Monday, January 19, 2015

Byebye Alcalá, Helllloooo Alcórcon!

January 19, 2014


Wellllll I left Alcalá...mixed emotions....definitely mixed emotions. I love Alcalá and it will always have a special place in my heart, but a new area with new opportunities will be fun! So first things first: Shout out to Alcalá the best area ever to start out a mission in.  After spending 1/3 of my mission there I think it´s safe to say it has a special place in my heart. All the ward members are incredible. I felt like a part of a family there. I´m so happy that yesterday was not goodbye with them, but that I´ll be coming back during the mission and after! 

We had an incredible week. Since I had 6 months in Alcalá I knew a fair amount of people and I wanted to give all of my old investigators one last chance to learn and accept the gospel, people we had dropped for one reason or another, people who needed time. So I called up everyone and wow! Our challenge of the week was that we didn't have enough time to meet with them all! What a great last week it was in Alcalá! Oh so great!

Also last night we had a bomb FHE for the last time (well with me there)! We covered 3 onions and 1 apple in chocolate and then had four of the young men race to eat them. One of the BYU students took a big bite, chewed then spit it out. "That´s oninon!!!!!" Bahhahahahahahahaha!!!!!! Frecia I totally stole this idea from your oratory. Anyway we tied it in with how sometimes things look more appetizing then they actually are, but if we´re actually eating an apple (like Javier was) we´re going to enjoy it. hahahha best part of the week was seeing their faces!

Milagro (miracle): This week we had a lesson with Raquel. We actually dropped her a few weeks ago cause she is ridiculous amounts of Catholic. The Plan of Salvation really hit her, but she ended up saying the Catholics believe almost the same thing and justifying it all. Anyway we dropped her, but our last chance lesson with her this week...wow! Umm talk about inspired questions. She ended up saying that the Catholic church has changed over time to fit the needs of man....Um Hello? Do you believe God is the same yesterday, today, and forever? Yes! So why would the church Jesus Christ established need to change to fit the needs of man? Shouldn't we change to fit ourselves with God? Anyway I hope that Hna Chav. and her new companion will be able to get through to her!

CPdE: Saddest story ever: So, we were walking to an appointment one morning and decided to speak with a girl walking with two big bags. We started talking to her and this is her story: She´s a 19 year old gypsy, 9 months pregnant, and had cuts on one side of her face. Her husband has been beating her. She finally had enough so she ran away. Her mother is dead. He father is a drunk or in prision or something. She´s running to her grandmother´s......shack. When she was crying to us she said that it doesn't have light or water and I didn't understand the word she was using until after we left and Hna Chavarria explained it. Her grandmother, also gypsy, lives in what we would call a squatters hut. It´s made of branches, cardboard, and tarps. This is the world to which she will be bringing in her new son. How grateful I am for my parents. For the Church. For my country. For my life. Wow.

Ok now, tribute to Hna Chavarria. She was the best. So awesome. I honestly think I found a twin. Apart from our looks and the countries we were born in and the languages we speak (I know they´re kinda big differences, but roll with me) we are the exact same person. Our personalities, the way we handle situations, the way we work, everything! Hahaha it was a blast to be with her!

And now my new companion: Hna Marsh! She is from Murray, Utah (yep back to Utahns, haha) She was a cheerleader too! She almost has 3 months in the field (I´m the old one now...weird!) and she is the sweetest person I have ever met in my life. She´s also the granddaughter of Elder Russell M. Nelson (Yep I´m name dropping, but my comp´s gramp is pretty legit).

Also my new area is Alcórcon annnd I know nothing about it soooo when I find out more I´ll let you know! 
My new address is:
Avenida de los Carabancheles 16 4D 
28921 Alcórcon, Madrid, 
España

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LEIGHTON!!!!!!!!!!! I looooove you! You are the most wonderful special 5 year old in the whole wide world! I think you are the funniest, cutest person ever!!!!! I LOVE YOU!!!!!
Side note from Rachel:  Alcorcón is a city in the south-west of Madrid, Population: 170,000.  Wikipedia states "The site appears to have been inhabited since prehistoric times. The name is of Arabic origin, but little is known of Alcorcón before the Reconquista. An early written reference to Alcorcón is in a medieval document that dates from 28 July 1208. Alcorcón has a small historic centre (including the church of Santa María la Blanca), which is protected as an "archaeological zone".[2] The centre is surrounded by modern developments, as Alcorcón has been growing rapidly in recent times due to migration from other parts of Spain and Latin America."




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