Gracias a él

Monday, July 22nd, 2014

FAMILIA QUE TAL ESTAIS..

So I really don´t know what my life is anymore!

2 weeks ago we left the country..

last week we went to Las Islas Cíez which have some of the greatest beaches of the world.

And I get to be a missionary here

#sorry

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!

I am so happy here. The work is going. We are working so much with the members! (trying) And its awesome.

My mind was blown this past week as I realized a way that we need to teach as members! We NEED to make the people have the question or curiosity before we give them the answer. We had the most sweet zone meeting given by our dear Elder Bassett.  
(Elder Bassett is a friend that grew up with Emily in New Jersey) It was awesome. (really cool to see how people grow and mold into these powerful representatives of Christ). And it was just how much we need simplicity when we teach.. do ask them the right questions they need and use silence as a tool.  It was powerful. For example we need to ask them questions to give them the need to know before we give them the answer.. if that makes any sense. ESPESH with Jose Smith.

Cool story teaching the restoration to our miracle investigator M. who is getting baptized in 2 weeks!

Something that Hermana Schaumann and I have been focusing on is really using silence and the incredible spirit that it brings. We don´t say anything after the first vision until the person does.

So we are teaching the first vision just asking questions like what would you do if you were in Joseph Smith's situation and making the DISCOVERY of the gospel for themselves. We felt the spirit really strong as we did this and then the part about the first vision comes up.

I recite it really slowly trying to speak with reverence about this sacred event

After giving the first vision we just sat there in SILENCE. Maybe a good 3 minutes of just sitting there with M. as she feels the spirit so strongly when all of a sudden in a very soft voice she says,

"...And only the Mormons know this?"

The spirit at this moment was so TANGIBLE. One of the defining and powerful points of my mission.

We were able to tell to her 'YES' and for that reason we are here and why there are missionaries all around the world giving their heart so that the world may know this beautiful thing. Missionary work is so important! It just hit me so hard how many people do not know about the beautiful morning in 1820.

Those who don´t know that Christ LIVES and for that reason they may live too! It makes me teary.

We have a quote put up in on our door that says -

"Hay personas en la calle que  no saben que cristo murió para nosotros, y es la responsabilidad nuestra hacerles saber."

There are people in the street that don´t know that Christ died for them. It is our responsibility to tell them.

That is what is so important in this life! Oh man I am just so happy to get to know and understand this just a little better day by day. I love serving here. I love it so much. I love the Lord so much. I am so grateful to know that Christ lives and that because he lives, I am offered a white blank page every day of my life and that I can change and get better every day no matter what. That he loves me and knows me. I feel the atonement just burning within me and it carries me each day to let all who pass me know.

The harder you work the more reject there is.. its true! But the more success there is too.

We have found the most AMAZING Peruvian mom and daughter. Holy cow I love them so much. I was blown away again at her response after we said the first vision and waited in silence for her reaction. She was blown away and just kept saying.. wow...all my life I have believed in God and in Jesus Christ and I have never known this! I never knew! The spirit once again was super strong. We invited her to be baptized.

Another thing that we have been doing is showing evvvveryone 'Because of Him.' It is so powerful. After showing it, we just ask them.. do you want to follow Him?? Ha... WE ARE OBSESSED!

If I could, I would watch it everyday. I love it. It just so clearly shows what the atonement means to us and how we can use it.

I still don´t understand perfectly how it actually works.. but I know that the power of the atonement is real! And every child of God needs to know it for themselves! The atonement is what carries us onward. May we strive to do all we can so that others too may know and feel of the happiness and joy we get through knowing of Christ.

He lives!

Watch this every day. I want each one of you to post it on facebook too!

http://pascua.mormon.org (Spanish)

http://easter.mormon.org  

OS QUIERO!

Noooooo time! :(

AH just got home from Las Islas Cies.. look it up! I literally have 2 seconds to email...Que pena!

but first things first.. HERE is my right address. 

Rúa Pizarro 47, 2ºe 

Vigo 36204 

Pontevedra

SPAIN

36204 is the postal code.. that was only thing that was wrong!

This week was great! I will let you know how it goes next week I promise.

LOVE YOU! THE CHURCH IS TRUE.

(Sorry I have NO time. We couldn't catch the boat until 5:30 and we only have a few minutes to check in.)

I'm On Top Of The World!

Monday, July 7th, 2014

(well that could be the theme song for today..)

HOLA FAMILIA QUE TAL!

So today for our beloved Pday we decided to leave the mission..

OH. and the country..of course we got permission.

YEAH! Talk about the best pday of my life. So good!  I can now say that I have ALSO been to Portugal.

SO as I say every week I am still convinced that I have the best mission in the entire world.. today i felt like i was on top of the world. Our super nice and cool Arnett matrimony took us all over today! We basically got 3 trips all done in one getting to see the most beautiful beaches of VIGO, this sweet port thing, and last but not least...Portugal. Good stuff. Does that beat your Newport trip this past week?? ha!!!

Anyways...it was so so so pretty.

And definitely made up for this past week of fails on fails on fails on fails!

But its okay! Thats why we have new days and new weeks. New starts thanks to the atonement.

I kid you not when I tell you that I have never had so many things falls threw in a week as I have this week.

BUT I loved it. I literally felt like I was in the movie of Monsters Inc when they open a random door and just FALL straight into a completely differenct world! Vigo is AMAZING! I'm honestly so in love with it already!  And I'm so happy I get to be up here in the North! I think this might be my favorite area too! The whole time I was honestly like drooling and freaking out.  I felt like I was in a movie or a book or something! There's just no way to describe it. It is so pretty up here!

It was cool being able to go over to Portugal and just feel of the different world! Literally 20 minutes later and there is a whole new world, people, language and feel. It was weird! I am just so gratufeul that mission calls are inspired and that our missions in which we are are perfect for us! Because I loved Spain and I was excited to go back...hahaha!  It was BEAUTIFUL though! Seriously the area that I am in is like the most beauitful places everywhere in the world all combined! We HAVE to come back here some day as a family!

As far as the work. It is going!:)  My companion and I are still getting adjusted to how to work rolls here. But it is so great. I have never reallllly worked hard with member families so thats cool trying to figure out how to do it. They say that that is the best use of your time out here in the north! Better than just hitting the streets all day because you basically just need member references if you want success. So I am just trying to think of ways to be super creative and effective here in the north. I am really excited though because I just want to do what I can to leave this area stronger than how it was when came. I believe that ALL missionaries have certain very specfic things that they need to do in an area. Whether it be with your companion, the people, or the branch.  We are needed there 100% from the second we arive to the second we leave.

You know what things are so good lately!!! My comp and I are great friends!  Ha we both served in Torrejon and are in love with that place so we really just talk about it for days. I really like her. I feel like we truly help eachother to reach our full potential if you know what I mean. I feel like I am reaching or at least getting to my full potential. How important it is to surround yourself with people who help you do that?  People who make you want to be your best and help you get there! I feel like I am being the best have ever been. We are being perfectly obedient and working so hard and just trying to be the best we can. Ah! Never have I been happier or felt the spirit like I have been lately.

So today I got the saddest thing of my life which definitely but a down side on my perfect day.

I got my release date and letter from president and reading it was the biggest dagger in my heart that I have evvvver felt!

Eew...I honestly hate thinking about it

You know I hear that coming home from the mission may be even harder than coming on one..

But who knows! We weren´t called to be missionaries for our entire lives. If we were.. it would say that on our call! The Lord has a plan for us all!

I have really being trying to understand the power of prayer lately. It is the coolest thing.  I have been praying more here than I ever have my entire mission. Seeing how the work is quite a bit more tough here my comp and I came up with the idea that we are going to pray before and after ever CONTACT...not just lesson but contact! And family...it has been the most amazing thing! Never have I prayed outloud with my comp after a simple street contact but now I am never turning back! We did it this week and it has helped me be so much more focused and more than anything love the people more. Praying about them helps me remember ever single person and helps me love and think about them all day. It may be simple but it has been huge. Praying after a contact that the person will remember the spirit and have the desires to grow their faith and follow Christ and chose the right way. We did it after even the quickest contacts and it has been amazing this past week. It helps me consecrate myself even more.

There sure is a power in prayer.

Os quiero! Cuidaos!

Hermana N

So oranges grow on trees here!

Monday, June 30th, 2014

I AM SO HAPPY!

Wow family, I have never had these many desires to really just be the best that I can be.

I don't know why but seriously ever since I have come up here to Vigo, I have just become even more of a different person and missionary! 

I don't know if it is the companion, area, people, or WHAT but I am being the best I have ever been. And I only hope to get better.

I am just trying my hardest to be the most consecrated I can be...to FULLY focus on the needs everyone else but my own! to just give UP my will!

And let me tell you I have never been happier than I have been here in Vigo.  It's the craziest thing and I don't understand it!

It's crazy how sometimes it's in the last stretch of your mission that you learn and realize who and what you want to be..what the best way is.

The atonement is SO real and helps us to become better and better every day through the strength of Christ.

Crazzzy things happen in Vigo I am telling you..

First off I want to tell you all about a lady named M.  Let's just say that we may have been straight up ATTACKED by the adversary a few days ago. So we are walking up this hill when this older spanish lady just B LINES it over to us and is like MORMONAS!  My name is M...the name of our loving heavenly mother.. you believe in her right? and we are like.. uhh. Then she just goes on and absolutely SHUTS us down with how the catholic church was the church that Christ established blah blah blah.  We tried not to fight but things got pretty hot it was nuts hahaha. She was like in the bible it talks about false prophets. No offense but thats you!  I asked her how she knows that what she is saying is true and every time I asked her that she would get SO mad and would step back and be like OHHHH you didn't! And then I would bear my testimony and she would just shut me down.  I raised my hand to say something and she was like of course of course! I just started to bear my testimony and she just SCREAMS hahaha. 

Let's just say we had to legit RUN away from her... 

I feel bad for that lady... definitely someone i can wait to see on the flip side haha

And on that note we also had THE biggest miracle. And maybe one of my most favorite lessons of my mission

We were on a bus headed to Pontereas (which by the way looks like narnia or twightlight when it rains.. ah i want a cabin there because it is heaven) when a member calls us and is like...

"HERMANAS I NEED YOU TO TEACH MY FRIEND THE PLAN OF SALVATION RIGHT NOW"

So.. we turn around and head out to this mysterious lesson! We get there and turns out that this lady is the most prepared lady I have ever met.

We teach her the plan of salvation and the spirit was SO strong. We even taught her all about temples and family history work she was so ready!  She was like, I KNOW!  I need to be baptized and do the temple work for my husband who died 3 years ago.  Ahh I don't remember what she said exactly. It was just really cool. What a MIRACLE! 

The Lord prepares His children.

I am CONVINCED that there is not a better feeling than that of leaving a lesson and knowing that was you said was not you and that you are servants in the Lords hands. 

Or the feeling when something comes out of your mouth and teaches YOU from what you have said...does that make sense?

Hermana Schaumann and I are seeing MIRACLES.  In one of the harder areas of the mission we are seeing miracles. I have never been so happy and I KNOW that it is because I have never given up myself as much as I have here.

Vigo is sooo European.  It's fancy and the people are too and its worldly and the people are more closed but I LOVE it...just a different type a missionary work!

AND language...I am surrouned by a language called Gallego.. which is like Portugese! 

LOVE YOU ALL!!!!

Hermana Nydegger