From the wetlands to the drylands...

el Ferrol

From the wetlands to the drylands...

I heard about the drought going on in California right now. I hope it starts raining soon and I'll keep all of you guys in my prayers. Lets just say it rains here EVERY SINGLE DAY. I discovered a new kind of rain that they have here too. Imagine a giant mister just misting an entire city all day long and then throw in a ton of crazy wind. Umbrellas are almost pointless and someone stole ours the other day so no big deal. We just come home soaking wet everyday and some nice members help us dry our sweaters sometimes haha. Its all about the experience!

Well Monday was pretty good. We went and played volleyball with a ton of members and then invited a ton and a few investigators to a noche de hogar (family home evening). It turned out really good and every one enjoyed it alot! After we went to Armando's like always and we taught him some Spanish while he cracked jokes haha. Oh we invited him to be baptized as well as a joke and he busted up laughing haha. He's awesome.

Tuesday was rough. We tried to call every one to set up some lessons and no one could. We contacted in the morning but literally didn't receive anything. After medio dia, Daniel bailed on us and then we went to a really old members house name Teresa. She is hailed as the grandmother of the missionaries and she is in her 80's now. She is really great though and we had fun and shared a message with her. She is super strong.

Wednesday we had the Zone meeting in Santiago which was awesome. Elder Sargent, who was in the MTC with me, is up here in my zone now so it was good to see him. After we had a lesson with an eternal investigator named Enrique who is really awesome. He has such a strong testimony but just doesn't feel like he ever received an answer that the church is true. In a few weeks he will break the record for the person with the most time as an investigator in all of Spain. After we had a lesson with Manuel, the other eternal investigator, and invited him to be baptized. He said yes but he still will not decide when. After that we had a lesson in the hallway with Zorkan who apparently stepped on a nail on Saturday night and that's why he couldn't come to church.  Bummer. Then we went to Antonio's with Wendy and Guillermo and they talked to him about geneology. It went okay.

Thursday was decent. We planned the week which went well. We went outside to go contacting and  no one was there so we went to see if anyone was playing volleyball and there were a few investigators there so we hopped in for a little. After we had english class and a random lady walked in and told us she wanted to know more about the church! We had a lesson and explained some stuff. She didn't seem too interested but liked what we said. That night we went to Irina's and taught Leonardo a bit. Elder McWhorter had recently gotten his hair cut and Irina told him that he should shave it all off and feed it to the dogs because she didn't like it hahaha. She's awesome.

Friday was pretty good. Wendy invited us to eat with them during medio dia which was fun. After that we had a lesson with Luciano in the chapel and Jose Martinez helped us explain a few important things. After we went to Patricia's and had a great lesson with them. They fed us some food too which was awesome and we taught them some English too because they want to move to Canada apparently!! They are really awesome.

Saturday morning we saw a little miracle. Wendy's mom had to go to the hospital and they said that she was going to be there for at least 2 or 3 days for certain reasons and she wanted us to give her a blessing. We walk in and talk to her for a bit and then give her a blessing. Immediately after we finish, the doctors walk in and they were going to check her out. When she came back they told us that she could go home immediately and that everything was fine! I was overcome with the Spirit and may have shed a tear in that hospital hallway. After, Wendy and Guillermo dropped us off at Andrew's and we had a lesson with Armando which went okay. Then we went to Ada's and had some bomb food with them and shared a message. After that we went contacting in the street for a while and has two lessons in the street which were good. That night we had a noche de hogar with a less active member named Flor at Wendy's house which went great. We had a lot of fun and they are so awesome. We finally met Guillermo's dad too and he is a crack up! An old washed up ship captain who speaks some English. Soo cool.

Sunday was pretty rough. Church was good and we had a few investigators in church but after, everyone was just bailing on us. It rained all night and we were in the street for almost the whole night haha.  We were soaked! We gave a blessing to one of our members grandmothers in the hospital which was good and Wendy of course invited us over for dinner which was great. We worked hard though!

Today we are going to play volleyball again with the members and we are going to try and start and end with a prayer and throw in a little spiritual message so its more spiritual. Wish us luck!

Well I'm signing out from the rainy north of Spain. And I'll end with the same phrase that I end every single journal entry I write...

Until next time,

Elder Franklyn

Baptism of Leonardo y Alex!

1/20/2014

Mis amigos y familiares!

Well the work here in Spain moves on!  This coming week is going to be a little tough because Leonardo and Alex got baptized on Saturday!! They were like our best investigators ever haha!  They are so awesome though and I feel so blessed to be able to know them let alone be a part of this amazing step they took. This week has been so rewarding!   We had the best numbers I have ever had in my mission so far and we continue to see miracles because of our hard work.

Monday was sweeet. After p day ended, we had a great lesson with Daniel and Hermano José Martinez helped us explain the Word of Wisdom.   Daniel is now on board and agreed to live the Word of Wisdom. Poco a poco. After we went to Armando's and had some awesome food. He wants to start learning english so we are going to start teaching him a bit. He's awesome. Cubans man...

Tuesday was great. We huuunted down Zorkan and finally had a lesson with him. Its difficult when he doesn't have a phone and his apartment button doesnt work. He promised us he was going to go to church this Sunday with us and we were really excited. He ended up bailing and broke his promise with us buuut I think he's thinking about what we teach a little more. After medio dia we had a lesson with Alex and Leonardo and taught them everything they needed to know before their baptismal interview. They are so prepared and amazing. After we went to Antonio's and had a decent lesson. He wanted to read us this 15 page manifesto from some guy and the vocab was crazy hard and he wouldn't stop haha. We finally got him to calm down for a bit and taught him more about the Book of Mormon. It ended on a great note and he apoligized. He's such a good guy and just wants some friends out there.

Wednesday we had district meeting which was awesome. Elder Miranda personally congradulated us during district meeting because of the hard work we have been doing. Kind of awk but really cool too. After, we had a lesson with Manuel and Jose Martinez helped us out too. We taught him about growing our faith. He seemed to enjoy it. Then we met up with a girl named Juliana and answered some of the questions she had for us about marriage and Mormon life. She liked our answers. Wendy and Guillermo invited us over to eat so we headed over there. Forgot our umbrellas in the apartment and ended up getting dreeeenched like never before that night so Wendy helped us dry our sweaters out haha.

Thursday we planned the week which went good. We set some higher goals and are really trying to push ourselves more and more. After, I headed of to Lugo for an intercambio and stayed there for a day! The bus ride was like 2 hours and it was terrible but the intercambio was awesome. I was with Elder Moyano from Argentina and it reminded me of being with Elder Echegaray again. We worked hard and taught a bit. Lugo is an awesome city too with this really cool wall thing.

Friday I woke up in Lugo, contacted a bit in the morning and then took the bus back to El Ferrol. I had to change in A Coruña and the next bus was in like 30 minutes. I was alone too so it felt weird but I grabbed some food to help with the missing companion anxiety haha. When I got back, we went to work and had a lesson with Armando in Andrew's house and he really liked it.  Andrew's other friend, Ismael, was there too and he seems pretty interested. After we had another lesson with Daniel out side of his house and he told us he wants to get baptized and that he knows its the right thing to do!!!!! So stoked!! We set a date for the 2 of February with him and he agreed to come to church.  After we went to Patricia and Jose's. We shared a cool spiritual message with them and then they fed us this booomb lasagna that changed my life. They are such an awesome family. We tried to answer all of their questions they had for us and they are just so solid.

Saturday was soo busy!! In the morning we had to set up the font and then fill it up. After we set up a ton of lessons and then went out to search for some more people. We went to Ada's house to eat during medio dia and then had to rush to Wendy and Guillermo's because they were going to go to a lesson with us at 4. We got to the house and they ended up bailing so we went to the chapel and made sure the font was full and warm which it was! Then we booked it to Zorkan's house and waited for him to shower and get ready to go to the baptism with us. Meanwhile people are calling us off the hook and so it was a little stressful but then we headed to the chapel and everything was good. Irina and her family were already there and changing into the baptismal clothes. We got everything set up and then started the baptismal service. It went amaaaazingly well and not one hicup at all. Leonardo bore his testimony after and I started crying while seeing the change that had overcome him since the first time I met him. I don't think I'll ever forget that moment.  After everything, we went over to Irina's and had some cake and a bit of food.  Then we had to basically run to Ada's house because she invited us over too.  We stuffed down some more cake and hot chocolate (which was aamazing) and then booked it over to Wendy's because she invited us to eat dinner haha.  We barely finished all the food they gave us and then speed walked back to the apartment barely making it on time haha.

Sunday was awesome. We had the two confirmations in church which went well and I got to confirm Alex!  Daniel showed up to church but Zorkan flaked out on us. Luciano ended up coming too even though his phone hasn't been working recently. We had to take down the font in the morning too and clean up some water but there were no problems there. After we went to Irina's and had some boomb food and just hung out and talked with Leonardo. After medio dia we found Adan in his house finally and he said next weekend he would have time. We ended the night contacting and then we had a noche de hogar at Wendy's house which was fun. They always invite us over haha.

Today we are going to play volleyball and futbol with some members and investigators so it should be fun! I am deaad tired everyday but have soo many things pushing me forward. Many of them are all of your examples for me. Thank you all for everything and keep up the good work!   I heard Emily is getting baptized and I wanna see some photos!!   
Someone tell Brody I love him to death.

Love you all!

Elder Franklyn

January 13, 2014

P-Day Adventures

 

Friends and Family!!!

Well this week has been difficult but also really good. I have learned alot and am really enjoying my time up here in Galicia! It rains a ton and there is a lot of wind too, but I am loving it here.  We honestly have some of the best members I've met!  Besides you guys :)

Well I have my agenda today so I have a little bit more information haha.

On Monday we straight up slept for like 2 or 3 hours because we were so dead which felt great. After we contacted some referrals we had received and went to a member's house named Armando (also Cuban) to eat. We shared a message with them and it went great!

On Tuesday we finally found Zorkan (another Cuban) at home and had a great lesson with him about Joseph Smith.  He's struggling with quitting smoking but knows its bad for him.  After we had a lesson with Daniel in the street and we hit hard on coming to church. He agreed to do so but ended up not being able to come on Sunday.  Poco a poco.  After we had a lesson with Leonardo who is amazing and set a baptismal date for the 18 of January.  We teach him in English because he is just awesome and he's beginning to become a good friend of ours.  We joke around a lot haha.

Wednesday we had district meeting which was awesome. For those of you who remember back to my first transfer, Elder Miranda was serving in Toledo when I was in Fuenlabrada. He's now in Lugo up here and is our new district leader!! He's an awesome elder and a really hard worker. After medio dia we had a lesson with Flor, a newbie, which went well. She loves listening but doesn't have too much interest in acting.  Later on we had a lesson with Antonio! He is awesome and still comes to church every week which is wonderful. He has a ton of deep questions about stuff and so we are trying our best to answer all of them.

Thursday we planned the week and set a new goal to speak only spanish 24/7. I'm loving it and learning a ton more everyday!  Its hard a times but once I start thinking in spanish more it gets a lot easier.  After medio dia we went to a member's house named Andrew from Nigeria and taught his roommate,  Armando. He has a problem with drinking but basically knows that the Book of Mormon is true which is awesome!  After we had English class which went awesome!  Luciano, a reference from the street, came and Elder McWhorter taught him about the Restoration in english while I taught the class.  Aparently he loved it and ended up coming to church on sunday with his wife!  His english is good too.  After, we had a lesson with Leonardo again and he basically explained what resurrection is to us haha.  He's awesome.

Friday was good/hard/fun all mixed together.  In the morning we had a lesson with Zorkan about the word of wisdom and a member, Jose Martinez, came with us! It went good. We looked for people all morning but couldn't find anyone. After medio dia we continued to search and set appointments but it was rough. At 7 we had a lesson with a girl that we met on the bus to A Coruña on Wednesday.  Her name is Juliana and she's from Columbia and speaks perfect english.  Well basically she's 24 and really pretty so we've gotta watch out but she seems semi interested.   After that, we went to Patricia and Jose's and had a good lesson with them.  They fed us some food too and want to make it an every Friday thing!

Saturday was busy!!  In the morning we helped some members clean the chapel and then set up lessons for the afternoon.  During medio dia we visited a less active members house, Ada and Jose, and shared a message and ate with them. After that we met up with Wendy and had a lesson with Kenry and Kadir which went really well.  After that, we met up with Guillermo and the four of us went to Naron, a nearby town, and had a lesson with John Alexander and his girlfriend came in too!  Turns out they aren't married and so we taught about eternal marriage and the law of chastity which actually went really well. Then, they dropped us off at Luciano's house and we had a lesson with him, his wife, and his daughter which went amazingly well and they committed to come to church. Then we RAN to Wendy and Guillermo's house and had a lesson with Wendy's bro and sister who are less active members and they fed us food!!  It was really good and we speed walked back home to make it on time. I was dead!

Sunday was a great day to end a great week. John Alexander and his wife and Luciano and his wife all came to church! It was exciting to see all of them there and they have a lot of potential. During medio dia we were at Irina's and had a blast. We went back to the apartment to sleep for a sec and then went back there and had a great lesson with Leonardo. He explained tithing to us in english!.  We set a date for his interview and he is gold.   After medio dia we met up with Jose Martinez and had another lesson with Flor. It went pretty good and she said she is going to read the Plan of Salvation pamphlet. A few other people cancelled us and so Wendy called us up and invited us over to have a family home evening with them.  We had some churros and chocolate milk, talked about some scriptures, and then played a card game. They are awesome!

Today has been a great day as well! Wendy and Guillermo invited us to go see some waterfalls here close by and so we had a great time with them. I'll attatch some photos! We have a few lessons set up for tonight which should be great!

I have learned soo much here in Spain and I continue to learn a ton every day. I am so excited for this work and know that success only comes through hard work and obedience. I love you all and thank you for all of your support! I am praying for all of you and hope the best comes to you!

Keep it up out there!

Elder Franklyn

El Dia de los Reyes Magos!!

 January 6, 2014

Well, its 2014!!   I'm in Spain!!

Haha this week has been crazy hard and rough with all the holidays and festivals here in El Ferrol. The Spaniards do it big!  Just a little cultural fact for you all:  Spain has a holiday on the 6th of January every year called El Dia de los Reyes Magos. It actually consists of 3 days, starting with a huge parade in every city on the 5th, present opening on the 6th and then a day of rest on the 7th. Its pretty huge here and I have some pictures from the parade last night. It was off the hook.

Well I left my last agenda in the piso because we just started a new transfer but I'll try to remember what happened as best as I can with my terrible memory.

Monday we played volleyball with Wendy and Guillermo again and a lot of other members showed up so it was awesome!  After P day ended, we had a lesson with the Calderon family and taught about the Restoration again and answered some questions they had. It was a great lesson and they are like our best friends.  After we went to a members house named Armando, a Cuban, and we ate some food there which was bomb.

Tuesday I honestly do not remember much. What day was that? Oh yeah! New Years Eve!! Thats why I didn't remember it. There was noooothing to do!! We had a dinner appointment though but before we went and had a lesson with Jacobo and had a good lesson with him.  After medio dia, we tried to make brownies and it absolutely faaaiiiillled.  We are no Betty Crocker over here.  After that mess, we headed to Ada's to eat and had fun with their family. They are so awesome and it was a fun night. We had to be in the piso at 10 of course which was weird for New Years eve, but I slept like a champ.

Wednesday was difficult too. The bus system all changed up so getting to A Coruña was difficult. We couldn't get there until 1:30 but we had a great district meeting and our last one with all of us together.  After, I don't have a clue what we did besiiiiiides that we saw Zorkan in the street and talked to him a bit. He's still stressed so we decided to do something nice. We didn't want to have another baking accident so we put together some stockings with some nice cards and candy to cheer him up. He really enjoyed it and he was really grateful.

Thursday we planned the week which went well! Not exactly sure what we did after but  Oh we had english class too!!   And then we had a lesson with Antonio after. He is doing good and continues to read and study alot. His wife is still sick but he is praying for her and so are we.

Friday... hmmm... Friday.... Sometimes I feel like Dory from Finding Nemo. I'm pretty sure we had a lesson with Irina's son, Leonardo. Let's just say the guy is golden. And when I mean golden, I mean he explained the Restoration to us in English kind of golden. He is so ready and we gave him some scriptures to read.  He loves speaking english with us even though he's from Cuba and understands everything!

Saturday morning we had a lesson with Jacobo. Picture two american missionaries fighting against the wind and rain in northern Spain with our umbrellas almost being torn apart to get to Jacobo's house.  Satan was really working on us but that lesson was amazing and we answered a ton of his questions and he told us that he has felt the Spirit while praying.  He's awesome.  After medio dia we walked a member named Andrew to where a ton of branch and other members were playing volleyball. We had a few lessons to go to but we came back and played with them later on that night. In the mean time we found two new investigators! One is named Flor from Columbia and the other is Flabio from Peru! Flabio is Flors friend and he is super ready for the Gospel!! We taught them both and Flor is a little less interested but Flabio is awesome. We even had Flabio say the opening prayer and it was really good.

Sunday was sweet! We had a few investigators in church and after, we went to Irina's house to eat.  After medio dia, the parade was about to start so we tried to contact a bit and got a reference from a cool guy but no one wanted to talk pretty much. The parade was sweet and long and after, we had a lesson with Leonardo again on the Plan of Salvation. We did it in english again and he basically explained the importance of the resurrection to us haha. We invited him to be baptized and he said yes!  Still trying to find a date that works for his family but he is way ready. During his prayer he said "Thank you for sending me my friends, my new friends and for helping me find your church. The real church. Thank you also for the opportunity that I have to get baptized..." It was incredible and I had tears in my eyes as we said goodbye.  He is unreal and so awesome!!

Well thats about it. We were so tired today that we just slept for like 3 hours. The work continues!!  Onward Christian Soldiers...

Love you all!

Elder Franklyn