schedule has been a little cray cray.
So first things first. ELDER BEDNAR CAME! Oh my goodness what a
blessing it is to have modern prophets! It was incredible. My comp
(Hermana Schriever) and I went to Madrid via plane on Friday morning
and stayed with the Sister training leaders in Barrio 2 Hermanas Berry
and McEntire. So my comp and I had Friday as our Pday and I didn't
have tons to write about or tons of time to write... Eh... We went to
a shopping area called Sol which was really fun, they have this huge
store here called PreMark and it is probably my favorite, super cheap,
good quality, and HUGE like at least 6 stories. huge.
So yeah after shopping and stuff we went to the Sister Training
leaders and went on splits, we waited for them in this huge plaza,
Plaza de Torros. I guess the month of May is when they have a lot of
Bull fighting events so the Plaza was super duper full with a. Ton of
crazy bull fighting watcher people who all were dressed super fancy,
so yeah that was fun. Not really important... Eh.
I'm just gonna skip to Bedar because he's the real deal.
Before meeting him he sent out an email to all of us to read and study
his last few talks and lessons. So all week I was studying and
pondering and thinking of what questions I would have or what I wanted
to learn. I came up with a lot. But I found that a lot of them were
answered as I was studying, and as I kept my thoughts on those
questions or topics I would receive revelation or someone else would
answer it for me without even knowing it.
Elder Bednar didn't give a talk. He was there with His wife, and the
Kearons from the 70s. He started by asking us what we learned as we
studied. Missionaries from the congregation would stand and tell what
they had learned and he would add to it or ask them a follow up
question. The second question he asked was what did we learn from the
pattern of how we learned or just the pattern of the meeting. We
needed to study and work hard before to receive the answers we were
looking for. He kept emphasizing that the spirit was the teacher not
him. If you look at my notes and compare them to what was said, you
wouldn't think they were from the same meeting. But the greatest thing
I learned was, I can't learn anything unless I choose to act on what is taught.
Take that home. remember that.
Well they are making me leave so I'm sorry I'm going to split this
email in two. Pppbbbb
I will write about Pedro's Baptism tonight!
Besos!
Hermana Warner
Okay I'm back! Well like I said, meeting with Elder Bednar was
amazing. The spirit was with us throughout the whole meeting and it
was so nice to listen to him speak and study in ENGLISH. I love
Spanish but I'm not going to lie, I miss English.
I took a ton of notes and wrote down a lot of my thoughts so once I
get home, if you really want, I can share some of that with you but
for now I'm just going to stick with what I have. OH! So while he was
asking us questions and asking for our comments or questions I raised
my hand and he called on me! I stood up and he looked me straight in
the eye. It was an experience I will not soon forget. At the end of
the meeting he gave us an apostolic blessing and told us that we would
have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost if we stay focused
on and live our missionary purpose, not just now but for the rest of
our lives. So I'm going to give you the invitation to live the gospel
by inviting others to come unto Christ through repentance, baptism,
receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end.
What an experience.
Then we had Pedro's baptism.
I love Pedro, he is so wonderful! He is a 50 some year old man from
Columbia. My comp and her previous comp Hermana Staker found him while
contacting in the street, and he told them that he didn't really
believe anything but agreed to meet with them. They had the first
lesson and apparently they were all crying at the end it was so
spiritual. Then Hermana Staker went home and here I am! The first
lesson I had with him was about tithing and fast offerings, I was
nervous at first but he accepted it with ease and wanted to start
right away. He has so much faith. He also just loves learning the
doctrine of the church and truly hungers for the gospel, whenever we
show him more things about the prophets, the doctrine and covenants
and the Pearl of great price you can just tell he is soaking it all
in. He even does his own studies. He's going to be such a blessing to
this branch! He is wonderful.
His baptism is 1st place with Bednar for the most spiritual event on
the mission. In the pictures he looks terrified but that's just how he
smiles, it's easier to see his smile on a profile view haha.
I know that God loves each of us and that he has restored His church
on the earth today, and that as we strive to follow the example of the
savior and live the gospel principles we will be blessed. I'm
convinced that although Jesus suffered the most of all, He also lived
the happiest life.
I wish you all super well! Loves and besitos to all!
--Hermana Warner
