We have yet to be able to meet with Julian and Katie. But it's okay, soon!
We met with Will. A guy from Los Angeles here who is here studying. He's a couple years older than us and he came to church last week. He has investigated the church on his own for a while and he really likes the principles but doesn't feel like he has a testimony yet and has some questions about our culture but we are extremely excited to continue with him! We meet with him for the second time tonight.
We had a lesson with Alejandro, our mexican friend. He was wanting to back off a little and stop meeting with us, but we had a very powerful lesson and addressed his doubts and we convinced him to study a little bit and meet with us at the end of this coming week. The spirit worked wonders in that lesson and it possibly saved him. Amazing experience.
We also are starting to meet with a woman named Olga from Colombia. We had an amazing lesson 1 with her (okay, lately every lesson 1 we teach is an incredible experience. It's my favorite lesson!) I'll keep you updated on her!
We went to two district meetings this week in Villalba and Barrio 1 and talked about how this will be a transfer of changes for many people (with ipads, a new mission president, many are going home, and many are being trained) and so our vision for the zone is to "Submit ourselves to the will of the Lord." and we gave a couple talks about it. It was super good! We also went on an intercambio with the district leader from B5 and his companion who is being trained. I have loved going on intercambios and learning from these other missionaries. He bore some of the most pure and amazing testimony and it touched me a lot. No matter who you are or how much or little time you have you can ALWAYS learn from other missionaries. Super powerful experience.
As well this week will be a crazy week! Tomorrow is the Concilio de Liderazgo (Leadership council meeting) and Elder Cahoon and I will be giving a Zone training on the usage of iPads and the work in the digital age. Well that's what we assume the topic will be because we will be giving out the iPads on Wednesday. He and I get to start using ours tomorrow. It's going to be super exciting! I've always gone to zone trainings and I've always thought it would be cool to give one, as well, everyone's been talking about the glorious day we get iPads and so it's going to be a cool mix, and be so cool to be at the front lines of this next phase in the hastening of the work.
We finally finished the ward list!!! HALLELUJAH!!!!! And we went and met with the bishop and he was so happy with us, and we discussed things about the ward and he will have another assignment for us the week following stake conference. It is awesome working with Bishop Diaz here in B5. He is a man who knows what he is doing, and trusts us. We have a really good relationship with him. Things in this ward are turning around and its no longer just a big ward in Madrid that doesn't work with missionaries. Rather, it is a place with a lot of work, and the members are getting involved. Little by little we can see the attitude of the members changing.
We have been so blessed while doing the ward list and we have been finding a lot of new people with potential. For example, we will be teaching our doorman. We start with him on Tuesday. We have been so blessed in every way in the work. At times it was hard, but the blessings were worth it!!
Just a little experience, we contacted a man who was sitting on a bench, as we approached he started shaking his finger at us and saying NO NO NO! I don't want anything! Elder Cahoon said, "No we are just here to serve. Is there anything we can do for you?" and he said no there wasn't and started to get emotional and we all of the sudden started to testify to him about how the plan of salvation brings us hope and how it helps us in any of our trials, and how families can be together for forever. It was amazing because he didnt hardly say anything to us, but with tears filling his eyes we could tell the spirit was touching his heart. We both talked afterwards and we both knew that someone in his family had passed away, and he just needed someone to bring him a little bit of hope. He had no phone, nor house, but we decided to meet Sunday at the bench he was at. He never showed up but that's okay. We touched his heart once and it will provide the way in the future for him to find the gospel. I know the gift of discernment is real. I felt like Ammon as he perceived the kings thoughts. I knew it was the spirit working through us as we read his thoughts and as the words left our mouths. Miracles are real, the gifts of the Spirit are real. Our Father is worried about every single one of his children. All of us. Without exception. I know that! So never forget that he cares for you.
Love you all!!
Have an amazing week!!
Love,
Elder Jarrett Anderson
Elder Anderson (second from left)
p-day at the park
