Emily - Vigo Week 4

1.26.09

Hello Family...It has been a very rainy week. A couple days ago we got stuck in a huge rain storm on our way home. Our stuff is STILL drying out. Everyone watched us run home because we were the only ones in the street. Everyone else was hiding in bars. We got so wet we could ring our hair out. As we ran down the street I yelled back to my companion, welcome to nothern Spain. She couldnt believe how much it rained and I just pretended like it was out of the blue and probably would never happen again...wooops. I dont want her to know all the surprises at once.LOL!Dad said by now I should have conquered all my fears and it is strange how I do feel that way. I feel very comfortable here and that makes me kind of nervous. Ive never stayed comfortable for very long in life. I know there is still a lot of Spanish to learn but I can talk to anyone now. Contacting people still makes me pretty nervous but still I feel better about it then I did when I first came out. I feel very confident when Im teaching. Of course it helps that I speak Spanish better and you would think that its because I understand the scriptures amazing well but really it is because Ive learned how to follow the Spirit and apply simple gospel principles to everything. All the things that I thought would make me a great teacher haven´t really, it has been loving the people with all my heart and applying the gospel to their lives. I LOVE teaching, it has become my most favorite part of the mission. Ive always enjoyed listening to people but its more fun as a missionary because I can always share the gospel. The most exciting news is that our Nigerian friend Ricky is getting baptized on the seventh of march. I dont even know where to start explaining how that all came about. When I first started teaching him I thought he just has us come over so that he could preach to us from the bible but that has changed. I started picking out BOM chapters to go with Bible chapters and he has fallen in love with the BOM. For the last couple weeks we have just been reading with him and helping him get into the BOM. Then in the last visit we started teaching lesson three. In the middle of the lesson he told us that he would be baptized. He had a dream of two people dressed in white that wanted to give him a book and told him that he was a child of destiny. When hermanas showed up on his door he was waiting for them to give him a book. He allowed them to teach him and started coming to church. He has gone every week with out missing one Sunday for the last couple months. He told us that he has visited a lot of churches but in this one he felt something special as he entered for the first time. He continued learning and he has really gained a testimony because he always does his part. That reminds me of what dad said in his letter, about keeping our promises. I know that Heavenly Father really blesses us as we do what He has asked us to do, even with something so simple, like reading. Ricky really has gained a testimony of the BOM through the Spìrit and PMG says those two things are the biggest converters to the gospel. Anyways he continued telling us about all these dreams he has been having and that he has prayed about baptism. I think he has even fasted too. Then he told us of another dream where he was all dressed in white standing in a big pool of water. I worry about him because he doesnt speak Spanish at all really but I knew that I had to committ him to being baptized. After I asked him he left room, I think to pray and then came back and wrote 7 March on my agenda. He truly has been converted and is so prepared to be baptized. I hope he serves a mission. Most of the time he teaches us as we teach him. I showed him the picture from conference of the saints in Nigeria, he loved it! I think he is really going to help bring the gospel to more people in Spain and in his country. It was a really neat experience and as we walked down the stairs after the visit, I looked back at my comp. and asked her if that blew her mind, she just nodded. Im grateful to be a part of peoples lives as they find the truth or even sometimes just get closer to finding the truth.We had a great visit with Manuel Santos and Ana this week. Ana really opened up even more and told me more of her life. She really needs to understand the Plan of Salvation, every part of it. I love being with them and teaching them although sometimes I get overwhelmed. They have become like family and I want so badly to help them gain testimonies of the gospel. We talked a lot and finally I said I know I cant give you faith but if I could I would. I can tell you how to find it for yourselves. I know you both have suffered but that is part of this life. If you will both pray to Heavenly Father, He will listen and your faith in Him with grow. Ana please will you talk to your Heavenly Father tonight. Talk to him about all the bad things that have happened and ask Him to help you understand. You will gain a very special close relationship with Him and you wont be able to live with out prayer. I also asked Manuel Santos to pray and ask Heavenly Father to help him recognize the love He has for him. I told both of them how much I love them and how badly I want them to be happy and have peace. I always pour my heart out to them. I gave Ana a big hug again before I left and told her that I will help her to find happiness in this life because she deserves it. We have eaten more with them than with members. They really do take very good care of us. I feel very close to them and I just pray that I will be able to help them progress. I love my Heavenly Father and Im so grateful to know that He loves me. I pray to Him and He listens. He sent His son to pay for our sins. The Book of Mormon is the word of God and anyone can read it and pray to know if it is true. Im grateful to be a missionary and Im grateful to my family for teaching me the gospel of Jesus Christ. If I had to send you a final note in only 25 words it would be. I love each of you with all my heart. Do everything you can to be worthy to live together forever or I will hurt you. Read President Monsons talk.I sure do love you. Thank you for loving me!Love,The Sister