June 23, 2014 - Transfers - 11 months

 'Mini - missionary'

Intercambios with Elder Chavez

Hello family and friends! Happy P-day once again! So President called on Saturday and it is that time again. Elder Patterson is heading to Sevilla, and Elder Webb from Malaga is coming to be my new companion. I am sad to see Elder Patterson leave. He really is such a great Elder.  I have learned so much from him over these past 3 months. He has become one of my best friends. He will do great things in Sevilla.  Although I am sad to see him go, I am getting a great companion in Elder Webb. I know him a bit from Conferences we have had in the past so we will be able to dive right into the work. Our area is really looking up right now. I am really excited to see the miracles and blessings these next few months have in store for the pueblos here.

As I mentioned last week, we were able to have a mini missionary with us this week! It was so much fun having him with us and to have his help was of great assistance. I pray that he was able to feel the spirit that comes from missionary service and the joy that follows. We were able to use him between the two companionships so he bounced between us every other day. He is such a funny kid and has great desires to serve. It was such a good week with him. It is always so funny when the natives speak English. All of them know certain phrases in English and they use them over and over. Some of his catch phrases were: Follow me, stand up please, hey guys, and my personal favorite, "Houston, we have a problem". Haha great kid!

This past week we were able to visit with our progressing investigators and have some very good lessons with them. We were able to focus our efforts on those that are really progressing. We visited with O two times this week and the spirit was so strong. On Thursday, we taught him about the Restoration of the gospel. After the lesson we testified and promised him that as he invites those he knows to hear this gospel message he will come to know the truthfulness of the message for himself. The light and smile that lit up his face was something I will never forget. The change of the environment was night and day. We cannot do this work without the Spirit. The Spirit truly testifies and bears witness of the truth. We were able to set a baptismal date with him for the 19 of July and he replied, “that gives me PLENTY of time to get ready”. We are so excited for him and praying that he continues progressing. He came to church on Sunday and he was able to invite his friend.  It is so incredible to see the fruits of his progression. This week we were also able to meet with many of our other investigators. They are all progressing. These next few weeks should be exciting to see what the Lord has in store.

This morning, we had the opportunity to serve a member in our ward who was painting her house. The four of us were able to go over there and help. What really hit me were the two other members that were there helping. It really hit me that the service that they rendered was done out of complete love. They were taking time from their families and busy schedule to help this woman do what she couldn´t. The concept of Zion was clearer to me in this moment than I think it has ever been for me. That is one of the purposes of the church, to perfect the saints, and one manner we can do that is through service. I am so grateful for the example of these two members. They are truly doing what they can to build Zion on this earth. I love this work.

I pray that all of you are doing well. Your continual prayers of support mean so much to me. I love you!

Elder Farrell

ward mission leader's family

June 16, 2014

Hello family and friends! Happy p-day! I hope that you are all doing well - I love you all so much! I can´t believe that another week has already come and gone... sheesh this thing is going quick! I loved hearing from you today and to hear from all of you. As for Elder Patterson and I, we had a good week. These past two weeks have really been picking up!

As many of you know, right now is the World Cup. That basically describes what is going on here for everyone that lives here. Soccer is life. We are definitely being blessed and keeping busy, but this next month or so should be interesting... haha. Right now I am living in a four man piso with three of us gringos, and one Elder from Chile. He thought it would be a good idea to show some of his Chilean pride and hang a Chile flag out the window. It was all fun and games until I remembered that Spain plays Chile this week... haha please pray for us. Jokes, we will be safe, we may just take that flag in;) Also for Spain news, it is getting really hot around here. I think this past week it maxed out at 109º, which we really felt with the humidity. Summer has arrived and we will officially welcome it this week on the 21st.

Other than that, things are going really well here in the work. As I mentioned, Elder Patterson and I have seen a lot of miracles the past two weeks and now our work is really picking up. We continue to teach our investigators. They are really progressing. I know they will be baptized.

This Saturday the other Elder´s from Molina had a baptism! We were so happy for them.  They have worked so hard in this area that has been pretty tough the last little bit. It was probably the most beautiful baptism I have been to out here. The Spirit was so strong and the recent convert bore one of the strongest testimonies I have ever heard. We were also able to meet a new investigator at the baptism. He is the friend of the convert’s step father. As we were talking, he mentioned he had never felt so accepted in his life as he had while being in the church for a short while. He really opened up to me and I was able to testify of the healing power of this gospel message. He replied, "This is the path I have needed, this is the path I have been looking for" We are looking forward to meeting with him tomorrow.

This week we have one of the YM in our ward living with us doing a mini mission. We are looking forward to a great week with him.

That is basically all for me. I love you all and pray that you have a wonderful week!

Elder Farrell

June 9, 2014

Hello sweet family and friends - another week, another email. I am happy to hear that all is well back at home. I sure love you all so so much. As for me and my week, it was another good one. Here we go:

The beginning of the week, Elder Patterson and I found ourselves in Malaga for a conference. I believe I mentioned it in my last email home, but the conference was so great and the Spirit was so strong. I talked about President Deere´s message about Faith accompanied by action brings the power of Heaven, but forgot to mention a crucial part that really impacted me. To convey his message he chose the passage of the brother of Jared, which is found in Ether 3. He repeated the story of how the brother of Jared needed lights for himself and his family as they were about to take to the sea. He focused on the part that AFTER the brother of Jared did all that he could, Christ touched each stone one by one. President pointed some things out that I usually overlook when reading this account. He helped us realize that what the brother of Jared did was act, but what he found were ROCKS. Literally, rocks do not amount up to anything. But with his faith, the Lord was able to turn them into something that led he and his family safely. He focused on the part that we are just like that. We in and of ourselves cannot do much, but when we do all we can and turn to the Lord, that is where the power from Heaven comes and miracles are found. 

Other than that, Elder Patterson and I had a really good week. We were able to visit with algunos Menos Activos, Investigators and Members. Right now we meet with our number one investigator and his two sons about three times a week. The wife is incredible as well, but she is always working. Right now almost all of our investigators are working since it is the crop season. Anyways, funny story - This week as Elder Patterson and I went by we were run into by Superman a.k.a. our investigators youngest son. If I am not mistaken, he may be the most active kid I have ever met. He is three years old and stronger than I am... for real though. I am scared of him. Every time we go over he asks us, "Hermanitos, quieren agua?" (would you like some water) It doesn´t matter what we say, he runs to the kitchen and grabs us some water. The image that I saw was something that I cannot recreate, it was the greatest and funniest thing I think Elder Patterson and I have ever seen. After asking for water, and going to grab it, we see him coming around the corner with two big mugs of water with his arms at 90º angles. I have never seen a 3 year old so focused yet nervous to drop two mugs of water. It took him about 20 seconds to make it across from the kitchen to us, man his arms were shaking. I guess you had to be there; it was great. I was grateful for the water as well;)

We saw many great things this past week and we are really looking forward to what the Lord has in store.  I am learning so much and am truly so grateful to be here. I am meeting some of the greatest people in this world. I am so grateful for this gospel message. 

At the end of the week, Elder Patterson and I had a few tough encounters with some members. The members here are really doing all they can to see the work grow and many of them are struggling physically or financially, but their faith is not shaken. I am so grateful for these members and for their faith. I know that the way may be difficult at times, but we must never give up the hope and faith that this gospel brings. This life is a test and the trials that come are here to refine us. We are so blessed with the eternal perspective of things. Keep going, you are doing great. 

I love you all!

Elder Farrell

June 4, 2014

Concilio - June 3, 2014

Hola familia, otra semana ya! (Another week already!) I hope that you are all doing well and enjoying the beginning of summer. I cannot believe that it is already that time of year again.... sheesh time is going quickly! As for Elder Patterson and I, we are keeping busy and keeping warm here in our little part of Spain. It is going to be a good summer.

Nothing too exciting happened last week, just the usual. It was really nice to be able to have good contact with our investigators and to meet some new investigators that are really promising - and are interested in the message we share. As I have been here in Spain I have seen a little taste of what Joseph Smith felt when there was a big religious excitement. It seems that a lot of people here are curious about religion, but they have just heard so many things from so many people that they do not know what is true. This past week we were able to teach a woman and her daughter about the Restoration of the Gospel. When we were teaching the part of the great apostasy it just clicked for her and things seemed so clear. Her reaction to the first vision was priceless. What a beautiful message.

The rest of our week was pretty average visiting with menos activos and investigators. The end of the week got pretty tough as the rain came down. It felt good to have the weather cool off a bit, but this story kind of wraps up our weekend: Saturday night after walking around to find little success, we went to an investigators home, whom we had called, to visit with him for the evening. As we were waiting below his edificio a car came storming by and before I knew it Elder Patterson and I were soaked... haha yep we got splashed. It was something that I only thought happened in movies... haha we were able to laugh it off, now I can say that has happened to me. I must be a missionary now;)

I was able to interview the investigator of the Elders from Molina for baptism; it was a very neat and humbling experience. We are looking forward to her being baptized here in the next few weeks. 

Monday and Tuesday Elder Patterson and I were able to go to Malaga for Concilio. The Spirit was as strong as ever, we are really looking forward to sharing that spirit and teaching the Zone about all of the great things that we have learned. Some of the main points were Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and depending on the Living water. He has invited us to come unto Him and His teachings. If we do, we will NEVER thirst. What a beautiful message. I encourage each of you to study of the Living water and apply the teachings of our Savior. It is the path He has given us to be happy in this life, and return to live with Him again. I love Him, I love His teachings.

Have a great week.

Elder Farrell