April 30, 2013

Hello everyone!

This past week has been pretty crazy, but I don't remember too much about it since it was a blur. I'll go over what happened Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday though as well as details about the flight and such.

Before going to Sunday, we got transfers information and I'm going home (surprise surprise) and Elder Lyman was going to be in a trio here in Cuenca. We then got a call from the Mission Office explaining that he will be in a trio here because he is going to be an Office Elder. Specifically the Secretary. It's funny since I was talking about the office a lot while I was there in Cuenca and explaining the importance of empadronamiento [census]. He will now understand it from a deeper level.

Anyway, Sunday it snowed in Cuenca, which was crazy since I haven't seen snow in Spain since I've been here. It snowed a bit in Valladolid before I left for Madrid, but nothing too crazy. The Branch President of Cuenca offered to give us a ride to church and back since it was cold and snowy. Elder Lyman and I played a bit in the snow since we had to wait for him to arrive. We also explored the underground parking since we could and had the time.

Church was interesting to say the least. I spoke about missionary work and it seemed like I was giving my farewell talk, which I guess I kind of was, but you know, whatever. Then the Branch President's son Ezequiel (or something like that) got up and spoke, and it turned into a farewell talk for me too. He invited others to come up to the stand and share thoughts and feelings about me, and although I don't think you are supposed to do that, it was very touching to me since I feel I didn't make a huge impact, but I guess I did. Every member of the branch spoke a bit and were standing on the stand by the end of his talk and it was weird and kind of cool at the same time. We then ate with the Branch President and his family at the church building and then went home for medio dia [lunch break]. We then decided to stop by some member's houses so that I can say goodbye to them as well as some investigators that are awesome. The last place we stopped by was the Notario family and they made me a cake and I ate as much as I could of it. It was great. Their oldest daughter who worked at the CCM made me a card too, signed by the members of the branch. I loved it!

The Notario family saying goodbye to Elder Bauer

Monday we were off to Madrid by bus to pick up Elder Lyman's new companions for three weeks until he gets sent to the office, and to drop me off with others that are going home. On the way back, we passed by a section that was still very much snowy and had pine trees. It looked really pretty! We got to the bus station and got picked up by the office elders and were taken to the Stake Center. I remember what happened from here from the office days, but I didn't think that I would see this from the perspective of the Elder going home. I was both excited and bummed that it was ending so soon. We got to the Stake Center and had our meeting there, then the elders that were going home were set loose to go around Madrid since it was P-Day. Elder Perkins and I decided to be companions for the day and we went to a restaurant to say goodbye to some other missionaries and to get some food near the Atocha train station. We then went to San Sebastian de los Reyes. I wanted to see about getting some small Span flags and last minute souvenirs before leaving and Elder Perkins was okay with that too.

Elders Bauer, Perkins, and Hermana Volquardsen

The last dinner in the Mission Home

Group of Missionaries leaving

We then took the bus up to the Mission Home and had our final dinner and our final interview with President Jackson. I was reunited with Elder Hilton and that was a fun experience. We talked about our mission and it was great. He had family come up to tour his mission for a week, so even though he lives in Texas, he didn't fly back with me. We then saw the Office Elders and I talked to my Office Grandchild Elder Pluim a bit and that was fun. He took my residency card, and that was sad to see it go. I had that card since the Valladolid days. Anyways, the Hermanas [Sisters] that were going home then went to their room, and the Elders went to our room which was off the kitchen. It looked like a garage, but had six to eight bunk beds. We were weighing our maletas [suitcases] and getting things ready for our trip home. I took a lot of stuff out of my large suitcase and left it there for anyone to take so that I could be under the weight limit. We then took turns showering and getting ready for bed. I could honestly say that I didn't sleep too well.

Office Elders Levorson and Pluim

Room I slept in, those are my new suitcases on the left

Tuesday was the day. I was so nervous that I couldn't sit still. The office Elders came to take everyone but me to the airport since my flight wasn't until later. I walked around the empty mission home since President and Sister Jackson had to go early as well. When the office elders came back they had another missionary that was either going home or to the islands with them, so that was fun. They were going to drop him off first and then me since his flight left before mine does. The Elders that came to get me were Elders Johnson and Winkelkotter, the pedidos [orders] and piso [apartment] Elders.

We got going and they were using the TomTom [GPS] to guide them to the airport, and they took an exit I had never taken before. It ended in a dead end. The elders were confused and didn't know where to go or how to get to the airport. I then told them that since I was in the office before, I still knew how to get there. I then sat up front and guided them to Terminal 2 where the first Elder had to go. I then guided them to Terminal 4 where I needed to go and that was fun. I was an "Office Elder" just before I left, haha. I then checked my bags and sat at the gate that I would be boarding my direct flight to Texas. An older couple was sitting near me and started talking to me in English explaining that they were members going back to the states. We talked for a bit and I mentioned that I was finishing my mission and such.

We then boarded the plane and I was in the very back of the plane. Literally I could see where the flight attendants came out to serve stuff. I tried to sleep, but the Enya song with the lyrics "on my way home, I remember, every good day" was going through my head. Made me remember the great days of the mission. The flight was the longest flight I have ever been on, and I got up a few times to stretch my legs. 10 hour flight! Also the longest day of my life! I landed and was heading over to customs, and the line was super long. I couldn't even see the customs table it was so long.

I finally got though and was getting my luggage. Nerves crept in since I haven't seen my family in a long time. I got to where the door was to greet them, and stopped for a moment. I knew that when I walked through those doors, it would be pretty much the end of my mission. I took a deep breath and walked through the doors. Very warm welcome home from my family, and I was happy and sad at the same time. We then drove to Weatherford to get me released by the Stake President, but he wasn't there. We had to go to his house which was in a different town. We had eaten dinner and I had drank a proper cup of Root Beer for the first time in a long while and I was feeling very sleepy since I had been awake already for over a day. We got to his house and he interviewed me and had me take my chapa [name tag] off. Literally the hardest thing I have ever done. I didn't want to do it, and it I didn't for the longest time. I finally did and my two year mission was completed.

When we got home I started unpacking a bit to show my family the stuff I had and the swords that I had as well. I also needed my pajamas, which was my main reason for unpacking, but I decided to show them things as well. Thank you for following me on my adventure. It was a great one that's for sure, even though I miss it greatly. This may be the longest post here yet, but I hope you don't mind taking a peek into a missionary's mind when coming home after a full two years of serving the Lord. I can honestly say that I have a great testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is His church, and He is the one at the helm. Although the mission is hard, I can honestly say that the past two years were the best two years of my life to this point and I would not trade them for anything. A lot of growth has come of these two years and I hope to have the opportunity to serve again later on in life.

April 27, 2013 - Editor's Note

Alex will be returning this Tuesday (April 30, 2013) and will be speaking in our ward on May 12, 2013.  Those interested in attending the meeting (and he will speak in both the English and Spanish meetings) please let us know so we can give you more information on meeting times, and location.

April 22, 2013

Cuenca is a United Nations World Heritage Site.  It was established by the Moors in the 700s and has been walled ever since.  It is a well preserved medieval Spanish city.

Dad and Family,

This week has been full of buff fingers!! We´ve been tocando timbres [ringing doorbells] and knocking doors for a good while this week! Super cool, but also super crazy! We´ve become timbre [doorbell], door knocking machines here in Cuenca! I´m glad that all has gone well over there in Texas! So today I got my flight itinerary for the 30th of April. I got a crazy feeling of nerves as well as just missing Spain. It was pretty much the same feeling that I got when I opened my call, but not the whole shaking and nearly falling over on the floor dead, but the realization that I´m going home....just....crazy!!! Enya is calming me down as I write this email though so it´s all good. Haahahahahaaaaa. Anyway, on to my week!!

So Monday of last week we visited an investigator couple and it was a good visit, we actually ended the night with them. We talked about 3 Nephi 11 and watched the last scene of The Testaments and it was good. Little kids running around all of the time, but it´s really funny and I guess it´s okay if they are little kids. Before them we taught another couple and we pretty much talked about obedience to the commandments of God, especially the Word of Wisdom since he´s having trouble with that commandment. He´s a cool guy, but he just has a bit of trouble with that, and going to church, but his job doesn´t really allow him to do so. He did say that he´d come this next week.
 

More of the walls surrounding the old town of Cuenca.

Tuesday we had four lessons set up so we were pretty happy! Unfortunately little by little, they went failing. Oh well, we did just as you probably thought! We knocked doors, just like the grand machines that we are!! We did teach Jose, the recent convert from the Dominican Republic, about Temples! Super cool and he looks happy like usual! Aside from that, knocking doors! Later on in the night we took the last bus to Madrid so that we could go to the Temple the next day!!! Speaking of Temples, haha.

Wednesday we started early since our session in the Temple was the first one, at 8:00 AM, so we left and took the bus over to Pavones. It was a cool little experience!! I just LOVE the Spain Madrid Temple!!! Super pretty and just amazing! I stayed in the celestial room for a long time since I knew it was the last time that I´d see that Temple. Super sad. =( I just noticed that I use the word super a lot, as well as the exclamation points, sort of overuse them super too super much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Oh well, it´s just that everything is super amazing and super cool that I just have to use the super word "super" a lot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! As well as these ->! Anyway, moving on. We then did exchanges and I came back to Cuenca with Elder Shumway, our wonderful district leader and it was a great day of knocking doors. We had a good day too, but the lessons failed us again. We did have one lesson, and she´s pretty cool!! She´s known missionaries before and has a mini testimony of the truth, but it just needs to be nurtured a little bit more, just like in Alma 32!!! We then knocked doors some more!


Elder Bauer in Cuenca

Thursday was not weekly planning since I wasn´t with my companion. HA, tricked you guys!! We taught a cool Spanish guy! He´s super awesome and super cool!!!!! He pretty much said that the first visit was going to be to get to know each other and then we´d speak of religion a bit later. I thought, cool, that´s what the first lesson is for!! So we did just that, and then he asked us if we could share a 5 minute summary of what our message is. So, we did just that, pretty much putting everything together into a big mesh with the Plan of Salvation and mixing it up to make sense. Later he asked us what we would say to a guy that would have 5 minutes to live. Elder Shumway told him that he´d say that there´s the esperanza [hope] (English is bad) that he´d see his family again after death. Then he told us a bit of what Jesus Christ means for him. Super cool testimony!! We then talked over peanuts and Coca Cola. Super cool guy!! His wife is from Holland, and speaks English really well! Then guess what we did. If you guessed knock some more doors, you´re RIGHT!!!! You just won a prize!!! Go buy yourself a prize since I don´t have one for you. Hahaha. Elder Shumway then left and I was with Jose for 45 minutes until Elder Lyman came.

Friday we actually had lessons!! But before that, we had weekly planning!! Super fun!!!! We then had medio día [lunch break], then we went to the lessons! We taught one of our couple investigator, but the husband wasn´t there.  We took Jose with us so it was all good!! Super good!!! We pretty much asked her why she wanted to get baptized since she expressed desires for that. She pretty much just said that she would have to think about it and visit the church to make the decision. That´s fine, since I wouldn´t baptize someone that hasn´t gone to church. We then visited another couple, and that was a pretty stressful lesson. He was just sharing scriptures that didn´t have anything to do with the lesson and also asked really random questions. I eventually told him that he should listen to my companion since he was talking at the time. Since then he was pretty quiet. I´m not sure how things will work with them, but we´ll see. We ended the night with Petra and her husband. We shared the talk that Elder Holland gave, and they liked it!! They didn´t see it, but did watch General Conference. They missed the Sunday evening session, but that´s common here in Spain. We then ate with them.

As Elder Bauer explains this picture, "it is a waterfall thingy".

Saturday we had English Classes with Sabrina and her friend Elio, then had a lesson about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Super cool lesson, but to me it felt a bit long. We then ate with Sabrina and Elio and as usual, the food was good!! We then did what you could guess, yup, knocked some more doors!!! All of the lessons failed again!

Sunday we had Church and it was good, but weird to think that it was my second to last Sunday in Spain! We then had lunch with President Vaquera and his family there at the church since they live in Madrid. Crazy how far they have to drive to get to their branch that they are assigned to go to. We then knocked doors until 7:30 when we went over to an investigator couple’s house. He was tired so we just talked for a while and that´s about it. We then went over to Ana’s house. She´s really awesome and just loves the missionaries. She is less active since she can´t go to church because of her handicapped son. We sang a hymn and shared a bit of the significance of the hymn and then ended with another hymn. Super cool since she loves the hymns!! We then walked home the long way.

On a hike around Cuenca

Today we went on a 7 km hike!! Super awesome!!!!! We pretty much left Cuenca and came back! Crazy stuff!! Anyway, I hope that all is going well over there in Texas! I´ll talk to you next week...but seriously...in person!!!! Love you...BYE!!!!!!

Elder Bauer

Cuenca from the surrounding hills

April 15, 2013

Cuenca from the bridge between the San Pablo Monastery (now Parador), and the city of Cuenca

Another view of Cuenca

Hello all y´all!!

 

I just had to practice my Texan accent if I´m going home in 2 weeks. I must say that I´m more nervous than excited about that, but I can honestly say that I´m not letting it get to my head so that I can continue being the missionary that God needs me to be! This week has been full of cool stuff, and long trips, but it´s been really cool!! I´m hoping that things continue to go well over there at home and that you guys have a good week this next week!! I´m really looking forward to the growth of Cuenca in the weeks and months to come!! Anyway on to my week!!

So Monday we went to an investigator’s house after we did the Cristo hike, but then her boyfriend left the house, so that meant that we would have to leave as well. Bummer since I wanted to get to know her a bit more before that happened. Oh well, rules are rules. We then went to another home.  He is a less active member and I really hope to help him come back and gain a testimony! We haven´t been able to do too much with him, but we did teach him about faith, prayer, reading the scriptures and going to church. I hope that something comes out from that! Not too much else that day.

Elder Bauer's set of keys

Tuesday we did quite a bit of finding out there on the streets of Cuenca! Some of the people are the ones that burn up in the sun and wither away. Others get eaten by the birds. Some actually take root, but then wither away since they were in shallow ground. One of them is among thorns and weeds, so we´re trying to help them grow and get rid of the weeds. Overall, we do have a few that have the potential of bearing fruit and we may be able to see the fruits of our labors! (I knew that you´d enjoy that dad. It wasn´t even my idea, Elder Lyman, my companion, gave me the idea.)

 Pretty cool how many people we have found in just two hours! Not too many, but more than normal since we contacted like machines!! We then went and ate with a member and it was good food like usual!! I like food!! Food is good! Makes your stomach all happy and stuff!! Anyway, we then taught an investigator a bit of Mosiah 24 since she´s having a few problems and basically the message was to help her see that there are examples of people that suffered in the Book of Mormon, so it was good! We then saw another investigator, and it´s pretty difficult to teach her, since she goes on about other things. We then had English Classes, and a lot more people came than last week!! We had a full class of 2 people.....HA, that´s not full. We haven´t really put in an effort to pass out little cards either, but oh well. We´d better get on that!! Well, that´s it for Tuesday.

Wednesday we didn´t have very much go on, but we did get to visit two people! We visited one of those that we found that was “among the weeds”, but we hope to be able to help her out of them. Her husband isn´t really interested in the message, and doesn´t show hope of understanding it. Adriana though, she has potential and I hope that the potential doesn´t die away. We basically got to know them and gave them the Book of Mormon and a pamphlet of the restoration. She started to read it while we were there, and she said that she really likes it and will read it!! I was really happy!!! Later we finished the night with a family from Peru! They are pretty cool, but the lesson could have gone a bit better on both of our parts. I have a lot to learn still. We pretty much just shared the restoration and they liked it! They then had us stay and we ate with them! It was really good food!! I just love the food here!

A plant growing in the missionary apartment (hopefully that is the only thing growing in their apartment)

Thursday we had weekly planning and it was pretty good!! We planned for a lot of people since we found a lot of people (as mentioned above, haha)! We then went and helped a kid with English, but it didn´t help him out a lot since he doesn´t study...ever!! Oh well, but I really hope that he studies and then he wouldn´t feel the way he does. At four we went with Jose, and taught a new investigator, actually a less active member that works every Sunday.  We got to know her and it was pretty cool! She´s from the Dominican Republic and it was a cool little visit! We then tried to go and visit someone else, but they weren´t home, so we had to go to the bus station to go to Madrid for zone conference and so we did that. When we got to Madrid at 8:30 or 9, we went and visited someone from Barrio 8. Super cool family and they are members. It was a cool little visit!

Friday I saw the Temple from up close for the first time in 5 months!! It´s pretty cool how I really needed to be close to it after so long!! I just love the Temple!! Super cool and lovely! We then had the conference and it was one of the best ones that I´ve had on the mission!! I really enjoyed it!! I felt edified and it was just awesome!! We then ate Dominoes Pizza and it was good!! Elder Lyman and I then went to the bus station and tried to get the 4:30 bus, but it was full, so we had to wait until 6:30. We walked around and it was fine. We finally got back and contacted for the rest of the night.
Saturday we went to the church and did a "service project" which was move the ping pong table from the bottom floor to the top floor. We had to buy some tools to do it and we succeeded!! We had Jose there helping us so it wasn´t too hard. In the evening we saw an investigator and her friend. We committed her friend to come to church and he accepted so it was good! Later we saw another investigator and her husband and it was a mini English class. We left soon after that to go over to a member’s house, and visited her to help her animo [enthusiasm] go up! She hasn´t been to church for a month and so that could be a reason why she´s feeling sad and down. I hope that we helped her out. We then visited an investigator and it was a good visit. I´m not sure if he´ll progress, but we´ll see as time goes on.

Madrid, Spain Temple

Yesterday was church and we had testimony meeting. I bore mine on missionary work, of course, and it was good!! The whole meeting was good so yeah!! I liked it. We then met with a less active Dominican lady and she´s cool!! She has a bit of the desire to return and her husband is also Dominican and he has potential!! I have huge hopes for Cuenca!! Later on we saw an investigator in whom we had great expectations, and he doesn´t have as much hope as I had hoped for. He would take anything that we say or teach, and look it up on the internet. I told him that we have to look through prayer, to be able to get the answers and then committed him to read the pamphlet that we left him and pray about it. He accepted so I really hope that he does that. We finished the night with an investigator from Africa. We talked about how trials are like when Nephi built the boat [see 1 Nephi 17, and 1 Nephi 18]; we could either give up, or do as Nephi did and do what the Lord told him to do! Super cool!! I loved this week!! They just keep going by faster and faster!! Wednesday we have the opportunity to go back to Madrid and go to the Temple!! Super cool and exciting for me!! I can´t wait!! I hope that this next week is good for you guys!! Take care and I´ll talk to you soon!! Love you all!!

Elder Bauer

April 8, 2013

It's P-day.  We are going to hike there.  Yes, even on P-day we are inviting all to come unto Christ!

Okay - now can you see the statue on top of the hill?

Family,

Well, this week was amazing!! I can honestly say that I´ve seen more miracles here in Cuenca this week than last week!! Super cool the conference, it was the great end to the week, but unfortunately we couldn´t see it all. We only saw all of the Saturday sessions, except for President Thomas S. Monson´s talk in the priesthood session, but I´ll have to find time to watch them. Well, like I said, this week has been great!! Let me tell you about it!!

So, I don´t remember if I told you, but last week on Sunday, we had the Madrid Temple President come and talk to us about the temples and missionary work. He related experiences about when he was mission president of the Spain Barcelona Mission and it was really cool! He related an experience where the zone of these two missionaries set a goal for so many baptisms. It was the end of the month, and they didn´t get their goal, they were one away. So these missionaries decided to miss their Sunday meetings to find this baptism. While they were sitting on a bench, this person gets off of a bus and asks them if they were missionaries of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. They said that they were, and the person said that he had all of the lessons and that was ready for baptism. They reviewed all of the lessons to make sure, and he was baptized the same Sunday. Super cool story that comes into play later into my week.

Coming to Christ does lift you above the common place.  (View of Cuenca from the hike.)

As you know, I was sick on Monday, but it was a miracle that it left me before P-Day ended so I was fine to teach and walk around by 6:30. Super cool how that worked out for me. We had two lessons with less active sisters. With one of them we talked about what impedes her to go to church, and we found out that she gets bored all three hours of Church. We challenged her to come to sacrament meeting at least since it is the most important meeting in the church. She accepted the challenge and we´ll see if she comes. I hope that she does. We then met with the other and pretty much got to know her and see what her doubts were. She´s a lady from Africa and we went with Henry, since he´s from Africa too, super good friendship there. Anyway, we talked about the family and how it´s ordained of God. It was a good lesson, but it was long as well since she answered the phone and talked for 15 minutes or more. I just looked at my companion and we were just there for a long time. We finally got out and it was a good lesson in the end.

Tuesday we did contacts in the morning and it wasn´t the best thing since it´s so cold and rainy all of the time, but we found some people. During medio-día [lunch break] we had lunch with a member and her daughter who´s an investigator, and it was great!  We then had a lesson with another investigator about the restoration. She´s super good. Later on we had a lesson with Jose, the recent convert, and he took us to his "house" to teach him about priesthood and about his calling as branch mission leader. He´s so good! I just love that guy!!

We made it.  We came unto Christ

Right after we got out of his house, we walked a ways away, and sat at bench, and before we sat down, I told my companion, what if what the Temple President (mentioned above) said Sunday actually happened while we sat here on the bench. So I sat down with my companion, and I´m not kidding, 30 seconds later, this Dominican lady stops in front of us and asks us if we were missionaries of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. I was shocked!! I said that we were and she told us that she was a member, but less active that wants to come back to church and wants to know where it is. We told her where it was, and she also gave us her number and address. We found out that she is the owner of the piso [apartment] where Jose lives. We told her that a member lives in her apartment and that she could go to church with him! Super awesome how miracles just happen!!!
Wednesday we had district meeting over the phone since Madrid is a 2.5 hour bus ride. So we had it over the phone, but it was okay, not the best, but okay. Not too much else happened that day. We tried to have lessons, but it wasn´t too successful that day.

Thursday we had weekly planning and it was good, especially since we thought about some prospective new investigators. After planning, we had medio-día [lunch break] in our piso [apartment] and then went over to have a lesson with an investigator. We talked about the Book of Mormon and also a bit of what the plan of salvation is. We also committed her to read 2 Nephi 2 so that she could have a bit of an intro to what we would talk about the next time. It was good. We then taught English to the 14 year old son of an investigator and he´s pretty good, even though he doesn´t take it super serious, but it´s okay, he´s 14 so what should we expect. We ended the night with Petra and her family! Spanish member family, but the two guys are less active. We´re trying to help them come back. It was a good lesson and we talked about how reading the scriptures, prayer, and going to church helps us to have a firm testimony. We then ate dinner with them and it was really good! The dessert was especially good!!

View from the top of the hill (at the foot of the Cristo statue).

Friday we had Noche de Hogar [home evening], with Henry, and that was good, but more of the branch should come, but of course, all of them work. Henry was the only one that showed up, so yeah. Just had it with him.

Saturday we had 3 lessons. One with two new investigators who we met on the street and it was GREAT!! They are from Peru, and they have heard the missionaries before and are wanting to know and learn a bit more. We then went over to an investigator’s house to teach her English and had a lesson after and we taught her the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We extended an invitation to be baptized, but she said that she couldn´t until May. She´ll take that step, but not until then. It´s fine, but yeah, we´ll see what happens. She´s prepared so it should happen soon. We then had another lesson with another investigator, and we read with her 2 Nephi 2 since she didn´t read it. We also explained it and she liked it. We met with her at her new piso [apartment], even though she´s just renting a room. We ate sweets with her after. Good day!

The edge of town from the valley below Cuenca.

Sunday we watched as much of conference as we could. We watched one session with Henry at his house, then got the key to watch it at the church in the branch president´s office. We then went back to the church to watch some more conference, then had a lesson with a new investigator. Daniel, we pretty much just got to know him and talked about the family with him since he has his family here. Really cool guy and I have great hope for him. We then watched a bit more conference, and went over to our new Peruvian investigators’ house. We taught them about faith, prayer, reading the scriptures, and going to church. Elder Lyman did the chicken with the towel and it was pretty cool!! There were kids there so it was fun for them. We also gained another investigator there with a friend of theirs. Super awesome!! We then watched as much of conference as we could until it got late and we had to go to the piso [apartment]. We got there at 10:00 PM, just on time.

Today we saw the hanging houses as well as going on a hike and saw the Cristo at the top of a mountain, and then saw really cool rock formations in the mountains on our way down to the hanging houses. I hope that all of you are doing good!! Take care and I´ll talk to you next week. Long letter and short on time. Love you all!!

Elder Bauer

The most famous of the hanging houses of Cuenca.

April 1, 2013

Old part of Cuenca

A picture from the older portion of Cuenca

Dad and Family,
Well, today I don´t have my agenda with me, but that´s fine since the week wouldn´t be sharing the whole thing. Let’s just say that it was a good, but very hard week!! We finished the former investigators and the members list, so now we are going to have to contact a lot more than I have ever contacted in my life. Oh well, I´m sure that someone is out there waiting. We have met some pretty cool people, but we´ll see if anything comes from them!

One of the famous casas colgantes (hanging houses) of Cuenca

A neighborhood of hanging houses of Cuenca

So last P-Day we saw the old part of Cuenca, and it´s really cool!! I saw the casas colgantes [hanging houses] from the mountain that we were from. It was pretty cool! We also saw a cathedral and other cool stuff so yeah, super cool! Not too much has been going on, but this Sunday we did have the temple president come and talk to us about temples, and it was really curious because it helped me resolve many doubts that I had as far as opening Cuenca. It´s pretty cool how that happens! I left that meeting very uplifted and have thought of many things that I can do to improve!

Living on the edge in Cuenca

Elder Bauer overlooking the edge of Cuenca

We also saw a miracle this week!! So while we were doing the members list, we came across a piso [apartment] where there was a lady. There lived the member, but he wasn´t there at the time. We talked to the lady, and she had the missionaries before in Madrid, and loved the church!! Super cool and since then we´ve had a lesson and she came to the Noche de Hogar [home evening] at the church and went to church on Sunday!!! Super cool and I have a lot of hope for her!! Not much else so this is going to be really REALLY short! Take care and I´ll talk to you guys soon!! Love you all!

Elder Bauer

The cathedral in the plaza mayor in Cuenca

The former convent of San Pablo, and now a Parador Hotel

March 25, 2013

Our neighborhood in Cuenca

Hello there Family!!

Well, I can honestly say that Cuenca is much COLDER than Las Palmas. I´m freezing, but it´s also good. I´m trying to have a good attitude about it by telling myself that I missed the cold. I also have a cold, the sickness, which is not cool either. Oh well, all part of the experience. Cuenca is a small town, and it compares to Parla in smallness. It´s cooler than Parla though, since it has old buildings and stuff. My new companion is Elder Lyman, from Utah! He´s a really cool, chill sort of guy!! He´s a really hard worker and also is very diligent in his work!! I was hoping to train my last transfer, but I know that Elder Lyman is my companion for a reason, and I´ll learn all I can from him! We both have pretty high expectations for Cuenca and I´m excited to work with him a bit more these next few weeks!! Nine members came to church and we have a goal that by the end of the transfer it will go up to 20 or 25. We also have a goal for 2 baptisms here in Cuenca before the transfer ends. Super cool and I´m super excited.

Elder Lyman (next to an old mini Cooper)

Anyway, as you already know, we didn´t make it to Cuenca on Monday since we didn´t make it to the train on time. Tuesday we did make it!! We went in an Alvia Train, which hit a top speed of 252 KPH which was pretty cool!! When we made it here, our piso dueño [landlord] picked us up and took us to our piso [apartment]. It´s pretty far out of town, but really nice!! It´s brand new as well!! We visited a few members and that was it for the night.

Note how you can see mountains from our neighborhood!

Wednesday we spent all morning organizing the three area books that we have of former investigators. We called as many of them that had phone numbers and also set up a few appointments with members, but only were only able to visit with Henry, a member from Africa, and an English teacher here in Cuenca. We also saw an investigator who is ready for baptism. Super fun day, but cold. Haha.

Thursday we had weekly planning, and we planned during the morning hours and have great expectations for this area. We then went out and visited a Dominican family who are less active, and Jose, a recent convert and Branch Mission Leader, brought a friend over who is an 86 year old Spaniard. The lesson was interesting, but it was a fun experience. We also met a member family that lives just 2 blocks away from our piso [apartment]! They are a Spanish family with a daughter that is a return missionary!! Super nice family, but the husband and son are less active. We´ll work with them along with other less actives.

A view of old town Cuenca

Friday we met with some antiguos [former investigators] and also Elvis, a member that has been baptized, but never confirmed. It´s been over a year, so he´d have to get baptized again. We hope to work with him too so that he can continue to want the baptism. It seems that he´s really good!! Not much else.

Saturday we met with one former investigator. He´s a joven [young man] and stopped listening to the missionaries because he studies a lot. We´ll have to see about him. We then kept passing by former investigators and while we were knocking a building, we met a Spaniard who invited us in. He´s super nice and had a Book of Mormon, but wasn´t interested in the message. Oh well, so far just planting seeds.

The branch meetinghouse in Cuenca

Sunday we met the branch at the church, yes, all nine active members. It´s the most humble branch I´ve seen, as well as united! I love this little branch! Super cool and nice!! The Branch President gave us names of people to pass by and teach/call and it was a list that we´ve pretty much passed by them all. We´ll continue to see what happens. We had a few lessons yesterday too!! With one investigator, we talked about Jesus Christ and what she thinks He wants her to do. She mentioned baptism and so we talked a bit about that and know that she´s ready!! I hope that she takes that step soon! We then met with two less actives and it´s just sad to see them fall away even when they are so good to us!! I hope that we can get at least one of them to come back.

 

And that has been the first week of opening Cuenca! Hard, cold, but rewarding as well!! I see potential here!! I hope that you guys continue to have a good week and a good time there in Texas!! Stay warm!! Love you all!!

Elder Bauer

Sunset in Cuenca