Emily - Santander Week 10

5.26.08
Hello Family that I love so much...
First things first who do I love this week. Well I went to zone conference on Wednesday and got letters from Tiffany, Dear Elder from Jess, a little package from my MTC comp., and Becky Brazell. Then one day this week I got three letters. One from Shelly Lybbert, Saori, and Grandma Gogarty. I didn´t have time to do missionary work this week because I had to many letters to read. JUST KIDDING...I loved every single letter and I can´t even explain to each one of you how much it means to me when I see a little white envelope in my mailbox. My doorman loves telling me, Emily tienes cartas hoy hay tres. The most exciting part of his day besides opening the elevator door is giving me my mail. Its fun! Also I have emails from Grandpa G., POPS, Sister Sarah, Victoria and Brother. Thank you all so much. I loved hearing from each one of you. I love you all!

Ok where do I start telling you what has been going on this week. We had to go to Bilbao twice. Wednesday for zone conference and Sunday for district conference. Zone Conference was really good, I learn so much every time. I can´t believe I´ve already been to two. My comp. leaves in two weeks and I will have five months in the mission almost..CRAZY! Its going by fast but not at the same time. Mission time is hard to explain. Anyways at conference it was soo good to see everyone.

Elder Kofe the Tongan that left from here and went to Bilbao had a birthday after he left. I made him brownies and we put candles in every brownie. When he came into the front doors we sang happy birthday to him and made him blow out the candles. I think he almost started crying. He liked being in Santander with us and I think its been hard for him to be in Bilbao. Change is good sometimes but hard too.

President talked to us about the Holy Ghost and learning how to have it with us 24/7. The Holy Ghost I think is one of those things in the gospel that we really don´t understand completely. IT really is an amazing gift and you realize that a lot each day as a missionary. With out the Spirit we would be nothing. I have been spending some time in the morning during personal study to read and studay chapter four in PMG. I want to understand better the guidance of the Spirit and what I can do to really listen and use the Spirit as I teach and find. WE are blessed to have the constant companionship of the Holy Ghost if we are living so that He can dwell with us. Why would we try to live in this life of chaos with out it. Anyways conference was really good and FUN!

District conference was also really good. The missionaries and members from half of our whole mission were there. New members bore their testimonies and President DuVall spoke again. I loved his talk and I understood pretty much all of it. I really am learning Spanish finally I can´t believe it. I was thinking back on the last couple years and realizing how much I have tried and wanted to learn this language and its finally happening. At conference I saw that sister from the watch store...remember. Anyways it was good to see her and I gave her a big hug.

I talked to a couple missionaries that know brother. They were all like oh he is so cool. One sister told me that they talk about me all the time at the CCM, funny hopefully its good things...LOL!I was lucky to have so much time with President and Sister Hill, they are wonderful people. I guess the Gogarty name left a mark at the CCM. I talked to one Elder from Barcelona that was with Logan. He was like he is so guay(cool)! He wanted to know where he was. The Elder was hoping Brother would be in Barcelona so his family would take care of him. I had a bunch of people trying to find me and tell me that they knew my brother and they had heard all about me. It was fun to see missionaries from half the mission and see a lot of the members.

Remember in my last letter I told you that Ive been looking for ways to serve. Its amazing how much better it makes you feel. Well during our phone call remember I told you about this sister in the ward that I love. Her name is Norberth and she is from Honduras. Her husband left her and her kid about a week ago. Yesterday we went to her house and I gave her a facial. She lives with two other single sisters in the ward and it just became a big party. My comp. gave Teresa a pedicure with my green foot bath and Nancy just wanted a shoulder rub. It was so much fun and they loved it. They made us empanadas and some juice that I remember having when I was in Ecuador. It was so nice to spend some time with them and just visit. WE had a good time together.

This week we finally got in with a lady named Rosa. She is from Peru and I love her family. Remember I told you about a noche de hogar that we had with this family when I first got here. We watched the testaments and I just strated crying after the movie was over while I bore my testimony. Well anyways I love this family and I really can see them at the temple together. WE have been trying to get in with her for weeks now and we finally had a visit. We taught her about our purpose as missionaries and why we are so persistent. We shared a quote ouf of PMG about how we don´t teach and baptize to get more numbers. WE are here to help people find faith, repent, become clean from sin and somday enter the kingdom of heaven with their families. I bore my testimony to her of the reality of each one of these things. I told her how much I loved her and her family. I also told her how much I love my family and I´m here in Spain so far away from the people that I love because I want people to have what I have. I bluntly told here that I can see her family standing in front of the temple after being sealed for all eternity. I then explained that that sealing is only possible through the Priesthood that was restored through the Prophet Joseph Smith. It was one of my most favorite lessons I´ve taught since I´ve been here. WE told her she can get an answer right now, if she wants to. I KNOW she really felt the Spirit and she promised us she would start reading again and praying. It was a beautiful experience and I´ve been praying for her all week that she will get an answer and be able to recognize it.

Well that was a lot of information but still not everything that happened this week...oh well my time is up! I love you all so much. Oh ya Dad I don´t want to hear that my letters might be shorter now that you have to write logan too. Remember that ridiculous program that you have that types for you. You have to talk into a microphone HOW HARD! You could be going to the bathroom while your write me(erase that line I couldn´t help myself). Anyways I love you and I do appreciate your letters. Mom I love you, Coby I love you, Jess I love you, Sister Sarah I love you and Brother Logan I love you. I didn´t have time to write you today but I will try to write you a snail mail. Thank you for being here with me. Well I better get off and Dad I will be waiting for that phone call. I love you guys!

Love, Em(Hermana Gogarty)