September 30, 2009

Dear family,

Here can be my segment for the newsletter:

Elderes!

How is everyone doing? I hope all is well in your part of the world. This last week I had the most fun Preparation day ever. We live in a chalet with two other people, a 24 year old Romanian that works as a translator in the court, and a young Spaniard, probably about 21 years old, who is going to the university here. So last Wednesday, preparation day, our Romanian friend, Miguel, knocked on our door at about 10:30, and asked us if we wanted to go fishing. Of course, we accepted and started getting ready. 30 minutes later we hopped in his car and went for a 30 minute spin to a very quiet lake in route to Toledo, the famous place where all of the swords and weapons from Lord of the Rings were made. We arrived and hiked a little bit and set up our gear. After that we just cast our lines and waiting for the bitin´ to happen. It took me about five times to get the hang of it, as it was basically my first time fishing, but I finally was able to cast a good one. After a twinkling in the eye, I saw my string get tight and I really a huge, mean, 6-foot sword fish in from the lake. It almost pierced my side as I was trying to get it on shore, but finally we got a hold of the guy and…. Well, okay, it wasn´t that big, maybe pushing 18 inches, but it was way fun and seamed extremely intense, as it was my first fish caught, not to mention in Spain, with a Romanian. I ended up catching one more and got pictures with both of them and will send them in next months newsletter. Stay tuned for next month for some of those. It was an amazing day and one that will change my life forever, haha. While we were leaving, hiking back to the car, a shepherd and about 100 sheep or goats passed by, which was crazy, but the whole day was very fun.

On a more spiritual note, I am very excited for General Conference. I also read in the Ensign this month a excerpt from an Ensign article from 1996 by Pres. Monson. He had some words of wisdom that I would like to share. He said, ¨Love causes change. Love brings healing to the wounded soul. But love doesn´t grow like weeds or fall like rain. Jesus taught, A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another. As I have loved you that ye also love one another….The desire to lift, the willingness to help, and the graciousness to give come from a heart filled with love. True love is a reflection of Christ´s love.¨ I really loved this quote because it goes so well with Moroni´s plea in Moroni chapter 7; to pray for charity, the pure love of Christ, with all the energy of your soul. That when He comes again you may be like Him, and be able to see Him as He is. That isn´t exact, but I feel very strongly that one of the main things that we can do is express to the people that we are teaching that there is a diving being that loves them. And we can have this love in our hearts and in our countenance, and we can share that love with them. We can lift fallen hands, brighten peoples days, and bring the power of God unto salvation unto the children of Men. I know that we can have the love of God and Jesus Christ in our hearts and in our lessons and contact if only we pray for it and have faith unto obedience and continual repentance. This love can cause change in the lives of our brothers and sisters. ¨For God hath not given us the Spirit of fear, but of faith and power. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord.¨ 2 Timothy, I think. I think of the phrase, ¨love them into the Gospel.¨


I am very excited to watch conference. Here in Spain they have almost all of the members who are in the Madrid mission boundaries come to the stake center on temple square, right next to the CCM or MTC and watch conference together. So we have a lot of members and almost all the missionaries plus, a couple of investigators that want to go and watch for a session. The missionaries have a room to themselves so that they can watch it in English. I am very excited to see the other Elders in my group and to see some of my teachers in the CCM. I think that this will be an even greater experience once I have served in more areas and know more members and missionaries because, like my companion, Elder Carr, said, he will get to see all of them between all of the sessions. We have kind of crazy schedule of conference. We watch Saturday morning, Saturday night, and then watch the other three, including priesthood on Sunday. We have to leave before the last session on Sunday because it will end its live broadcast, I think, at midnight. I am very excited though. Have fun and love everyone. It is the only way to go. As we love others they automatically love us. Who doesn´t want that. All we need is love.

Have a great week.

I love you all and pray for you almost always!

Love,

Rob