July 30, 2009

Dear family,

I am glad to here that all is well on the river run. I always loved being on the river, because it was so serene and fun. Plenty of time to think, laugh, play, and of course EAT!!! I have to say that I would love to be there right now, because the food isn't very good here. I love breakfast because there is a lot of cold cereal, but other than that, you never know what your going to get. I don´t really like their pasta, because it is cold, and they only have one sauce here in the CCM, and its a tomato sauce, which is actually very good. I love it here, but the food is not a plus, so far. I would have to say that 40 percent is really good, 40 percent ok, and 20 percent not good. I am not sure if those are accurate but none of them rank even close to Moms food. Of course, I did understand that this would be the case, being away from home and Celestial food for two years, but I thought that it would be better than this. Its not too bad, but sometimes it isn't good at all. But you would be proud of me, because I try most foods, including yesterdays rice with a mixture of secret treasure. The treasure was a mixture of sea shells, shrimp, and other stuff that you would rather just eat and not know what they really are. Another missionary gagged on what looked like a 4 inch long shrimp antennae, that was like a cherry stem, but really slimy and...gross. So we have a lot of interesting things to eat. I like most of the fish however, and that was surprising.

Today I had my first haircut in Spain. I had one at the Provo MTC, but this one was much different because we went to a salon that did not know Missionary standards. I tried to tell the guy cutting my hair what to do, but he didn't understand me hardly at all ( I could hardly understand him). He started out with one cut about my ear and let me look at the length, which was way too short, like a buzz, so luckily I told him, mas largo, and he made it longer and that one was better. My hair is still way short and when he put the product in at the end, my hair was really spiky. I didn't flatten my hair in fear that he would be offended so I left it and will switch it shortly.

I love the culture here. It is the same in many ways, but also very different. The metro is awesome, the pisos or apartment buildings are huge, and people generally really closed up. It is hard to find people that are open and say hi to you. I almost always say hola to everyone and rarely do they ever respond. I have had the finger waved to me a couple times and that is pretty cool. But I wish people would just say hi, because then I would be able to spread my happiness with them. Most haven't even given me a chance. Hopefully, when I learn the language better I will be able to be more bold in saying hi and inquiring about their days, etc. Right now I am still working on talking and getting across all of my real thoughts, and hopefully I can get better at understanding as well.

The temple was wonderful today. I really love the temple. While I was in the Celestial room I saw another missionary who is from Portugal, give a hug to one of his friends who is here with their stake, visiting the temple. The Spain temple boundaries are Portugal, Spain, and France, maybe Italy, but I am not sure. So it is pretty big. This missionary and I have gotten really close lately because he and I were together at the park this last Saturday trying to get contacts and trying to learn the language, hopefully that makes sense to you. However when I saw these two embrace, it was really touching, because they obviously were really good friends before my friend came out here, and now they are reunited in the best place in the world... the temple.

This sight made me wonder how we will embrace in the Celestial Kingdom with our eternal family and friends. I remember when I received my endowment and the way I felt walking into the Celestial room then, and I can´t wait for that day. I can´t wait to meet my Savior and to thank him for everything. Words can´t describe the way I feel for him. I love my Savio.

Well, five other missionaries and I just got back from Sol, a main downtown center place with millions of stores and lots of people. It is really neat and I bought 5 awesome ties for 3.95 euros each which if you do the math is about 30 dollars. So that was an awesome buy, but other then that we just developed all my pictures, about 198 of them and then had Mcdonalds for a snack. By the way you get ripped off over here too on the McFlurry´s. So that stinks but it was a great day. I still haven´t done my laundry and hopefully I can get that done soon.

I hope you are all having fun on the river and that you pack up and drive home safely. I love receiving emails and letters from all of you and they really uplift me and keep me going when it is easy to get distracted and slack off. I am trying hard to stay focused and to do the work as best as I can.

Before I left we met the actual coach of the highland rugby team in the airport. You´ll recall that they based the movie forever strong off him and his teams. He started the team and still coaches it. He is a member and he told us that he talked to President Worthlin one time and asked him what kind of advice he could give to missionaries. President Worthlin said, ¨First, honor your father and mother. Second Obey. Third, honor your mission President and companions. (While he was saying the fourth, the coach said he started to cry) and Fourth, honor our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

I am trying to do this and it is surprisingly really hard. Because others don´t do what they are always supposed to and they are so many things that you need to focus on that it is hard to do it all the right way. Obviously, I am not perfect and I am finding out, more than ever now, how imperfect I really am. I am trying to honor you both as well as the other three things on the list. Tell all four grandparents that I love them very much and thank Grandmother for her letter that I received in the MTC. I feel all of your prayers and thank you for them. I need all the help I can get in this work and it is nothing I can do by myself. I learn every day that I am really nothing in this grand, divine work. The Spirit is absolutely the number one, the only important thing, and without it nothing will happen, lives won´t be changed. Having the Holy Ghost is absolutely critical and I am striving to do what I can so that I can be worthy of having that sacred gift with me always. To guide me and direct my paths.

I love you all and pray for you a lot. I trust that all is well at home and that you all are doing what the Lord wants you to do. Therein is found happiness.

I will leave you with this quote from Pres. Monson in this last general conference. He said,

This is not a time for fear, brethren (sisters), but rather a time for faith - a time for each of us who holds the priesthood (or all of us, sisters included) to be his (or her) best self.¨

I love you and may our Father in Heaven continue to bless us. I realize more everyday how blessed we are to have and to always have had the gospel in our lives. We are blessed and our Father in Heaven, and His Son Jesus Christ love us very much.

Until we talk again,

Perserverar Hasta el Fin