Welcome To A Wonderful Week In Toledo!

October 19, 2015

Okaaaay so welcome to a wonderful week in Toledo! The seasons are changing! And it's gorgeous! And rainy.....I remember all the Spaniards telling me when I first got out the they were sick and
they'd always blame it on the weather. I thought they were crazy. While I don't know the reason, I've got a cold, so either I've been Spaniardized or the were right... Ha.


We've figured out the way to get into a Spaniards heart. English classes....gospel, nope. But you say free English and they all come running. Then we sneakily plant seeds of the gospel in their hearts
until they start asking us questions. For example "J. C.". He loves family history. He never knew how much he was gonna get in to family history when he first started coming to English class. Or
"M.". Yeah "M." you can say "you're a pill" with your Spanish accent all you want but we are gonna get to yo!  Better yet, the Spirit's gonna get you.

Also we had a modern day miracle! "A."! We were out in the street last weekish and I was talking on the phone as we were running to a lesson. We passed this guy and I was like wait, we need to talk to him, he'd accept the gospel. So I asked the people we were talking to if I could call them back and sat down right next to him. He was waiting for his bus and didn't really want to give us his number, but we got it out of him and he had to run. He couldn't meet with us during the week cause he literally works ever hour we work and lives in a little town far away, but he free day was Sunday, so he came to church and yesterday we were able to meet with him and he is super prepared. He's got a baptismal date for the 30th of November and is very interested in repentance. Sin really does cause such a burden in our lives, but that can all be remitted through the Atonement. I love testifying. I literally get chills every time I am able to say "I know my Redeemer lives."

We're working with quite a few members and their part member families. But nobody's making the progress we're waiting to see yet. But we did have the Bishop and also one of the elders tell us that a new spirit has come into the ward since we've been here. It's time for Toledo.

Also the Waite's came down to Toledo today! Yay! We were able to go out to lunch with the and the elders and one of our friends, 18 year old Nina from Maryland. She's here working as an au pair, her parents are from Germany so she also speaks German and she's just incredible. I think it was so good for her to meet the elders as well as the matrimonio couples today. To feel of their spirit and realize the work we're doing. I loooved visiting with Hna Waite as well, our souls just get along. And Elder Waite was so sweet to all of us. They had extended their mission until April, but due to family needs they're going home in December again, so hopefully you guys (family) will get to meet them if they come down! Fingers crossed!  Ok, I love you all so much! I am loving Toledo, the members here are
great. Seriously I think we've gotten more lunch invitations here than any other area. And the ward really is growing. They just need a little pick me up. I love the mission and am so grateful to be here.
Love, Hna Finch

Trying to get my eyes awake in studies.

And Javier's birthday (we went to the temple with his wife Miriam, and he's not a member but
we're working on it!)

Just our gangsta coats (just kidding, not ours). 

Oh and a member in our ward works at the American Embassy and got us American food. 

Lunch with the Waite's and missionaries and Nina. 

 We went to the Alcazar today, our view. Tell me I have the most beautiful area in Spain. I know!

What a Great Week!

October 12, 2015

What a great week! First off....HAAPPPPY BIRTHDAAAY MOM! You looked beautiful in the pictures you sent and I am so grateful to have you as my mom. There is no one better I could have asked for. 

Second, I love the temple. What an incredible experience to be able to accompany someone through the temple. I felt like I was seeing it all again with new eyes. I am so, so grateful for the blessings of the temple and the knowledge that we can gain there. I will admit, I am so excited to be able to attend the temple more than just once every so often. I love the temple. Annnnd I got to see Elder and Hermana Waite (my grandparents here)! It was so good to see them again after being in the islands for so long! 

We met the ward! They are great! And we're besties with the bishop - which I am really grateful for since we had such a great relationship with our bishop in Los Cristianos. I think I've had at least 2 hours in total talking to the bishop this week on the phone, so it was super great to meet him in person this week! And oh! Can I just say how much I already love this ward? They are so....Spanish! Lemme explain. Blunt. And I love it. I think it surprised my companion a little, she came from a ward with mostly Latinos (Latinos - at least the ones here - are very nice and sweet and not blunt). I loved all the eyebrow raising and the all the input and commentaries in relief society. Oh I love these people! 

As for new friends we've been meeting here, can I just say wow? Ok, I know that the Lord is blessing us so much with opening this area for sisters. We had two of our new friends come to church yesterday, which was completely the Lord, because we've never taught either of them! The they were both really good street contacts we had and both accepted our invitation to come to church, but they actually come too! I think it was given to us so that the ward could gain confidence in us right off the bat. We've also got a bunch of potentials that will be awesome, a bunch from part member families. It was actually pretty funny to be in ward council yesterday and it was the "cool" thing to say that a member of your family was going to be taught by the sisters or that you had a reference for the sisters. Haha. Literally I loved it. Such a blessing. We have so much help. I did feel a little guilty for the elders, they are such troopers and honestly have helped us sooo much. I am so grateful we've got such great elders here! 

I'm so sorry, I'm so spacey this week! It really was a great week and Toledo is awesome. I know this is definitely what I needed at this point in my mission. It is forcing me out of my comfort zone and into being s better person. Speaking of which. I started ponderize-ing this week (before our mission president asked us to) and wow! It really is helping me. D&C 10:4 talks about being diligent, but in our diligence not beating ourselves up. I am loving it. During the hard moments I always think on it and see the ways I can apply it. I'd invite you all to try it as well. I love you all so much! Thank you for the support! I love you! 

Love, Hermana Finch

Zone Conference:

Hna Marsh:

Hna Cheret:

At the temple with a member taking out her endowments:

I'm still living off cereal and crackers and cheese, thank you six months to sexy. I did not follow through...

A Quick Email

October 5, 2015

Hola mi familia Les quiero!!! I actually don't have much time today since we're not having pday today, we're just sending off a quick email to let you know we're alive while we watch the last session of conference. So why aren't we having pday today? Cause we're going to the temple!!!  On Friday! We've got a wonderful member here who is going to receive her endowment and asked us to accompany her. Her name is Miriam. We met her our first night here at a FHE and we're actually
going to start teaching her husband who isn't a member. The step to take out her endowment is really going to help him progress in the gospel. I loved Elder Nelsons's talk yesterday, I really thought it
was perfect for her and also another woman we have in our ward whose husband isn't a member yet. The power of women really is incredible. And speaking of women. Thank you Mom. Elder Holland's talk is for you. I love you!

Yesterday we had the opportunity to go to Pavones to see conference. I loved it. The most special part was seeing Izabela, my miracle. She sat with me in the English session of conference and as she watched the prophet and apostles walk at the end of the session she said "Oh, I just love them so much." As she sat by me she also told me of how she's working on person progress, attended church while on vacations, is planning to go to BYU, and attended EFY. Oh, I love her. She truly is my miracle that keeps on giving. And while filling her in on my life she said: "Oh I already know. Your mom's told me." Thank you Mom. Conversion truly is a family effort. Thank you for taking care of her while I was in the islands.

What else...um Toledo?! This city is gorgeous. I'm so grateful to be here and to be with my companion. I thought contacting all day everyday was really going to test me....and it is. I still don't like rejection...at all. But I have felt Heavenly Father strengthening me and giving me hope and happiness while we contact. I do so enjoy visiting with people. Especially my companion. Hna Cheret is from Idaho Falls, is 19 years old, and loves musicals too! Hehe. We're pretty broke right now so we've been living on cereal...yum I'm so fine with that. Reminds me of all the times dad had to feed us and we either got pizza or heated up spaghetti-o's, or more frequently...CEREAL! Yum! Haha!

I'm so grateful to be here. I love you all! I hope you enjoyed conference! I looooved the talk of Larry R. Lawrence. I don't know what it's called, but he talked about what we still lack. I know I still lack so much, that's never been more obvious to me than now, but I love how he said that it's one thing at a time and invited us to ask the Lord "What lack I yet?" I've got mine. Do you have your's? I love you all! Have a wonderful week! Thank you for your prayers!

Love, Hna Finch

A Donde Me Mandes Iré Señor, A Toledo De Las Islas Del Mar....

September 28, 2015

Family!!! I'M GOING TO TOLEDO!!! Yay! Talk about a dream mission...Alcalá, Alcorcón, Tenerife, y ahora TOLEDO. I know my Heavenly Fatherly loves me! But first before I go off about Toledo....

I'm leaving Los Cristianos and my wonderful ward and people here Nothing like your last Sunday to make you miss your area even more. I love my people here. In this ward I have found: the most wonderful bishop ever (aside from Bishop Yardley of course) so service oriented and really wanting and helping missionary work succeed. I
truly learned what type of leader we should be from him. I found the woman most like my mom on the mission. Strong, faithful, and yep, tears up for most things too. Love you Mom! I've found the best "fellowship"er ever. One lady knew every less active member, their dog, and their birthdays and baptismal birthdays (this is not an
exaggeration). I've found the most giving woman ever, who always had a little gift for us almost every Sunday and spoiled us as if we were her daughters. I've found my Venezuelan abuelita. I've met the strongest examples of priesthood bearing men, each one having had to serve as branch president in one or another moment here in our little branch turned ward. And of course everything has its equal. With all the wonderful experiences and even better people I've had and met in this area, I also think I've experienced the most heartbreak in this area. Maria
didn't come to church today. She was the most invested investigator I have ever know. Of my investigators or any other missionary. Taking notes literally meant writing down whole verses. Learning family history meant researching and asking her anti-mormon brother for more details. Seeing her progress from just coming to English class to seeing her change to be the one correcting other members on the doctrine over 4 1/2 months was my miracle. I don't know what happened, but something changed. I thank Heavenly Father so much for our bishop
who invited her and us to his house to eat pizza Thursday since she wasn't responding to our calls. Yep that hurt. Pero bueno. The things we've taught her will stay. Maybe it won't be this year when she remembers how she felt, but she will. And when she does, she'll want it back, and more than having the missionaries being there
ecstatic to teach somebody so prepared. She'll have our wonderful bishop and his wife, our bishopric, the relief society president, and the members who will remember her. Who cared for her. For thank I will
be eternally grateful to this ward. 

Next up.....TOLEDO!!!! Ahhhhhhhh! Yay! Soo confession time. When I was in Alcorcón I went to Toledo. Twice. Haha. It is sooo beautiful! It is the old capital of Spain and I've actually got relatives there! Hey hey! Family history I am doing it... I mean yeah they were there in 589 ad but hey, relatives! Am I right?  It was the only city I knew of besides Madrid when I entered the field and my biggest hope was to go there. Well, maybe I didn't start there but I should be finishing there. So this is what's up folks. Toledo actually didn't have sisters missionaries before so my new compie Hna Cheret and I are gonna go in and open up a new area. Yay.... I'm all about trying everything, but opening an area wasn't ever something I wanted to do....haha. I'm not very good with rejection ( and when you open an area you contact obscene amounts and contacting contains a lot of rejection. But I
relying and trusting heavily in Ether 12:27 - "I give unto men weakness that they may be humble...if they humble themselves...and have faith in me...then will I make weak this become strong unto them." So basically this scripture=life now. This is gonna be great! There's already a companionship of elders there and the elder that's
not getting transfer called to invite us to a FHE Monday night with them. Thank heavens for those elders. So I least we'll know what we're doing our first night in Toledo. 

Onto....companions! I can't believe I haven't even mentioned the most important person that I'm leaving behind in the islands! Hna Turina. She's gonna be a trainer! Yay!!! So honestly I can't say that either of us have shed too many tears yet. She's so excited to train and I'm so excited to open up Toledo for sisters that we've both been bouncing off the walls trying to prepare everything. But I really am gonna miss this sister. Unless I end up going to Tahiti this will probably be the last I see her, which is completely heartbreaking. I have learned so much from her. All the strength she learned with the passing of her father, her unfailing patience (even when mine would fail), ease of talking to people when she contacts, and her love the she shows everyday in every way. She's great and I miss her already. I don't know too much about my new compie Hna Cheret yet, seeing as I still haven't met her. But here's what I do know. She's from Idaho and she's got 4ish months on the mission....I think. I have talked to her a bit on the phone and she sounds great, I think we're gonna get alone splendidly.

Hna Turina made me coronas for my last day. Yay islands!

The most beautiful sunrise I've ever seen in my life from the plane today.

Photo Overload!

September 21, 2015

Family!!!!! You all are so great!!!! Thank you so much for your emails and support. I love reading them and seeing your pictures and listening to your lives. 

This week was significantly better than last week. Since our current progressing friend pool has sufficiently decreased we spent a lot of time this week trying to find news. We started off the week strong and Monday we were blessed to find two new promising friends. Here are just a few.

One, Herminsul - (Yeah, I still can't pronounce his name right either!) is Pentecostal. I don´t think I've taught too many Pentecostals in my mission, but man. Their view of religion and God is kinda harsh. I'm so glad to have the truth that while God is a God of justice, He is also a God of mercy and love. He loves us! He did not judge us before we came to this earth, but placed us in the exact situation where He knew we could succeed. 

Two, Jonay - (They all have weird names this week...just wait for the next one!;) ) Is a native islander and is 20 something. He's great. So willing to meet and has true desires to learn about God. And here's the best part. He called us to confirm our appointment. Yeah, I know. Miracles never cease.

Three, Evalyn - (Ok so this one isn't a weird name, but it is Grandma's name! As my companion would say "Heeeeeey!") She is adorable. Also 20 something. When we started talking to her, she looked at me and said "Oh! You helped me in the bus one day, didn't you?" Service, people, does wonders. She is adorable. Seriously so smart and charming and lovely. 

Four, Sasha - is from England....whooohooo! And is living here. And is also 20 something and was very accepting to meet with us and is anxiously awaiting her own Book of Mormon, because we weren't able to meet more this week, so we've got an appointment to see her tomorrow and give her the gift.

And a few others, I would go on and on, they really were so great and friendly.

We also had stake conference. I loooved it. Every single one of those talks were for me. Hna Pack talked about how we know why hard things happen. And at the end of her talk she gave such a great testimony in Spanish! For only being out for such a short amount of time she is rocking the Spanish. I adore her. And President Pack talked about the importance of the "one". The Lord knows us one by one and it's our opportunity to go out and find the "one" as missionaries, but as members as well (pray for opportunities to share the gospel, please. This work would move so much more rapidly if every member would be a full time finder so that the missionaries could be full time teachers). And the stake president (Pres. Denís) gave a very powerful sermon on the Sabbath. Very. Powerful. "You think going to the beach on Sunday is keeping the Sabbath holy? NO." It made me think about how I can better keep the Sabbath day holy when I get home. And Hna Castaño talked about complete fasts. A full fast. Fasting with an offering. And last but not least the 2nd counselor talked about the importance of....Sunday School! How it's important to attend every single one of our meetings and how the Sunday school program is specifically designed to help increase the knowledge of member concerning the gospel. I loved it. 

I love you all. I'm so grateful for the opportunity I have to be here. I received an email from my companion in the CCM, Hna Jones, today and honestly what she said was so good and mirrored so many of my own feelings that I just have to share it with you. She wrote:

"In the scriptures, it mentions that Jesus, after having borne the sins

and pains of he world, after having been brought before the rulers,
after having been hurt and spit on and scourged, had to carry His
cross to Calvary. Luke 23:26 says, "And as they led [Christ] away,
they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country,
and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus."
There is a lot of symbolism with this, but, focusing on Christ, one
Elder said, "Some say that Simon was asked to carry the cross because
Jesus was tired and couldn't bear any more. That is a lie. He is and
was a god, and He could have done any thing that was asked of Him. Why
did Simon bear His cross then? I ask you, who was helping whom?"
That made me think a lot about the crosses I carry, and why I do it.
Sometimes I think, why do I need to be suffering so much in this work,
when Christ could do it so easily and so much better than I could?
These precious people deserve to have the Gospel preached to them
through the mouth of the Son of God, not a young woman who still
struggles with their language. But this Elder made me consider
something: what is important is that the cross gets to Calvary. It
doesn't matter if Simon's slower, if Christ could have taken it
Himself. He allowed Simon to carry it because it helped Simon to grow
and become stronger. What greater blessing could we have than to carry
a bit of the burden for Jesus Christ on His painful path?​"​

​I hope that we can all take the crosses we have been called to carry and learn from them. They are our opportunities to learn and grow. Maybe we don't do it perfectly, but we carry what we can and even if we stumble, He is always there to help us. I love this work. I love my Savior. I'm grateful (and sometimes not so grateful) to carry the crosses I've been given. To help share the gospel in this race against the opposition. To help my brothers and sisters. I love you all. Espero que tengan una semana maravillosa y exitosa.

Love, Hna Finch

Be prepared!  Photo overload!  All the pics I still haven't sent!

We found a Spanish fish hatchery. Had to stop and take pictures for Dad!  

Teide with the Mar of Nubes to the side.

El Mar de Nubes. ¡Qué maravilla!  The Sea of Clouds.  Wonderful!

The ward activity on the mountaintop.

Turns out Spaniards do pioneers también. ha! Who´da´thunk?

Rainbows over Miraverde

Heading out to Gran Canarias for Zone Conference a few weeks ago!  It was so beautiful in the harbor. I looove this.   

My favorite Italians! So sad to see them go on vacation to Italy!

Another pair of shoes gone.

 Monkey park!!!

My favorite animals to feed....aren´t monkeys!

The fattest lemur there.

We were great friends :)

Just givin´ food to everything!

The cutest monkeys there were the ones we couldn't feed. They were sooo teeny!

More feeding....hehe. And that little guy took my apple I gave him, threw it one the ground, then grabbed my finger and then growled! Yikes!

Go-ril-la (Imagine it like Tarazan) that's what I was saying the whole time I was feeding them....until I noticed the sign. "Chimpanzees". Whoops

Yeah, Finch proof. Everyone here thinks I´m "Fish" Noooooo. Finch! Like a bird! Gurrión!

Ya está!  (It is done!)

Found these 2 pics off Hna Marsh's blog!