughs at me when I have to give Alba besos. (besos=kisses...that is how they greet people here. A kiss on each cheek. But obviously the elders don't participate) I have to completely bend down. It's totally awkward. hahaha But, we are going to baptize her. We have a goal to have 3 baptisms this last transfer...we want hna capener to go out with a bang!:) but it will take some miracles. So we are praying for it.

And with the help of the Lord and Alberto...it can be done! :)

This weekend was our stake conference but it was broadcast from Salt Lake! So great! It was a broadcast for all of Spain and Portugal. We heard from Craig Zwick, Elaine Dalton, D.Todd Christofferson and Dieter. LOVED it! To be totally honest, I was wishing that I could actually listen to them and not the spanish voice overs...but that's ok. It was so great for the members. The saturday session was just from our stake presidency. But that was awesome as well. One thing I loved is that on saturday some of the exact things that were taught...were repeated by the apostles. Such inspired leaders. For example the exact phrase "tithing is a law of faith, not a law of money" was said on sat by our stake president and then again on sunday by pres uchtdorf.

And on saturday, a lot of the talks were on missionary work. Hna Capener were pumping our fists the whole way through :)

This week we've been so grateful for faithful, brave members that have brought investigators to us. Because those seem to be the only ones that come to be anything.

Well family, you are the best. I love you so much!!

I totally didn't even think about yesterday being the superbowl. haha I'm in another world.

LOVES,

hermana ross