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.

PB&J it's a beautiful day

Hello familia! And amigos.
        Well I'm eating a PB&J right now so I guess life is pretty good. This
week went by super quick. There was a lot of talking to everyone and a
lot of walking but that's just what you got to do sometimes. But hey!
We got to meet with Vanessa, Erin, Wendy, and Nilda this week! We also
had the opportunity to teach Pedro (our recent convert) and have a FHE
with the cutest family in the ward. So yeah, this was a really good
week (:
        I wrote a little bit about Wendy a few emails ago, she is the girl
who comes to English class. Her mom is an inactive member and her Dad
is a non-practicing Catholic. So far we've taught her about the
Restoration and the Plan of Salvation. It's kind of been a slower
process with her but she is so sweet and always asks the best
questions. And guess what! She came to church yesterday! She sat with
me in Sacrament meeting and while we sang the hymns I made sure to
pronounce some words American and sing a little notes out of tune so
she wouldn't feel bad for not knowing the songs. It was fun :) We are
going to meet with her again tonight and hopefully give her a baptism
date! I'm so excited!
        Pedro is so awesome. He was baptized in May and is an active
contributing member of the Vigo Rama. It's so incredible to be a
missionary. So last week when I gave my talk they asked Pedro to bear
his testimony. He did so good! He shared 2 Nephi 31 and even though he
was nervous he was happy to share what he knows to be true. The week
before that he passed the sacrament for the first time, it was really
sweet. Too proud. "That's my friend! I found him in the street!"
        We had the Noche de Hogar (FHE) with Jessica. She is my FAVORITE! She
is too cute. We eat with her grandma Hilda every Wednesday. Anyway,
she has the cutest three kids Sofie, Valeria and Sebastian. They are
hoping to move in October but have to wait to see if her husband gets
the job first. One thing that's different here in Spain is that
everyone lives together. Almost everyone either lives with a parent or
grandparent because it's just so expensive. Muchisimas oraciones for
them!
        But out of all the days this week Yesterday was the best. We met a
couple who were traveling from Portugal around Spain and who
understood English better than Spanish. They were eager to listen to
us and asked if we would share our message with them. We taught them
the first lesson in English. It was an experience I won't soon forget.
It was absolutely exquisite to be able to express my testimony clearly
and to testify of the restoration in my own language. I feel that at
times I am not always the one teaching the lessons, but more the MTC
language tools. I feel motivated to learn Spanish as best I can so I
can have the same kind of experience with people who are actually from
here.
        Well I hope my email wasn't too boring and isn't collecting cygnet
dust in your inboxes. I know that the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints is the kingdom of God on the earth today, and that
Christ himself is the head. I know that this church was restored by
the beloved prophet Joseph Smith and that we have a living prophet
today, Thomas S Monson. I know that Christ not only died for me, but
that he lived and still lives for me everyday. He knows me perfectly.
I pray the people here will open their ears and their hearts, because
the message we have to share is truly a message of joy and love.
        I hope your weeks are as wonderful as I know you all are!
        Alma 5
        Hermana Warner
Oh yeah! We didn't really take pictures this week but here is Hermana
Davis and I giving out cute friends Deiby and Cynthia a picture of the
temple to help remind them of their goal to be sealed! They are cute
and were so grateful. I LOVE THEM!

Oh what a week

  Well first things first I guess, I spoke yesterday in church! I was

so nervous. I'm not going to lie, like an hour before church my Ward

Mission Leader asked, 'Que tal" and I just started crying. I think I'm

getting a little soft. But then I was super okay and God blessed me to

say the words the Rama needed to hear. And yes. I talked too long. But

hey 15 mins isn't bad. Oh well. I talked about my personal conversion

and about how conversion is a process that goes on for a life time.

Just keep praying, reading the words of God, going to church and

trying your best to be better everyday.

  I love summer and all but I'm kinda looking forward to when schools

back in and everyone is home from vacation. It's been difficult to set

up appointments and when we do have them set they tend to fall

through. But Hermana Davis and I are staying faithful and we are not

giving up hope for our friends! We love them even when we can't see

them all the time.

  I think I may have already told you but our cute friend Josely is

preparing for baptism! We are so excited for her! But this week she is

moving to A Coruna so we won't get to be there for the baptism, but

the Hermanas there are wonderful and she already loves them.

  I am so grateful for my companion. This week has been a little

rough but together we have been able to stay positive and enjoy the

simple little things every day. We are getting better at finding and

teaching in the street. Her Spanish is improving rapidly and I'm

grateful that the Lord has blessed me with the ability to understand

the members and our friends enough to know how to serve them.

  Well someone's playing the piano and it's distracting me. But thank

you all for reading! I hope your weeks are so swell and that you are

soaking up as much summer as you can! Love you all!

Prayers and happy thoughts!

Hermana Warner

We got to visit the cutest member this week, Helen, she is an

example to me of faith, happiness and love. She's gone through a lot,

especially in the last week but she never hesitates to think of others

and serve them. I love her!

On Pday we went to the docks and put a cute little lock on the

gate! #bucketlist

Just me in Vigo!

 Oh yeah, I ate a fish. It was really good.

Hna Warner and Hna Davis

Sometimes you just need to buy a big American pizza to make you feel better. LOves!

(Watermelon)

(Picture that was set to Brooklyn, Yes, they are Fabulous!!!)

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 ;)