San Sebastian - Week One

HEY FAMILY!

Let me tell you, it is SO GOOD to be emailing. I feel like its been forever! OH MY GOSH I LOVE THIS COUNTRY. OK so much to say. SO on Tuesday we got up way early and took a 6 hour train ride to Barcelona. IT IS GORGEOUS. Way prettier than where we were in Madrid haha.

The Mission President and his wife and like 15 other missionaries met us at the train station with huge smiles. I guess they have been planning for our group to come for months now. So we were kind of a big deal. So we got there and went to a cute little Winsted branch looking building and then life got wild. We were in Barcelona for three days. Which I wasn't expecting. We had to do a bunch of stuff for our residency over the span of a few days so they took us everywhere to sign documents and do fingerprints and all that.

We stayed in a gorgeous hotel. The rooms were way small, like enough space for two night stands, and two twin beds, right next to each other, but super nice. And the food at the hotel.. I thought I died and went to heaven. It was SO GOOD. Shannon woulda died. It was crossiants on crossiants on crossiants. And all these cute little fruits and all these yummy pastries and yogurt and cute little european foods. Dont worry. I took full advantage of that free breakfast.

Anyway, so we did paperwork during the day and then at night we got assigned a temporary companion and would go out tracting. It was way fun, we got to visit some of the investigators and members in Barcelona. Ps theres palm trees here. way cool. Oh and the President and his wife took us to see the coast and all these pretty buildings and this giant castle. It is so gorgeous. Family start saving up, you all have to come pick me up.

Anyway, so then finally Thursday came around and we got our assignments to leave. A bunch of missionaries came down to pick us all up. We had a nice lunch (pizza, always the best) and they started the assignments. The president called up each new missionary one by one and pointed on the map of Spain where they would be going and who their new companion would be. I was DYING of excitement. Some people got sent to the islands but I was glad I wasn't one of them because they had to pack down to one suitcase, and we all know I literally cant do that haha. Embarrassing. Anyway, so I really wanted to go to Bilbao cuz Tyson´s friend said it was his favorite place. But guess what, I got called somewhere even better! It´s called San Sebastian. And it is straight up GORGEOUS. Oh my gosh. I literally wipe drool from my face everywhere I go. I was meant to be here hahaha.When the president shook my hand he said God must really love me for sending me here cuz its the most gorgeous place in the mission.

I found out my companion would be Hermana Benson! She is a tall blonde just like me! I'll attach a picture if I can. I love her. She is so sweet. She's from Salt Lake and has been out for 6 months. She speaks pretty well and can understand everything so that's nice. I got really lucky to have her as my companion.

Anyway, so we spent that night in Barcelona and headed for San Sebastian the next morning on a 6 hour train ride north. The whole train ride was gorgeous. Our apartment is on the second floor and is actually somewhat nice. Its pretty big too. We have two bedrooms and we have two bathrooms, although only one shower. We also have a nice living room, study room, and kitchen that has a washing machine in it, there aren't any driers here though. I got pretty lucky. The appliances and stuff are all pretty old but everything seems to work fine. I'll send pictures next week.
I forgot to take some this week.

Also look up Playa de la Concha.. I think that's it. So like a block away is the beach, luckily Hermana Benson loves to run just like me (match made in heaven) so we've run every day since we have been here, along a nice path by the beach. Family, you'd all die. It's so gorgeous.

Also look up catedral de buen pastor.. its a gorgeous cathedral that I live next to. There are so many cute little shops with the best clothes ever. We got shoes for dayzzz up in here. haha. Good thing we are only allowed to shop once a week or I'd spend a ton of money. jk don't worry dad.. also there are pastry shops everywhere! I love it. They all smell so good and I always want to stop in. They've got everything you'd ever want. Lots of yummy looking breads and cookies and doughnuts and all that. Basically I'm in heaven.

Anyway it's interesting cuz here they eat lunch around 2 and its called medio dia. Everyone eats a giant meal and then doesn't really eat again until like 9 or 10 at night.. but usually just a lighter snack. So Saturday we ate with a member and we had some potato soup and some spaghetti. People drink a lot of coca cola here too. And the members feed you a huge serving.

We've had a few lessons with investigators but I don't understand much so I mostly nod and smile and bear my testimony at the end haha. I'll be honest, my spanish is struuuugggling hahaa. They all talk so fast here! And most of the members are from all these South American countries so they all talk different learning. My comp tells me I'm doing better than she did in the beginning.

So Sunday we had church. Oh man, this building is great. It's tiiiinnny. Even smaller than Winsted. I think it has three tiny classrooms and a larger room for sacrament meeting. There are maybe 50 members. I love it. It's pretty ghetto. So one of the counselors was speaking and all of a sudden I heard him say my name and my comp nudged me and said to go up and introduce myself. Haha, so I got up, and tried to tell them who I was and bear a little testimony in spanish. Yeah. That's right. In spanish in front of everyone on my third day here. So no more complaints about having to speak in front of people! At least it's in your own language haha. jk You know I totally loved it cuz I love speaking in front of people. It was great.

The nice thing about being here is that we have quite a few investigators so we are constantly busy visiting them. We haven't been tracting at all yet. I love going to lessons and meeting people. After church on sunday we went to a members house for mediodia. She's from Honduras. She fed us rice, beans, chicken, and tortillas. It was so delicious. I ate a ton. sorrynotsorry. I love the members here. I'm excited to get to know them. I think almost all of them are from South America,Ii haven't seen many spanish people.

Oh also the bishop here seems interesting haha. He and his wife work in a little magazine stand. He's not super friendly, but it's all good. My comp said he's interesting.. also their ward mission leader is an 18 year old kid named Nicholas. He's a nice kid. It's just funny that he's so young haha. But he helps out a ton.

Lets see, what else. There are two other elders that serve in our ward too. One told me it took him a year and 3 months to learn spanish. So that's comforting haha. I'm not super worried though, I know I'll learn it.

Oh also big news, yesterday a recent convert in the ward called us to meet with his friend. So we met them in the park and introduced him to the Book of Mormon. He said he wants to come to church on Sunday and said he will read it. Also, I invited him to be baptized when he has a testimony of the Book of Mormon and HE SAID YES! I wanted to cry right then and there, I was so excited. My first baptismal invite on my third day here! It was way cool. I'm excited to work here.. Except its been kinda cold here the past few days, and super rainy. I think it gets cold here in the winter which kinda makes me nervous cuz I don't like the cold. Today was super nice though. Anyway, sorry that was all over the place. Look up where I live. Maybe you can google earth it. OH ALSO I have an address

Hermana Kassidy Reid
C/San Martin 15, 2D
20005 San Sebastian
Espana

Tell people to send me letters to that address! I would love letters, I think dear elders still work too, but I'm not positive. Also if you send packages, just send them to the mission home. I think it gets too complicated trying to get packages up here. But letters, send letters and pictures to my address here! I want more pics of the babies and such! Anyway, I cant think of much else, I really love it up here, I got lucky to be in such a beautiful place! Hopefully I get to stay a while! I love you all so much! Thanks so much for the emails! I have really missed you all this week.