Monday, December 25, 2017

Reason For The Season

This was our Merry Christmas! Brielle surprised everyone except Darren and Darrick.
She skyped us after she said she wasn't going to since she was coming home in 2 weeks anyway.
Best Christmas present!
Hey y'all I, sending out a very quick and very short email today about
this week. Apologies but it's Christmas so I assume y'all are in a
forgiving mood today.

This week basically what happened was craziness. Tuesday was Hna
Sigcha's birthday!! There was signs and secret texts sent to everyone
to wish her HBD so it was great!!

Birthday Girl
Also we went to Elche for their district meeting (my last time
in that beautiful place #tears) and then brought Hna Nelson and
Hna Brinkman back with us for intercambios. I was with Hna
Nelson for the tarde and she's super awesome I love her to death.
It was a crazy night but long storyshort, God is super cool and
put us in a situation where we ended up teaching 4 potential
investigators and getting the information of
three of them in the house of an inactive. #WAT

Elche

Hna Nelson and goodies
Wednesday I don't 100% remember what happened but ''twas a good day.
Thursday we had district meeting and then Hna Malcom and Hna Smith
came for intercambios. I was with Hna Smith that night and once again
we saw lots of milagros and she is just a máquina. I'm so grateful for
this opportunity to work with these new missionaries and see their
faith and get them pumped for the rest of their missions.

Friday the poor Crevillente Hnas got stuck in the parking garage with
no working cards to pay for parking so we went and bailed them out.
Friday was a great rest of the day I don't completely remember what
happened either but it's fine. Oh right it was the ward Christmas
dinner and baptisms of a family that has been waiting 6 years to get
in that font!! Such a cool day.

Saturday was a good day with weekly planning and making calls. Sunday
was a really cool joint sacrament meeting with both wards and musical
numbers and just made me a little emotional about my timetable here in
Spain. I love these people soooooo much it's ridiculous. We ate that
night with Marisol y Juan our great Bolivian family and they fed us
Picana AKA sooooo much food. Nothing like la Nochebuena without a ton
of food right??

CHRISTMAS IS TODAY!!! We went and had lunch with the elders at our
fave members house and once again ate a ton!! Then I got to surprise
skype my sweet family and that was awesome!! Y'all though I wasn't
gonna skype....#GOTCHA

Basically I just want to express my gratitude for the birth of our S
Savior. Had He not come down to earth, I wouldn't be here in Spain, I
wouldn't have a shot at an eternal family, the gospel would not be a
part of my life, and Christ would not be my Friend who suffered and
died so I that I might know JOY!!! I love my Savior and I'm so
grateful for this season to celebrate Him. May we all look for ways
EVERYDAY of the year to celebrate Him and give thanks for all He has
done and continues to do for us.

Love you all

Feliz Navidad
Kia Kaha

Hermana Twede




Samantha stole my chapa

Surprising the mum #SheCried


Merry Christmas to me. Ruben and Eva came to see me!!!



Monday, December 18, 2017

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

"I think if I were any more tired I'd be dead."
- Anonymous


HI FRIENDS THIS IS GONNA BE A QUICK EMAIL IM REALLY SORRY BUT ES LO QUE HAY.

Ok so Monday was awesome with some fab Noches de Hogar!! Tuesday we
had Zone Consejo with all the District leaders (was that really this
week?) and it went well. Then we had a great lesson with one of our
investigators, the ward Noche de Hogar, then Hna Garcia and Hna
Mckeown got to spend the night with us. Fun stuff.

Wednesday was INTERCAMBIOS!! Spent the morning with Hna Aguilar and
the night with Hna Reed. We saw some killer miracles, found a long
lost menos activo, found another menos activo, helped a dizzy old lady
find her bus, ate some pan de bono, then sang Christmas songs with
some old Spanish grannies. Good time. Love those Hermanas and the
miracles that come from intercambios.

Thursday was CHRISTMAS CONFERENCE!!! Sooooo fun. The talent show was
soooo fun and funny. Basically all you need to know is Elder Stewart
could beat a BYU football player in an eating contest and that Vikings
are really hard to train. LOVE MY MISSION!! Awkward moment when you
have to say bye to everyone and then you sing the mission hymn and
everyone sings it wrong. JAJ #LaMish

Everything else was a breeze and I don't remember all of it so I'm
skipping to Sunday when we had 3 future investigators come to church
and then went and sang at an Old Folks Home and it was a good time.
Spanish villancicos are really fun to sing.

Ok I'm really sorry this is lame but I just hope you all know the
significance of the season we are in right now. Had Christ not been
born, the entire Plan of Salvation wouldn't be possible. Because of
Him, we can be together as families. Because of Him, we can overcome
sin, illness, sorrow, and all injustice in the world and in life.
BECAUSE OF HIM I AM HERE!!! I love my Savior. Remember the reason for
the season.

Love you all have a great week!!

Kia Kaha


Hermana Twede
Spanish Christmas ft. Me

What happens when you don't wear a coat so Marisol gives you her vest and scarf.

HOMIES. Bye Elder Liza.

Intercambios with Albacete

Conf squad

I got glasses. (No she didn't)

Pan de Bono with Hna Reed

The nice lady we helped. She was lost, but we found her!

Monday, December 11, 2017

MOOOOOOOOO 🐄

What do you call a cow with one leg?
Leen Beef
What do you call a cow with no legs?
Ground Beef
What do you call a cow in an earthquake?
Milkshake

Ok well this is gonna be a lame email so I decided to start off with some jokes to make up for it. Lame email, lame jokes, ahí vamos.

Monday and Tuesday were SUPER great because consejo and that was just super spiritual and learned a lot. And I got to chill with a bunch of my mission buddies. Although Tuesday was sad bc I had to say goodbye to a bunch of my best mission friends as well as give my last testimony. Dying in the mission is the worst.

Tuesday night I had intercambios with Hna Pickett! Oh my the best ever. We literally just cried laughing all night, taught a bull fighter who is GOLD, met two Americans, and then met a guy from Africa named Jocelin. 'Twas a great night reliving the Elche dayz.

Wednesday morning I had a great talk with Hna Torjeson and then we met a nice lady in the bus station who was ready for the gospel. Then we had a great long trek home on the bus. BUS TRAVEL. LOVE IT.

Thursday was district meeting and Kebab. Aka bad day for my stomach. Pero bueno.

Friday and Saturday we had INTERCAMBIOS! We had the awesome Hna Lake and Hna Dillon over and I was with Hna Lake for the night and it was SWEEEET! Loved it. She's the bomb.com. Then Hna Dillon in the morning and it was awesome we found a new investigator! Basically it was just awesome.

Sunday was super awesome. This new family came to church and they just moved here from Mexico and were affected by the earthquakes and lost a lot of their things. I had the opportunity to sit and talk with them after and I just told them it wasn't by chance that they were here in Spain and in the church and had the glorious opportunity to testify of the gospel and how much it blesses our families. I just watched as the mom started crying as she felt the spirit and then gave her a big hug.

I love this gospel that gives us hope in times of trial and pain. I love this gospel that focuses on families and gives us hope to be with our loved ones for eternity. I love this gospel that gives us hope of a Savior who came to the earth and suffered and died for us so that we could have someone who understands us. I love this gospel that gives us hope of a merciful and loving Heavenly Father who we can communicate with wherever and whenever. I love this gospel of hope. It's given me hope in my times of trial and pain. Hope in my eternal family. Hope in my Savior. And hope in my Heavenly Father who is merciful and loving. I love this gospel. That's why I've been spent the last 17 months of my life sharing it.

Love you all. Sorry for the short email. Have a great week.

Hermana Twede

Consejo Squad

Admiring our grandchildren ft. Elder Tabilo

Saying goodbye to Hna Johnson

Hermana Pickett

Awww had to say bye to my best Elder friend, Elder Wilding 

Spain in pretty!

When someone reminds me how cold Utah is even though I'm "suffering" here in Spain.

Monday, December 4, 2017

LONELY

Hello friends. Here we are again. Another Monday. I'm currently
sitting on a bus to Málaga with my fave half Mexican previous comp, my
current Ecuadorian comp, and my CCM British roommate. So you could say
we're having a good time.

Ok so this week was REALLY interesting I don't even really remember
what happened. First off, I've had about 5 different companions this
week. Before I get to that though I need to start with the struggle
that was Monday night. So since Hna was leaving, EVERYONE wanted us to
come to their house. So we had 3 Noches de Hogar!! THREE!! TRES!! The
first house gave us a full course meal of pique machu. Delish but for
some reason my stomach decided to shrink that day. Then we had Cola
Cao and Pan de Bono with Alejandra and fam. Then we showed up to the
last NdH at Rossana's and my stomach was already crying and so was I
on the inside and we walk up and I'm praying for like a little snack
and we walk in and see........FULL SIZE HAMBURGERS!! As a citizen of
the United States of America - Land of the French Fries, Home of the
Hamburger - I've never been so horrified to see a hamburger. Hna
Bailey just looked at me with an almost pitiful look and after the
spiritual thought I literally went into the bathroom and said a
prayer. I needed actual Heavenly help to fit the Hamburger in my
stomach. Well Hna Bailey was the answer to my prayer with the excuse
of packing her suitcases. #BLESSED

Tuesday was a sad day for it was the day my beloved Hna Bailey (now
returned Macey) left me for home. So I got to be comps with Hna Aase!!
We had a good time together. And then she left me on Wednesday morning
and I was with......no one. I went from the bus station to the train
station by myself. #weird and met the elders there. Then they left to
go study and I waited for almost an hour for my train to Elche......by
myself. #AlsoWeird #Lonely Then I rode the train to Elche and talked
to two Muslim men......by myself. #CouldItGetWeirder? Then I stood by
a JW stand while I waited for Hna Lake and Dillon to come retrieve me.
#StraightUpAwkward but I spent the day with them and then headed back
to Alicante where I was retrieved from the train station by the elders
again and then waited for everyone to come in including my new
companion!!

Lonely on the bus
And pretty much it's been a normalish week since!! Kinda slow but
normal because it's the beginning of the transfer.

I just want to end with my testimony that God listens to our prayers.
I've had some really great experiences the past few days of that. When
I don't have energy, I pray and I suddenly have energy to finish the
day. When I get discouraged I pray and hope is shined into my heart.
When I need comfort, the Holy Ghost is there to comfort me. I know God
loves and loves me. I know He listens to my prayers because he shows
me in many ways that He is listening, even if I don't get all the
answers immediately. I am so grateful for prayer. I will never cease
to have a prayer in my heart for the rest of eternity.

Love you all. Have a great week.

Kia Kaha


Hermana Twede

Lunch with Arlex and Edilia (Arlex tried to hug Hna Bailey...'twas funny.)

Recording our voices for Zoilo's radio.

Travel time with Hermana Sigcha.

Monday, November 27, 2017

LA MANZANITA

Ok so you know how I have red cheeks? And how my brother has them too?
Well the past few weeks, because it's been a little colder and I'm
getting a little whiter, EVERYONE has been noticing even more and
EVERYONE calls me "la manzanita" or in English "the little apple". One
lady literally said, "Whenever I eat a red apple I'm going to think of
you." Thank you. I feel.....honored. #TheCurseOfTheRedCheeks

Well here we are, another week!! I can't believe it. I've now come to
a point in my mission I never thought I would reach. In my first
transfer, i never imagined I'd actually make it to my last or that it
would come. I honestly thought I was going to live my whole life as a
missionary in Granada until the day I passed on. But.....then I
blinked.....and now I'm here and it's weird. But it's ok.

So this week was a good week. Went super fast. On Saturday we did a
kick off for the new Christmas initiative. We went to a residencia de
mayores with our jóvenes and sang Christmas hymns. I was slightly
worried because: 1. Didn't know if anyone would show up besides
missionaries and 2. Old people in those homes make me slightly
uncomfortable, I don't know why. But we had a really good turn out for
the youth and some of the abuelos started crying. It was really tender
and the spirit was there and we definitely lifted some spirits. It was
awesome.

Singing at the residency home.
Monday was an adventure with food once again. I ate something called
Chuño. It's a really small potato that is really expensive and really
"delicious" in Bolivia. The way they are prepared is by being in a
field in the mountains, and people stepping on them with their BARE
FEET!! And if you know me, you know I hate feet. Well a couple weeks
ago, they showed us how they were prepared and I was so grossed out.
Well this Monday they told us they had something new to feed us. When
we sat down, I had a feeling I knew what we were eating. Usually they
don't tell us what we are eating until after we are already eating it.
But this time they weren't saying anything, so we did some prying.
Hna Bailey: Mmmmmm this is good, what is it?
Members: Chicken and rice
Bailey: No THIS. (Holds up potato)
Members: .....Potato
Bailey: Heh, yes......but what KIND of potato?
Members: *Laughing hysterically*
Me: ITS THE FEET POTATOES!!!
Members: *Literally crying of laughter*
And that is the story of how I ate feet potatoes and then at chicken
with my hands. I think Heavenly Father is trying to help me over come
my phobia of feet by feeding me food prepared with feet and a
companion who would put her feet on me to break my
phobia.......well.....it's not working. I still hate feet.

This email is all over the place but basically it was an awesome week.
It was Hna Baileys last so we ate with a bunch of people. I'm super
sad to see her leave but she must spread her wings and fly home to
California. OH AND WE HAD THANKSGIVING!! Good heavens I almost forgot.
It was soooo good. Everyone had assignments of what to bring and they
did awesome. We put Elder Stewart and Elder Larsen in charge of the
turkey and they NAILED IT!! Soooo good. I think it beats the turkey
from last year in Granada. Then we had an eating cita like an hour
after so I almost died. I could hardly give the message or else
everything was going to come back up.

Thanksgiving!!!

Turkeys are dumb and eat pebbles and pen caps.

Writing notes to random people. #IluminoElMundo (Light the World)

Long shory stort, this week I've been shoved full of food over and
over again. Super fun. Oh also I got transfer news.....my new comp
will be: HNA SIGCHA!! She is from my group and she's the cutest little
ecuatoriana from Spain ever. So it's gonna be an awesome transfer.
#Spanish4Days

Well I just want to testify of the love of our Savior. I know He loves
us soooo much. I know that the Spirit changes hearts of those who seem
to have iron locks. I know that our Heavenly Father is a God of
miracles. MIRACLES HAVE NOT CEASED!! We just sometimes lack the faith.
I encourage all to do the things that increase your faith and make an
effort this week to look for the miracles in your life. Love you all!!

Have a great week!!

Kia Kaha

Hermana Twede

Monday, November 20, 2017

SALT WATER

"It's kind of like when you're at the end of a drought and you just
want water soooo bad that even salt water sounds good. But you don't
need salt water! You deserve good water!!"

Did you know that Bolivians will boil cow's feet and take the broth
from that and make it into a jello dessert thing? It's called Gelatina
de Pata......you should try it some time. Could be fun.

Ok well this week was stellar and crazy and just super fast I don't
even know if I my eyes were open for it all because I blinked and it
was Monday again. Well I'll start with the great day that was Tuesday.
Lately we've been having no luck with people even stopping to talk to
us in the street or take even a card. Well Tuesday I was on
intercambios with Hermana Valdez and on our way home we had time to
contact. We had a goal to get three futures that day and Hermana López
and Valdez had also been having a hard time with contacting, so I was
determined to get in some good contacting. OH MY SO MANY MIRACLES!!
Almost every. Single. Person we stopped, stopped, talked to us, then
either gave us their number or at least took a card. But we were able
to get three solid future investigators right in a row!! I just looked
at Hermana Valdez and said, "¡Qué milagros!" It was really cool and
just reaffirmed that God is guiding this work and He will lead us to
His elect or  He will lead them to us.

Wednesday was good, we had Consejo de Zona so we got to meet with the
district leaders in the zone and have some good discussions on what
the zone needs and how we can better attend to the needs of the
missionaries. Then we ate some really good, really cheap pizza and
shout out to Hermana Bailey bc she finished her pizza!! #YouGoGlenCoco

Thursday morning we hopped on a bus and headed for Málaga to have
intercambios with Hermana Moore and Hermana Torjeson!! I was with Hna
Torjeson for the night which was awesome because she's from my group
and we've never really served with eachother so it was fun to work
with her. Hermana Torjeson and I just went crazy on contacting and saw
a lot of miracles. One guy we talked to about his moped and he had a
huge jamón and then he went inside and came out a few minutes later
with a Tupperware full of jamón and gave it to us!! I love nice
people! One guy who we stopped, was not interested at all but still
stopped and talked to us. By the end of it, he willingly accepted a
Book of Mormon and actually asked for one in English because he speaks
really well and likes to practice so that was cool. Everyone we talked
to was sooooo nice and we saw a lot of miracles. It was really
awesome. It made me realize how much I LOVE talking to people.
Sometimes I fall out of that love of talking to people but when I get
started again, I just remember how cool this opportunity that we have
is, to talk to people from literally all over the world. Not everyone
stops, but those who do are just so awesome. I feel like we can feed
off of each others light of Christ within us because my soul just
feels filled to the brim after talking to a lot of people. I love it.

Friday we worked a little in the morning then hopped back on a bus
home to Alicante. Traveling is always an adventure. Saturday we did
Weekly Planning and had a really great Noche de Hogar. We are teaching
the dad and his heart is changing soooo much. It's so cool because we
notice it and he notices it too. So cool what the spirit can do.

Yesterday, Sunday, was awesome because Hermana Bailey and I had the
opportunity to participate in the PRIMARY PROGRAM!! Their pianist
wasn't there so I got to substitute and Hermana Bailey got the blessed
opportunity to sing. It was such a miracle because children who aren't
active, came that day so they were able to have a really nice program.

Today I was reading in 3 Nephi 17 about when Christ is telling the
people He has to leave and they just look at Him and don't want Him to
go, so He tells them to bring all their sick and afflicted to Him and
He will heal them. As I was reading, I realized that it said the whole
multitude went forward, EVERYONE. And words from Elder Holland (from
what talk, where, and when I have no clue) that reminded me that we
are ALL a little sick and a little afflicted.....maybe not physically,
but ALL of us need to be healed by Christ. I realized that I need to
be healed by Christ. He is there with His arms extended and healing in
His wings, we just need to grasp His hands and let Him heal us. I know
it's true and I know He loves each and every one of us.

Love you all. Have a great week.

Kia Kaha

Hermana Twede

Elder Randall's first talk in district meeting. He did so well!

Intercambios with Hermanas Valdez and Lopez.

Intercambios is Malaga!

Noche de Hogar with Alejandra y fam. She let Hna Bailey eat raw meat.

We were practicing our homemaking skills and made
homemade bread and empanadas.
Tasted better than it looks, promise.

Monday, November 13, 2017

COOKING CLASS

Hello culinary people!!! Jokes just quoting a movie that probably no
one will get it's fine. I'm used to quoting movies by myself......

Anyway so it's been a good week!! My cold has whipped wildly through
me very quickly. When I talk Spanish (and English) i still sound a
little bit like I'm plugging my nose but it's getting better.
#MILAGROS So super duper grateful for that.

Tuesday was awesome because we went to Elche to have a district
meeting with them and at was good. Then we brought Hna Lake and Hna
Dillon back with us for intercambios!! I got to be with Hna Dillon for
that night and she is in training and a MÁQUINA!!! She was contacting
people left and right and I was amazed!! So it was a really good and
we got some good contacting in and taught English and had an all
around good night.

Intercambios

Wednesday we were supposed to work with the Hnas for a little longer
but had the pleasant surprise of THEIR Piso checks so we had to send
them off quickly and then went to the church and taught a funny
Italian man. He was very fuerte but invited us to "dar una vuelta" in
his boat that he lives in so that was nice of him. Later that day we
got failed many times but está bien because we got to go choir
practice because I was asked to play for them. So we got to hang out
with the cutest old Spanish abuelas so that was fun.

Thursday we had Piso checks and PASSED!! Woot. They gave us cheesecake
snickerdoodles and they were AMAZING!! Then we had weekly planning and
it went really well. That afternoon we had a REALLY interesting lesson
with one of our investigators and I will not give details but then the
Noche de Hogar after with our fave family was AWESOME!!! We've seen
soooo many miracles with their family and so excited to see more. Also
they are ALL READING THEIR SCRIPTURES EVERYDAY!!!! Makes a missionary
happy.

Friday we had a good lesson with another investigator on the Plan of
salvation and I had a really cool opportunity to testify of the
truthfulness of the Plan of Salvation through knowing the Book of
Mormon is true. I probably should have done that a while ago but it
was really cool. Then we had district meeting, met with a menos
activa, met with a member and she taught out how to make bread, and
then contacted. Good day.

Saturday we did some studies and then ate with our favorite family
from Bolivia. They also taught us how to make our favorite dish Majau.
SO GOOD!! I love Southie food. Also that night we had a miraculous
meeting with one of our recent converts. We taught him how to put
Christ back into His proper place in his life. Really cool.

Yesterday I had the BLESSED opportunity to speak in church. I decided
to speak on love because that has been a big theme. I've realized that
our Heavenly Father has been trying to teach us to love each other. It
is something I'm learning to do more and more but I came to the
realization that to learn how to love, we need to put Jesus Christ
back in the center of our lives, because He knows how to love
perfectly, despite our mortal imperfections. I invite all, just like I
did yesterday, to put Jesus Christ back where He belongs: in the
center of your life. He has changed my life and I know that I've come
to know Him more in my time here in Spain. I love the Lord. I love the
gospel. I KNOW ITS TRUE!!!

Have a great week!!

Kia Kaha

Hermana Twede

Choir Squad

Waiting for our investigator...mice decided to join us.

Lessons with Bea!! She's a hoot!

We made pazookie!

Our church doesn't have a freezer so....we are geniuses and made the ice cream into an ice cube!

Monday, November 6, 2017

NEVERLAND

Did you know that pig tongue is actually not as good as it sounds? And
that even when you wear a mustache, you still won't look Mexican? Oh
and that Elder Trowell is really good at fake crying? Well.....all are
true.


VIVA MEXICO!

Ingredients: Pig head, pig skin, and pig tongue. #YUM


Another fact: If you take missionaries to a wedding, they won't want
to make some cookies, they will just feel very awkward.

This week has been a good one. I can't promise I'm going to say a lot
of inspiring words because I'm tired and slightly under the weather so
apologies in advance. But speaking of weather, it's finally started to
cool down a little here in Alicante!! Tomorrow is supposed to drop a
lot so stay tuned, sweater weather is upon us.

Ok so Tuesday we had intercambios with Hermana Aase and Aguilar and it
was HALLOWEEN!! So we ate with the missionaries at Domino's to
celebrate. I was with Hermana Aase that night and it was awesome. We
saw sooo many miracles and our companions found a new lady to teach
and she is super awesome!


Wednesday we had ZONE CONF!! It was so awesome. We got a new chapter
of Preach my Gospel and it's awesome. Also Elder Bennasar and his
sweet wife spoke to us again and they did really well. Great humans.
That night we taught our new investigator and because she also speaks
English, we got to have the help of Hna Andersen as well!! Really
powerful lesson on the Restoration.

Thursday and Friday were intercambios with Hna Malcom and Hna Lindley,
both just gems and great missionaries. We learned so much from them so
it was a blessing to have them. Thursday morning I had interviews with
Pte Andersen and it was so good. I love just being in his presence. We
also decided to make lentejas (lentils) and didn't realize that when
you put them in water, they quadruple practically......so maybe
tripling the recipe wasn't our wisest decision......but they tasted
good in the end......at least the ones who made it to the pot.

Lentejas.

Just sooo many lentejas.......

Saturday was really awesome. Kinda a crazy day but we started doing
the new weekly planning and that was an adventure. But we set some new
goals so this week will be good. #EmotionsWeek buthen remember my
recent convert Rubén and his cute fiancée Eva?? Well we used to joke
that I was gonna happen to end up in Alicante when they had their
wedding.....well it actually happened and I got permission from
President to drop in and congratulate them!! They looked soooo happy!!
So proud of them and the steps they are taking to be sealed one day in
the temple. But also Hna Bailey and I realized that if you want to
stick a missionary 100% out of their comfort zone, take them to a
wedding. Most awkward 5 minutes of my life. But it was fun to see
them.

Weddings. Marriage. So cute!

Sunday is always a special day. Our investigator came to church.
Testimony meeting was.....an adventure but good. I love the
opportunity to fast and it was awesome because we fasted with some
members and it went really well.

Today we've had a Mexican themed pday so we've been eating dip,
quesadillas, fajitas, lots of chips and stuff so it's been fun.

The message I want to share is one I've been sharing for the last 16
months: the light of the gospel changes lives. Hna Bennasar talked
about after Christ died there was that very dark Friday, but that
Sunday did come and it was a bright and glorious day. "Because of the
message you share, those people who are stuck on a dark Friday, they
can see Sunday come." (Hna Bennasar) the gospel brings a light into
our lives unlike anything else. I am a witness of that here in Spain.
I know it changes lives because it's changed mine. I may be young, but
I know this is the gospel of Jesus Christ. I don't have to pass
through the worst trials ever to know that, and even when I pass
through those trials, that will not change what I know to be true. I
know it is true. If you don't yet, I invite you to do what is
necessary to obtain that testimony. It will serve you for good for the
rest of your life.

Have a great week. Love you all.

Kia Kaha

Hermana Twede

We found Neverland!

Awkwardness

Stairs are just hard sometimes.

Monday, October 30, 2017

PLAN DE RESPALDO

I honestly cannot believe it is Monday again already. Time is FLYING!!
Me and Hna Bailey were talking about this earlier.....sometimes you
have long days and it's only Wednesday and then you blink and you're
writing a group email again. I don't know what God does to mission
time but.......it's weird.

So Monday was awesome with some great Noches de Hogar!! We had one
with a family from Bolivia and had 2 non members there!! Had a good
lesson and one of the videos we watched was on faith.....SO
IMPORTANT!! And then after we ate the most incredible empanadas I've
ever had in my life. I dreamed about them for the next few days. Then
we went to another Noche de Hogar with some of our favorite Colombians
and one of our investigators came. After the thought, we played one of
my new favorite games called Peca (Freckle). If you've ever played Big
Booty you pretty much got most of the game down. So everyone has a
number and you say, "Número 1 no tiene ninguna peca, cuantas pecas
tiene 4?!" And you're chanting and you have to do it well or if you
mess up everyone starts clapping and chanting, "PECA, PECA,
PECA......." and someone comes and draws a dot on your face. SO FUN!!
Jajaja Hermana Bailey was the target for one of our members so she
ended up with 5 pecas. Super fun. Then they gave us some loaded hot
dogs for the road......#Latinos

Hot Dogs. Level: Colombian

She lost the PECA game
Tuesday and Wednesday we had intercambios with our friends Hna May and
Brinkman from Elche and that was a good time!! Saw some miracles so
that was good. One of them was a long correlación during which I got
to talk to our favorite Gregorio over Skype!! Great man. Wednesday we
met with a menos activa and had a good lesson with her.

Thursday was awesome and we had some great citas with menos activos
and then a killer Noche de Hogar. Is was with a part member family
who's dad is a non member but has changed his heart and is listening
to us now. It's been a poco a poco process but we've seen soooo many
miracles. This Noche de Hogar, we made a lesson plan because we knew
he was gonna be there but then we got there and he told us he wasn't
going to attend because he had an interview. So we decided to do a
testimony meeting instead. Well.....a few minutes later he walked in
and said his interview had been cancelled and he knew that it was for
a reason!! So awesome!! So he got to hear his family's testimonies and
bear his own. Such a cool night and the spirit was so strong.

Friday we did some service in helping a menos activo prepare more for
moving. That afternoon we had merienda with a member and then met with
a menos activa who is progressing really well and one of our awesome
recent converts. Saturday we had lunch with some of our favorite
Bolivians and their meal did not disappoint. South American food is
quickly becoming my favorite food. RICE! BEANS! FRIED BANANA!
DELICIOUS MEAT THAT IDK WHAT ITS CALLED! Anyway.....later that
afternoon we had an interesting lesson with our investigator. I've
learned that teaching the Plan of Salvation can take soooo many
interesting turns......then we went and got some stuff at Mercadona
for our little trip and then talked to our Hermanas about their weeks.

Sunday was awesome with joint classes!! Our bishop is so awesome and
just spits knowledge every time he teaches. After church we had
consejo and then we went and hopped on a bus to Málaga !!! Last night
we stayed with some Hermanas in Málaga and then this morning we had
mission consejo and it was so awesome. We had the Area Seventy, Elder
Bennasar from Paris, France, and his wife come speak to us.

One thing I really loved about what he talked to us about was failure.
He loved the way we talked about our goals and "struggled" over
revelation. He started telling us about Nephi, when him and his
brothers were sent back to get the plates. (If you don't know the
story, go read 1 Nephi in the Book of Mormon......once you finish
that, keep reading. I promise it's a good read) Anyway, so they have
their goal: get the plates because it is wisdom in God that they have
them. Ok.....so they come up with Plan #1: Laban and Lemuel just go
ask. Does it work? No. Laman and Lemuel see the failure and want to
turn back. But Nephi says, "We're not going back home yet. The goal is
good! What's Plan #2?" Plan #2: Get their gold and bribe Laban. Does
it work? Still no. Ok.....so now we get to Plan #3 because the goal is
still the same and still good. Plan #3: Not knowing beforehand what to
do and relying on the Lord. Does it work? YES! Why? Because the other
plans failed. Through what Nephi learned from the first two plans, the
Lord was able to help him carry out the third. Sometimes this happens
to us. Our plans to fulfill our goals fail the first couple times. But
as we learn from our failures, the Lord helps us reach success. A
quote from Elder Bennasar that I loved: "Don't be too troubled when
Plan #2 doesn't work out exactly how you planned." Keep the faith,
through the Lord you will find success. I know it's true. I know the
Lord loves us and helps us carry out the righteous desires of our
hearts.

Have a great week. Love you all.

Kia Kaha.

Hermana Twede

Service.

Bus ride home.