Transfer 5, week 3

November 3, 2010

Dear Family,

Bummer that Shalese still hasn't received her mission call! Hermana Smith and I can't wait. I thought we would know for sure today.

Shalese, thanks for the letter and the pictures. It looks like Mom had a great birthday!! And yours is coming up!!! Also, Thanks to Grandma C. I got her letter the same day.

Today our district all went to Segovia. It is a cool city with a castle. I was going to send pictures today but I cant plug my USB into this computer very easily. One day soon. We just walked around and talked and took pictures. We also paid two Euros to climb the stairs to the top of a tower. I think the best part was the bus ride because we drove through the country and it looked like Utah or California- Nice to take a break from the city.

So, we found a family and we think they are golden! The mother is called Alexandra (another Alexandra!), her marido Eric, and their ten-year-old son Eitan. Eitan just got here a few weeks ago after being in Ecuador for the past 10 years!! Alexandra is so happy to have him back and I imagine that it is a huge huge change for her. I think he is part of the reason that she is so open to the gospel right now. We took a recent convert named Sandra with us to visit them. Her testimony was on fire and she really helped. She is preparing to serve a mission as well.

Other cool story: On Sunday night the Elders planned a Family Home Evening for the young single adults to watch the Joseph Smith movie in the chapel. We invited a few people to go with us but it didn't work out. We ended up going for a few minutes and leaving because we didn't have someone visiting with us. I was pretty tired and it was kind of hard to make myself leave but we did...so I knew something really good would happen (that always seems to happen when we put out that last effort to be obedient). I was right. In the course of walking up one street, changing our minds and going the other direction to find a house, we ran into a guy (probably 27ish? and from Nicaragua) who was heading to a party or something for Halloween. He said he used to be Adventist but he lost his faith when he was about 18. He said he hadn't gotten into anything bad or drugs, he just lost it. He sounded like he had studied and read a lot of books on religion and he said that he had even been a missionary all his life until he turned 18. We gave him a Book of Mormon to read and marked a couple chapters for him, as well as a card with the Church web-site on it. He turned around and went to take the book to his house before he left to party or whatever. We felt pretty good about it. We have great hopes for him. The Book of Mormon can definitely help him regain his faith. I know that Book is true. I feel its power when I read and each time I open it now, I feel like I am searching for a treasure.

Other than that, we are still working with Victor and Vanesa as well as Alexandra and Jofre. Alexandra and Jofre found a homeless man a few months ago and he has been living with them ever since. He is from Cuba and came for three months to make a little money to help his family have a new start. With economic conditions the way they are in Spain, he is leaving with little more than what he came with. He is pretty disappointed but at least he will take a testimony that their are families in the world as kind as Alexandra's, as well as a Book of Mormon.

It is getting a little colder, we are eating a lot of soup.

Lots of love coming from Spain!! You are in my prayers all the time!!

Love, Hermana Moulton

P.S. just got your last minute chat messages. Good job on Scripture study. The droid sounds cool. I love you a ton. Cant wait to talk to you for real. I think I want to choose Sep 20 for my release day. That seems like it would work out better if you are coming to pick me up (then the kids would be adjusted to school again?). And about that, let me know how your plans are coming along. I will be happy however things work out just so long as I get to see you!!

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Transfer 5, week 2

October 27, 2010

Hola Familia,

I am sending pictures!! The one with the cowboy hat is from the Ward party where we taught everyone the line dance to Cotton-eyed Jo. The picture of the snails represents what was going on outside during the party. So cool!!!

I just barely got the letter you sent as I ran out the door to come write emails, so I haven´t had time to read them but thanks a lot!! Also, thanks for all the emails!

Cool story from this week: We had been waiting for someone to meet us at the metro to have a lesson....when she didn´t come we decided to try a person that lives on that same street. Their names were Marisa and Victor. The Elders had visited them a couple of times a few months ago, but they gave us their names because Victor couldn´t meet as often as she could or something like that.

Background: a few months ago we passed a woman crying in the street. We quickly slipped her a card with a picture of Christ and a packet of tissues and walked on. I didn´t know if she would call us but it was a neat experience all the same. So this week as we sat in her bedroom I noticed one of our cards sitting on her shelf in a noticeable place and it turned out to have my handwriting on the back. She told us how she had been crying one day and some chicas gave her that card. I mentioned the tissues and she was surprised to find out it was us. We hadn´t seen each other´s faces because her hands had been covering her face (or maybe I just forgot her face and she hadn´t been able to see because of her tears...can´t remember) Anyway, when Victor joined us, Hna Smith recognized him too. It turns out that we had contacted him and given his address to the elders in the first place. It is pretty crazy how what goes around comes back around.

Another cool story from this week: We were walking along and a guy said, "Mormons... Hola...Mormons." So he starts talking to us about where we are from...genealogically speaking. Then he goes off animatedly about the history of Spain and Columbus and Indians and the Brothers Pinzon (???) and how Spain is the melting pot of Europe....all in a hilarious friendly Spanish way. Finally we asked him if he had seen the Book of Mormon, and when he had been baptized (by then we had caught on that he must be a member). He didn´t answer the baptism question but joked around and recounted the story of Joseph Smith. All the while he was teasing us about our age and about not knowing about the Brothers Pinzon etc. He was pretty hilarious and just what we needed that day. He said he was from Mostoles and I said my dad had served there about thirty years ago. He said, "Your dad! Elder Moulton!"

Dad, he is 38 now and I don´t know if you will remember him, but he listed off a few family names that you might remember. His name is José Maria Benitez Carrasco and he named families: Clemente, Caso, Roberto, La Fuente (and calle Huesca?) He also gave us his email and number if we ever need anything. It was pretty crazy...he works as a security guard in the Airport and he recognized Hna Smith from when she arrived 9 months ago!

Thanks for all the emails...I will print them off to read later. I love you so much!!!

Love Hermana Moulton