Emily - A Coruna Week 12

10.20.08

Hello my dear family...
Oh my goodness is October really almost over? I am in a time warp and its r=
eally weird. Anyways guess what I finally received that package that you =
sent when I started my mission. I LOVE THE GRANOLA! I dont know if it jus=
t tastes better because I know that it was made be moms hand but man I su=
re have enjoyed eating it for breakfast, Thanks Mom! I also got the camer=
a...yaaaa! I loved looking at the pics that were left on there. I think i=
t might be possible that sister Sarah has more pics with the baby than Je=
ss. The baby is so beautiful and its weird that she is just growing and I=
ve never met her. I saw a baby the other day that has 6 months and she is=
big. I want Brenna to be small still when I see her so tell her to stop =
growing. I got a slip in the mail for the other package for Katherin. I w=
ill pick it up today. Thank you so much for sending that medicine, they a=
re very grateful.=20
Other news that isnt as uplifting, two of our Elders got hit by a car on Fr=
iday night. Remember Elder Fowers my comp. from the MTC. He is in my dist=
rict now and he and his comp. got hit by a car as they were crossing a cr=
osswalk. They people drive like maniacs here. They dont wait until you cr=
oss the whole way. I have felt cars brush by my legs so many times its sc=
ary. Anyways its a miracle that nothing was broken and that Elder Fowers =
the bigger of the two was on the inside. His head went through the windsh=
ield. They will stay in piso for about a week and werent able to come to =
conference.=20
The weather is staring to change again and Im getting a little nervous for =
the rain to start again. In the mornings the city is full of fog. I dont =
know if Im ready to attack the streets with my umbrella again.=20
My new comp. is here and her name is H. Albi and she is from the Islands. H=
er Spanish is really different and she told me that her culture is very d=
ifferent from Spain. Her Spanish more sounds like she is from Cuba. Anywa=
ys she is 26 years old and super sweet. We only have two more weeks toget=
her before two more come. We have a lot to do in the piso to get ready.=
=20
Elder Sterry from the Area Seventy came to our conference on Saturday. The =
leadership meeting and the conference were incredible. He gave us five qu=
estions and told us he would probably never see us again so we should fee=
l comfortable and answer truthfully. The zone leader was not normal throu=
gh the whole meeting but I was grateful that immediately after he said th=
at I felt really comfortable and was able to share my feelings. Elder Ste=
rry really just wanted to know what we need help with and how he can help=
. He and President spoke directly to the hermanas after talking to the El=
ders about their responsibilities. President told Elder Sterry that the h=
ermanas make up forty percent of the numbers they turn in every week. The=
re are only four hermanas in the whole zone. They thanked us for our exam=
ples and the work that we do and I really felt their appreciation and it =
helped me a lot. It was neat that because of attending that meeting I fel=
t prepared for the conference and learned more.=20
The conference was amazing. I learned so much that its impossible to tell y=
ou everything. Elder Sterry was an amazing teacher. I felt really comfort=
able because he is just a friendly guy and it helped me learn. Its also a=
lways really neat to be with all the missionaries because it helps me to =
realize what I am a part of. H. DuVall talked to us about how we are agen=
ts of the Savior who created all, cant remember the verse. Anyways it is =
amazing to always feel the Spirit so strongly even just listening to a hy=
mn.=20
On Sunday the Brazilians all came to church. I started an activity with the=
m to help them read, pray and come to church every Sunday. There is a mem=
ber family and non member family that live together and we teach them all=
. Anyways we put a picture of the temple up and every time they pray, rea=
d or attend church they have loops of paper that they staple together, ea=
ch color representing each category. Once the chain reaches the picture o=
f the temple we are going to give them a pizza party. I cant really expla=
in to you how much I love these two families. They all came to church on =
Sunday and I felt so much joy when I saw Cristina come into RS. I sat by =
them in gospel principles too and they have thee cutest lil boy. Anyways =
we stopped by later on after church to see where they are at with the act=
ivity and they are struggling but are trying. I just loved seeing them at=
church. In the visit on Sunday I really focused on the temple and what t=
hey need to do to get their family there. I think they kind of feel like =
its impossible because they arent married and they dont have their papers=
so they have to travel to Portugal. I think Im going to just give them m=
y month money so then can go. I just love them so much and Im not leaving=
A Coruna until I can help this family get married so they can get baptiz=
e and work towards going to the temple together. The Moms are like my sis=
ters. I felt really guided in the visit by the Spirit and Cristiana opene=
d up a lot afterward. Her husband also told me that he doesnt work on sat=
. or sun. now and they can come to church. They seemed excited again, to =
start working towards bringing their family into the gospel. I have got t=
o figure out how to help them. Cristiana doesnt speak a ton of Spanish bu=
t somehow we communicate and I just feel so close to her. I feel like thi=
s family is the reason I am in this city. I pray with all my heart that I=
can do what I need to do to help them. Ok dont know if any of that made =
sense but dont have time to read over it.=20
Dad-I loved this part of your letter it made me laugh soooo hard. Thank you=
for always knowing what to say. "Im also certain that your companions ar=
e benefiting from being with you and your example. They better be, becau=
se it would really piss me off if we dont get to be with you and then the=
y dont appreciate you!!"
Mom-thank you sooo much for the package. I was waiting for you to pop out a=
nd you never did. The whole package made me laugh because it was just ran=
dom but I understood your thinking process as you put it together. Your a=
mazing and I love you soooo much.
Well I better go my time is up. But I want you all to know that I know that=
the church is true and it was restored through the Prophet Jospeh Smith.=
He saw a pillar of light exactly over his head above the brightness of t=
he sun. It was the Father and His son Jesus Christ. I know that families =
can be together forever and that eternal life is possible.
I love you all sooooooo much. Thank you for loving me!
Love,
The Sister