Week 3 in Gijon

Hello everyone!
It was really good to hear from you this week! I have missed you so much!!

This week has been really slow. Slow is a lot different here in the mission field. We had a lot of lessons planned, but they pretty much all fell through. It was kind of a disappointment, but a lot of good things happened this week as well.

We had Noche de Hogar (Family Home Evening) with Ricardo and Gema and their family. President Florin and his family came as well. We had the lesson on the spirit. It was so good, and the spirit was so strong. They are all so ready to be baptized. I really wish they could get their marriage papers all taken care of. That has been a huge struggle, and the longer it takes the more the adversary is going to work on them. They are in my prayers every night.

On Tuesday we met with Malu and her door was locked from the outside with a padlock! so weird! it is always an adventure going to her apartment, we never know what is going to happen. Then we went over to Nancy´s apartment to help her clean out her storage closet.

On Wednesday, I had my very first Zone meeting. We went to Leon. It is about a 2 hour bus ride. We stopped in Oviedo for the missionaries there. I saw Sister Johns. it was so good to see her. She is so funny, I missed her a lot. The ride from Gijon to Leon is so pretty. It is through the mountains. There was snow and lakes! I haven’t seen snow in such a long time! I miss it a lot. The meeting was really good. I met a lot of new missionaries and saw some I already knew. We talked about the temple trip the branch members are going to be able to take this week and how on Feb 1, 2 and 3 will be our meetings with the President. On February 26 our mission is having a mission tour. One of the members of the 70 will be coming! I’m so excited, that will be so great.

Also I got my packages! I was so excited! When you send packages to the mission office, they keep them until the next zone meeting, so that could also explain why they took so long. Thank you all so much! I love everything. Sister Zitting was so funny. We got home and she put up the Christmas tree and we put on Christmas music while I opened them!

We did some family history with Frank this week. Have you looked at our family history recently? It was really interesting. We have family history done all the way back to 200. I’m not sure if it was right or not. We are related to a lot of royalty...it seems fishy to me, but who knows.

This Sunday, Frank and Elvin got the priesthood!! It was amazing. When I got here Sister Zitting was so worried about Frank. He was homeless, he had some drinking problems. Since then, he found an apartment, has been going to church, priesthood lessons, and Noche De Hogar, and now he has the priesthood! He is so happy and has such a light around him. It was a miracle. The gospel can do so many amazing things in our lives. And Elvin is planning on serving a mission. I am so happy for them.

We had lunch at the presidents house with Malu and then went and had a lesson with her and one of the members of the presidency. We watch the Joseph Smith movie and talked about the restoration. Since my mission, I have gained such a testimony of the restoration. Tengo un testimonio de la resauracion. Yo se que Dios llamó Jose Smith ser un propheta. Yo se que el Libro de Mormón es la palabra de Dios. El Libro de Morón es verdadero. Yo se que La Iglesia de Jesucristo de los Santos de los Ultimos Dias es verdadero. Mediante el evangelio nuestras vidas podemos vivír con nuestro Padre Celestial. (I have a testimony of restoration. I know that God called Joseph Smith to be a prophet. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God. The Book of Moron is true. I know that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true. Through the gospel we can live our lives with our Heavenly Father.)

Today is P-Day so Sister Zitting and I are going to the beach and are going to visit the shops there. It has been super rainy and cold lately. Hopefully it will clear up soon.

I brought my camera so I am going to figure out how to send you some pictures.

I read a talk by President Boyd K Packer "Some things Every Missionary Should Know." Joseph should definitely read it!

I love you guys and pray for you! I love being here. Missionary work is so hard, but so important and the most amazing experiences I have ever had. It is definitely humbling, but I love it! Talk to you soon! Le Amo-Hermana Brumble