Piso Tour 2016 - Spain Madrid Mission

Day 10, July 27, 2016....After a nice breakfast with the District President we headed for an inspection at the sisters' Piso. One of our brand new sisters and her trainer, who is also very new, had cold watermelon waiting for us. Yum!! We enjoyed our time with these two sweet and very capable sisters who had a very clean Piso. 

-Hna Cindy Pack

Piso Tour 2016 - Spain Madrid Mission - Vigo

Day 10, July 27, 2016...Today we woke up in Vigo. We love this beautiful city with its amazing water front and quaint old European cobblestone roads. The city also has amazing roundabout artwork.

Who would diet when you could eat chocolate?

Seriously though. The food here is too good. But hey! We have lots of hill I walk up and down all day everyday so I work it off.   This week was too full to be a week, it was so long it feels like a month but so fast that it feels like just a few days. Last week for preparation day Hermana Davis and I just relaxed and did a bit of shopping. I love Hermana Davis! Oh words just cannot express how grateful I am for her! I feel like, with her, I've finally been able to get to the point where I can do the work and still be completely myself, if that makes any sense. "It may be a gradual work, but it doesn’t have to be a cheerless one. " President Uchtdorff   Hermana Davis helps me see that, she gives me more faith and more "animo" to work harder and be smarter. Here is a cute picture of us being happy (:     This week we had a FHE with a cute new family in our Rama. The father Quin just got back from a business trip in Utah and duhduhduhda, of course the awesome missionaries there hoped on that train and lead him to the waters of baptism. He is still so full of fire and just wants so badly for his family to believe and to be baptized as well. His wife is adorable, she and their two kids came to church the week before last. Quin actually works for the same company as the Rama Secretary and The Elders Quorum President and they have another work friend who is starting to take the discussions. So we decided to have the FHE all together.    It was a lot. In total, there was the recent convert, an atheist investigator, a devote Catholic, with a member couple and four kids, one of which threw up half way through the lesson. Using our own minds and thoughts we just assumed that The Plan of Salvation would be the right thing to teach. The Sunday before, they talked about temples in Relief Society and Quins wife had a lot of questions, also, the new investigator had only received the first lesson of the Restoration so yeah, lesson number 2 or Plan of salvation was logically what we should share.    But after all was said and done, I don't think that was the right choice. We didn't even think to ask God if that would be the right lesson, just relying on our own knowledge and our own strength. Trying to teach that many people all at once was too much.  I prayed later and believe we should have taught something more simple and basic. Something everyone could contribute, like faith. The recent convert just wanted so badly for his friend and his family to accept the gospel he tried to explain it logically and in a way was kind of shoving it down their throats. During the lesson I felt almost hopeless as I tried to bring it all back to order as the men were explaining loudly why the gospel just logically made sense but I promise you that no matter how big your mistake or how far from perfect we all are, God loves us and he will help us. I prayed to know how to end the lesson on a good note so that everyone could learn something and bring the spirit back.    The spirit prompted me to share Moroni's promise in Moroni 10:3-5. It didn't necessarily fix the lesson completely but it was enough to bring the spirit and enough to help the lesson end in peace and for them to recognize that we were all only there out of love.    I'm grateful for the opportunity I've had thus far to learn and to grow. I'm grateful for forgiveness and although I probably won't see this family for a while (they're on vacation right now) that If I teach them the Saviors way, with love and a true desire to help them, that God will give them another opportunity to learn more and to open their hearts.    In time I hope to be able to add my prayer to Nephi's, 2Nephi4:34 O Lord, I have trusted in thee, and I will trust in thee forever. I will not put my trust in the arm of flesh; for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in the arm of flesh. Yea, cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm. 35 Yea, I know that God will give liberally to him that asketh. Yea, my God will give me, if I ask not amiss; therefore I will lift up my voice unto thee; yea, I will cry unto thee, my God, the rock of my righteousness. Behold, my voice shall forever ascend up unto thee, my rock and mine everlasting God. Amen.      Wherever you are and whatever you are doing, just remember that God knows best. He's our father. He loves you and wants to help you so you can have the happiness and joy he has prepared for you.    Alma 37:36 Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever. 37 Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and he will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.    I'm so grateful for this opportunity I have to serve the Lord with all of my heart. I'm so grateful for my family and all the rest of you who have helped me to become who I am today so that I can be the best missionary I can be. Life doesn't always go the way you want it, but I leave you a promise in the words of our beloved prophet that, "As we contemplate the decisions we make in our lives each day--whether to make this choice or that choice--if we choose Christ, we will have made the correct choice."    I love you all and I hope you have a fantastic week! Thanks for reading! Hermana Warner P.S. This is my favorite book, in English and Spanish, you should read it too (:

Training in Vigo

It's officially official. I'm a trainer! And my cute new compie is Hermana Davis (: She is from California and I absolutely LOVE her! She is just what I need. I didn't realize how hard it would be to train or to not have Hermana Schriever with me making appointments and reminding me to do things all the time. But yeah, long story short, it's hard and I got a little carried away with my stress, but Hermana Davis is prepared and always brings me back on my feet, I am so blessed to have her as my companion. She is patient, so loving, so obedient and wants to be involved, she's not making any excuses and helps me to remember our plans.

When President called me as a trainer I was low key hoping I would get a native companion because I still am not 100% confident in my Spanish skills. But the Lord has a plan and he's prepared me. Before picking up my compie (on Wednesday) I was on splits with Hermana Madugno. She's from Italy so the only language we could speak to each other was Spanish... I WENT THREE DAYS ONLY SPEAKING SPANISH!!! I was surprised at how much I actually knew and understood, Hermana Madugno and I are really good friends now and the Lord was able to show me that I can do this. I'm so grateful.

  One thing I was really praying hard for this week was that Hermana Davis would be able to feel welcome and comfortable here in Vigo. Well this week we've met at least one member or investigator every day in the street and there was a relief Society activity, a Young Woman's activity, and a Primary activity all in the same day. She has been able to meet all the leaders we will be working with as sisters and I am so grateful!

  The Relief Society activity was really swell! We had to wake up at 5:30 to catch the 6:00 bus and headed for a park near Samil Beach. The bus route was apparently different that early in the morning so we got a little lost. Long story short, the day before I made a call to the Young Womens President to know where near the beach it was and I kept hearing "Maduñals" I asked her like 2 times to repeat it and felt dumb and couldn't find in on the map or anywhere. So while we were contacting that night, my compie contacted this older man who just went on and on about how he respects us and that we all have the same God but he wasn't interested and on and on and on. So I decided to make the contact useful and asked him where "Maduñals" by the beach was and he pointed to "McDonalds" Well yep we just followed those Golden Arches, got there safe and on time too! It was a miracle and I really need to practice more Spanish haha. I even got to eat Chocolate con Churros for the first time! Yum!

 

 My comp is too cute (: well all in all, this week was miraculous, hard, exciting, hot, and wonderful. We work really well as a companionship and are answers to one another's prayers. The mission only gets better. Like a roller coaster on an elevator or gas prices, there are always ups and downs but in greater perspective you're always going up.
   I'm so grateful to be a missionary! I know that although it would be really nice to have air conditioning or a swimming pool that this is where I'm meant to be, and that this is where I want to be. I know that as we do small and simple things everyday to improve ourselves and our situations that God will bless us and that the hard times will be followed by the good. I hope you all have such a fantastic week! Eat an otter pop for me!
   Besitos and hugs!
   Hermana Warner
P.S. Excuse my glasses and crazy hair, I finally bought contact solution so hopefully I'll look a little more presentable next week ;)

Philippians 4:13

Wow. I tell you sir wow.
 I honestly can't believe it's the end of the transfer. Missions are
made up of transfers, a 6 week time period spent with a specific
companion in a specific area. At the end of each transfer we find out
whether or not we stay in our area or leave. We also find out if our
companion stays or leaves the area.
 So I guess first things first, Saturday morning my companion Hermana
Schriever was called by President Pack to be a Sister training leader
in B1! (One of the 4 zones in Madrid) I absolutely love Hermana
Schriever and I'm going to miss her so much! I've learned so much from
her and we've just become the best of friends, something I didn't know
could be possible before the mission for some reason. I mean yeah,
we've had hard times, but as we've chosen to love each other and make
goals together we've been able to increase the capacity of love in our
hearts, for each other and for those we have served. So yeah. I'M
STAYING IN VIGO!
 Whoot whoot! My whole district has changed (there are two other sets
of Elders in my area-Vigo) But it will be so good! I haven't met my
companion yet, and I actually have no idea who she is at all
because...
Drum roll
.....
...
.
I"M TRAINING!
 Yeah, I don't know how that's possible either. I'm not even done with
my 12 week training yet because we had a 5 week transfer. But hey! I
am praying my hardest and know that if the Lord thinks I can do it, I
can do it. 1 Nephi 3:7 I am actually on my way to Santiago to wait
there for my new compie. There's no way I could ever serve this
mission alone. There is no way, I'd be able to speak Spanish well
enough or teach lessons well enough without the spirit to guide me.
 12 Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak;
therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for
in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles
we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name
forever. (Alma 26:12)
 This isn't my work, it's His. And because it's His, it will be done.
I'm going to miss my district a lot, we are like family. But I'm proud
of them, we've surely been through the refiners fire but we've all
come out a lot stronger because of it.
 The time on the mission is so short. The time we have here on earth
is so short. Let us lift up our heads and try a little harder to be a
little better, life's too short to give only a half hearted effort.
 I know that Christ lives and that as we live his gospel, through
faith, repentance, retaining a remission of sins, and enduring to the
end, we can reach our full potential and make the most of this life.
You keep going. Don't you quit. The world is at your fingertips and
God's given you all the tools you need to grasp it. Prayers to all of
you and your families.
 I love you friends
 Hermana Warner

Hna Schriever:Sister Training leader in Madrid (B1)

Me: Training in Vigo
Elder Holt:(former District Leader)Zone Leader in Torrejon (close to Madrid)
Elder Ferro: District Leader Madrid
Elder Tullis: Laguna Island!(My guess is that he's going to train there next transfer)
Elder Maldonado: Assistant to the District Leader in Vigo

Pray for my new comp

Here's a pic of my trainer Hermana Schriever trying to catch a pigeon. Idk why. She's from Idaho. I'm going to miss her. <3 

Murica

Hello family and friends!
Guess what! We have INVESTIGATORES! I feel like it's taken forever but
we have been working hard and we have been able to find the most
amazing people! We now officially have 5 new friends who are seriously
looking into the church, who are reading their scriptures and praying!
It's a miracle. I'm so grateful!
        Oh and happy 4th of July which is like my favorite holiday so you
best be enjoying those fireworks and wearing red, white and blue! I
love AMERICA! As promised Hermana Schriever and I are making another
apple pie! I'm also wearing my navy blue pencil skirt and I bought a
water melon. Today is a good day.
        I love finding ways to use my talents in missionary work. Last week
we made some cute little quotes, "Your future is as bight as your
faith" to give to people. It was actually really good. We started
teaching a 14 year old girl , Wendy, from English class. Her mom is
inactive but Wendy has a lot of questions about the church. I was
grateful for the little hand out because it helped her to recognize
that we love her and it was also an easy way to transition from only
teaching her Spanish to teaching her the gospel. We also used them to
invite another less active member to a YSA activity. It's super fun to
make them and it's always so nice to get a little gift :)
        Transfers are next week! CRAZY! I have a feeling that my whole
district is going to change, which makes me sad, but all will be well!
I'm so grateful for Hermana Schriever and I really hope she can stay
here with me!
        Well I"m going to eat my pie and watermelon.
        Loves and besos to all!
Study Alma 32 it's pretty good
        Hermana Warner