A sweaty hello from Catalunya,
"My miracle for this week was during and after Fátima´s baptismal interview. We were with her husband, Jesús, in another room waiting and I could tell that he was nervous. We talked to him about faith and how she needs him to have faith in her and encourage her in this time of her life especially. She came out and was just happy. The elders said everything was great and she was so prepared. Jesús was SO happy. We had a lesson after and we asked Jesús to offer the opening prayer. It was so sweet and by the end he was crying. This is as much a miracle for him in his life and for their little family as it is for her personally."
Fátima is getting baptized on Saturday :-)))))) It feels incredible, there just aren´t words. I´ve felt a lot like that this week--just a big loss for words. I feel like I am usually pretty in control of my emotions and reactions, but this week is giving my self-control a run for its money. haha
I got a call from Pte and Hna Pace Sunday night during nightly planning. We were trying to figure out what to do the next day in the morning and nothing was working out or feeling right. Well, then they called and Hna Pace invited us to come over and bake the promised sheet cake for Fátima´s baptism...because a certain Elder would be having an exit interview. It was wonderful. Just cooking and talking and remembering it´s ok to be normal. And to be there and have some time to see and talk with Elder Dalton--it was more than I could have hoped for. They asked us to take pictures with them and they are so cute. I was crying, but held it in until after the pictures, no worries. haha In a couple of hours we have the Singing of the Angels--not gonna lie, I am very nervous. We´ve both been waiting for this day to come and now it´s here and I don´t know how to deal with it. Two sides of me are fighting--the one that wants to stay and the one that wants to come home with my brother.
But the quiet whisperings of the Spirit, which are always there if we ask and then listen, have reassured me that I am not done. I have more work to do. And if there is one thing I, Clarissa Dalton, do NOT do, it is punk out in the middle of the 4th quarter. So I´m putting the game face on and getting to work...tomorrow. Tonight I need a timeout :-) haha OK, ok I´m being slightly dramatic...but only slightly.
I just want everyone to know what an incredible young man is coming home tomorrow. He is not just my younger brother--he is my example, my best friend and my faro. He has done an amazing work here in Spain that will lay the foundation for the future and leave the legacy for all missionaries to follow. Give him lots of hugs and kisses for me when you see him--I did for you this past year. ¡Les toca! I love you and can´t wait to talk to you next week. Hopefully I can send some pics.
MUAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-Hna Clarissa Dalton
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Monday, August 13, 2012
hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhi,
Whew, it´s hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhot. My clothes leave indentions on my skin and hurt because the humidity makes me swell up. Sounds swell, huh?...swell? get it?! ahahahaha It might be affecting my brain as well...unclear...
"Miraclestory: Some members know about Fátima´s fecha now after consejo de barrio and congratulated her at church and she flipped out. It was all just too much for her to handle and she left halfway through church. Her husband came to find us and tell us. We decided to pray and then go visit her. She was frustration cleaning (an automatic emotional coping mechanism for most females or something, or so I´m told--I just go play basketball…) But she was trying to keep it together and couldn´t and burst (literally) into tears. We tried to comfort her and she just kept saying she didn´t want to get baptized. I had no idea what to say so I was praying. We told her not to worry and we wouldn´t talk about or plan her baptism until she told us to and we just talked and she calmed down. We had an appointment with her for later in the afternoon so we told her we would still come back. I felt like we needed some study time after mediodía because we didn´t get it with church. We studied personally and as a companionship and Hna Pazuengo reminded me that we had talked a lot about Fátima while watching "The District" segment about Laura. So we watched it again and decided to watch it with her--it covers her conversion process and how she was baptized even though she initially had lots of doubts and didn´t want to set a date. So we watched it for the visit and she really liked it and was able to relate, which is what she needs with her personality. At the end we promised her again that we wouldn´t talk about baptism until she brought it up with us…and she said that she had thought about it and felt good and wanted to keep her fecha for the 25th of August. What a miracle!!!
Isaac´s baptism was great and really showed what happens when you have the support of the ward and Bishop. Things ran relatively smoothly and there was such a great spirit there. His smile is contagious and I can see him as a future missionary. I feel strongly that his strength and example will help bring his father back into the fold."
Wow, what to say about this week? Things are great here and it seems like so many other areas are struggling for whatever reason right now in the mission...but personally, this transfer has been harder for me, even though I know I shouldn´t complain. It has been great and better than any other, but harder than any other, too. I don´t know how to explain it. But we keep smiling and plugging along
:-)
We are not getting the new piso :-((((( the dueña is nuts. (Landlord) so we are looking again. Patience and diligence anyone? Oh well, what can you do? Things will work out when they need to, I just have to hang in there.
Speaking of hanging in there, I can´t believe transfers are this week and I have NO idea what I am going to do when Connor leaves. I have a mental block up...first bad sign. We´ll cross that bridge when it comes...Well, we are in a sketchy locutorio after spending the day with other Hnas which was so fun, but exhausting and now we have to run home to change and go read with Fátima. We are reading with her every day to prevent future breakdowns and cleaning frenzies. haha I love her so much. We are the same age! Weird right? I know.
Love ya´ll bunches and thanks for keeping me going. MUAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-Hna Clarissa Dalton
Whew, it´s hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhot. My clothes leave indentions on my skin and hurt because the humidity makes me swell up. Sounds swell, huh?...swell? get it?! ahahahaha It might be affecting my brain as well...unclear...
"Miraclestory: Some members know about Fátima´s fecha now after consejo de barrio and congratulated her at church and she flipped out. It was all just too much for her to handle and she left halfway through church. Her husband came to find us and tell us. We decided to pray and then go visit her. She was frustration cleaning (an automatic emotional coping mechanism for most females or something, or so I´m told--I just go play basketball…) But she was trying to keep it together and couldn´t and burst (literally) into tears. We tried to comfort her and she just kept saying she didn´t want to get baptized. I had no idea what to say so I was praying. We told her not to worry and we wouldn´t talk about or plan her baptism until she told us to and we just talked and she calmed down. We had an appointment with her for later in the afternoon so we told her we would still come back. I felt like we needed some study time after mediodía because we didn´t get it with church. We studied personally and as a companionship and Hna Pazuengo reminded me that we had talked a lot about Fátima while watching "The District" segment about Laura. So we watched it again and decided to watch it with her--it covers her conversion process and how she was baptized even though she initially had lots of doubts and didn´t want to set a date. So we watched it for the visit and she really liked it and was able to relate, which is what she needs with her personality. At the end we promised her again that we wouldn´t talk about baptism until she brought it up with us…and she said that she had thought about it and felt good and wanted to keep her fecha for the 25th of August. What a miracle!!!
Isaac´s baptism was great and really showed what happens when you have the support of the ward and Bishop. Things ran relatively smoothly and there was such a great spirit there. His smile is contagious and I can see him as a future missionary. I feel strongly that his strength and example will help bring his father back into the fold."
Wow, what to say about this week? Things are great here and it seems like so many other areas are struggling for whatever reason right now in the mission...but personally, this transfer has been harder for me, even though I know I shouldn´t complain. It has been great and better than any other, but harder than any other, too. I don´t know how to explain it. But we keep smiling and plugging along
:-)
We are not getting the new piso :-((((( the dueña is nuts. (Landlord) so we are looking again. Patience and diligence anyone? Oh well, what can you do? Things will work out when they need to, I just have to hang in there.
Speaking of hanging in there, I can´t believe transfers are this week and I have NO idea what I am going to do when Connor leaves. I have a mental block up...first bad sign. We´ll cross that bridge when it comes...Well, we are in a sketchy locutorio after spending the day with other Hnas which was so fun, but exhausting and now we have to run home to change and go read with Fátima. We are reading with her every day to prevent future breakdowns and cleaning frenzies. haha I love her so much. We are the same age! Weird right? I know.
Love ya´ll bunches and thanks for keeping me going. MUAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-Hna Clarissa Dalton
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Howdy ho,
Vacation sounds so vacationy. haha Glad to hear it was enjoyable and a good break from life. I am uploading pics as we spèak, so they better work and you should have lots of good ones...maybe. We just got back from dropping Hna Abellán off at the train station and are ready to work as a trio--Hnas Pazuengo, Stephenson y yo!
Miracle story for the week:
"The son of our Primary President is almost 10 and not baptized because they have been waiting for his Dad to shape up and come back to church so he can baptize him. He came one Sunday and then has not come back or met with us since. So we have been talking to Isaac and his Mom, Deisy, and last transfer they wanted to wait until December for the baptism because that´s when his birthday is. But we had another visit with them this past week and every visit we have talked about baptism and in this one they told us "We aren´t waiting anymore." Isaac wants the first counselor in the Bishopric to baptize him and he leaves on vacation towards the end of August, so they asked if he could be baptized on the 11th! We said of course! We planned it all out right there with a baptismal calendar and are working through the ward council to pull it all together. Isaac and Deisy have been waiting for almost 2 years and just needed someone to invite them to pray and think about Isaac´s baptism because he is ready and waiting to be a member. This family needs the blessings that will come with this step of faith and the example he will be for his father."
So we are preparing for Isaac´s baptism this Saturday. The Primary is going to sing :-) I am so excited. He really is a great kid and full of so much energy. (And he loves Superman and Spiderman so we get along juuuust fine.) I think Isaac´s baptism and example for his Dad will be key is his Dad finding his testimony again. Fátima is still preparing for baptism on the 25th. Every week is a roller coaster, but that is life and we just keep having visits to bring the Spirit so she can remember why she wants/needs to be baptized. We read 3 Nephi 11 together instead of a "formal" lesson and I think it helped. Their family came to Cinthya´s baptism, but got there late and missed the ordinance. But the Zone Leaders taught a mini lesson while Cinthya was changing and we sang "Las familias pueden ser eternas" for the closing hymn and she said those 2 things really impacted her and she was visualizing her baptism. Momento clave :-) We are trying to coordinate with Hna Pace, who is a phenomenal pianist--reminds me of you Mom--to sing a special musical number. Oh, and did I mention as a trio we are working 2 areas and 2 wards? Yeah, it´s going to be CRAZY until transfers...especially still living in the cra...elder´s old piso :-( but I like things a little bit crazy because you feel and sleep better and it naturally makes you rely on the Spirit more because there is NO way you can do any of it without Him."The son of our Primary President is almost 10 and not baptized because they have been waiting for his Dad to shape up and come back to church so he can baptize him. He came one Sunday and then has not come back or met with us since. So we have been talking to Isaac and his Mom, Deisy, and last transfer they wanted to wait until December for the baptism because that´s when his birthday is. But we had another visit with them this past week and every visit we have talked about baptism and in this one they told us "We aren´t waiting anymore." Isaac wants the first counselor in the Bishopric to baptize him and he leaves on vacation towards the end of August, so they asked if he could be baptized on the 11th! We said of course! We planned it all out right there with a baptismal calendar and are working through the ward council to pull it all together. Isaac and Deisy have been waiting for almost 2 years and just needed someone to invite them to pray and think about Isaac´s baptism because he is ready and waiting to be a member. This family needs the blessings that will come with this step of faith and the example he will be for his father."
OH! I got a surprise phone call last night and Keisy and her sister´s family are coming to Barçelona this week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so excited. We are going to work it out to see them.
:-))))))))))))) I hope Dalleli is with them, too. I think they have also met Connor :-)
Thanks for the emails and love. Mom and everyone else--just send anything to the mission office address. We are close enough to get it just as fast. IF we ever get our new piso, I´ll give you the address. haha
Clarissa Dalton
Spain Barcelona Mission
Calle Calatrava No. 10-12, bajos
08017 Barcelona
SPAIN
Monday, July 30, 2012
Dear world,
I love the end of the month because Elder Dalton comes into Barcy for concilio! We got to spend some time together this morning and I loved it! And here is another miracle story, just in case that one´s not enough for you...
"I have learned a lot this week. Lots of following and learning by the Spirit. First, a miracle story:
Yesterday, we had to rearrange our schedule because some people fired and Fátima had to meet at a different time. It has been hard adjusting to making all the decisions again because Hna Pazuengo is so new and doesn´t feel like she can participate as much in the decision-making process as I think she can. I had a big personal breakthrough in some soul-searching Saturday and learned that the only way I am going to find the balance I am always seeking in my life is by following the Spirit. True balance is following the Spirit. So how does this all relate? I decided to put what I had learned into practice and asked what we should do and then waited for the answer. I felt like we should have a CR Maria Rosa help us with the visit with Fátima and Hna Pazuengo said she had the same thought during our class at church. Evidence that she is receiving revelation for our area and I need to work on helping her recognize it and having confidence in her. So we met with Maria Rosa and then took her with us to Fátima´s. It was great and EXACTLY what she needed. Listening to the Spirit takes the stress and pressure out of missionary work. It´s so nice. You just have to ask and then go do."
So...the people on the other end of our new piso are dragging their feet and we have to be out of this one by Wed...so we might be slightly better off than homeless in the Elder´s old piso...which has 25 yrs of Elders damage to it...such as my favorite-no light in the bathroom or warm water...which equals cold showers in the dark or freezing showers by candlelight. Pray for us. Fasting might be necessary.
Just when you think it can´t get hotter...I noticed fior the first time that you can see the sweat on my arm hairs. It dries when I got inside and it white. Then liquifies in the sun. SO neat, right? I know :-)>
I´m kind of jealous about family vacation because it sounds so good, but the sacrifice is worth it. Tell Josh hi! Wowzers. Can´t wait to see him. And the King´s new house-it sounds great. Connor said to remind everyone of the "fall" and the cone of shame.ahahahahaha
We had 10 investigators come to church and 4 of them were new! The members and work here is incredible. We just show up and try to talk to everyone and schedule appointments.haha Such miracles every week.
This computer is so slow, I´m trying to upload pics-we´ll see what we get.
Hna Stephenson and I talk a lot and I´m making great personal discoveries like every day. I love it! Finally figuring lots of things out!
Can´t wait to hear about the rest of the vacation and as soon as we get to the new piso, I´ll give you the address. If not, we are always close to the office so you can just send stuff there.
I love you all so much. Your emails keep me going some days. And the rest of the days it is the memories that we have together that make it all worth it. ¡Siga adelante!
Con amor,
Hna Clarissa Dalton
I love the end of the month because Elder Dalton comes into Barcy for concilio! We got to spend some time together this morning and I loved it! And here is another miracle story, just in case that one´s not enough for you...
"I have learned a lot this week. Lots of following and learning by the Spirit. First, a miracle story:
Yesterday, we had to rearrange our schedule because some people fired and Fátima had to meet at a different time. It has been hard adjusting to making all the decisions again because Hna Pazuengo is so new and doesn´t feel like she can participate as much in the decision-making process as I think she can. I had a big personal breakthrough in some soul-searching Saturday and learned that the only way I am going to find the balance I am always seeking in my life is by following the Spirit. True balance is following the Spirit. So how does this all relate? I decided to put what I had learned into practice and asked what we should do and then waited for the answer. I felt like we should have a CR Maria Rosa help us with the visit with Fátima and Hna Pazuengo said she had the same thought during our class at church. Evidence that she is receiving revelation for our area and I need to work on helping her recognize it and having confidence in her. So we met with Maria Rosa and then took her with us to Fátima´s. It was great and EXACTLY what she needed. Listening to the Spirit takes the stress and pressure out of missionary work. It´s so nice. You just have to ask and then go do."
So...the people on the other end of our new piso are dragging their feet and we have to be out of this one by Wed...so we might be slightly better off than homeless in the Elder´s old piso...which has 25 yrs of Elders damage to it...such as my favorite-no light in the bathroom or warm water...which equals cold showers in the dark or freezing showers by candlelight. Pray for us. Fasting might be necessary.
Just when you think it can´t get hotter...I noticed fior the first time that you can see the sweat on my arm hairs. It dries when I got inside and it white. Then liquifies in the sun. SO neat, right? I know :-)>
I´m kind of jealous about family vacation because it sounds so good, but the sacrifice is worth it. Tell Josh hi! Wowzers. Can´t wait to see him. And the King´s new house-it sounds great. Connor said to remind everyone of the "fall" and the cone of shame.ahahahahaha
We had 10 investigators come to church and 4 of them were new! The members and work here is incredible. We just show up and try to talk to everyone and schedule appointments.haha Such miracles every week.
This computer is so slow, I´m trying to upload pics-we´ll see what we get.
Hna Stephenson and I talk a lot and I´m making great personal discoveries like every day. I love it! Finally figuring lots of things out!
Can´t wait to hear about the rest of the vacation and as soon as we get to the new piso, I´ll give you the address. If not, we are always close to the office so you can just send stuff there.
I love you all so much. Your emails keep me going some days. And the rest of the days it is the memories that we have together that make it all worth it. ¡Siga adelante!
Con amor,
Hna Clarissa Dalton
Monday, July 23, 2012
I LOVE BEING A MISSIONARY!!!!!!!
When we have a baptism, we tell their conversion story and send pics to the Pte and office so here it is...
"Here is Marco´s miracle story: we were heading home one night on the metro with a recent convert. A man sat down next to me and we exchanged pleasantries, but I was distracted with another conversation. I felt like I needed to talk to him, but thought I had more time. Then he got up to leave and I thought I had missed my chance, so I handed him a pass-along card as the metro stopped. He asked me what it was and where the church building was and as I explained, the doors closed and he missed his stop! I felt so bad, but he sat back down and we started talking. We invited him to church and set up a visit. He got off with us at the next stop. I apologized again for making him miss his stop and he said not to worry. It was God helping him talk to me. I was so impressed and then he ran to catch the next metro. We met with him 3 times a week for the next 3 weeks and even though his schedule was busy he always came. He accepted a fecha in the second lesson and every time we taught him something, he accepted it even though I thought he would have a problem. It seemed like every week and every visit something would come that could potentially delay or chang his fecha, but it never did. Even with innumerable setbacks and problems on the day of his baptism and confirmation--he was still baptized!!! I still can hardly believe that he was baptized in 3 weeks, from contact to the waters of baptism and Heavenly Father let me be a part of it. Estamos en el medio de lasegunda cosecha."
I still can´t believe that I have one of THOSE stories, you know? Metro contact, taught and baptized in 3 weeks--we hear and read those kind of stories all the time here, but I just never thought I´d be living one--even when I was living it! I didn´t realize it until I was sitting in Marco´s baptism and afterward when we were talking and taking pictures. I mean, let´s face it--I´m not a great contacter. I can do it and I try, but nothing usually comes of it so I focus on other parts of the work. But I was in the right place, at the right time, willing to open my mouth and follow a prompting--and it has made all the difference in at least 2 lives--mine and Marco´s. So incredible.
Cinthya and her boyfriend, Edu, changed her fecha from this week to next week because he broke his arm, but by then should be able to baptize her. Worth the wait. And another couple we are teaching will receive their papers to get married in Aug, which is what they have been waiting for to get baptized for 2 YEARS!!!!!!!! So they are planning on Sept 29th or earlier. I promised them, through the prompting of the Spirit, that if they pick a date and work towards it, Heavenly Father will do His part to make it happen on or before that date. SO the fechas we have right now are kind of far out...which the District and Zone Leaders don´t really like and are giving me trouble about, but whatever--I´m not here for the numbers! As long as they happen they all count, right?! Areas, boundaries, dates, numbers--blah. I´m here to build up the kingdom and help people get baptized on the Lord´s time. And I´ve never been happier--even though I have been fighting a cold this week and everything has been going wrong on the surface--it just makes the story more interesting. Icing on the cake :-) That´s what makes life FUN--skip the boring parts.
Hey! We found a new piso, finally. We have to move out and move in this week. It will be crazy, but exciting. We don´t know what belongs to the landlord´s and what belongs to the Church´s because our present piso was rented in the prehistoric era, but we´ll figure it out. And the perks of being in change of finding and renting a new piso...the new one has A/C and is in Plaça Espanya, which I hear is incredible at night with lights and fountains and yah--missionaries for years to come will be thanking us :-) muahahahahaha Well, that´s a li'l of what life´s been like here.
Hey, I heard something about a theater shooting in Colorado and Batman and, I dunno, the rumors here are always flying. What happened? And some guy finding gold plates in Mexico and everyone is saying it proves the Book of Mormon is true...like we need scientific evidence for that and it would make a difference...faith?...but what´s it all about?
Interviews with Pte were great. We talked about everything, missionary-related and otherwise. We also got to chat with Hna Pace for a while. These chats took up 4 pages of my journal.haha OH man.
Glad to hear all the July birthdays were wonderful and fun, even if it´s hot. I know, it is here too. Well, gotta run.
LOVE YOU ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-Hna Clarissa Dalton
When we have a baptism, we tell their conversion story and send pics to the Pte and office so here it is...
"Here is Marco´s miracle story: we were heading home one night on the metro with a recent convert. A man sat down next to me and we exchanged pleasantries, but I was distracted with another conversation. I felt like I needed to talk to him, but thought I had more time. Then he got up to leave and I thought I had missed my chance, so I handed him a pass-along card as the metro stopped. He asked me what it was and where the church building was and as I explained, the doors closed and he missed his stop! I felt so bad, but he sat back down and we started talking. We invited him to church and set up a visit. He got off with us at the next stop. I apologized again for making him miss his stop and he said not to worry. It was God helping him talk to me. I was so impressed and then he ran to catch the next metro. We met with him 3 times a week for the next 3 weeks and even though his schedule was busy he always came. He accepted a fecha in the second lesson and every time we taught him something, he accepted it even though I thought he would have a problem. It seemed like every week and every visit something would come that could potentially delay or chang his fecha, but it never did. Even with innumerable setbacks and problems on the day of his baptism and confirmation--he was still baptized!!! I still can hardly believe that he was baptized in 3 weeks, from contact to the waters of baptism and Heavenly Father let me be a part of it. Estamos en el medio de lasegunda cosecha."
I still can´t believe that I have one of THOSE stories, you know? Metro contact, taught and baptized in 3 weeks--we hear and read those kind of stories all the time here, but I just never thought I´d be living one--even when I was living it! I didn´t realize it until I was sitting in Marco´s baptism and afterward when we were talking and taking pictures. I mean, let´s face it--I´m not a great contacter. I can do it and I try, but nothing usually comes of it so I focus on other parts of the work. But I was in the right place, at the right time, willing to open my mouth and follow a prompting--and it has made all the difference in at least 2 lives--mine and Marco´s. So incredible.
Cinthya and her boyfriend, Edu, changed her fecha from this week to next week because he broke his arm, but by then should be able to baptize her. Worth the wait. And another couple we are teaching will receive their papers to get married in Aug, which is what they have been waiting for to get baptized for 2 YEARS!!!!!!!! So they are planning on Sept 29th or earlier. I promised them, through the prompting of the Spirit, that if they pick a date and work towards it, Heavenly Father will do His part to make it happen on or before that date. SO the fechas we have right now are kind of far out...which the District and Zone Leaders don´t really like and are giving me trouble about, but whatever--I´m not here for the numbers! As long as they happen they all count, right?! Areas, boundaries, dates, numbers--blah. I´m here to build up the kingdom and help people get baptized on the Lord´s time. And I´ve never been happier--even though I have been fighting a cold this week and everything has been going wrong on the surface--it just makes the story more interesting. Icing on the cake :-) That´s what makes life FUN--skip the boring parts.
Hey! We found a new piso, finally. We have to move out and move in this week. It will be crazy, but exciting. We don´t know what belongs to the landlord´s and what belongs to the Church´s because our present piso was rented in the prehistoric era, but we´ll figure it out. And the perks of being in change of finding and renting a new piso...the new one has A/C and is in Plaça Espanya, which I hear is incredible at night with lights and fountains and yah--missionaries for years to come will be thanking us :-) muahahahahaha Well, that´s a li'l of what life´s been like here.
Hey, I heard something about a theater shooting in Colorado and Batman and, I dunno, the rumors here are always flying. What happened? And some guy finding gold plates in Mexico and everyone is saying it proves the Book of Mormon is true...like we need scientific evidence for that and it would make a difference...faith?...but what´s it all about?
Interviews with Pte were great. We talked about everything, missionary-related and otherwise. We also got to chat with Hna Pace for a while. These chats took up 4 pages of my journal.haha OH man.
Glad to hear all the July birthdays were wonderful and fun, even if it´s hot. I know, it is here too. Well, gotta run.
LOVE YOU ALLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-Hna Clarissa Dalton
Monday, July 16, 2012
Howdy y´all!
What an incredibly fabulous week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are truly seeing miracles every day, so many, in fact, that I don´t know if I can choose which one to tell you. Ok, just two:
"A couple , Evelyn and Pabel, have been investigators forever, at least a year and love the church and want to get baptized, but are waiting for their papers to go through so that they can get married. They came to church out of the blue last week and we scheduled a visit. They only have time at 9pm on Friday nights. We invited their good friend who is a member to come and they told us that they finally got their papers and can get married in August and want to get baptized right after that!!! The Spirit was so strong in their house and they are prepared and ready to be members. It was a great lesson and we are so excited to see how excited they are for this day to finally come.
Also, we had some empty time slots this week and as I was trying to decide what to do, after we prayed, the name of an active member kept coming to my mind all week. I finally talked to my companion about it and we decided to call and set up a visit even though she is active and comes to everything and it wouldn´t count for "numbers." We told her we didn´t know why we needed to meet with her, but felt like we should. We found out that she was speaking in church AND teaching the Relief Society lesson the next day AND her grandmother is going through a lot of medical problems. She really needed the boost and told us she has been feeling like she needs to organize a family fast for her grandmother, but didn´t know how because they are all in Chile and non-members, but because of our visit, she is going to do it! She gave one of the most sweet, heart-felt prayers I have ever heard in any language. This was a miracle for me and a witness that we should follow all good impressions, even if we aren´t sure why. Heavenly Father knows and He will bless those who will follow the impressions they receive.
Marco is going to be baptized this Friday! He is excited and doesn´t understand everything, but has a lot of faith and is willing to act--Friday night at 7. Cinthya is also excited for her baptism next week and every visit gets more animated and comfortable with us--she is really shy! Dave is a CR (young adult) and the last lesson we had, we invited him to prepare to receive his patriarcal blessing.This week he told us that he talked to the Bishop and is moving forward with this goal! We are so excited for him and the example he is setting to his brother and other CR friends"
Ok, I have to tell you about Fátima. She is wife of a recently reactivated member. The missionaries didn´t even know she wasn´t a member because she always came to church! June 13th, we got a phone call from the husband, Jesús, asking us to come over and teach his wife about the purpose of life and what happens afterward--Plan of Salvation. I told him, "Yeah, we can do that!" :-) She knows like everything, but is terrified of committing to a date...2 weeks ago she chose one...Christmas.ahahahaha So this week we had a visit with her and I was feeling the Spirit really strong and just went with whatever came into my head and heart. She had answered a question in Sunday School that morning about what makes our church different and she said "temples." So I told her how that impressed me and asked what is stopping her from enjoying the blessings of the temple and having an eternal family. She still had the same doubts about wanting to know 100% and not being rushed. But she asked Jesús to leave and told us privately that she thinks she wants to be baptized, but doesn´t want Jesús to know until she is sure and yadda, yadda. I told her, rather forcefully :-), that he needs to know everything she is feeling and thinking more than anyone!!! So when we started testifying about the temple she asked him to come back in. I knew she had to be feeling the Spirit, but her doubts were in the way, so I asked her to think about what if she got baptized in August and how she´d really feel and we were just going to sit in silence for a minute and think--no talking. She still said the same doubts, but something was different. I could feel it. I was impressed to testify that baptism was just the stepping stone to the temple and her baptismal date really signifies the beginning of the year mark for when they can go to the temple as a family and be sealed together. I realized that I had never asked Jesús directly why he wanted Fátima to be baptized and to bear his testimony of the temple. It was so sweet. He told her he wants them to be on the same path and together forever. She knows how important the temple is to him and he is waiting until January when he gets his membership restored and can go to the temple again after 5-6 years of inactivity. She was crying as she told us about how important eternal families are to him and to her. Then ( I was crying by this time too) he promised her that he would wait for her and not go back to the temple in January, but wait until they can go together and be sealed in August 2013. It was the sweetest, most tender promise I have ever heard, in English OR Spanish. They chose 25th of August together for her baptism!!! There are just not words to go along with the feelings of that moment. Engraved in my memory forever. I couldn´t help but follow yet another impression and promise that I will do everything I can to come back in August 2013 to be there with them in the Madrid temple. It was incredible. It makes all the looooong days, too tired to think or walk, sweating all day long, wearing nothing but dresses, getting yelled at and taunted in the street, struggling with the language and all the personal sacrifices worth it. What else matters more than eternal families?! Nothing. And nothing ever will.
The miracles never cease here in Hospitalet.
I love you all and you are in my heart--carrying me through. What miracles have YOU seen today? Find them.
Love you,
Hna Clarissa Dalton
What an incredibly fabulous week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are truly seeing miracles every day, so many, in fact, that I don´t know if I can choose which one to tell you. Ok, just two:
"A couple , Evelyn and Pabel, have been investigators forever, at least a year and love the church and want to get baptized, but are waiting for their papers to go through so that they can get married. They came to church out of the blue last week and we scheduled a visit. They only have time at 9pm on Friday nights. We invited their good friend who is a member to come and they told us that they finally got their papers and can get married in August and want to get baptized right after that!!! The Spirit was so strong in their house and they are prepared and ready to be members. It was a great lesson and we are so excited to see how excited they are for this day to finally come.
Also, we had some empty time slots this week and as I was trying to decide what to do, after we prayed, the name of an active member kept coming to my mind all week. I finally talked to my companion about it and we decided to call and set up a visit even though she is active and comes to everything and it wouldn´t count for "numbers." We told her we didn´t know why we needed to meet with her, but felt like we should. We found out that she was speaking in church AND teaching the Relief Society lesson the next day AND her grandmother is going through a lot of medical problems. She really needed the boost and told us she has been feeling like she needs to organize a family fast for her grandmother, but didn´t know how because they are all in Chile and non-members, but because of our visit, she is going to do it! She gave one of the most sweet, heart-felt prayers I have ever heard in any language. This was a miracle for me and a witness that we should follow all good impressions, even if we aren´t sure why. Heavenly Father knows and He will bless those who will follow the impressions they receive.
Marco is going to be baptized this Friday! He is excited and doesn´t understand everything, but has a lot of faith and is willing to act--Friday night at 7. Cinthya is also excited for her baptism next week and every visit gets more animated and comfortable with us--she is really shy! Dave is a CR (young adult) and the last lesson we had, we invited him to prepare to receive his patriarcal blessing.This week he told us that he talked to the Bishop and is moving forward with this goal! We are so excited for him and the example he is setting to his brother and other CR friends"
Ok, I have to tell you about Fátima. She is wife of a recently reactivated member. The missionaries didn´t even know she wasn´t a member because she always came to church! June 13th, we got a phone call from the husband, Jesús, asking us to come over and teach his wife about the purpose of life and what happens afterward--Plan of Salvation. I told him, "Yeah, we can do that!" :-) She knows like everything, but is terrified of committing to a date...2 weeks ago she chose one...Christmas.ahahahaha So this week we had a visit with her and I was feeling the Spirit really strong and just went with whatever came into my head and heart. She had answered a question in Sunday School that morning about what makes our church different and she said "temples." So I told her how that impressed me and asked what is stopping her from enjoying the blessings of the temple and having an eternal family. She still had the same doubts about wanting to know 100% and not being rushed. But she asked Jesús to leave and told us privately that she thinks she wants to be baptized, but doesn´t want Jesús to know until she is sure and yadda, yadda. I told her, rather forcefully :-), that he needs to know everything she is feeling and thinking more than anyone!!! So when we started testifying about the temple she asked him to come back in. I knew she had to be feeling the Spirit, but her doubts were in the way, so I asked her to think about what if she got baptized in August and how she´d really feel and we were just going to sit in silence for a minute and think--no talking. She still said the same doubts, but something was different. I could feel it. I was impressed to testify that baptism was just the stepping stone to the temple and her baptismal date really signifies the beginning of the year mark for when they can go to the temple as a family and be sealed together. I realized that I had never asked Jesús directly why he wanted Fátima to be baptized and to bear his testimony of the temple. It was so sweet. He told her he wants them to be on the same path and together forever. She knows how important the temple is to him and he is waiting until January when he gets his membership restored and can go to the temple again after 5-6 years of inactivity. She was crying as she told us about how important eternal families are to him and to her. Then ( I was crying by this time too) he promised her that he would wait for her and not go back to the temple in January, but wait until they can go together and be sealed in August 2013. It was the sweetest, most tender promise I have ever heard, in English OR Spanish. They chose 25th of August together for her baptism!!! There are just not words to go along with the feelings of that moment. Engraved in my memory forever. I couldn´t help but follow yet another impression and promise that I will do everything I can to come back in August 2013 to be there with them in the Madrid temple. It was incredible. It makes all the looooong days, too tired to think or walk, sweating all day long, wearing nothing but dresses, getting yelled at and taunted in the street, struggling with the language and all the personal sacrifices worth it. What else matters more than eternal families?! Nothing. And nothing ever will.
The miracles never cease here in Hospitalet.
I love you all and you are in my heart--carrying me through. What miracles have YOU seen today? Find them.
Love you,
Hna Clarissa Dalton
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
Hola queridos!
"One of the many miracles that we saw this week was in alesson with a less active family in the Ward. My first week here the ward council suggested that we visit them and we did with the Elder´s Quorum President. The Mother is active and serving as the Primary President. The Father hadn´t come to church in years and the son is 9 and comes, but is not baptized. I felt a really strong connection to them, especially the Father. We invited him to come to church and he did the next day! But he hasn´t since then and we haven´t been able to visit. We visited them again this Sunday and invited the son to be baptized.They have been waiting for 2 years so that the Father can baptize him, but they don´t want to wait anymore. I felt impressed to invite him to come back and change and repent so he can baptize his only son. I was more fuerte (forceful) than I´d normally feel comfortable with, but it was what he needed to hear. The son is choosing a date and the Father said he would think and pray about it. I feel like this family is key in the Ward and really want to focus on helping them.The miracle was the direction of the Spirit during the lesson and what to say. Heavenly Father is preparing people to return to the Church and it is exciting to be a part of it and feel like an instrument in the Lord´s hands.
I would be lying if I said I wasn´t very nervous about training this time around because my new companion is a native and because I can´t play the “I don´t know what´s going on” card, even though I still feel like that. But if I know one thing about my Heavenly Father, it is that He loves me enough to kick me out of my comfort zones to mold me into what I want to become, but don´t know how to by myself. So here we go again!
Our investigator, Jefferson, wants to be baptized, but lives in Cornella, so I think the Elders will teach him. But Cinthya still wants to be baptized on the28th and each visit she is more open and comfortable with us. She is halfway through 1 Nefi and always has questions for us. It is a miracle to see the change in her right before my eyes. Fátima´s husband, Jesús, spoke in church and got emotional and Fátima was crying afterward when I talked to her because she´s never seen him like that. She is so close to just deciding to be baptized sooner than December and I can see the Spirit working with her, poco a poco. I am so blessed to be in this area! Marco, a contact from the metro, wants to be baptized on the 20th and is coming to the Singing of the Angels tonight."
We had a training meeting this morning at 9 and we have to go back by 3 to have another meeting with the trainees and then they set us loose.ha...ha *gulp* SO yeah, I am really nervous about training a native. All I know is that she grew up in México, but has been living in León here in Spain. No idea if she speaks english. But if not, we will be studying english and spanish together!haha Yup, I am feeling super inadequate, especially when I think about trying to explain things all the time in spanish, especially to someone who speaks it perfectly...Oh well, I gotta get through this wall sometime, might as well grab a sledgehammer and get to work.
Mom, I am SO excited about the primary thing!!!! Especially because I have been thinking about and looking for a way to help the primary here and the President Hna Deisy (the Mom of the family above) This is a tender mercy and an answer to my prayer!!! Way to go Sister Hales!
I love being here in Barcy and so close to the Paces. They came to an dinner visit that we had with 2 recent converts. I already feel so close to them. They have really helped me and touched my heart.
Summer sounds so fun! Awww such good memories. It all feels so close :-) soon enough. I am at that point in the mission where I just love it. Ok, that´s been most of the time for me, but I really do love it and can´t imagine not being here. I have so much to do and learn and so many people to find and time just keeps marching on. Time, my dear frenemy.haha Happy Birthday to all you July´s!!! Mom! Kindle Fire?! Is that what I think it is?! The newest kindle or something? WOOOOOW SUPER jealous. Sounds like it was a great birthday.
We think we found a new piso, it has been rough because nothing here has 2 bathrooms and it is a necessity for 4 sisters. But our contract is up in August, so we don´t have options or time. It´s been stressful. Hopefully this goes through.
Well, I love you all and thanks for the emails and prayers--you will never know the full extent of the support they give me every day. I love you with all my heart,
Hna Clarissa Dalton
"One of the many miracles that we saw this week was in alesson with a less active family in the Ward. My first week here the ward council suggested that we visit them and we did with the Elder´s Quorum President. The Mother is active and serving as the Primary President. The Father hadn´t come to church in years and the son is 9 and comes, but is not baptized. I felt a really strong connection to them, especially the Father. We invited him to come to church and he did the next day! But he hasn´t since then and we haven´t been able to visit. We visited them again this Sunday and invited the son to be baptized.They have been waiting for 2 years so that the Father can baptize him, but they don´t want to wait anymore. I felt impressed to invite him to come back and change and repent so he can baptize his only son. I was more fuerte (forceful) than I´d normally feel comfortable with, but it was what he needed to hear. The son is choosing a date and the Father said he would think and pray about it. I feel like this family is key in the Ward and really want to focus on helping them.The miracle was the direction of the Spirit during the lesson and what to say. Heavenly Father is preparing people to return to the Church and it is exciting to be a part of it and feel like an instrument in the Lord´s hands.
I would be lying if I said I wasn´t very nervous about training this time around because my new companion is a native and because I can´t play the “I don´t know what´s going on” card, even though I still feel like that. But if I know one thing about my Heavenly Father, it is that He loves me enough to kick me out of my comfort zones to mold me into what I want to become, but don´t know how to by myself. So here we go again!
Our investigator, Jefferson, wants to be baptized, but lives in Cornella, so I think the Elders will teach him. But Cinthya still wants to be baptized on the28th and each visit she is more open and comfortable with us. She is halfway through 1 Nefi and always has questions for us. It is a miracle to see the change in her right before my eyes. Fátima´s husband, Jesús, spoke in church and got emotional and Fátima was crying afterward when I talked to her because she´s never seen him like that. She is so close to just deciding to be baptized sooner than December and I can see the Spirit working with her, poco a poco. I am so blessed to be in this area! Marco, a contact from the metro, wants to be baptized on the 20th and is coming to the Singing of the Angels tonight."
We had a training meeting this morning at 9 and we have to go back by 3 to have another meeting with the trainees and then they set us loose.ha...ha *gulp* SO yeah, I am really nervous about training a native. All I know is that she grew up in México, but has been living in León here in Spain. No idea if she speaks english. But if not, we will be studying english and spanish together!haha Yup, I am feeling super inadequate, especially when I think about trying to explain things all the time in spanish, especially to someone who speaks it perfectly...Oh well, I gotta get through this wall sometime, might as well grab a sledgehammer and get to work.
Mom, I am SO excited about the primary thing!!!! Especially because I have been thinking about and looking for a way to help the primary here and the President Hna Deisy (the Mom of the family above) This is a tender mercy and an answer to my prayer!!! Way to go Sister Hales!
I love being here in Barcy and so close to the Paces. They came to an dinner visit that we had with 2 recent converts. I already feel so close to them. They have really helped me and touched my heart.
Summer sounds so fun! Awww such good memories. It all feels so close :-) soon enough. I am at that point in the mission where I just love it. Ok, that´s been most of the time for me, but I really do love it and can´t imagine not being here. I have so much to do and learn and so many people to find and time just keeps marching on. Time, my dear frenemy.haha Happy Birthday to all you July´s!!! Mom! Kindle Fire?! Is that what I think it is?! The newest kindle or something? WOOOOOW SUPER jealous. Sounds like it was a great birthday.
We think we found a new piso, it has been rough because nothing here has 2 bathrooms and it is a necessity for 4 sisters. But our contract is up in August, so we don´t have options or time. It´s been stressful. Hopefully this goes through.
Well, I love you all and thanks for the emails and prayers--you will never know the full extent of the support they give me every day. I love you with all my heart,
Hna Clarissa Dalton
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