I gave a talk in Sacrament Meeting... in Spanish?!?!?!

Every week we are given a topic and told to prepare a sacrament meeting talk about that topic. Then when Sunday rolls around they call up random missionaries to give talks. Last week was fast and testimony meeting and I was going to tell you all how nice it was not to have to worry about giving a talk… but I didn´t because I thought that might curse me and I would have to speak the next week. Turns out I shouldn't have even thought it.  So Sunday morning Elder Dunn is just convinced that I´m going to speak… but I just brush off that thought because they have been choosing people that can actually speak Spanish…but  I looked over my notes just in case.  Sure enough, President Sullovan gets up to announce who is speaking… and I´m the first one they call… aye yi yi- -  haha I´m sure my face was priceless… you know what...I´m sure that´s the main reason they picked me to speak….  But I gave my first Sacrament Meeting talk in Spanish…   Here´s to new experiences!!!

Honestly one of the highlights of my week (slash entire life!!) was when the British elder in my district told me my British accent was ´superb´ :) :) haha  so even if I leave the MTC not knowing Spanish… I have picked up a British accent!!! Now I can cross that one off the bucket list!! Next goal, go to Hogwarts!

All joking aside, the highlight of my week was a devotional by Elder Holland! I thought Elder Holland was passionate about everything he speaks about, but when he´s speaking about missionary work it is at a whole new level!! He LOVES missionary work and it is so inspiring! We´ve watched a few of his devotionals and every time he will get emotional and say ´because this means everything to me.´ It just really makes me want to be better, to utilize every second of this opportunity I´ve been given!! He urged us to prepare now to tell your children about your mission: how much you loved it, how much you learned, and how hard you worked. This truly is the greatest gift that God could possibly give me at this point in my life. There are people here that I can help that I couldn´t help in any other way at any other time in my life. There are blessings here that I can´t receive at any other time in my life.
 
For the park we usually get assigned new companions..( for the first few times it was to help us out with our Spanish I think) but this week we got to go with our real companions… which was amazing!! It was great to go and contact with people that we know really well and know how they teach-interact with people!!

That morning our district leader had to end up going to the hospital… (he´s been pretty sick this whole time and no doctors can really figure out what is wrong with him).  So before the park our whole district said a prayer to bless him, but also to bless us to go to the park with the strength-confidence-courage that he would have had. It brought a new light to this work, that we aren´t doing this for ourselves… we aren´t even doing this with our own strength. We are here because the Lord called us to be here and the Lord has provided a way for us to do this work. He bore his testimony that night about the will of the Lord and how if he was meant to come on this mission just so someone else would have a renewed desire to serve than he would accept the will of the Lord…. He has one of the strongest testimonies about the will of the Lord. It´s incredible. It was Sister Heim´s birthday this week and it was so fun to celebrate!!!! Haha I don´t know what it is… but at least twice a day someone will say the phrase ´I don´t know about you´ and all the missionaries will finish with… ´but I´m feeling 22´ Taylor Swift has effectively penetrated the Madrid MTC… I´m convinced there is no where she hasn´t… haha... anyway we changed the lyrics for Sister Heim´s birthday and said ´but I´m feeling 21!!´

I love the people here!! They are like my family here while Spain is my home! I love the people here, but as much as I love them I know the Lord loves them more… and that´s why I´m here… to let them know how much the Lord loves them and what we can have because he loves us!!!
 
I LOVE YOU ALL!!!!!
HERMANA FOWERS!