It feels so weird to be done with my second week here in Fuenlabrada. Or Fuentelabrada as I call it because 'fuente' means 'fountain' in spanish and there are a ton here!!! Thats probably one of the coolest things here. I'll have to take some pictures of some to send home.
Funny story to start off the email and explains a little about how things are here in Spain. So we were walking back to our apartment after church yesterday and there was no one around us but a big building to our left. We were just walking and all of a sudden I felt something hit my pocket of my shirt. I looked down to see if it was a bug or something and I saw a cigarette sitting on my missionary handbook in my pocket!! I was blown away! I literally just started laughing because what are the odds that someone throws a cigarette out of the window and it lands in the pocket of someone probably 7 or 8 stories down? It kinda stained the top of my handbook but its a good memory to have. Basically everyone here besides the members of the church smoke and its a biiig problem.
Well Tuesday was pretty good! A few of our appointments fell through but thats okay. We watched a video on being free from addictions with a couple/investigator of ours and I think it went pretty well. We made a goal with them to quit smoking by the end of the month and they agreed so I hope they follow through! After we had a dinner with recent converts, Consuelo and Enrique which was bomb. They are one of my favorite families in the branch here. They fed us some crazy stuff that was basically pink rice and this sweet meat but it was amazing.
Wednesday was a little rough because a family that we have been teaching has skipped out on us twice but we are pushing on. We taught a recently baptized kid named Jesus Jr. and he is really cool but a little shy. After, we met in one of the local parks, also one of the really awesome things here, with Esteban and Eliana and taught the first half of the plan of salvation which went really well and they are really receptive.
Thursday! Pretty good day all in all. We met with a man named Juaquin who is a friend of our investigator Juan and taught about the gospel of Jesus Christ. It went really well and he seemed pretty interested so I am excited to see where that goes. Later we had two lessons with less active members and then Margarita. Margarita was supposed to be baptized last Saturday but doesn't have a firm testimony of the Book of Mormon. She has actually read up to the book of Jacob which is awesome but needs to pray more about it. We moved her baptismal date to the 24 and I think that she will definitely be ready for that day.
Friday! The weekends are always a little more rough because that is usually when people go out of town. We had a lesson with a less active guy named Aldo who is actually really cool and skateboards but doesn't think he can come to church because he has two little daughters which are super cute. On Fridays we are supppooosed to have English Class but no one showed up again! After we had Family Home Evening which only a few people showed up to but we taught a little and after we met with Solange and Rafael who are progressing so great! We set a date for the 24 for them to be baptized and they told us they will pray about it. They are some of my favorite investigators because they ask questions and are really interested.
Saturday! Pretty hard day but ended on a good note. We walked a toooonnnnnn on Saturday. Two of our meetings fell through which was a little discouraging but we had a lesson with my Nigerian buddy, Bright, and he literally asked me ¨So how long do I have to wait until I can be baptized?¨ Haha I was a little blown away by that but we set a date for the 31 of August to make sure he is ready and will continue to come to church after. Retention is important! After we went to a members house for a birthday party which was really fun and some of our investigators came too! I can still remember hearing this Spanish party music in the background while looking out of the back patio on the 8th floor at the sun setting on Spain. It was picture perfect. They fed us too which was great! I put some hot sauce on my food and everyone was freaking out because they thought I couldn't handle it but I've had my share of Buffalo Wild Wings and pounded it like a champ.
Sunday was good but also hard. Sacrament was the highlight because a good amount of less active and investigators showed up and it made me really happy. I bore my testimony and it made me think that my Spanish is a little better than I thought! I am definitely learning every day. After, I got hit by the cigarette and then we walked a lot and didn't get any referalls but it was just one of those days. We had a lesson with a semi investigator named Anibal and it went really well actually and we are planning on having more lessons with him too.
Today was P Day of course and we went to Pavones next to the CCM and played some FUTBOL!!!! There were a pretty good amount of Elders there and it was really fun but I am tired. I got to see Elders Wilson, Nielson, and Bohne which was really cool. They are all doing great and learning a ton.
Life out here is hard but like Elder Holland said in a talk of his one time, "it has to be hard because if it wasn't hard, we wouldn't remember it". I know what I am doing out here is important and that I am having an impact on the people of Spain. I am so glad to have this wonderful opportunity to serve the Lord.
Love you all!!!
Elder Franklyn
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