Week 66

This week was the feria in Granada. It is called Corpus. So...that comes from Corpus Cristi. Which means the body of Christ. But, naturally, the festival has lost basically all of the religious significance. haha It was kind of crazy town. But it was fun. It wasn't quite as drunken as some of the others I've been to...but also this city is A LOT bigger than my last areas. It was fun though because everyone dresses up in flamenco dresses to go to the feria. Loved it! Here in Granada it was mainly the little girls...all of the little girls and babies had the super bright flamenco dresses on with matching jewlry and giant flowers in their hair. It was basically the cutest thing I have ever seen! We got to see a little bit of the flamenco dancing too....but not a whole lot because we were working...claro! And we kind of tried to stay away from the party. But that meant that the rest of the city was basically deserted! It was crazy. School was out half of last week because of the feria...but everyone goes to the fair grounds.
But this past week in Granada has been one of those like wake up moments where I remember "whoa. I'm totally in spain right now" haha sometimes everything just gets so normal that I kind of forget and I'm just working and living. But, Granada is so beautiful that I remember on a daily basis how cool it is to be here! Plus we get lost on a regular basis...but end up finding pretty things in the city! haha
This week we are saying bye to president and Hermana Clegg :( thursday we are going to Málaga for their farewell zone conference party. I'm sooo sad. But it's ok. I'm sure their grandkids are going to be really happy to see them!
So, this week we have been doing a lot of contacting again. But, we've been blessed! So much! One day last week, we spent basically the whole day out in the street....with not a lot of success....but then on our way home, we got a little lost (as usual) so we asked a lady for directions and then ended up talking to her about the gospel a little (duh) and we went on saturday to teach her, her husband, and her two teenage daughters. That's right....a FAMILY!!!! We are so excited for them. The mom's name is Elena. And we feel like she was sent from heaven. I hope they feel the same way about us :) blessings blessings

We have a ward here. So, the elders are in the same ward as us. Actually, the two of us gave talks yesterday. Saturday night late, the bishop texted us to tell us that we had talks on sunday. haha I looked at hna roderick like, "welcome to the mission!" ha. But we were grateful for the opportunity to talk to the ward. We have such a great ward! I love them so much already! And we have lots of eating citas this week....so we'll be able to get to know them better. Not going to lie, it's been weird meeting new members after being so long in Murcia (and I do miss them) but it has been a lot of fun! People tell me their names and then I sneakily write it down in my agenda....because there's no other way to remember! haha

Also, on saturday, we went to Santa Fe. It is a pueblo in our area and we have some people there that we were trying to visit. But it was cool. It is the original santa fe....but it made me sing the newsies song while I was there. haha but I guess that is where christopher colombus got his permission from the queen....to go discover america on accident. So they have tons of christopher columbus stuff and really cool old buildings :) haha oh and this picture is in santa fe. we took pictures by this statue because we were really excited to see a statue of jesus!

That's about it i think....I love you! I hope you have a good week.
Have fun at girls camp natalie!!!! have fun with the dutch oven dad! :)

LOVE YOU!!!

hermana ross

c/ Ziries 1, 2A
18002 Granada
Spain

Week 65

GRANADA IS SO COOL!!!!
this is a picture of hna Roderick and I in front of our piso with all of our millions of suitcases (as you can see, I am traveling in style with my Mercadona bag)
We got here wednesday afternoon. It was sooo sad to leave Murcia...and Hermana Nelson. I already miss having her as my companion. She's just the best hija anyone could ever ask for!
But the change has been good. It is rather refreshing to be in a new city with new things to see and people to meet. The city is incredible!! It is soooo pretty! And yes, it does have a lot of history! It's pretty exciting. It was the last moorish kingdom in spain...and there is still a lot of influence from it. We are hoping to go to the Alhambra soon. It has certainly been an adventure! I'm used to knowing every nook and cranny of Murcia...but Granada is HUMONGOUS! for real. And we only have half the city....but our area is still crazy big. But that means we have lots to work with! We are loving it so much.
Ok so, it is like Murcia where we share the city with the zone leaders....the only difference is that Granada only has one ward. So the four of us are in the same ward. But having them here has actually saved us a lot because they already know the members and stuff We are working on it :) poco a poco. Yesterday was super fun to meet the ward and see the capilla (it is the stake center...so it is also ginormo. I feel like with every area I go to....everything just gets super sized! haha) The members are so excited to have us! they were all coming up to me to tell me how excited they are and talk about how it has been so long since they have had hermanas. Our ward district leader is a rockstar. Recently returned missionary....kind of like Alberto! except spanish. But I told the ward on the pulpit yesterday to expect miracles. That's what I'm expecting!

Hermana Roderick is from pleasant grove utah. She was hna nelson's comp in the mtc...so this is her 3rd transfer. We get along really well...so I am happy to be with her!

We are trying to figure out the whitewashing business. Because it is such a big area....we've just been contacting a lot. Most of our members live in little towns around the city. So we've been throwing down solid 5-6 hours shifts of contacting. But I like it :) It's been really fun! And we even had a little family that we contacted on friday, come to church yesterday! Bendiciones!

Something kind of funny though has been the piso. It is DEFinitely an elder piso. We got there and there's like random little toys everywhere (who has time for that?) and there wasn't a single bowl in the whole kitchen...yet they left boxes of cereal and milk. What have you been doing elders? eating cereal on a plate with a spatula? haha I wouldn't be suprised. I've gotten a pretty good kick out of all that :) But i know the two elders who left. They are good boys and good missionaries. They have seen some really cool miracles in the past couple weeks. In fact, last sunday they had 2 miracle baptisms that got our mission to make the goal of 50 baptisms in may! I guess President Clegg told them that he doesn't know why this change was happening bc they are doing so well....he just felt that it was what he needed to do. And he did say that the ward seems to miss having hermanas...and that was true!
Also, we've been meeting tons of Americans! It's been so fun! I LOVE the spanish people....but sometimes it's just a blast to meet some american kids. Some of them have been contacts in the street but also there is a big group of kids from Southern virginia university to study spanish...so of course they are all members and will be coming to our ward every week!

I love you family! Thank your for your love and prayers!!!

LOVE YOU!!!!

Hermanica Ross

Week 64

 Hellllooooo! :)

so I have lots of BIG news :)

first of all, this picture of Dima and Rosi is them with their brand new temple recommends!!! :) they are going to the temple with the rest of the ward this weekend. Obviously they'll only be doing baptisms...but they are so excited! I am too. It makes me so happy. Yesterday Dima named off basically all of her ancestors to me...because she is excited to start their work :) she is such a treasure. Yesterday I had to say bye to them though. sad. But, I feel really proud of myself because I didn't even cry! Rosi said, "we aren't going to cry because we have to be strong" Well said, Rosi. haha They are just so much a part of me now....that I know I will see them again. Even if only through skype :) But maybe I'll be able to swing a trip to Bulgaria at some point in my life. They would pee their pants. So would I! haha But I will miss them so much. They always tell me that I teach them about the gospel and they teach me about life. So true. They are just full of good advice :)

So before I move on...you probably want to know where I am going, eh?

drum roll please....this is a big deal....it is only my second and will be my last move on my mission....duh duh duh.....GRANADA!!!! YESSSSS

do you know where granada is? Hurry, google it. It's kinda famous.

But here's the deal...hermanas aren't in Granada! which means I will be opening it with my new compy (Hermana Roderick from Utah...Hna Nelson's mtc companion)

What is funny is that in that last interview I had with president, when he asked me where I wanted to go, I got all nervous and just dropped two cities that don't have hermanas...haha but one of them was granada! I don't think he remembered that. But I think the Lord did :)

I'm excited! A little nervous...because whitewashing will be a new experience...and quite the adventure. But president told me that they had hermanas there years back (actually my trainer was there) but he thinks that the ward misses having the hermanas. I don't know if that is true or if president is just trying to give me a positive start...but we'll see! I kind of feel like he is handing me a project. But it will be fun.

It has been SO sad to say goodbye to people here! And I still have a lot of goodbyes to say...but yesterday I gave a talk in church and just cried at the pulpit. Not that it's unusal for me to do that...but still. I love these people. The other pictures I sent is one of our bishop and his wife and then Mariela (baptized in october) and Matilde (the older lady) a member. We go to their house every week...so I have gotten super close with them. In sacrament meeting, I was sitting by Mariela but she had to leave early so she said bye to me and left right as I was getting up to talk....so I was doomed from the beginning. It's the worst when I'm already crying before I even get up there! I just feel like I can hardly remember life before Murcia. It's like I have always been here and always will be....it's kind of like that mission tunnel thing that curtis told me about before I left. haha

I am going to miss Murcia sooo much!!!!

But, the Lord has prepared me to already know that change is good.

I feel like I've done what I could here.

Something really great is that the hermana that is coming here is Hermana Gibson! (from my trio last summer) So my two hijas will be here together! haha And I totally called it! I knew hna gibson would come and I'm so glad.

ya está. I love you family!!!!

oh, and dad, that story about you and curtis made me laugh SO HARD! hahahaha I love it.

I hope you have a good week...I'll let you know how granada is! :)

con amor,

hermanica ross

Week 63

Hey fam!

I sent tons of pictures! We had a good week :)
This last saturday was a blast! We had a ward activity. That is what the first picture is of. It is us with one of our investigators (Yolanda, we contacted her on the street, got her info and then 20 minutes later in Tania's house when we were teaching...she comes in! She totally lives there. ha itwas funny) That is a giant Paella. There were two of those huge pans of Paella...enough to feed 100 people. haha it was fun. and....paella is like THE typical spanish meal. it is rice. with meat and veggies. but actually it is usually done with shellfish...that's just more expensive.

But the best part was the baptism of Tania and Jean! So I sent one picture of their baptism with a bunch of members that they know in Cartagena that came down for it. And Alberto. It was such a crazy saturday because there was the ward activity for lunch and then at the SAME time as our baptism the young women were doing a talent show night to raise money. I don't know who they think they are! haha just kidding. We still managed to keep some kind of reverence during the baptism. And it went so well!!! Tania was superrrr nervous. The other pictures we have of her, she looks absolutely terrified. la pobre. but...she is doing great. She feels happy and ready to keep learning. It was just a big step of faith. Which is a good thing :) Jean is 11 and doesn't think twice about anything so he was super ready to go. He is such a cutie. And I love baptizing future missionaries. yes! Then they were confirmed and sustained yesterday. We have been REALLY blessed with baptisms these last 2 transfers. It amazes me. And I am so grateful. It has been so wonderful. But it has also helped me see about how while it is so nice to see the fruit and see someone get baptized...the real learning and the real joy comes in the process. It is incredible to see the changes that people make. And the happiest I think I have ever felt has been after having just a really great, spirit lead lesson. It's the best feeling ever.
We had an awesome zone conference this week.. There's just nothing better than being in a room full of missionaries. I love it.
The only problem is that now that I'm getting cloeser to being done...everyone only talks about how it will be one of my last zone conferences! sheesh. I'm going to miss it. Anyway, it was great.
Also, yes. Transfer calls are this week. AHH! I have no idea where i'll be going. There is a lot that will be changing this next transfer...so I feel like it could be anywhere. But I'm in denial about leaving Murcia. I'm going to cry a lot. It's fine. I'm just going to try and soak up this last week. Also, yeah, I probably should start packing....I've definitely accumulated things. ha. OH and I have to give a talk on sunday. I guess it is fitting that I can say "peace out" to everyone at once. This ward just means the world to me.
Speaking of awesomeness, Lucia gave the class in relief society on sunday....and she taught as if she has been a member for 30 years! She's the best!!! haha in fact, one of the women asked, when did you get baptized? "oh, a month and a half a go!" haha you would never guess. what a champion.
Today for p-day we went to Monteagudo with the elders. If you remember, I went to this jesus statue like 6 months ago....but I'm the only one that is still here from that first time. haha But it was such a blast! It's nice to get out and run around on p-days.
I think I also sent home the picture with Ismenia...it's because her baby, Marcelo, is my favorite baby in Murcia...he's so cute! Ismenia is a member.
That's all. I let you know next week where I am going! :)
I love you soooo much!!!

con amor, 

hermanica ross

p.s. Jaxen is going to be just a good bow and arrow one day :) I can just see it now....hahahahahaaaaa that made me laugh soooo hard!!!!

Week 62

Hola!

It is so weird to me that today is p-day. after listening to Hermana Nelson talk to her family for an hour and then talking to you guys for an hour...i feel like I already had p-day! haha but it was so fun! It was so good to see and hear everyone! It's funny because even if the connection is bad...or we don't talk about really super important things...it's still just nice to talk to you :) although afterwards I thought about it more and how you are watching it from the tv in the living room, which means my face must have been huge on that tv. I'm glad I didn't think about it while i was talking to you. bhaha

But I love that you got to meet Lucia!! :) She is the best.

Hermana nelson and I are so excited for this week! I am trying to live up every second I have left in Murcia and with Hermana Nelson. But...we had such an awesome week last week that we just feel like things will keep getting better. So we are ready for another great week! so many blessings.

So, I know numbers aren't everything...and that you can't judge the success of a missionary by their numbers...but sometimes it is just nice when the numbers are good. Our mission has standards of excellence, so, number goals that we are supposed to get to each week. This week at zone conference, President is going to give us new and higher standards. But the zone leaders last night told us that with our numbers of this last week we met the NEW standards without even knowing what they were! They were like, "you guys just made it look easy!" haha that was pretty exciting. We just feel so incredibly grateful. It has all been from the Lord. I'm not exactly sure why He is blessing us so much...but it sure is nice. We feel pretty floored with everything that is happening. I love my life so much.

Have fun at disneyland!! :)

Anyway, because I just talked to you yesterday...I feel like I don't have as much to say.

But I love you all soooooo so much!!!

con amor,

hermanica ross

Week 61

Holaaaa

remember that time when I'm going to talk to you guys this week? That's so weird.

So...Hermana Nelson's family wants to her pretty early. So'll I'll probably be there to talk to you guys at about 8:30 your time. Sorry that is pretty early. If it is too early...just send me an email and I can do it later. But that's what I'll plan on for right now.

I can't believe they still don't know about Brent. I'm sure that is frustrating. But, sounds like he's a trooper. Fasts really do work, don't they? :) I hope everything gets figured out and better soon!

So we had two baptisms last week! :) It was such a great weekend. The picture is a little ghetto....and no one ever smiles..but it was a really happy occasion :) There were a lot of the normal funny things that happen the week of a baptism...but it all worked out well. For example, we told them like 5 times that they needed to wear white underwear that would get wet...etc. But Andrea still showed up in a bright red bra. Nice. She's a little rebel. I was worried if it was allowed or not...but then I remembered Trey's baptism and how he insisted on wearing his "lucky" 4 leaf clover boxers...so I figured it was fine. hahaha

I am so happy about them though. It is fun to see the beginning of someone's story and then be able to see them to the font. It is such a blessing/miracle. They were baptized on friday and then confirmed yesterday. So happy. The confirmation was sooooo great. The spirit was so strong and Mari and Andrea looked so cute in their skirts :) It was perfect too because there was a baby blessing right after them...and that made Andrea's day. She is pregnant and one of her biggest motivations for why she got baptized and why she wants to change...is for her future child. blessings blessing blessings.

Speaking of miracles...our mission has a goal of 50 baptisms in the month of May. It is going to be a good month :) I don't ever want to leave Murcia! It is going to be so hard. But I'm just trying to love every second I have. It seems to go by so fast! And I'm going to work my butt off. Luckily Hermana Nelson is my comp :) she is such a CHAMPION! In fact, someone this week told me that she speaks better spanish than i do. awesome. I guess my talents must lie in other areas....

We can just talk about classes on sunday probably. I'll ask president what I can do from here. oh! and thanks for my package!! :) we are excited for tacos. :)

Remember Dima and Rosi? well, Rosi's dad died today. He went to Bulgaria last week to be with him...they are SO sad. It's hard because they handle death in such a different way than what I feel like I am used to. But the gospel brings so much hope. They are still learning those things. But, I think about what life would be like if they didn't have the church and the gospel...and I realize how much of a blessing it is. I had thought before, "man, I can't believe how many trials Dima and Rosi have had after their baptism" because it is like they've just gotten slammed. But I just realized this week....that the Lord had it all figured out. He knew that they would need the gospel to get them through the trials. And without the support of the ward....they would be struggling so much more! So that's why they found the church when they did. The Lord knows what He is doing.

Well, not much else around here. The baptism basically consumed our week.

The church is true.

I love you all.

You are in my prayers.

con amor,

Hermana Ross

Week 60

 Sorry for the delay.

Last week Alberto came up to us and was like, "hermanas, next week you are changing your p-day." umm....ok. haaha he doesn't even bother asking. But we they had a JAS (young single adult) activity today...because it is a holiday. And, the goal was for all of them to bring friends and hermana nelson and I shared a message. It was SO FUN!!! we went to a place called cresta de gallo. we climbed a mountain and then climbed like a huge cliff...summit...something.

  I can't think of what it would be called. It's funny because I feel like I lose more english everyday...but i don't feel like I am gaining spanish. hmmm....anyway, we had a blast rock climbing and playing with everyone. It was soooo beautiful. We were so high. I wish I could tell you how high....but I have no clue. But we could even see the ocean we were so high. Loved it!! Plus, there's nothing like running around and climbing things to relax a missionary's brain :)

do you like hna nelson and i's matching shirts? awsome. haha

I had to send this picture of me and President and Hermana Clegg. Maybe my favorite picture of all time. Ok, probably not. but definitely one of them. They are going to leave just one transfer before me....sad. So, in my last interview I told president that he should stay just one more transfer but he said he'll be too busy fly fishing. I took that as a no. ha.

We ate with Josefa again this week...and she prayed again for me by name and that when I go home there will be a "gran novio" bahaha. I enjoy that everytime. :) So we'll see how that goes. (novio=boyfriend) also, she told us that she has been going to the catholic church everyday leaving pass along cards...and that next week she is going to leave a couple copies of the book of mormon. And she laughed so hard when she told us :) I have never seen her laugh like that. It just made my whole week! haha I love that woman!

So on friday Mari and Andrea are getting baptized....we are so excited!!! :) Mari is such a witness of the fact that the gospel blesses families. everytime we go over she has a new story to tell us of how much her kids and her family has changed since she found the gospel. It makes me happy :)

Well...it seems like things have been pretty crazy for you guys! Not going to lie, I normally don't miss home (not that I don't love you!) but it is hard to know that there are such hard things happening there while I am so far away. But, I am so grateful for the strength that I know the Lord gives in sicknesses and in trials. I love you so much family!!! Little Nixon and Brent will definitely be in my prayers. You all always are....but just extra for them :)

Happy Birthday Ashlynn!

And I absolutely LOVED the news about Clayton!!! That is so great! :) congratulations! Such good news. The church is true. That's all there is to it. I love being a part of all...the fact that we have the gospel in our lives...and that we always have is INCREDIBLE! But the Lord provides a way for all of His children to have it. And they can choose. But, many times, we are the instruments through which they can find it. and by "we" I mainly refer to regular old members...and not the missionaries. Although, we sure do see a lot of miracles too :)

welp, you are the best family ever...and I love you forever. Let me know next week when you want to skype.

LOVES

hermanica ross

p.s. I love you dad!!!

Week 59

way to go natalie!!!! YAY!!! you are a champion!!!! for real. that sounds so hard. but so cool! I'll do crazy marathons with you when I get home too. but, considering i only get 30 minutes a day...you might have to whip me into shape :)

ok...what the. everyone gets married. but it's good. I'm glad. I'm bummed that I'll miss andrew's....but that's ok. Also, Lauren Miner (my roommate) sent me her wedding invite. I freaked out. I didn't even know she was dating him! but it's fine. it's totally fine. I'm really happy for all of them :) and....I'll just stay on my mission for the rest of my life. perfect.

Speaking of which, I got to see President and Hermana Clegg this weekend. yay! It's always the best. and i have a really cute picture with them....but i forgot my camera. next week será. anyway, in my interview with president he was asking me if I have any last wishes for where i want to serve. who does he think he is? (haha) that was just a little bit of not the question I want. But I got so nervous about thinking that I'll only have one more area (or maybe I got nervous that I WILL have another area? I've been in murcia so long I don't even know what that would be like) so then I just ended up saying like 5 cities all at once....and most of them don't even have hermanas there. baha oh well. Anyway, it was fun to see them. 

Really cool things are happening in our mission right now....and in murcia too! We should be having a baptism next week of Mari and her daughter....together! woohoo!

Actually, we had a few really amazing citas this week. Really amazing. It was actually kind of a long hard week....for a lot of reasons. but these lessons we had were sooo incredible. It makes up for all of it. For example, our investigator Andrea, daughter of Mari, is pregnant...and Mari already had a baptismal date but Andrea was a little bit more apathetic to things. A couple weeks ago she had like an overnight change...it was a miracle. and was suddenly more open to everything. Anyway, in one of our citas last week she told the member that was in the lesson with us....that she is going to get baptized with her mom. But she hadn't even told US yet! haha but we were excited. they are the best

AND we are teaching the husband of one of our members. His name is Juan. His wife just had a baby on thursday. This man has been taught by so many hermanas....for a long time. But, the Lord knows how to prepare people. And having a new son has changed his heart quite a bit. But he is still stubborn. Anyway, yesterday we went to see them in the hospital. We taught them (the fact that she had a room to herself was even a miracle) and the spirit was so strong. We taught him about the temple....and told him that he is holding his family back. And he said he knew it was all true. The spirit was SO strong. I've never felt so good in a hospital before. haha normally they make me feel kind of sick. It was just a blessing. I hope to see his baptism before I leave.

And....I am SO grateful for hermana Nelson. I'm so glad that I get more time to be with her and to learn from her. She is SO much fun....and just so good. She has such a good heart, is so positive and close to the spirit. I learn more and more everyday.

ok...so i feel kind of like this is a random email. but i don't have much else to say.

But...I love you family!!!

have a good week!!

ole.

con amor,

hna ross

Week 58

ok....I think that is SOO hilarious that you got Elder Staples letter. hahahaha that means elder staples family is getting the letter for Hermana Casey Ross. haha love it. love it.

but yes, I got that letter too. But it is wrong. I won't be going home with elder staples...They will probably send you a different one soon that says the 23 of august. and hopefully it will actually have my name on it :)

I talked to president the other day about it...and when I said that means that I have 3 transfers left he was like, that doesn't sound like very much, hermana.

yep. well aware.

but, that just means I have to work SUPER hard these last few months. But it's weird. I hate that it will end.

also, yes dad, your spanish has improved significantly. haha hey dad, maybe I can work for you when I get home? remember how I speak spanish now? and remember how you work with spanish speakers? eh eh? just sayin.

this last week was buck wild crazy. fo real.

First off, Lucia (my convert of two weeks) got a calling yesterday....Relief Society 1st counselor. Can you believe that? Who gets baptized and then called into a presidency the week after? She's amazing. Also, last week she sent us a text message to tell us that she is coming to the states in october to go to general conferece! I peed my pants. not even kidding. I about died of excitement. Because I will be there too :) It made the decision of coming home 3 weeks early....just a little bit easier :) yay for Lucia!!!

Also, I am NOT being transfered. I know. Crazy town. But I feel really good about it. I didn't want to leave. I feel super grateful to still have time in Murcia. It is like you said dad, when you are somewhere for a long time...you gain people's trust and learn so much! Yesterday I got up in sacrament to bear my testimony...and tell them that I'm staying and that I love them. And I just cried. Murcia is my mission.

So, apparently this weekend was easter in Bulgaria and not last weekend. So on saturday we went to eat dinner with Dima and Rosi and it was their big easter celebration dinner...and of course it was a blast! It was such a treat. They taught us bulgarian easter traditions and games they play with hard boiled eggs. haha They are so wonderful. Everything is better with Dima and Rosi around. Rosi turned to me and said, "Hermana Rosi (that's what they call me haha) I don't smoke....and look what has happened..." and then he patted his belly. :) ha. It made me laugh. Gaining a belly is worth salvation.

Something I think you might find interesting is that hna nelson and I ate BRAIN last week. But we did it on accident. There is a pastry that is super Murciano...as in, it is something just from Murcia. So, we went to get one. There was a sign in front that said, Pastel de SESO. I thought, hmmm...i wonder what seso means. Well, we bought it...and ate it on our way home. Hna Nelson mentioned that the meat looked weird...but I just ate it and didn't worry about it...but then as hna nelson still had concerns of what we had just eaten, I looked up seso in the dictionary. Yeah. We ate a brain pastry. Not sure what kind of brain...but it was brain. hahaha sick. those pasteles don't normally have seso....we just got lucky that time :)

This week, our area was just one big party. Remember during the summer when I was like, "man, spaniards sure do know how to party!" well....I had NO IDEA. haha I don't even know how to describe what tuesday was like. It was a fiesta called Bando de la Huerta. It is a Murcia festival. The original festival is that everyone dresses up in the traditional dress of murcia and dance. I love the dresses the women wear. Plus, it's cool because the traditional dresses and jewlrey they wear are heirlooms...dresses they'e had in the family for generations and generations. So, people still wear the outfits, although most of the young girls now just wear the boy outfit bc it is more comfortable. But, they had another huge parade (I feel like there has been a ridiculously long parade going through the city non-stop for the last two weeks) But now...the fiesta has been changed into a reason to get wasted. It is really sad. But I loved seening everyone in their outfits! It was like the whole city matched! Except of course for the 6 of us missionaries. haha oh murcia.

gotta love it.

Also, this past friday was one of the coolest days of my entire mission. Unforgettable.

Last week, our entire mission fasted on thursday for the "dia de diamante" that we would have on friday. (aka, diamond day) And Dia de Diamante was the whole mission....contacting all day long. All day finding. So, we fasted all together that we would be able to find with faith and find the people who are ready. Then, on friday, no one had planned citas...we just went on the street and contacted all day. It was so fun! I actually really loved it. We were sooo tired when we came home. But it was so worth it. And, as a mission we got 1,400 futures! (a future is someone that we talk to that gives us information to come see them again) It was just cool because it was complete mission unity. And we really saw miracles that day. It was fun doing it all together. It gave us so much animo and faith to go out and FIND! yay! Plus, contacting is fun because you really just meet some funny people. ha. It's priceless. Also, I told a catholic priest about the apostasy. But he was nice. The church is true.

Well family....I love you!!!

Con amor,

hermana ross

p.s. this is me being really happy with my easter marshmallows :)

and a couple women...on a bench :)

Week 57

For those of you who are interested, Sister Ross will be released on August 23.

Buenas.

Jolin.

there are lots of things to talk about!

I can't wait to see caden play baseball! what a cutie.

So, this week we will get transfer calls. I don't even know what to think. I've been here for almost 8 months....which is a realllly long time. But I don't want to leave Murcia ever...or Hermana Nelson. But, I would like to have more than two areas on my mission as well...ha. Who knows. I'll do whatever the Lord asks.

Last week, we went to cartagena to go see a castle...and run around. It was fun. But I liked today better. In the morning we went to the Royal Casino of Murcia :) it isn't a casino like the kind in vegas. But it is really pretty and old and has cool art and stuff. Loved it. I think Hermana Nelson mainly just went in because she loves me...and knew that I wanted to....but ended up liking it as well :) then we played district basketball and it was SO fun! I might have gotten sunburned though. story of my life. but, considering I'm one of the short people in the district, our district is pretty good at bball. it was a blast.

i think it's funny that spain is a soccer country...and I've mainly only played basketball. haha

Friday, was me and hermana Nelson's half-birthday (among other anniversaries and birthdays) so we celebrated. a lot. this is a picture of us getting churros y chocolate. yum! and we ate with Shirley (one of our favorite ecuatorian members) and we found out that her birthday is october 6 too!!! hahaha what a small world. so I sent a picture of that too. she sang a song for us and played the guitar for us. we loved it :) I'll just have to show you the video when I go home.

Also, this last week was la semana santa. Not going to lie....I'm mildly disappointed because I've been looking forward to this week all year...but hardly got to see the processions. Mainly because I was always worried more about our lessons and things...but still. anyway, all week there was a TON of people sitting on the side of the street watching processions. Like, giant parades everyday. It made catching the bus really complicated. They have a procession for each step that happened in the last week of the life of Jesus. The procession on friday night they all wear black...and then there isn't another one until the morning of the ressurrection on sunday. But, it was cool to see all of the people dressed in the costumes of the nazarenos everywhere. Even the little kids dress up as nazarenos. If you want to know what I'm talking about...just look at what Hermana Clegg put up on the mission blog....or google it. :)

this week is the festivals of spring...from what I've heard....we'll just be seening a lot of drunk people :) que bien.

We experienced some really cool miracles with our investigators this week. One of the coolest of my mission. Too sacred to share even. I just feel sooo grateful to be a missionary. I love it so much. everyday.

there are more miracles to come :)

Easter was so great. Every talk and class in church yesterday was about Christ. I spent the weekend as well focused more on christ in my studies. It's just so incredible.

I know Christ lives. I know that he not only suffered for us...but He lived for us. And, because of that we can live again. But also, we can draw upon His strength and His power EVERY SINGLE DAY and in every moment. He didn't just die for our sins. But He suffered so that we can be better and more like Him.

The gospel is a beautiful thing.

I love you!!!

Hermanica Ross