Away in a Manger

Feliz Navidad kp!

On Saturday Élder Stone and I hit up an exchange and biked 30 KM. Crazy. I wake up so sore every day lol, but the people we visited came to church on Sunday so it was 100% worth it.

 I love biking everywhere!

A few months ago I started talking to a guy on Facebook from Cuba, his name is Gavael. We finally figured out the time change between Spain and Cuba and taught him the restauración over a video call. We sent him the LDM app and IT IS PROHIBITED IN CUBA!! Satanas bro. Actually ridiculous. This experience helped me realize that everyone in any part of the world has questions about life and wants to feel God's love. 

One thing Élder Miranda and I have been focusing on a lot is letting the Book of Mormon do the teaching. We have been discussing how these truths in the Book Of Mormon are eternal! They never have changed and never will. so why are we as missionaries (and members of His church) sometimes scared or nervous or embarrassed to tell a friend or family member one of these eternal truths?? The word and gospel of God are clear and simple, and the Book of Mormon says them best. 

Elder Stone, Elder Romrell, Elder Mirada, the Hermana's and myself

Humility. I want it. I need it. Tengo sed for it. What is humility? What really is it? It's not just being quiet or shy about a talent. I am still trying to understand it really well but I think humility is between a person and God. To be grateful for what God has given me and to work hard to fully master my full potential. To never be prideful and take credit for God's work or think you are All That. My Spanish is alright, it's not bad, but I still mess up all the time and have an American boi accent. I want to speak perfectly. Sometimes I feel like I should be better at Spanish than I am and that's usually when I start thinking about humility, im gonna start doing better estudios de idioma and praying more. I gotta sit down and be humble, then stand up and don't mumble lol.

Feliz Navidad

My companion, Elder Miranda (on the left) was a professional padel ball (kind of like pickle ball) player before his mission.  My parents sent him a padel for Christmas and Tyler gave me a padel for Christmas as well.  Elder Stone is looking grouchy because he just lost to Elder Miranda.

Olite Medival Castle near Pamplona.  We got to stop there on our way to a member dinner visit on Christmas day.

Christmas package from my family.  The Merchant's Craft soda really got me!

Amazing fancy Christmas day meal that a family invited us over to have with them.  The little skinny squiggly things on the left hand side are baby eels called Angulas. They kind of tasted like noodles.

Christmas on the mission is lit cuz it happens every day, just without presents. I love thinking about Jesus' humble birth and ministry. Big J was the only one worthy of boasting but never did. 

Stay down <3 éditto

Venid y Adoremos

Pamplona has the best ward in the world.

Such a fun Christmas party at church!

The Grinch even came to visit.

We had an awesome Christmas activity this week in the church. A roleplay of Luke 2 put on by the yuuf (youth) of the nativity, with some Christmas songs woven through. Then the Grinch pulled up and all the kids went BRAZY it was so funny. Then Papa Noel pulled up and he was loving it. Homie is from Peru so he was like "quién quiere ceviche!," "vengo de Peru!" It was awesome and everyone was having a good time. 

Things that are underrated: 

Modern-day Prophet, being good at cooking and cutting hair. 

A rare yummy meal I made.

I cooked something RICOOO. Shoutout Chef Brian at Aloha Plate BYU cuz he taught me how to cook a good chicken thigh. I marinated and seasoned with Lemón, Paprika, Ajo y Perejil, and some other secret ingredients. Blended up fresh Spaniard bread and breaded the chicken with that and eggs (I forgot flour). Then whipped up rice (lowkey hard) and then whaBAM, yümmy:) pic doesn't do it justice

Bike teaching

Amazing lesson on bikes with Guillermo my Boiiii. 

Thanks Elder Romrell!

Got a haircut from Rommy then cut him up. 

FELIZ NAVIDAD

President Eastland spun the block on Pamplona this Sunday and delivered a talk from los cielos. It was good, if you read this presidente i<3u jaja. It was about the part of Jesus that was a human just like us. Jesus was born in a lil town, tranquilamente grew up with brothers and sisters, obeyed his parents on earth, felt anger (in the temple), sadness (garden of Gethsemane), and happiness (ministering to the ancient Nephites). We have a lot more in common with Jesus Christ than we think. Take advantage of the missionary experiences that you will have this week talking about Christmas.

Pday Fun!

Adios guapetones

ROMRELL WAKE UP!

Which one of Jesus' creations is His favorite?

I'm sure he loves them all, He handcrafted them, but I'm pretty sure it's Northern Spain. San Sebastián and Pamplona are def up there on His top 10 lugares.

A Pamplona classic

Élder Miranda and I get to enjoy the beautiful countryside and city aquí en Pamplona, every day on bikes. You can catch us on the trails, highways, bridges, stairs, sidewalks, and pump tracks. We bought a new intertube to fix the other normal bike and some reflective doo hickeys so we don't get run over by a coche. It can get a little bit tiring biking around but I actually love it a lot. We know how to get around Pamplona like natives. On Saturday we were headed back to the church and saw a pump track, we went over there and Aritz (a 17-year-old member) was there! So we did some laps with him.

ZORIONAK basque boi

This week Élder Miranda and I set the goal to "find" (teach and schedule another lesson with) 10 people. Which is a lot and definitely was going to require at least 10 miracles from God. We found 6, which isn't 10, but it's the most I have been able to "find" on my mission so far.  We prayed A LOT every day we saw miracles, we talked to a lot of people, called a LOT of people, asked for a lot of references, and such. 

We taught the Plan of Salvación using Legos!

If I learned 2 cositas this week it is:

1. Trust God

2. Bike more

 Elder Romrell slumped, Elder Stone wit dooey, Miranda vandalized Romrell, Me

Love yall! Remember to light the world today!

Elder Ditto

Paraguayo🇵🇾x🇺🇸Americano

New compinche! Élder Miranda from Paraguay.  He had been visa-waiting for awhile in Paraguay which is why he came at an odd time during a transfer.  He's the best!

Highlights from the week:

• Started work in our area

Our area is inside the pink lines.

• We are bike elders, the only ones in Spain as far as I know

One of our bikes is extra hilarious -- we call it "baby bike"

• Had a super good Zone Conference about a lot of important things like helping new investigators and members have friends, repentance, and planning.

• My mom sent me a package with an advent calendar (mymomssolit!)

Advent calendar from my momma

• Freestyled in Spanish a lot, it's so fun

• Drank terere

• Isabel and her pareja John pulled up to choich!

• An old awesome dude (Josias) knocked on the church door last night, he wanted to do genealogy! So we taught him and we are going to meet with him tonight. 

• We went to Decathalon this morning (like Big 5 but cheaper and cooler) and bought indoor fútbol shoes and a futsal ball. And SAW JOSIAS. literally insane.

Mosíah 15:22

"And now, the resurrection of all the prophets, and all those that have believed in their words, or all those that have kept the commandments of God, shall come forth in the first resurrection; therefore, they are the first resurrection."

I love this scripture! Please read it. When I read the Libro de Mormón in Spanish it takes a lot longer than normal. But it makes me pay more attention to what was really written and what the verse really means. Spanish lesson: "haber" + a verb means "to have + a verb" it is past tense, it already happened. "Han creído" means "they ALREADY had believed." Read Mosiah 15: 22 and pat attención to the words. We have to have ALREADY believed and kept God's commandments when we are judged. And Jesus' repentance allows us to Start now:)

Peace.

Elder Ditto