Thank you so much for that advice and it means a lot to hear the support from you. It means the world to me. It was actually super cool because we got to go to the temple on Wednesday and he was there and we gave each other a hug, and I've been able to forgive him. There are absolutely no hard feelings toward him whatsoever, as I tried my hardest the first few nights to pray for him and bless him in leading the zone. Then, giving him a hug in the temple, it all just went away. It was an incredible experience. Forgiveness is a lifting of burdens on both sides and it was such a growing experience for me.
As for this week, it was a great one. filled with miracles. We had a baptism this Sunday!!! Anahi, the daughter of Javier the recent convert. It was so powerful, Javier (the father) baptized her and oh my goodness I have never seen two people so happy in my entire life. Javier bore his testimony in church about how one more of his family is coming into the church and how through their faith and prayers that his wife will accept it and they will be able to be together forever. It was incredible! We were fasting with them for her and she also bore a powerful testimony at her baptism and it was just the happiest day ever!! I also gave the Holy Ghost to Vanesa (the girl who was baptized last week) during sacrament meeting. Powerful experience.
Don't worry about the SD card and USB. I got the SD card package and we can't find the USB yet. What were the names of the couples? We will get this tracked down. I will probably just buy one as well. It won't hurt to have 2 USB drives. I guess they didn't go there, or I don't know what happened. But it's okay, no big deal:) I will try and send some pictures next week! I accidentally left my cord in the piso. I will get on that next week though.
Well this week was good!! It flew by!! Monday we visited a less active lady and I gave her baby daughter a blessing of health. We then had a Family Home Evening and this lady named Alina (recent convert) brought a friend and now we´re going to be teaching him!!! We are super excited!! His name is Gustavo. Tuesday we went over to Demiter´s, as usual, and we are helping him talk to his mom about the gospel and she came to sacrament meeting yesterday!!!:) It was so awesome!! So we are going to start teaching her on Saturdays. It was perfect timing because he finally got her to come his last Sunday here in Spain (he's leaving to go back to Bulgaria for the summer) and so that was a miracle. We taught Anahi the Word of Wisdom and she was incredible. Literally so prepared. She's like it just makes sense, and God commanded it, so yeah, of course I'll live it. She is so prepared and it made me think of the scripture in Alma 13:24 and my setting apart blessing when President Allred said that angels are preparing the hearts of the people in Spain for me to teach. I have truly seen that. The people I have taught have been so prepared it's been unreal, especially Anahi. It's been amazing. There truly are angels preparing these people.
We also met with Carolina, she had some problems with finding work and she was going to go to England to live and find work but we prayed and asked for something to be able to work out and she found a job within a couple days (which is incredibly hard in Spain with the crisis) and she is staying here!! Oh my goodness it was such a miracle!! We have been working with another family Laura and Manuel (the mother and boyfriend of the mother of Vanesa) They live together unmarried and so they cannot get baptized so we have been talking a ton about keeping the Lord's commandments and they have shown progress and are starting to take the steps towards getting married so this is awesome. They can be baptized and join the church as soon as they just get married or move out. They just don't have enough money for either. It's super tough but they are starting to figure out what to do because they know it's a commandment to get baptized and against the commandments to live together so that is little by little but it's happening.
Thursday we had a lesson with a man named Edgar and he just wanted to argue and it was so eye opening to me. I was so prepared to just simply testify and invite to read and pray and it was so cool to look back and see that we haven't had much of that here in Madrid. Yet that's all that A Coruña was, nothing but people wanting to argue. But now I've been well prepared for when I do encounter it. Bible Bashing is pointless, so I came out of that lesson feeling pretty good. Knowing I was just able to testify and do my job. We had another lesson with a lady named Cecilia and we taught her the plan of salvation and I felt so good about it!! I just let the words flow and taught my heart out. It was amazing!! The Lord has blessed me so much with the gift of tongues and the gift of interpretation of tongues but it took so much work and struggling on my part. It just takes faith and continuing to do my part and he will bless us!
We also met with Carolina, she had some problems with finding work and she was going to go to England to live and find work but we prayed and asked for something to be able to work out and she found a job within a couple days (which is incredibly hard in Spain with the crisis) and she is staying here!! Oh my goodness it was such a miracle!! We have been working with another family Laura and Manuel (the mother and boyfriend of the mother of Vanesa) They live together unmarried and so they cannot get baptized so we have been talking a ton about keeping the Lord's commandments and they have shown progress and are starting to take the steps towards getting married so this is awesome. They can be baptized and join the church as soon as they just get married or move out. They just don't have enough money for either. It's super tough but they are starting to figure out what to do because they know it's a commandment to get baptized and against the commandments to live together so that is little by little but it's happening.
Thursday we had a lesson with a man named Edgar and he just wanted to argue and it was so eye opening to me. I was so prepared to just simply testify and invite to read and pray and it was so cool to look back and see that we haven't had much of that here in Madrid. Yet that's all that A Coruña was, nothing but people wanting to argue. But now I've been well prepared for when I do encounter it. Bible Bashing is pointless, so I came out of that lesson feeling pretty good. Knowing I was just able to testify and do my job. We had another lesson with a lady named Cecilia and we taught her the plan of salvation and I felt so good about it!! I just let the words flow and taught my heart out. It was amazing!! The Lord has blessed me so much with the gift of tongues and the gift of interpretation of tongues but it took so much work and struggling on my part. It just takes faith and continuing to do my part and he will bless us!
It's been an amazing week though:) I've felt the Lord's hand in the work so much and the people are amazing. I love them so much. If there is anything I have learned it's how to truly love people. That's been the theme of my whole mission. The love of the Father for His children, and i have felt it personally. This isn't easy but His love is what carries us. It's our hope in good things to come through His son, Jesus Christ, that lifts us. And why did he send his son? Because He loves us. I know He loves us more than we can imagine. I know it with all of my heart. I know our Father lives.
For this week's spiritual thought I want to share with you something from Preach My Gospel. I've been applying it and it's been so cool. I may have shared this before with you guys but it's an incredible exercise. As missionaries we simply invite everyone to read and pray about the Book of Mormon based on the promise in Moroni 10:3-5. In Preach My Gospel it says we should all apply that promise into our lives regularly to fortify and strengthen our testimonies. So in the words of Moroni: I would exhort you, my family, to read some in the Book of Mormon, and after you have read, I would exhort you to ask God the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true. And if you will do it with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, He will manifest the truth of it unto you. I know by the power of the Holy Ghost you will strengthen your personal testimony of this amazing book we have. And if you know it's true you can know that Joseph Smith was called of God, that this is the Lord's church, and more important than all, that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. I know these things are true without a doubt. Joseph Smith was a prophet, this is the church of the living God, and Jesus Christ lives. I know it because I've had it witnessed to me again and again. So I would exhort you to put the Moroni challenge to the test. As we say in Spanish ¡haced lo! (do it!) It will be an amazing experience, I promise. Hope you all have an amazing week!!! I love you all!!!!
For this week's spiritual thought I want to share with you something from Preach My Gospel. I've been applying it and it's been so cool. I may have shared this before with you guys but it's an incredible exercise. As missionaries we simply invite everyone to read and pray about the Book of Mormon based on the promise in Moroni 10:3-5. In Preach My Gospel it says we should all apply that promise into our lives regularly to fortify and strengthen our testimonies. So in the words of Moroni: I would exhort you, my family, to read some in the Book of Mormon, and after you have read, I would exhort you to ask God the Eternal Father, in the name of Christ, if these things are not true. And if you will do it with a sincere heart, with real intent, having faith in Christ, He will manifest the truth of it unto you. I know by the power of the Holy Ghost you will strengthen your personal testimony of this amazing book we have. And if you know it's true you can know that Joseph Smith was called of God, that this is the Lord's church, and more important than all, that Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer. I know these things are true without a doubt. Joseph Smith was a prophet, this is the church of the living God, and Jesus Christ lives. I know it because I've had it witnessed to me again and again. So I would exhort you to put the Moroni challenge to the test. As we say in Spanish ¡haced lo! (do it!) It will be an amazing experience, I promise. Hope you all have an amazing week!!! I love you all!!!!
con muchismo amor,
Elder Anderson
¡El reino de Dios o nada!
