The Craziest Week of My Life!!!

So we had transfers last week.  We had monday as our day for Elder Westfall to say goodbye to the members and our investigators.  And it was long, but really fun.

 Tuesday we had our preparation day and we went to a castle.  It was so big and it was super long.  It was as long as the mountain.  Sadly we didn´t that much time, but we came back and got elder westfall off on the train to barcelona and my new companions came in.  Their names are Elder Harris and Elder Slauson (when I heard Slauson, I thought he said Skousen and thought I was going to be with my district leader from the MTC, but no)  They are super fun and great missionaries.  We did a little visits that night.

Then on wednesday we did the other half of our emailing because the time was crazy yesterday and didn´t have the full 1-1/2 hours to email, so we did the rest on wed.  We had an intercombio and Elder harris and slauson went to valencia; I stayed with the district leader.  His name is Elder Grau.  He´s from paraguay.  I learned/realized how much my spanish has improved when I had to speak to him in only spanish.  We did a lot of visits/passbys that I planned.  (not to brag, but when Elder Westfall left, I was dumped with the responsibility to plan and get visits ready for the week because I was the only one who knows the area.  So I winged it doing what I know to do with the little spanish and mission experience I know.)  We had the intercombio because the hermanas had an interview planned for one of their investigators, but couldn´t show up because of work, but this week we have another intercombio/interview for him for baptism.  For noche de barrio (ward night) we did the nativity scene that mom sent,  THanks mom!!!

 Thursday we had district meeting because of the crazy week and transfers.  It was good and half of our district was changed.  We had a great meeting and afterwards went to dominos for pizza to celebrate the new people who are in our district.  As we were eating we got a text from president who sent it to all the missionaries saying to make the new missionaries feel welcomed.  I then turned over to our new sister missionary who is having her first day on the mission and said "do you feel welcomed yet with all this pizza?" she said yes.  ps dominos does a great deal here in spain.  a 6.50 euro for 2 people for unlimited pizza any size and topping and crust all year long.  they need this in the USA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Friday we had week planning and took apart the area book, cleaned it out and put it back together.  it was a long and boring job, but needed to be done.  That night we went to the church and had coordination (colaltion here in castellón) with the ward mission leader then afterwards stayed for the welcome home fireside  for the 2 return missionaries from the ward.  they served in malaga.

 Then on saturday we played sports with the ward and had a fake snowball fight.  it was the hermanas´ idea.  they put flour in nylon socks and we threw it at each other.  it was a lot of fun.  then we got back changed and went to valencia for a stake choir night and we sang in the choir.  it was a lot of fun and the best part was the african choir that sang.

Sunday was super stressful because I was tired and we found out that Claudia didn´t come to church because we found out that she was moving to madrid.  She was supposed to be confirmed that day and didn´t. I was sad and depressed because I felt like Ï should have done more to get her to church and should have communicated more.  I felt better after lunch with the rojas (they are one of the families that had a son return from his mission.  Just listening to him and his spiritual experiences helped me).  After lunch we went caroling with the hermanas and then out of no where it just poured.  We were so wet when we got to the church.  We then watched the christmas devotional and called president about what to do with claudia because she was baptized but not confirmed.  He told us to confirm her now, so we called her up, and she was still in town.  We swung by with the ward mission leader´s car and brought her to church.  The bishop was there and we confirmed her right after President Eyring gave his talk.  It was just perfect for her at the right moment.  This was just a big miracle for us.

Well, I should finish my letter now.  I want to tell you all how much I love you all and how much I miss you.  If you have not watched the "he is the gift" video, please do,  It is super good.  THe church is tracking the progress with this video with us missionaries and seeing how well the message is getting out.

I would like to leave you all with my testimony.  I know that God lives and he is our loving Heavenly Father.  We can speak to him as if he was here in front of us by prayer.  Prayer is more than just checking things off our daily list, but rather talking to our father and telling him things from our heart and expressing things we are thankful for.  We have a wonderful gift to pray.  I also know that Jesus Christ is our savior.  I know that he died for us that we may live with our families forever.  I know that the Book of Mormon is true. I don´t know how to speak this language or how to be a terrific missionary, but I do know that the lord has not sent us here to fail ( see refiners fire mormon message).  We are all sons and daughters of a Heavenly Father and he loves us all.  we may not know everything or have as many talents as the person next to us, but when we do our very best and do what is right, the Lord will help us and we will have the strength to keep pushing forward.  This all for now.  I love you all and pray for you all every day and night.  Have a wonderful week and share your love to someone this week.

Elder Gonzalez