June 23, 2010

Dearest Family,

Well, it sure sounds like una montaña rusa at home. That in Spanish is a roller coaster. I don´t know why the direct translation is a russion mountain...whatever. There really isn´t much I can do to help the situation, but I want you to know that I am praying for all of you, that we as a family can become more united and centered in Christ through this difficult time.

So, I am glad that all went well with Girl´s Camp mom and that you can have some fun soon in Lake Powell. That is way cool and Elder Carr would be way jealous, as that is his favorite place in the world...Well, other than Spain, of course.

So I got an email from Ryan Hill today and it made me so happy to hear from him. His email made me laugh really hard and to make sure that he knows I am in the process of writing him, I will attach a short email, hoping that you forward it to him. I also, if it would be possible, would like to have his address, so that in the future I can write him directly.

Well this week has gone really well. There is always a time when you get into a new area and the only things that stick out to you are the things that the prior elders have done wrong. That lasts about a few weeks and then that area really becomes yours...well, it´s the Lord´s but... yeah. Well I think that finally I am understanding the area. Like I have told you before the city is very different and the way to do missionary work is a little different as well.

I have needed to do some adjusting in the way that we contact, schedule appointments, etc. Finally, Elder Moreno and I are finding success. We have right now 4 people that have been invited to be baptized with a near date and have accepted. We are, however, experiencing many difficulties with some of these people in maintaining that desire to be baptized. It´s rough work, but in the end it is all worth it. The good thing is that 3 of these 4 people came to church this last Sunday and therefore are progressing, even if it is a little slower than desired.

I find it very interesting and, actually, mind blowing that in one week, 7 days, a bishop was moved into a stake presidency and an entire new bishopric was called. Of course, I know that this is how the church should function, and the church organization works almost perfectly in happy valley, but it just does not work the same in Spain.

I am not sure if I have told you about the situation we are facing here in Barrio 5. In November the bishop here told the ward that he would be gone a couple of months, as he was going to visit his country of Paraguay. This is something normal here in Spain, people take very long vacations here. However, what I have heard from Elder Moreno, is that this bishop never came back. Other members have seen him around here in Spain, but he hasn´t returned to the church.

The reasons are unknown, and it is not right to suspect what happened. But if this were to happen in Provo, I am sure that the process of finding a new bishop would take, just a week, but surely not 7 months. We have been hearing rumors that they need to find the bishop and find out why he has not come back before they can call another one, but we are not sure why the process is taking so long. I have, however, gained my testimony of the need of the bishop, and the need of 3 in a bishopric. The ward just doesn´t work as well or as smoothly without a bishop.

The members aren´t as committed and the unity in the ward is lacking. I am not complaining, it is just interesting that even though it´s the same church here in Spain, the process takes much longer. Nonetheless, there are some of the most dedicated and loving members in this ward. I thought I knew what the word sacrifice was before the mission, but I have gained a new perspective in what that word really is after seeing these members here do what they do, and give up everything for the church. It is very easy to take for granted what we have in Provo, and I hope that one day Spain will be like Provo, with churches on every other block and where the schools are 90% LDS, etc. I am sure it will happen some day.

Yesterday something really funny happened to me and Elder Moreno. We had been walking in the street and trying to find some of the potential investigators that we had written down. At about 7 o clock Elder Moreno told me that I had a little red stain on the back of my white shirt. He tried getting it off but after a few seconds told me that it wasn´t that noticeable. We continued on, and as we were leaving the metro, I realized that on the back of Elder Moreno´s shirt, he had a stain as well. But this red stain was bad, as it was covering the lower third or fourth part of his shirt and the back pockets of his pants. I just started laughing as it was really noticeable.

We decided to make an emergency visit to the apartment where Elder Moreno planned to change his clothes. Well that is only have the fun. Upon arriving in the piso, Elder Moreno realized that he didn´t have any more clean shirts. He was out, as was I. He started searching impatiently through his drawers, hoping that for some odd reason he might find a misplaced clean white shirt. After what seemed an eternity, he found one. Ahhhh! We were saved. Elder Moreno, now very frustrated that only 1 of his 8+ shirts were clean made the quick decision to throw in a white load of wash. He took all of the dirty white shirts he had found, threw them into the washer, and started it.

At this point he was much more at peace with himself and calm to know that his dirty shirts were being washed. He returned to his room to put the other shirt on, and to his horror, he realized that the shirt he had left out of the wash, was the original shirt with the red stain. We laughed so hard, as it was impossible for me to get mad at this extreme point. Well, to make a long story shorter. He ended up finding another misplaced shirt in some random place, ironed it, and we were off again.

Well, I am sorry that this letter is a little bit boring, but nothing comes to mind today. I hope that all of you have the best week ever, and that I can hear more good news from everyone the next week. Oh yeah, Mark, just so you know, if I was there you would be able to count on me to help you in your eagle project. I am sorry that I can´t be there in person, but you will have my prayers. I am extremely pleased with the positive comments about Cami. I am so excited to hear about here every week. I am glad that she is wanted to do good things. She is a great example to me and we as a family surely do love here and are proud of here. I love you Cami, and I am sooo proud of you!!!

Well have a great week!

Love, Rob