WEEK 22: CADIZ CASCO ANTIGUO, CADIZ DISTRICT
9:29 AM
Monday- another normal p day with nothing too exciting just lots of ping pong as usual. Im getting pretty good... After the p day we taught Javi and that went really well and then we had to get a key to the church so we visited member Jorge and his family.
Tuesday-
district meeting was that morning and it went really well. Then we went to
McDonald's after woooo! Then we went and met with Javi had such a good
lesson. Basically our intentions were just to increase his faith and make
sure he knew how big and amazing his decision was. We also made sure to
find out the true intentions of his baptism. We wanted to make sure this
was for him and God, not only because he is going out with a member. He
said that he promised us that it has nothing to do with that and that he
really wants to be baptized so that he can be saved and so he can face
life better. That was an awesome answer, I just love that dude so much. He
just gets it, it's taken some time with him, but I can tell that he really
understands now and I can truly see a change in him with everything since
the first time I met him. We also organized the baptism and we recommended that
a member does his baptism (because in the long term, it strengthens their
relationship with the ward so it's good to have a member do it) and he
asked that i bear my testimony at the baptism and that elder Mitchell
confirms him. Then we met with Zaira that night and were just able to
share a short message with her and then we had to go to that church that
night to prepare some stuff for the world wide mission conference that was
being broadcasted to Cadiz that our zone would watch there the next day.
Then that night the Gibraltar missionaries arrived to stay in Cadiz because
it's difficult to get from there to Cadiz.
Wednesday- so we had Gibraltar missionaries with us elder Fillmore and elder Andrus who is from my group. I love those guys they're way awesome and funny! Elder Fillmore came with me for the morning and elder Andrus went with elder Mitchell. Me and elder Fillmore didn't have that much that morning other than talking to people on the street and setting an appointment (which eventually was cancelled) with a less active and his non member girlfriend. Elder Mitchell and Andrus met with a less active member who is so close to being reactivated and talked about his progression in the gospel, and he said the only thing holding him back at this point is that he smokes. But we will keep working really hard to try and help him. Then me and elder Mitchell ate at a members house. Then we had the world wide mission conference and it was amazing! It was titled teach repentance and baptize converts. I learned so many awesome things, and unfortunately time probably does not permit me to write all of it.
Thursday- we
took the Gibraltar missionaries back to the bus station that morning. Then
we did weekly planning. Then we ate at Juani's and I don't know she
manages it, but the amount of food just seems to be increasing every time
we eat there. We had two soups, pizza, hamburgers, and Fries. We ate a lot
a lot a lot... Then we went and taught Javi some more, just still
finishing up explaining some other details. Then we went and taught
English class and that was fun. Then we went and visited a less active
named Milagro because it was her birthday the day before and we wanted to
wish her a happy birthday.
Friday-
that morning we did some service for Juan ferrezuelo. I have done lots of
construction in Cadiz (always with some friendly Romanians), and this time
we helped destroy a wall and then clean it all up (which was the way hard
part) and my back hurts but it's okay because I love helping people! Juan
was very grateful and offered to feed us, but we couldn't because we had
splits in Jerez that day. So our splits rules changed. Now, both people
from the other area go to the area of the leaders, so I got to go stay in
basically the nicest apartment in the entire mission. It was too nice...
But yea so both missionaries go there and we split up and work. So we got
to go with our good friends elder Blussell and elder
Alexander. I was with elder Alexander and we saw some amazing miracles. I
learned a lot from him, and also, we had some amazing lessons. The most
interesting part was
teaching my first lesson in English! They have
some awesome investigators from Nigeria and they are incredible and so
nice. I also had my first ever Fu Fu which is an African dish made of...
Well I'm not entirely sure, usually it's just whatever they can get. It
was good, but the repercussions were very painful that night haha.
They believe everything and have incredible faith and the only reason they can't
get baptized is because they aren't legally married... It's a huge barrier
that's common as a missionary, I assume everywhere. But yea It was a good
night, I really enjoyed working in Jarez with elder Alexander and I can
say that Jarez had quite a different feel and culture than Cadiz. It's
been my first time really working outside of Cadiz and it was pretty
different.
Saturday- continued my split with elder Alexander. I just want to say how much I love both my zone leaders, elder Alexander and elder Blussell. Just such solid missionaries with a true love for the work and for those they serve. And it truly is a sincere love. We had a really great rest of our split and were able to teach a few of their investigators so it was good. Then me and Elder Mitchell returned to Cadiz and visited a less active guy. Then we met with Zaira that night and taught her and she is doing super well, the only thing now is just teaching her family who just love us so much, so it will come soon.
Sunday- We had church this morning and it went really well, we had our less active who is almost reactivated, he just needs to stop smoking, Zaira, and Javi there. We prepared everything for Javi's baptism this Saturday and Zaira really enjoyed young women's and they invited her to a bunch of activities and she's planning on going, so good for the young women they earned a 10/10 on my scale! Then we went and ate with Milagros and the food was incredible and then we went and visited my favorite person in the world, Ana, and then we taught Javi and set up his baptismal interview, then we had a family home evening that included Javi and Zaira and it went way well! Man what a really awesome day!!!
Something I just thought I'd share with everyone is how happy being here in Spain as a missionary has made me. I've never been happier, and doing what I do every day, brings so much joy in the long run, and I can't even explain why. Well, I kind of can, and I know it's that Christ like love that develops with every person you talk to and get rejected, with every person that becomes your friend, for every person you teach about the truth, and for every person that you testify to that Christ lives and that through what he did, we can be saved if we choose to accept him, repent, be baptized, receive the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end. As I testify of him, I feel his love stronger in my own life. As I see others accept him and come to gain a testimony of him, my faith grows, and in turn, my happiness grows. I wish I could explain in words how much this mission means to me. In a quote of my two cousins on missions also in Europe, Elder Jones and Anziano Hogan, I love being a missionary!!!! And even more so, I love being a missionary here in Spain, which is slowly coming to feel like my own home with people who I can for sure call my family. This Saturday, I will receive transfer calls, and I'm pretty certain that I'm leaving Cadiz. I will be so sad, but excited to do whatever I'm asked to do, Although, Cadiz will always be my home, it was where I was born in the mission, and I will always remember it as my little home. I will love Cadiz and its people forever.
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