Yet again, another PB&J

But this time it's made with the best fresh sweet bread in town!
There's this super cute panaderia like 2 mins away from our piso
called Graniers. It's basically heaven in a bread store. They
literally sell mana and I'm literally eating it right this moment. The
store owners are so sweet and always wave at us. I'm convinced we are
their favorite customers. It's dangerous.
   But hey! They saved our lives this week. Fun fact about Spain,
there are more holidays or "festivos" than days. And they all happen
to land on Monday, which also just happens to be the day we can buy
groceries, and all the stores just happen to be closed when there's
festivo. But no worries, Graniers took care of us.
   I actually really like festivo when it's not on a Monday though,
this week to was on Monday and Tuesday so we were able to meet with a
good amount of people with the time that we had. One of which was
Pedro! I love Pedro! He is my favorite! He was just baptized last May
and we have been slow on re-teaching him all the lessons with summer
and everything. Anyway we retaught him the Law of Chastity.
   Okay back story, Hermana Davis and I have NEVER taught the law of
Chastity before, like at all, either of us. So we were originally
going to teach him the Word of Wisdom again but got a phone call just
as we were finishing lunch, from one of his friends from the Rama. She
felt prompted to tell us to change what we were originally going to
teach him, so that's all we did for language study. We did all we
could to find a priesthood holder to help us with the lesson but they
were all busy. So in a nutshell, we, two 19 year old girls, taught a
56 year old single man the Law of Chastity with our beloved friend
Hilda, who is an 80 something year old sweet heart.
   It actually went really well! The spirit was definitely there
helping us the whole time. We were able to answer all his questions
and explain clearly the importance of following this sacred law.
   Then on Sunday for Relief Society and also for priesthood they
learned about eternal marriage. I'm so grateful for the faith of that
sister to call us to help us to know what we needed to teach him. He
was prepared for the lesson on Sunday and I feel like it might be more
awkward now. It also wasn't until Sunday that Hermana Davis and I
realized how many single women are in the Rama. There are a LOT. And
there's like only 2 single priesthood holders. So yeah, it was good we
taught him that.
   We also got to meet with my other favorite friend! WENDY! Wendy is
incredibly smart. We taught her the rest of The Gospel of Jesus Christ
this week. (So Faith, Repentance, Baptism, Holy Ghost, and Enduring to
the end with Sacrament) She's been praying and reading the Book of
Mormon and Accepted the baptism date of September 10th! I'm too
excited and happy for her! She is so sweet and seems to really be
enjoying Young Womens. She already has a really good friend there. If
you have any friends that don't have the gospel, share it. It's that
simple. Just share your testimony in simple ways and let them know you
care about them. And then when you feel prompted or have reoccurring
thoughts of sharing them with the missionaries. Do it. I wish I shared
the Gospel more before the mission. Even just sharing a piece o your
testimony on social media can make a difference, you never know who is
listening.
   Speaking of social media and sharing the gospel, one of our good
friends Jess had an experience with just that. We had heard that there
was an inactive member and we knew her mom pretty well so we made an
extra effort to find her and meet with her the last week. I wrote in
my last letter that she came to church! Well we met with her again
last week and she told us how a girl she follows on YouTube talked
about how, even though she had everything, she still felt a void in
her life. Jess has a good life, she has a good job, a cute apartment
and her boyfriend loves her, but she explained to us that she feels
that same kind of void, or lack of happiness. I invited her to re-read
the Book of Mormon and to continue to come to church and meet with us.
   Repentance isn't easy but I can promise you that you will feel so
much better if you let go of the things that are holding you back and
if you really truly keep the commandments. I'm grateful everyday here
on the mission for my parents (hi Mom, hi Pops) I'm grateful they
taught me to follow the Savior, to listen to the prophets and read the
scriptures. As I look back on my life all I can be is grateful that
although I am and was never perfect, I can look back with minimal
regrets. If you want to live a life with no regrets, live the gospel.
It works. I promise. No matter where you are in your life, the gospel
can work and will work for you.
   I want to share just one more tender moment with you all that I had
this week. A while ago we went knocking on doors in a member's
apartment building. We met a sweet lady, Maria. When we first met her
she almost shut the door, being a devote Catholic, but we simply
explained that we were there to get to know the people better and to
testify of Christ. We gave her a pass along card with a picture of
Jesus on it and she really liked it. So this week we decided to pass
by again but to bring her a bigger picture of Christ (the one of him
with the red robe, about 5x7)
   She was surprised to see us again. We told her that we had been
thinking about her and that we had a gift for her. Then we pulled out
the picture of Christ and handed it to her with the Book of Mormon.
She was so overwhelmed with gratitude and gave us both a big hug.
(Which is a big deal here in Spain, usually we only get besos)  We
told her that we would love to teach us more about why we are here as
missionaries, and more about the Book of Mormon. She was so happy and
asked us to come again on Tuesday (tomorrow).
   I feel that we as members of the church become so accustomed to the
blessings and miracles of this gospel that we become fearful in
sharing it. I know that in my life, I have been slow in sharing what I
know to be true. I realize I have been blinded by my own pride to
recognize how thirsty the people of this world are for the love and
light of Christ. As we were able to serve this wonderful woman, she
was able to recognize us as representatives of Christ, and as you
serve, the people around you will know as well.
   There's only one life we are given to live. Not two. There is no
separation between church life and real life. It's all real. It's all
one life. Don't divide it. As you do, you limit yourself of the
guidance and blessings God has for you in all aspects of your life.
   I know this church is true with my whole heart. I'm so grateful to
be a missionary to preach it! Thank you all for all the support and
love you show!
   I hope your week is so so super bien! Good luck with school all of
you who are starting up again! Prayers for you!
Loves y besos a todos!

Hermana Warner

1. My favorite street art here in Vigo.

2. Favorite Mural

3. Favorite District (oh yeah, transfer week, alls the same except for
elder Thomas, casual flexing, left... Somewhere... Idk)

4. I made an Art! Hello Hermana Madugno!

5. My agenda!

More pictures than Words

Hmm. Well this week has by far been the fastest week of the mish. But
it was also one of the best!
   On Monday we wanted to go to an art museum but they were all
closed. Stink. Hmm what do you do when there's nothing to do? You go
get yourself the most delicious ice cream of your life. So yep, that's
what we did. I got Kinder and Oreo. The best. Then to end the
beautiful day we met with Wendy! I LOVE WENDY! She is so so good, we
taught her more about Christ and having faith in Him. You all should
read Alma 32.
   On Wednesday we had a meeting for all the trainers and trainees in
Galicia (Northern Spain) so we stayed the night with the Hermanas de A
Coruña and Lugo! Hermana Esmiol was there with us as well. We had a
cute fun sleep over and bonded over pancakes for breakfast. Needless
to say it was wonderful.
   The reason we just stayed the night was because we had Zone
Training the next morning. It was really good! I love my Sister
Training leaders, they are so sweet and I just remember feeling a lot
more motivated after the meeting. I realize I'm not being as faithful
as I should be, I started blaming others for our "unsuccess" and was
just a little blue. But life is good again and I know the Lord has
people prepared for us to teach.
   After Zone training in A Coruña we went to Santiago to do
intercambios with our cute Sister Training Leaders Hermanas Vasas y
Fig-burrito (I don't know how to spell it but that's kinda how it
sounds) jk found it. Hermana Figueiredo. Anyway I stuck with her
during the intercambio because I was with Hermana Vasas last time.
        Hermana Figueiredo is from Portugal but grew up near London. She is
my favorite. We started by teaching a menos activo we'll call her B.
As we were walking to the church Hermana Figueiredo told me about her
situation and that we were going to teach her the message of the
restoration again, but I just felt really strongly that she needed to
learn how to forgive. B has had a really hard life and to me at least
it seemed she was blaming others for it. Yeah the people in her life
could treat her better and love her more but I am here to help people
make the best of their lives through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. When
we got there we knew right off that we wouldn't be teaching the
restoration. We hadn't planned anything else so just before starting I
opened to Moroni 7 and slid it over to Sister Fig (her name is really
long) So instead we focused the lesson on Charity and about love. It
was by far the strongest I've ever felt the Spirit in a lesson.
        It doesn't matter where you are in your life, the gospel of Jesus
Christ will make it better. One thing B needs to learn, and maybe
something we all can learn is that we need to apply what we learn to
our lives. If your life isn't where you want it, I invite you to pray
with real intent to know what you can do personally to make it better.
This is your life. You can't point fingers, if you want it to be
better you need to make it better. Apply the Scriptures, apply the
Gospel. God will help you. Just keep going and be happy. (Read: It
works Wonderfully, President Uchtdorff)
        I'm really grateful for the opportunity to go on intercambios, I
learn so much each time I go and I am always re-motivated to do more
to be better. But after being away for two nights it felt good to be
home. I was able to apply a little bit of what I learned in the
following lessons. This week we worked more with menos activos than
with investigators but they are just as important. There are too many
people who cut themselves short of the blessings they could be
enjoying. Too many people who haven't gone to the temple. I wish I
could shout from the rooftops all the blessings that could be theirs.
But, with President Eyring, "I have learned that the only exhortation
that changes hearts comes from the Holy Ghost." All I can do if pray
and teach and invite the spirit and pray some more that they can
understand their full potential. (3 Nephi 9:13-14 even the righteous
need to be healed)
        Don't give up on anybody. It is never too late to come back and it is
never too late to move forward. God's given us the tools to be happy
and move forward. Use them. Apply them. “Don’t give up. … Don’t you
quit. You keep walking. You keep trying. There is help and happiness
ahead. … It will be all right in the end. Trust God and believe in
good things to come.”
        I love you all! I hope this week is fantastic and that you all get to
enjoy this last burst of summery sweetness!
        Appropriate besos and handshakes.
La Hermana Warner

1. The best ice cream in the world

2. Sleep over! Hermana Kletzly, me, Davis, Pitcher, Hinton and Madugno

up front (: oh yeah, sis Pitcher graduated with me from Bingham. Small

world.

3. Zone lunch at Dominos. Elder Wagner, Thomas ( who also graduated

with me...), Kemptz, Romney, Me, Davis, Vasas y Fig-burrito

4. Intercambios!

5. Donuts on the train ride

6. Another delicious pastry I shouldn't have eaten. Don't worry, we shared.

Anyway, I hope you all are having the best summer ever!!! Loves!

Pancakes for breakfast.

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 ;)