Miembros

Hola Amigos,
     We have just had a great week.
     Amaila and Antoni are progressing like maquinas. We taught them the first three lessons this week and they told us they didn't have any doubts or any reason to deny anything we had taught because they knew that it was all true mostly before we even taught it. And the "new" stuff to them they said sounded familiar anyways. They read The Book of Mormon and pray together every night now. Antoni is really into the whole allegory of the olive tree thing and gathering Isreal. Amalia was worried we would think she was weird but she really likes the whole Latter-days part of our name. And then she showed us their food storage and 48 hour emergency backpacks. They are baisicallly already members.We set a baptismal date with them for the 21st and they were super hesitant and we kept asking them why and they finally told us that they were worried we would reject them. They have been kicked out of various different Catholic groups because they got married for the law instead of for the Catholic church. Spain law is weird so you can't do both. Or at least you have to pay for two completly seperate weddings. But they though it was important to be actually married because that was God's commandment and so that's what they did. Funny side note in their vows or whatever they said they would be together for eternity because they don't want to separate at death. But that's lucky because for the church here in Spain you have to get married for the law before you can get sealed in the temple. Or get baptized.
     The members here are really just amazing. We think they can sniff out potential. We were able to get a different member with us to every lesson we had with them this week. And then one of those members sent a group text to the entire ward telling them that we would have golden investigators at church and they all had to welcome them. The ward seriously pulled together. There was a line of people to talk to them it was almost too much. But there were people accompanying them for every meeting and explaining to them what was going on. It was so cool.
Well, that is really all that happened this week. We have a new district leader. Next Wednesday we are going to have el dia de diamante. We are going to be out in the street talking to random people all day. We are not allowed to schedule appointments or anything. And we were given specific topics we have to try to talk to them about every hour. with the end goal to get their address or phone number ofcourse.I am super excited.
Let you know how it goes next week!
Love, Hermana Hannah Ashby

Six More Weeks in Cadiz!

Hola!
     Time was cut short this week because we spent the day in Gibraltar. I loved it. It is a really cool place. Mom and Dad, if you come and pick me up we have to go to Gibraltar. Crazy history and it's beautiful and there are monkeys and a weird british-spanish mix. Everyone was speaking spanglish to us all day. Really cool.
     Um this week in review...
     We found some miracle investegators! Actually, we street contacted this women a couple of weeks ago and she told us that her aunt was Mormon and always talked to her about family history and she was super interested to learn more. But then when we called her later she couldn't meet with us or anything because her husband had to get emergency open heart surgery. Okay, I guess that is an okay excuse. Then we called later and the husband answered and he told us he was super interested also, but he was bed ridden and really could not meet with anyone. So finally this week we called them and they invited us over and we had a great Book of Mormon discussion. They told us they had investigated quite a few different churches but they didn't feel like anyone had all of the truth. Things they were looking for in a church that they couldn't find: a God that still works miracles, final resurrection of both body and spirit, prophets and current revelation, premortal existince, non infant baptism, etc. All this stuff that they had read and studied in the Bible that they didn't think anyone had interpreted correctly until they talked to us. Just really cool. I am super excited to keep teaching them. Amalia and Antoni.
     We played futbol on Saturday with a group of inactive members and investigators and the Elders. It was really fun. Cadiz has the COOLEST arena thingy that's like in the base of a castle looking thing that they converted for futbol and it's also like overlooking the ocean. I just felt so European. Somebody should look up Peurta de Tierra on the interentnet and see if there are pictures. It was cool.
     I don't have time to send pictures right now or write anything else.
     Oh! This was transfer week and I am staying! It was kind of a toss up wether or not I would leave because I have bee here for a while but I'll be sticking it out. I am pretty happy. That is 6 months in total that I will be here. That means a third of my mission. Woo hoo.
Okay, I am out.
I love you,
Hannah

Uvas

Feliz Año Nuevo!

     Not much actually happened this week, so I am just going to talk about New Year's. Woo! New Year's Eve porselyting time stopped at 6pm because nobody wants to meet with the missionaries after 6 on New Year's Eve and also because it was kind of dangerous. I have never seen more drunk people in my life and that was at 6 oclock walking home from an appointment. I'm pretty sure nobody was sobber and it wasn't even dark outside. Oh Spain.
     We went to a member's house but we were only allowed 3 hours in the member's house so in the awkward in between time we had free time! Non-pday free time! It was so exciting. We popped popcorn and sat on the couch and watched the Emma Smith movie. What a good time. Then we actually went the the member's at 9 oclock. The Monroy family. They actually live in our building (like 9 floors down) so we convientently missed the drunk street crowds.
     Then we had a nice tranquilla shrimp themed dinner. I am not a huge fan of shrimp, but Spain doesn't have to know that. I've never really eaten shrimp before coming to Spain so I am not really sure if this is a common thing but we had a Spanish shrimp cocktail which was shrimp, lettuce, and "la salsa rosa" (a mayonaisse(sp?) and ketchup mix) I felt like I was eating bigmac sauce with lettuce and shrimp. I just don't get it. But I geuss it wasn't that bad. And they had the typical Spanish supply of bread and green olives on the table also so I was happy.
     Then we sat around and talked and tried not to fall asleep until it was time to take the uvas! It is traditional in Spain to eat one grape for every second for the last twelve seconds of the year. That is twelve grapes in twelve seconds. A feat that I successfully accomplished.
     Then we were commanded ir directamente a casa. And so we went. We watched fireworks from our window. There are some perks to being on the 11th floor.
     All and all a great way to start off the new year.
     A year ago today I was set apart as a missionary. Weird. It feels like it hasn't even been a day and like it has been an entire lifetime at the same time. Just weird. I love what I am doing. I love being a missionary. This truly is the Lord's work.
Well. Happy New year everyone! Make it a good one!
Love
Hermana Hannah Ashby