The Last Week in the CCM!!

OK FIRST OF ALL HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?! One minute I SWEAR I was walking off the plane and into the hands of a bunch of Spaniards and now I´m half Spaniard, speak Spanish (sort of), and boarding a 2 hour train in 5 days to head to Málaga!! WHERE DID TIME GO?! Golly, I feel like Adam and Eve and the CCM has been my Garden of Eden where it´s hard but all is well and then now I´m getting sent into the cold, and dreary world of real Spain. Jk, Spain is gorgeous and I´m stoked. Let´s do this!!

Ok so this email I want to talk about...can you guess? YES! THE PARK! Because it was the best one I´ve ever had and goodness the church is true!!

This last week was kinda rough because I felt like I was plateauing in the language and then we were having grammar lessons that made my head want to explode and I was kind of down. But I still prayed everyday to have a positive attitude and halfway through the day my prayer would be answered and I got a second wind. But, on Friday, we found out our park companions and I had Hermana Martens who is the companion of my park companion Hermana Meredith from last week. She´s a fireball let me tell yah. So we were kinda stoked but I was a little nervous because we both have super strong personalities and I didn't know how that was gonna work. But I prayed a lot and had faith that all would be well. Also, this week I had been praying to: 1. find people who needed to hear the gospel and 2. Be able to communicate with confidence.

The morning of the park, I woke up super tired and not feeling into it at all. I was tired of feeling like I couldn´t speak Spanish and tired of just everything and I had a feeling that it was going to be a bad park day. But as we were sitting through some demo teaching (the teachers always help us do some examples and give us goals before we go out) and I said to myself, "Look here's the deal Hermana. You´re not feeling great, yes. And this can be a terrible park day, yes. But goodness sakes if you just rub some dirt on it and have a positive attitude then this day is going to be great. You owe it to the Lord, yourself, and your companion to make it a great day." So I decided that no matter what, this day was going to be great. As I was sitting there, I had a random thought pop into my head about some elders last week who had been prompted to go to the Crystal Palace (in the park) and ended up helping some hermanas out. I don´t know why this exact thought came to me but I did know that it meant we needed to go to the Crystal Palace.

As we were going down to the temple, I asked Hermana Martens what goals she wanted to set for the park. She gave me a funny look because we had just set our numbers goal. So I clarified and said goals for our companionship and for the people. She told me she really wanted to bear her testimony in Spanish so I made a promise to myself that she would be able to do that. Then we decided to speak Spanish even if the person said they also know English.

We get to the park (sorry this is a long story) and say another prayer. Hermana Martens said to walk a certain way so that we could make our way to the Crystal Palace. We were walking down and tried to talk to a lady who was totally not interested and didn't even answer some of our questions so we wished her well and let her go on her way. Then we pulled out the map to see if we could figure out where to go for the Crystal Palace. Well the map was no help because we had no clue where we were. So I told her we should ask someone for directions. We walked for a little bit and then I saw a guy on a bench reading a book and then another guy watching us. It would have been easier to ask the other guy but I felt the need to bother the guy on the bench. So we asked him where it was and he gave us very clear directions. Hermana Martens started walking away but I stayed and kept talking to him. They both gave me the same look like, "He´s reading a book. Why are you interrupting him while he's reading a book?" (Julian Smith anyone? No? Ok.) But, I didn't care I just thought, "Ummmm this guy doesn't really need to read that book, he needs to hear the gospel." So like my stubborn self I kept plugging along and soon the man was having a good conversation with us.

Let me tell you some things about this guy:
1. He´s from Madrid
2. Has kids who kind of live all around Spain
3. Speaks spanish, italian, french and ZERO english
4. He hardly ever comes to the park to read....usually stays at home but decided to switch it up that day.
5. Was leaving in like 30 minutes for a 2 week vacation to visit his son
Are 4 &5 a coincidence? I THINK NOT!

So we talked to him about his life and then I asked if he had ever been to the temple and whipped out a pass along card and popped a squat right there next to him on the bench. Then we talked about what he believes and he's a Catholic but doesn't practice. Then we told him we sing at the temple and in the park if he wanted to listen. He did btw but didn't have time. Then when it was time for him to leave, I sort of had a little bit of verbal diarrhea and said, "Uh hey would you like to know more about what we believe?" He didn't say a word he just looked me in the eyes and nodded his head. I was a little shocked but super stoked. He gave us a reference and it was great and thanked us for our time. Hermana Martens said that´s the first time she´s ever really shared the gospel in the park so that made me happy.

We ended up having another good gospel convo with another guy and that was great and then we went to sing because we were late. Now a little back story really quick. Two weeks ago, I was in the park with Hma Matsu and we met a couple right at the beginning named Maria and Tirso. They said they have been looking for the missionaries for 2 years and wanted to interview us because they loved our spirits and energy. I fell in love with this gospel and really felt like they were prepared for the gospel. They told us they were in Germany the next week but would find us at the park again 2 weeks later. Well, that Saturday was here and I was really hoping and praying to see them. As I jumped into the group to sing, I looked up and saw someone filming us and then I recognized the lady behind the camera...IT WAS MARIA! Oh golly I was so happy I couldn't stand it. Then I looked over and saw Tirso talking to Presidente Packer and he looked at me and gave me a big smile. After we were done I went to talk to them and could hardly stand how happy I was. They were so excited to see me and Hma Matsu again. And as they were packing up their stuff, Tirso dropped something and it was a Libro De Mormon and in my head I was like, "OH MY GOSH PRESIDENT GAVE TIRSO A LDM HE IS THE BEST PERSON IN EXISTENCE!!!"

Longer story somewhat shorter, Presidente shared the experience in testimony meeting and said (because they needed permission to interview us for their documentary) "I told them to send me there stuff and we would get all in order. But I told them that the only way they could interview you guys was if they let missionaries come and teach them first." I started crying and couldn't stop because I just thought "Maria and Tirso are my family and now a piece of my family will get the chance to hear the gospel." It was so so cool. Everytime I talk to them I can feel how open their hearts are and how ready they are for the gospel. It seriously felt like I had found some more of my family and now they could find happiness in the gospel as well. SO AWESOME!! If this is what it's gonna feel like in Malaga then: 1. I´m going to become a softie and need a lifetime supply of tissues and 2. BRING IT ON!!

Ok well that was my main story for the week. Sorry for the length!!! We also set a goal to not speak any English this week so that´s been fun. Obviously everyone has been weirdly more focused lately.....mostly because we can only communicate so much. BUT I LOVE IT! Spanish is great. The gospel is great. And Yáll are great!!

Have a grand week! The church is true!!

Hermana Twede

Here are some pictures from this week:

The Spain palace is great, Spanish architecture is beautiful and 

America is doing everything wrong in buildings.

And me and my comp and other Hermanas are cutsie. 

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