February 4, 2013 - Family Email

MICAELA

Hahaha that is crazy that you are here in SPAIN.  I was in Madrid like 5 months ago!  Well this week was good and very normal besides the fact that I am leaving.  I am really sad and this last Sunday was the worst thing in the world.  Yesterday the Bishop started talking about me at the end of the meeting and was saying all this good stuff about me and that I was a really good missionary and that I worked miracles here in Málaga II.  Then he said we don´t normally do this but we are going to change the last song and sing "God be with you until we meet again" and then said Elder Hafen come up here and stand on the stage with us.  He made the whole congregation stand  up and sing and of course I cried it was awful!!  However, there was one that cried more than me and that was Lidia, I think she cries and freaks out more than mom!.  Last P-day she took me out to Burger King haha and drives us sight seeing to areas, she is crazy!  I love that woman so much!!  This family has turned out to be people very special to me.  I literally think saying goodbye to them will be the hardest thing I will do on my mission.

 

This week we had a some crazy stuff going on do to conferences with Elder Teixeira from the 70 and transfers.  I was having to do splits with missionaries for like three days so that was fun to work with other missionaries.  Elder Teixeira was awesome and I had no idea that he could speak English so well but I guess in order to be a general authority you have to speak English.  Ha he came and the first thing he started talking about is that everyone has to learn English and was just ripping on all of the natives.  He said hey all the Americans learn Spanish they aren´t any smarter than you so learn it.  He literally talked for 15 minutes about learning English.

This guy was a missionary in Madrid when I was in the mtc and he will be studying at byu he´s from England but grew up here in Malaga

The Futbol crew!!  THE BEST of times

Ward Mission Leader and his family

 

This is how we found Maxi through the lady to the left named JOVITA and the other lady is Lidia

Second Counselor, wfie, his daughter and Husband 

 

 We found a new person to teach through a less active family and they all came to church so that was good to see all six of them there.  We still haven´t met with Luis yet because he came home and then got mad and left the house again.  The poor guy has a little bit of anger problems but I am sure he will get baptized soon.  So cool news Elder Seely is coming to take my place and end Elder Peroni´s training!  Yes!!  You will get to meet Elder Seely finally.  He is one of my best friends along with Elder Manning for life.  He is the best and he already calls you Jude.

 

The Bishop and His Wife

This last Saturday we ate with the bishop in his home and he sat me down and told me that I am going to be a leader in the church haha.  He is an amazing and super intelligent man and he told me with my knowledge and spirituality I am going to do wonders for the church.  That was really nice of him, ya´ll will meet him on Thursday.  So this Thursday at night time we are going to eat food with like 10 people from Argentina it´s gonna be great.  They are all like my favorite people here in Málaga but they live in the little Village called Torremolinos.  You will get to see Lidia cry!!  She will probably make you cry. Well I am excited to see you all!!  I am freaking out and I just want Thursday to happen because I am sick of waiting and thinking about saying goodbye to people!!  I love you guys and tell the Kohs hi for me!

 

Broke back Estrada, he hurt his back and has to hang out in the mission home now

 

I love you!

CODES

January 28, 2013 - Family Email

Hey guys how is everything going??

Lidia's Baptism

Well yes Lidia did get baptized and it was a day very special!!  Hey Maxi as you can see; Maxi baptized his mom!!  He was really nervous and we kind of had to convince him a little bit to do it but then he finally did it!  

It was a really spiritual baptism and they both cried in the font right after the baptism.  He had to baptize her twice because the first time she didn´t go all the way under the water.  Lidia was a good camper and she was even sick but she was SO happy.  I have never seen her so happy in my life.  The next Sunday I gave her the Holy Ghost and that was a really spiritual experience as well.  When I finished the blessing she was crying so that was really special as well.  

Maxi and Cody

Hey I have one last small but big favor to ask before you all come out.  Micaela wants purple vans!  You know the vans that I have mom?  Well could you buy light purple vans for her??  She is a size 40 in women's European shoes.  Here in Spain they are 80 euros!!!  They don´t make a lot of money and they have given me a ton of gifts.  They have given me a jersey from Argentina and a this thing called MATE and it´s expensive!  So I feel like that is something that we could do for her.

Hanging out with the Spainhowers

District Leader Training

District Leader Training

So this last week we have still not been able to get a hold of the Philippine guy but we know where he lives now.  Also we have been talking to the Cubans and we talked to her and she is doing well.  She has stopped smoking on her own with the help of God of course.  Well okay I don´t know what more to say!  Hey Luis will get baptized this week as well!  Wooot!  The Lord is blessing us!

The missionary closest to Pres. Deere is Cody's new companion, Elder Oldroyd

I have a new missionary with me for 2 days named Elder Oldroyd. He is from Mesa Arizona.  I will train him until he gets some paperwork completed.  There is some pics in the next email.

PS  Manning can sing hymns really well.  He has arranged hymns to play and sing so no worries he will still sing.

CODES