I can´t believe how the time is already flying by- I hear it even picks up speed the further into the mission you are, and the more you understand the language. Speaking of Spanish, it´s going pretty well. The members are starting to realize that I can actually understand them, and they will sometimes even talk to me, and not just Hermana Cano :) It´s been nice to finally get out of my shell a little bit now that I can speak more, and they´re starting to realize I´m not just a silent gringa. My English is deteriorating, though. In the piso, we speak English off and on so Hermana Cano can practice, and I end up mixing words all day (miembers, leccions, rolling my r's even when I speak English), and I´m only a little over 2 months in! It´s going to be really messy by the time I come home.
This last week, Victoria (Estela's [the girl baptized last week] mom) was baptized and confirmed, and seeing her in her shop the other day, she was all smiles. Honestly, she´s the happiest I´ve seen her, and she just looks different. I´m including a picture of her- she´s a beautiful Nigerian woman, and the story of how she came to Spain is incredible. So many people immigrate here from Africa, looking for a better life, and they risk their lives crossing deserts and the sea. Victoria risked it all because she wanted a better life for the baby she was pregnant with (Estela). She has such faith, and I know that she´ll be blessed for all of the good that she does.
Another miracle happened through Victoria- she listens to the Book of Mormon on CD while she´s working because she can´t read (like many immigrants), and her friend Tina listened with her and asked to come to her baptism. Short story short, we´re teaching her now, and she wants to be baptized.
Hna. Cano and I sang at Victoria´s baptism, and I sang in church with Elder Fowkes last Sunday during a special missionary program. One man told me it was the best thing he´s heard since he started coming to church. I found out later that it was his first time in church. Just teasing! Anyway, I recorded a practice, and I´ll send it, but know that it was better when we´d worked on it longer.
A big public thank you to the Matt and Brittany Johnsons for the incredible package containing peanut butter! Oh, how I love it! It was super expensive to send, so don´t worry about sending me packages anymore- I feel really bad about it, but just know that I appreciate that peanut butter like it was semi-liquid gold. I´m sending home an envelope today with letters for those who have written me/sent me packages etc, so keep an eye out for that.
I love Spain and the mission more every day. I love seeing people take their roosters to the park, and elderly men sitting together on benches in the shade. I´m really starting to love (most) Spanish food, and look forward to eating with the members. I´m tired most days, but I always look forward to the next plan we have, and the next person we´ll teach. I love focusing on other people, studying for them, praying for them, and helping them any way we can. Life is so good, and the mission is so good, even on the hard or slow or supressingly hot days.
Listening to missionaries give their last testimonies at conference before leaving, I kept thinking, 'I´m not ready to do that yet. I don´t want to leave.' Know that I miss you all, but that I´m in the right place, and I´m loving every minute of it. Take care of yourselves, and know you´re in my prayers.
Love, Hermana Johnson
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