Sister in Spain: Luis´ baptism and Zone Conference!‏

2 Junio 2014

I have a little bit more time this week!!

I have to apologize for how crazy these past few preparation-days (P-days) have been with barely any time to write. Wow I feel like there is so much to catch up on, and so little time! I am looking back at my planner and all of these pictures, realizing how FULL this week has been. Wow a lot has happened!

We had Zone Conference. President and Hermana Jackson came here from Madrid, spent P-day with us and we spent Tuesday morning and afternoon in the big meeting with all other missionaries from the islands. It was a truly inspired meeting. I wish you could all be here to experience it and feel the spirit that we felt so strongly. Wow. Sister King and I sang "His Hands" a song by Kenneth Cope, and it was a version translated to Spanish. Oh I love the lyrics, you should look them up :) many times that I was rehearsing it, I found myself crying from the message that it all portrays. It went along well with the theme, they talked a lot about Christ's love and how it was His motivation for all that he did, and it should be our complete focus. We should be obedient, diligent, pure, and all of these things that classify a missionary BECAUSE WE LOVE CHRIST. There are so many reasons that we have for what we do, but if love isn't the biggest driving factor, then we don't have much reason to do what we do. Wow, this was all an incredible answer to my prayers, The Lord prepared me for this last transfer and a half to hear the words that were spoken here.... I have been studying about charity and love and sanctification, all the while evaluating myself personally, thinking about what a truly successful missionary is like, and if I measure up to who the Lord wants me to be. It has been like a big tornado in my mind lately!!! But as President got up to speak, he read an email from an anonymous missionary, speaking of service and love. I recognized the words right away... That was MY email that I sent to President a few weeks ago, when we painted the room for the lady in our ward. I received such a confirmation that the Lord is pleased with our service that how we are trying to serve and love more. President came up to me afterward and said that they had, in fact, based the whole zone conference off of that one email that I sent him. I was so shocked and grateful for the perspective it gave me. It was a day full of fun seeing other missionaries and feeling the spirit!!

You will see from the pictures that we also did service for a ward member with Luis! Her smile when all was done was worth all of it, Luis sure has opened up a lot... little victories! When we first met him, he hardly looked at us and was shaking because he was nervous, but he slowly opened up and I see him smile at various times each day now!! He was also baptized yesterday!! It was a great service, he has come to be good friends with our ward mission leader Hermano Parria, (He reminds me SO much of dad, with the way he is very organized and hard working. He has a great sense of humor with the people; it’s like having a little piece of dad here!) Luis gave his testimony, different and interesting, but very sincere. He has started to read the Book of Mormon for the second time and can explain perfectly the need of the restoration! Wow. Luis has been the Lord's lesson for me not to preach with "exception of persons".

And Victor!!!! We taught him the Word of Wisdom, and come to find out that the DAY we met him for the first time, he had stopped drinking, even when he goes out with friends... even before we had taught him these things. We truly don't even have to open our mouths sometimes...the spirit speaks for us. His daughter Alison is SUCH a smart little girl, and really loves all of the changes she sees in her daddy, They came to the ward activity that we ended up being in charge of (we played lots of relays and minutes to win it games!) and they had a lot of fun. Alison even brought her English book to practice English together and do her homework. AH I LOVE HER. She is so smart and cute. Please pray with me that Victor will have a enough trust in the Lord and himself to accept a baptismal date. It is his time :) He's just scared that he will fall into the temptations of the world again.

OH we also met a really cool guy the other day named Sergio, 23 years old, who said that he didn't believe much in God, but agreed to meet with us... it was INCREDIBLE after talking with him to see how much faith he truly does have...we read Alma 32 as we asked questions and explained to him, HE realized that he does know God exists, and he wants His influence in his life more. Haha it was funny, he was confused why he couldn't stop smiling afterwards, we knew it was The Holy Ghost touching his heart, we felt it too.

I wish I could tell you more and go into sooo much more detail about everything, I hope all the pictures say 132,987,402,384,750 words because I am short on time. It is so good to hear about Dad working closer, Mom and Amber have callings :) How fun! And Nathan is getting married... Its official!!! What beautiful pictures!!!!! I am so excited for all of you :) Keep me updated on your lives :) I love ya!!

Love, Hermana Mather

p.s. I played piano "Con El Salvador Al Lado (If the Savior Stood Beside Me)", by Sally DeFord in sacrament meeting yesterday for the little Primary kids. They sing her songs even here on a little island of the sea, so cool. I love this gospel!!! It is the same everywhere we go.

p.p.s. How is family prayer and scripture study and Family Home Evening going?