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

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.

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!

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.