7 month mark

Hola :)

How is everyone and everything this week? My companion and I definately started off this first week of the new transfer big, including teaching a total of 37 lessons, receiving 9 new investigators, and contacting 36 people. Every night we have come into the piso completely exhausted, in the best sort of way. I have learning a lot about hardwork. And just as it says in preach my gospel, the secret to missionary work is Work. Every time we one of our lessons fails, we don´t let that get us down. We keep going and use what God has put in our paths. When you work hard everything else falls into place, you are exactly obedient, and you are much happier. All God needs is servants willing to work hard, And if you are willing to work hard He is able to work miracles through you. 

One miracle that my companion and I saw this week had to deal with Unity and the Spirit. One morning as I finished saying the closing prayer to my personal study, I sat there for a mintute and the song "Paz Cálmense" popped into my head. I got up and opened my hymnbook to that song. Turns out my companion was wanting to sing that exact same song and the conferance talk she had read in her studies talked about song. After we began our companionship study we quickly realized that what we both had studied directly corresponded with the other, and that we were both thinking about the same investigator. I had read DyC 18-19 and my companion had read "That we might not Shrink" by Elder Bednard, which focusus on two verses from DyC 19. Then when we were thinking of who could come with us to the lesson we both thought of the same person from the ward, whom I later found out was this persons home teacher. The spirit was so strong in the lesson later that night, and it was exactly what this family needed to hear. It is amazing what you can do when you are united by the spirit in the work of the Lord. 

Funny Story: One day was we were taking out trash this week, we found 4 huge giant bags of clothes and linens that someone had thrown away. And well, being the thrifter that I am, I sort of made me and my companion go through all of bags to see what we could find. I now own a new shirt, cardigan, scarf, blanket, sheet, pillowcase, tablecoth, and sweater, that I found from the Garbage in Spain. We also found a bunch of mens clothes that we are washing and giving to the men in the branch. It was definetly a highlight of the week;) 

I hope you are doing well and are receiving many blessing from the Lord. 

Ps. Today is my 7 Month mark!!!

Os Quiero,

Hermana Ariana Fuller

 Dumpster Diving Finds

Some Photos Today. Most are from when Ari was in Gijon.

Transfers

¡HOLA A TODOS!

Transfers: I´m staying in Alcorcón with Hermana Shaumann!! YAY. But Hermana Volquardsen is leaving us... no more trio. I´m super excited to work some miracles this coming transfer. And now that they have cleaned up about all of the trash,  Alcorcón is a much more pleasant place. 

This week we have had some setbacks and trials in the work but it is teaching me a lot of patience, humility, and hard work. Our investigator Jo was not able to get baptized because of various things, but we are still working with him to get to a point that he can make that step. 

The most amazing experience EVER: We have a chinese investigator.... His name is Chen Jin Yun... And he doesn´t speak more that a lick of Spanish. We had given him and his family a pamphlet and Book of Mormon in Chinese and when we went to visit him the other day he was reading the pamphlet about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We had used Google Translate to make a list of questions for him to answer that went something like this:

Do you believe in God?

Do you believe in Jesus Christ?

Do you like the pamphlet and the Book of Mormon we gave you?

Are you interested in learning more?

Do you pray? 

Do you go to church?

Would you like to know what church is true?

Will you read the Book of Mormon?

Could we meet with you again?

(Más o menos) He answered yes to all of the questions. He would read them out loud in Chinese and then start talking to us in Chinese as if we understood him. I have never felt the gift of tongues as strong as I did in this moment. Somehow we were both able to understand each other even though neither of us spoke each other´s language. It was the most amazing lesson I thing I have ever had on my misson. We are going to keep working with him and his family. He has a 19 year old daughter that speaks really good spanish so we are going to be relying on her to be the translator. I can´t wait to see what happens.

More next week. Write me a letter and I´ll write you back :)

  

Un beso,

Hermana Fuller

Miracles are definately happening in Alcorcón

¡HOLA!

Once again this week I almost have no time, but I will do my best to be quick and tell you everything I can. This week has been great again and we´ve taught the most lessons this week than I ever have in my entire mission. We also had 5 of our investigators at church yesterday. Our chapel is so full that they are looking into finding another place for us to meet. Also, 3 brand new priesthood holders blessed and passed the Sacrament this past sunday. Miracles are definately happening in Alcorcón. 

Our investigators are also doing amazing. Joe is getting baptized this coming Saturday!!!! I couldn´t be more happy and excited for him. He has been through a lot in his life. Every time we meet with him he thanks us for sharing the gospel with him. I can´t wait to see this miracle take place. Me and both of my companions are definately feeling the pressure of the work. Every day I feel I need to work harder and do more because the Lord is coming. This feeling has become more and more aparent in our lessons. We recently had a lesson with our other African investigator, Canis. I felt the spirit so strong to tell him that he had to change his life and change it now. He doesn´t have time to wait. None of us do. We are in the last days and God sent us here at this time to prepare the way for our Savior, Jesus Christ, to come again. I am so greatful to be participating in this marvelous work. 

I´m sorry this is so short but I´m going to try to send some pictures as well. Know that I care so much about each and every one of you. 

Con Mucho Cariño,

Hermana Ariana Fuller

Segovia

Hola Mis Queridos,

Today we went to SEGOVIA! It was such a good experience and we had a really good time... but that also means that I have very little time to write this week. I will do my best.

This week we have really received many blessing from the Lord. Our numbers have been the highest numbers that I have ever received in my mission. In just one week we were able to receive 10 new investigators. (9 of them being Africans...) The main miracle I would like to share this week is with our new investigator Jo. Jo is a 33 year old man from Mozambique. We met him in a locutorio where we taught him and four of his friends The Restaration. He told us that his brother was baptized a member of the church 17 years ago in Spain. He said at that time he didn´t listen to the missionaries but now He is ready to devote his life to God. Then he asked us how he could become a member... and well, it all started from there. After that lesson he told us that was one of the most be The next time we met we taught him The Plan of Salvation and half way through the lesson he stopped us and asked us "So, when can I be baptized." We replied, " When do you want to be baptized." To which he said, "As soon as possible." We are now working with him to be able to be baptized on the 15th of February. Jo is so prepared to recieve the gospel at this time. I feel so humbled and grateful to have the opportunity to teach him and help him take this step in his life. 

God is also blessing me very much with the courage (and the spanish) to talk with everyone around me. Not only this, but He is continually putting me in the path of people that will listen to His message. I am so grateful to be able to be a tool in the Lord´s hands. I know that if you have the desire and put in the effort (through pray, scripture study, etc) you will be able to have this blessing too. And God will use you to work miracles in the lives of other. I have found this to be true not only for our investigators or for the people we meet on the street, but also between me and my companions. 

Gracias por todo. Seguid Adelante.

La Hermana Fuller

PS: I had great experiences with my companions this week. When we had companionship inventory my companions both told me that I was what we call "A Preach My Gospel Missionary" and that I was very Diligent. I felt really happy because I do try to work really hard and do the best that I can. Then when we had splits again this week I was with Hermana Volquardsen (the 26 year old one). I have the hardest time learning how to work with her but when we had splits it felt like a miracle happened. She sort of had a breakdown and so we sat on a bench while she just told me everything that she was thinking and feeling. I was able to give her advice and lift her up. Afterwards she told me that I was very humble and that I was the most patient companion she´s ever had. I feel so grateful to God for giving me these experiences and allowing me to help the others around me. None of it comes from me. Patience, humilty, diligence. It all comes from God. I just hope and pray I can continue to develop these qualities and more. Much more. 

Don´t worry. We´re safe here and the Lord definately takes care of us. The trash hasn´t resolved itself yet though... it´s actually worse. Much worse. And it smells. haha And we were put together because it just wasn´t working between one of my companions now and her old companion. But the hand of the Lord is in all things. I am praying for all of you and just keep pressing forward trusing in the Lord. Thank you for sharing that experience with me. It´s good to hear that the Lord is taking care of all of you there too. 

Love you Mom!

la Hermana Fuller

EL BAUTISMO DE PETER

Garbage Strike