Families should be together forever :)

Dear Family,

I love you so much!!!! :D The Bilbao Fiestas are over and, pretty soon, summer vacations will be over and the other 2/3s of the ward will come back!! XD HOORAY!!!!

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FOR THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE TIME TO READ THE REST OF THIS EMAIL -- READ THIS: The Book of Mormon is the evidence that what we believe is true. If you are curious to know if this Church is true, if families can be together forever, read the Book of Mormon and pray about it. You can know for yourself. I've done this, and I would love to tell you about my experience. Let's set a time to visit!

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You will not believe the most wonderful thing that I got to participate in this last week.

But I will get to that in a second. :)

I am so glad to be here in Bilbao! It's amazing! I love being able to serve with Élder Cook -- he is very good at all things having to do with missionary work. He is so good at communicating -- I love how there is always something to talk about, and how accepting he is of ideas.

Our friend Vicente is going to be baptized this Saturday! He has given up smoking and living with his girlfriend to make this change in his life. He wants nothing other than to do what is right, and express his love for Heavenly Father. What a blessing to have such a humble friend!

We're working with the Bishop to plan new activities for the ward -- suddenly years of church activities are coming to mind, and we have some great ideas to warm up the ward. Things are probably going to be slow for a little while, but I strongly believe that if we don't give up on loving these people, things are going to pick up in a long-term way. Together with these people in our ward, Heavenly Father will turn Bilbao upside down!

...THIS WEEK I GOT TO SEE MY FAMILY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We went on an intercambio with some missionaries in Santander. The Portocarrero's, the Echegaray's, Esmeralda and Jessica and Isidro, Jonay, Obispo Salgado and Sergio and Rosa and co. ALL SEND THEIR LOVE AND GREETINGS!!!!!!! They love you all, and I made sure they knew that we definitely love them. :)

The intercambio we had in Santander was incredible. I got to see my aunt Maria (Juanjo had just recently been operated so I didn't get to see him), my aunt Carmen and Rafa, my cousin who came to live in Utah for 3 months before I left on my mission. We went with a family of members (Sergio and Rosa and their cute baby son), and it was so powerful -- I feel that it was more real for them to hear it from a member of their own family. The Spirit was so powerful; we all felt it, and I think they would like to learn more.

In short, it was the visit I had waited a year and 2 months to be in. I don't know how to better explain this.

This week I want to visit with more of my family. I know that the message that we share is true. The Spirit of God undeniably exists, it can be felt, and it cannot lie. I know that all people everywhere can discover for themselves the truthfulness of the restoration of the fullness of Christ's church and teachings. As people, like my family, put the message to the test, they will feel the Holy Spirit, and come to know that our message is true. I know that we can all learn to grow a more personal relationship with the Holy Ghost through time, sincere prayer, and our own personal efforts to study and ponder.

I love these truths, and the Father who has granted me this young understanding. I hope that all people everywhere, including my family here in Spain, can all join together in enlarging their understanding of these things, so that we can be an eternal family. I know that families can, and should, be together forever. In the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Love,
Élder Zubeldia