5.28.18: God is Real

Wow 
Wow
Wow
Wow, this week I witnessed one of the biggest miracles of my mission! I think I am still in shock! One of the people that I have grown to love the most here in Sabadell is named Gloria. She is a single mom of three daughters and has had such a hard life. She has had so many unfair trials and hardships and just wants more than anything to be a good mom for her daughters and give them everything that they need to reach their potential. She just moved here a few months ago and has had a difficult time finding work and has not even been able to find a school for her daughters to go to. On top of that, the only housing she can afford is a little room in a piso [apartment] that is shared with other families. She lives with her 2 youngest daughters and the oldest daughter has to live on her own because there is not enough room for all of them. She and her 2 youngest daughters were going to get baptized this coming Saturday, but on Thursday she sent us a message saying that she wasn't ready and that she just had too many other things going on in her life and couldn't handle anymore. We were heart broken. We tried calling and texting, but she wouldn't respond. We didn't even know where she lived because we always met in a park. We were desperate and didn't know what to do. We started fasting and prayed to know what to do and how to help her. We started walking to the general area in which she lived in a desperate attempt to find her, but there wasn't much we could do because we didn't have her address. We were walking fast, but then my comp had the impression to look for Gloria in a park that we had passed.

It turns out that in the little park, we found her oldest daughter who just happened to be waiting to meet up with her mom! We waited with her for an hour (desperately trying to make conversation with a gal that was not super conversational, jajaja).  But then the hija [daughter] said she had to go back to work and that her mom wasn't coming anymore (?!).   However, we did get Gloria's address from her. 

Later that night, right before it was time to go home, we rung Gloria's timbre [doorbell] ...she answered (!) and told us that she would come down. We waited for what felt like 20 mins (but probs more like 5 mins) until she finally came down the stairs...my heart was pounding so fast because I had no idea what we were going to tell this woman to change her mind. We just listened to all her problems and tried to understand her (even though we are inexperienced 20 year olds who don't even speak her language)....  I don't even remember what we said, but we testified to her of the power of our Savior and the blessings that would come from following Him. I don't know what exactly it was that we said, but somehow we helped her to see that now more than ever before, in the midst of all these trials, baptism was exactly what she needed to give her the strength to keep going. We left her lobby in complete shock! God is so real! Somehow he used 2 inexperienced extranjeras [foreigners] to accomplish His work! Also, yesterday we found out that Gloria has already found a new piso [apartment] that she can live in with all of her daughters all together! The blessings are already flowing! She even had some ward members help her move in! She and her two youngest daughters will be baptized this Saturday and I am ecstatic! I know that this gospel will bless their lives in ways that they cannot even imagine. 

Ok also, major miracle number 2 of this week...Maksym got baptized!! He is a man from Ukraine who I was teaching in San Sebastian! When I left he had a baptismal date, but he was still trying to quit smoking and was very unstable because of some other health problems he had. He is one of those people that is almost too smart....he is the type that is super intellectually smart, but painfully awkward socially.   Jajaja I just adore him.  He is such a beautiful soul!  But anyway, that is probs too much detail.  Al final [Finally] he got baptized this last Saturday and I am so stoked for him!  I got to Skype in to see his baptism and it was precious! He bore his testimony (which is a big deal for him because he is super shy).  And afterward, when I was talking to him, he was glowing and he told me that he felt a weightlessness that he has never felt before in his life! He was finally relieved of all of the burdens and heartaches that he has carried for so long! I am so HAPPY FOR HIM!! 

Ok also, this is the longest email I have ever written in my entire life, but one more thing....the crazy man that sang to us and gave me his ring last week found us again...!  Yikers! He waited outside the church on Saturday  for an hour to give us some handmade wire bracelets and then he came back on Sunday during church.  We didn't really know what to do, so we took him to Sunday school with us and it was quite a scene, jajaja.  He was making the most random (loud) comments and all of the members were so concerned....jajaja.  He would not stop talking. 2 champs in the ward ended up sitting by him with some very firm hands around his shoulders to try to contain him (see the pic below). Ahhhh, life is so beautiful, jajajaja.   I love being a missionary!


Ok well if anyone is still reading this,  I love you! Stay GOLD <3

- maddy

Pics- 
The restraining hold
The handmade wire bracelets 
The ghetto (Don't worry Mom, I carry pepper spray.)


MAKSYM'S BAUTISMOOOOOO <3








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