I Love Panguitch :)

June 8, 2015

Moooom!!!!!! I loooove you! This week was pretty uneventful. So my area is the lower 3/4ths of the island so it just depends on what area we´re in since we move around a lot.  But Mt. Teide itself is actually in my area;) Cool huh? My companion is great! I really am so grateful for her! I love island life. Everyday I marvel at the fact that I am literally on a little bitty land mass in the middle of the ocean. Never gets old. Guess what we found out? Hna Santiago is totally related to the Houston's and the Hatch's. Small world eh? I love my mission life. 

I love Panguitch:) The other day this MA´s son was complaining about how religious people always talk about religion and they just won´t shut up. Like "I´m fine with where I am leave me alone."  I then proceed to tell them about Panguitch and how great it is. His mom jumped out of her seat and gave me a hug when I told her she could come visit me. I then likened it to the knowledge we have. We know that we have something so great and so incredible and sometimes we get reactions about the gospel like the reaction his mom gave me when telling her about Panguitch. That´s why we do it. Some people react the right way. Others get annoyed when we keep talking about the greatness we have. (Notice how Panguitch and Heaven are interchangable words;)) Hehehehe!  

Tenerife!

June 1, 2015

Stats: So right now I am in the Canary Islands on the island of Tenerife. Tenerife is the biggest Canary Island and has 3 wards on it. La Laguna, Santa Cruz, y Los Cristianos. The ward of Los Cristianos consists of every little pueblo (town) from basically the lower 3/4 of the island of Tenerife. So we've got a TON of little pueblos, but no big cities really. It's a new experience to be on the bus so much, but I really like contacting people in the bus. Everybody is so open and friendly and the best part is: They. Can´t. Run. Hahaha! Just kidding! Kinda.... ;) Los Cristianos is the name of the pueblo where the missionaries and the church are. The south of Tenerife is famous for it's beaches, which are GORGEOUS. 

Ok now onto the fun part! I loooove Hna Santiago! She is great. Picture this: being Avery Veater's companion. I'm not even kidding. It's awesome. She even went to The U! She's a country loving Texan and we get along great. She's also only two transfers younger than me in the mission so it's been so fun to just work so hard together the past week. ​

I got to meet the ward yesterday and I am so excited to get to know everybody better! We're a ward, but it's not nearly the size of Alcalá. I think there were probably like 70 there yesterday and there's about 200 less actives....Ladies and gents. I think we've got a problem. But no worries Santiago and Finch are here!

Speaking of less actives. Let´s talk about "L.", a 32 year old Argentinian. Served a year of his mission here in the islands while he was waiting for his visa, but the visa never came through so he didn't end up serving the last year of his mission. Well, now he's a has some difficulties but I really quite like him. We've just got to get him to come back to church. He's just gotta take of the sacrament. He's worthy to do it too. He just doesn't want to because he feels like the members judge and that he doesn't want to be a hypocrite. We're working with him.  

Also, "E.". She's from the islands. She was actually found by the sisters through her sister, "S." who is a less active member. She's in her 60's or 70's and the sisters started teaching her right before I came in. She knows the church is true. Her husband is just a little (a lot) against it (mainly 3 hours plus 45 minutes there and back of traveling time). Her and her husband actually own a farm so we're going to go over there this Friday and do some service and hopefully change his opinion of the church. 

Next up, we're teaching a family. Well kinda, the dad doesn't want anything to do with us (he gave up on God when his son died) and the mom's a little confused about how our church is different, but they're great! They've got two teenage kids and one younger daughter that just completed her first communion last Saturday. We've got a little work, but they're great!

CPdE: Welll this is awkward. Last night we were meeting with one of our 20 year old muslim investigators and now I'd like to borrow Hna Santiago´s word's for this part of the story:  "Lastly, to end the week we started meeting with this great 20 something kid that we met near the bus stop. Unfortunately, we wont be meeting with him anymore though. Last night he expressed to us that the first time we met him, it was because he saw Hermana Finch and I and we just had this light about us, so he followed us. He then proceeded to express unto ME his undying desires to take Hermana Finch for his wife. Don't worry she was sitting right in the middle of us and heard the whole thing! I think it may be common in his culture to have arranged marriages, I believe I was playing the role of the mother. Better luck next time kid!"  It was un poco incomodo!

That´s it for the islands folks!

I forgot! So "L." has also sent a few letters up to Salt Lake and you've gotta hear what he said to us!

"L.": "And you know what they said to me?!"

Us: "....No...."

"L.: "Obey! Don´t question the doctrine!"

Us *In our heads*: Welll, yep, that sounds about right...

Hna Santiago: "And how does that make you feel?...."

Bahahahaha!!!! We ended up quoting it all week long. Obey! Don´t question the doctrine! And over time it grew to have more and more of a hick accent until we decided that it was definitely Elder Oaks who wrote the letter. We went back to his house yesterday and guess what we found out? Elder Oaks wrote the letter.... ^_^ Hehehehehe!!

Goodbye to the old district...

and one of my closest friends in Alcorcón! Besos!

My last hair cut in Alcorcón. Look Mom! I´m professional now!  Before...

After...

Saying goodbye to Hna Berry and the missionaries that went to the islands. 

The blond elder standing on the edge and I are in the same district.

Hna Sanchez and I on the plane to the islands. I would just like to say how much I love this sister. We've been thrown together as companions in a couple other situations before when we were sister training leaders and never had our comps so we got another day to be together. Probably our last before she goes home in August. 

Also Teide, the highest mountain in Spain, that happens to be on our island. Don't worry, we're gonna go there!

My island!!!!!

And Hna Santiago and my first pic juntas!

So. We bought Subways sandwiches then had a picnic on the beach after district meeting. Island life is tough. 

We found mud masks in our piso. This will be a weekly thing. 

Also a legitimate comp foto after church.

Had to snap a quick foto of the sunset on the beach the other night when we were running to a lesson. Don´t be jealous;)

I'm off.....to the ISLANDS!!!!

May 25, 2015

Well Dad should be pretty pumped, I got an email him from last week where he was saying he was hoping I go to the islands. Well, Dad, your prayers got answered, hope you feel good;) 

I'm off to the island of Tenerife, which is the biggest island of the Canary Islands. I will be serving in Los Cristianos, which area encompasses all of the south of the island, which everybody has been telling me is pretty desert-y. I'm excited to be leaving Madrid, but I really don't know how much I want to. Madrid is my home and now I won't get to attend the temple, pero bueno! My new companion is Hna Santiago, she is two transfers younger than me and is great! She's from Texas and despite the last name she is very much American. Haha. But she is my first companion from the USA who is not from Utah. Adventure time!

This week was great! The branch here is incredible and I will really miss everybody. It was too sad to say goodbye to our last family last night. I actually didn't think I would be this sad to leave, but wow. It's kinda tearing me up inside. Hna Berry will be area training Hna Whiting here in Alcorcón, and I know she's gonna be great. Hna Whiting will be a great companion for her. Hna Whiting entered into the field with me, but will be staying one transfer longer since she came in with the natives (Yeah she already spoke Spanish, lucky dog). 

Well I got to go catch an airplane! I love you all!!!!!!!!!!

According to Wikipedia, Tenerife is the largest and most populated of the Canary Islands. It is 785 square miles in size.  There are a total of 7 main islands with several smaller ones.  It is about 186 miles from the coast of Africa and the highest elevation in Spain is found on this island due ot Mount Teide which is 3,718 feet above sea level.  It's main industry is tourism, it has 2 airports, and 1 university - University of La Laguna which was founded in 1792 and is the oldest of the universities on the Canaries.  Average temps run from 71-80 degrees Fahrenheit through out the year.  (I think she is going to like it!)

These pics were posted on FB from a member.  Thank you!  

Found these next two off of facebook :)

And this one came from her previous companions blog - Hna Marsh!

"I Didn't Come Here To Lay Up!"

May 18, 2015

What a great week. So one of the leadership trainings we had last transfer kept coming up in my mind this week about always asking for references, so we made a huge point to ask for references this week. And WOW! So many miracles! So many people gave us references. It was great!

We also had a little miracle this week. We were out contacting and we contacted one man who did really seem interested and we asked him if he knew anything about our church and guess what?! He's baptized.....yup got baptized back in the 80's or 90's and then lost touch with the church for a while because he had a few differences with leadership, but he wants to talk with us and he gave us the reference of his daughter who also lives here in Alcorcón to start teaching her. Yay! 

Also we have a new investigator, "C.", who is great!!! We found him in the area book (the book we keep with all the information of everybody ever taught), and he's great. He lost contact with the original sister who started teaching him because he got too busy with school, but we were able to meet with him 3 times this week and he's reading the Book of Mormon like a machine. He also accepted an invitation to be baptized. :)

We also had zone conference this week. Some highlights:

-"We can change the music in Spain!" Hna Jackson. She really detests the way the music is led here. Hehe:)

-"I didn't come here to lay up." President Jackson. This one really stuck with me. I didn't come here, all the way to Spain, to take the easy way out. Go big or keep trying and go a little bigger. 

Love you all! Hna Finch

Divinely Inspired

May 11, 2015

This week....was great! 500 steps up from last week! Sometimes you just need low moments so you can remember why you do everything in your power not to have them. 

FIRST: Everyday this week was great, but Tuesday was special. I had listened to a talk by President Hinckley and he quoted some ship captain who said "I believe I am always divinely inspired." So Tuesday I started saying it with everything. It started out more as a joke, but by the end of the day it had become our motto. 1. We were able to meet a woman who had been baptized in Leganés, but after moving to Alcorcón hasn't been active in the church. 2. We were finally were able to get a letter to someone we've been trying to get ahold of for a while. 3. Great lesson with "E." and we were able to avoid bible bashing with her Evangelical boyfriend! 4. "M." (recent convert) told us that she had needed us to come and had been praying for us to visit her, when we passed for (went to) her house. 5. We were late to our next lesson so called our investigator, because we had passed for Mara, and it actually turned out better because our other investigator stayed late in classes that day. 6. "F." (the investigator) told us we are the angels that she has been needing in her life. 7. We made banana bread and gave some of it, with a scripture attached, to our apartment owner who lives across the hall from us. She's an 80 year old Spanish woman and we usually, ok we only, bother her when something's broken, so she comes to the door "What's broken now?" "We brought you a gift!" You shoulda seen the way her face lit up! I think that may be the first thank you she's ever received. 8. We had an incredible Family Home Evening with some members and they completely adore us now. 

So basically. Saying, believing, feeling, and thinking you are divinely inspired helps. It really just helped me give all the credit to Heavenly Father for leading us the the people we needed to meet that day. It made me more grateful. I like it:) 

SECOND: Ipads!!!!! We didn't get them Thursday. Oh well. Honestly I don't even care, the conference was so great! They really just focus on the doctrine and WOW! I am so pumped! Lemme just explain a little: They are going to retrain us on how to use technology. We (as missionaries) already know how to use this technology, but how well do we use it? Those who struggled with using their time wisely on it, pornography, video games, social media, and so much more will be relearning how to use as it was created to be used. A tool to share the gospel. They are giving us these tools not just to increase the work, but also to help make us more successful after the mission. To not have it for 2 years and then fall back into our same habits, but to learn and change and grow and yay! I can't even wait! We talked a bunch about it in the leadership council the next day and I am just ecstatic to learn how to use it! 

THIRD: Mother's day was great! I loved seeing you guys! I loved chatting and visiting with you. It seems so surreal that the next time I see you guys will be in person. I guess everything's just getting so much closer now. We were able to skype at one of the best member's houses ever and afterwards she even let me call home to my family, because I had forgotten to wish Mom Happy Mother's Day...whoops! Love you all!

I believe I am always divinely inspired.

IPad conference

President and Sister Jackson.  You can just see Hna McKenna's tag in the upper left hand corner!

 The list of things you sent me to fill out to be grateful for! Thank you! I love it! You rock!

 I don´t have much time today, but here's the sword of Laban we saw in Toledo.

Noche de hogar we had in the park the other night! 

Leadership Conference!

Best story from this week - we live on the 4th floor (technically the 5th in the States). We got home Saturday to call people for church and plan and we sat out on our balcony and threw these water gel beads at people while we ate chips and salsa. Don´t worry, we didn't get caught:) Hehe. Yes, I am an adult.

The view from my end! Love you!

Happy Mother's Day!

May 10, 2015

Ahhh!  What a wonderful mother's day!

Our darling Hermana McKenna!

Bearing her testimony...

Taking a picture of the family :)

Trying to figure out a selfie :/

Look at Hermana McKenna's face!  Bahahaha!

Then Garrett took charge and got it figured out!

Tough Week

May 4, 2015

Truth of truths....this week was not the best. I was studying "humility" and Hna Berry was studying "diligence" and boy were we tested! And to top it all off yesterday we sat down with one of our investigators and a member to start the lesson with a prayer and the investigator said "Nope, I don´t want to study." I have very strong feelings of dislike for the Catholic church for ruining everybody and their dog. They either love the Catholic church or they have seen all the abuse and mistreatments and assume every church is like the Catholic. Anyways so he worked for the Catholic church for four years and can't get over the things he saw. The part that irks me the most is that he had only met with us twice. And the first lesson was just reassurance we weren't the Catholic church. He wouldn't even listen. He wouldn't even hear us out! Stupid Satan. Gahhh! I just wanted to split his head open and take out all those bad feelings! Whatever. It's giving me bad feelings. Haha.

On a happier note...we're going to Toledo today so I have no time to write! Time to change our streak! I will see you Sunday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love, Hna Finch

(I smiled when I noticed the shirt McKenna is wearing!  A wrestling "T" we sent her for Christmas!)