Transfer 11 Week 5
Guadalajara

Hello all! 


Well there is some news! My tablet broke... SO what happened was that I used it for a lesson, and then from the lesson to physical therapy it somehow broke. So not sure how that happened but, it broke the LCD screen, not the normal glass screen. The whole screen is black. So that's cool. And I can't get it fixed here because I looked and it would cost 280 euros.


But it's okay because we have the phone so that's how I'm writing today!

Well this week has been really awesome! We have been teaching a super awesome group of friends. So the main guy is named Daniel and we met him a while back and he is the bees knees. He is from Venezuela and is in his 20's. He introduced us to his 2 friend named Alain and Alfredo. Alain is from the Congo and Alfredo is also from 🇻🇪 Venezuela! 

Also our other friend is named Rafael! He is from Ecuatorial New Guinea 🇬🇼, and is a lawyer in Madrid but live in Guadalajara. Is so super great and has really accepted the gospel. He has been coming for church every Sunday and has been really progressing. He is the best. 

So this pro ably won't be super long but I wanted to tell a story that happened to me yesterday. Well to me and my companion. So as many of you know, she has a third degree sprained ankle. So she sprained it about 4 months this ago and has only recently began to walk again using crutches, so she walks pretty slow. So we ended up having to spend the night in Madrid, in Barrio 8 so we had to travel late last night to go to the temple the next morning. So we went to the bus stop close to our house Ryo wait for a bus that would take us to the train station but the bus stop is under construction. So we were just waiting there for the bus and when it came I flagged it down but it didn't stop, until like 100 yards away. So then I ran to get the bus, and then the bus driver did not want to wait for my Companion so I postponed as best as I could until she finally got on. It was a close call. So then after that we go on the train and when our stop comes I let my companion go in front of me and right as we arrive at the train doors to leave, the doors close and my companion as a truly heroic act throws her crutch inbetween the doors to stop them. It did not work. Her crutch got stuck and we ended up going to train stops further away then we were supposed to. So then I tried to pull it out and the end of her crutch came off, so then she turned into a pirate with a pet crutch. It was pretty good. Well then we were able to go to the temple and feel the spirt super strong. Then we had a zone pday and played soccer and had a turkey bowl ! It was pretty fun. Now we're just going home. We'll transfers will be this Saturday and I think that we will be in a trio! So that should be fun. Tomorrow we are going to have a Thanksgiving feast with Micheal, that guy who just got baptized. It is going to be awesome! We'll I love y'all and I hope that you guys have a great week!!!

Transfer 11 week 3

Hey hey! 

Well this week has been really amazing. I mean I always say that, but I really mean it this time. (And everytime...)

Well first off, we have been really trying to work on finding because the last few weeks we have had to drop like 10 investgators who were not progressing at all, so then we only had like 2 left, so needless to say that we had to find some new people! So the lord defninitely blessed us a ton or as they say in spanish, a mountain (un monton)... We were just walking on this really pretty street by the church that has all of these pretty trees on both sides and christmas lights. Something I like to do is ask people for directions, even if I know where Im going because people are always much nicer to me if I lost, so I asked this lady where the street that we were going to was, and she said the she didn't have a clue because she had only been here for 2 days, and was from Nicaragua. Let me tell you, every single person from nicaragua that I have ever met has been excepcionally kind! So we talked with her, and then taught her about the gospel, and then she came to this cool pancake activity that we didi at church on sunday! She is doing realy good. If you want to pray for her, her name is Gissel. 

Then we taught this guy who is the boyfriend of a super cute member. So the member is from the dominivan republic and seh came here about a year ago to study a masters degree. He name is marlene. She is super sweet. So then one day she took a bus and was making eyes and the bus driver who was really cute but then after she got off, not having the courage to talk to him, she didint see him for a long time. He eneded up changeing bus lines. But one day a few months later she got on the wrong bus accidentally, but saw that it was him that wasd riving and decided it was worth it. So then they talked and he got her number and then they started to date, and now that are a couple. Super cute right? So his name is miguel. He is as spanish as they come, and from Galicia which is the left northern part of spain. They talk really closed there, like they have a piece of bread in there mouth, or like... Have you every talked to someone who had a ciggarette in their mouth? Like that. So we taught him the RESTORATION and he really liked it. He already is coming to church every sunday, so he is doing really well. 

Then we met 2 guys who were walking together named Daniel, and alain. Daniel is from veenzuela and has only been in GUADALAJARA for 1 week. He is in his late 20's and is sups nice. Then alain is this cute little african man from the Democratic republic of Congo. He is just 20 even though he looks way older and only speaks portugese, and french, so... Yeah we are pretty much teaching if portugese #Duolingo #Giftoftounges. So they both came to church on sunday and really enjoyed it. They also came to the pancake thing we did too. 

Then to top it all off, the elders had a completely miracle and surprise baptism on Saturday. So what happen was they were wlaking last week just on the street when all of the sudden this man stopped his car and yelled at them, asking if they were the mormons. They said yes and he ask to meet the bishop becasue he wanted to join the church. So they that they could just meet with them and so they did and they taught him a little bit when they eneded up hearing kind of his life story.

So he is from El salvador, but grew up his whole life in New York City. He is jewish, and grew up in a very very orthodow jewish society with the hats and clothes, etc... So he grew like that, but when he got older and truly began to study for himself, he started to doubt why Jewish people didnt belive the christ was the chosen messiah. He has 2 masters degrees in theology, and he has read the bible and the torrah in english, spanish, hebrew. Oh yeah, he speak Perfect hebrew, spanish, and english. So then all of the people in his community thought that he had gone crazy, so the made him go to therapy, etc. Then eventually when he would not deny his beleif in christ, they shunned him from the society, his wife divirced him and kept his kids, and he wad forced to leave. So he went to Cancun, Mexico and got remarried to another Jewish girl. So then when he was in Mexico, he got kidnapped for 8 months and tortured. He thought that he was going to die, and he really didnt know why god would make him be there. He knew thst he was only going to be saved by god, and that he was to learn something from his experience. So as he was there, he started to have these dreams. Dreams about the mormons. So then he escaped by the sheer grace of god. So then he started to meet with the missionaries in mexico. He only met with them a few times and learned about the book of mormon. He stopped meeting with them and then started to study on his own. He read the book of mormon 6 times, and then moved to GUADALAJARA, and then found the missionaries. He still had doubts if this was really the way that the lord wanted him to go, so then the bishop told him to ask god. So he went, and did it, and the lord spoke peace to his heart, and then he knew. So then he told the elders that we wanted to het baptized like 3 days ago, so then he got his interview, and then got baptized. It was an amzing spiritual experience. Super cool. 

So that was our week. We had 5 people in church, and found 4 new people! The lord truly is a god of miracles. Love y'all! Have an awesome week. #52daysleft...

I OONLY HAVE 7 DAYS LEFT... Crae Crae... 

El 30 oct. 2017 3:08 p. m., "Taylor Webster" <taylor.webster@myldsmail.net> escribió:

Well this week has been really great. Big changes. Big changes are happeing. Well what kind of changes are we talking about here? Well for one, Cataluña declared independence from Spain. So everyone is talking about it right niw, and no one really knows what will happen or what it means. Spain says that is illegal and impossible for them to do, but Cataluña say its going to do what it wants. So from what I have heard, Spain has put a lot of restrictions on Cataluña, like cutting of TV and internet, retriciting schools, and government functions, etc. So I am not 100 percent sure what will happen but its a little scary. I mean I know that I am far away but I just hope thst it get figured out soon. 

Well also, the church is making some changes. They will reduce the number of mission in the world here pretty quick. They are promoting the use new technology to further the people and lands that we can reach. They are changing the sunday school program and how it will work, and how we will learn and teach one another in the kingdom. They have changed the general conference schedule... Its just crazy amazing to me! The lord is hadtening his work, and he is doing it right now. I am just happy that I can be a part of it. Changes are really good, and they help us to grow. I mean that is what repentanc is; a change of nature, a change of heart. Well other than that this wekm has benn really good, as always. We had concilio with president and hermanna pack in their house. We talked about the needs of the mission, and of our specific zones, and whst we could do to help them. We also talked about the upcoming Christmas campaign #lighttheworld, and what we can do to "Own it". So I am actually superdupercalifragilisticexpialidociuosly excited for the new christmas campaign. In spanish it is ILUMINAELMUNDO. Its gunna be lit?.. Ha. Then we also were able to find lots of great peopel ans ahre the gospel with them this week and set up some new appointments with some of them. So this next week we are going to be booked. We were also able to make some good plans to do something with our zone to help them. We are going to have a scavenger hunt to help them find more poeple, work better with members, and just be more excited and motivated! So we will start that this next week sometime and will do it until December. Also! BIG NEWS: Caridad will be

baptized on Novemebr 4th, and I will be able to be there via technology and whatapp. I am so proud of her and how far she has come. She has truly had the change of heart, and has true desires to follow our savior and his perfect gospel. I feel blessed to have been a small part of her converstion and testimony. So I will send you guys some picture's of her next week when they come. 

So, my grandparents sent me an amazing story that I thought was remarkably powerful that I wanted to share with y'all, because many times we foucus and the saviors suffering and death, and forget the all important fact that He Lives! He lives and loves us and speaks with our prophets and apostles. HE LIVES!

The following account was shared by LeRoi C. Snow, the son of President Lorenzo Snow. Brother Snow tells how, at age 85, his father was concerned he would be asked to succeed President Wilford Woodruff, who was ailing, as President of the Church. Following President Woodruff’s death on September 2, 1898, President Snow knelt at an altar in the Salt Lake Temple and pleaded with the Lord for guidance.

Detail from The Second Coming, by Harry Anderson

After finishing his prayer, [my father] expected a reply, some special manifestation from the Lord. So he waited—and waited—and waited. There was no reply, no voice, no visitation, no manifestation. He left the altar and the room in great disappointment. Passing through the celestial room and out into the large corridor, a glorious manifestation was given President Snow which I relate in the words of his granddaughter, Allie Young Pond. …

“One evening while I was visiting Grandpa Snow in his room in the Salt Lake Temple, I remained until the door keepers had gone and the night watchmen had not yet come in, so grandpa said he would take me to the main front entrance and let me out that way. … After we left his room and while we were still in the large corridor leading into the celestial room, I was walking several steps ahead of Grandpa when he stopped me and said: ‘Wait a moment, Allie, I want to tell you something. It was right here that the Lord Jesus Christappeared to me at the time of the death of President Woodruff. He instructed me to go right ahead and reorganize the First Presidency of the Church at once and not wait as had been done after the death of the previous presidents, and that I was to succeed President Woodruff.’

“Then Grandpa came a step nearer and held out his left hand and said: ‘He stood right here, about three feet above the floor. It looked as though He stood on a plate of solid gold.’

“Grandpa told what a glorious personage the Savior is and described His hands, feet, countenance, and beautiful white robes, all of which were of such a glory of whiteness and brightness that he could hardly gaze upon Him.

“Then he came another step nearer and put his right hand on my head and said: ‘Now, Granddaughter, I want you to remember that this is the testimony of your grandfather, that he told you with his own lips that he actually saw the Savior, here in the temple, and talked with Him face to face.’”

… I related this experience in the Eighteenth Ward sacramental service. After the meeting Elder Arthur Winter told me he also had heard my father tell of the Savior’s appearance to him in the temple instructing him not only to reorganize the First Presidency at once but also to select the same counselors that President Woodruff had, Presidents George Q. 

Transfer 11 week 2
Hermana hazard

Well this week has been really great. Big changes. Big changes are happeing. Well what kind of changes are we talking about here? Well for one, Cataluña declared independence from Spain. So everyone is talking about it right niw, and no one really knows what will happen or what it means. Spain says that is illegal and impossible for them to do, but Cataluña say its going to do what it wants. So from what I have heard, Spain has put a lot of restrictions on Cataluña, like cutting of TV and internet, retriciting schools, and government functions, etc. So I am not 100 percent sure what will happen but its a little scary. I mean I know that I am far away but I just hope thst it get figured out soon. 

Well also, the church is making some changes. They will reduce the number of mission in the world here pretty quick. They are promoting the use new technology to further the people and lands that we can reach. They are changing the sunday school program and how it will work, and how we will learn and teach one another in the kingdom. They have changed the general conference schedule... Its just crazy amazing to me! The lord is hadtening his work, and he is doing it right now. I am just happy that I can be a part of it. Changes are really good, and they help us to grow. I mean that is what repentanc is; a change of nature, a change of heart. Well other than that this wekm has benn really good, as always. We had concilio with president and hermanna pack in their house. We talked about the needs of the mission, and of our specific zones, and whst we could do to help them. We also talked about the upcoming Christmas campaign #lighttheworld, and what we can do to "Own it". So I am actually superdupercalifragilisticexpialidociuosly excited for the new christmas campaign. In spanish it is ILUMINAELMUNDO. Its gunna be lit?.. Ha. Then we also were able to find lots of great peopel ans ahre the gospel with them this week and set up some new appointments with some of them. So this next week we are going to be booked. We were also able to make some good plans to do something with our zone to help them. We are going to have a scavenger hunt to help them find more poeple, work better with members, and just be more excited and motivated! So we will start that this next week sometime and will do it until December. Also! BIG NEWS: Caridad will be baptized on Novemebr 4th, and I will be able to be there via technology and whatapp. I am so proud of her and how far she has come. She has truly had the change of heart, and has true desires to follow our savior and his perfect gospel. I feel blessed to have been a small part of her converstion and testimony. So I will send you guys some picture's of her next week when they come. 

So, my grandparents sent me an amazing story that I thought was remarkably powerful that I wanted to share with y'all, because many times we foucus and the saviors suffering and death, and forget the all important fact that He Lives! He lives and loves us and speaks with our prophets and apostles. HE LIVES!

The following account was shared by LeRoi C. Snow, the son of President Lorenzo Snow. Brother Snow tells how, at age 85, his father was concerned he would be asked to succeed President Wilford Woodruff, who was ailing, as President of the Church. Following President Woodruff’s death on September 2, 1898, President Snow knelt at an altar in the Salt Lake Temple and pleaded with the Lord for guidance.

Detail from The Second Coming, by Harry Anderson

After finishing his prayer, [my father] expected a reply, some special manifestation from the Lord. So he waited—and waited—and waited. There was no reply, no voice, no visitation, no manifestation. He left the altar and the room in great disappointment. Passing through the celestial room and out into the large corridor, a glorious manifestation was given President Snow which I relate in the words of his granddaughter, Allie Young Pond. …

“One evening while I was visiting Grandpa Snow in his room in the Salt Lake Temple, I remained until the door keepers had gone and the night watchmen had not yet come in, so grandpa said he would take me to the main front entrance and let me out that way. … After we left his room and while we were still in the large corridor leading into the celestial room, I was walking several steps ahead of Grandpa when he stopped me and said: ‘Wait a moment, Allie, I want to tell you something. It was right here that the Lord Jesus Christappeared to me at the time of the death of President Woodruff. He instructed me to go right ahead and reorganize the First Presidency of the Church at once and not wait as had been done after the death of the previous presidents, and that I was to succeed President Woodruff.’

“Then Grandpa came a step nearer and held out his left hand and said: ‘He stood right here, about three feet above the floor. It looked as though He stood on a plate of solid gold.’

“Grandpa told what a glorious personage the Savior is and described His hands, feet, countenance, and beautiful white robes, all of which were of such a glory of whiteness and brightness that he could hardly gaze upon Him.

“Then he came another step nearer and put his right hand on my head and said: ‘Now, Granddaughter, I want you to remember that this is the testimony of your grandfather, that he told you with his own lips that he actually saw the Savior, here in the temple, and talked with Him face to face.’”

… I related this experience in the Eighteenth Ward sacramental service. After the meeting Elder Arthur Winter told me he also had heard my father tell of the Savior’s appearance to him in the temple instructing him not only to reorganize the First Presidency at once but also to select the same counselors that President Woodruff had, Presidents George Q. Cannon and Joseph F. Smith.

Transfer 11
Week 1
Guadalahara- Hermana

Hey hey!

How is everyone doing? I hooe that you jave all had a great week! I have. My first week here in guadalajara has been just great. It is really beautiful here. It is very spanish, and all of the trees are changing colors. It really reminds me of leon, excpet not as cold. It has been really cold here these last few days though. My companion is in a wheel chair because she twisted her ankle really bad about 3 months ago and tuen kept walking on it and ended up breaking some ligaments, etc. So she was commanded to not walk at all for 1 months. So this week we went to the doctor and he said that she can stsrt to walk like a little bit with 2 crutches for 2 weeks, and then with one crustch for 2 more weeks. So we will go to a phiscal therapist today sometime so she can stsrt phsical therapy. But its cool. I mean we cant go for long distances becauee let me tell you, GUADALAJARA is a remarkabley hilly place when you have to push a wheelchair all day, so we tend to plan out our routes really well, and take some buses but there arent really very many. So we are trying new and more creative ways to find new people, and do the lords work the best that we can. The ward here is really little but is totally awesome. There are about 50-60 active members here so we have a ward, but is small. Our bishop is awesome and iis from chile. Chileans are the best, and their flag is almost the same as the texas flag so we get along well. We are teaching some cool people. I mean most of the investagwotrs thst we have we wilk probabaly end up dropping beacuse they are not progressing but we are teaching a super sweet girl from india named gracy. We are also teaching a Mom, daugther, and son feom bulgaria. Get this... The moms name is Ratkah, and the daughters name is Latkah. So thats pretty cool. That is pretty much the low down out here. There is a lot of work to do here, and i know ane have confidence that the lord will help us out in every aspect. Im sure that i have already felt his hand helping me push the wheel chair when i couldent do it anymore. Well i was thinking about this cool little stoey and decided to share it with you all. I know the gospel has the power to change us, if we have the power to let it. Remember, that the lord does not wants us to change our behavior, but our nature. 

There is an old Jewish story about a soap maker who did not believe in God. One day, while walking with a rabbi, he said: "There is something I can not understand; we have had religion for thousands of years, but wherever you look there is evil, corruption, dishonesty, injustice, pain, hunger and violence. It seems that religion has not improved the world at all. So I ask him, what's the use? "

The rabbi did not respond for a while, but kept walking with the soap maker. Finally they approached a park where the children, covered with dust, played in the earth.

"There is something I do not understand," said the rabbi. "Look at those children; we have had soap for thousands of years, and yet those children are dirty. What good is the soap? "

The soap maker replied: "But Rabbi, it is not fair to blame the soap for those dirty children; the soap has to be used before it can achieve its purpose. "

The rabbi smiled and said, "Exactly."

Religion without action is like the soap that remains in the box; it may have wonderful potential, but it actually has little power to have any effect until it fulfills its purpose. The restored gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of action.

Transfer 10 Week 5

I'M GOING TO GUADALAJARA AS A SISTER TRAINING LEADER... 

Thats pretty much it. Also my companions name is Hermana Hazard. 

Also, CARIDAD IS GETTING BAPTIZED! 

Okay, thats really all that I have to say. 

Well also, we have just had a really bomb week. We have been teaching lots and lots of cool people. Our relationship with the ward has just been getting better and better. Actually for the first time in like a year, we had a really awesome and successful activity with the ward! We did a bunch of minute to win it games, and then we had a potluck where everyone had to bring the typical food from their country. It was literally off the hook! There was a ton of people who showed up. We brought Caridad and she loved it so much. It was just a really great way to end my time here in 7 palmas. So that is really cool. Also, nope, actually thats it. So I officially only have 10 more weeks. So not really ready to end my mission in 10 weeks, but, i have had a really great time being a missionary. I don't want to stop it. 

Also, this week I read a really great conference talk. I really loved it. I really feel like I should share it with you, so I hope that you like it. 

During the years I served as a stake president, I often would contact one of the bishops and invite him to prayerfully identify individuals or families we could visit together. Before traveling to a home, the bishop and I would kneel and petition our Heavenly Father for guidance and inspiration, for us and for the members with whom we would meet.

      Our visits were quite straightforward. We expressed love and appreciation for the opportunity to be in their home. We affirmed that we were servants of the Lord on His errand to their home. We indicated that we missed and needed them--and that they needed the blessings of the restored gospel. And at some point early in our conversation I often would ask a question like this: “Will you please help us understand why you are not actively participating in the blessings and programs of the Church?”

I made hundreds and hundreds of such visits. Each individual, each family, each home, and each answer was different. Over the years, however, I detected a common theme in many of the answers to my questions. Frequently responses like these were given:

      “Several years ago a man said something in Sunday School that offended me, and I have not been back since.”

      “No one in this branch greeted or reached out to me. I felt like an outsider. I was hurt by the unfriendliness of this branch.”

      “I did not agree with the counsel the bishop gave me. I will not step foot in that building again as long as he is serving in that position.”

      Many other causes of offense were cited--from doctrinal differences among adults to taunting, teasing, and excluding by youth. But the recurring theme was: “I was offended by …”

      The bishop and I would listen intently and sincerely. One of us might next ask about their conversion to and testimony of the restored gospel. As we talked, eyes often were moist with tears as these good people recalled the confirming witness of the Holy Ghost and described their prior spiritual experiences. Most of the “less-active” people I have ever visited had a discernible and tender testimony of the truthfulness of the restored gospel. However, they were not presently participating in Church activities and meetings.

And then I would say something like this. “Let me make sure I understand what has happened to you. Because someone at church offended you, you have not been blessed by the ordinance of the sacrament. You have withdrawn yourself from the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost. Because someone at church offended you, you have cut yourself off from priesthood ordinances and the holy temple. You have discontinued your opportunity to serve others and to learn and grow. And you are leaving barriers that will impede the spiritual progress of your children, your children’s children, and the generations that will follow.” Many times people would think for a moment and then respond: “I have never thought about it that way.”

      The bishop and I would then extend an invitation: “Dear friend, we are here today to counsel you that the time to stop being offended is now. Not only do we need you, but you need the blessings of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Please come back--now.”

      Choose Not to Be Offended

Transfer 10 Week 5

Well! 

This week has come and gone so fast. I feel like I alwaus say that, but it's because it's always true.  Well we have had an amazing week. We are teaching some super cool people, that are reallt progressing and really have true desires to be baptized. I will give you the low down about them. 

Well the first one is this super sweet older lady from cuba, named Caridad. We just call her mama cari. She truly wants to follow christ, and be part of his church. She told us that she would like to be baptized. So this week we have taught her a few times and she is just progressing realky well. She has changed. I can feel it every time I go over, that heavenly father is changing her becuase she is letting him. Its amazing, and I know that she can feel it too. So like I said, she is from cuba, visiting for a little while with her son but will return to ciba soon. So she will be one of the first memebers of the church in cuba. So because there are only 2 church buildings in all of cuba, both of them being in the capital, we are going to get in contact with the missionairws of cuba and see if they can go to her town and start baptizing people. Its cool. She has a baptismal date for October 28th. 

The other one is a sweet girl from Nigeria. Her name is blesing, and she has a 1 year old son named Michael. She is super great and really has desires to do the right thing for herself, and her son. So she has come to chruch the last 2 sundays and has a baptismal date for the 28th of October. 

So, those are the 2 people who are really progressing and will be baptized. Apart from that we are teaching some pretty great people, but we are trying to find more. That is our focus for this next week; Finding. Also! We are doing this thing with our zone. We are playing BINGO, missionary style, to find more poeple and work with members. So we have been doing that, and if everyone in our zone gets bingo, except for the zone leaders and stl's then they have to do the Ice bucket challenge. But is somemone doesnt get it and they do then we all have to do it. So we are pretty motivated. I'll attach a picture. 

Well in other news, I am officially 21. Eww. I had a grear birthday, and thank you al so much for the kindess and love. I felt it all. My companion made me doughnuts, with maple frosting. #Blessed. She also taught me how-to make bread. Also I died somebodies hair this week. It turned out good I think. 

We just had a great week. I feel like with everyday closer to the end, I just grow to love the Mission more, and love the people more and more. Also, this is an excerpt from the Riccardi letter that I absolutely love, and have been pondering about this week. I have been trying to put it into practice. Do it too! 

Facing Rejection:

 Which  brings  me  to  this  critical  point.  I  can  honestly  say  that  one  of  the  most  valuable  lessons  I  learned  from Ricciardi was  the  importance  of  viewing rejection  as  positive.  Yea,  sounds  crazy  huh?  Take  a  minute and  look through  his  eyes  for  a  moment.  He  believed  that  when  we  were  experiencing  rejection,  it  was an  opportunity  to prove  our  commitment  to  the  Lord.  He  felt  that  it  was  an  opportunity  to  prove  to  the  person  rejecting  our  message that  we  are  truly  servants  of  the  Lord.    It's  amazing the  effect  it  has to  smile  at  someone  who  is  being  rude  to  you, perhaps  even  yelling and  cursing at  you,  making fun  of  you  and  then  respond  like  Ricciardi  and  say  "sorry  to  upset you,  please  have  a  nice  day,  if  missionaries  come  by  someday  in  the  future  please  don't  be  mad,  give  them  a chance".    I  would  get  angry  during one  of  these  confrontations  and  as  a  young "don't  know  much"  missionary  let my temper  get  the  best  of  me  and  say  "you  shut  your  mouth"  or  “come  out  here  and  get  me  off  your  porch”  (sad to  say  I  actually  did  say  that  once…or  twice).  To  be  honest,  in  my  early,  immature  first  few  weeks,  fighting back made me  feel better.  It  didn't  take long to  realize  that  it  would  be  a  very  long 2  years  if I  spent  it  telling  mean people  that  they  are  ignorant  and  to  shut  up.  When  I  would  say  to  Ricciardi,  "why  did  you  apologize to  that  jerk" he  would  say  "because  it  makes  me  feel happier".  He  understood  that  happiness  is  truly  a  choice,  not  a  random event.  He  believed  that  rejection  of  any  kind  was  a  sure sign  of  the  FACT  that  God  lives,  and  was  an  affirmation  of the  rightness  of  our  mission.   One thing I  remember  vividly  about  Ricciardi was  his  ability  to  not  let  things  get  him  down  or  upset.   In  fact,  on  the more  difficult  days  (and  you  know  there  are  always  plenty  of  those),  he  smiled  and  laughed  more.   On  those particular  days  I  found  his  extra  dose  of  "happy  smiling Elder"  annoying.   Yet  again  he  would  prove  its  value  to  me.   He would  say  “Elder  Humphrey,  I  know  we  are  in  tune  with  the  Lord,  because  He  sent  us  to  a  neighborhood  where no  one  wants  to  listen,  and  they  are  mean  and  confrontational.   When  I  am  prayerfully  led  to  these  kind  of situations,  it  confirms  we  are  being led  by  the  spirit  because  Our  Father  knows  how  bad  this  neighborhood  was going to  be,  and  expected  us  to  leave  20 houses  ago.   Yet  here  we  are!!!   This  is  awesome!!!”   (By  the  way, Ricciardi’s  favorite  American  word  was  “awesome”).   It  was  this  kind  of  talk  that  led  me  to  conclude  that something was  either  not  normal  with  my  Italian  compadre  OR he  was  one  of  the  three  Nephites.   After seeing how,  and  what  he  would  eat,  I  eliminated  the  “three  Nephites"  theory.   When I  was  in  high  school,  I  worked  at  a  golf  course.   I  became  friends  with  the  assistant  pro  and  he  started  to  give me free  lessons.   I  quit  after about  10 lessons  for  one  simple  reason:   I  was  frustrated  by  the  55  things  you  have  to think  about  almost  simultaneously  in  order  to  have  a  good  swing.   The  club  pro  finally  advised  me  to  stop  taking lessons,  go  play  and  do  one  thing for  him,  just  swing,  swing,  swing.    That’s  it.   Do  not  give  any  care  as to  where  the ball  goes,  just  swing.   He  told  me  “Danny,  you  will enjoy  golf better  by  just  swinging”.   The  same  applies  to missionary  work.   Ricciardi saw  the  mission  experience  as  incredibly  simple.  He  understood  that  his  mission  was  to  speak  to  as  many people  as  possible  and  that  was  it.   Yes,  there’s  a  lot  more to  it  than  that,  but  a  mission  is  nothing without  talking.  He would  tell me  “stop  worrying about  what  you’re  saying,  just  open  your  mouth  and  say  something”.   I  took  that advice  to  mean  the  Lord  would  always  fill  my  mouth  with  exactly  what  to  say.    Truth  is,  I  said  some  pretty  stupid things,  offended  people  many  times  (mostly  accidental of  course).   But  I  began  to  enjoy  missionary  work  when  I concentrated  on  getting out  the  door  and  opening my  mouth.   Like the  golf  pro  said  "just  go  out  and  swing." 

1. Me and wihongi.

2. Me and wihongi again. 

3. Sushie we ate at an all you can eat buffet. 

4. The carrot. 

5. A free pizza we got from Dominoes becuase they took to long. 

6. A pretty view from luis's house. 

7. Viva brasil!

8. Birthday pizza. (Not free this time.)

9. Doughnuts.

10. 21...

Transfer 10 Week 4

Well hello. 

I love general conference, especially on the mission. I always feel spiritually protected from evil and temptation. I feel like a sheild of light gets formed around me as I listen to the words, and feel the spirit prick my heart. It is truly amazing. I loved many of the talks,  and testimonies of the leaders, and felt strongly the presence of the savior. That was dwfinily the highlight of my week. 

Well, basically this week we worked really hard. We taught lots of good people about the savior and anytime you get the oppoutrtunity to do that, its just great. I also got really sick. So ww went on monday to play wiffle ball with the district and the next day, I startwd to get a little bit of a head cold, but I thought it would be fine or go away. False. So I proceeded to get a littlw worse on Wednesday, and then on thrusday, I got a really bad fever, and had the chills, etc. So all of the me really getting sick stuffed happend while we were at the relief society presidents ouse, so then she gave me some medicine, and made mw go home and "rest". So I did as I was commanded, and took the rest of thursday and rested, and THEN Friday I was a lot better. I am still super congested but good to go now. So that was kind of lame, but sickness is just weakness leaving the body, right? So tchnically speaking I am stronger now than I was on Monday. Physically and spiritually.... 

Well not much has changed. We did decide on what we are going to do in our ward to get them pumped up! So we are goingnto have a Book of Mormon week. We are making a book of mormon video, like the "pass the pineapple" video from physch. So it will be cool, because now that we have facebook we want to stsrt using it to peak peoples interest in learning more about he gospel, etc. So I am really pumped for that. 

Well as many of you know, I will be having a birthday here pretty quick. I will officially be able to buy achohol in the untied states, and.... Well, Oh I can have a normal drivers license, right? Well I just have one wish for my birthday. I wish that all of you could go and find one person this week who is alone, sad, depressed, stressed out,  or burnt out and give them 10 minutes of your time. Listen if they need you to listen. Talk if they need you to talk, but just try your best to be the pwrson that that person needs. Will you do that? All I want is for you to do that, and to send me your stories of how you felt afterwards. Okay? 

Well I just have a cook story/talk from my friends mom. So... 

When we first got to the falls, there was a mother bear fishing the falls with her cubs.  She is Bear 171 to be specific (all of the adult bears are numbered by the rangers where possible). This mama is an incredible fisherman.  She was getting three fish for every one caught by the large, adult males at the falls.  This lady just knew how to hustle and get the job done.  She knew that her days at the falls were numbered, because once the REALLY big bears arrive, it's too dangerous to have cubs around (sometimes larger males will kill and eat bear cubs).  So Bear 171 was really focused on teaching those cubs how to fish and she felt the urgency of her task.  One day, she had caught 8 or 9 fish and the cubs were happy and well fed, and they wandered out of the river and climbed a nearby tree where they played around.  Bear 171 was so focused on fishing that it took her a moment to notice they were gone.  You should have seen the action when she turned around and realized her cubs were no longer at her side. That bear SPRINTED for the shore, and when she saw those cubs goofing off in a tree, she went to the base of it and growled LOUDLY up the tree.  Who knows what she said in bear language, but I'll tell you that within 10 seconds those cubs had RACED down the tree and were back in the river at their mother's side, watching her every move.  I'm calling this lesson, "GET OUT OF THE TREES, and INTO THE RIVER." Those bears have a small window of time when they can learn to fish, a skill necessary for their survival.  Their mother knew it, and she made sure they were in that water. 

So, the application? We all have trees in our lives, things that are fun, things that are entertaining and possibly distract us from the task at hand. But the RIVER is the LIVING WATER of the Gospel.  We need to remember to come out of the trees and get into the river.  It takes patience to sit in the river and wait for a fish.  It takes diligence and hard work and discipline.  But learning how to be fed and nourished in living water is the thing we MOST need in this life.  So when the salmon are running, we need to be there to learn and to fish.  I would say for you Elders, THE SALMON ARE RUNNING.  Your mission is the time to be fully immersed in the river.  The bear cubs can only stand in shallow water or they will be washed downstream, but as they learn and grow, they are eventually able to stand in the deep pools of water where the most fish are gathered.  You are no longer bear cubs.  You are learning to fish the deep waters.  Be obedient to your mission presidents.  For this time, STAY out of the trees and IN the river.  As you do so, you will always be blessed.

Transfer 10 week 3

Well the time just goes by so fast. I feel like everyday just goes by in a flash and blur. Things here in spain are going really well. The lord is definitely pressurijg his work, and we have been non-stop busy thansk to it. We have started teaching a few of the mmebers one on one English class as some service hours, and its actually really awesome because it is really helping our relationship with them, and it helps us to work better together.  So one of the people that we teach is our relief society president, who is from Brasil. So we went over there thursday morning, and as we were going in, we met this man. So a few weeks earlier, we had talked to this super kind, brasilian man on the bus and he said that he had somw friends that were mormon, and that he really admired them and how they lived their lives. So as were goingnto maria house we found him, Jefferson! So turns out that his super good mormon friends are our relief society president, and her husband. Cool right? 

Also, this week we started teaching this man named jorge. He is awesome, and really smart. He is feom Bolivia, but jas lived in the united states. He is a realtor, and has a family, and his life put together. So we taught him the plan of salvation which he loved, and he really had some super profound, and deep quesrions that were answered by the plan and the scritpures. It was cool. So we will teach him again next week. 

We also taught this other guy named jose. He is from Ecuador. His nephew serve a mission in barcelona and loves in vecindario. So he already knows a little bit about the Book of Mormon and the Restoration, etc. Its guay. Or I guess they say chévere in Ecuador. They say guay, or chulo here for cool. 

Also, we finally had a ward activity! The elders quorum put on a ward talent show! So we participated and had a ton of fun. We sang an EFY somg with some MEMEBRS, yours truly at the guitar and weird alto part that i never really learned. Thwn we did a, " How missionaries get ready in the morning" skit, or muppet thing. So all you cpuld see was my companions face, and I was her arms. So we ate cereal, I put on her makeup, I brushed her teeth, and wroked out, etc. The ward loved it! I definietly messed my companion up. So the funny thing is, is that it turns out that the lipstick that we used, and that i so carefully smeared across her face was permanen. Its te kind that is meant to stay on all day long. The poor thing. 

Okay, also the super tender Cuban lady that I told y'all about, named Cari, came to church! Sjw loved it, and the pesson in gospel principle was on point for her. It was exactly what she needed to hear. Then, in releif society she fell asleep, but just like president uchtdorf says, church sleep is the healthiest type of sleep. 

Then we went to susies house to eat, and then to watch the general womens conference. Then I fell aslwwp for the last talk. So dont ask me anymore uchtdorf qutoes because I couldn't tell ya. But then we left and went home and didi our studies, and weekly planning. 

All in all a super great week. I know that tjis is only a small fraction of all of the amazing stuff  that we saw and did, but I am really greatful for the week that I had. Well I felt like I should share a scripture with you guys; Helaman 5:12, and this story jist happens to include it so, cool beans. Its from, "Our search for Happiness". 

By the antagonistic philosophies of the 1960s, Steven found himself years later wandering around the country in pursuit of purpose and direction for his life. He walked one day through the streets of San Diego, California, when he saw two Mormon missionaries. Boys !, "he yelled at them as they passed by on their bicycles through a quiet residential neighborhood. "Are you selling something good?" The missionaries watched him and, for a moment, thought not to pay attention and continue pedaling. They had never seen a possible candidate who seemed less than promising. Steven had hair up to his shoulders, a thick, dirty beard, tattered clothes and dazies and a military cap. His face and hands were dirty, and a muffled cigarette hung from his mouth. Then, with the missionaries, they looked at each other. "No, we're not selling anything," said one of the missionaries, shrugging slightly and with a smile on his lips. "What we have, we're giving it for free. Very good! Steven replied. Somehow, during the conversation, the missionaries fought for Steven's spiritual longing, who invited them to his little messy mess. where they began to teach him about Jesus Christ and his important role in God's eternal plan for his children.After two hours, the missionaries arranged with Steven another visit for the next day. the missionaries discovered that Steven was not in his apartment at the appointed time, but there he was waiting for them, only this time they noticed something different in him, his eyes were bright and clear, and both he and his room looked very clean. soon as you were yesterday, "Steven told them excitedly, I took a shower, cleaned my room, and threw the bottle of liquor in the trash. cho more were surprised the next day when, upon arriving for a third visit, they found that Steven had shaved his beard and cut his hair. Once again, they heard him say, "I thought it logical to do it." He also thought it logical to buy clean clothes and get a job and break relations with certain friends. Each time they arrived at his apartment, the missionaries discovered that Steven decided to make it important to live. The missionaries had been teaching him about Jesus Christ and his gospel, but they had not yet asked him to make any change in his existence. Steven made those changes of his own volition and totally because the spirit of Christ was making changes in his person. In actuality, that spiritual tramp is a devout man of family, a prosperous businessman and a faithful disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. In one of the passages of the Book of Mormon, a noble spiritual leader named Helaman counseled his children: Remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, where you must establish your foundation, so that when the impetuous winds, yes, their darts in the whirlwind, if, when all their hail and furious storm whip you, it will not have the power to drag you into the abyss of misery and endless anguish, because of the rock upon which you are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation upon which, if men build, they shall not fall. "(Helaman 5:12)

Transfer 10 week 2

Well this week has been really great. We have been running around like crazy people all week getting to appointments and find places and meeting new people. It has been awesome. We are mweting wirh somw really great people.

So we met this new lady who was a reference from the missionaries in barcelona, and then from la laguna, who is named caridad (charity in english), but we call her mama cari. She is originally from cuba but is here living with her son for a little while, a few months or years. Shes not sure yet. She is super sweet and one of those people that you love after talking with them for 5 minutes. So we taught her about the Restoration and asked her what she wanted to get out of talking and learning with us. She saod that she would like to know the truth and get baptized. So we were like, "Okay.... (whispers to companion)... Did you hear what I heard?" So she is super cool.

Then we are meeting with this guy named George. So he is this older guy from Ghana, Africa. He is the coolest guy ever. So we were talking to him about his life and he told us that he was a ship merchant for a long time, and that he would travel to all of these crazy countries. He lived in japan for like 3 years, amd learned japanese. He has this big, crazy dog named fushi which i gues is something in japanese. He also speaks spansih, and chinese, amd some african languages. He then taught african cooking classes. He is a machine. So we taught him a few times and its cool beacuse we also teach him in this dog paek so that his dog can run and play. But his dog always ends up sitting on the bench with us the whole time so its kind of pointless, but watching the dogs play reminds me of rocky, so its makes me happy. He is still working toward his baptismal date of the 7th or October. Also we invited him to come to church on sunday. It was stake conference so it was kind of wierd schedule, but we invited him and he said that he would come. So sunday morning came and i called him and he said that he was on his way. Then we waited and waiter and waited. But then we came just a little late and he was able to have a great time. Also there were people there ttanslating so he got to listen to everything in english! Miracles!!! 

Today is officially 100 days until I go home.    Crazy how fast the time goes by. I feel like, in thw beginning of my mission, the time went by so slow, and i felt like I would never be able to speak Spanish, or learn to be a good teacher, or follow the spirit, or be this awesome missionary like I wanted to be. Now that i am here, I have found that my expectations were a little unrealistic. I dont speak perfect spanish, but I speak and and understand it. I am defnitley not a perfect teacher, but people can feel the spirt as I testify of truth. I have learned to follow the spirtr, and the way that is speaks and communicates with me, and that when i follow the things it tells me, I always see miralces. I know I am not the "Perfect Missionary, person, sister, daughter, friend, grandchild, student, etc," But I know that I am a child of god and that I have worth, and that I can become a better and more perfect version of me as I follow the savior. 

Anyhow, we had a great week and next week will be even better! 

Something that I have been thinking a lot about lately is technology. Technology is something that can be such a blessing in our lives, or such a destruction and  destraction. It is something that can make or break our lives. What is at the center of your lives? If you took away everything from your life, every object, thing, what would be at the center? Is is christ? Is it a desire to follow him and to do all that you can do to be a witness of his name in every moment? Is his name always on your lips? If not, how can we chage that? I truly can say that as a 20 something girl living in the world today, that one of the biggest distractions I had before my mission was Definitly technology, and buy Things; the foolish and vain this of the world. So we must learn how to control these things so that we are agents and not objects. These are some quotes and things from a book called, "Safeguards for using Technology." You can find it under the missionary tab on thw gospel library app, at the very bottom.

The choices you make regarding how you use technology should help you become more like the Savior. Rely on grace—the help or strength given through Christ’s Atonement—as you seek to become an effective instrument in the Lord’s hands. The best filter you have is your own will and desire to make righteous choices. Elder David F. Evans stated: “The only really effective filter for lifelong technology use is the individual heart and mind of the individual young person. … We have great faith that … thousands of people develop worthy lifelong digital habits, which will bless their lives and their families forever” (“Elder David F. Evans Discusses Expanded Missionary Efforts,” mormonnewsroom.org). People should take seriously the responsibility of continually striving to “purify [their] hearts” (D&C 88:74-75)

74 And I give unto you, who are the first laborers in this last kingdom, a commandment that you assemble yourselves together, and organize yourselves, and prepare yourselves, and sanctify yourselves; yea, purify your hearts, and cleanse your hands and your feet before me, that I may make you clean;
75 That I may testify unto your Father, and your God, and my God, that you are clean from the blood of this wicked generation; that I may fulfil this promise, this great and last promise, which I have made unto you, when I will.

1. Columbus's house

2. The church where columbus prayed at before leaving on his trip. 

3. Us drawing the plan of slavation in a park with some random kids. 

4-5. Cuban money, note the guns. 

6. Us and luis, our recent convert, and his mom.

7. Some cool cursive paper that columbus wrote.

8. His house... Again. We took a tour. It was super cool. His house is older than our nation.