Monday, June 16, 2014

Sabadell -- Is this goodbye?

Dear Family,

I love you all so much!! :) I'm feeling fantastic, really happy, and grateful to be a part of this miraculous work.

Time flies...

I can't believe I've already been here for 6 months. Transfers are this next week, and we'll get the call from our leaders this Saturday night. Normally missionaries don't stay in an area for more than 6 months. I can't believe how fast time passes by. I've been in the mission field for a year and four days.

I love this ward. I want to make every moment I have count -- there is no time to waste. Haha, I suppose that, in the end, I'll get home and probably sleep for two weeks! XD We're working hard, and constantly talking with people as we travel from place to place, from visit to visit, all over these valleys in all of our pueblos. I love this!! This is the best!! I am so grateful that I get to be a missionary, and to share this joyful message with everyone!! I am learning so much about how to live the gospel. My mind is becoming more aware, and I'm learning how to change my way of looking at, and responding to, situations. In other words, I'm repenting.

I want to give more of myself to this work; to give up whatever else might be on my mind, and to really hand myself over to Him. I've been focusing on thinking about, praying about, and talking about, only that which is related to the gospel, and missionary work here in Sabadell 2: for our ward friends (member and not-yet-member). I think that I'm starting to wrap my mind around the concept of forgetting myself, and going to work. It's really an even happier way, or so I'm finding. :)

I had the chance to interview a Spanish man before his baptism, to make sure that he was prepared to make this sacred covenant (see D&C 20:37). He was crushed by 4 ton truck, and then in coma for 19 years (without brain activity). He woke up, and his parents had died and his wife had left him. He knows that God loves him, and he was guided to find the sister missionaries in our ward. He was so excited to be baptized. :) He came to the interview in baptismal clothes that he had brought for himself. :) He is another example of the wonderful people here in Spain who are being prepared to hear about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

This month the mission has a goal of finding 2000 new investigators (new friends! :) ). We are working with the members to achieve this goal, and to help their friends. What is helping us find miracles -- their realization that we love them. How could we not? This ward is AMAZING!!! When they know we love them, and then they are astonished by our faith and desires to help, we pray with them. They tell us about their friends; we write down the names and pray for them every day; and we meet with the people we pray for at Family Home Evenings/Afternoons/Mornings. :) I just wanted to share this way that we're seeing miracles here in our ward, and how we can work together as members/missionaries to share the gospel.

President Monson said (in Spanish -- sorry English speakers!): "Ahora es el momento de que los miembros y los misioneros se unan, y trabajen juntos, que trabajen en la viña del Señor para llevar almas a Él. Él ha preparado los medios para que compartamos el Evangelio de muchas maneras, y Él nos ayudará en nuestros esfuerzos, si actuamos con fé para llevar a cabo Su obra." [Here it is in English: Now is the time for members and missionaries to come together, to work together, to labor in the Lord's vineyard to bring souls unto Him. He has prepared the means for us to share the gospel in a multitude of ways, and He will assist us in our labors if we will act in faith to fulfill His work.]

My companion Élder Ahlstrom and I have this quote memorized, and so do the other missionaries in our ward. I know that we have a true Prophet of God on the earth today, and that we will be blessed as we follow his counsel. Everyone can know of the same if they will take the time to read/listen to the Book of Mormon and ask God if it´s true. If you actually are looking for a personal answer, He really will answer you.

I know that this is true because I've done it myself, and I want to do so more periodically, because even those of us who are already baptized need to feel it "de vez en cuando." :)

I love you all!! I'm so grateful for all of your support. Thank you so much for helping me get to this point in my life. I'll always be grateful for this opportunity to be a servant of the Lord!!!

Love,
  
Élder Zubeldia

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