Random fact

I also dyed my hair today!! by myself.. haha well with the help of my compa. The summer sun had really bleached my ends and it was looking a bit fried. so i went back to dark brown! and i gave my companera a haircut and gave her layers. we basically had a spa morning ;) haha

before

after

October 28 2013

Happy Monday Everyone! 

So I am still in the hotel, they did the second fumigation and the piso (apartment) is being cleaned today by a lady from the ward and her son - the mission office didnt want us to clean up the poweder stuff left behing from the fumigation- so we should be able to move in later this week! 

So we were trying to plan this cultural activity for nov 1st but it turns out that day is el dia de los santos (the day of the saints) here in Spain. Which is when everyone goes to the cemetary, so kinda like memorial day? so we decided to change the date to the 23rd of November. We are planning a small halloween FHE for this week, it was short notice but I think we can do it. Halloween isnt nearly as big of an event here as it is in the states. I wonder how christmas will be here. Thats my favorite season. 

So the miracle for this past week was that we were door knocking and this nigerian lady answers the door, she seems confused and her 3 little kids were running around. We ask if we can come in and share a message about God with her and she lets us in (surprised us too- doesnt happen much here in spain) She then sits down and continues to weave her daughters hair. We ask if she can turn the tv off and she looks kind of annoyed and just mutes it (not what i asked, but works for now) then she receives a phone call and starts yelling in this other language and hangs up on the person and doesnt seem to happy, Hermana williams and i kept looking at eachother , like, what the? ha. Oh and she speaks english!  and I remebered i had an english plan of salvation pamphlet, (dont know why, but I did) so long story short, we start with a prayer, she grabs her bible. and gives us her full attention the enire time! we invite her to be baptized and she says yes! She didnt come to church this sunday though and we need her to come at least twice before being baptized so we are going to try and help her get to church. It seems like an easy thing but its really what most investigators struggle with here, getting to church.

Well I will keep you all updated and i appreciate the updates you all give me! I love you all so so much! 

love, Hermana Hair

p.s. I almost forgot to tell you all. But we saw a human castle this week!!! its super traditional here in catalunya. they compete and everything. They have everyone bunch up at the bottom and people just climb up . they have adults , teenagers and then little kids at the very top. it was very impressive. I´ll send pictures. 

October 21, 2013

Querida Familia!! (Y seres queridos que son como familia!) 

I have no idea how I forgot to tell you all this in my last week's email but we have been living in a hotel since the night of my birthday!! :) Its actually the exact same hotel that we were staying in when we first got to lleida, not only the same hotel, but the same room! So what happened was that for quite a few weeks now, Hermana Williams has been getting bug bites on her arms and well everywhere. She was constantly itiching, the poor thing. I dont know why we werent concerned, I guess we thought she was just getting them from outside or something. But then I start to get a rash on my thighs! I put some hydrocortisone cream on it and think its all good. but the rash keeps spreading and starts itching and itching. So I call the Presidents wife and she tells me to send pictures of the rash to a doctor in salt lake. So i do. Then when we wash our sheets that week, they come out all spotted. Scariest part is when Hermana Williams goes to wash her sheets there are little flat like bugs on the corners. So we scoop some up in a zip lock bag and we tell the senior missionaries in our area, the do some googling and print us out 15 pages on BED BUGS! we call the presidents wife and the owner of the piso and had to wash all our clothes in super hot water, take them to the hotel so that the fumigator could come fumigate our apartment. and we are still in the hotel because he is fumigating agiain this week just to make sure it is all well covered. I was super disgusted with the thought of bed bugs and that i was sleeping with them. aparently some people´s effects are just getting itchy welts from the bites (hermana williams) and some people are completely allergic to their meer touch (like me! ) and some people get physchologial effects (hopefully neither of us! ha) But yeah... thats what happened a couple weeks ago, I dont know how I forgot to tell you all that story but here it is. Hope you enjoyed it.

On a happier note, we are planning an activity for the ward! It will be on Nov 1st and its a cultural night!  We had a ton of sisters sign up yesterday next to their country to help out. The plan is to have different tables from different countries and have the sisters put together the decoration (flag, etc) and have a typical dish from each country so that everyone can come and try some and then sit down to eat while dances from the different countries are being performed by either the members from that country or friends they have invited. The idea is to unify the ward and have them work together for this activity and to INVITE friends and family. Everyone is proud of their culture so hopefully this activity will animar everyone to come and to come with friends to represent their country. 

We have also decided to start inviting ourselves over to members home to do a family home evening and asking them to invite a non member friend or neighbor. We decided to test it out with the bishop first so this week we are having an FHE with him in his home and one of their family friends. By the way, if any of you have any fun FHE ideas/lessons/activities, I would love to add more ideas to our list. 

So Our focus as a district is to find new investigators!  I know the Lord is preparing people for us but he wont keep preparing them if he sees us walk staight pass one of his prepared sons or daughters. talk to everyone!!! young or old. Thats our motto for the week /mission :) I also know that every one of us as members are the ones who are the insturments in the Lords hands in order to help prepare his children for the missionaries. Never be afraid to share the gospel, Never be afraid to invite them to activites. and Dont put a time limit on God, If he wants someone to be baptized in 2 weeks then he can do it. One of the things that members do the most often is that they think that their friends and family need time, that they need to take it slowly and from the very beginning they put a restraint on that persons progress. Have faith and let the Lord place the restraints wherever he wants. Some people do need time, but dont limit their progress from the beginning, Dont shelter them from the missionaries. Missionaries and Baptism should be a comfortable topic of conversation, that way when those words actually come up as an invitation, they wont be surprised. Trust the Lord, I know he will let you know what to do and when to do it, what to say, and how to say it, I know this because He does it for me and I know He will do it for you. 

So I want to talk about Iris real quick. Iris is a recent convert's sister in law. She just had a baby and has been to church multiple times. I know that all we need to do is help her gain a testimony of the B.O.M. We want to show her our love by planning a surprise cleaning day with her brother in law and her friend who is a member. We want to get her out of the house and then with all four of us helping, clean everything in an hour, its a small piso , so very doable. She also called us today and set up a visit for wednesday!! (since she had her baby she hasnt picked up our phone calls but says its because she always has her hands tied up with something when we call so SHE CALLED US! milagro!! ) I have so much faith in her. After this visit she will start progressing, I just know it. Fun fact: her baby was born on my bday! and we surprise visited her (unannounced) a couple days after, not knowing she had her baby so we got to see him! I - I cant remember if I already told you all that or not or sent the picture last time... but im sending it now . sorry if i sent it last week as well. 

And the other picture is of hermana williams and I yesterday. We made heart shaped brownies for the relief society with little flags that said thanks for your help and we love you , love the sister missionaries. and they all loved it and love us! (i hope ha.)

Well I love you all!! 

xoxo 

Hermana Hair

October 15, 2013

Good Morning, Buenos Dias, Bon Dia! 

a picture of the river in Lleida

So the reason I am writing on Tuesday is because this week was transfers and on the week of transfers preperation day gets changed from Monday to Tuesdays. (Ya, I didnt know either, thats why we hadnt done it the last few times. haha. oops) So this transfer, lots changed here in Lleida , just not with my companionship. I am still her with Hermanan Williams but I know for sure that I am leaving in November, Im about a third way done with my mission and I know they wont keep here longer. Three elders in my district left this transfer. E. Jackson, E. Bascope and E. Rios. This afternoon we meet the new elders that are coming in to Lledia. Sunday night we all went to the train station to say goodbye to E. Rios he is going HOME! it was so crazy to see a missionary at the end of their mission going home. It was a bitter sweet moment for sure. He was my zone leader and a very good missionary but lucky him, he lives in Granada (southern spain) so he can come visit basically whenever he wants. One of the Elders coming in was in my mtc group so it will be fun to see him again and here how his first 6 months have been. 

MY 5 MONTH PICTURE

I want to thank everyone again for the birthday wishes, cards and emails. Everyone made me feel very loved for my birthday. So the morning of my birthday , I get out of the shower to see that my companion had made a delicious french toast breakfast for me and decorated the table with a streamer and balloons, it was super sweet, then they sang to me at district meeting and we went to lunch at mcdonalds with the elders... haha (their decision) So i was all happy and satisfied with the day, we go to some visits , do some doorknocking and then go to Andres and Milagros house for a visit (they are peruvian investigators who are not married so they cant be baptized till next year after they get all their papers for marriage and stuff) we visit them once a week , usually tuesday at 6. So we ring the bell walk in and to my surprise when i walk into the living room they had a happy birthday sign with balloons and treats on the table and started playing "estas son las mañanitas" from the computer (a typical latin song for birthdays) and I was so surprised and happy AND THEN all four elders come in holding an ice cream cake with candles singing happy birthday! It really was the best surprise birthday party ever, because i really was surprised haha. i was not expecting the party, I was especially not expecting the elders to be there. They made it wonderful and I really felt loved. I teared up when i was thanking MIlagros and Andres for everything because I know that my whole family but especially my mom would be so grateful that they did this for me. And Hermana MacLean (the senior couple) gave me a very cute scarf! It was a beautiful day. . I tried two different ways of adding pictures.. but here are a couple from my bday. One with the cute family and the other with the elders. 

I love you all. im going to try and send more pictures! take care 

love, Hermana Hair

Randomly one day there was a huge rain shower, but that doesnt stop us! We still went to all our citas, it was a fun day. 

October 7. 2013

Thanks for everyones Happy birthday messages! i loved reading them and really appreciate each and ever one of them. I ran out of time here to write a good big email but i wanted to share something that i liked from conference, One of the themes i received from conference was "endurance". One of the speakers (I think it was Richard J, Maynes) said "succesful endurance" and that brought up the question in my head, is there an unsuccesful endurance? and yes there is. Enduring isnt just making it through the trial but growing from the trial. that is why enduring to the end isnt just making it to the celestial kingdom but growing and becoming the person that belongs in the celestial kindgom. We dont just need to endure till the end of our missions but endure successfully and become the type of missionary (or person) that christ knows we can be through every trial we go through. I am so grateful for the opportunity we have to be here in Spain serving the Lord. I want to grow, and i want to learn from every day here. I want to "SUCCESSFULLY endure" and not just endure. I love you all so much and appreciate all your prayers and emails! take care !! and read the scriptures! 

love, Hermana Hair

Lleida Zone Conference -- Great Role Plays!

September 30, 2013

Buenos Dias everyone! I have news that I have been forgetting to tell you all for probably over a month now... Our first counselor here in our ward is going to name his baby after me!!! haha. Grand news right? ;) When I first arrived here in Lleida we ate lunch with him and his wife and she was pregnant but not even showing yet. And they asked us our names and we told them and then that was it. and then like a month ago they broke the news to me that they wanted to use my first name for their baby! I was so very happy as you can imagine, I might not have a baptism yet here but I do have a baby named after me ;) haha. Still a birth but not of water... Im getting closer though:) They are both a very young couple and this will be their first child. She will be born in November so pretty soon! I might still be here to meet baby Melanie. 

So today I was reading in Mosiah about Abinidi, He was such a strong and diligent missionary. It really gave me hope and inspired me to keep going with all ive got. Abinidi gave his life , but only until he fullfilled his mission, until he did everything he was called to do. And even after his great effort and sacrifice he died knowing that the king wouldnt change, not even knowing if he made a differnce to anyone, but he died satisfied because he did his part. Little did he know, that Alma was there and through Alma many many people are touched and changed. It helped me realize that sometimes we dont see the big impact we really are having in people. How someone could be watching our every move, our every word , without us noticing. And that we really are going to make a difference , even if we dont see it, It is promised that it will happen. Just as long as we keep doing our part , our full 100% until our mission is over, the rest is taken care by the Lord. He was a missionary but also just a person, just like all of us (ones with the missionary name tag and those without it) everyone is seeing, hearing and noticing our example. 

We are teaching Juan Angel, a 38 year old man from Lleida. He loves mormons, he wants to be one but he does not want to accept tithing. We have been trying to have daily contact with him and help him gain a testimony of the BOM and JS and trying to get him to pray and realize the importance of tithing. So that is who we have been focusing on this week. He has been in the Hospital because his appendix errupted a couple weeks ago so he hasnt been able to come to church but we are hoping to get him there for General Conference this weekend. I am so excited for General Conference this weekend!! The times here for it are super weird though. We watch the Saturday morning Session live but at 6 pm here. and We watch Saturday afternoon session , Sunday at 2. And Sunday morning session at 6 pm here. - because of the time difference things are very different but I am still looking forward to it! 

Love you all so much!! Love, Hermana Hair 

Miledy and Oscar moved to the Elders area so we are going to pass them off to them this week. I trust the Elders and know that they will be in good hands.

Ummmmm..... yep this is our District. The elders were all trying to be asian like Elder Schwartz. Quite a group eh?

In a small Pueblo going to meet up with some members for a FHE. Love this road and it made me feel like I was in Utah somewhere.