¡¡¡¡Buenos días a todooooos!!!!
How is everyone doing?! 😄
This week has been super lit, so let's get right into the email 🤣
Tuesday was a little sad saying goodbye to Elder Qosja, I love that guy so much, I will always remember him. I was sick all morning and so not much work got done cause I couldn't really get out of bed, but all was fine by 12 when we had to go pick up my new comp, ELDER PALMERRRR 🐐🐐🐐🐐🐐 He is so lit, he is such a good guy and such a good missionary, I love him so so so much. We had lunch with the other missionaries at the station at a Greek gyro place and it was pretty good. We got the car (it is so nice having a car), but since we got a sim that hasn't been used for a transfer (they closed Elda for a transfer and combined it with the Elche hermana's area), we sadly did not have any signal. Elder Palmer somehow figured out how to get maps pulled up to how to get to Elda, so off we went, got gas, and then got there surprisingly well. We looked for parking for a minute, but didn't find any cause our piso is in the centro, so we paid for parking near our piso and then took all of our suitcases and everything to the piso. Elda is the best-kept secret, cause although our piso is haunted, it is so nice, it feels like a home. The area is so amazing too, all the members in our group are such maquinas. After that we found some parking for the car, got some groceries cause there was 0 food in the piso except 4 or 5 bags of mate 🤣🤣 and then we unpacked all of our bags and hit the hay stack.
Wednesday we still didn't have wifi, and Elder Palmer had a meeting at 11, so we went over to a member's house named Jadhir (aka JaGOAT), and met his family which was so amazing, they are the best. After that we went to Elche to use the wifi in the institute building, and the hermanas gave us the PMG and WhatsApp and gave us a rundown on the area. They set us up very very good 🙏 After that we had daily contact, so we hit some people up, and then medio dia, so we hit a kebab up, which was really good, they have some fire jalapeño poppers. After that we went back to the institute, and since both of us are new to the area, and with the only thing to do is text people, we hit up about every single point in PMG, which was about 3.5 hours. Then we headed home and did some studies and ate and slept.
Thursday was milagro Thursday. We still didn't have internet, but we had a video call planned to teach an amigo at 1:30, so we trusted. We went over to a lesson in the morning, and had to keep in contact with the guy through the STL's, and he didn't end up showing up. BUT, at approximately 12:30, we got internet. It was such a miracle. Another cita canceled on us, and then we had lunch, and then we got to drop off a Book of Mormon to someone who wanted it, and usually that doesn't amount to much, but him and his wife were actually super super interested which was super cool. After that we traveled to Aspe to meet with a friend, and he didn't show up either, BUT we did find a family that was interested in learning more about the gospel!! After that we did some studies, and then headed over to Elche to meet the obispo. He is such a cool guy, he is from the dominican republic, and he is so funny and kind and loving. We talked about the miracles and blessings that come from sharing the gospel, and once we were done talking, he said "well theres no need to wait," and proceeded to call up a friend, and set a cita with the hermanas with him. It was so cool to see. He is sick, and so he asked for a blessing, and after we gave it to him he said that there was a lot of things that he needed to hear, and that only his Heavenly Father could know. This was our first time ever meeting the guy, not knowing anything about him or his sickness, besides he is from the DR and had a mask on. After that we went home and cleaned PMG and hit the haystack once again.
Friday was DL Palmer's first district council being a district leader, and it was super lit, he is such a good DL. We did it in Elche and got KFC after, and due to the fact that i dropped 30€ on groceries a few days before, I had very little money. But I got a kids meal and it was actually so good, AND it came with a toy. We got to see the cathedral en Elche and it was pretty cool. That night we met up with a member named Rodrigo and it was super cool to get to know him. We went to María and her sister's house, a recent convert and her sister is less active, and met them and talked with them. If you guys could pray for them and their family it would be so appreciated. Their parents are in jail because they got framed for something, and María is 13, so she can't work, and her sister is having trouble finding a job. So, if you could pray for them, it would mean so much to them and their family.
Saturday was pretty good!! We had some good lessons, and we were going to meet with a reference from the Alicante ZL'S in this park, but then they had a Christian vs Moor party going on, so there were a ton of marching bands, so we decided to go to a different park 🤣 The lesson was really good and he has a lot of ganas to learn more and come closer to Christ.
Sunday was so lit. Since we are only a group, we dont have a church building, but we do meet in this SUPER nice hotel, and it is actually so cool. We had about 20-25 people show up during church, so it was so so good. We got to meet a bunch of member's and set up citas with them. After church we went over to JaGOAT's house and his family is the best. I forgot to mention, but Jadhir is a RM (returned missionary) that served in our mission back in the day, so he served in Jerez and an area that Elder Palmer has served in. Anyways, his family is the best. His mom gave us a lecture on when we go to their house, it is our house, dont be formal or anything 🤣 Also, to not speak english there 🤣 We had a really good lesson with them and are going to start working with them in la obra misional. After that we studied and had a cita cancel so we contacted and messaged up some people. Also the hermanas in Crevillente baptized someone named José Smith (Joseph Smith), so that was pretty lit 🤣
Monday was so amazing. We had zone conference, and we talked about a BUNCH of things, but what I can say is that President and Obando are called and inspired of God. I know for a fact that they are called of God. I know for a fact that this Church, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, is, truly, Jesus Christ's church. No other church has the fullness of the gospel, nor the authority and power of God.
I love you all. The biggest thing that I got from zone conference is to love everyone. No matter who they are, we are all God's children. Jesus Christ said Himself, "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another" (Un mandamiento nuevo os doy: Que os améis unos a otros; como yo os he amado, que también os améis los unos a los otros. 35 En esto conocerán todos que sois mis discípulos, si tenéis amor los unos por los otros). It is a commandment to love one another. President Russel M. Nelson said that you can tell who is a disciple of Christ by how compasionately that person treats others (if my memory is correct). I KNOW, with all surety of my heart, mind, and soul, that Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father love us perfectly and personally; more than we can understand right now. If the goal is to become like Them, which it is, then it is necessary for us to love one another, and forgive them for their trespasses. If we forgive others, then we will be forgiven. I invite all of you to look for ways to forgive and show love to those around you. I can promise you all that you will experience more love and joy and forgiveness in your life. I know this to be truly personally, because I have experienced them and seen the change in me as I have tried to love and forgive those around me. I know it will change you and bring you closer to Christ. I testify of and say these things in the name of Jesus Christ, amén.
Que tengáis el mejor día de vuestra vida 🙏
Os quiero ❤️
- Élder Powell