We see miracles everyday and I wouldn't change the hard times.....

Week #10
(Rachels email to Heidi)
Mama' I miss you and family as well...obviously!

So Sister Mardell is the cutest! (I am on a missionary moms page and I met Megan Mardell on that site.  She said she was currently living in Valencia, so I emailed her about Rachel.)  The first thing she said was that she talked to you! She also had to take a picture to send to  you so you should be getting that soon I hope. It's so nice to be in an American home! We had pancakes! I don't even love pancakes but it was the best meal in the entire world!!!  We had real syrup too! That's a rarity. She's awesome though. Brother Mardell  is working at the university in Valencia. He is a professor so they travel a lot. He supervises or something like that. I'm not exactly sure. I'm so glad you're on that site though. it sounds like its awesome!

Megan Mardells response to my email about Rachel serving in Valencia:

September 24th, 2013

Hi Heidi,
We met Hermana Barker last Sunday at church. She is coming to comida/lunch this Saturday and we are so excited to get to know her better. They are actually serving in another ward, but attend our ward often if they can get investigators to attend then with them. We don't have a set of Hermanas in our ward so we are delighted to spend time with those from the other wards. I think they are serving in the 1st ward and we are in the 3rd ward. I will tell her I met you on MMs. The Hermanas are working hard and we love them!

 Megan Wardell
Valencia, Spain
MM to Elder Justin Wardell
AZ, Tucson Mission, 7/2012 to 7/2014

Megan Mardells email to me this week about her cita (lunch appointment) with Hermana Barker: 
September 28th, 2013

Dear Heidi,
We really enjoyed having Hermana Barker and her companions for lunch today. They are all delightful. It was really great to get to know Hermana Barker a little better. They are working hard and had appointments this afternoon after we ate. They left us with a message from Mosiah in the Book of Mormon. They said all we have to do is believe in Christ and then if we believe we will do the things that we believe in. We talked about how simple it is, and yet how easy it is to think we are just busy and will read or pray tomorrow or later. So we all just need to do the things we believe we should. They have a great spirit with them and it was a pleasure to have them share their spirit here with us in our home. I will try to send a photo later, it is on my husband's phone and he has gone to bed. Hope you are all well in your family.

Love,
Megan Wardell

I hope my letter home didn't sound too sad, because I am definately not sad. It's been hard but it's been rewarding as well. We see miracles every day and I wouldn't change the hard times. I grow so much from them. Also, we had intercombios (planning meetings) this week so Hermana Tuttle went to another area to see how the sisters were doing. She's a sister trainer leader so kind of like a zone leader for the sisters. Anyway, Hermana Walker and I flew solo. At first I was a little scared, but our citas (appointments)were awesome and my Spanish was so much better that day. It was definitely a blessing. Not having Hermana Tuttle to rely on really made me push myself to talk and understand the people. I am excited for next transfer to maybe have to push myself in the Spanish.

Also we had an exciting story a few weeks ago that I forgot to write about. The police came to our door!!! They said an old man had slipped because our air conditioner is leaking water off the side of our balcony. Basically he was yelling at us in Spanish and I couldn't understand anything!! I told him my Spanish wasn't very good so he asked who we were and we told him we were missionaries.  His whole demeanor changed. He stopped yelling and told us that he would let us off with a warning, but that we need to be careful because what happend could result in a fine of 500 euros and getting kicked out of our piso! It was crazy. The Lords hand was definitely in that!

I want to share a short (I hope) story about a girl in the ward. She is from Spain and she is 23 years old. She has severe anorxia and has huge problems with her health.  She went on a mission to Malaga (southern Spain) but was too sick and had to come home. She meets with the missionaries every once in a while because she likes to talk to them. She doesn't have much support at home because she's the only member in her family. I met her the first week we were in church but we never met with her as missionaries. When I asked the other sisters why, they said its hard because we can't help in any way so its kind of pointless to meet with her a lot. That first sunday I went up and talked to her and befriended her. Now she is like my best friend ha. She sits by me every Sunday and calls like 3 times a week just to talk to me. She doesn't speak much English so our conversations aren't super in depth but they're awesome. She also eats now 3 times a week which is the most she has eaten in 2 years! She called me today and said she was having a hard time and asked if I would pray with her on the phone. It was so sweet. It really has helped me to not get discouraged about not having a lot of investigators because I know I am helping her. It shows me that we're not here just to baptize, we are here to help as well.

Well not much else has happened. We had a birthday party today for an Elder! Sister Walker and I made brownies with oreos on top (of course). The Elders are awesome! Our zone is awesome and I love p-days when we just get to relax and talk about investigators and families. I get to brag about how cool my family is to everyone.

Well I love you all so much! I am going to send pictures next week. I forgot my cord today but next week for sure. Transfers are in two weeks! I have almost made it through my first transfer! Crazy right. idk about all of you, but it feels like I have been here for years already!  The weeks really are flying by. I hope all is well with school and work and health. Love you all and miss you all a ton. You have no idea how much I miss you and how much I am thankful for such a strong family. It truly is a blessing to be born into a family that is close and so supportive. The mission has really made me grateful for where I have come from, and all the great examples in my life. Remember that no matter where you are and what youre doing people are watching. Be an example and remember who you are!

¡con todo mi amor!

hermana barker

(Rachels email to Ron)

I'm starting to think the rain is coming. It's getting colder and darker every day! Hopefully it won't be too miserable, but at least I don't have to sit through football games in it! 

I am doing well. This last week was just tougher than the rest, but the good times still overcome the bad. I will try to write detailed letters more often. It's just to hard to write details in emails because I don't have a ton of time. Tell mom to feel free to put anything in the written letters on the blog as well if she feels like she wants to. The hardest thing about the investigators is exactly what you said…there's nothing we can do but pray for them. It's hard for me because it's out of my control and I like to be in control of things in my life. The hardest part is watching them slowly fall away and doing all I can without success. One thing this week that I heard that really hit me was that there is a talk somewhere that talks about investigators falling away. It says that no matter what happens in this life, every investigator you teach will find you in heaven and thank you or give you a hug. I thought that was so cool to think about and it gave me a little bit of comfort.

Transfers are on October 15. I am 99 percent sure I will stay in this area to finish my last 6 weeks of training but anything can happen so we will see. After the next transfer I could possibly train! That would be crazy but such a good challenge for me!

As for General Conference it is weird here. It is broadcasted in our chapel in Spanish and English. The Saturday morning session is on Saturday night here and then we have three sessions on Sunday, but the last session is shown after we have to be back in our room, so we will watch the last session on Tuesday at district meeting. Please feel free to send links to talks that you like! I would love to be able to talk about conference with you all so that might be a good way to do it. We get the Ensign after and I would love to read the talks that stuck out to all of you!

What is General Conference?  (Click for more information)

General Conference can be seen on BYU TV, 
Saturday  & Sunday 9:00am - 11:00am and 1:00pm-3:00pm 

Well, I hope everyone starts to feel better! I love you all and have missed you more this week than any other time in my life, but I know I am supposed to be here and everyone I meet solidifies that I have a reason to be in Spain! Send my love to all and tell grandma and grandpa I sent a letter so it should be coming this week!

Love you, you really are the best! Your words and your apoyo (support) really help me a lot. So thank you for that! Feel better and be safe

amor para siempre

hermana barker

www.mormonnewsroom.org/additional-resource/what-is-general-conference