The Miracle Zone :)

My Beloved Family,

I love you so much!! :)

This week has been a great week! I'm so grateful for the things that I'm learning from Heavenly Father. I know that Heavenly Father loves us, and that He wants for us to have real happiness.

The way to be happy is to have the companionship of the Holy Ghost. Heavenly Father is happiest being in existence, and when we have the companionship of the Holy Ghost, we can feel of His happiness and love for us.

We have a friend here in Barcelona who I'll call Andrés. He's from here, and he's married to a member of our ward from Ecuador. Andrés has had negative experiences with religion in the past, and so had decided to "sympathize" with Buddhism. One of his sons is a zealous evangelical christian, and his other son is firmly agnostic. The home isn't very united in their ways of living, and it was unlikely for Andrés to accept our invitations to discover for himself if Jesus Christ's teachings and church really has been restored. It's been hard on us, to help him to recognize that he has been feeling the Holy Ghost, and then to have him reject time and again our invitations to study and pray to Heavenly Father to know for himself.

Last Sunday, he came to the church for the first time. During the week, we visited him, and he told us that he wants to be more united with his wife, and that he wants to be baptized!! Yesterday at church, he announced in every class that he was preparing himself to be baptized!!! He has real intent, and he has faith -- he wants to be baptized at the beginning of April, and we want to help him to truly be prepared for that day, and to make this decision out of faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement.

It's a miracle to me, that the heart of Andrés could be changed, and that he would decide on his own to begin to live the gospel of Jesus Christ. Heavenly Father truly does work miracles.

We have some other friends that are trying to live the gospel as well, and we're making friends all the time who want to know more about the restored Gospel. It's such a blessing to be able to dedicate all day every day to help these people discover for themselves how to live the Gospel. As missionaries, we should live the gospel, too. Something that President and Sister Pace pointed out recently really rang true to me; that obedience motivated incorrectly isn't really living the Gospel. That's what "going through the motions" is. We need to be obedient because of our faith; diligent because we want to share love. 

As we live the gospel, we will have the Spirit with us, and we will be happy. :) Then it will be natural to invite others to begin to do the same.

This week, invite someone to listen to the missionaries. As you spiritually prepare yourself, and act in faith, Heavenly Father will bless you in your efforts to invite that someone you know.

Will you be seek out and take advantage of an opportunity to invite someone to listen to the missionaries this week?

I love you family!! I'm trying to work harder, rely more on the Spirit, and exercise more faith!!

Love,

Élder Zubeldia

All members should work with missionaries!! :D

Dear Family,

This week was incredible!! Working with the members is working!! As we've focused on being loving during church, and otherwise working diligently on our own, we're seeing blessings in our area!! All of our investigators this week came from member referrals, and the members brought all of our friends to Sacrament meeting (we would've had even more, but the less-actives who were going to bring their friends had a hang-over; we're going to teach the Word of Wisdom before next Sunday!!). The coordination with our Ward Leaders is improving, and our meetings are already effective!! We had 40 people come to our activity yesterday!! The answer is improving communication and organization!! Things are moving forward in our ward!!

My companion is fantastic!! He's been a wonderful partner in working with the ward leaders!! He's really taken charge of keeping up with the ward list changes that we've been finding, and working closely with our wonderful ward secretary, Hno. Angel Herráiz, the previous Barcelona Stake President. This man is such an example of how to serve God regardless of where one is called!! I am so grateful for the leaders of our ward who help missionary work move forward!!

One miracle this week is currently in process -- Three of our friends at church yesterday were the nephews of the Sanuy family, a Catalán family from the beginnings of the church here in Barcelona. We visited their family this past week to help their son prepare for his English test, and not only made friends with them, but also helped them feel the Spirit. We had invited them to do some personal things in their family, and they came to church by themselves! Poco a poco, their family is going to see the blessings of the gospel in their lives!!

Another miracle this week was when we went to serve a less-active family who lives close to the church. Some of the adult children have been baptized in recent years, but none of them really understand the doctrine. We had had a visit set up for Saturday, but the majority of them weren't there; so we did some impromptu service, and cleaned their house. Later that same day, in a birthday party they invited us to, we taught about all of the people about God's goal for their families, and had a wonderful discussion. It was such a precious moment, to answer the questions of interested parents about how their families can be together forever. This is what it's all about!! Now, after we teach them the Word of Wisdom, they'll really begin to see the blessings!!! :D

I love you all so much!! Thank you for living the Gospel!!! It's so much more than just going to church and reading; it's searching for how we can truly come closer to Christ, and how we can do His will!! The difference between running through the motions and truly living the gospel is OUR REAL INTENT behind what we're doing!! Why do we do what we do?

People ask me that all the time when they find out that I'm not being paid to visit people and teach them about the gospel. :)

I do what I do because I love Heavenly Father for what He has done for me (He always loves us first), and I want to show my gratitude for Him. I do what I do because of the promptings and guidance I receive from Heavenly Father as I try to do what He wants us to do. This week, I've tried to focus my prayers on gratitude, and I have felt the Spirit comfort me so strongly, and have felt an even more noticeable, and even more constant, guide in the impressions that He sends me. It has felt so nice. :)

This week, you should try it!! Try refocusing your prayers: spend more time in your prayers to express thanks, and on asking for blessings for other people. You will feel the Spirit more obviously as you pray, and during your week. If you'd like to study anything for advice, check out Preach My Gospel, Chapter 4, "Praying with Faith".

I know that Heavenly Father loves us, and He knows us by name. He will answer us individually as we are prepared and ask. I know this is true because it happens to me and to my friends here in Barcelona. It will happen for you this week as you try it out for yourself with real intent!!

I love you!!
Élder Zubeldia

The First Principles and Ordinances of the Gospel are...

Dear Family,

I love you all so much!!!

We had an incredible start to last week; we were all over the place while on splits last Preparation day. We saved a marriage (they needed to understand how living the gospel applies to their relationship), gave a blessing, worked on helping a friend gain a testimony, and helped some members with their plans to share the gospel with their family. The next day, however, my companion was feeling ill, so we couldn't leave that afternoon to work.

The next day was Zone Training, and we saw a miracle!! We went to eat pizza as a District at Dominos, and when we arrived, a Spanish 20-something year old asked me what "this was all about". I had the opportunity to talk with him and his two friends and answer their questions. As it turns out, all three of these Catalán youth are believers, but don't ascribe to any particular religion. They were really impressed with our mission, and they want to learn more!! They agreed to come to a sports activity with us at our church, and they were very insistent that we not lose contact!! I love missionary work -- making friends, and helping them know for themselves.

This is me for lots of this week
(when the same thing wasn't happening but with me in my bed),
resting by our portable heating system,
in the other élders' study room (they've got the couch there).
Sorry that their room isn't very tidy.
We're working with them on it.

A few hours afterward, I got really sick, and stayed that way. That was Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and today, from the looks of it. I asked my companion for a blessing, and, on Sunday, the Bishop let us bless the Sacrament in our apartment.  What do I want to do better this week? I want to work on not being sick. That's the goal, that's the plan!

My companion has been so patient this week, and has taken care of me. I am really grateful to have such a kind companion. He doesn't complain about having to stay inside. He's so great!

We're going to talk with the District in our meeting about inviting people every day to be baptized. I was reading pg 108 (in English) of PMG which says, "As we begin to understand that the first principles and ordinances of the gospel are the way to the abundant life, we will appreciate that these principles help answer any question and fill any need." We ask ourselves, "What do we need to do to increase convert baptisms in our mission? What do we need to change? How do we help struggling missionaries? How can we get our area to progress?". We are missionaries and we need to do His will, and feel He is accepting us. Faith in Jesus, Repentance, and Covenants; we're going to discuss and ponder together about how these can really answer our questions and fill our needs as a district.

I know that the gospel can answer any question and fill any need. I really feel like that's a huge summary of what I'm learning on my mission. We need to make the decision to live the gospel as soon as possible; Heavenly Father will bless and guide and strengthen us as we do our best. This week, please try to read the Book of Mormon and pray every day, to look for opportunities to serve every day, and to share your testimony with your family members this week. Heavenly Father will bless you in your schoolwork and family life as you do these things.

Love,
Élder Zubeldia

P.S. I am still praying for Brother Steele. I hope that he gets better soon. I have full confidence that he will be alright. He has all sorts of angels watching over him!

P.P.S. Ethan and Connor: CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!! That's SO CRAZY that you two are engaged!! Whitney and Rachel are probably so happy!! Jaja, keep living the gospel!!!

This one with the boina and my companion is today.
I look healthy!! IT'S THE BOINA!!!!!
Thank you so much, it's WAY warmer than the Panama hat!!

The Work of Salvation

Dear Family,

I love you so much!! Really, YOU HAVE NO IDEA!!!! I am SO BLESSED to have you all in my life!!! What a miracle to have had the gospel taught in our home!!! There are SO MANY FAMILIES who REALLY NEED the Restored Gospel truths that we have in our lives!!!

I am so happy with how last week went!! Heavenly Father does so much for us!! There are member families who are asking us to teach their family members about what makes us so happy (the Gospel!!)!! We worked effectively by working on splits with the members, working with the friends of members, and supporting the Bishop's assignments!!

Last Sunday, our wonderful Bishop didn't give us any additional assignments, so we decided that he would be our assignment. We passed by, or saw, him every single day, and left him with cookies, napolitanas, appreciation, and encouragement. He caught us working with the members, and putting together activities for the members. I love our ward!!

I love Élder Sorensen!! He has been such an incredible companion!! He is such a spiritual giant -- he has been working on improving his personal study, and comments on how it's been the source of energy and happiness for him this week. He is such a great example!!

Miracle of the Book of Mormon this week -- our friend Joaquín is a 60-something-year-old Catalán man who likes to spend time with a less-active family close to our church. He told us on Friday that we have the faces of angels, because when he looks at our faces, he sees that we have no vices. What a sweet man!!

The first time I met him was my second week here in Barcelona. We were having a ward activity, and we saw him smoking outside the entrance of the church. So we went out to talk with him and invite him in. He told us that he had just come to drop off a friend, and that he wasn't interested. We continued the conversation, and it turned to family history, temples, and the plan of salvation. He had finished his cigarrette, and so we took him inside and explained the pictures hanging in the atrium (our church is a beautiful stake center -- I think it's our biggest church in Europe) with the members who were standing around. When he saw the First Vision painting, he was awestruck. He was impacted by the fact that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are TWO people, and understood that they look the same. He felt the Spirit so strongly, and accepted a commitment to be baptized. We thought that he lived in the Sisters' area, but apparently they lost contact. We found him in the subway two weeks ago, and have only been able to visit with him and his less-active friends a couple of times (they have some little girls around Sofía and Soraya's age, and we made cookies together!!). They're such great people!!

 Last Tuesday we read part of 1 Nefi 8 with him, and because of the discussion about the story, we left him with a commitment to finish the chapter before Friday. When we showed up on Friday, he had read through 6 chapters, and explained to us exactly what it said. Another friend walked into the conversation, and began to insult our beliefs, and Joaquín began to testify of the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon, and convinced our new friend Christina to listen. The Spirit was there, and, afterwards, Joaquín was grinning from ear to ear. He has a testimony of the Book of Mormon, and he felt happy because he was sharing it. He's naturally doing missionary work!! Imagine if this happened with all of our friends we work with!! Studying the Book of Mormon, and applying it to our lives, really has iluminating power.

I know that as we seriously study the Book of Mormon, we can feel that power in our lives. Please, share your testimony about the Book of Mormon with 1 friend this week. I promise that, as you look and pray for opportunities to do so, Heavenly Father will bless you!!

Love,
Élder Zubeldia

Hooray!! My Companion is healthy!!!

Dear Family,

I love you all so much!!!

I am happy to be a missionary!! This week we began to see the ward begin to respond positively to the way we love them. We had three families come to us and tell us that they have non-member family (who are in our area!!) that they want us to teach!! We are going to work with them and help them to feel prepared as we help their family begin to come unto Christ!!

Our ward secretary, Hno. Angel Herráiz, is absolutely INCREDIBLE!!!! He used to be the Barcelona Stake President. He made an online ward list/map, and enabled us to be co-editors, and we are being hugely blessed by this help!! He is such an example of hard work and faithfulness; he does the right things for the right reasons. What a blessing it is to have such a phenomenal priesthood leader to work with!!

Our Bishop, David Solís Duarte, is a missionary-hearted man. We are working closely with him, and both times that we've given him cookies, we've seen how focused and faithful he is. We watched part of the Work of Salvation Broadcast with him, and received inspiration for how to hasten the work in our ward. We are trying to lift the ánimo of the ward council, and also of the ward; there is nothing too hard for the Lord!!

Our Mini-CCM is something that both wards are involved in and excited about. We are working with the missionaries, leaders, and members (particularly youth and YSA) of both wards. We are going to try and communicate better, to increase the attendance. This activity has the full support of both Bishops, and we feel that the Lord is strengthening Zion here in Barcelona.

What I love about my companion is how patient he is. He isn't quick to complain, and he is meek. He's been sick from multiple things, we visited the hospital, we're medicating him, and he's such a good sport!! He is completely fine, mostly, and we're going to be able to GO TO WORK even more this next transfer because of it!!! :D

I have been focused recently on accountability, especially to the Lord, and have pondered a lot the Personal Study Activity suggested at the end of Chapter 8 of PMG. I am trying to live the gospel better, by exercising and developing more faith, striving to have a repentant heart, and keeping my covenants. I hope that the Spirit will work through me, so that I can be useful to the Lord.

I know that as we read together the Book of Mormon, and take the time to discuss the doctrines that drive the stories, we'll feel the Spirit testify of its truthfulness. That's why we have FHE´s -- to participate together in a spiritually edifying experience!!

It's also why we read the Book of Mormon with the people we teach. We teach people from all over the world here in Barcelona, and one of our friends is from México (¡¡VIVA MÉXICO!!). Yesterday in our Noche De Hogar (FHE) with a mexican family in our ward, we spent the entire time just reading 1 Nephi 2. Our friend and the young children were asking lots of questions, and we all shared answers and thoughts. Our friend didn't think he would like the Book of Mormon because it's not the Bible, and for the past 6 months he hasn't wanted to really progress. Now that we're taking the time to read with him, to answer his questions, and to explain to him the lessons that the Lord teaches through His Prophets in the Book of Mormon, he's becoming more and more convinced of the truthfulness of the Restoration of Christ's true church.

I know that there is power granted from Heavenly Father when we do His will. When Nephi received his personal answer from Heavenly Father, the first thing that he did was to share what he had learned with his brothers. When we work together as members and missionaries, and apply the lessons that we learn, Heavenly Father will do miracles through us among our brothers and sisters. I know that this is Heavenly Father's work. I am so grateful to be a part of it.

Please take time tonight to read in 1 Nephi 2. What were the differences between Nephi and his oldest 2 brothers? Who is the "Sam" in our lives that we could share our testimony with? Please pray and ask Heavenly Father to help you feel the desire to share your testimony with "Sam". I promise that as you prayerfully seek guidance, and act, Heavenly Father will bless your efforts to share your testimonies.

Love,
Élder Zubeldia

Look to Him to see His hand

Dear Family (all of you),

I love you so much!!! Never forget it!! I LOVE YOU, and what's more evident and eternally significant, HEAVENLY FATHER LOVES YOU, TOO!!!

This week was interesting. My companion was sick all week, and so we barely left our apartment. He's been sick for the past three weeks, and I've been trying to take care of him, but he got worse, and so we spent 8 hours in the Emergency Room on Friday. No, it's not because it was life-threatening, it's just how some things work sometimes here.

You might think, "Well, if you hardly got to leave your apartment then the only miracle that could have happened would be that the apartment got cleaned!", which it of course did, but Heavenly Father can do more.

When we face problems or challenges, it is a moment to remember that Heavenly Father is there. He is watching us, and what is more, He is trying to help us. At times our faith is tried, our hope dims, or our ánimo is tested. He expects us to find solutions, to search, to be quick to observe, and to refocus on others. We need to have good cheer and do diligently all that is in our power. As we do this, and turn to Him then, He will do miracles

Heavenly Father loves us and He wants for us to benefit from all of the blessings that He has. He will guide us and strengthen us, and if we are consistently obedient, and tirelessly diligent, we will see His hand bless our situation.

Last night my companion finally asked for a blessing. The Spirit was there, and afterwards, my companion told me, "That was exactly what I needed". He then stood up and said that he was done with being sick, and that he was going to work hard this week.

It's hard to describe how impactful moments are while receiving an answer to prayers. I just know that Heavenly Father hears me, and that He is working wonders among us.

If He listens to me, He has, does, and will listen to you.
I know that Heavenly Father loves us, and that if we live the gospel, we will be happier. If we are persistent, and develop faith, hope, and charity, we will see His hand in our lives.

I love this work!! Love you!!

Love,
Élder Zubeldia

2015: A Bright Year!!!

Dear Beloved Family,

I am so happy to be a missionary!!

I want you to know something: please don't feel bad for me being sent to Barcelona for Christmas, instead of being with our family in Bilbao. I am happy to be here!! I know Who and Why I'm serving; it's all about His work and His glory. I have been called to serve; no sirvo para "´call´ the shots". Heavenly Father wants me to serve here in Barcelona with Élder Sorensen; so I want to serve Barcelona and Élder Sorensen.

Please don't feel bad for me; feel happy with me!!

Miracles are happening here in Barcelona!! We had 20 youth and YSA come to our Mini-MTC, and they loved it!! Their leaders supported the activity by serving food afterward, and then everyone stayed and attended Dayanara's baptismal service!! I asked the youth at church what it was that they had liked most about the Mini-MTC, and they said that they loved the Prácticas!! They're coming back for sure, next week!!! This week they are going to study the Restoration folleto, and they are going to give it to someone during the week before our next Mini-MTC!!! Miracles are happening in our two wards!!!

My scripture of the week: "Behold, I speak with boldness, having authority from God; and I fear not what man can do; for perfect love casteth out all fear." (Moroni 8:16) What a great scripture!!!!

I know that Heavenly Father knows each of us, and that He loves us. Jesus Christ gave a perfect example for us, and because of Him, I can become happier by living the gospel and keeping my covenants. I know that He restored the way for us to make covenants with Him through Joseph Smith, because I've felt the Spirit tell me it's true. I felt that same Spirit tell me that the Book of Mormon is true. I first felt that 5 years ago, and since then, I decided that I wanted everyone to discover these things for themselves!!

I'm grateful to say that I feel that same Spirit here and now. If you would like to feel this for yourselves, try this little test:

Decide that you want to share the gospel with someone.
Today, pray for an opportunity to share your testimony with someone.
Make sure that you read the scriptures and pray before you walk out of your bedroom.
Keep your eyes open for an opportunity; it might come when you least expect it.
Keep your heart open and listen to the Spirit; cut out the distractions in your environment.
Share your smile and your spirit with people you interact with today.

If it doesn't happen to you today, repeat this tomorrow, and everyday. You can feel the thrill and peace of missionary work every day. If you do this, Heavenly Father will bless you, and you will feel the blessing promised to you in the Sacrament, that His Spirit will always be with you. I know that this is true, and I invite you to put this idea to the test every day this week, sincerely and with an attitude of prayer.

May you feel the love and blessings of heaven!!

Happy Reyes!! Happy Reinas!!

Love,
Élder Zubeldia