Rainy good week

Well I don't have any time left to write but a ton has happened since last week...

First things first, Sandra's Baptism. It didn't happen. We met up on Wednesday and she told us that she was having doubts about her life and that she didn't feel ready to make all the changes necessary in her life to enter into a covenant with God. 

     Selfishly, I never felt so crushed. I was completely heartbroken. I love her so much and I know how much this Gospel truly will bless her. But we didn't give up. We fasted and met with her again on Thursday and she told us she would reconsider and tell us her decision on Friday, the night before the baptism. As we ended the lesson she told us of her decision to not be baptized. It was really hard to be strong but I kept on smiling. I wanted to make sure she knew how much I love her and of the joy of the gospel. We walked all the way to the Metro stop together and talked the whole time. The second she was out of view the tears wouldn't stop flowing. Hermana Snyder and I just walked in silence in the rain to the church until we decided it would probably be a good idea to inform all the members about the cancelation. 

     The next day was difficult but we stayed positive and creative, coming up with different ways to work with the members and find new investigators. We tried calling Sandra and sent her a text but didn't get a response.  We wanted to keep meeting with and help her learn more so that one day she will be able to take that step. I didn't know what to do. I'd never felt so heartbroken. All I could do was pray. I prayed a lot. We were worried a little about what would happen for church. One of the members told us that she had told her that she didn't plan on coming due to embarrassment. I tried calling her one last time as we started singing the opening hymn, she answered.

     As we saw her walk into the chapel to sit with us I thought of the words of Alma, "20 And oh, what joy, and what marvelous light I did behold; yea, my soul was filled with joy as exceeding as was my pain!" Everything will be okay. I feel at peace and full of love toward her and the work. This week has been really difficult, but I wouldn't trade it for anything. She stayed for each hour even though she was also a little sick.

      We met with her again on Tuesday and she wants to continue to work with us. I'm so grateful for her humility and faith. Although now wasn't her time I know she will be baptized one day.

     I hope you have a great week all!

Hermana Warner 

Intercambios with Hermana Moyle

Cochinhas with our Brazilian friend Maria

Pumped for conference

Hello to all my friends!

So we have a standard in the mission to have 25 contacts (have meaningful conversations with people) everyday for each missionary. When I was in Villalba it was great and came pretty easy I'd just go up so some random person tell them a little about me and the gospel, they'd either say no or give me their number and I'd move on to the next random person. Anyway, I don't know why but I hit a little wall here when I came to Carabanchel. I still usually get it but it's been more difficult. I've been really working on the quality of my contacts and it's really been paying off. We have been finding incredible people and the Lord has continued to bless us in-spite of my short comings. All I can be is grateful for his grace and his love.

One of these contacts name just happened to be Maria. We made a smoother approach by asking her for directions. She kindly looked it up on her phone for us and walked with us a little ways up the road. As we were walking and getting to know her a motorcyclist started the motor and reved the engine. We were pretty close, shocked Maria and she tripped over a loose brick in the road. It was actually a pretty bad fall and kind of scary. We helped her up and walked her to a bench to calm her down. Hermana Snyder started talking about her family and the conversation lead to our beliefs and the Book of Mormon. She told us how she was currently in a religious crisis and didn't really trust churches. We gifted her a Book of Mormon and invited her to learn more. I don't know where it will go but I know that everything happens for a reason. The Lord provided us a way to serve and to sincerely share our testimonies in a more natural setting. It was just the kind of experience I needed to motivate me to continue to talk with everyone.

We also met with Mari Luz this week. She is a woman of incredible faith. We had the opportunity to fast with her on Sunday that she will be able to go to church every Sunday and keep the Sabbath day holy, we are meeting with her again on Wednesday. She is doing really well and is excited to hear the prophet speak on Saturday.

Well, all in all this week has had a lot of ups an downs but it definitely ended on a high note. I'm so grateful to be a missionary here in Madrid Spain. I know it's where the Lord wants me to be and that he is preparing the people here to receive his Gospel. I hope you all have a wonderful week and that you have a fantastic conference weekend!

Besos!

Hermana Warner

Mari Luz and Hermana Snyder <3

SHES BACK FROM THE DEAD!

SHES BACK FROM THE DEAD! Sorry again for how awful my last few emails have been. Yes I'm alive, and yes I'm okay, thank you all for the concern (; so I guess I could update you on what's going on here in Villalba.

Every Monday we meet with our cute friend Dayana, she's the only member in her family but she is super strong. I have a ton of respect for her. All you out there who complain to go to church activities or to church because of travel, I don't want to hear it, she lives like a 20 min bus ride away from the church and the bus passes every hour. The motivation she has inspires me, I want to be more like her. She wants to serve a mission too so we've been helping her know how to start being a member missionary now and giving her tips for the future. 

Tuesdays are usually pretty slow. but in the mornings we usually meet with our cute friend Martina. She is from Peru but is visiting her daughter here in Villalba for as long as the government will let her. Here testimony is incredible, she's older but she doesn't let that stop her from looking to God and looking for the truth. Her first language is Quechua so its hard for her to read Spanish but she is doing really well and when she feels ready she will enter into the waters of baptism. That's her greatest desire.

Tuesday nights we used to meet with our friend Hernando but he is out traveling right now and wont get back for a few months. I pray that when he comes back he will take the lessons again with the missionaries here. We now have a new friend that we found from Honduras. She is a MIA member but we found her and we are going to bring her back! We taught her for the first time yesterday and we can see a to of potential in her.

Wednesdays we have District meetings in the morning, English Class at night and lessons in between. Last week we had the Missionary Broadcast, announcing all the changes happening in the mission field, so last week not a ton happened on Wednesday. 

On Thursdays we have weekly planning. Last week we met with our new friend Maria. It takes about 2 hours to get to her house when we leave with the bus so that is a little difficult. But she and her children came to church on Sunday! We have only met with her but we'd like to teach them as a family as a whole, we don't know the next time well be able to meet with them because of their schedules but the family is so cute and I'm excited to witness their progression. (:

Fridays are my favorite days (: In the mornings we've started meeting with our new friend Ramón and his wife Maria. The story of how we found them is actually pretty good. I don't know if I've already said it so I'll say it again!

So on a Tuesday I believe we were waiting at the bus stop to go visit Martina. Her son-in-law just happens to be standing nearby waiting for the same bus. We go over and start talking to him and he told us of how he had lost his phone on the way home from work. I decided to tell him about an experience about when my dad lost his phone. (This is how I remember it dad, I was pretty little so excuse me if its a little hazy) It was when flip phones were generally new and my dad "lost" it. I remember that around the same time, my aunt lost her wedding ring, so as a family we decided to have a special prayer that we could find these two very important things. I don't remember how long it took but I remember we looked and we looked for the lost phone. Until I remembered the small tables leaning against the computer closet. There was a small gap in there that I could reach my little arm in. I remembered seeing my dad's phone left at the computer desk and thought it would be funny to tease him by hiding it in the little gap between the tables and the closet. So when I reached my little arm in the slot to my excitement, I FOUND THE PHONE! And it was an answer to our prayer.

There was a cute elderly couple standing nearby the bus stop that heard my story and gave a little chuckle as well. We included them in the conversation and they agreed to let us meet with them. The first lesson we had with them was incredible. It's amazing to see how God has prepared them to receive his Gospel.

I'm so grateful for the opportunity I have to serve here in Villalba, I know it's where the Lord wants me to be for now. I'm so grateful for my Heavenly Father and our Savior Jesus Chris. I can do nothing without him, this is truly the Lords work. I'm so grateful for the Temple and for the blessing that it is to have so many all over the world.

I hope you all have a great week! 

Loves and awkward Besos!

Hermana Warner