Week 52

Hi dad!

don't worry about last week. I knew you were in the job fair...so it didn't even surprise me. no biggie :)

besides, todo el mundo emailed me today! that was fun!

man....i've got big news this week :) teehee

but first...birthday shout out to RACHEL!!!! YAY! happy birfday best friend!!!!

ok, so basically....hermana capener leaves tomorrow!! what? It is so crazy. Not going to lie...I am so sad. I love hermana capener. You know, sometimes you just get a companion that is just so great that it is like...easy. Never hard or weird or annoying. That is how it is with us. Same sense of humor, tons in common, working hard....it's just been a blast of three months with her. But now she is on to her life again. The really good thing is that she goes to BYUI so I know I will see her again...and I already have plans to live with her :) I love me some hermana capener.

and as far as what is going to happen to me...i'm training!! sweet! I'm SUPER excited about it. There are 5 american girls coming in. I don't know who my comp will be yet...president doesn't even know yet! haha but the really tricky part is that they don't get here until the 15th of march because they are visa waiting! So lets do the math, tomorrow is the 6th and hermana capener leaves in the morning and my comp doesn't come till the 15th...hmmm...so what does hermana ross do? Good question. Obviously I can't be alone...but there is a companionship of hermanas about 45 minutes away in Cartagena. And those two will be training in a trio at the same time as me. So for the next week, the three of us are going to be traveling back and forth from Murcia to Cartagena until our greenies come. That way, Murcia isn't unworked for a week...and I have people to stay with :) It is going to be pretty darn crazy. But super fun. Trios are a blast! and I love those two hermanas...so it will work out.

I'm so pumped for my daughter (aka greenie) to come though that I just want her to be here now!

I'm so glad I get to stay in Murcia. I've been here for 6 months! But it has gone by so fast! And i'm not ready to leave these people yet. Especially Dima and Rosi. Que va.

So, lucia update. She is a champion. A champion I tell you. She is doing well. The woman in planning her own baptism. At one point last week, we left her house and almost felt like...why are we even here? haha she progresses on her own. It's great. I LOVE this woman! But, we had an incredible cita with her on thursday. We invited Nery, a man from our ward that she is good friends with and we had the "this is it" cita. So she could put it behind her once and for all. She got a priesthood blessing over a year ago to quit smoking...but she didn't have her heart in it...she just didn't want to say no. Miracles work according to our faith. but this time, she was ready. It was so powerful. The spirit was so strong and the blessing that the Lord gave her was beautiful. One of the coolest experiences of my mission hands down. After the blessing...she just cried. Change is really hard. But she wants it so bad. And i'm so happy for her! She'll get baptized en seguida. :)

uhh...there was definitely something else. oh well.

OH

i remembered. School. dude. I don't know what to do about school yet. But...will you find out when it starts and stuff? I need to know so I can talk to president aobout the transfers and such. Also...will you ask the school what happens if I don't come back in the fall? Can I just extend my defferrment like that?

For the first time ever...I'm thinking about extending. BUt it is a pretty big decision. I know....I made that decision before I left so I wouldn't have to now...but things change. I don't know what I'll do. Maybe every missionary feels like this...but I would just do anything to have as much time as I can here. I love it soooo much.

it will be a pretty big fasting/praying deal for me. But I can 't do that till I know when school starts and what would happen and such.

got to go.

i love you family!!!!!

hermana ross

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

Week 47

So, you should check out the mission blog this week! I made quite a few appearances.

One of the BEST parts of this week actually has to do with one of the elders on the blog. The picture of the two elders and one of them has a knife...well that is because elder Basurto "died" in the mission. And guess what, Elder Basurto is from Murcia! (ok, actually he is from Ecuador but his family lives here) and his name is Alberto. He is known for being one of the craziest/most obedient/hard working elders in our mission. So, hna capener and I knew that he was coming home to our ward so for weeks now we have been chanting alberto's name in our planning sessions. haha (but we really do! ha) because his whole family isn't baptized. and we want to baptize them. and want his help. Not to mention, we have been struggling pretty bad with our ward mission leader...and were ready for something new.

so this week...alberto got home!!! We were at his house the day he got home. haha sooooo excited!! and yesterday in church he got called to be our new ward mission leader! YAY!! it has been an answer to so many prayers! He even went contacting with us and knocking doors yesterday :) he's crazy excited to work. all the time. such a blessing for us. yay for alberto!

and he spoke in church yesterday and essentially told everyone that they are missing out if they aren't helping in the missionary work. and that's the honest truth.

mom told me about the ward fast you are doing for the mission work. That is so great!! It makes me so happy to hear it. The missionaries need so much help from the members. I know it because WE need so much help from the members of our ward. It is so much harder without them!! I wish I had understood all of this before my mission...but I just had no idea. Help the missionaries! Share the gospel! It will only bless your lives. I wish I could tell everyone that. Oh wait, I do. bhaha

Really though, I understand now how completely essential the members are. Everyone knows people. Everyone can meet someone new. It doesn't have to be scary...and it may be kind of hard. But missionary work isn't easy for anyone. Just have faith and love them...the Lord will help us!

Well family, I love you!! I hope you can think of someone who needs the blessings of the gospel that we have.

con amor,

Hermana Ross

Week 46

well, this week we had Hermana's conference!! It was the
BEST!!!! this picture is of me and all of the comps I've had in the field
(except for my trainer, Hermana Millán) Hermana sturgess, then me, Hermana
Woodward, Hermana Capener and Hermana Gibson. This picture makes me SO happy!!!
I love those girls. It was super good to see all of them. I about died when I
saw Hermana Sturgess...I've missed her! I've missed all of them. It was just
super fun. We reminissed on Ciudad Real. They caught me up to date on what has
happened there, and I let all of the hermanas who have served in murcia in on
the latest news. So many stories to tell :)
It was a 5 hour bus ride to get down to Málaga...but totally
worth it!! We left on wednesday morning and came back friday night. So, we
spent two nights of bliss in the mission home. LOVED IT!!!! loved the food, the
laughs, the jokes, talks, tears...you know :)

The last hermana's conference we had, I was with Hna Millán
and had only been in the field for 5 days! Basically, it was nice this time
that I could be with the native speaking hermanas too...it is so nice to be
able to communicate! We had so much fun. And learned a lot too :) on thursday,
each companionship had a topic to teach...so we all taught each other and did
lots of practice teaching and things. And we got to hear from hermana and
president clegg of course. Have I ever told you how much I love my mission
president? Everytime he speaks it changes my life just a little bit more. OH,
also, it was transfers. So on friday right before we all left, President just
announced it right there with all of us. haha

I'm staying in Murcia!!! yay! :) Hermana Capener is too.
Which means I will get to "kill" hermana capener in terms of the
mission. This will be her last transfer. It makes me grateful that it won't be
mine! But also, it means that I'll probably be in Murcia for a lot more time.
We'll see. The last three transfers have gone by so fast.

Speaking of not leaving Murcia, I am glad that I will still
have more time with Dima and Rosi :) but poor guys, they just got baptized and
now the trials are just being piled on them. Rosi's mom died yesterday...so he
is going back to bulgaria this week for the funeral. But, on saturday we
watched the Restoration video with them in the house of some members...we
watched it in Russian with spanish subtitles :) really interesting. haha It
made me think of Adam and Zach...and made me really grateful to be speaking
spanish! That language is buck wild crazy.

Other awesome thing from this week is today! Today we went
with the elders to Monteagudo! You don't know what that is...but I have wanted
to go ever since I got to Murcia so today we finally went! (I will send those
pictures to mom) It is a giant Christ statue that is on the outside of mucia in
one of the mountains. it was AMAZING!!! We had to get a bus to get there...and
then hiked up a huge mountain, then rock climbed a bit, then climbed un montón
de stairs...and finally got to jesus! We even got to touch His feet :) loved
it. It was so exciting to be there. We could see everything from up there.
maybe the coolest thing I've seen since I got to spain. So beautiful. I could
have stayed up there all day.

But then we RAN all the way down the mountain to catch the
bus again because we had plans to go to a mexican/american buffet. It was no
Aliante :) haha but it was nice to have some americanish food! It was the first
time I've had salsa in 9 months! Pretty exciting...not gunna lie. It was a
little bit of a district party because two of our elders are leaving this
transfer...elder melgarejo (our spaniard elder who is visa waiting) got his
visa and is going to puerto rico this week! So he went out with a bang by
eating a hamburger. hahaha

Well family...that's all for this week. I hope you are all
doing well! You are always in my prayers. I am loving life, loving the mission
and spain. I'm also loving the scriptures and the things that I have learned. I
know it is by faithfulness to the covenants that we have made that we can be
truly happy. And I'm grateful for Jesus in my life :)

Love you!!!

hermana ross

Week 45

ok...SUPER sorry about last weeks email. Definitely wrote it...but forgot again about the picture deal. So I just resent it to mom. Hopefully it worked this time.

So I had a couple fun food things happen to me this week! yay! I feel like everyone always wants to know about food...but the food here isn't all that crazy. or at least I don't think so. BUT this week I ate owl meat. Yep, it's true. It was owl meat in this like meat pastry thing. They like those here...it sounds sick...but it was super good! Turns out owls taste delicious. Also, Domingo, one of the recent converts in our ward taught us on tuesday how to make Paella! It was fun...and now when I go home I can make everyone THE classic spanish food. I eat paella at least once a week. But it's yummy so that's a good thing. maybe you can look it up on google or something.

Dima and Rosi are still going strong! :) The ward is doing wonderfully!! It makes me so happy! Dima already has visiting teachers and it's just been good. We hardly even have to worry about them on sundays because all of the ward members are talking to them. Talk about ideal! I love this ward. And Dima and Rosi. Even if I don't have another baptism for the rest of my mission...I will go home a happy camper. Everything would be worth it just for those two. life is good :) also, on saturday when we were teaching them, Dima told me, "Rosi, (that's my name) if I only live 10 more years or one more day, I will live with these principles for my life." She had just barely learned the word principles in spanish...haha but a sentence like that is music to a missionary's ears. They are the BEST!!!! The mission is full of LOTS of ups and downs...but right now is definitely a time of up. I love seeing how the Lord blesses us in the ups and downs. They are some of the hardest downs of all time...but the blessings and the ups outweigh it all. More than I could have imagined.

Remember that time when we had a couple weeks where new investigators just showed up to church? Well we have been having experiences like that again. It never ceases to amaze me how much the Heavenly Father loves us and answers our prayers. At church yesterday, one of the hermanos in our ward brought a whole family to church! I walked out of the relief society room and they were all standing there and Juan said, hermana, here are some investigators. So I said, ummm...OK! haha yes. :) totally ok with that. We have had lots of little miracles like that this week.

On wednesday morning we will be going to MÁLAGA!!! I'm so excited!!! We are having another hermanas conference and it's going to be so guayyyyyyyyy! It means, I will get to see all of my old companions and President clegg! Life doesn't get much better. We will be there from wednesday to friday. Essentially allll of the elders are jealous. but they get to do lots of other things that we don't. So I don't feel all that bad for them. Also this week we are going to find out about transfers. I'm praying that I can stay with Hna capener one more transfer (her last one) I don't want to leave murcia yet...but I also don't want to spend 8 months here. We'll see what the Lord decides :)

I have been reading through the conference Liahona issue (we get it late) and I have been loving it! We didn't get to watch the sunday afternoon session...and there was so much about missionary work so it has been fun to read. It is so cool that we have a living prophet and apostles of Jesus Christ.

Well I love you family! I hope you are doing well and that you have a good week! You are always in my prayers!

ole.

Hermana Ross

Week 44

(This is being posted one week late)

Hola!!

This week was AWESOME!!! seriously. It was an exceptionally great week.

First of all, we had a specialized training. I love every opportunity I get to listen to my mission president. We learned a lot about goal setting and keeping. I've decided that I need to be a goal setter for the rest of my life.

Second, it was dia de los Reyes. On the 6th they celebrate they day when the wise men came to see Jesus. It was bigger than christmas! The night before, there was like a straight up Macy's day parade going through Murcia. Or at least close to it. EVERYONE was there! It was insane. I probably would have enjoyed it more if I wasn't a missionary trying to get to a cita on time...but we couldn't because all of the buses were stopped and the main street was party central. Then on the actual day, we had a ward party and it was a blast! They have a traditional cake they eat..called Roscón de los Reyes. It is really delicious...especially since we dipped it in chocolate. yes. also, in these little cakes, they hide toys in them...but I didn't get one with a toy in it.

Then, on saturday, we had a BAPTISM!! yay! Dima and Rosi are so cute! They were soooo happy! and I was too. although they don't look like it in the picture...I don't know why people don't smile in pictures here. Anyway, the elder that is with us is Elder Forrest, our zone leader. He baptized Rosi because when we were teaching them, Rosi wanted to stop smoking (before we had even told him he had to!) and asked for a priesthood blessing. So, the zone leaders came and gave him a blessing. after that, Rosi stopped. He told us that after Elder Forrest laid his hands on his head...he didn't have a desire to smoke anymore :) and that was after over 30 years of it. He knew it was a miracle and so he wanted Elder Forrest to baptize him. So tender. Their confirmation was incredible too. Pretty sure Dima was crying for two days straight. It just never ceases to amaze me how much the spirit breaks language barriers. The ward is so excited to have them...and they are excited to go to the temple! :)

and now, today Hna Capener and I went to La Iglesia Fuensanta. Or in other words, this huge, ancient cathedral that is up in one of the mountains on the edge of the city. I have been wanting to go there for forever because I always see it from the bus. It was such a cool adventure. It was a baby hike to get to it...and then we could see the whole city from up there. It is days like this that I remember that I am in Spain. SO cool!! The history here is so amazing. Everything is old and like it should be in a history book.

It was kind of funny because there was a little souvenier shop up there and the lady was trying to figure out what we were and was like naming nun places to figure us out after she saw our tags. Then when we said we are missionaries she said, "oh...did you see the virgen when you came in?" Yeah lady, we saw your virgen shrine alright. haha my goodness. I really do love spain with all my heart. Actually, pretty sure there are a lot of things that I've gotten just so used to...that I forget that America doesn't do things that way. But that's fine.

The church is just oh so true!

Welp. I love you so much! I hope everyone is doing well.

con muchiiiiiisimo amor,

Hermana Casey Ross

Week 43

bahahaha oh man dad. I am crying from laughing so hard. that was so funny.
"I hope you have a week filled with pisos" means "I hope you have a week filled with apartments" hahhahaha :) yes. but appointments...would be "citas" no pasa nada

Happy New Year!!!
Best decision I have made so far this year: cut my hair. We went to day and cut our hair. So I just chopped it all off! I'm so glad I did.

Grandma sent me a few pictures of christmas (thanks grandma!!) looks like I missed out on TWO silly string fights (what the?) and the scavenger hunt...which is also always fun. and I saw mom's paper elves...so cute mom! But it sounds like everyone had a really fun christmas! We did too. and new years too. I've never eaten so much in my whole life though. The picture of us on the couch is of us, Josefina and her daughter Estefania on christmas. I love them!

New Year's eve (or nochevieja) we spent the first half of the afternoon eating with Dima and Rossi...eating like 3 different kinds of Bulgarian plates. It was so fun!! They are the best. Dima says she will come to my wedding. haha I wish. We found out that they got married after TWO WEEKS of knowing each other!! crazy! And they say things move fast at byui...my goodness. But now they have been married 28 years! They are fun. Also, we had to teach them tithing after we ate...and they just ate it up and said, where do we pay? :) love it. They are getting baptized this saturday....woot woot!

Then we went back to Josefina's house (where we were for christmas day) for the rest of the night. All 6 missionaries again and eating even MORE food. kill me! But it was a blast. The rest of New Year's was pretty laid back. We were sooo tired. So me and Hermana Capener went home and went to bed. We got in bed like right at 12 and just heard all of the fireworks :) then the next day at church the elders showed us the video of their new years celebration they had in their piso. haha silly string and all!

The tradition in spain for new years is that at 12 o clock everyone eats 12 grapes. One for every month of the year! Also, here, the holidays still aren't over because the 6th is el dia de los reyes! I know I told you guys when I called...but the day when the kids get presents is on the sixth....because the wise men bring them!

Good news. Remember how last week we went bowling for p-day? Well, for what I am pretty sure is like the first time in my life...I broke 100! haha yes!! and I even beat the elders. It was pretty exciting.

That calling is right up Curtis' alley!! haha that's good. How did your talk go dad? I'm sure it was great. That branch probably really appreciates someone else speaking in sacrament rather than them again :)

anyway....I love you!!! Have a good week!

con amor,

Hermana Ross