San Sebastian - Week Two

Hey family!!

Man, this week was a good one. It sounds like all is well with you guys. Also my companion recieved a package at our apartment. So if you send anything, you could try sending it here instead of the office so it makes it quicker! I think you just need to talk to the mail people and make sure you fill out one of those customs declaration sheets so the people know what it contains and how much its worth, then it wont get stuck in customs this time

Okay so I've got some cool stories this week. We teach this lady from Nigeria named Onome. She lives here with her 3 year old daughter and they speak English. Shes had a pretty rough life,Ii feel bad for her. The first time we taught her, we introduced her to the Book of Mormon and taught her about Christ and invited her to be baptized, she said she would like to be baptized which was way cool! Then we were asking her if she would read the Book of Mormon and pray to know if its true and she said she knew it was true. We asked her how she knew and she said she could just feel it, she just knew it was true. That was definitely way cool cuz the Spirit was definitely testifying to her of it. Anyway, we went back again to teach her more. We were talking about faith and about how we know that we have a Heavenly Father that loves every single one of us. She started to tell us more about her life. She moved here to get a job, which is sad because everyone here is struggling, the economy is so bad, but it must be better than where she was. She doesn't have any family here, doesn't speak Spanish well, and only has her daughter. She isn't legal here yet, until she gets a job. So basically she is trapped. She cant leave, cant do anything. She started crying about how lonely she was. But the cool thing was that she said when she was struggling, she prayed. She prayed with her whole heart to God. She said how much she knows that God loves her, and how He hears her prayers. Man, she has so much faith. She talked about how blessed she was to be in Spain, and to have a bed, and a little room to live in. I couldn't help but cry. It was such a humbling story. I feel so bad that she´s so lonely but I know God is watching over her. I know He has blessed her already, and now she knows about the góspel, she can have more peace and comfort in her life. Man, I was so grateful for that experience, you cant learn things like that in other places. It truly was humbling and it truly helped me to more fully see my purpose here. There´s so many people that don´t know about the love Heavenly Father has for them. Its something that I have such a strong testimony of. I know it with my whole heart that our Heavenly Father loves us. I tear up almost every time i think about it. If you don't know it, pray. Talk to Him. He's there and He wants to listen. He wants to help. I know it. I wouldn't be here if I didn't know it.

Anyway, another cool experience was teaching a woman named Angelica. Shes a young single mom that lives in a cute little pueblo outside of the city. We were teaching her and she was feeling nervous about her baptism. We read Alma 7.15-16 with her about not having fear and stepping forward with faith. It totally clicked with her. She totally understood it. The lesson was in Spanish so I couldn't understand everything, but I  could understand her say that she felt so peaceful while we were teaching her. She said she felt like nothing else in the world mattered and she just felt really good. It was way cool, because I know the Spirit was testifying to her that this gospel is for her. Shes so sweet.

Saturday we ate with a member that we eat with every Saturday, his name is Pacheco, and hes from Ecuador. He fed us a yummy soup with lentils and potatoes and then this delicious turkey soup thing. I cant describe it. and yeah, it was kinda weird to have two soups haha but it was all really yummy. I'm lucky all the food here that I've had is so good.

Anyway, Both Angelica and Onome came to church on Sunday which was way cool. We had another investigator named Samuel come too. Hes a young kid, and super devoted to his church, which is actually pretty similar to ours. We havent taught him much though, we have a cita set up with him this week. Okay so Sundays here are crazy haha. The building is so small. Like way smaller than Winsted. The chapel isnt big enough for the group of 65 so they have an overflow room where you watch the speaker on a tv screen haha. We got there late cuz we had been gathering all our investigators and they took forever to get out the door, so we were all in the overflow room. I still cant understand a lot cuz everyone talks so fast, but I try to catch on to as much as I can. Oh something kinda funny, so when people talk too long during their talks, the bishop slides a laminated note to them telling them to wrap it up haha.. sorta strange...

So after church we ate with a member named Aquilina. Shes a sweet older woman who cooks GOOD food. Holy cow. Shes from Honduras. Oh thats another cool thing about being here is we meet so many people from so many different countries. Anyway, she cooked yummy meat, super good rice, and beans, with a pico salsa something and avocado. Oh and fresh tortillas. It was seriously so yummy. But she fed us a ton haha I was dying. And then we had cake.. it was a lllloooot. But luckily I loved it. She gave us some of that yummy milk sweet rice stuff... idk how to describe it, but she gave us some in a tupperware, I've been eating it a bunch, its yummy stuff if its made right.

Okay so Sunday night was straight up crazy. We went to Ward council right? yeah. so everyone is talking fast Spanish so I'm trying to keep up. At some point during the meeting, one of the ladies decided to bring up some issues she had with another lady there... it literally got so crazy.. lets just say four people stormed out of the room, and I think about five ended up crying. Idk what happened cuz I didn't understand everything, but someone was offended and then it all went downhill from there. It was really sad actually. This ward definitely needs us. I was just sitting there thinking that if they could just remember the Savior, and His love and gospel, they wouldn't spend time fighting with each other. I feel bad, if the unity among all the leaders of the ward is so bad, its hard to get stuff done. So Hermana Benson and I are gonna do the best we can to restore the love and to help them turn their focus to Christ. If your testimony is centered in Christ, you will never let anyone get in between that somehow. Its a lot harder to get offended. Once we have a love like Christ has, its easier to look past peoples faults and to see them as He does.

So to respond to some other questions you had, I love my companion, shes also 20 and went to U of U before she came here. We both don't know a ton of Spanish, but she can understand everything and communicate well. I'm still learning how to understand everything. My apartment is nice. Also another cool thing is we are almost constantly booked with appointments! We have hardly knocked doors. This week especially is going to be crazy. Which is way fun and time is starting to fly. We have a district meeting in Bilbao tomorrow which is like an hour or two train ride away, but I like my district. its got 16 of us I think. Um.. I  cant think of much else, it was a pretty good week! I think I'm starting to get the hang of things. Every day I can see more and more of the reason why I'm out here. There are people searching for happiness and truth and I cant wait to find them! This gospel is so true. I know it. I know we have a Heavenly Father that loves us. Study the scriptures and pray. That´s the best way to know your Savior more. Keep living the gospel! I love you family! I miss you all so so much, but I'm definitely doing well here! Once I get this Spanish down, I'm gonna baptize this whole country, just watch! LOVE YOU!

LOVE,
Hermana Reid