8.22.17: Un Maquina

Wow, what a week! I am sure everyone has heard about the terrorist attacks in Barce. Thankfully no missionaries were hurt, but apparently there were some office elders who were going to be going to the Rambla at the time all the commotion went down, but last minute our mission president's wife told them not to go! Miracle! I know God is watching out for all His missionaries! As of now, there are just a ton of police everywhere... I feel very safe because they all carry giant machine guns and battering sticks... don't mess!

Paco continues to amaze. He started talking to all his druggie friends about church and is inviting them on the regular... should be interesting, haha. Also he is so excited about going to the temple, but he doesn't have enough money to get there by train, so the other day he literally told us he was going to walk there! WHAT?! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? that would take like an entire week.  But if anyone would be crazy enough to do it, it would Paco, haha. He is "un maquina." Haha, the greatest compliment you can receive here is when someone tells you that you are "un maquina." Adore him!

Another highlight of the week was my pal Alfredo. He is from Dominican Republic and lives in one of our pueblos.  We met with him on a park bench to teach him about the Book of Mormon. He looks pretty intense with his jersey and chains and is super tall, but like halfway through the lesson he stopped us and asked if we like Christian rock... he proceeded to pull up a song in his phone and sarinated us for a straight 5 minutes, haha.  I was dying! It was the best, he is so classic!  

[Editor Amy here:  Maddy does not have many misspelled words in each email, but a few. And I usually do correct them before sending the email onto you. However, I think she has created a new word above. "Sarinated"!  It really is the perfect word for her story--Alfredo marinated the Hermanas in song for a good 5 minutes!  Sarinated.  Next time someone serenades you for too long, go ahead and consider yourself sarinated. You're welcome. Compliments of Maddy.]

I have learned a lot this week about the Book of Mormon! We are taught over and over that as missionaries it is our greatest tool for conversion. If we can get people to just open the book and read it on their own, we can promise them that the Holy Ghost will testify to them of its truthfulness. I know that God answers our prayers and our questions every time. We can continue to strengthen our testimony of the Book of Mormon every time we read it. There is always something new to learn from its pages. So many of the early members of the church died to bring about the book.  We owe it to them to at least read it!

Well, I adore you all! You are all "maquinas"  haha :)

-maddy barton



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