Día de San Valentín!

Well howdy there:) So to recap the week... "F" didn´t get baptized, we ate sooooooo mmuuuccchhh food, and we didn´t get transfered!! :)

So we were in a meeting with our ward mission leader and we´re explaining about all of our investigators... what we´ve taught this week, all the doubts they have, the potential they all have and all the little problems every one of them has to overcome before they can get baptized.  Our ward mission leader looks at me and says ´Hna Fowers, the Lord is trying to teach you patience´.... haha thank you, I was aware of that. I am also aware that patience has never been my strong points! haha  That was another theme of the week.. patience :)

Well Monday night we met with "F" to go over the baptismal interview questions... turns out that although he believes in prophets... he doesn´t quite believe that Thomas S Monson is the prophet right now. hmmm... So we had a long discussion about prophets, about why they are important, why we need them, how we can know if President Monson is a prophet... how if Joseph Smith is a prophet (which he believes) then Thomas S Monson is the only one who can be a prophet. You name it, we talked about it. Anyway we asked him to pray about it and set up an appointment for the next day so we could see if he could still have his interview with the district leader on Wednesday. 

Well between Tuesday and Wednesday we scheduled 3 appointments and he didn´t show up to any of them. haha ooohhh man.  At one point we even sticky note attacked his door with scriptures and quotes and notes of encouragement... because we really didn´t know what else to do.  :) So Thursday we finally got to meet with him!:) We kind of just discussed his doubts and read scriptures and the conference talks of the prophet... and decided to move back his baptism until he has a testimony of the prophet! :) The Lord does answer prayers... we´ve seen that with him over and over again. As long as he is praying, God can give him his answers... we just have to put it back into the Lord´s timing. Even though I don´t think I will ever have perfect patience, I know that as I have faith more in the Lord, the Lord will help me have more faith in His timing because it truly is perfect.

We had an awesome lesson with "A" about prayer! He is kind of the person who likes to help others and doesn´t like asking for help, so he hasn´t been praying because he didn´t want to ask God for help... we just explained that God really does want to hear from us... we aren´t a nuisance or a bother for him because we are his children and we truly are special to him. It was a really spiritual lesson, and the next time we had met with him... HE HAD PRAYED!! :)  Wooohoo. The Lord is a Lord of miracles!

We met with "S" and were reading in the Book of Mormon... we asked her to read a few verses, and she really got into it, she read what we asked her to and then kept on reading- you could just tell that she was really taking in everything! At the end she looked at us and told us she was feeling something strong in her heart... ´Is this normal?!´ ´yes, yes it is :)´

So transfers. I was so nervous! In ward council a few weeks ago the Bishop mentioned that we were getting a new set of Elders... and losing two missionaries... turns out he was joking about the losing two missionary part, but I didn´t know that and I freaked out... haha and might have caused quite a scene in ward council (haha this is why they all love me ;)). . . but anyway everyone has been teasing me for the last two weeks that I´m out of here :) and the night of transfer calls I was shaking in my boots... I made my comp do a yoga session with me while we waited for the call! :) But I´m safe!!!! I LOVE IT HERE SO MUCH!!

One more really cool experience... so we met with an awesome family this week.  The mom is very Catholic, the daughter is a Jehovah Witness and is really really receptive.. but anyway we found them because we contacted the dad on the street... and turns out he wants nothing to do with the church and the only reason he gave us his number is because he thought- felt it would be a really good thing for his family! :) So that´s pretty cool!! :)

Well love  you lots!!  Have the best week ever!!

Gospel songs... sunshine... and bus accidents

Great week on the Canary Islands!!

So Tuesday we met with "F". What a great guy. So a few weeks ago he got his answer that the church was true… but he still didn't feel ready to get baptized… so we kept on setting baptism dates and they kept on falling through… he kept telling us that he would know when he felt prepared and he wanted to wait until he did. 

So we've been patient... So we start talking to him on Tuesday and he just quieted us down 'Sisters...I have a story to tell you' keep in mind he is from Africa… so any story he has to tell is quite legit!!

So Sunday after stake conference he was in his house just pondering… I think he used the word meditating! :) So he's sitting there meditating and he's just praying to the Lord if this is the path that He wants him to take. And something over came him and he felt like singing, so he begins to sing his good old gospel songs. (At this point of the conversation he decided to show us what these gospel songs sounded like… so he begins to sing :) and we're just soaking up every minute of this. Gotta love it… :)) Well… his gospel songs touched his heart so much and he started to cry… '  Sisters do you hear the story that I am telling you… God touched my heart and I started to cry'. And he just felt really moved and he knew that this is the path that God wants for him. This is the time for him to be baptized. 

Just you wait this isn't even the end). So then he's just sitting soaking in his answer, and at this exact time at a different part of Las Palmas we are having a meeting with our ward mission leader and talking about him and how he is ready to be baptized, he just doesn't feel prepared and we're not quite sure what to do… so the ward mission leader pulls out his phone and calls him right then and there. So "F" who is pondering his answer, picks up the phone and talks to him (who is really bold and basically just calls him to repentance and tells him he needs to be baptized… not going to lie I was cringing a little at his frankness with him.. but I got called to repentance because "F" took this as his second witness from God that right now really is the time that he needs to be baptized. :) Well God does work in mysterious ways. :) So he is prepared to be baptized and we moved up his fecha to this Sunday!! :) 

Then we celebrated by listening to him sing us more gospel songs while we basked in the Las Palmas sunshine. Man it was a great moment. Words can't describe how happy I was.  Also I definitely got this singing on video.

"Y" is so great! She is living with her boyfriend so it will be a while before she can get married and then baptized.. but she told us that she really can't get her grandpa out of her mind (her grandpa is basically like her dad)… So background story… there was one day she was really stressed and she found herself at the cemetery, so then later that day we stopped by and we talked about the Plan of Salvation. So she brought up her grandpa and a member mentioned about temple work and baptisms for the dead. This really impacted her, and she really feels like she needs to get the work for him done! So in the next few weeks our ward has their temple week where they all go to Madrid and do temple work…. so "Y" worked it out with a member for her to baptize and do the temple work for her grandpa!! :) This week we brought a different member than usual and it was perfect because she had basically the same experience with her grandparents, and she bore testimony about how the peace and comfort that came after she did the temple work was the best feeling she's ever experienced. The Spirit was super strong. there were definitely tears flowing. 

Well it was a great week!!! There were quite a few fun experiences…

-We met a Danish couple in the park this week… we talked to them for a while about snow and castles and queens… they told me that the king can marry anyone he wants and so they want me to be their next queen! Sweet. They did tell me I would have to learn Danish…

-On Friday we had a YSA spend the whole day with us because she wanted to see what the day of a missionary was like! :) Kind of fun to be in a trio and show her what it is like to be a missionary!

- President flew down to give us interview this week :) and we got the conference ensigns… we can start teaching the people about the most recent talks… but as we were walking into the church a recent convert was leaving and he called us over and whispered 'hey your boss is here'... haha... Yes, yes we know!! :)

-Hey we were in a bus accident this week!!  haha we luckily didn't hit anyone….and luckily we were sitting down… but so i was looking down writing something and I hear the bus honk…. so I look up to see a car literally one inch away from the bus. So in an attempt to avoid this car we slid from one side of the street to another, hitting the street barrier and almost hitting the car on the other side of the street... but we didn't hit anyone so it was all good!! It all happened before I realized what was happening... but then the bus was making really weird sounds… so the driver gets out a few stops later and checks the bus… haha and he pulls a huge street barrier out from under the bus…so that was funny… :)

Well I love you lots!!!

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!!!!!!!! :):):):) 

Have a great week!!!

Stake Conference = Skype Conference

Fun fact.... The Canary Island´s stake is the only stake to be separated by the ocean. The 7 islands make up our one stake... and not everyone can travel to our island for the conference...as a result, Stake Conference is a big skype session! :) Woohoo!!! Sometimes the talk was by someone on our island and sometimes the prayers, speakers, songs were done by people done on different islands and we would watch on the projector. Thank you technology! :)

Saturday night session was all about missionary work and I got to bear my testimony! :) I was kind of nervous going into the conference... this is being broadcasted to all the islands!! Then I got even more nervous when I realized the whole conference was about missionary work and I was the only missionary speaking. Dang.  Luckily, all went well!  Phew, deep breaths!  I got up there and just saw all the faces of all the members that I love so much and it was just like bearing my testimony in a lesson... plus there are perks when God is on your side.  I honestly don´t remember what I said... haha  but I think that was mainly the nerves.  Then the Sunday session of Stake Conference was a broadcasting from Salt Lake... Elder Ballard and some 70s talked to us. It was for all the stakes in Spain, Portugal and Cape Verde. Kind of fun!!!

One fun little thing... so I usually write notes to all the members who bear their testimonies on Sundays...so Brother "G" came up to me after the meeting thanked me for my testimony and gave me a thank you note :)  Tender moments. Love the members here!!

Also, all the missionaries on our island (there are 10 of us...) sang ´El ejercito de Helaman´(Army of Helaman) and it was really cool!! haha  Only problem was that my comp and I were the only girls... so we had to sing really loud... and I am not a singer! haha

So the work here is great!!  We are finding and teaching a lot of great people with a lot of great potential! This week we talked a lot about how every one of our investigators has just something in the way of getting baptized. We´ve been trying really hard to improve our teaching and really bring the spirit so they know how great the spirit can feel and truly have a desire to have that spirit with them always. (aka.. through baptism and receiving the Holy Ghost).  I know that God can work miracles but we have to ask him for his help. We are trying really hard to emphasize praying with real intent. If all of our investigators truly prayed with real intent I know that they would feel the difference and really work towards baptism!! :) So that is what we are working with!!!

"Y" is great as always... she talked to her boyfriend this week about marriage... so she is one step closer!! Woohoo!! She really feels the drive to get baptized so her family can receive all the blessings of the gospel and also so she can do the temple work for her grandpa... she really understands what it means to come unto Christ! She came to Stake Conference and smiled at us as I bore my testimony-  and as we sang. She is so cute!!

Anyway... Lots of great things are happening here!! Love, love, love it!!!  Have a great week!!!!

Un besito!

Hna Fowers

Once there was a Snowman

Well... it was a good week!!! Lots of really good lessons! So President raised our standard of excellence for our member present, so we´ve been trying really hard to get more members in lessons!!  We got standard this week and it was such a blessing to have so many strong faithful members helping us out!!! :)

One cool thing- so we had a lesson planned in the church, so we had the member there and everything and then our investigator called and canceled.... so we´re trying to figure out who we can go see instead and we start talking to the member and realize pretty quick that she is the one who needs to feel the love of the Lord. So we sit down and have a lesson with her. I don´t know, it was just incredible to see how the Lord works in mysterious ways. He knows exactly the needs of every one of his children and then gives us the opportunity to serve others. 

Another time, we were in the general area of "C" and decided to stop by and see her... turns out she was really sick- so we called over some members and they gave her a blessing. In both cases they were so grateful and we were just so grateful that God is directing this work and knows exactly what needs to be done.

So "S" :) she is feeling really lonely... we met with her on Tuesday and she just started crying...we were feeling really bad and wanted her to understand how the Savior can help her... so on Thursday we met with her again in a house of a member and we watched some Mormon messages about Christ.  After we just bore testimonies of Christ and how He has helped us in our lives!  We could feel his presence and every single one of us testified how we know Christ is always with us... how he can help us in our lives. Our purpose is to bring others unto Christ and I love it when there are lessons that we bear simple, pure testimony of Him! That happened a lot this week!!  Like I said, it was a really good week!

Umm...I may or may not be speaking in Stake Conference this week... eeeek.... which may or may not be being broadcasted to Salt Lake to a General Authority. . . double eeekkk... I´m under direct orders to make all the young women in the stake want to serve missions.  haha... Wish me luck!

Well...random moments from my life?!

-We sang ´Once there was a snowman´ for our comp study song one day this week. That was fun!  Actions and everything... I think subconsciously that means we want it to snow:)  Hey it actually got cold enough for me to wear tights and a jacket this week!! I was really glad the next day when the sun came back out ;) Speaking of which, how is the Utah weather treating you?!

-Our investigator was watching a basketball game when we arrived... I had a conversation about the Jazz... in Spanish.  I would like to thank Nick Fowers ;)

- We were having a lesson on a bench... it started to rain... I pulled out my handy dandy umbrella (which I always carry because I have been caught in the rain one too many times :)) and all 3 of us squished under the umbrella. It lasted maybe 5 minutes. We moved the lesson to a cafe... and got hot chocolate! hmmmmmmmm

-So there is a part of Las Palmas called ´La Ballena´... I just thought it was a name.  Well we hear something about Jonah and the whale... and they called it la ballena. hmm so the next time we are in that part of town I see a big whale sculpture... I looked it up, sure enough- it means the whale. ¨Where do you want to meet?´ ´Oh you know.. IN the whale´  Oh Spain! 

Love you lots and lots and lots!

Hna Fowers

Area 70 in our lessons.... member present on steroids!

So we had a General Authority in two of our lessons this week. Talk about powerful!

So the Area 70, Elder RdM, came to the Canary Island and gave a devotional on Friday. On Saturday morning he met with the missionaries from the Las Palmas ward and then made some visits with us to some of our investigators. :) (insert a million smiley faces)  We spent most of the time with "Y"... we drove to her house, sat down and Elder RdM asks her if she has any questions. He listens to her, opens his scriptures and starts answering her questions.  Ummmm...I don´t think words can describe how I felt during that half hour period of time. I could feel God speaking directly to her. I know that this man is called of God.  As she was asking her questions I was expecting him to answer in some fancy complicated way... but what surprised me the most was how simple it was. He testified about the Restoration, about the Book of Mormon, about the power of prayer. He said nothing that we wouldn´t teach in lesson one.  But oh boy, did he have the spirit with him!  When he spoke you knew that God was speaking.  You could feel his conviction, his power, and his love. I learned so much about teaching and truly loving what you are teaching!

So that was quite an incredible experience!!! I know that "Y" felt something, all she has to do is pray!  Elder RdM also met with "A"... same experience, he is just a power house!! But it was just eye opening that Lesson 1... the lesson that we teach all of our new investigators... is the same lesson a General Authority would choose in his limited time. It is because there is power in our message. We are representatives of the Lord Jesus Christ and we have the same power and authority to teach... to convey our love, dedication, and testimony.  When we met with him before we asked him what he wished he would have known at our age... this was his response, ¨talk to people the way the Lord Jesus Christ would if He were here¨ :)   Alright, will do!!!

Well, hey guess what!! "F" got his answer!!! He knows the church is true!! Wooohoo!! So that was a great feeling!! The only thing is that he still has to stop smoking... we´ve been working with that, now he just has to stop completely. I tried to make him pinkie promise that he would stop... but he thought I was a little ridiculous but I really was completely serious. haha  He realized I meant business and we settled on an awkward promise handshake. But he got his answer! :)

"G" and his family made us rootbeer floats... the Spanish people hate rootbeer... but they were amused with how excited we were. Love them!

We might have interrupted a date... and taught them anyway :)  Best date night, right?!

Well that´s all I've got!   Love you. Love the Lord. Love this work!

Big hugs and besos all the way from Las Palmas.

Hna Fowers

Are we lost?

Mission of this week: Don´t get lost!  Dang...  the Lord knows our weaknesses... haha I think He is trying to make it into a strength. But I'm pleased to announce that we only got lost once!! ... We were late to basically everything... but there was only once where I had no clue where we were... hahaha

So Hna Schaumann se fue a madrid and now Hna Smith is my companion. She is super great!

Anywho this week was good... filled with lots of people, lots of miracles! Even though we were basically late to everything, we were always in the right place at the right time... proof that God is always there, directing us at all times!

So we fasted with "F" this week to see if he still wanted to be baptized on Sunday... So he had stopped smoking, he just hadn´t quite got his answer that this church is true yet... So we had a really good lesson about how we receive answers... lots of testimony... a lot of the spirit... so we met with him right after we fasted...  but instead of getting his answer he started smoking again.  Dang.

Having faith in God includes having faith in his timing. I just always thought that everyone would get an answer if they prayed... but God has His timing, He knows exactly what each and every one of His children needs... and we have to have patience with that. Everything is for the better in the end! :) But "F" is continuing to read and pray and try to quit smoking! 

We had a lesson about the baptismal interview questions and about faith... a member said a comment that I really liked... he said that the questions say ´´do you believe´ not ´do you know´.  Do you hope this is true... do you want this to be true... do you have a desire to know this is true.. that is the beginning of faith. You don´t have to have a one hundred percent knowledge that this is true. You just have to have the beginning of faith and the determination to endure to the end... the rest of your knowledge and faith can grow after.

So "Y" is really great!! She has a lot of questions and we had a really good lesson where we just talked about the basics. We explained that there is a reason we start with the Restoration and the Plan of Salvation. They are simple, they are powerful, they bring the spirit.  When you feel that spirit and then act on that spirit and pray to know it is true... you can have a testimony. You can have that sure foundation in Christ and from there you can start to learn all the details... all the doctrine. But the Spirit is what converts and the spirit comes when there is simple powerful testimonies about the simple basic doctrine!

So an Area 70 is coming this weekend for a fireside... and he wants to go out with the missionaries in Las Palmas Saturday morning to visit a few of our investigators!!! Ohh I´m so excited!!!

Also we had a lot of people in church yesterday!!! It was just the best day!!

I love you lots!!! Have a great week!!!

Hna Fowers!

DÍA DE LOS REYES!!!

What a week!!  First of all my sister is married!!!  I would like to just declare this to the world.

So we had a fun New Year's Eve party with some members and member references!! Woohoo... nothing better than that.  Hey remember on Christmas when I told you I hadn´t really eaten anything Spanish.... well this was a very Spanish, fancy, traditional New Year's Eve dinner... complete with whole shrimp (heads and all... the members had to teach me how to eat it), fried octupus, turron... and much much more! :) haha  So we ended up having the opportunity to eat the 12 grapes at ´midnight´ except they made an exception for us and we celebrated at 9:30 right before we left for our piso... They played the midnight chimes and we stuck a grape in our mouths and made a wish for every chime of the clock... :) My year is going to be 12 wishes better!! :) haha I also felt quite ridiculous with a mouth full of grapes.  Come to find out you are supposed to be eating them as you go... haha they didn´t tell me this until I was on my 6th grape... hahaha soooo fun.  Definitely implementing this tradition.

I´d be ok without all the cannons that go off throughout the entire night... the grand finale was at like 6 am.... hahaha  We were both a little tired the next day.. :)

So let us see... "A" is sooooo sooo sooo awesome!!! We met with him again this week! At the end of the lesson he thanks us for the lesson (also... we were explaining something and he made a reference to the celestial kingdom... and remembered what it was called... ummm that never happens... he really is thinking about what we are teaching him throughout the week and it is great!)  Anywho... he thanked us for the lesson and then tells us that he feels something different from us... from the Bishop and the members... he was just like ´I don´t really know how to describe it but there is something different and I really like it´  Well thank you, we really like you too!!!!!  Oh man I'm so excited for him!!!!!!! :)

We also had another meeting with "Y"! She is soooo cool too!!!! She has a million questions and we´re trying to explain with the spirit and let her know that prayer is her first source of answers.:) She has incredible faith in God and it really is amazing to hear her story and why she has such a testimony. She was explaining to us all the things she has read and how she wants to understand everything and why she hasn´t felt an answer yet... I asked her if she has prayed about it... and she was kind of surprised by this...(well she hadn't)... we promised her that she would get her answer but only if she asks God for it.  Many times God is willing to give us everything we want and need... we just need the faith and the desire to ask him for it.

Well so whenever a member bears a testimony or gives a talk I always write them a note... so I was giving a man his note on Sunday and he stopped me and thanked me for the note I gave him last time. He told me that he was having a hard time that week and my little note made him feel like God was really aware of him. :)  There really is no better feeling that knowing you were in the right spot at the right time doing what God wanted you to do.  Every person has the ability to make a difference and God is there prompting us along.  There is a talk by Elder Bednar about how many times you don´t know (and don´t have to know) if you are following the spirit.  You just have to be doing the best you can do... be a good person and keep the commandments and you will be acting under the influence of the spirit.  You may not know it but God knows what He needs you to do, and if you are focused on him, you can become a more effective servant of him.

Anywho...I love you all!!! Have a fantastic week!Also HAPPY DÍA DE LOS REYES!!!! This is a Spanish holiday where the three Wise men bring gifts to all the children. (aka a second Christmas) so everything is closed right now! There is also a super legit parade that takes place throughout all of Las Palmas... the three kings arrive in ship to Puerto (one side of Las Palmas) and parade through the city on camel.... this is bigger than Santa and his reindeer for the Spanish people!!!!! EVERYONE was at this parade... and lucky us it ran past our street!!  So we got a little glipse of the Reyes magic! :)

Much love...Hna Fowers

       

Celebrating her Sister's wedding in the Canary Islands