It's so hot.

Hello world!

Well I suppose it would be good to write an actual email about how things are going here. This week was FULL of miracles. Thank you thank you thank you for all of you have been praying in our behalf and in behalf of those looking for the truth. Sandra is doing well, she has a few things to sort out in her life before she can take the step of baptism but the ward still loves her and she always feels so welcome when she comes.

This week we had an activity for all the mothers in the barrio, it was a hit! We had a huge barbecue and had like a show of sorts. The missionaries also had to participate (of course) and we did a fun lip sync to Pop corn popping (original then Singles Ward edition) it was super cheesy and fun. It's a good thing these Latinos and Spaniards LOVE cheese. Haha super cheesy. I'll probably post a video on Facebook when I have it... 

https://www.facebook.com/kristi.knaphus/videos/10155392428577140/

Anyway it was a perfect opportunity for the members to invite their friends and THEY DID!!! It's such a small and simple thing to do but it makes the work so much easier. It was so natural and normal to talk to all the people who came and the majority of them really want to know more about what we believe and how to utilize the gospel of Jesus Christ in their lives. 

Last Monday we got to go to the mission home and had interviews with President Pack. Today we played futbol with a big group of missionaries near the temple. It's been so fun being around so many missionaries. It's incredible. We also had Zone Conference on Tuesday so even more missionaries! 

One thing President Pack is focusing on is having us teach the youth. In Europe, the statistic is that 70% of recent converts were between the ages of 9 and 30 when they found the church and this group also has the highest retention rate. With this in mind we remembered one of our friends that we previously decided to "give a break" to. We've been trying for 2 weeks to get in contact with her but she hasn't been home when we would pass by and the calls haven't been going through. President told us not to give up so we aren't.

After Zone conference, the plans we had fell through and we were left in the street. We decided it would be good to pass by our Joven friend Evelyn again. We "accidentally took the wrong road that make us go around the block to her house, and guess who we found in the street walking toward us? Evelyn!! It was a miracle. We were able to set up an appointment with her and meet with her on Friday. 

I know that God has a plan for every single one of his children. Everyone has their own timing. In life we need to be patient with those around us. Just love and help. I know this gospel is true with all my heart and I'm so grateful to be taking part in this wonderful work of salvation.

I hope you all have a fantastic week!

Besos and handshakes.

Hermana Warner

Honduras food

I got to see my cute sister

Hello fam!

     Wow I can't believe it's only been like 4 days since I've written. This week has been really good :) I got to see my cute sister at the CCM (shout out to you Brook) we had intercambios with the sisters from Barrio 3, last Sunday I got to see my favorite family (hi mom) and to end the week we had an awesome cultural talent show for the Relief Society and my ward killed it they were so great! 

     So Sandra is on vacation right now in Amsterdam. We will see how she is doing on Wednesday :) the lesson we had with her last week went really well and we'll see how we can help her :) 

It was so great to be with Brooklyn on Wednesday. After going to the temple (Hna Snyder and I), we went to the CCM and ate lunch with her :) it was nice to just sit down and relax instead of having another frantic re encounter. She's such a light and is going to be a fantastic missionary in Malaga. 

     So for intercambios I went with Hermana Christensen. She is one of the best. She's so focused and really works so hard. She is an example to me and I look forward to continue to serve with her. Right now she's serving with Hermana Tang and Hermana Leong :) Hermana Tang is from Malasia and Hermana Leong is from China just north of Hong Kong. She said she even knew Sister Barbara Woodruff!! (Shout out) So cool! Small world :) Anyway while walking around and talking to people we stopped and talked to a college kid from Madrid, believe it or not we talk to more foreigners than locals, and it was really cool. We are hopefully meeting with him this weekend, I'll let you know if anything cool comes if it.

     Yesterday was a well needed Sunday. I'm so grateful for the strength and animo that comes with partaking of the Sacrament and renewing my covenants with my Heavenly Father. I'm grateful for clean slates and being better today than I was yesterday. I feel refreshed and ready to take on this next week.

     Today we had interviews with President Pack in the  mission home. I really have been blessed with the best mission president. He and Hermana Pack have helped me so much in my mission and I'm so grateful for them :) we also got to spend some time with Hermana Snyder's trainer Hermana Freestone and went to Sol. All I can be is grateful, I really can't complain.

     I hope you all have a fantastic week! Prayers for those of you who have tests and finals! 

Love and be happy!

Hermana Warner

Thank you for the Mac&Cheese!!!! Whoot whoot with Sloppy Joes (:

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

Nossa, nossa, asi você me mata

Hello Fam and friends!

So this song has been stuck in my head all week so that's why I put it as the subject line. Our cute friend Sandra sang it when we had a ward Karaoke activity on Tuesday. It was super fun and our friend Leisy came as well!

Sandra is doing super bien and will be baptized si o si on Saturday! She just had her baptismal interview and passed with flying colors. She is legit my favorite. She is so prepared and has so much faith. Today we went to Segovia with her (: she loves spending time with us. We also got to eat lunch with her and a member friend Katherine who is also from Brazil. I love that I get to learn so many beautiful cultures here in Spain! We are so looking forward to this next week with her (:

Well with the start of the new transfer we have a lot of goals to be more creative and productive. We've been visiting more members and making things for them and so far so good. Usually Saturdays are pretty rough. Everyone says they can meet but then they fail on us last minute. So we decided to make handouts for the moms in Relief Society because yesterday was Mother's Day here in Spain. They turned out really cute and the members loved them. It was rewarding to be able to serve them even if it was something so simple. 

On Thursday Hermana Snyder had a last transfer training meeting of sorts so we went to Pavones, where the temple is. I spent the day with Hermana Barlow and Hermana Tyler in Barrio 6. It was super fun to get to know other missionaries more. When the meeting was ending we waited for Hermana Snyder on the temple grounds and I decided to make calls. As we were doing so Hermana Packer (the MTC President's Wife) came down from the MTC so we got to talk to each other a little bit. She told me how tired Brooklyn was from the jet lag at lunch Brooklyn told her she was almost too tired to eat haha poor girl. I didn't want to overwhelm her with all the change she's going through and just planned on seeing her later. Other missionaries started coming out  and my two companions got distracted. I wanted to go back and finish making calls when other sister missionaries started exiting the MTC building to go to the temple. At first I was nervous because I thought Brooklyn might be there but when they told us they were going to France or Portugal I figured they probably went in groups to the temple. 

I thought in vain. I looked up toward the glass stairwell only to see a cute sister missionary wearing a familiar shirt I'd seen in pictures and a blonde bun on top of her head. Then I started freaking out. I ran to my companions and explained that we needed to go but they wouldn't budge they were talking to all the other missionaries. 

I couldn't believe she was so close. Legit, the definition of my Utah-American childhood was no lie 2 seconds away from me. Shocked and excited I turned around to be reunited with my best friend in the biggest bear hug. We probably looked hysterical but I don't care. I never wanted to let go, but knew she had a Temple session to go to. I felt bad because the only words I could say were, "How are you? Are you real? You're not real!" I'm going to make a sticky note of things I should say so I'm not so awkward when we see each other again. Haha, And mom I promise I'll get pictures. 

All in all it's been a good, long, crazy, interesting and fun first week of the transfer. I hope you all are having a great day and that this week is full of sunshine and fresh air!

Loves to all! And Happy Mother's Day to all the moms that read this.

Hermana Warner

3rd time's a charm

Happy May!

WOW. All I can say is that time is FLYING! Can you believe it's already May 2017!? I can't. But hey all is well! Like I mentioned in my last email transfers are today, Hermana Snyder and I are staying together another 6 weeks then I get to toss her on the plane to the US of A. I'm so grateful that we get to be together, she is such a blessing.

This week was a lot more tranquilo than last week. We met with our cute friend Sandra a few times and she is well on track to being baptized in the next few weeks. We are all very excited :) the other day after teaching her some of the commandments she even commented, "So does our church have dress standards?" She has so much faith and truly wants to repent. She is grateful to learn the commandments and strives to obey them. She is incredible.

We also got to meet with our friend Cecilia. She goes home next month so we won't be baptizing her here, but she is doing well and has desires to take that step. We will do all that we can to help her progress and to help her family back at home have the Gospel. We teach her in the home of an adorable older Spanish lady named Pepita. Pepita grew up not knowing the truth of the gospel and is too old to grasp it right now. Every time we go we start and end the lesson with a hymn. It's beautiful how the hymns truly invite the spirit. It's interesting how the spirit changes everything in their home. With it, Pepita turns into a completely different person, so much happier and with so much more energy. I'm so grateful for the blessings of the gospel, it really does make a difference.

This week we were also blessed to meet and get to know a lot of the members here. We were invited to eat with a family from Utah and let me just say, BBQ pulled pork sandwiches never tasted so good. We got to share a message with them in english. It was really different but really good! They are doing all they can to help Zion grow here as well. The other day they made cookies for their neighbors and were invited to their home. Although it's simple and is often over looked it's so important that we friendship those around us. As we do so we can give them an opportunity to see how the gospel truly can bless us. 

I don't really have much more to say, but I love being a missionary! The church is true! I'm so grateful to be a part of it. I hope you are all having a great week! Good luck to all of you who are in finals! Also, another huge shout out to Brooklyn who comes to Madrid TODAY! She is going to be a fantastic missionary. Grateful to be her sister. 

Prayers and love!

Hermana Warner

Today we went to Casa de Campo with Sandra and Florinda <3

This week was CRAZY!!

Hello all! 

This week was CRAZY!! Monday was good, we were in a trio for the day and taught our friend Cecilia after Pday. It was really cool to teach her, she has told us before that she didn't know why she came here to Spain (she moved here from Columbia) but when we taught her the restoration she came to the conclusion that the Lord had sent her to Spain (of all places) to meet the missionaries and accept the restored gospel. Sometimes I get discouraged because we haven't found a lot of people who take the lessons seriously, but in this moment I remembered that God truly is preparing people, we just need to find them.

     Tuesday was interesting, we started off by dropping off our third comp in the metro to her new comp and continued with the day until we had another appointment with Sandra la Brasileña :) our member friend Thaina was able to teach with us (she speaks Spanish, English and is from BrAzil. Solid) Well, we started teaching so I pulled out my iPad. A guy came up to us when we started and asked for directions in French (we had the lesson in Burger King) He then left and we continued with the lesson. A few minutes later he came back, sat down at the table behind us, picked up his things and left. We didn't think much of it until I turned to get my scriptures out. "Uh, where's my back pack?" We all started frantically looking and remembered the guy who asked for directions. The workers said that they did see a man walking out with a blue back pack and we knew it was mine. The first thing we did was go to a locutorio to call Mom (hi mom) my mom answered. Miracle. Luckily Thaina spoke english, miracle, so she was able to get my mom to cancel my debit card from home. My mind raced to remember what else might have been of worth in my bag. The only things he was able to take was the card, some keys and my personal BOM. Earlier that day I was carrying another bag because we were in the trio, I accidentally forgot to put my normal wallet (with my transportation card, Mission card, Residency card and temple recommend) back in my backpack and I left that other bag at home. Miracle. 

After we got the card figured out we were able to go back to Burger King and have a fantastic lesson. We met with Sandra again later last week and she chose a day to be baptized.

Although we have trials and inconveniences pass in our lives, if we trust in God we will be happy. We were locked out of our Piso for a day and a half but after sending over a handyman from Barrio 4 we were able to get in and grab our spare key. Many other miracles happened last week, miracles we would only have been able to see with our trial. I know that God has a plan for each and every one of us. No matter how often we forget Him, he will never forget us.  I know the Church of Jesus Christ of LDS is the true church on the Lord today. As I read the Book of Mormon and share my testimony I feel the same spirit of peace and joy that I feel when I receive answers to my prayers. 

Thank you all for your prayers! I hope you all have a great week full of miracles!
Hermana Warner

Today we went to the Zoo!

Also intercambios with Hermana Kletzli! (On Thursday/Friday, yeah it's been a CRAZY week) I love her! She is wonderful!

P.S. Heads up! Transfers are next week! Shout out to my cute sis Brooklyn who will be leaving to the Spain Madrid MTC and the Malaga mission! Whoot whoot!! ✌️

Paella and Torrijas

Hello my dearest queridos!

     This has actually been a very interesting week, a very long but good interesting week. We started off with a full day of intercambios with Hermanas Christensen and Rivera, I got to go with Hermana Rivera :)

     This was her first intercambio so I wanted it to be super special. We got to share the #PrinceofPeace video with a lot of our friends here in B9. I love going out with the new missionaries, they always fill the day with energy and faith. I'm so grateful for the time I got to spend with Hermana Rivera, she is a true example of faith, hope and enduring to the end. She is incredible.

     On Wednesday we met with Mari Luz for the last time. She will now be working with the Hermanas of Barrio 8. She is amazing and I look forward to seeing her baptism photos in the next few weeks.

     On Thursday we had a super awesome ward activity! No one really had work or school so a lot of people came. We prayed that the members would invite their friends and.... THEY DID! Well, Annalise did and three of our investigators came. So HUGE success! We will be meeting with Annelises friend again on Friday. The activity was super fun, we just played a ton of group games outside and ate the most authentic Paella, made by our Stake President from Valencia. It was solid. And so good. Sandra came which made me so happy. I love her so much and we will finally be teaching her with someone from Brasil this week so that she can understand better. Yay!

    Then on Friday we had interviews with President Pack. He is incredible and I'm so grateful for the opportunity I have to serve under his direction.

Well this week has been fantastic, I really don't have anytime but just know I am happy and well! I hope you all are as well. I'm so grateful for the opportunity we had to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He is our Savior and redeemer. Because of him we can truly have divine happiness and Joy.

Let us celebrate always these incredible three words.

He is Risen!

Love you all! Have a great week!

Hermana Warner

Paella with Sandra