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Qué Pasa mis amigos! Elder Jenkins just checking in for another weekly update of life here in Spain at the Missionary Training Center. Not a whole lot of new things happen, and all of us missionaries are just chomping at the bit to get out in the field. Our mission Presidents sent us all the weekly mission newsletter, which just kind of put salt on the wound that we aren´t out yet; however, I know I still have much to learn in this next week and a half!
This week, our P-day schedule was a little mixed up because we have a member of the quorum of the 70 coming today to talk with us, along with some people from the Spanish Government. Because of this, I have 2 excursions to tell you about. Last P-day, we just went around and saw some sights in the city of Madrid. We saw the Madrid Royal palace and then went to one of the most well known cathedrals in Madrid. I promise its well known…even though I don´t know the name of it… but Both were amazing buildings. Its incredible to think of the people who build them so long ago and what they were able to do with the resources that they had.
This week, I went to the Museo Prado, which is apparently a pretty big deal, sort of like the Luv – or however it is spelled – of Spain. Basically it is a giant art museum and even though I´m not the most artsy person I can still appreciate how much art has had an impact on world culture, and as a missionary it is interesting to see how growing religious ideas and views are displayed in the various works of art.
This week, it just happened that our weekly Saturday visit fell directly on Valentine´s Day, so we got to walk around and look at all the happy couples having a lovely Dia de san valentin in the park. Luckily I had my trusty companion for the week so that I wasn´t lonely: Elder Yashanin. He is a native Russian who speaks no English and knew only one word of Spanish, “regalo” – meaning “gift”.
Other highlights of the week have been that we had a Dia de Todo Español, which means from the moment we woke up to the moment we shut our eyes for bed the people in my district spoke only Spanish. It was super hard and frustrating at times, but when we were finally finished with the day it was a huge confidence booster. It´s scary to think every day is going to be a dia de todo español in two weeks though, but one step at a time. Additionally, they had a zone conference for the missionaries in the Madrid Mission here and they got Dominos pizza. By the end, there was one pizza left and even though it was ham and mushroom all the missionaries split up the one pizza into tiny pieces so we could all have some. It wasn´t as great as my beloved papa johns pizza from home, but it was still magical.
Its hard to believe the days are counting down until I´m actually out in to the field. The anticipation of knowing where my first area will be or who will be my trainer and will he speak English is killing me! I do love it here in the MTC and I gain a stronger and stronger testimony every day that this truly is the Gospel of Jesus Christ and that this is His church on the earth today. Thanks for keeping up with me all who are reading and I look forward to telling you all about my final week in the MTC next week! Hasta Luego!
Things I learned this week
1. Never be afraid to ask, whether it’s a baptism invitation or an invitation to simply know more, the worst that can happen is nothing
2. I always figured older people would be nicer and at least smile when they rejected you… That’s definitely not the case
3. A motivation to stay with your companion at all times is so that a million people don´t ask, “¿Trabaja aquí?”
4. Don´t keep yourself from doing something amazing by not trying
5. Take time when you are cutting your own hair, or it will end up a lot shorter than you want it to be…
6. If you ever think life is too hard or that the Lord asks too much, its not, and he doesn´t
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