July 17, 2017 ~ Transfer 8 Week 5

Hi everyone!

This week was awesome. Quite busy. 

Monday, we had some miracles. A member was searching for someone to give her daughter a blessing because she is sick and so they decided to go toward the church. They hopped off the bus stop right next to where we were waiting at the stop light. Also, we have a less active member who we have been inviting to play sports a lot with us and he's finally coming back to church! He told us that he was going to be there a lot more now and that he wants to help his friends come back too. So we were going to do a "family home evening" activity with his friend's family and he had the message and so we helped him prepare to teach for it. Also on this past Sunday one of our investagators who we have been meeting with forever came to church! It was only to the last 20 mins of the last class but he was there! It was great.

Also we met with another less active who wanted to understand the scriptures better. Usually he has fought with us about the truth of the scriptures because he wants physical evidence there is a God. This time we talked with him I think we were able to help him a lot explaining that even if there is physical evidence that you can't believe in everything you see. Think of magic tricks. What you see is not always the "truth". So we helped him to understand that you must pray and ask God if you want answers to spiritual things. And we taught him that you don't have to ask someone else if something is true, you can find out from God. Its just like if you want to know your friend's favorite color, you ask your friend. Same with our Heavenly Father. If you want to know something from Him, you ask Him directly through prayer. Just as James 1:5-6 says: 5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.

I know that we can recieve answers to our prayers because I have recieved so many responses to my questions.

Other updates: We led a mutual activity about missionary work for the young men. It was a ton of fun. We even did a practice with them to help them share the gospel with a friend. It was lots of fun to give them a taste of the mission.

Then we saw Michi Weiss my companion from Switzerland who is visiting (he's been home for 4.5 months and I've been here for the 3 times he's already come to visit haha, the flights for him are super cheap from Switzerland).

Also, on Saturday a bunch of recent converts came for a Temple tour. And little did I know but they were from Oviedo, my last area! It was great to see the Branch President Silvestre and his wife. I was so happy to see them!

Then later that day the other elders had a baptism of a youth named Raul. Super cool kid. He shared his testimony of how he came to know that what he was doing was right and it was very cool.

Funny moments and food:

That moment when you realize you cook everything in olive oil and that at home you cook things in butter...(I'm talking about cooking in a pan).

For food we had anticuchos (grilled cow heart, seasoned really well - sounds terrible but is amazing). And then I tried to make San Jacobo de Ave which is breaded cheese wrapped with layers of ham. It didn't go very well haha. And then a tender mercy of papa john's (the best pizza place here in spain) was given to us by some members visiting from Mallorca (Islands near Barcalona-ish). And the best part was that the garlic sauce was still un-opened!

Have a wonderful week! Transfers are comjng up this Saturday so Monday there may be news of me moving to a different area (ive been here for 6 months which is a good amount of time).

Elder Openshaw

Spain Madrid Mission
Calle Fuerteventura 4, 2, Oficina 8B
28703 San Sebastián de los Reyes
Madrid, España