¡¡¡¡¡HOLA A TODOOOOOS!!!!!
🎄 ¡¡FELIZ NAVIDAD!! 🎄
How is everyone doing?!?!
This week has been so wild. I figured I'll start adding some random stuff that happened throughout the week, so here you guys go 😂
- Learn some more ASL
- Found my last name graffitied on the wall
- Found a mall with skyscrapers in Chamartin
- Got to do a musical performance w/ Elder Qosja, Elder Locci, and Emanuel (a recent convert from Liberia)
- Had 3 baptisms and set 2 fechas!!! 🥳🥳
Tuesday was such an amazing day. We had exchanges and I got to go with the wonderful Elder England. We were heading over to a park to do companion study, and we see a guy about our age w/ headphones in. He looks at us, takes out his headphones, and asks us if we are from the Mormon church. We tell him yeah, we are missionaries for the church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, and then he says that he is from Argentina, he got here like 2 days ago, he went to the church a few times back in Argentina, and he has been looking for the church ever since he got here. He then told us that his brother used to be a missionary and now he is a stake president in another country. He is such a cool guy and he came to our noche de barrio that same night just a few hours later, and church on Sunday. He is in the other elder's area, but he is so cool and such a miracle.
Wednesday we basically just finished up the exchange w/ a comp counsel and phone check, and then it was basically a regular day.
Thursday we went up to Madrid to get my residency, and I am official now 😂 most of the day was traveling but it was amazing. We went to a kebab place, and I wanted chicken, so I risked it and got some wings and rice, and it was honestly some of the best I had. It was the nicest kebab place I've ever been to 😂
Friday we watched the Christmas conference as a ward and it was amazing. We are truly led by Jesus Christ through His prophets and apostles on that He has called on the earth today. I got to speak to Jader, a deaf recent convert, and learn some more sign language which is always wonderful. He is such an amazing guy and has so much joy in the gospel.
Saturday we had the baptisms of Juan, Luis, AND Gustavo!!! 🥳🥳 It was so amazing and such a special moment. The Spirit was so strong, especially as they were getting baptized. We started filling up the font in the morning, and the hot water unfortunately did not work. Luis explained earlier how much he hates cold water, so, we went into the kitchen and started boiling some water. Unfortunately, the water takes forever to boil, so we were able to head over to bishop's house, who lives across the street from the church, fill up some huge buckets of hot water, and dumped them into the font. Unfortunately, the water was still cold, when Luis got there he felt it and said that it was fine. It was a miracle for sure. After he and Juan got baptized, they kept talking about the great peace that they felt. We were able to perform Noche de Luz (Silent Night) for them as well, w/ me and Élder Qosja playing the guitar, Emmanuel playing the piano (he is professional 🐐), Elder Locci playing the flute, and some members singing. We had no practice and it was almost all improvised, and it came out so beautiful. After the baptism, we welcomed Elder Albarracín, now Alvaro, from his return from his mission in Buenos Aires. It was so amazing and spiritual as well. He is such a miracle, as well, and I'll explain that later. Juan and Luis were both street contacts that started to get to know us from fútbol, so it was such an amazing miracle that they got baptized and are as amazing as they are. Juan's family came to the baptism and told us that they want to get baptized as well, and Juan said that he wants to serve a mission now. It makes me so happy to see the change that Jesus Christ brings in others.
Sunday was wonderful, I am always so grateful for the opportunity to renew my covenants, or sacred promises, with God, and show Him that I am willing and doing my best to follow Him. Alvaro sat with Anthony (guy we met on Tuesday from Argentina), and it was so cool to see. Sunday night we had a lesson with our friend Jony, who is super lit, he has a master's, is super smart, and has a super crazy job. Alvaro and Alejandro came with us, and we were able to set a fecha with him for January 5th!! 🥳🥳 The Spirit was so strong when he said that yes, he wants to be baptized.
Monday was wonderful as well, we were able to meet with Anthony (different from Argentinian Anthony), who we hadn't met with for about a month, (Alvaro came with us as well) and we talked to him and his family, and taught him the doctrine of Christ, invited him to be baptized, and he said that yes, he wants to be baptized!!! 🥳🥳🥳 The Spirit was so strong when he said yes as well. He set the date for January 30th, and it was all good, and then Élder Qosja said he will probably be leaving the 7th of January, so he decided to change it to January 4th!!! 🥳🥳 He is such an amazing guy and it makes me so happy to see his righteous desires to get baptized.
This week I have studied a lot about gifts. I was actually able to read a general conference talk from Henry D. Moyle called "Be Yourself." He talked about our spiritual gifts, and used a story from the Book of Mormon, and said how we shouldn't want to be other people, because God has given us, specifically, unique gifts that He needs us to use. God gave us the gifts that we need to go through every moment in our life. This should give us confidence in every moment of our life. He specifically mentioned serving a mission, and how if God, who is just, gave us these gifts for a reason, then we have no need to fear, but we should have confidence in Him and trust Him that He has prepared us and given us what we need for a mission or anything in our life. Even when we feel weak and unable, Jesus Christ is literally always there. He is always there to reach our reaching. Always. During this Christmas time, there is a lot of focus on gifts. The wise men gave Jesus Christ different physical gifts, but what Christ wants from us, is to give Him ourselves. He simply wants us. We don't have to work travel through countries to present a precious ore, to Him. Who we are is much more precious. And who He can make us is much more than we can ever imagine. He simply wants you. So, keep doing your best, trying to give yourself to Him, and you will see miracles appear in your life. Your hard times will be made easier. You will find true happiness and joy. Keep going. Keep doing your best for Him.
I love you all and I hope that you have such an amazing Christmas. Feliz Navidad, Bon Natal (as they say it here in Alacant), and a very Merry Christmas to you all.
Os quiero muchísimo 🫶❤️
- Élder Powell
View photos here: https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipPbMzXAQFxTh6voy2GyO15usQSkV3mGBb8fMIIpS9J--OBKv-gi3hBqxpAEhwCAzA?key=aThxcThZNVpEYnhYVkRlcFlQM29kMHljRHFpYkZn