Our friends who were baptized this last transfer!! :)

Dear Family,

They are super great, and are SOOO happy to finally have the gift of the holy ghost!!! :D What a blessing to have been able to help them, and to be able to continue to help them!! We are NOT leaving them alone to face the shafts in the whirlwind -- we are going to keep with them and make sure that they CONTINUE along their paths of conversion!! :) What a blessing it is to be a missionary, and to be learning how to live the gospel!!

I love you!!

Nancy

Flor

Verónica

Downpour of miracles!!

Family,

I love you!!! :)

This week has been wild! We thought that the work would slow down because of some conferences, but Heavenly Father had more in store for our friends here in Sabadell!! We were able to help SO many people this week!! It has been miraculous in a very literal sense!!

Our friend Flor was baptized, and she wanted me to perform her baptism! It was my first time actually being in the font (usually we try and get members to perform the baptisms) -- I was nervous, but the Spirit was there and everything went well!! She brought her friends and family, and so many of them showed interest in learning more in the future! It was amazing!! Families CAN be together forever!!

Our friend Veronica went to a Communion for her cousin, and afterwards, when the whole family got drunk except for her, they made fun of her for not drinking and for wanting to be baptized, but she defended her faith and her decision!!!! 8D She is SO excited for her baptism this Saturday, and so is the ward!!

Our friend Peter is having fun coming with us to visits with members -- he wants to serve a mission, and loves the gospel!! He is SO amazing!!!

We are seeing huge success from working closely with the ward leaders. By actually coordinating through the Ward Mission Leader, not just jumping past and going straight to the people we need, we are seeing that he is way more excited to work, and more interested in the Work.

Upcoming event -- the area split. My new companion arrives from the CCM/MTC next week, and we need to have the areas split before then. It will be fun, for sure! ;) I want it to work out so that everyone has equal opportunity to work with the members (i.e., see miracles). Lots of prayers are going into this.

Well, I've got to go!! I love you all so much!!

  

Élder Zubeldia

Heyheyheyhey Eternal Family!!!! :D

Dear family,

I LOVE YOU ALL SO SO SO SO SO SO SO MUCH!!!!!!!! 8D Haha, that is so COMPLETELY understated, but it's so true!!!

Items of business:

Brother and Sister Rogers: thank you so much for the package you sent me!!! :) That was so kind of you!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! I was so happy to see it!!! Thank you for your thoughtfulness, and for knowing exactly what to send!!! :) Thank you so much for your love and kindness. I love you!!

I am super excited to read your emails later today! I love you!!

To sum up what some people don't yet know: I am serving in the Barcelona, Spain mission. I have been out for 11 months (I will have been out for a year in this next transfer). I have served in Vitoria (in the Basque country, for 6 weeks), on Ibiza (an island for 6 months -- don't look it up), and now in Sabadell (in Catalunya, for 4.5 months now and counting). I have had 7 companions, two of them are currently my companions (we are in a trio and it's AWESOME!!!). In two weeks I'll get a fresh, new companion. Things are crazy busy, and it's all because of Heavenly Father.

I love this work.

Our friends will be baptized this month: Flor this Saturday (the daughter of our Peruvian friend Maribel who was baptized last month), Veronica the Saturday after (on the same day as her sister who has also found the gospel in Ecuador), and Peter at the end of this month.

I quickly want to explain about Peter.

He is from Ghana, son of a Muslim father and evangelical mother. He used to fight against the Church, telling people to stay away from "the mormon". He has a friend who is a member in the other ward, who has always been a good example. He has been reading the Bible, the gospel of John, and has been feeling the Spirit tell him that he needs to have a true baptism. He can't change it, nor deny it -- he feels the Spirit of God telling him what he needs to do. He likes to watch christian videos, and saw the Restoration video. He felt the Spirit tell him that Joseph Smith was a true prophet, and that he had to be baptized in the Mormon church. So we got a text last Saturday that said this: "My friend Peter wants an English Book of Mormon, and he wants to come to church tomorrow. Call him at this number and visit him as soon as possible". So we did. He told us his story, and asked us how he could prepare for baptism, and join our church. He wanted to learn our way of worshiping the Savior, and to worship with us. I felt prompted to invite him right there to be baptized at the end of the month, and he accepted with a smile and with tears in his eyes. We had one of the most amazing lessons of the Restoration EVER -- teaching in English was super weird, but it was easier for my companions, and so it turned out really spiritually impactful. We then walked with him to the bus stop he would need to take the next morning at 8:20, and then we had to go. Even though it was raining the next morning, we saw him coming up to the stop. It was amazing. He loved being at church!! He could feel the Spirit so strongly!! It was ward conference, and the messages were spectacular!! I translated all of the meetings for him (which was interesting, as there are things about English that I forget now and again). Yesterday, when we explained the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and talked about his reading (he STUDIES the Book of Mormon!! He could teach members how to improve!!), he expressed his desire to meet and get to know the ward members. He wants to get to know them, and was happy when we invited him to come with us to visit with the Bishop and his wife. He is the most prepared person I have ever met (and that being amongst the extremely prepared people that we are blessed to serve here). 

I know that there really are prepared people who are out there, waiting to know about the gospel. They are in the sphere of the lives of members everywhere. They are watching our example, and will remember that over time. They need our example and for us to open our mouths -- in other words, they need our love.

This is what I wrote to President Pace for this week:

 

Dear President,

I am doing so well! I can't describe how blessed and humbled and happy I feel. Heavenly Father has decided to open the floodgates of blessings over our area. While I don't understand completely why, I'm grateful, and I don't want to let Him down! We can only be obedient, have faith, love our companions and the people, and then leave everything else to Heavenly Father.

Something that has been surprising me this last transfer is how important it is to be obedient: to the commandments, mission rules, and to the promptings of the Spirit. It's really delicate, and not something that I am amazing at yet, but I'm learning to have a more aware and conscious relationship with the Spirit. When a prompting comes, you HAVE to act on it, or it's taken away. Situations and relationships every day, quite interestingly, radicate very dependently on the impressions of the Spirit that we do or don't act upon. We are hugely blessed in our companionship, district, ward, and friend relationships, and experience progress, when these impressions are followed. I'm so grateful to be learning this, especially now. What a blessing!

My companions are phenomenal! They are such a blessing to have as my companions! Our ward, friends, and companionship were all praying that we would get to stay together, and remain in Sabadell. Your call, President, was an answer to our prayers!! It was such a tender mercy to see so many people so happy to know that we are going to be able to stay. I loved seeing my companions, getting the appreciation that they both deserve. Élder Seegmiller is a spectacular missionary. He is teaching me so much about how to be a missionary leader, and what that really means. He is so aware of his duty to serve, and he teaches with such power and clarity. Élder Wheat is a fantastic missionary. He is always looking for opportunities to serve those we visit, and he is uniquely deliberate. He sends so much love in the daily texts to our friends. I have the two best companions ever! 

We are going to make these next two weeks as a trio count! I promised Heavenly Father that, whether we got to stay the three of us in Sabadell or not, I would work in the Area Book every day. I've been keeping that promise so far, and I want to continue repenting of not having been as dedicated in the past.

Our friend who is being baptized this weekend is the daughter of our friend Maribel, who was baptized a transfer ago. Maribel has used almost all of her 8 vacation days per year to attend church on Sundays, and two Sundays ago she told me that Flor wanted to be baptized. Flor had previously been too busy with school for us to visit. Even so, Flor has been involved with the Young Women of the ward, and even sang in the choir on Sunday. Maribel has taught her everything, and we confirmed that early on last week (Maribel would be a wonderful Sunday School teacher!). Flor told us that as she had attended church, read in the Book of Mormon, and prayed, she has felt that she should be baptized. She told her friends, invited them to come, and then told her mom about it. Haha, and then we found out. She told me that she wanted me to baptize her on the Thursday before Transfers. I was shocked. As I might have been leaving, she was planning to have her baptism this Monday. When I told them in church on Sunday that I was staying, they cheered, and were excited still for the baptism. I felt that we should move it to Saturday, which after some talking, they agreed to do (haha, she just wants so much to be baptized!). We went to reteach the Plan of Salvation yesterday, and Maribel brought her niece (Flor's cousin), who had amazing questions, and who felt the Spirit.

Miracles happen when we work with our members, and love Heavenly Father, them, and His work. This is the happiest time of my life! I am so blessed to be a part of this work!

I love you!
Élder Zubeldia

Family, (you all being my family) I love you so much!! I love being a missionary. I am so excited for Sarah to be out serving, too -- you are going to be an incredible missionary, like Susana and Brittany are!! I love you all so much!!!

Thank you for your love. I have the best life EVER!!!!!!!!!

I love you!

Élder Zubeldia

 

P.S. Oh, I forgot to mention this. Before I start, Mother, please don't be worried, everything is under control.

The dermatologist that the mission uses has instructed me to wear a hat to cover my head during the summer. Our mission president's wife wants me to actually wear one, and so we went hat shopping yesterday. So, now I have a hat. I think I might be one of the only missionaries who has to wear a hat. It's one of those "Panama" style hats (so, it's like a fedora, but made of straw). So if you see any pictures of me with a hat, now you know why. :) Don't worry, I'm fine, and I'm taking care of my white skin. Everything is under control. :) So don't worry. :) I love you!

 

The Floodgates of Heaven open, and they're over Sabadell!!

Dear family,

I love you all so much!!! :D I love being a missionary, this is SO MUCH FUN!!!!! 8D

Questions from last week:

How long have you been out? 11 months, officially a few days ago. (Oh my goodness how time flies!! This is ridiculous!!! It's running out!!)

Cousin Katrisa (so excited that you're coming to the Barcelona Mission!!): Tips on what to bring, etc? I asked the Hermanas in our zone, and they said to bring almost all personal hygiene stuff with you (deodorant, etc [the shampoo and conditioner and toothpaste is fine, but everything else is better in the USA].) Also, start memorizing scripture mastery, if you haven't, and study the lessons of PMG with a RM of the family. :)

Will I take more pictures? YES OF COURSE I WILL MOST DEFINITELY BE TAKING MORE PICTURES AND MAKING MORE VIDEOS!!!!! :)

Is Allison Seegmiller related to my companion? Possibly -- he comes from a line of many polygamists. X) So, there are a lot of Seegmillers out there.

Did I remember Daniel and Carlos's birthdays? OF COURSE!!!!!! 8D HAPPY BIRTHDAY GUYS!!!!!!! Way to GO!!!!! I can't wait to re-wish you late-happy birthdays this Sunday!!

How am I doing? I'm doing FANTASTICALLY WELL!!!!!!!!! Missionary work is the BEST!!!! It makes you happy knowing that you're actually carrying out Heavenly Father's will. We literally get to help people to live the gospel -- to help them become clean, and be able to return back to live with Heavenly Father. What could be better than that?!

Are they still feeding me well? Yes. They keep feeding us, and sending us home with food. It's a problem. We can't eat it all. This next week is transfers. Whoever stays won't have to buy food for two straight weeks.

How was my Easter? We had an Easter egg hunt in our district meeting (to teach how we need to retain our friends in the church). It was a blast, and the Spirit was strong!! How was Easter back in the States?

Have I met anyone new or relatively cool in any sort of way? Well, if I were to really answer that question, I'd run out of time really quick. Yes, is the answer.

Am I excited to almost only have one year left? No. It's scary. It's going by WAY TOO FAST.

---------

Those are the answers. I will read the emails from this week and answer the questions next week.

I love this work. I know that the gospel is true. I know that we can be forgiven and relieved from all "pesar", and that through repentance and faith in the Lord, we can progress and live happily.

Thought for today: to properly share the doctrine of Christ, we need to live the doctrine of Christ. In my case, it means I need to have faith and repent. Heavenly Father will tell you what will help you progress if you ask Him in faith.

I love you!!

 

Élder Zubeldia

Sabadell -- pueblo of miracles

Dear Family,

I love you!!

This is what happened this week:

"I stand all amazed at the love Jesus offers me"!! We are having such unmistakable help from Heavenly Father here in Sabadell. This IS His work. I am so happy to be a part of this -- it really is a blessing to be allowed to serve these people, especially with my two fantastic companions! I love how patient Élder Seegmiller is -- by the way that he faces difficult situations, it's so clear that he knows that everything will be alright, so long as we're giving His work our all. I love how earnest Élder Wheat is -- he makes such an effort to always have a smile on, and to show interest in what people have to say. Work here in Sabadell is already miraculous enough; being able to face it with my two companions makes it a tender mercy. I love having obedient companions who want to work, and who do so out of a sincere desire to help others!!

Maribel Castillo (who was baptized last month) is so happy when she comes to church! She brings her daughter, Flor, and she told me that Flor is prepared now -- she wants her family to be baptized! She is converted, and heading to eternal life!!

Nancy Cerezo (who was baptized two weeks ago) is so excited to go to the Temple in Ecuador! She always tells us how grateful she is to have the gift of the Holy Ghost, and she's determined to have all of her children in Ecuador listen to the missionaries, so that they can go to the Temple!! She is converted, and heading to eternal life!!

  
Verónica (who will be baptized this weekend) is enthusiastically preparing for her baptism! She reads the scriptures every day, and is racing her LDS boyfriend in Ecuador to see who can finish it first. They share favorite messages over Skype. She is excited for this important step, and is committed to stay true to the restored gospel, 100%! She is converted, and heading to eternal life!!

Mari would've been baptized last Saturday, but problems arose with her CR husband, and so it has been postponed. She still comes to church, and reads. She is shy, but she knows that this is God's church, and she wants to be baptized! Their daughter will be raised in the gospel, and, together, they are heading to eternal life!!

Another miracle this week happened as a result of an event from last week's Consejo de Barrio. We had a comment to make to the Council, but instead of making it ourselves, we went and whispered it into the ears of our Ward Missionary Leader. He, then, brought it up and took care of it. That small gesture has made a huge change in our relationship with our Ward Missionary Leader -- this week he has begun to be more engaged. Since we have so much work, and we need members to come with us, HE proposed to call us every night, to check up on the progress of each day, and to call members to come with us for the next day. He's been touched by the Spirit, and because of our joint effort and interest in the work, more people will begin heading towards eternal life!! What a tender mercy!!

I am so grateful to be a missionary; a representative of Jesus Christ. This week I want to dedicate 15 minutes of my personal study to learn and ponder more about what that means -- I want to be a better representative of Him, and to have more conscious His example and sacrifice for me.

I love you people SO MUCH!!!!! We come back exhausted every night -- haha, having lots of energy is sure a blessing!!! :D The weather is warm, the clouds are pretty, the wind is fun, and the members keep giving us too much food. X)

A special request from Élder Seegmiller: Please stop praying that we are eating well!! Haha, he is tired of gaining weight!! It makes running-when-we-need-to-catch-a-train/bus a lot harder!! X)

You wanted to know if there was anything that I would like in the package. Uhm, chocolate chips for cookies? They taste good, are completely American, and shareable. :) I'm sure the district would love them, too!

The package that you sent never got to me: our Hermanas were going to be thoughtful, and picked up the package, but they haven't given it to me yet. Haha, I'm sure they'll give it to me sometime soon. (We helped them get back into their piso the other afternoon when they locked themselves out without a phone!)

(Note: I will continue to try and answer all questions from the emails you send -- now is my turn! :D )

How is cousin Millie?

How is this "Colton" character? Is he planning on waiting for Sarah, or does he have a very mistaken goal? (I will be looking for clues in the emails later today when I read them)

How´s Sam Ward?

How´s Stephen Ward? (how has so much time gone by without us having had their emails?)

I don't know about the Mother's Day call stuff, but I will for next week -- we have a Zone meeting tomorrow, and they'll probably tell us.

Miracles happen when we try our best to dedicate ourselves more to the Lord. Heavenly Father loves all of His children. He is always trying to help us. We can help Him in this work by being obedient and loving others into doing the same. We have the best job ever!!

Love,

Élder Zubeldia

Windows of Heaven

Dear family,

I love you!! :) NEVER FORGET IT!!!!! 8D

Other than the beautiful clouds and fun rain here in Sabadell, Heaven's showers are bringing so many miracles!!!

Our friend Nancy was BAPTIZED last weekend!!! 8D She is SOOO HAPPY!!!!! She is from Ecuador. We met her almost a month ago, when we were helping her less-active friend receive comfort from the Spirit over the loss of her husband. The next day, when we explained the Plan of Happiness, Nancy told us that she wanted to make a change in her life, to be baptized and follow the Savior. 8D She told us last week in a sacred visit, through her tears, that she could feel the Savior redeeming her -- that she felt the Spirit confirm the truth of everything we had taught. She is so converted!! :) WHAT A MIRACLE!!!!

This weekend, Marie, from Cameroon, will be baptized by her husband (who was baptized in January). The week after that, our friend Veronica is going to be baptized. So many of our friends, and their families, are excited to learn about how they can come closer to the Savior, be freed from their past mistakes, and have more of His influence and guidance in their lives!!! WE HAVE THE BEST JOB EVER!!!!!!!! 

I've never had weeks so full of lessons ever!! We have SO much work to do!! Even on days when all of our plans fall through, we are struggling to meet with everyone!!

Heavenly Father keeps putting people in our path, especially those who used to be on it! We've found SO many people who used to be members (who for years have strayed away, forgetting their membership with the Church). 

It's incredible. Heavenly Father is doing so much for us. There is seriously nothing that we can take credit for. He is doing so much for us.

Here is how I put it to President:

Dear President Pace,

I am doing fantastic! We have had such a great week! President, there is really no way that we would be able to accomplish any of this without Heavenly Father's help. We're trying our best to be obedient, to work hard, and to scatter sunshine, but all of the miracles are gifts from Heaven. Heavenly Father is opening the windows of heaven in our area, and I'm so grateful to be permitted to be a part of this work.

I love these missionaries I have the privilege of serving with! Élder Wheat is a stalwart and constant example of Christlike temperence and love: he is always so calm, and searching for opportunities to serve. Élder Seegmiller is a dynamic and thorough missionary: he is so perceptive while teaching, and he is excellent when it comes to planning. Both of my companions have a very real sense of how precious the Lord's time is, and they're so eager to work!! I love them!!

I want to be a better companion for my companions. I want to serve them more. I can make breakfast every day -- so why not make it happen? I want them to know I love them.

This week was overflowing with miracles and tender mercies! For example, our friend Nancy was baptized!! I'm grateful to feel comforted by the Spirit -- my two friends that have been baptized are truly repentant, and converted. That's a tender mercy. In church, four of our friends who want to be baptized felt the Spirit (it shone in their faces) during the Sacrament, and are also on the path of conversion. Veronica, a cousin of a member, is so excited to be baptized! She almost wasn't able to go to Nancy's baptism because of unexpected work, but she was able to be there last-minute. Her eyes filled with the Spirit as she saw herself in her mind's eye being baptized. Miracles. All because of Him -- we're so blessed to be His representatives in helping our friends come to Him!!

I know that if we just do our best to do the Lord's will, He will bless our efforts to serve others. I know He loves me. That's another miracle -- He lets me feel it every day. :) I love Him.

I love you, too, President!!

Love,

Élder Zubeldia

I KNOW that Heavenly Father loves us and is aware of the situation of all of us. He wants us to be happy. If we focus on expressing gratitude (for example, by being obedient, leaving thank-you notes, praying often, etc), we will be happy. :) 

Be obedient, have faith, and have fun = recipe for satisfactory missionary work.

I love you!!

Simply,

Élder Zubeldia

Hahaha, WHOA WHAT A WEEK!!!!! 8D

Dear Beloved Family,

I love you SO MUCH!!!

You would not BELIEVE what a crazy and awesome week it has been!!! 8D As you know, I'm in a missionary-trio (my companions are Élder Seegmiller, a blond from Mosco, Idaho who speaks with a British accent; and Élder Wheat, a red-head from Sandy, Utah who is also an engineer [like Élder Seegmiller]. We have so much fun!!) here in Sabadell (the heartland of Catalunya). We're working as hard as we can, and we had a miracle that was the fountain of so many miracles this week: we got another missionary to work with us for the week!! Not just any missionary, but a missionary who is FROM our ward (he is serving in Málaga, but he needed to come back for some residency paper issues). His name is Élder Neira. He is from Barberà, a pueblo that I'm familiar with, so we split up the companionship that way, and WENT TO WORK!!!

Here's how I put it to my mission president:

 

Dear President Pace,

This week has been a week of miracles!! Having Élder Neira with us has been amazing--we've been able to help his family make a complete turn-around (his mother is now determined to come to church every week, and his "lost" brother now wants to serve on a mission), and we've been meeting with his friends, many of whom are receptive! Thanks to the miracles that've happened this week, we are now going to be able to work much more with the members.

On this note, Élder Neira's brother Harry, who wants to serve on a mission, is wondering about the possibility of serving a mini-mission sometime soon. He was wondering if he could live and work with us -- it would relieve the economic burden of his family, and would provide him with an excellent opportunity to serve and prepare. Is this a possibility?

I love my companions: Élder Seegmiller, Élder Wheat, and Élder Neira. Élder Seegmiller is such a level-headed and hardworking missionary: with the coordination of splits, and running all over Sabadell, he has very aptly taken charge and made sure to use the Lord's time as effectively as possible. Élder Wheat is such a loving and sincere missionary: whenever we're in a lesson, the purity of his testimony drives home in our friends' hearts. I know Élder Neira isn't in our mission, but for this week, he has been my companion -- I highly admire and respect this missionary. He has such a strong relationship with the Spirit, and because of his testimony, he has become a powerful instrument in the Lord's hands, especially in the saving of his family. My companions are examples of excellence to us all.

By the way, I also love the Hermanas in our district! I'm so grateful to have two of the most enthusiastic and hard-working sister missionaries of the mission. We are seeing such amazing miracles in our district!!

Our friends who are going to be baptized soon are: Marie this Saturday (the wife of Romuald, a recent convert -- she is so excited to be baptized by her husband!), Nancy on the 3rd of May (she is one of the elect, found while helping her MA friend, and she wants nothing more than to follow her Savior), Verónica on the 3rd of May (also one of the elect, the cousin of a member, and is praying for strength in this decision she's made, even though her family isn't supportive), and Carlos and Fabiola (husband and daughter of a MA, they're committed to do this as a family!).

I want to make sure we have companion study this week. :) We've been having SO many lessons that it's difficult to make the time, which is a wonderful challenge, but companionship study can help us to meet the demands. It's good to be anxiously engaged, but if we don't have time to be peacefully engaged in our study, then our work will be engaged with anxiety. Our friends deserve to have anxiety-free and spiritually-charged missionaries -- companionship study will help us give them that!!

I love this place, these people, and this work!! I love you, President!! Thank you so much for your prayers, your faith, and all that you lovingly do!!

Simply,

Élder Zubeldia

Now I'm going to answer some questions from last week that were asked me:

 

How was Conference? It was FANTASTIC -- didn't you see it?!?!?!?! All of our investigators (we're calling them friends, because that makes more sense anyway) I loved the emphasis on becoming more Christlike, the hastening of the Work of Salvation, and defending our faith despite the direction of the world.

Where am I? Who are my companions? Read above, I answered this.

What are people like in Sabadell? They're very friendly; they just don't seem to like people in suits that talk about God. X) As soon as we get to talk with them, though, they see past the ties, and feel "positive vibrations" (the Spirit of Happiness!!) from us.

Am I being fed? If only you knew. I don't even know why I buy groceries. Today I don't think I will. Member and non-members must really notice the blessings of feeding us, because they are always trying to give us food!!

My turn!! Here's some questions (take into account that I haven't read any of the emails yet -- but these are what I am wondering about):

How is Millie? How are John and Rebeca?

How are Paige and Logan?

How was the play?! :)

How are my favorite siblings on the whole world?! :D

Well, I sure love you all, and I use your pictures in just about every lesson that I meet new people!!! You would all turn pink if you could here how often they tell me how beautiful and handsome and happy you all look!!

I love you!!

Simply,

Élder Zubeldia