A Coruña, Tower of Hercules

The Tower of Hercules and Me!

 

Hey Family!

We had a great week this week. We worked really hard to keep our usual lesson total and we did it even though we had some time taken out of the work!

Monday, we went to A Coruña for a zone conference. Monday we went and ate, played soccer then went to the Tower of Hercules. Then went to the hotel and showered and then met at the church to watch Ephraim's Rescue. It was really good. Then on Tuesday we had the zone conference. It was really good. Talked a lot about desires and D&C chapter 4 (D&C 4). then we ate pizza. but we didn't get back to Lugo until 8 so that was rough but the next few days we really went to work!
 

We had 5 or more lessons each day to help us out with the missed work. It helped a lot that it was Elder Gorge's birthday. People wanted to meet and made us cake and stuff. We met with one of our less actives yesterday and he made a cake then he smashed Elder Gorge's face in it. Super fun and super good cake! We got so fat yesterday. It didn't help that before that appointment we were with Margarita and her son (not drunk this time) but we ate a ton and more cake cuz it was her son's birthday too! We actually had a really good chance to teach him and his girlfriend. They had a lot of really good questions. One of them lives in another city in Galicia though. But there are good missionaries there too. We are also starting to teach a friend of the less active. He was there the other day for lunch and so we were able to share a message and he was there yesterday.
 

So good to see the Ocean and beaches!

We were finally able to meet with Joana again. She's doing really well, still hasn't come to church because of work and vacation situations. But she is reading so that's good. We taught her the Plan of Salvation this week and she really liked it. We invited her to be baptized again and she can't get over the fact of why she needs to be baptized again in this church. We went over authority again and she's understanding it more. We invited her to specificly pray about Joseph Smith and baptism. She's in Vigo right now so hopefully things will have gone well with that.
 

Luis is still doing pretty well. He still hasn't come to church. Each week same story. But he likes when we come over, when we see him in the street, and he invites us over. We almost ate soup with him yesterday but we were seriously too full.

We were also able to meet with the man that came to church last week, Edimicio. He is a super good guy has met with missionaries for 2 years remembers the doctrine super well, expecially the Plan of Salvation he had completly memorized. Super cool! His only problem is the Apostasy. He believes it fell but never completely. He also believes that there are more than 1 true church. We shared some scriptures from the Bible and invited him to pray about it. He came to church again this Sunday so he's giving it a try again.
 

Hope everyone had a good week. We're still just doing great up here. Have a good week and I love you all!

-Love 

Elder Stevenson

A Coruña

Ok, parents. It is time for the game "Find Your Missionary! These are amazing missionaries in the Santiago Zone. In the beautiful city of A Coruña for a Preparation Day activity & Zone Conference. #lovethem #sonbuenosmisioneros #wayupnorth

Hello Family!

This has been a really good week for us here in Lugo

We were working really hard trying to get Luis progressing (super old Dominican) but we didn't really get much from him. He is a really good guy and knows the Book of Mormon is true but just doesn't come to church.. I think it just escapes him and then when he sees us he remembers and quickly comes up with an excuse. We will pick him up next week. It's super easy to meet with him though and he's very welcoming. He is usually always in his house looking out the window or on a bench right outside his house. Once we get some progression things will go well with him.

We also visited a really cool guy named Sneider. He's 23 and from Colombia. He is a reference from Margarita and so we were super excited to teach him. We had a great first lesson because it started out with him wanting to know about the Book of Mormon. Super good first lesson. We made the mistake though of setting up the return appointment to Friday which is a Spanish holiday, Nuestra Señora,. No one was at home or in the streets!! All at the beach or river. So we just met with him once but I think things can go well with him.

Sooo... speaking of Margarita, we went over Friday to teach her son and have lunch and... Her son was drunk = (      It was a super rough morning because of it. He is one of those emotional drunks that spills out their entire life and cries a lot. It started out with him kind of having short term memory loss. He asked us how we were doing like 20 times in 2 minutes. Then he thanked us for baptizing his mom and how she's happy now so it makes him happy. And then the water works turn on and the whole life story. He tells of his motorcycle accident and when he got shot in Colombia. He has some pretty bad scars. Then Margarita comes in and we call another member to come over cuz she wanted the son to go lie down. He doesn't want to get up from the couch and says he's not tired 5 seconds later he's out. So the member comes over and we ate some super good food, a bean dish and chorizo, and yeah it was a crazy morning! He also gave Elder Gorge and I kisses on the cheek. Super weird. There's my crazy story of the week.

We had a really great miracle with church yesterday. Hopefully we can have another Junior experience.  Saturday we were calling people inviting them to church and we call one man name Edimicio. He didn't really say much just asked about one of the missionaries that used to be here in Lugo. Well he showed up to church! It was really great! We hope he can progress well and get baptized just like Junior.

Other than that its been a nice week we have plenty to visit and do we just need to get them progressing and on dates and stuff. we are focusing on that a lot.

OK, the story about the photo: They were standing on a street corner and there was a car stopped. Then a car behind that car hit the gas instead of brake and hit the other car then that car hit the Elders and one of them went flying a bit and hit his head on the ground. They just had whip lash and the one elder that fell some staples in his head. But they are fine.
                                                                              Hope you all have had a great week.  I have to go we are going to a Coruña for p day/ zone meeting I get to stay in a hotel tonight but we have to catch the bus. Love you!!                                                                 Con cariño,

Elder Stevenson

Another great week in Lugo!

the district -(love how low the ceilings are! they all look like giants!)

 

Hello Family!

 

We had a pretty good week this week. Baptizing the two people we always met with though did put a toll on it.

 

But our week still turned out fine. We met with a super cool guy named Wellington. He has been doing well but it's difficult for him to come to church because he works as a DJ and doesn't get home until 6 in the morning Sunday morning. So he hasn't come to church yet but he's meeting with us and reading. He offered the prayer at the end and he was talking about feeling the spirit with us and so it was a good experience. He's one of those people that believe in God but doesn't belong to a church.

 

We also visited Isidro in the hospital again. He's been in there for a while. Now things are going well hopefully he's out soon. He has a Book of Mormon and has read a bit of it. He loves our visits so hopefully it will help us when he gets out and he will come to church and stuff.

 

us in Lugo

We are also meeting with a guy named Luis. He is about 80 years old and Dominican. He loves to meet with us. He had met with missionaries before and was going to get baptized, got interviewed and everything but didn't show up to his baptism. They had the font filled and everything. And this font's not easy to fill up either. On Wednesday, we were talking with him about faith, repentance, and baptism and I invited him to be baptized on the 23rd of this month (Elder Gorge's b day btw) Hopefully he doesn't stand us up.

 

We had a cool experience with the spirit on Thursday. It was about nine at night and I felt I should call Margarita and set up a lesson. Turns out she was at home reading the scriptures and a thought came to her head thinking we weren't going to come by anymore because she's was now baptized and she was sad about it cuz she likes our visits. Right then she gets a call from me asking when we can come by. Right in the precise moment. She also gave us a member reference this week, one of her friends. We are meeting with him tomorrow.

 

 

the zone leaders got hit by a car but they are fine.
 (yeah, going to ask for more details on this one-
you can't send this and not give more details!!)

We had a really cool branch activity on Saturday. We had a bbq and it was super good it was a good thing we brought bbq sauce cuz no one did. They had no clue that you even put it on ribs which I don't understand cuz it has pictures of ribs on the bottle. Anyway, they were all amazed by it. It was funny for us Americans cuz we're so used to it. It wasn't even that good of bbq sauce.

 

Other than that, it's been a pretty normal week. Got sick yesterday so that slowed us down a bit. Just a sore throat and nasal congestion should be good soon.

 

Hope you all have a good week.

 

Love You!!

 

-Elder Stevenson

PS The baptisms last week were Elder Gorge's 3rd and 4th baptisms. He had 2 with his first trainer so he's pretty excited, first one he baptized though.

Cuando Me Bautice

Hey Family!

Things are going super well!

 

First off, transfers came and we are both staying here in Lugo so we are excited.

 

Second, both of the baptisms went through on Saturday! On friday they had their interviews when I was on exchanges in a Coruña. I called Elder Gorge and he said all went well and that we will be having two great baptisms on Saturday, which we were origionally planning for Sunday so I was a little shocked! 

 

 

Anyways, Saturday we had the service and it turned out really well! But kind of crazy also. First, the font water was burning hot! We had to pump some of that water out and throw cold water and ice in there to cool it down. Then there was a tiny water leak in the church so we had to clean that up. But when the actual service started it went well. 

 

 

Elder Gorge and I sang "When I am baptized"/ "Cuando Me Bautice."  we did half spanish half English. It turned out super cool and I played the piano for it! I have learned 2 songs on the piano. It's pretty cool. So we did that then Elder Gorge baptized Margarita and I baptized Junior. Junior is taller then me and just a big man. It was super hard to get him back up! They were both super happy for the decision they made. Also I made banana bread for the refreshments.  = )

 

We had a really good week other than that. Also we were able to find a lot of new people in the streets which has been really hard lately. A lot of athiest here. But we found some nice people.

 

 

So with the baptism of Margarita and Junior we were kind of left without progressing investigators. So being Fast and Testimony weekend, I fasted so we could find new people that would progress. Well Sunday morning our miracle comes walking in. a less active brought two of his friends to church with him. They were very impressed with the church and are willing to meet with us. One of them even got up and bore her testimony. She simply said I'm not a member of this church but one thing I know we share is a belief in Jesus Christ and she bore a really nice testimony of Christ. We know that things will go well with them.

 

This has been a super good week just full of miracles and blessing. I absolutly love this work. I love every moment of it and wouldn't trade it for anything.

 

Hope everyone has a great week! I LOVE YOU!

-Elder Stevenson