Welcome to Good Burger!

June 30, 2014

Welcome to Good Burger, home of the Good Burger. Can I take your order?

Thought some of my siblings and friends would get a crack out of that.  Well this week has been INSANE. But good at the same time. I'm still here and no one got lost so that's good. Lets see how much of this last week I remember...

So on Monday we woke up early and all of my plans started going into effect. Missionaries meeting missionaries in train stations, missionaries flying in from the Canaries, missionaries coming down from the north, etc.  What I did though was first we headed down to the temple and met with all of the missionaries that were going home and we took all of their bags to the mission home. From there,  we grabbed all of the missionaries bags that were coming into Madrid from the Islands and headed to the airport. We picked up missionaries there and then drove them to the train station called Chamartín. Then we went back to the mission home and dropped off some stuff we had and then went and had like 2 hours of a p day. After that back to the airport to pick up some more missionaries and drop them off at Chamartín and then back to the airport one more time and I got to pick up my old companion Elder Beuden! It was good to see him again. Then we went to the mission home again and met with all of the missionaries that were going home then. We had to get some stuff from them so we did that and then I let them know all about their travel home arrangements. Then we went back to our piso and went to sleep excited to wake up early the next day.

Tuesday, wake up early, go to the mission home, grab the missionaries going home, take them to the airport. One story/miracle about this is that we were there in Terminal 4 of the Madrid Barajas airport and I am dropping off some missionaries with Elder Ward and I get a call from President Jackson saying that there is a sister missionary who needs to pay for her luggage and she doesn't have enough money. Oh and that her plane was leaving in 15 minutes. I look up her name, realized that she is in the same terminal that I am in and 6'7 Elder Ward and I start running through the airport searching for her. We turn the corner and she is standing right there at the front of the line. I run up, paid her ticket and a security guard came and took her directly to her flight. Heavenly Father really helped me out on that one!   After that we got to meet the NEW MISSIONARIES!!! Back in the mission home, we take them to the temple chapel and we explain what we do as office elders. I felt the Spirit really strongly while I was bearing my testimony to them about the church, the mission, and President Jackson. It was awesome. Then, to another train station called Atocha to drop off a sweeeet portuguese elder named Elder Ávila. Then back to our area for an hour or so and then to bed. 

Wednesday, wake up early, off to the airport. We dropped off Elder Howard who was going to the Canary Islands. He is a stud missionary and will be a goood one for sure. Then back to Chamartín, drop off Elder Dugan who is getting trained by my MTC companion, Elder Dunn. Everything smooth with that. Then to District meeting in. And then to Office meeting back in the office. Everything went well and I figured out more about what I needed to do. After that we had a ton of stuff to get caught up on in the office and so we worked hard and had a lesson that night with Felipe and Isabel which went great. We met Isabel's friend Eva actually and she wants to visit with us! It was a great day.

At this point in the week we had no food but we had the van and so we woke up early, went to the mission home and switched cars, and then bought some food. After that we had weekly planning and then worked hard in the office. In the afternoon we had a great lesson with Valdimir. He is honestly soo prepared and so ready to get baptized but he just doesn't realize it yet. He needs to start coming to church more often as well so we are working more on that. 

Friday! Finally a normal day. We went to the bank in the morning to figure out what was up with our mission card because it stopped working in the middle of transfers and found out it would be working on the first of July so we had to head down to Chamartín to buy some train tickets for some missionaries that needed to go home to get their residency cards. Then we had correlation which was sweet and then we hit the streets finally! I honestly love and appreciate missionary work so much more now. We had family home evening which was awesome. Isabel and Felipe came as well as Vladimir. Good night.

Saturday, back to Chamartín to buy some more tickets by hand. Then we went to the office and I got a ton of stuff done which was good. It has been both good and weird to be here without Elder Rockwood but I am adjusting. After we passed by a few houses and then we had a baptism in the temple chapel. Our chapel doesn't have a baptismal font and since we have 8 missionaries serving here we have to go to other areas for baptisms. It was great though and the girl getting baptized was really wonderful. After we had a great lesson with Guillermo and he is so excited about everything! He is getting closer and closer but still needs to come to church. I have seen his attitude change a lot since we have started teaching him and it just grows my testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Sunday was great. We had a good time at church and then we had some great lessons in the afternoon as well. All in all it was just awesome. I have learned so much this week about the mission, about Heavenly Father and about myself.  I know that this Church is true.  I know that Jesus Christ is our Savior.  I know that I have been called by a prophet of God to be here in Spain.   know that I am away from all of you but I know that this is where I need to be. I truly miss you all and hope and pray for the best for you. ¡Sigan adelante y nunca se desvien del camino de Dios! Os quiero mucho. Estáis en mi corazón.

Élder Franklyn

June 23, 2014

Office Life.

Family and Friends!!

I had no idea what I was getting into when I was assigned as an office elder. This has been the craaziest week in my life!!  So as I said before, I am over mission travel and this weekend we had transfers.  200 missionaries all over Spain and they chose me to be in charge of it all - haha.  Well it is going good so far... A few delayed flights, a few missionaries missing their trains but everyone is okay. It has been a crazy experience for me honestly and I am learning a ton about a ton of stuff each day. It is definitely helping me be more responsible as well.  I just hope everything goes well. I really won't be able to sleep well until Wednesday night when everyone is in their areas safe and sound.  Until then, I just have to work hard and do what the Lord wants me to do.

There isn't much to say about this week honestly. We got all of the changes on Wednesday and Elder Rockwood basically just said alright, get to work making plans. And so I did. President Jackson came in on Friday and made some more changes and so I had to adjust to that as well and then on Saturday they also made a few more changes so that was stressful having to change the plans I had already made and adjust.  The changes and transfer info goes out at 9:30 on Saturday night and it was close but I finished right on time. So far so good like I said before!   Elder Rockwood is going home tomorrow and so he is out visiting a couple of his old areas as his last p day while Elder Ward and I are back here working hard and making sure everyone is okay. This morning we woke up at 5 and I was just feeling really nervous and so during my morning prayer I  told Heavenly Father that I know that I can't do this on my own and that I needed his help. I have really seen that help given to me today and I can tell that He is guiding all of us. 

It has been a blessing and a miracle to be here working along side such great missionaries and to see them in action. I love the mission!   There is no where else I would want to be right now. I know that this church is true. There can be NO other way. I love you all and hope that the Lord is guiding you as well in your day to day activities. 

Keep the faith

Elder Franklyn

June 16th, 2014

No Time...

Family and friends!!

Sorry, I have no time!!  We went to Toledo today and visited museums, cathedrals, the works!  But I just wanted to write and say that everything is going really good! I am absolutely exhausted and my mind is going crazy but I am loving the office at the same time.

My companions Elder Rockwood and Elder Ward are great and I am loving it!

I am almost out of time but I just wanted to say that this Church is true!! I know it and I have seen so many miracles and amazing things in my life to prove it.

Thank you for all of your love and concern! Keep up the good work!

Elder Franklyn

Life in San Sebastian de los Reyes.... 6/9/2014

yikes

OFFICE LIFE

Hello!!!

Well lets just get it out of the way in the beginning and say that this week I will hit my one year mark. It has floowwn by and sometimes I feel like I just started the mission. Its not that I don't love and miss you all, its just that the mission is going by so fast! I love Spain!

Well this has been my first week in the office and probably one of the craziest as well. Flat tires, cold showers, hitting a parked car, moving apartments, skipping meals, working hard, learning a lot, figuring out the area... The works! It has been up there in my top 5 hardest weeks but it has also been in my top 5 weeks in which I have grown the most. I am in a trio right now with my office trainer/godfather Elder Rockwood and Elder Ward, the train crash/miracle elder. They are both so wonderful and we get along really well. I honestly can't even remember what happened this week, it has been so hectic.
A ver...

Well on Monday we switched over to our new piso (I am still living out of a suitcase though) and I started learning about office work. Basically I am over all missionary travels and residency which means a lot of making plans and buying train tickets.

On Tuesday we helped a few investigators with a move that they were doing which was good. The investigators are Tanchi and Yonaisy (Dominicans) who are awesome and just need to get married. Then we headed to the office and I planned my first mission council meeting and got all of the tickets for the missionaries coming down or flying into Madrid. After, we had some lessons with Tanchi and a new investigator named Jose Antonio.

Wednesday we had district meeting which was awesome!! Oh another weird thing for me being down here is that we have 4 sister missionaries in our area and 6 in our district so I am trying to figure out how to act normal around them and stuff like that. I've just never really had to be around hermanas so its weird but whatever!  Then we had our office meeting and then we went out and had some lessons!  We usually leave the office around 6ish and have to be in the piso at 10 so 4 hours of straight missionary work. What we try to do is plan all of our lessons during office  time so we have everything planned out and ready to go.

Thursday morning we woke up early and went and played tennis next to the mission home! The mission home is about 15 minutes in car and it was fun but weird playing with President Jackson and the APs. They are all awesome and just really good missionaries. Then that afternoon we had some more lessons and I drove the car for the first time!! It was cool. Good thing I know how to drive a stick shift. We got home absolutely dead.

Friday was awesome. This is my first time in a ward and we had a noche de hogar and the members planned everything. It turned out great and everyone really enjoyed it. A ton of people came too! We also had the best correlation meeting I have ever had. We have a great ward mission leader named Segundo.

Saturday is when the whole tire popping thing went down (my companion hit a curb). I think... It could have been another day. Who knows... But it was kind of a harder day. A lot of people cancelled on us but we did recieve a good amount of interested references. Asi es la obra misional!

Church on Sunday was great. All of the members were really open and welcoming. I am already creating some friendships with them which is good and I feel comfortable. I miss El Ferrol a bit but I know that this is where I am supposed to be.

I am so excited to be here in Alcobendas/San Sebastián de los Reyes. Working in the office is stressful but it is great. I am learning so much and we have some amazing missionaries here. I know that this Church is Christ's church.  There is no doubt in my mind. I have never understood the scriptures like I understand them now even though they are written in a different language. I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and that He truly loves each and every one of us. Y asi será para siempre. Muchas gracias por todo que han hecho para mi. Les quiero muchísimo!! Que sean felices y exitosos en todo que tengan!

Elder Franklyn.

Goodbye, El Ferrol - Hello Mission Office

Saying Goodbye to El Ferrol

I'll miss Elder Nickerl

My companions

Wendy y Guillermo

Hola!!!!

Everything is going really great but it is so weird at the same time!!  I am down here in the Mission Office at Alcobendas sitting at my own personal computer... Haha!  it is great though and I am already learning so much.

I am excited to work with some amazing missionaries here.  Leaving El Ferrol was hard, like leaving my family, but I know that this is where the Lord wants me to be right now. A group of the Ferrol members walked me to the train station  yesterday to say goodbye and I could feel their love for me strongly. They are so great and I will miss them all so much.

Anyway... this week was great!! Two exciting things that happened are that we have 2 firmly set baptismal dates for this Saturday in El Ferrol! I am not going to be there buuuut I am really excited about it. Jose is finally ready and agreed to his date and Angel is set on getting baptized.

Miracle... We went to teach Angel about the Word of Wisdom, basically the lesson that we were most worried about, and he didn't have a problem with a single one of them!!! That lesson was so spiritual and I had to hold my self back from crying.

The members threw me a going away party on Friday which was really awesome! They are just the best. We ate and had a great time. Goyos came with Irina as well.

On Thursday we had a lesson with Goyos and it was going really great and he accepted the invitation to be baptized!!! I am just so excited to have been able to get to know him and teach him. I can't wait for that family to get to the Temple!

On Saturday the branch had a barbecue and we went for a little bit and helped bring stuff there. It was really fun and Hermana Dolly and Hermana Patricia made some amazing chicken. It was a blast.

Over these past few weeks, Elder Schmidtlein, Elder Nickerl and I have grown a lot closer. I have learned so much from them about missionary work and I am so grateful to have known them and served along side them in this wonderful cause. I have larger mountains to climb up ahead but I've got my equipment ready to go and I can't wait to start the journey. I am embarrassed to say this but I am going to quote some Miley Cyrus here and say that its not about getting to the top. In the Gospel, the top is perfection. I doubt I'll ever get there but the important part is "the CLIMB." I love you all! Thank you for all that you are doing to hasten the work in your parts of the world. Keep it up!!

Elder Franklyn

P.S. I hope you guys don't think I'm a "climber." That was a quote to talk about working hard and gaining experience haha!
P.S.  Hunter's coming to Madrid?!?!  That is so exciting!   If I'm here for a while, I'll be picking him up!

May 26, 2014 Zone Conference and a Monastery

Zone Conference in Vigo

Visited a monastery

my 2 companions

my shoes are beat

Gato

3 of us

Elder Schmidtlein

The Trio

Gonna miss these guys

Family and Friends!!

This week has been a blast!! I don't have too much time but I'll try and do the best I can here.

First off, on Monday and Tuesday we were in Vigo for our zone conference. It was awesome!! We stayed in a hotel down there for the night and the talks during the conference were amazing. I am really loving our trio as well. Elder Schmidtlein is a great addition to El Ferrol.

We had a great day on Thursday and we even got to do splits with our branch president to cover more area. Elder Nickerl and the president went to the hospital to give a ward member a blessing while Elder Schmidtlein and I went out to contact. English class was a hit too and we invited a lot of the students to come to church. After we had a great lesson with Goyos, Irina's husband and he is reading and praying to recieve an answer!! I am so excited for him it's ridiculous!

On Friday we visited Angel at his house and we had a great lesson with him on the plan of salvation. He liked it alot! We found out that he is going to be leaving for England on the 9th but we are going to teach him as much as we can while he is here. He also came to church on Sunday again and is really ready.

On Saturday we went to Ortigueira which is a neighboring town to visit a few investigators. They loved the message of the restauration and the daughter loooves the church. Gotta love seeing potential!! We went with Hermana Dolly and on the way back she contacted someone at the train stop and we got her reference! Her name is Guadalupe and she  was interested in our message! We gave her a Book of Mormon and she was very receptive. Way to go Hermana Dolly!!!

Sunday was great although Elder Nickerl was sick. We stayed in the piso for a while to let him sleep but he is feeling better today. We went to a monastery today which was awesome and took a lot of photos!

This will be my last week in El Ferrol and I am having mixed feelings. I have spent more than half of my mission here and I am really going to miss it. I love the people here and I hope that I have had an impact on them. I am excited to work in the office though with Elder Ward. It will be a great experience!!

I love you all!!

Elder Franklyn

Mother's Day Week and Transfer!

Monday, May 12

Queridos míos.

Well I just realized that I hadn't written a big email yet so this will have to be quick but I'll try to make it good. Some miracles happened this week and it was great!! I am pretty pumped and we got the transfer calls on Saturday so some of you don't even know where I am right now...

Well the big miracle that we have seen this week has been through part member families. We have two amazing ones and both of the fathers are not members. The Goyos family is like my second family and the father has been participating a lot in our lessons recently. On Thursday we had a great lesson with them and invited Goyos (the dad) to take the missionary lessons and he said yes! We are so excited! A few days later we were talking to Hermana Dolly, Wendy's mom, and her husband is also a non member. He lives far away for work but he has been visiting often and we have gotten to know him better. The other day they were talking and Dolly literally just told him to get baptized and he said he was actually thinking about it!! We are going to try to meet with him this week and see how things go. I've never seen any progress with part member families until now but its so amazing to see the joy of the members when their loved ones accept the Gospel. 

The exciting news about transfers is that I am staying in El Ferrol! And we are going to get another missionary tomorrow!!  Buuuut only for three weeks. Then I am going down to Madrid and I am going to be the mission secretary! Exciting stuff! I know that this church is true. For me, honestly, it doesn't matter if I am in Galicia, the Canary Islands, or Madrid. The most important thing above all is preaching the Gospel. There is a great quote from Paul in 1 Corinthians about his view on missionary work and I will try to quote it. This isn't exact but he says: I was not called of Christ to baptize, but to preach the Gospel. Not with wise words, lest the cross of Christ be made of none affect. I love that! We are called to preach the Gospel. Baptisms or not! That is my goal in these two years. I know that Jesus Christ is our Saviour and our Redeemer. I know that my english is not the best now but that is just because I'm trying to focus everything on this short time I have. I love you all and hope you have a great week!!

Love,

Elder Franklyn

ps: this is Elder Nickerl and I knocking down some percebes.

and talking to my family on Mother's Day....