t-2 and t-1

I've got one week left 

Last week, on pday, Spain had an electricity blackout from 12 pm-8:30pm. It was crazy! My comp and I thought it was the second coming. We were pretty excited and in peace, turns out it wasn't the 2nd coming, so that was lowkey kinda sad tbh but whatever. Last week, we met with an inactive member named Fabio and his non-member pareja, Melanie. It was a miracle! So awesome to be in the position to teach and help them. Its times like those when I genuinely will miss being a missionary. Like when else am I going to be able to help someone in this special way. 

Other cool miracle. On Friday, we were going to play soccer with a Recent Convert, and I was HYYYPPED! But then it cancelled  so my comp and I were like, well, let's do some passbys (when you knock the doors of either less/inactive members or people that were previously investigating the church). There was one right next to where we were named Ana. I had done a passby once before, but she wasn't there. We rang her doorbell (you can't rlly knock someone's door in Spain), no answer, I called her and she was in her restaurant, which was close, so we went over there. She was super hyped to see us and her pareja Luis was also there. We taught them about the Holy Ghost and temples. Luis said he wanted to learn more about god! Hype. And the biggest miracle was that they invited us to eat at their restaurant for free, twas rico. 

I have lived in Madrid for one year straight. I am more Madrileño than a BYU goer.

I get back on May 14th, and homecoming talk is May 18th in Yakima. I will write another email next week and do the whole testimony thing. Have a great week!

Love, Elder Ditto

t-3 World Tour

Madrid -> Islas Canarias -> Madrid -> Bilbao -> Vitoria -> Madrid. Eventful stuff, and fun. 

That was my last time being in Pais Vasco during my mission, I'm gonna miss that beautiful place. I have toured most of northern Spain now, and it's Sick!! That being said, it is always nice to get back to the crib in Madrid. I like visiting new places, but nothing compares to the feeling when you are in the car and turn into the driveway and it's kinda bumpy and you instinctively recognize you are home.

A Colombian man kissed my hand.

We didn't have much time in our own area this week, but God totally blessed up. We tried to do video call lessons and stuff, but it was not looking too good for our amigos' church attendance. I said a lil prayer before going into church to just help me have a good Easter Sunday and feel the spirit. It was a good reunion and many randos pulled up!!! Fire. 

Also, cool miracle happened. Two pdays ago we were walking on the street, and I saw this guy entering his house. As we were talking to him, a Recent Convert walked up to us and we talked for a little. Invited him to church, didn't pull up, then last Saturday, we knocked on his door and invited him to come to soccer, didn't come, then, this Saturday knocked on his door to invite him to soccer, he did come! Then invited him to church, and HE DID COME! with his two daughters! Super fire miracle. Bless up. 

I finished the Book of Mormon this week. It was good. I know that the Book of Mormon allows us to feel the holy ghost more in our lives, so if you want to feel more joy, peace, and confidence, give it a read!

I love Pais Vasco, Agur!

Love, Elder Ditto

t-4 Put God first

I did it! I officially listened to all the church hymns from start to end in Spanish. 

There are many underrated bangers on there. Lmk if you want the list. I am currently on a gua gua (bus) in the Canary Islands. 

We woke up at 4:50am today and had to run to the airport to catch our flight. It was like one of those classic movie scenes. Tengo bastante sueño but today should be super fun. I lowkey need to sleep for 20 hrs straight someday tho. 

I was able to meet Izaro's mom (my family's exchange student from Bilbao).

This week, an inactive member called us and was like, "Hey elders, I want to come back to church with my family. When can y'all come over to teach us a lesson?" So we went over and taught them a lil lesson about Alma 37:6-7 (by small and simple things are great things brought to pass) and they pulled up to church yesterday! The ward is super hyped about that because apparently they have been ghosting all the members that have been writing them and trying to communicate with them, and all a sudden they want to come back! It's a testament that if you are trying to help someone through calls, texts etc., and the person doesn't respond, you are still helping! The inactive member said she always read the messages her member friends sent her, but didn't respond, and that it helped her a lot!

Love, Elder Ditto

t-5: Longest week of my life!

Hey folks, jolines. 

This week, 26 greenies (new missionaries) got to Spain. Along with 2 senior couples. This meant that Elder Porras, the mission presidents, senior couples, office elders, and I had many things to do. Many cosas, and lots of time, but it was all worth it and it was super fun.

 After that, we had MLC with the more experienced missionaries, which was also a lot of time and preparation. We got it done. I think Elder Porras and I spent around 50 hours either in the mission office/home or out and about doing things for the mission. It made me think about missionary work. What even is missionary work? Instead of preaching and teaching the good news to investigators. We spent our time helping missionaries be able to preach and teach the good word. Interesante. Kinda like the good ole saying: give a man a fish and he eats for a day, teach a man to fish and he can eat forever. Either way, it was fun to be able to help all the other people, and I am glad to be back to a "normal schedule" this week. 

My comp is from Mexico so that's hype, he speaks really good English. This week he found out about the pronunciation of Kansas and Arkansas, it blew his mind lol. So funny.

General Conference was this last Saturday and Sunday. The whole time the prophet spoke, I felt a soft burning in my heart confirming that President Nelson really is the prophet today! He said that he doesn't know the day or hour when Jesus Christ will come again, but that he does know that the Lord is urging him to prepare us for that great and dreadful day. I am hyped to relisten to the talks this week.

Love, Elder Ditto

t-6

3 months ago, we were teaching a lady

Who sent in a reference to learn about JC

She came to church right away it was crazy

Then she moved away, so we passed her off to the ladies

The Hermanas kept teaching her all of the stuff

She learned Word of Wisdom, and that one was tough

But God is good, and she felt His love

She wanted baptism and told me to pull up

We got the deed done and then gave her the dove  

That one was for Alex

Great week in the viña del Señor. It was transfer prep so we were in the office with frequency! Which means I get to hang out with Elder Hill. We spent some of the church's money on missionary transfer travels, missionaries, if you are reading this, pls don't miss travels because twas a generous amount of sacred funds. But my mom taught me well, and I was on the search for the biggest bargains. I almost installed Honey, but then someone told me it was a scam, is that true? So all Wednesday was spent in the office, literally all day, and then the morning on Thursday as well. 

That's honestly pretty much how the week went. Tonight I get my new and last companion! Insane. His name is Elder Porras he's from Chihuahua, Mexico. Shoutout p body, bros married. Fire. t-6 means I have 6 weeks left of my mission. Time to grind chavales:)

Love, Elder Ditto

Galicia -> Madrid -> Islas

It's been 2.5 weeks I think. And 2.5 crazy weeks

I got to go to the Tower of Hercules is the oldest known extant Roman lighthouse. Built in the 1st century, the tower is located on a peninsula about 2.4 km from the center of A Coruña, Galicia, in northwestern Spain

We went to A Coruña, Galicia Spain for Zone Conference, lots of rain and green and cool stuff. Felt like Oregon. Hype to be up there for my first time!

Yummy birthday dinner!

Had my bday! 21  pretty fun lowkey, met with a lot of recent converts, and had free food! An hermana from Peru (Gina) made "alitas encevichadas" absolutely dreamy and riquísimo. That was probably a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

A few hours before cheffing up the cuisine, Gina fell pretty bad and hurt like every part of her body. On Sunday she was still in a lot of pain so we offered to give her a priesthood blessing of health. She has been less active for a long time so we taught her what a blessing is then we gave her one. Right after she sat still for a few moments and then said something along the line of "que bonito me siento!" It was so amazing. She was in a lot of pain right before and after the blessing, she felt beautiful!!! Miracle

The Canary Islands

Now we are in the Islas Canarias and it is an absolute vibe.  Great lugar. So cool oh my goodness I shall add some pics.

Next week is gonna be ultra busy with transfer things! I felt the spirit many times the last few days and it keeps me motivated and on the right path! This week try to recognize it too!! 

Last week we played some paddle ball on our pday.

Ciao

Love, Elder Ditto

137, 138, 139

Every day before entering into my personal studies, I listen to two or three hymns to get me into spiritual mode, it has proven to be extremely genial. 

Matthew 26:30 "And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives."

Respect. I share this hecho because I listened to hymns 136, 137, and 138 this week and they are fire. 

Give them a listen (those are the hymn numbers in the Spanish hymn book, probably different in ingles)

Genesis was baptized and confirmed yesterday after church, it was a furious 45 minutes in between the end of the church meeting (we taught the 2nd-hour class Principles of the Gospel) and then printing out the agenda, taking pics, setting up, announcing baptism, lo demas all in 45 minutes but it worked out fabulously and she got baptized por fin. Her mom and older sisters have been members for many years but were inactive in the past. It is so awesome to see the good changes (repentance) that have come about in their family, especially with Genesis´ older sister. The gospel is for families!

We hit up this Dominicana place called Santa Brasa, oh my goodness. It was so good that we are gonna run it back today. 

A member of the church brought her friend to church a month ago and her friend Yumu (she's not Japanese sadly, just a codename) has now come to church 4 times in a row with her! Incredible. Yumu told us that she was going to go to a catholic church a few days ago but when she walked into the doors she was like nah, and didn't feel any desire to be in there, which is crazy because she's been catholic her entire life. And in contrast, this Sunday morning at 7am she woke up with a massive desire to go to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and so she did! So what happened? Lots of other churches are good places, but the spirit testified to her the truthfulness of the gospel that is found in the Church of Jesus Christ and changed her heart.

Mosiah 5:2 

"And they all cried with one voice, saying: Yea, we believe all the words which thou hast spoken unto us; and also, we know of their surety and truth, because of the Spirit of the Lord Omnipotent, which has wrought a mighty change in us, or in our hearts, that we have no more disposition to do evil, but to do good continually."

From both examples, Genesis´ older sister and Yumu, I know that the Holy Spirit can change our hearts allowing us to align our will with that of God's. hasta la próxima

Love, Elder Ditto