July 18, 2012

The group that came with us to the Palace.

From Left to Right, top to bottom: Elders Alvarez, Antola, Hilton, Bauer (Alex), Beatty, Christenson, Hermanas [Sisters] I´m not sure, Mercado, Clark, Frandsen and Farias. Bottom, Elder Soriano, Hermana [Sister] Miron, and Elder Simmons.

Elder Bauer (Alex) with Elder Hilton, his first MTC companion ever

The Royal Palace of Aranjuez...

and surrounding gardens

Elder Simmons with s'more failure in (and on) hand

Family

So this week was pretty good!! Thursday nothing really happened except for weekly planning and contacts. Pretty boring actually, but that´s fine. Actually, something super cool and awesome happened!! So we had interviews with President Jackson and he got to know us more and we got to know him more! It was cool and fun!! The interview was really informal and that was different and interesting, but it´s fine!! I loved it!! He did make a mistake on going to the interviews and went to Parla when all of us were in Leganes, but it´s okay. He´s new and lost and green, but that´s fine!! He´s a great guy!! Friday we had to go to Leganes at 2:00 to give a blessing to someone´s baby since he was sick. The sisters are teaching the mom of the boy and so yeah. We had to go over and give the blessing and that was fun!! Later we had to go to Valdemoro to meet with the Branch Mission Leader so that he could introduce us to one of his friends to begin teaching him. We left Parla at 3:00 and got to Valdemoro at around 4:00. It´s not really that far, but he gave us a route that took us directly in front of his house so yeah. So we got there and his friend that he wanted us to teach didn´t show up, but we still ate without him. I don´t remember what the dish was called, but it had vegetables and raw fish as well as lemon juice. So it was my first time eating raw fish. I was praying that I wouldn´t get sick, and I didn´t. After eating that we ate rice with fried fish, then had flan for dessert.

After a while we were still waiting for his friend but he didn´t come, so we didn´t really want to make it a waste of time, so Amador is the name of the Branch Mission Leader of Aranjuez, talked to his other friend Hugo, who was there the whole time, and yeah. Hugo has had missionaries before but has been a bit hard on them and told us the whole story and yeah, pretty funny!! He then told us about other things and that´s when I started talking to him about The Family: A Proclamation to the World. He was having trouble finding a woman that wouldn´t just leave him after a while and he didn´t want to pass through that again and again since he´s already had it happen twice. The proclamation has one of my favorite paragraphs that I used and he started crying in the lesson so I´m sure that we hit a sweet spot there so yeah!!! I was happy!! So after talking to him for a bit, we had to leave so that we could get to Noche de Hogar [Family Home Evening] on time.

Saturday we had an okay day. We got to meet with a Muslim guy who we contacted in the street and yeah. We talked to him and it was a bit shaky, but good too. Later on we went to a less active´s house and saw her, and tried to animarla [cheer her up] a bit more. I don´t speak English, hahaha. After that we went back home. Sunday we also had another lesson with a referral sent to us. He lives in Ciempozuelos so it´s a bit far. He was super hard. We´d say one thing and he´d say, "No it´s not like that." So we showed him plenty of things that were easy to understand, and he kept saying that. I then just said, "Look, read, ponder and pray, that´s all you can, and have to do. You can´t listen and fight with us, pray and you´ll have the answer." He doesn´t believe in that either since other people pray for their books and receive an "answer" so yeah. I wasn´t really very happy. Not much else happened Sunday.

Monday we had set up 4 things and all of them failed us so we did contacts and former investigators. Tuesday was interesting. So Metrosur [southern subway line] has been cut off right at Getafe Central, the Renfe [commuter train] station two stops away from Parla, that is connected to Metrosur that takes us to Leganes. So instead of taking metro, we took a bus to a metro stop that was actually working. It was the longest trip to Leganes ever!! So we had district meeting and on the way back, Hermana [Sister] Frandsen told us how to get to a Renfe stop close by that would get us to a different Renfe stop to take us home. So we tried it, and it took just as long as the regular route with the metro, just more walking. We then met with Ana and she had a few doubts that we resolved and then we went to a less active’s house to eat dinner. They gave us a lot of food!! We showed him a Mormon Message about trials and how things will get better, from Elder Quintin L. Cook on Hope you Know, I´m having a Hard Time. It was good!! We then went to the Piso [apartment].

Today we went with a group of missionaries to Aranjuez to see the palace and the gardens there as well as eat s’mores. The palace and gardens worked out well, but the s’mores were a fail since we couldn´t melt the marshmallow. It was fun though. We then visited Cristina for the first time since her baptism just to see how she´s doing and to share a message with her. It was good!!! Take care and I´ll talk to you soon!! Love you all!!!

Elder Bauer

July 11, 2012

Elder Simmons celebrating his 2 year mark on the mission.

He extended so he´s going to be here for another transfer.

At the baptism:

From Left to Right: Elder Soriano, Cristina, Michael, Gerald, and Elder Bauer

Aranjuez branch members attending the baptism

Interior of the Renfe train

Why hello my familia!!!

What a crazy week this has been!!! For you and for me that is! So we had our last regular lesson with Cristina on Thursday before her baptism. She was doing super great and was waiting for her baptism. She says that she was counting down the days until the baptism so all was good with her. Friday we found out transfers and three of the four sisters in Leganes left and we got two new ones. Now Leganes has Hermanas [Sisters] Farías, Carter, and Frandsen. I know, a trio, but that´s fine for now. In Parla, no one changed so we´re all the same here. Nothing new in Parla, but it´s okay. Elder Forrest, my office companion, is also leaving the office and training Elder Bagley. He sounds so depressed over the phone, but I´m sure that he´ll get over it.

Saturday we had a lot of nothing in the morning, but in the afternoon we went over to Pavones to make sure that the baptismal font was full and that everything was good to go for the baptism at 6:00. Everything was fine and at around 6:00 everyone started coming to Pavones from Aranjuez. It was cool to meet some of the members there and to see Cristina and her two boys with smiles on their faces. We had a slight issue with the baptismal clothing, but all went well in the end. The sister missionaries that are serving there, namely Hermanas Jimenez and Shepherd, helped us out a lot with that. When the services started, it was awesome!! Pretty much the whole room was crying except for a small number of people, and the spirit was powerful!! Cristina´s older son, Michael, gave a talk on how happy he was to see his mom enter into this path. Then the ordinance of baptism was done and after Cristina bore her testimony and she didn´t last three seconds until she started crying. She shared how blessed she felt for having chosen this path and that she did it by herself, no one pushed her into it. It was really cool!!

Then her younger son who is deacon age, Gerald, bore his testimony and he said that ever since he was baptized, it was his dream to see his mom be baptized. He then said that it was made true that day. He was also crying up there as well as his brother in the front row, powerful!! Then the branch president also got up to welcome her into the branch and he cried too, as well as the relief society. Really cool experience! Afterwards we had refreshments and it was all good!! Sunday we went to the branch of Aranjuez for the confirmation and everyone was surprised to see missionaries there since there haven´t been any for about a year or more. We stayed there for the full three hours and went back to Parla afterwards. We then did contacts for the rest of the time.

Monday not much happened except that this evangelistic woman I swear just wanted to pick a fight with us since we ran into her two times and both times she preached to us. I remained silent most of the time in both occasions, but my companion tried to help/make her see where she was wrong. I really don´t see the point in fighting. I respect what everyone believes and such, so I leave them all alone and let them do, say, and preach what they want. If anyone decides to come up to me and try to talk to me about where I´m wrong, I´ll defend myself, but up to that point. I don´t look for fights, but anyway...moving on. Tuesday we had district meeting and it was pretty good. We got to know the new members of the district and all was well. We then had a lesson with Vincent, an African guy from Nigeria who we´ve been trying to get a hold of all of last transfer, but never got a hold of him. We then had a lesson with Ana, who is the one with most potential here in Parla. It was pretty good. I then called a less active lady called Raquel, she was a reference from the Barrio 8 Hermanas [sisters], and when I told her who we were she started crying since she recently moved to Parla, and probably wasn´t expecting to hear from the missionaries for a long time. I set something up with her and all is well. We will meet with her Thursday evening. Then we ran into a Columbian lady after looking for a different house, and she was carrying a heavy bag. We contacted her and offered to help her out with her bags and she accepted. Between the two of us, Elder Soriano and I, it was super heavy! I couldn´t understand how she could´ve carried that from the Renfe Station to her house, since it was a good 15 minute walk. We got to know her a bit and she said that she´ll pass by the church sometime or call us sometime soon. I´m pretty sure she will.

Today is P-Day and one of the things that I will definitely buy is a new pair of proselytizing pants since these are getting holes in the pockets. It´s also the best time to buy since there are rebajas por todos lados [sales everywhere]!! Everything is much cheaper than usual so I´ll have to aprovechar [take advantage of the sales]. Wow, I just lost my English abilities right there, but yeah. Take care and I love you all!!!

Elder Bauer

July 4, 2012

Spanish soccer fans celebrating their 2012 European Championship Team

Missionaries serving in the Parla District

From left to right: Sisters Sican, Frandsen, Greer, Delgado, Elders Bauer (Alex), Soriano, Alvarez, and the District Leader Elder Simmons

Madrid missionaries celebrating the Fourth of July

Alex with President and Sister Jackson

Dear Father and Family,

It has taken a long time for me to write to you guys because we were celebrating the 4th of July in Leganes. We were over there at 12:00 noon, and came back here at 5:30, which we then had to get ready for a lesson at 6:30. After the super cool lesson, we went to buy food for the week and now I´m emailing. So as you can see, I´ve been busy and having fun so yeah! So here´s my week that you have been longing to hear!!!

Thursday nothing really happened. It was a pretty bad day, but again a pretty good day!! We went to Aranjuez to see Cristina and that was really cool!! She´s prepared for sure and I´m sure that everything will be great for her baptism this Saturday (the 7th). We taught her a bit about following the prophet, chastity, and honoring and sustaining the law. We then went over the interview questions so that she would feel comfortable about the interview and stuff. She´s prepared and it´s super cool to see how much she´s progressed in my stay here in Parla/Aranjuez. We then went back to Parla and saw Clement and her family. We got two contacts in so yeah.

Friday we did exchanges, so I was with Elder Alvarez and Elder Soriano was with Elder Simmons. We did exchanges so that Elder Simmons could do the interview and to learn so yeah. The one lesson planned with Elder Alvarez failed so we did contacts like crazy and it wasn´t the best thing I´ve ever done, but it´s okay. Even lunch failed, and those are usually fijo [set, firm]!! I can´t think too well in English right now so I´ll be saying things in Spanish, haha (or jaja). Anyways, then at around 7:30 we supposedly had English classes, but no one showed up, so I practiced Hymn 284, If You Could Hie to Kolob, and it´s a pretty difficult song, but I´m determined to learn it. We then had Noche de Hogar [family home evening], but Elder Alvarez and I went to a member´s house to give a blessing so we were there just in time to get some refreshments, haha.

Saturday we had things set up, but nothing worked out. Sunday we had church and then we had a less active at around 6:00. We returned home at around 8:00 since there was no one out in the streets since they were busy with the fútball game [2012 European Soccer Championship]. Let me just say that the games here are the craziest things ever!! I really don´t understand how people could go so crazy over a game!!! So any time Spain made a goal, the whole city would roar and noise makers would start sounding and explosions and fireworks, yeah, the whole deal!! When I send my memory cards home, you´ll see, just wait. It´s the funniest thing ever!! OH and right outside our piso [apartment] building, there´s a round-about and someone with the Spain Flag, would run around the round-about screaming and waving the flag, hahahahahahahaaaaaaaa!!! Super funny!!!!!! You´ll just have to see them, crazy insanity!! After the game it was worse, since people started driving and honking their horns while waving Spanish flags and so it was a noisy night.

Monday we bought our Bono C1 [monthly transportation pass], which is higher than the B2 that I had, which allows us to go to Aranjuez, without paying for a different ticket to get there. We also took a bus to get to Cristina´s house and back since it´s free now with the C1! Super cool to see a different part of Aranjuez! We organized a bit of the baptismal program for Cristina and then came back to Parla, did contacts and looked for former investigators. Tuesday, or yesterday, we had district meeting which was fun! Hermanas [sisters] Delgado and Greer spoke and it was pretty much their farewell since they go home at the end of this transfer, or next Tuesday. We then ate tacos which were really good and yeah! We then took pictures and Elder Soriano and I had to run to a lesson that we just barely missed when we got here to Parla. Not cool. We then were failed by Marcelio, a former who seems to have interest, but it´s fine. I won't give up on him. Then we had Otilia, the less active that we are trying to animate to go to church. She´s tired and stressed, but every time we go, she says that she feels better so yeah. We´ll continue passing by, and she says that she´ll come to the Noche de Hogar [family home evening] this Friday, so we´ll see what happens.

Today was P-Day and it was super cool!! So like I mentioned it was in Leganes, and Elder Alvarez organized it and it turned out to be super cool!! It was a BBQ and almost everyone in Madrid came!! Elder Alvarez even invited President Jackson to come, and he came!!! It was cool to meet him in person! Tuesday or Monday he called me and asked for Elder Cardwell so I talked to him on the phone for a few seconds, so yeah. I got to meet him in person, and he´s super cool!!! Elder Forrest (my wonderful ex-companion who´s good with money) and Elder Argyle (my child/son of the office) said that he was cool and it´s true!! They´re pretty young so yeah! I really like him and hope to be able to get to know him more through the last 10 months that I have on the mission. That´s just weird to think about, just 10 months left...so I just won´t think about it and all will be fine, haha. Take care and I´ll talk to you next week! Take care and I love you all!!!

Elder Bauer

June 27, 2012

Elder Alvarez celebrates his 21st birthday

Elder Soriano takes siesta

Farewell to President and Sister Watkins

Hey there family,

Well, this week has been pretty crazy as far as the weather is concerned! It´s been pretty hot lately and so sleeping in a hot piso [apartment] without air conditioning is not the best thing in the world. But it´s okay, I don´t mind the heat too much, considering it´s dry heat. So here goes my week!

Thursday we went to Aranjuez and we taught Cristina again and she´s just gold pretty much! We also met a member that day that just got out of work so she walked with us and talked about Cristina and work and life. Nothing too crazy, except that she works in a bar next to the Palace which is super cool!! These past few weeks have been hard with getting lessons in as well as contacts because of soccer. Lots of people like to play soccer and it´s just crazy how the streets stay empty! Seriously I think that soccer is like a religion here or something since everyone has to watch it, but whatever. Pretty much reminds me of the U.S. when a football game is going. But just picture this, so a bar, with tables outside and people eating and talking, but this time with a huge TV placed so that they could watch the game. Hahahahaaa!! Like a movie theater almost but pretty much for free.

So Monday we didn´t have much time in Parla. At around 1:00 we had to go eat with the Gordon family and after that we had to go to a bus stop to get to Pinto so as to go to Aranjuez. Cristina is still doing well, except that her situation is much harder than I thought it was. They are always happy people, but they have a pretty hard situation. That just hit me as we were talking, and she´s still good for being baptized. We just had to move the date a week so that we could get the interview and stuff so that she could get everything down for the day. The way back was super slow. We got to the train station at about 7:00 or 7:15 and got on the train thinking that it would leave soon. 15 to 20 minutes of waiting and the train shutting down for 5 minutes, we finally were on our way. We got to Pinto and had to wait for a bus to get there and it got there at around 8:05. So we got back home at 8:30 and so we decided to go through the Area Book to see what we could do and find as far as former investigators. I started doing a list of people and it´s time consuming, but whatever.

Tuesday was pretty cool. We met with Ana, an investigator, and she asked two good questions last week. One was about repentance and we talked about the steps of repentance, and the second one was about marriage and why it´s important.  In particular, she wanted to know if it´s a sin if you don´t get married and just live with the person. The second question we covered on Tuesday and we used The Family: A Proclamation to the World to answer the question and she was amazed by it. She felt the Spirit for sure in that lesson! She was crying and said to us that it was the answer that she´s been looking for all her life. Super cool experience. We shared, laughed, shared again, and it was just cool!!!

Today we had to wake up at 6:00 AM to get to the temple for the session at 9:00. I couldn´t sleep too well last night because of the horrid heat that was in our room so I was and still am tired. The session was cool and just being able to see my friends again was great!!! Elder Forrest is amazing!!! I just enjoy being with him and just talking about life. I miss being his companion since we´ve had some good times together, but at least we get to catch up on P-Days to see what we´ve been up to. I also got to see Elder Hilton, my first companion ever!! He was my companion in the MTC in Provo for 5 days until I was transferred from Beginner Spanish, to Intermediate. We spent time catching up on the mission life and stuff! Super cool P-Day. Also the sad part is that President and Hermana [Sister] Watkins are leaving this Saturday, to have their places taken by President and Hermana Jackson. So President and Hermana Watkins came to the temple to do a session, and after we had a little farewell. We took pictures and said goodbye and it was pretty fun, but hard considering I´ve worked with them in the office. Elder Forrest told me that he´d keep me up to date on the new President and tell me about him, haha. So I´ve got my connections. =)

Not much else has happened. How is everything? Anything new? Take care and I´ll talk to you soon! Love you all!!!

Elder Bauer

June 20, 2012

Elders attending district meeting:

From left to right:  Elders Soriano, Bauer, Walters, and Simmons.

Elder Soriano´s attempt at rice. It was white at first.

Returning to Parla from Pinto on a bus

Hello family,

This week has been pretty good, yet bad as well. The end of the week was great though. Now on to my week of stuff that happened.

Not super eventful really. Thursday we went to Aranjuez and had a lesson with Cristina, who is a potential baptism and she´s really good!! We then returned to Parla and had a meeting at about 8:30 with the Branch Presidency about how we need to have them work much more than they have. We brought up four points that we´ve seen that really needed to be resolved and they were. On Sunday we saw the results of it in Branch Council! Super cool! Anyway, Friday we had tons of contacts. Every lesson that we could think of failed us that day. We had Family Home Evening in the church so that was a plus. Saturday was the same as Friday as well as Sunday except that I spoke in Sacrament meeting about missionary work. We then did contacts again and that was it.

Monday we had a lesson with Cristina in Aranjuez and let me tell you, we nearly missed the bus on the way there and on the way back. Super bad, but fun too!! So there before the lesson her older son was trying to fix the TV and it was a fail. I asked him/told him that the TV was broken and we all laughed. Cristina was also having many trials and requested a blessing and I had the opportunity to give it. Super cool experience!! We then gave the lesson of the 10 commandments and also showed her some signs with her hands to help her memorize them in order so it was super fun!! We were laughing and having a good lesson at the same time!! Then near the end, the guy fixing the TV started laughing again about the TV. Then on the 10th commandment, don´t covet, I mentioned not to want things from other people, like a TV, and everyone started laughing, hahahahaaa!!! Super fun!!

Tuesday was pretty good too. We had District Meeting and after we ate as a district, Lentils with Couscous and rice. Super yummy to me, since I made it. Then we had two lessons and they both gave us food, so by the end of the day, I was full and felt fat!! Oh and also Tuesday Elder Walters, one of the two Zone Leaders, did exchanges with Elder Simmons so he was here with us! Super fun since he´s funny!! So I had fun yesterday with that fun guy! Today we went to Pavones to the Stake Center and played volleyball with some of the missionaries! I got to see Elders Forrest, Argyle and Jeppson again!! It was fun! Not much else except for that!! Anything new? Take care and I´ll talk to you soon!! Love you all!

Elder Bauer

June 13, 2012

Alex in front of the Palacio Real - Aranjuez

A picture taken from the window of Alex's window

Monthly mass transit pass

Family,

This has been a cool little week! Let´s just say that we´ve had some adventures. So starting with Thursday, we had a lesson in Aranjuez and we went and had plenty of time to get over there and stuff so we got on the bus and went to our lesson! Super cool because she´s super ready to get baptized!! On our way back, we got on the train to get to Pinto, and it was a different looking Renfe [regional commuter] train, but we didn´t really even think about it, we still got on. Besides, the person at the information desk said that all the trains stop at Pinto. I then went to sleep because it was going to be a 20 minute ride and I was pretty tired. When I woke up, we were in a little town and I wanted to know where we were. I then noticed that it was passing through a Renfe stop that looked pretty familiar and after passing it, on the wall of the stop, it said "Pinto" and I just started laughing. We got on a medio distancia [medium distance] train instead of the regular Renfe trains.

So after going for a while longer with no idea where the train was going to stop, I called Elder Simmons my district leader and told him everything. He just laughed and told me to call him back when I knew where the train stopped, or when I knew where we were. At that moment, I saw the next Renfe stop, which is where the train stopped, that said Villaverde Bajo, and he gave us instructions of what to do. So we just got off there and went over to the tracks that had the train that was going for Parla. When we got back to the piso [apartment] later that day, after telling the story again to Elders Simmons and Alvarez, Elder Soriano said that it didn´t take too much longer than taking the bus from Pinto to Parla, it just took 30 minutes longer and 50 cents. Hahahahaaa. Made us all laugh! Well, I learned from that experience that, medio distancia trains, which look and sound older than the other Renfe trains, don´t stop in Pinto.

Friday we had another good lesson with a progressing investigator!! Ana, super good and has real intent to learn. She asks sincere questions and we answer them in a way that she could understand them. Pretty cool!! We then had Noche de Hogar [family home evening] and played a game, and ate, then went home. Saturday and Sunday were days that I don´t remember, except that Sunday was Branch Conference so the Stake Presidency was there. The lesson in Priesthood was really good, given by one of the counselors. Sacrament meeting was pretty good too! I don´t know if I mentioned this in the last email, but the meetings are backwards here. They have Priesthood/Relief Society, then Sunday School, then Sacrament Meeting. Monday we went to Aranjuez and it was a good lesson again, like usual! We then came back to Parla without any problems and it was all good! We had to run to one of our lessons and we ran into Maribel, a member and a lady that´s 65, but seems younger.  We talked to her for about 2 or 3 minutes, and were off running again.

Tuesday was District Meeting. Right after we usually eat lunch as a District and it was a pretty interesting lunch. The rice was a bit undercooked so it was a bit hard, but still good! Elder Soriano served Elder Alvarez some juice and spilled it all over, and the dessert was Jello with carrot slivers at the bottom. The funny thing about the Jello part is that the cook of the Jello took the first bite, and just the expression on her face said that it wasn´t good, and guess what...it wasn´t. No one liked it, so before throwing it out, Elder Simmons played with it. It was the biggest fail of District Meeting Lunch that I´ve ever seen. Oh well, just another adventure. Today we went and tried to bowl, but the place was closed, but I bought 4 cool looking ties at Premark for 10€! Not too bad eh! How is everything over there in general? Anything fun happen this week? Take care and I´ll talk to you soon!

Love you all!!
Elder Bauer

June 6, 2012

Alex with his defective luggage - broken during transfer

Palacio Real - Aranjuez

The other two elder sharing the apartment and working in Parla: 

From left to right:  Elders Alvarez and Simmons

The missionaries bowling on P-day (which was also D-day):

Back row (left to right): Elders Bauer, Gonzalez, Bermudez, Stephens, Soriano.

Front row (left to right): Elder Veintimilla, Sisters Farias, Miron

Hello Family!

So this past week has been pretty cool!! I´m glad that you guys are having a good time and that all is going well over yonder in the other side of the world!! Here as I said has been pretty good!! So here´s my week in a pretty small nutshell.

So Thursday Elder Soriano pointed out that we´ve been falting quite a few contacts (where you talk to people and give a testimony, teach a principle, and invite them to do something or with a card) and so we´ve decided to try to find more time for those contacts. We had like 30 or something and only Thursday to Sunday to get it up a bit more. So, off we went to work. We´ve been working like crazy here in Parla, or as President Watkins calls it, Perla (pearl), and we´ve been seeing quite a few people come up!! Thursday we also had our weekly planning session and we set some pretty good goals for this week. So by the end of our week, we got 84 contacts, one with a baptismal date, and one new investigator!! How cool is that!! The one with a date has been taught a lot and lives in a town called Aranjuez in the state of Castilla la Mancha.  We have to take a bus to a town close called Pinto, and then a Renfe [regional train] to there. When we visited her, we had to walk a lot and we passed a Palace which was pretty cool!! I turned to Elder Soriano and asked jokingly, "So she lives there," pointing to the palace. It´s called Palacio Real. So when we met with her for the first time, I knew that she was ready so we put her on date for the end of this month.

Saturday was a rather interesting day. We met with some Evangelists, and boy, are they hard as rocks as far as feeling the Spirit? I shared my testimony, and I really can say that the Spirit was there, but of course, they doubted everything that I said, so I read them some scriptures from 2 Nephi 33 and decided to end it there. I can honestly say that I wasn´t too happy after that meeting with them, but it´s all fine. Sunday I met the branch and had to stand up in front of everyone during sacrament meeting to introduce myself to them and show them that I was excited to work with them. Later that day we met with a guy called Javier which we contacted on the street the day before and he called us!! So we had a little lesson with him to get to know him and such.

Monday we had another good day. We met with a former investigator and she seems to have interest in our message!! So another new investigator this week!! We then did a ton of contacts, and at the end of the day, I bought us some cakes at a chino [convenience store] so that we could celebrate! Pretty cool! Tuesday was district meeting and that takes place in Leganes. We have four elders and four sisters in our district. We take the Renfe for 2 stops, then the metro for about 6 or 7 stops, and walk to the church building, and it´s actually a separate building, but pretty small. Leganes is a pretty cool place, I like it! Today for P-Day we went to "Ice Skate" but it was closed. I came in appropriate clothing too, a sweater – I fried. We ate lunch at Dominos and went bowling.  Elder Stephens taught the gospel as he bowled!!! So in Preach My Gospel, it describes every point of time where the prophets were rechazado [rejected] as an apostasy. So he would get some points, then zero, then a few, then zero, and then a few, and then zero for like 4 or 5 turns, until he got points! Then he got a strike, so the fullness of the gospel came at that time. Haha, it was funny...well for a missionary it´s funny, so don´t judge me! Haha!! Then we came home and now I´m emailing!

How´s all of the peeps over there? Peeps as in all of the people. I hope everyone is doing just dandy!! Take care and I´ll talk to you soon!! Love you all!!

Elder Bauer