It is interesting we call this a sacrifice. The more I reflect on what I am doing, and realize what missionary work truly is, it isn't much of a sacrifice. It's just a small thing, what I can give, for all He has given to me. It is a sacrifice, yet it's the small part I can give. I'm so grateful for it though! This mission is incredible!!! And I am glad they have desires to serve missions. Now i just want to invite them to prepare. Do your part now and be ready to go. Read your scriptures daily. Say your prayers daily. Go to church without complaining. Fulfill your callings and priesthood duties and take Seminary and all your classes seriously. Just do the simple things and you will be prepared.
This week was a really good one. Just a few things that happened... On Tuesday we met with Ester, the lady from Peru who can't get baptized because she's waiting on divorce papers and living with a man, but she is doing her part to do what she can right now. She came to church last Sunday and was praying and said, "Father, just help us. My boyfriend needs a job. I am trying my best to live your commandments and I am here in your church. Please help us." She said the next morning her boyfriend woke up and started applying for jobs online. Now just so you know back home, Spain has been going through for a few years an extreme financial crisis. and finding a job is extremely hard here. And even harder if you are a foreigner but within minutes of applying he received a phone call and had an interview that afternoon and he got the job at 3 o'clock that afternoon. She told us this Tuesday through tears and told us how it was a miracle and it was thanks to her obedience. It was amazing to see how much God loves us and what great blessings we will receive if we are simply obedient to his commandments. Definitely the miracle of the week.
We have also been teaching a lady named Melbi. She is the girlfriend of a member named Daniel. He found us on the street and told us he had just moved here from Mostoles. He had been less active for years and he asked us for the address to our chapple in our area. He came to church the next week and brought his girlfriend and then invited us to come over that week. We have taught her lesson one and three and she is loving it. She is so excited to listen and is reading and loves the Book of Mormon. They live together but I have a good feeling about them. They both have jobs so I have a good feeling things can work out with this one. We are extrremely excited for them!!
One of the days this week I had a feeling to go through and call all of the numbers I had in my planner. I called a guy I had called a bunch of times and he answered and we set up a lesson for the next day. We met with them and taught them lesson one and they really enjoyed it and were asking us some good questions. It was a solid lesson. Their names are Alberto and Rosi and are from Guayacil, Ecuador.
Ismael is still going. He is kind of reading but doesn't really want to get baptized yet. He's a great kid but this week we may start to see some changes. Please pray for him!
We had a terrible day on Friday. We spent the entire day in the street contacting and nobody would talk with us but diligence is key and we were perseverant! About 15 minutes before we had to be in the piso we found a man from Puerto Rico who said we were the third set of missionaries to find him and he took it as a sign he needed to listen. He was going to come to church but wasn't able to. But he is excited to meet with us! I'm so glad we just kept pushing all day long. It always pays off.
Well I said a few months ago my goal was to finish the New Testament before my year mark. I finished Monday!!! It was an amazing experience. I'd never read it cover to cover before and it was amazing. WIth the knowledge I have gained out here it now makes more sense to me and I understand the New Testament a whole lot better now. Super cool to fulfill that goal!!!:)
For the spiritual thought I wanted to share with you all the importance of what I said earlier, how preparing for the mission is to do the simple things. I know that is true. It is interesting that one of the commandments we teach as missionaries is to read the scriptures and pray regularly. It is not only a recommendation, yet a commandment. Let us all ask ourselves, Am I doing my daily personal worship? And am I keeping those two simple commandments? If not, we need to repent and start. I promise the Lord will bless us as we take time for our daily personal worship every single day.
Have an amazing week this next week!!! Love you all!!!!
I love you mom.
Love,
Elder Anderson
¡El reino de Dios o nada!
p.s. yes transfers are this saturday!! crazy!!!!
The worst day of the week when it was raining and my umbrella broke. Hahaha, oh well, we made it through!!!:
