February 12, 2014

What a week.... Alright. So, the main thing that happened this week was actually very hard and very sad. I dont know if I have ever talked about this family but there is a wonderful brazilian family that is here in our ward and one of the only two members that live in our proselyting area. But they are just great! they are the ones that us four missionaries here in Las Arenas spent New Years Eve with. They have the biggest hearts I have ever seen. Their family consists of Lynette (the mom), Jessica (the 23 yr old daughter), Dalyson (jessicas husband) and Luis Carlos (11 year old brother). About a year ago, Jessica got diagnosed with lymphoma cancer (not sure if thats how its spelled) but she is one of the strongest women I have met. She had an unshakable faith in our savior and in the church. She came to church every single sunday possible for all 3 hours even when she felt weak after chemo and radiotherapy. We grew close to their family, they feed us almost twice a month and we would do random stop bys to see how they were doing. Last week Jessica spent every day in the hospital, she was not well. The relief society hermanas were taking turns covering a morning shift from 9-1 to stay with her while her husband and mom covered the rest of the day. We volunteered and were with her friday morning. Then Sunday afternoon I called Lynette to ask her if she wanted us and the elders to bring her the sacrament. The three rings on the phone was answered by a broken hearted mother, all i could understand was her desperate call for company when she said, "hermanas" between her tears. A lady took the phone from her and informed me that just minutes ago her sweet jessica had passed away. 

Holding back my own tears. I knew what I had to do. I called the branch president, I called the relief society president and we said a prayer and then ran out to go be with this sweet member who answered her phone in a time like this because she needed us there. The rest of the afternoon we were at the hospital, we walked into the room to see lynette sitting in a chair leaning over her daughters body, which laid peacefully in the hospital bed. You can only imagine the hug that i gave lynette. As we held eachother in our arms, even in this very sad situation, I could feel our saviors love and his arms wrap around us. 

The relief society President, hermana lopez, served her mission in the south of spain 30 years ago, she sat next to me and my companion in the waiting room and thanked us for informing her, thanked us for our work and love and then asked how i was doing, there were no words that came out of my mouth. I just looked into her eyes and she looked into mine, she placed her hand on my lap and said, "this is the mission."

I know that she was talking about the ups and downs and heartaches and the happiness that every missionary has on his/her mission. But those four words ment a lot more to in that moment. I know that we all have a mission here on earth. We are all here for a purpose. I know that when we have acomplished our mission... we go home. And I know that the Lord takes his best angels to go be by his side. Jessica was an angel, Jessica IS an angel. I know with all my heart that this plan of happiness is really the plan of God. The plan of salvation is just as real as me and you. It is everything.

I also gained a very stong testimony of the organization of the church. It is wonderful to see this little branch push and support eachother through every trial. I knew exactly who i had to call and I knew that they would do the rest. This church is the true and only true church of christ on earth. It is perfect. The organization is perfect. This plan of salvation is perfect. Gods love for us is perfect. I love this church and I am so beyond grateful to have the knowledge that I do and to be able to share it with everyone. 

Please pray for lynette and her family. They need all the prayers they can get at this moment. and thank you. Thank you for everything every one does, for your prayers and more importantly for your faith. 

con mucho amor, 

Hermana Hair 

Hello :)

okay family, so we are having a two day zone conference up here in bilbao so today and tomorrow. we have hermanas staying in our piso and its been a good day. But i just got on to let you know that i am going to to have preperation day on wed. so just letting you all know that i am great but not to worry, you will hear from me on wed! 

love you all so so much! xoxo

Hermana Hair

February 3, 2014

Buenas! 

Alrighty, so this week has been pretty good. The best day, however, was yesterday! Sundays are kind of different on the mission becuase they feel like just any other day. We go to church, have mediodia (one our for lunch and one hour for language study) then go out and work! So we didnt really have any planned citas for Sunday afternoon but we felt really prompted that we should go to a part in our area that we just found out existed earlier this week. Apparently down in the metro instead of taking the escalators out there is a small turn that is a small train like box that takes you up the hill underground and we end up on top of a MOUNTAIN! We felt like we were in a whole new world. New ground, new faces, a fresh start:) We were having really good vibes about this place too , the only downside is that it is pretty far away from the church, but we didnt let that stop us. We decided to go all the way UP and see where it took us, contacting a few people on the way. We started getting up higher and when we look around it looks like we are Ireland! there are the cutest little houses with green all over and vegtable gardens and then we look to the other side and there is the ocean! It was a beautiful view. We Knocked a few houses and found some very nice people who reject us with a smile. We kept going up and found yet another little group of apartments. and this we said, is where we are working tonight. We decided to try knocking and MIRACLE the first door was open, so we walk in and my bright idea is to play the guessing game, which is where before they open the door you throw out a description of who you think is going to answer. Its funny when your right and even funnier when your way wrong. Well I have never had this game go so well yet so wrong as it did on sunday. H. Gillette had never played this game before so I started, I said, "Grandma, blue eyes and glasses" and i was right! the next one H. Gillette says "pink" and the lady had a pink robe on. the next one I whisper "man. chubs" and maybe it was because we were amazed at how well we were doing that it caught us off guard when, once again, we got it dead on. I dont know why it was so funny but right when he opened the door and we saw him, we both were trying so hard to choke back our giggles. It was tough, it was the best one yet. He was on the phone and didnt pay much attention to us but we managed to give him a card because im sure he didnt understand a thing we were trying to say behind all our random laughing.- now that i type this story it sounds like we were laughing at him but we really werent , it was just a funny end to our game. But the night continutes!

We invite an old man to be baptized who forgot to put in his dentures and was super embarrased about it but still sang to us an old spanish song. He said me da igual.. which means whatever, but i think he wasnt completely there. Then we meet this old lady who lets us in her apt, She tells us all about how she loves the mormons, gives us juice and some shoes... so we gave her a book of mormon She also started to guess our age, she thought H. Gillette was 19 and she though i was 31???????????????!!!!!!! this mission thing is aging me i guess.. haha.(I did find a white hair this morning) . So to sum it all up... we had a pretty interesting day.  I love the random people we meet. Every person impacts my life. I know Im where im supposed to be and im doing what im supposed to be doing. I love the song, "I´ll go where you want me to go". Especially that last sentence that says, "Ill be what you want me to be" I want to be the missionary the Lord knows I can be and I have 9 months to do it! gross... 

I have reached my peak, the humb of the mish.... is this for real? Well all i ask the lord is to help me make these last 9 months even better than my first 9. And i have loved every minute of these past 9 months so i Know these last 9 will be fantastic! Sorry mom, but I dont want to go home... :( I feel like the time has gone by too fast. 

I really hope everyone is doing great! You are all always in my prayers. Keep up the great work you are all doing every day to be examples of Christ. and "be who HE wants you to be!"

Les Queiro Mucho Mucho Mucho! 

-Hermana Hair

Here are a couple pictures of my ninth month. One is where I am super bummed that its my 9 months and the other is that im happy that I still have at least 9 more months ahead of me. Its a weird place to be. where i have enough time to look back on my mission but still lots of time to look forward to. 

So on saturday we went up for stake conference in Vitoria and we were on a bus for an hour and ten minutes and we go over this mountain and on the top there is snow!!!! It looked just like utah. I loved it.

 

January 27, 2014

My broken umbrella and 3 layers of jackets!

Kaixo!! (Hola in Bask)

I have been here for just about two months in Las Arenas and I still am amazed at how beutiful it is here. If any of you are ever planning on coming to Spain Las arenas might just be a must. This little bask part of Spain is gorgeous, even in the rain and spontaneous wind storms! It has been raining a lot more this week and both mine and my compañeras umbrellas broke in the wind. It was actually very funny . Good thing there are lots of  chinos around (chinese owned little random stores- kinda like a dollar store.. but they literally have everything you could ever imagine that you might randomly need) because the word around is that buying an expensive umbrella does no good in this wind, so might as well buy cheaper ones. either way you know its going to break so.... chinos here we come :) 

Portugalete (a part of our area)

The miracle of this week started when we decided to go visit a member's chucheria (a candy store) we were there talking to him and then without us even asking for references he started telling us about a member he sees and talks to that stopped coming to church almost five years ago. He said that he wanted to see if we could go visit here, he gave us here name and phone number and that was that. we called the elders, because she lives in their area , and asked if they had met with her already but they didnt even know her. We asked the senior couple if they knew anyhing about her and they didnt either so we went ahead called her up and set up a visit. - as hermanas we are kinda free to go out of area and visit single ladies because the elders cant go in without another man with them so its easier for us to visit inactive ladies even in their area- We get there and Imara is the sweetest  33 year old lady from Honduras. She tells us her story and how elders a long time ago came and tried to visit her but she wanted nothing with the church but she was very surprised to see that we called her becuase she has been having the strongest feeling to go back to church but she didnt know where to start. She said we had came at the perfect time and it was just what she needed. this all happened on tuesday AND THEN on Sunday she came to church, just as she said she was going to do. The first sunday back to church is HUGE for Less actives but she was there with a smile and all, she was loved by all the members who knew here and she said that she felt like she was coming back to her family. She gave us a big hug before leaving church and said ill be expecting you this tuesday as well. Milagro?? creo que si. :) I know it was nothing WE as missionaries did that made her come to church, it is always the Lord, he knows his children and he knows exacly what they need. I know that the member who gave us the reference was inspired to think of her and to have enough love for her to want to send us to her. I thanked the member on sunday for listening to the promptings of the spirit and giving us her information, He seemed a bit surprised but though about it and smiled. Not all of our actions have to have a huge spiritual prompting but just a small thought that comes to our mind, if its good, is always from God. My dear loved ones, follow every prompting you have, even if its just a small phone call that you feel you need to make to a neighbor, family member, or friend, Believe me, they probably need it, The lord uses us as his tools but if we dont place ourselves in his toolbox we will loose the opportunity to make a difference. Live worthy to be able to hear the whispers and promptings of the spirit then do it. That member did it, and I am so grateful he did. 

The rest of the week was great as well. We are struggling a little because we had to drop some of our investigators so we are working on finding, finding, finding. I love all the very interesting people we have the oportunity to talk to on the street. Hermana Gillette has the wonderful habit of praying for the ones who are very rude after they leave, so we just stop and pray. She apologizes to God and asks him to forgive them for rejecting Him. She is a wonderful example and missionary. 

I LOVE YOU ALL SO SO SO SO MUCH!!! Always remember that! 

Un abrazo grande, 

Hermana Hair

Making empanadas at a members home! (h. rackam from bilbao is also with us in this picture, we were in a trio for this day)

January 20, 2014‏

Hello everyone! We had a pretty good week here in Las Arenas. We have had a lot more lessons, almost doubled our average number of lessons, because we have been talking to more people on the streets and teaching and testifying at every moment possible and praying with them right there on the streets. I know that its not the most effect way of doing missionary work. the best way is through member references.. but its a bit hard to get this little branch rolling on that boat but poco a poco (little by little). However i do know that by opening our mouths and testifying to everyone that we are being obedient and that maybe we wont see the miracles through the people we contact but that soon enought the miracles will come. God always keeps his promises if we are obedient and do our part. 

A miracle we had this week was that we found ortilia through a reference from the elders (someone they contacted )  of almost 3 months ago. She had left to her country, Peru, and the hermanas that were here before were never able to get in contact with her. we found the number called her up and she let us over and has been reading and praying AND CAME TO CHURCH!! it was even her birthday on sunday but she still came to church! on the first visit she told us she would never be baptized and if our purpose was to baptize her that we wouldnt be able to . but i told her that we are here to teach the people this message but what i know is that when people KNOW that this is true that they have the DESIRE to be baptized and that it is their choice. She thought about that and has still let us visit. The ladies in the ward were SO nice to her and I know she had a great time. I know the gospel can touch anyones heart and that the holy ghost can testify to them that this is the true church. I hope we can get her progressing towards baptism but more importantly i hope she can feel our love and Gods love through what we teach her. I will keep you updated. 

Its been getting colder up here. yesterday and today have been super rainy and windy. i am currently typing with gloves on because my fingers are so cold ha. Ive been told february is the coldest up here. I guess i will find out. There are definetly less people outside when the weather is like this. But i love this work!! rain, sun, wind, cold, hot, it doesnt matter. I love this and I would do it anywhere and anytime. I couldnt be having a better experience than being here on my mission helping the Lord and being an instrument in his hands. I love Him SO much with all my heart! and i love all of you! take care and keep warm! 

love, Hermana Hair

January 13, 2014

Okay not our best picture. but here we are!!

SO much to talk about. Well this week has by far been better than the past few weeks. I had no idea how much the holidays would really affect missionary work here. and to be honest it really puts you in a slump mood. But this week we are finally getting out of the holidays and its been wonderful! Hermana Gillette is amazing!! i absolutely love her! She is from utah, currently from Park City . She is blonde and beautiful and has a super testimony and spirit. She has been out for about 5 months and is a contacting machine and has gotten my spirits back up about this area and after the holidays slump. We are pretty much almost the same person... We have a similiar past and can really relate in a lot of different ways. We have just clicked from day one. We have laughed just as hard as we have been working (which is hard). We have seen SO many miracles in the six days we have been together, its incredible. I dont even know where to start or how to explain it all. They have been small miracles but a lot of them. Weve had full days of visits and we found 7 new people to teach last week!  Every step we take is basically a miracle. The lord really knows exactly where we need to be, he leads us there and then places the people in our path. There is a wonderful lady from Colombia that we talked to and her name is GLORIA! just like you mom! and she wants to hear our message and we have a visit with her this week. 

The funny thing is that the first thing i told Hermana Gillete as she got off the train and i took one of her bags was "Hermana we are going to make a GOOD team". I could feel it from the moment we said Hi, I know we are going to do great together because... we already are! 

Well I hope everyone is doing great as well! keep warm! 

love you all!! 

Hermana Hair

Here are some pictures of our little piso! its basically like ikea, its so pretty:)

So its a bit late but here is my 8 month picture. This was super early monday morning (6 am ) at the train station when we dropped of hermana Swenson. 

January 7, 2014

HAPPY 2014 EVERYONE!!! I hope everyone had a great new years! the tradition here in Spain is to eat 12 grapes at midnight  (1 grape a second).so the elders here and h. swenson and I after eating at a brazilian members home ate the twelve grapes outside our piso at like 10:50 pm because we had to be in psio by 11 pm that night. We are so spaniard now ;) But this family from Brazil is amazing! they seriously went all out and made a huge FEAST for us, i will send picutres next time because right now I am in Bilbao with the bilbao hermanas because my companion left yesterday morning!!! We had transfers this week and h. swenson is now in barcelona and my new companion is H. Gillete! I havent met her yet because her train gets in tonight at like 10. (its a six hour train ride from barcelona to up here) but i hear she is super sweet, blonde, super skinny and that she has the heaviest suitcases in the mission! She has been out for the same time as my last two comps but i am super excited to meet her. a bit nervous becuase well... its always a bit weird when you change comps becuause you get so used to your old one but I am hoping to see many miracles this next transfer with her. 

Oh so yesterday was el dia de los reyes magos, Three kings day! and its huge here. almost bigger than christmas day. everyone in the family gets three presents, one from each king. they had a big parade in every city sunday night where the kings throw candies. So yesterday I was half the day in las arenas and half the day in Bilbao, Most of the day yesterday i was with the elders and the herreros (the senior couple) because hna swenson left at six in the morning my compa for the day was hna herrero. and really all that we did yesterday was eat! We went from member to member and they feed us all so much food. i really did not want to eat anything all day today. They have this specail cake thing called a roscon and every house gave it to us (a super spaniard desert for this holiday) and i feel really gross now. ha. but it was nice to spend the day with the missionaries and members.

We did see small miracles this past week, we found some great potential investigators.. but for some reason they are all busy till the end of january... ummm. yeah. but we are going to keep finding , keep working and I know that if we are obey with exactness and love that the lord blesses us and really uses us as instruments in his hands. Love you all so much! make this year wonderful! I will send my 8 months picture next time. 

a small challange we have been given members is to find a scripture as a family and make it your theme for 2014. write it out and hang it somewhere you see it everyday. memorize it and live it and you will see that throughout this year it will help you in ways you never imagined. . I invite you all to try it as well. and i would love to hear about your scripture that you choose for your family. 

Take care!! muchos besitos y abrazos de España

love, Hermana Hair