Change Happens. The Work Goes On.

 


I have heard that one of the only constants in our lives is "change". This week certainly reflected that for us. First, there were changes in the office. Elder Noble turned over his Assistant to the President role to Elder Guevara. Elder Noble is going home tomorrow. Elder Guevara is a native, and so it will be fun to really be speaking Spanish! Sorry, Hermana Musser! :-). On Wednesday, we received 20 new missionaries! It's always wonderful to see the light in their jet-lagged eyes as they arrive in their field of labor. It is crazy, it is hectic, but it is very exciting. It doesn't get old to watch. My hat is always off to President and Sister Heckmann who deal with all of the changes. President Heckmann always interviews each new missionary. He then decides which of the trainers will be charged with each precious new missionary. Then comes the moment of excitement when they line up the trainers on one side and the new missionaries on the other. They hand a little slip of paper to the trainers with the name of their new companion on it. On the count of 3 they run over and embrace their new companion. It is emotional, it is exciting, and it is fun. Afterward, we go into the mission office to the big map on the wall. Each trainer takes his new companion to the map. They then point to Barcelona and say "Here we are in Barcelona, and we will be serving in....". They then point to their area and call it out. It is a special moment as well. During this time the travel secretary has been frantically buying tickets for trains, planes, and busses. It's usually a late night when we finally get home exhausted. 

We had a little more excitement on Friday when we heard the announcement of 55 new missions in the church that will come into existence on 1 July. One of those missions will be here in Spain, and will contain part of our mission. We won't know which part until the actual boundaries are announced some time in January. Having worked in the missionary department during new mission announcements in the past, I know the insanity that my ex-co-workers are undoubtedly going through! It is no small feat. The work is going forward in an incredible way. The Lord truly is "Hastening His Work."

On Friday night we went to Institute as we normally do. I always like to sit in on the class that Elder Evans teaches. This year it is Eternal Marriage. He teaches it in English. There was a young man in the class that is not a member who came because a friend invited him. Elder Evans keyed in on him and kept inviting him to participate during the lesson. He has an amazing way of being very direct, but making it all very fun saying things like "he hasn't been baptized...yet!" After class he was a little worried that he might have pushed it a little too much, and so he sought him out before they started feeding all 144 YSAs who showed up. He talked to him and asked him how he felt. He responded that he felt really good, and that this was a place where he feels loved, and it feels like a family to him. He then committed to baptism as soon as the missionaries teach him. WOW! As we share what matters to us in normal and natural ways, people really do respond.

Tomorrow marks the beginning of the last week in October. I have no idea where the time has gone, but it really has flown by. Today, I put on a sweater after getting home from Church. Leaves are falling from the trees, and fall is in the air. They are starting to put up Christmas decorations around the city. Yesterday, we ran across an open air market that they had closed a road for. It was fun to wander down to see what people were offering. This year during the holidays, we will know a little more about where to go, and what to see. It will be fun. One of the great things that will happen is that Barcelona will have some of the Church's giving machines. They had to do a lot of negotiating to get all the permissions for them, but it will be a great tool to introduce people to the Gospel, and to let them feel the true Spirit of Giving to those in need. 

We hope that all is well with you and yours and that you can have fun with you families as you go through Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. We also hope that this Christmas season you will focus on the real "Reason for the Season" which is our Savior. We love and miss you all endlessly.

Elder y Hermana Musser

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