Wow, This is a Tough Area!

Dear Mom and Dad,

This week was awesome! I worked the hardest I have my whole mission and I didn't see very many fruits but I know that I did what I needed to this week. I really enjoyed it!

 

Wow, I can't believe Sam is already back in school it feels like the middle of summer for us here. That's awesome that Beth and Blair were there I'm sure you guys had a great time! The kitchen looks great! Like wow! Kudos to you guys!
 

So this is my last week for sure with Elder Norrell, we are going to finish training this week and then there are transfers next week so one of us or both of us might be going somewhere new, we'll just have to wait and see. 

Anyways so this past week we did a bunch of stuff, I'm going to send the same style email as I did this past week.

Monday el 3 - we went to Parque sur and I bought my Spain stuff. Afterwards we came back and contacted the whole day. Wow this area is a tough area but we are going to leave it better than we found it. 

Tuesday el 4 - today we had a lot of fails, almost all of our lessons failed on us today. But, we still accomplished a lot. Right now we are passing by every member that we can even the really inactives and trying to help them come back. It's been tough work. But, we are getting stuff done. 

 

Parque de Principe - so beautiful

 

 

Wednesday el 5 - Today we had district meeting in Toledo. I was assigned a short devotional on diligence. I will attach the outline I made [see bottom of blog post]. After we made chicken fried steak and mashed potatoes with gravy with Dr. Pepper. Talk about an American meal! Then Elder Jones (ZL) came with me back to Aranjuez and we had an intercambio. He's been out for about a year now and I learned a lot from him. We stayed up pretty late talking. 

 

Elder Jones and I with Manu's family

 

Thursday el 6 - we switched back in the morning to our normal companions from the intercambios. Today was a really good day. I was worried that I was never gonna get to the point where I feel good about the work I am doing - but today changed that, and we worked really hard. We are making a goal to make this last week together for sure our best week together in ways of obedience and work ethic.

2nd Fiesta - Diego & Andrea

Friday el 7 - today we worked so hard the entire day. We contacted everyone we saw and we really tried hard. We didn't really get any real tangible results but afterwards we both felt really good about it. It's hard sometimes to serve in the area we do and here about the success all the others are having and we are kinda in a butt area but we still are working hard and just trying to enjoy it. We're in Spain for goodness sakes. We might as well enjoy it while we are here, I'm probably never going to live here again so this is an opportunity of a lifetime. 

Saturday el 8 - Today was Elder Norrell's birthday. We had a really good time and the members totally spoiled us. It was a really fun day. I sent pictures and videos. 

 

Manu, his wife Vanessa, Manu Jr., Manu's niece Valentin, with Elder Norrell
and I celebrating his birthday with Watermelon and Honeydew Cake

My DELICIOUS Reese's birthday cake that we waited
and made to share on HIS birthday!

Manu, Vanessa and Valentin gave Elder Norrell this
jacket for his birthday

 

 

Sunday el 9 - Today we had church and then branch counsel. During branch counsel President Ovejero kind of called out the members in our branch for not helping us as much as they should. It was kinda cool because we hadn't even talked to him about it. He is a really good guy and hopefully we'll get some help now. 

Monday el 10 - Today we went to E Leclerc, a mall here in Aranjuez. I bought some Futbol shoes for super cheap because of the sales they have going right now. We are writing email right now and then going to play once again. It will be a lot of fun. 

 

New 'futbol shoes'

So because I'm with the district leader he has to go on intercambios every transfer with one of the Elders in each of the companionships which means I go with the other. Also it means we go on intercambios with the ZL's which is awesome because they are such good leaders. I'm really starting to love the work here. 

I hope everything continues to go well, 

Love from Spain,

Elder Grayson Harris

__________________________________

 

Outline for the devotional I gave at the District Meeting in Toledo:

 

1. Read the D&C verse 75:29

2. Read in Predicad mi Evangelio sobre diligencia. 

3. Pregunta sobre ejemplos de una cosa cada uno puede hacer para mantener su diligencia. 

4. Yo se que cuando estamos trabajando diligentemente podemos encontrar cosas que antes nunca pensamos fueron posible. Con diligencia y un ojo enfocado en El Señor podemos hacer qualquier cosa. Yo se que estamos en la obra del Señor. Yo se que el quiere ayudarnos, pero necesitamos ser diligentes. Esta es mi mensaje que lo digo en nombre de JesuCristo amen.