LIFE IS GOOD!

Life is good. So so so good. I´m just going to skip that awkward introductory summary of my week and go directly to my favorite moments!

One morning we went running with our dear friend Jean Franco around a park and somehow along the way 10 euros fell out of his pocket. We searched like crazy right after he realized it but we couldn´t find it so finally we decided to say a prayer. We continued looking for awhile but no luck. So we decided to run home the way we came and on the way back he saw his money lying on the ground! 20 minutes later! And so many people had run by and had magically not seen it! He was so happy and I will NEVER forget the prayer of gratitude he offered to Heavenly Father immediately after. It was a beautiful moment and strengthened my testimony that God can and will give us opportunities to strengthen our faith, we just have to be willing to be humble and submit ourselves to His will. 10 euros may not be that much, but for our investigator it meant a lot and Heavenly Father knew that. And I know He saw this as an opportunity to teach Jean Franco about the power of prayer and to strengthen Hermana Swenson and my testimony. We as missionaries are SO imperfect but Heavenly Father is incredible and can work through our weaknesses and give us experiences like these every day! 

And then just last night, it was late but we said had some time, so we decided to stop by this reference we had gotten from the Church Office. We knocked and this sweet Colombian lady quickly ushered us in, showered us with food, and then called her niece in Colombia. Apparently her neice and her family had been baptized four years ago and asked  the niece asked the aunt (the woman we were visiting) if she would like it if the missionaries visited her. So thats how we got her information! And I even got to talk to this cute niece over the phone a little bit and thank her for sending us to her aunt. We´re going back to visit Tuesday and I can already tell that this sweet lady is so prepared. She kept telling us "I´m so glad you came! You came late (we may have showed up around 10 PM whoops) but I´m so glad you came and I can´t wait to study with you two!" Haha love it. What loved one can you send the missionaries too, no matter if there in a different state, country, or continent? 

And last but not least, I just want to tell you how much I LOVE saying kneeling prayers at the end of lessons. We´re teaching two huge Romanian families and I will always have the image engrained in my memory of 15 people all kneeling down in a crowded room with us to say a prayer of gratitude to Heavenly Father that He has lead us together to lean on and learn from each other. From babies to teenagers to adults--very religious or never having said a prayer in their life--it doesnt matter. i love it. it´s beautiful and I can feel Heavenly Father´s love emanating from heaven every time we do it. So quick shout out to my parents, thank you for guiding us in kneeling family prayers every night. Even though we complained about it always and took forever to make it into your room haha I just want you to know I treausre these memories too. And because of your example,I am now teaching this wonderful habit to families here in Spain. 

So thats my week! We´re working so hard--we find so many people every day, every week, and we teach so many lessons. I´ve never felt so blessed in my mission and I feel like I´m finally figuring out how to do this whole mission thing. But yet, no one came to church again this week. Saturday night we made plans to pick up 10 friends on the way and about 5 or 6 told us they would come on their own. But everything fell apart the next morning and in church, we jumped excitedly every time the door opened in the chapel but alas, nada. And oddly, I´m okay with it. People have their agency and Hermana Swenson and I are going to study Ch.11 of Preach My Gospel to improve our commitmnet-making this week. And even though sometimes we don´t see the fruits of our labors, I know we´re making a difference. Poco a poco. If there´s one thing i´ve learned on my mission its that my time is not The Lord´s time. Everything doesn´t have to happen when I want it to happen or the way i want it to happen. We´re just going to get back up, brush ourselves off, and keep working as hard as we can. I could finish my mission here without one person coming to church and I would still love it. This work is amazing, incredible, and beautiful. And as long as I´m working hard and doing my Father´s will, I´m happy. 

LOVE YOU ALL! ANIMO! AMAR LA VIDA! 

Hurrah for Israel! 

Love and besitos all around (unless you´re a guy--then its handshake-itos),

Hermana Morrow

LA FERIA: me gusta o no me gusta?‏

the second biggest/ best fair in entire Spain. So we're kind of lucky!

So this week was La Fería (the fair) here in Albacete! Its apparently

the second biggest/ best fair in entire Spain. So we're kind of lucky!  

And also unlucky. Because NO ONE wanted to meet with us. And all of
our investigators (even Jean Franco) dropped off the face of this
earth pretty much. Sad. But its okay. We actually had a REALLY
successful week. Where to begin....

Well last Monday, we got permission to switch Pday to the night so we
could see the big parade. We went with Jean Franco and David (another
investie) and it was so cool! Everyone was dressed up in the
tradicional Manchego dress. And little kids on the floats pelted us
with candy. But then best part of the night was when it started
POURING and we were running around like crazy people trying to find
cover and poor Jean Franco was wearing flip flops in like 40 degree
weather and we were all freezing. But we eventually met up with a
couple ward member friends for crepes (shout out to Oma! The ones I
had with you were better though ;) and it was PREFECT because the ward
member and Jean Franco hit it off and are now really good friends. But
then it backfired on us completely because they spent the entire week
together at the fería and left us in the dust  But its okay, We're
just happy he got to spend this week with friends and that he got to
meet new people.

And it was kind of the same story for everyone else. We even had 5 set
appointments one afternoon and every single one fell through. But it
was okay because Heavenly Father led us to find 9 new investigators
that afternoon. And by the end of the week we found 12 more!
Unfortunately, none of them came to church so they probably wont be
baptized this month (you have to come to church twice before you can
get baptized) BUT we still have faith and know we can still meet our
goal of three baptisms this month. And if it doesnt happen, we know
its God's will or because of the agency of other people. He has done
more than His part and has led us to so many people this week. On top
of the new investigaors, we were even able to find 18 future
investigators so we' ll be VERY busy these next couple weeks as we
work with each one. Im very excited about that. I love meeting new
people and learning about their lives, their concerns, their worried,
and then feeling The Spirit work through me and put words in my mouth
to lift them up in the brightness of the gospel.

As for crazy stuff. This morning the Branch President and Ward
Missionary Leader took us to a bull fight! Just kiddinggggggg. Its
called la vaquia and its basically a bunch of crazy teenagers that get
in the bull ring and run away as a smaller woman cow runs around (she
still has huge horns though!)It was actually really fun for me because
Ive always wanted to go inside a Plaza de Toros but we're not allowed
to see the bull fights. But we got permission to see this smaller
version snd it was so cool! Then we walked around and got shown the
fair and ate choclate churros and saw all the rides and roller
coasters we couldnt ride (tortureeeeee!). I love Albacete! Its small
and some times I feel very isolated from the mission because its just
us but it honestly helps us to focus so much better. And we're always
with members or investigators which I love. I have made friendships
here that will last for life. I know I was sent here for a reason and
Im so grateful Heavenly Father doesnt listen to me and what I want
sometimes because I wouldnt want to be anywhere else! And He knew that
from the beginning.

Oh and before I forget! One of my highlights this week is that we
officially have an investigator named Black Diamond! (He apologized
yesterday and told us he had to confess domething to us...hes not
really named Black Diamond. We pretended to be surprised. And we still
call him Black Diamond).

I love you all!! Good luck with school and life and all that jazz! And
remember....

HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!
That ones for you, Hermana Anderson :)

Love,
Hermanita Morritow

TENDER MERCIES

Guys. We have had yet another amazing week! The most successful week
I've had in my entire mission in fact. Its been super rainy all week
(fall came over night?) but its not putting us down! The Lord has been
on our side and we've felt him guiding us daily. Soo where to start?

 Remember Jean Franco? The young adult we met on the street late at
night and then invited him to be baptized the next day? Well, he's
pretty much a miracle story. I dont know if I said this last week but
the day we met him he had only been in Spain for 3 days. He left his
family in South America to live here and guess who were his friends
friends ever?? Two crazy American LDS missionaries!! Yayyyyyy! But its
seriously been so awesome. He has nothing to do so we have been able
to have frequent powerful lessons with him and introduce him to the
branch leadership and other members. Haha we've even taken him to
other investigator lessons and eating appointments with us and he just
loves it. I just love that reminder that Heavenly Father knows and is
aware of each one of us. And that he would guide us to meet and
befriend one of His sons who had just moved to a new continent alone
so that we could bring him up in the light of the gospel. It was just
no accident we were one of the first people to meet him in such a
crucial poont of his life. I mean, we're even going to teach him how
to cook today since he has no idea how haha. And I know we never would
have seen this miracle if we hadnt given our all and gone that extra
mile for The Lord. 

 Another miracle this week was when Alfonso came to church! Alfonso was
one of the first people I met here in Albacete and we've been working
really hard these past few weeks to get him to church. We've even
spent these past two P-Days (one of those time he took us to his ranch
in the country and made us a paella. Lucked out on that one! ) with
him and a member and another investigator (a little friendship
matchmaking, why not?) in hopes of helping him to come and its worked!
He even called the other investigator Saturday night to invite him to
go to church with him haha. It was kind of the best thing ever. And so
yeah! He came and he kept telling us he was only going to stay an hour
but Hermana Swenson and I tactfully guided him to the classes and
introduced him to members and he stayed the whole time! And loved it.
So yay for seeing the fruits of our labors! The only bad thing is is
that hes going on a month long cruise 😑so we're going to just have to
give him all the pamphlets and remind him to read the Book of Mormon
right!? Best reading material out there. 

 And last but not least, my ultimate miracle of all miracles is Julio!
About 6 months ago, Hermana Vigo and I knocked a door in Puerto de
Santa Maria of a man named Julio. We kept not being able to meet with
him for a couple months but we never gave up and my last Sunday in
Puerto before leaving to Jaen, he came to church. He bore his
testimony at the pulpit ( his first ever time at the church mind you!)
about how he will always remember us two angels who knocked on his
door and changed his life. Well, I got news last week that he was
baptized!! I've always looked back at my time in Puerto with a tinge
of regret sometimes because I feel like I didnt really accomplish
anything even though we worked REALLY hard. And this was just a tender
mercy reminder from the Lord that this is His work. And as long as I
am being obedient and listening to The Spirits guidance, I will be
able to complete the work he wants me to complete. No area in your
mission is ever a waste if you did your part and let the Lord do his.
Even if theres no outward success. Missionary work is a cycle. We all
contribute little by little and sometimes we are lucky enough to see
the end, but often times not. No effort is every wasted!!

So yes, my friends, Albacete es el mejor de todo lo que hay! I love
being here. Its kicking my butt (I dont remember the last time we've
even had a full hour and a half to rest!) but I wouldnt have it any
other way. I love my companion, she is helping me to become the
missionary I know The Lord wants me to become and I could never thank
her enough for it.

 I love you all! 

Que tenga una buena semana llena de mariposas y arco
irises y cachoritos. 

 HURRAH FOR ISRAEL!

Love, Hermana Morrow

Whats worse? Wwalking in painful shoes in blisters or walking the streets of Spain barefoot?  You can see what I chose. . .