I love you all so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 8D < 3 8D

Dear Family,

I love you!!!!!!!!!! :D This can never be over-expressed!!!!! You are so amazing!!!!!!

This week was CRAZY!!!!!! We were only in Bilbao for 3 days this week:

On Sunday afternoon we had to go to Barcelona, and since my companion had to take care of a dental issue on Wednesday, we stayed in Barcelona.

Guess what we did with the extra time in Barcelona?!?!?!?! :D

Since Badalona (where Élder Hardy started off) and Sabadell (Catalunya´s Promised Land) are close to Barcelona, WE WENT AND VISITED OUR DEAR FRIENDS IN CATALUNYA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I got to see lots of my recently converted friends, other members, and Élder Ahlstrom, my old companion! IT WAS AMAZING!!!!

What brought great peace and joy to my heart was to see that everyone is still actively going to church and sharing the gospel. WHAT A MIRACLE -- REAL CONVERSION!!!!!!!!!!!

When we got back, we got to visit Edurne, just before she leaves on a two-week trip with her living siblings. I love Edurne, our Amatxu! Edurne is going to endure to the end, for sure!!!!

CONFERENCE (the parts that we were able to see due to internet connection issues) WAS INCREDIBLE!!!!!!!!!! The Spirit is so REAL and NOTABLE!!

I know that our Savior has restored His only true church upon the earth, and that He leads and guides us today through His chosen and authorized servants the Prophets and Apostles that we heard from in these past days. What a blessing to be living in these wonderful times!!!!

Last Friday (or rather, two Fridays ago), we contacted a woman on the street, inviting her to come to our Noche de Barrio that we had organized. We began talking, and it became evident that she is an amazing person and very spiritually inclined. We set up a visit for last Saturday (the one before Conference), which we actually missed because of a service project we were doing before Edurne's baptism. We felt terrible, but ran out of time to call her in the rush of preparation for the baptismal service for our dear friend. We thought that the woman, Yohana, might live in the Sister's area, and so we passed on her information, explaining what had happened, and how terrible we felt for missing the visit. They visited with her last Saturday (Conference Saturday) before our 6 o'clock session. At 9 o'clock that night, we went to the Locutorio to finish watching the parts of Conference that we had missed -- but I still haven't seen those portions, because (wouldn't you know it?) I saw Yohana in the Locutorio, on the computer in front of me!!

We spoke for an hour, and she talked so lovingly of her husband, two children, and her Savior Jesus Christ. She is Catholic, but not "traditional" -- I still don't know what that means, but we'll find out! The Spirit was there, and it was perfect -- turns out, she wasn't at all upset with us, and she accepted my apology, and all was well. When I came to the locutorio to write this email, who else would I find than Yohana, listening to Christian music!! And so we talked, and laughed, and she shared her music with us (Along with other reasons, like helping with mudanzas, this explains why this email is late today).

I feel that this is a miracle story in the making, and I don't know when she'll get her answer, but I know that if she reads the Book of Mormon, and prays to know if it's true, she will receive an answer. I know that this is true, because it happens to me when I read, and when I seek an answer.

All people who do this for themselves will also come to know the same. Everyone deserves to know about the restoration of the fullness of the doctrine and ordinances of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Savior of the World. There are uniquely exquisite blessings of peace and happiness that await those who make and keep sacred covenants. Families can, and should, be together forever.

I am so excited and grateful to be able to be with you all for forever!!! I am trying to be ever worthier!!!

I love you all so much!!!!!!!!!
Love,
Élder Zubeldia

Miracles in Vizcaya!!

Dear Family,

I love you all so much!!!!!!!!!

EDURNE WAS BAPTIZED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It was an incredible week of working with the members. We taught her every single day with the members, and we further involved her friends, and they called her every night after our visits to talk with her about what she had learned. IT WAS TOTALLY RIGHTEOUS!!!!!!!!! (Sorry... couldn't help the Disney reference...) She was SO HAPPY AND EXCITED for her baptism!!! We prepared a musical number with her -- throughout the week we had been singing Families Can Be Together Forever (she and her 10 siblings had been singers together). I played the music, and she and Elder Hardy sang the song -- she has a beautiful crystal voice!!! The Spirit was SO STRONG!!!! The members were a part of every single aspect of her preparation, teaching, and her baptismal service. What a wonderful miracle to witness!!

She loves us, and considers us her children (she was never married and thus never had children). We love her, and have taken to calling her Amatxu, which means "Mami" in Euskera. :) The Gospel of Jesus Christ ties us all into a family!

I know that Heavenly Father blesses us when we are obedient, cheerful, and working with our members. Edurne, a 90 year old Basque woman, was baptized after a week and a half of teaching (she had been previously prepared by a year of church attendance and the love of her LDS neighbors). Alma 13:24 is completely true, and the members are the Angels. Everyone, even elderly Basque women, has their time for accepting the gospel; I know that their time comes sooner when members are preparing them all of the time. What a blessing it is to be able to see member-missionary-work really begin to be realized in the land of my fathers!

I love being a missionary! I love serving in Bilbao! I am feeling happy, and I'm excited for the upcoming days and months! What a blessing we have to be able to listen to the living Apostles this week!

I love serving with Élder Hardy!! He is so real, and he is such a positive person. He is such a great guy! I don't think that it's possible to not get along with him! I feel like I'm serving with an old friend!

I am so grateful to be a disciple of the Lord in Bilbao, spreading the Gospel with the people in this wonderful place! We are going to work alongside members to find and rescue all of the inactive recent converts from last year this week, and in the weeks to come. I believe that Heavenly Father will guide us to find prepared people as we are fully participating in His work in His way!

I love you!
Elder Zubeldia

This is our District here in Bilbao!! We went with the Las Arenas District to a Lighthouse in Plentzia!!

This is my Canadian companion Élder Hardy!!!

This is us with Milen Edurne on the day of her Baptism!!!! WHAT A GREAT DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SHE IS SO AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We love our Amatxu!!!!!!

Miracles in Vizcaya!!

Dear Family,

I love it up here in Bilbao! The work is rolling forward: we are working with the relationships that we've built, and we're expanding to strengthen relationships with more members.

I love Élder Hardy! He is such a kind, unassuming, and diligent missionary! He is a sweet person, and he has an inner strength. The difficult family situation he comes from, along with other struggles, has made him a very empathetic and non-judgmental person. It's been a very personally valuable experience getting to know him this past week. I'm grateful to serve with him! I really really would love to continue to be his companion!! I know that I will learn so much from him, and that we are going to be able to help the work here in Bilbao to truly advance as the Prophet has directed us to do!!

I am humbled by the story of Edurne, and I'd like to tell you about it. She is an elderly Basque woman, whose family was heavily affected by the Spanish Civil War. She has been attending church for a year, and a member family has been taking care of her spiritual progression and fellowshipping; these same members have been asking missionaries to try and visit with her for a year. Somehow, things never worked out; she either didn't allow them to visit her (she's very Basque in that way), or she was "never available".

When I got here, my companion told me that she wasn't a member, but that she'd never let us visit her. I started talking with her, and when she saw that my name is Basque, she was thrilled! Over the next few Sundays, we became better friends, and finally, she invited us to visit her.

We had our first visit last week on Wednesday, and she spent almost the entire lesson teaching us about the Basque Country, the Civil War, and the way she and her family were affected.

The situation might have seemed frustrating, but it was perfect: the recent convert man we were with is working with Family History, and so we invited her to the Family History class on Friday, which seemed tailored to her interests. There, we taught about the purpose of the Work of Salvation (en cuanto a la Historia Familiar, y la función de la Obra Vicaria del Templo).

The Spirit was strong, and when we invited her to be baptized, her only doubt was about having to leave her baptism in wet clothing!! After clearing that up, she told us she would pray about a date, and tell us on Sunday when she wanted to be baptized.

On Sunday morning, as I was playing the prelude, she came up to my companion and told him that she wants to be baptized THIS Saturday!!! Heavenly Father is SO amazing!!!! Who'd have thought!!! When it was announced over the pulpit, the entire ward was ASTOUNDED -- nobody thought that she would ever be baptized!!

 It was 100% because of the Spirit that will come to all people who obey and do God's work in His way (unified with the members!).

I know that Heavenly Father loves all of us, and that it's never too late to change. All people, of all ages, and of all backgrounds, can feel the Spirit, and can decide to change. The Gospel truly is for everyone!!! I love you!!

Simply,
Élder Zubeldia

THE BOOK OF MORMON

Dear Family!!!

I love you all SOSOSOSOSO much!!!!!! I'm so grateful for the Plan that allows for us to be able to be together forever!!!

Transfers came -- I'm still in Bilbao, but my companion left..........TO IBIZA!!!!!!! 8D He will be there with one of my other companions, Élder Wheat!! They're going to have a BLAST!!!! It's an island of MIRACLES!!!!!!

My new companion is from Calgary, CANADA! His name is Élder Hardy. He is tall, blond, blue-eyed, talented, good-looking, and funny, too. He is the second-born in his family, too! :) We're already friends! I can tell we're going to have a fun time here in Bilbao!

I'm sorry for writing late in the week, but with transfers sometimes you just can't control all the variables. Go figure.

We just had another MIRACULOUS AFTERNOON, and I'd like to quickly tell you what happened.

We had only two planned visits; neither of which I knew how to get to for sure (I often feel lost, but we're going to get a map soon), and neither of which we could technically even go to, because we didn't have another man to go with us! (As missionaries, to respect women, we don't go into their homes unless there is another man present -- it's a rule, we follow it, it blesses us).

So we said a prayer this morning before a meeting that we would be able to take people with us to this visits, and that we would be able to make it to each of them.

We called up some members, and they either didn't respond, or they couldn't come with us.
...
We stopped for a bit, and didn't know what to do. So we prayed again, and tried to listen more to the Spirit. We talked about the people we were going to visit, what they were like, what their needs were, who would best be able to help them.... and then a name came to mind; and as we were about to call him, we got a return-call from one of the people we had called before! BOTH were happy and willing to go with us, for the separate visits!!

The first one was CRAZY, but great! It turned out amazing, because she is an older Basque woman who has lots of Basque patriotism, and the member is also Basque. She spent a lot of time talking to us and sharing about her family stories, and the member happens to be a recently converted man who works in the Family History Program of our ward here. She's going to come to the Family History Center and learn more with us this Friday!!

Our next visit didn't end up happening... she didn't answer the door, and her neighbors told us to avoid her because she is dangerous.
....so
We prayed, and asked Heavenly Father what we should do. Our member friend decided to take us to his friends' house! On the way, we met a nice couple from Bolivia who, after a really nice walk and conversation about eternal families, want to come to church this Sunday!

Then we got to the friends' house! The friend was FANTASTIC!!! She has SO many questions, and she is interested in the Book of Mormon that we gave her as a gift. She once was Catholic, and now she is Evangelical, and she has never heard of the Book of Mormon. She asked, Why do we need another book? What's the point of having this Book of Mormon?

I know that there are no such things as coincidences in the work of the Lord.

This morning I was reading 2 Nefi 3:12 with my companion:

Wherefore, the fruit of thy loins shall write; and the fruit of the loins of Judah shall write; and that which shall be written by the fruit of thy loins, and also that which shall be written by the fruit of the loins of Judah, shall grow together, unto the confounding of false doctrines and laying down of contentions, and establishing peace among the fruit of thy loins, and bringing them to the knowledge of their fathers in the latter days, and also to the knowledge of my covenants, saith the Lord.

(see also Ezekiel 37:15-19, if you'd like)

I know that this is true, and that the Book of Mormon is the word of our loving Heavenly Father for us in these times of crisis. The Bible and the Book of Mormon together get rid of all doctrinal/religious confusion. It testifies of Jesus Christ, and will help us to understand Him and His teachings.

If you read the Book of Mormon and sincerely ask God if the Book of Mormon is from Him, I promise that you will feel a personal answer from God that will let you know that it is from Him.

I know that as we study out this book we will be blessed. We will become more like Jesus Christ as we live its teachings, and we help others to follow Him when we share this book with them. Everyone, even my family members here in this country, can know if these things are true if they READ THE BOOK and ACTUALLY ASK GOD. I also know that this church is true. If they want to know this, they just need to COME TO CHURCH and see for themselves.

All people who humbly and diligently seek for truth will find it. I know that this is true, and I say this in the name of Jesus Christ, Amen.

Love,
Élder Zubeldia

Work of Salvation!! :D

Dear Family,

I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so grateful that we all know about the gospel, and that we're doing our best to live it! It is such an incredible blessing, guide, and safeguard! We are so fortunate to have the knowledge that we do! I'm so grateful for the Book of Mormon!!

All of the missionaries and members of the North and Northeast of Spain are reading the Book of Mormon together. It is wonderful!!

I know that anyone who reads the Book of Mormon with an open mind, and also prays sincerely to God to ask if it's true, will come to a knowledge of their own that the Book of Mormon is true.

If it's true, then the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day-Saints is true.
If it's true, then we need to personally examine our lives and choose whether to follow the example of the Savior or not.
If it's true, then we will be eternally happy by living obediently.
If it's true, then every single person deserves to have the opportunity to know for themselves.

We had a great week! We're working a lot with our ward, and we're seeing miracles because of it! Sometimes those miracles don't even happen when ward-members are around; but I'm convinced that those miracles come because of our efforts to work as the Prophet has asked us:

"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." -Thomas S. Monson Oct 2013 General Conference

The 12 Apostles of the Savior have asked ALL members to study the Preach My Gospel Manual -- it will help all of us to be missionaries. I would like to invite you all to check it out online:
https://www.lds.org/manual/preach-my-gospel-a-guide-to-missionary-service?lang=eng

If you don't have a lot of time, but would like to learn some interesting things about how to invite others to learn more about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and also how to help them keep their commitments, you might like to check out Chapter 11 of PMG. It's not too long of a chapter, and it will be easier to just read a chapter than to just start from the beginning (at least, that's how it is for me). I know that if you prayerfully study this chapter, especially with the intention of sharing the gospel, Heavenly Father will help you feel the Spirit help you as you extend and follow-up on invitations.

I love you, family!! I hope that you all have an amazing week!!

Family :)

Dear Family,

I love you all so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D

I GOT TO MEET WITH MORE FAMILY THIS WEEK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I GOT TO SEE ALBERTO AND MATI AND INÉS AND LUCÍA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT WAS SO MUCH FUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Family should be together forever. Estoy en eso!

Elder Cook, Vicente and I

This week our friend Vicente was baptized!!! This man is incredible!!!!!!!! Six months ago he had met with the sister missionaries, but he dropped because he couldn't give up smoking or living with his girlfriend. He is from Bilbao, 56, and very Basque. It didn't seem like he would ever accept the góspel.

But Heavenly Father loves us all and never stops extending His hands to us in love.

Vicente called us at the beginning of the month, and asked if he could meet with us. We set up a visit, and saw that, over these past 6 months, Heavenly Father had prepared him. We saw his faith grow as he read the Book of Mormon and prayed about it, came to church services, and searched honestly for truth.

As he came out of the water, he had a huge grin on his face, and exclaimed, "¡GRACIAS!" :)

He is super excited to begin working on his family history, prepare for the priesthood, and to share his experience with his family. I am so grateful to know such a humble and sincere man.

Another miracle of the week rightly was finding through the members! We found two families through a budding relationship that we have recently developed with a less-active family. We will have a Noche De Hogar with them tonight -- this is just the sort of thing we used to do all the time in Sabadell! We are working on improving the relationship that the members have with the missionaries. I believe that, when the Ward returns from vacations, the work of salvation will accelerate here in Bilbao through our faithfulness and obedience to the call of member-missionary-unity.

The past few days I've been pondering this question: What is the Lord teaching Me?

Based on what I've learned, I feel and think that we need to love those we serve, who we serve with, and who serve us. First we must love our Heavenly Father, then our fellow men, including our fellow servants. God serves us, so we must honor and serve Him. When we love God, we will serve our fellow men; and when we serve them they will not doubt our love for them. Our fellow servants are our fellow men, and if we love them and serve them they will not doubt God's love for them. As we love those we serve, they will lovingly serve with us, and through that association we will be blessed and thus served. Love is so important in this work because it is so important to God.

I love you!!!
Elder Zubeldia

P.S. Susana and Sarah, I talk about my family, and how happy I am that we all get the opportunity to be together forever, basically every day. My companions Elder Slauson and Elder Cluff think that you two are great. :) They wanted me to tell you, haha. Anyways, I love you and I'm so happy to be serving with you in the Lord's work!!!! This is the best!!!! :D

Elder Cook, Vicente, myself, Elder Cluff, and Elder Slauson

Mission Leadership Meeting

September 1, 2014 in Barcelona