Hi from Villalba!

Villalba

Villalba. Well it's definitely not Vigo but it's pretty good. Everything is different. The members the people the missionaries. Everything. 

So yeah! My cute companion is Hermana Phillips! I love her so much! She is from California and this is her first transfer out of training. She is kind to everyone and loves everyone we meet. She is always saying hi to random people in the street and just likes to be happy. We pals.

The WARD here is incredible. It's super strong and I think a lot has to do with the fact that most of the members here are actually from Spain and aren't just living her for work. I've had the opportunity to meet a lot of the leaders this last week, which I'm super grateful for but now I think I might have to actually start using the zeta and talking like a Spaniard. I guess I just sound like I'm speaking general Spanish. Eh, whatever.

Like I said this place is super different the area that we stay around is a lot smaller than Vigo and there are a ton more families. The first day I was here I was just in awe with how many teenagers I've seen... wait, there are teenagers in Spain? In Vigo there were just really old people, middle aged people and their babies. Anyway, the people here are generally really nice and open. Well just be walking down the street talk to the first people we see and they be like, "okay cool, you want my number and address" and I'm usually down to take it. CRAZY. So yeah, last week we mostly focused on contacting but this week we have a ton of first lessons set up so we will see how it goes!

We had a really cool experience this week. On Tuesday we went to teach our friend Julie. We talked about faith and read the introduction of the Book of Mormon. We met with her again on Friday ready to review the plan of salvation real quick then to finish teaching the gospel of Jesus Christ. But she brought a friend! We started teaching the plan of salvation and her friend Camelia said, "I've always wondered why bad things happen in the world and why good people die young."

I'm so grateful that the gospel and it's perfect truths have been restored. By a prophet of God. We have the answers to the questions of the soul. I loved the talk by President Utchdorf about the plan of salvation. I know its true and I'm so grateful for the opportunity I have to teach about it almost everyday. 

Well I love you guys. Y'all are chill.

From Villalba Spain

Hermana Warner 

We had a fun activity. It was like a welcome to Relief Society for the YSA girls. My ward is cute.

Hermana Phillips and I always find ourselves on beautiful adventures. 

Look there are mountains! And it's dry like Utah! I'll probably move to Oregon when I get back.

I'm not crying, you're crying. Goodbye Vigo.

Hello all!

Right now I am siting on a train to MADRID! Too pumped. I´ll be serving in Villalba with Hermana Phillips! I don´t have a picture of her yet but she´s in the same group as Hermana Davis I will be sure to tell you all about her and Villalba next week ;)

Well I'm super sorry I didn't even write a big email last week, we went to the islands again for our last P-day together, it was lovely and honestly so nice not having to stress about writing (sorry not sorry) So these past few weeks have literally been a blur, so I'll just tell you what I remember.

Last week we had our final lesson with our Recent Convert Pedro! Pedro is my favorite. I sure did not cry, nope, and he didn't either. Well actually we were all crying. The spirit was so powerful. We reviewed the baptismal covenant and he bore his testimony of Jesus Christ. This Gospel really has completely changed his life. He is a light to me and I am so grateful for the opportunity I had to see his conversion process. I reread over his teaching record. When the missionaries found him he was a grumpy middle aged man who didn't really believe anything, but now you'll never find him without a smile on his face and the light of Christ in his eyes. 

Sometimes when we contact in the street people will ask us, "Do people actually listen to you? Do people actually change?" I love when they ask and I can proudly state, "Yes!" There really are people out there who are ready and looking to receive the Gospel. It may be your neighbor, it may be a family member, it may be one of your closest friends. But sometimes they don't know what they are looking for, and that's why we all need to open our mouths and share what we know. I invite you all in some way shape of form, to do as President Monson instructed and share a part of the plan of Salvation with someone you know. Everyone has questions and we have the answers.

Well the train ride is over and we are going to go be productive. My new comp is Hermana Phillips and she is legit the cutest. 

I'm so grateful for the opportunity I had to serve in Vigo it really is like home to me and I look forward to the day I can visit them again :) I learned so much in. Vigo, I'm so grateful for Hermana Schriever and Hermana Davis they made each day a wonderful day, even when they weren't so wonderful. I'm so excited to meet my cute new family :) 

I hope you all enjoyed Conference, the weather looked lovely! 

Besos!

Hermana Warner 

Goodbye hills, hello plains.

 Last lesson with Pedro ft. Hilda y Estéban

 Hilda and her beautiful daughter Amanda (Young Women's President) <3 

Linda and cute Antonella!

They would help us with lessons and always welcomes our new friends to church :)

Chao

Re:It's Autumn Time...

Hey! I will actually be going to Villalba! It's in the north west part of Madrid. Pumped. 

I haven't been able to watch all of conference yet, I watched the two morning sessions in spanish and I watched the women's conference as well I LOVE CONFERENCE! 

 So yeah, right now I'm on a train to Madrid but I'll send it to you when I get there.

I'll write more in the big email... And I have so many pictures!!!! I'll send them all to you (:

This is Hilda and her Daughter Amanda. Hilda feeds us every Wednesday and helps us with our lessons with Pedro. Amanda is the Young Women's President. They are the sweetest people and I absolutely love them with all my heart!  I didn't start crying until after I hugged them 

This is Linda and Antonella. They are so cute! They help us with lessons with our young women aged amigos they are such a light to me and are incredible missionaries already <3

We had Zone Conference in Vigo this week! This is the goofy picture! We had so much fun! We learned more about the importance of sharing the Book of Mormon and how to share it. I really needed it and I'm grateful for the inspiration President has to help us improve. They came with the Esmiols and also his cute parents! They are serving a mission as temple presidents somewhere right now but I'm so glad I got to meet them. Hermana Pack (his mom) sang to us in her talk. She has such a beautiful voice, it was all around just lovely. I'm just so grateful.

Jk p day is today

We are going to the islands today again :) love you! Sorry I told you wrong. 

Hola mom!

Sorry I sent it to your other email!  P day was changed back to today! But no pasa nada :)

This week has been kinda slow but still really good! I'm so grateful for Hermana Davis, she keeps me encouraged. It's crazy to think this is my last week here! We have a zone conference on Thursday so yay! Next week I will probably be with a new comp and in a new area. Be pumped. Love you! I'm excited for conference!

Oxo

Jacquelyn 

 We went to the Islas Cies again :)

Cute Wendy

 Hilda cools up for us ever Wednesday I love her and her family so so much! 

They are from Columbia and she always calls us her preciosas

Vigo Vigo Vigo

I remember my first or second transfer going to young women's  with
Hermana Schriever to tell the girls how wonderful missions were. I
remember Hermana Schriever saying, "it's not easy but it's incredible"
I just kind of looked at her and stumbled to testify myself about how
wonderful the mission was even though at the time it didn't feel so
sincere. I remember my heart kind of aching remembering that the
mission was supposed to be an unforgettable incredible experience that
I'd be looking back at for the rest of my life. I reflected my mission
experience up into that point and really had to ask myself if I was
making the mission as worthwhile as it should be. At the time I didn't
really get, I hadn't made the mission such a remarkable experience, I
guess I just lived day to day instead of making every second count.
Not going to lie, it was a really rough start and looking back I can't
believe I'm still in the same area.
   Vigo really has made a 180° turn around and I think I have too.
This week as I've been serving the members and preparing or friends
for baptism I have an overwhelming feeling of love for them and I just
want to help them with everything. Wendy isn't going to be baptized
this week. She realizes that she doesn't have the faith in Christ that
she would like before being baptized we rescheduled for her to be
baptized on October 22.
   So in the mission there are these things called "Transfers" They
are a six week period of time where you serve in a specific area in
the mission. Right now I'm serving my 4th transfer in my first area,
which makes about 6 months here in Vigo. Missionaries don't usually
serve more than that long in one area, especially their first.
Transfers are in two weeks so I am pretty sure I won't be here for
Wendy's baptism.
   Part of me wants to cry and be sad but the truth is that the
mission isn't for me, it's for her. Although I won't be with her
through all these changes in her life, I've at least had the beautiful
opportunity to take part in her conversion.
   I feel like now I can say "I get it" Why they say the mission is so
fantastic and how it's so incredible. It's not because of where you
go, Vigo is beautiful, it's not about the fun activities on Pdays or
the exotic food you get to eat. It's just so beautiful to take part in
the miraculous process of conversion. I've seen members and
investigators alike come unto Christ to be changed through His atoning
sacrifice. It's truly incredible to help them in this process of
repentance and to witness first hand how the Gospel of Jesus Christ
truly blesses people. I re-read Wendy's record that was started about
two years ago. She went to a girl animate about not going to church at
all to coming to church, praying, going to activities, making friends
and sharing the purest form of testimony. She is incredible. I love
her so so much.
   I know this Gospel is true with all my heart al though it is simple
it can really work miracles. I know that Christ lives and that he
loves each and every one of us.
I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!
   loves and besos
   Hermana Warner

Pictures from La Guarda! ft. Hermana Davis, Portugal and old houses...

Really old houses.

Chicken and waffles!

Week 21... I think...

Hello from La Guarda!
        I am right on the border of Portugal and Spain at a members house,
well in President Rey's house. He's not here right now but his wife
Marcela is and I just love it! It's super cute and I love their
family!
        Well wow. So much has happened and I don't even know where to start....
I love Vigo so much. If I had a choice, I'd probably never leave. But
hey! We aren't talking about that right now, transfers aren't for
another 3 weeks... I think... Anyway, life is so so good! It's not
easy but it's good. These last few weeks Hermana Davis and I have
really been focusing on our weekly goals and been keeping up with them
every day so that we can meet our numbers. It's so incredible and this
experience has strengthened my testimony on goal keeping. You really
get what you work for. We've been more diligent this week than ever
before and our numbers show it.
        This week we met with Ruben and Silvia from Bolivia. They have the
cutest little baby named Alejandro, I will need to take a picture with
them and send it to you later. The sisters of Vigo have been teaching
them for over a year now so Hermana Davis and I decided to start anew.
In the first "new" lesson Ruben bore his testimony of the book of
MOrmon, the spirit was so strong and they both committed to being
baptized. The only problem is that they aren't married yet, so Hermana
Davis might throw a wedding next transfer! I think it sounds
wonderful. They are such a beautiful family and I'm excited to see how
the Gospel blesses their life.
        Erin is from Guatemala. I'm sure I've mentioned him before. He works
on Sunday's but this week we decided to show our faith and invite him
to be baptized. He is the most humble and just man I have ever met. He
lives here with his wife and 2 year old daughter. He has another
daughter in Guatemala and his life has just been really difficult. But
his faith in Christ is so inspiring. He's been reading the LDM and
he's in Mosiah!!! He testified that he believes it to be the word of
God and wants to be baptized. We have been fasting with him that he
may be able to find another Job so he can come to church on Sunday's.
He is so great!
        Then there's my beloved Wendy. Wendy is my BEST friend here in Vigo.
I love her so so much! She is a cute spunky 14 year old who has the
best taste in American music. She's classic. She has a baptism date
set up and is progressing well. She loves coming to church and to
activities and she is doing her best to keep all the commandments. She
should be baptized super soon so I'll keep you posted and I'll take
some pictures this week.
        Well this week has been more than incredible. We worked with members
a LOT. We couldn't have done it without them. For some reason I kinda
just had in the back of my mind that we should only ask the younger
girls who didn't really do anything but hang out with friends to help
us. But this week we had mothers and workers and cute old ladies help
us. They are so grateful every time for the opportunity they have to
share their testimony with others and to invite others to come unto
Christ, even if it means they need to walk an hour out of the way from
their home to get there because they can't afford a bus pass. Their
faith is incredible. I want to be more like them.
        I'm so grateful to serve here in Vigo, I know it's exactly where I
need to be right now and I'm so grateful for the opportunity I've had
to watch Vigo thrive as we've strived more and more to work with the
members. Like I said, you get what you work for. We have people
planning to be baptized, members are starting to bring our
investigators to church and we are working with the ward members to
reach out to less active and part member families. I'm only going to
be here for like 6 months but these people are going to stay here a
lot longer. They're doing the work, we just need to show them how.
        I love you all! I hope your weeks and days and hours and minutes and
seconds are absolutely delightful! Go walk barefoot in the freshly
mowed grass for me!
Oxox
Hermana Warner

I LOVE Hermana DAVIS!
From La Guarda España