December 23, 2010
Dear Family,
Thank you so so so much for the gifts I have been receiving in the mail ;) I also received a story from Grandma Jean and Mom that I will print off and read. Shalese it sounds like you are really taking care of all the Christmas business... Can I just say you have racked up about a million sister points and these points will be poured out again on you when we have a role-reversal.
Shalese says Sharah is as easy to shop for and grateful as ever. It sounds like not much has changed. I bet the choir performance with Josh and Mr Fleming was great. I loved being in his class...so fun!!! Jacob, I want to hear some Japanese on the phone in a couple days..
The Elders that work with us in this ward found a girl named Carolina when they were talking to people in the street. They gave us her number and I think she is a miracle. She is 21 years old, from the Republica Dominicana and she has a warm smile and kind eyes that make me feel like we were friends before. She said in our first lesson that she has a thirst to learn about things of God. Teaching people like her about the Plan of Salvation is the best feeling ever. I don't know how to describe it. So many plain and precious truths have been lost...I really felt like we were sitting there explaining the best news she can possibly hear. We shared 1 Corinthians 15:40-41 and 2 Peter 4:6 about the three kingdoms and about learning the Gospel in the spirit world. Seeing that the Bible teaches exactly what we have also learned by modern revelation is a huge testimony to me and it helped Carolina accept it as well. When we taught about the Plan of Salvation we had a member present and at the end she explained that knowing the Plan of Salvation gives her peace because of the loved ones that she has lost in this life but she knows she will see them again. In the following lesson, Carolina told us that her mother had died when she was 6 or 7 years old, and I realized what a comfort the testimony of that member must have been to her. In that lesson I also felt the direct guide of the spirit telling me what I should ask. I reminded her that she had said that she has a thirst to learn about God and I asked when or how she had developed that thirst. She talked about studying with the Testigos de Jeovah when she was 8, and later attending a protestant church with her aunt. Then she said there was a time when she felt far from God and she felt terrible. She became very emotional and opened up a lot...and I realized how perfectly Heavenly Father knows his children and he can show us what they need by the Spirit.
We taught another great family last night. The father was baptized a long time ago in Bolivia and it sounds like he has taught his family about the Book of Mormon. Cristian (15) and Bryan (10) seem like really great kids and the mother, Claribel, was the person who was contacted by Hermana Bell and Hermana Abellán. Claribel really wants this for her family. The problem with almost every situation in Spain is that people work SO MUCH so we will have to pray with a lot of faith to even have the opportunity to teach them on a regular basis, but they seem ready.
Jenifer (18) is getting baptized this Sunday!!!! She is so excited. We are so excited. At each lesson we ask her if she has been reading and she tells us about questions she had and how she looked them up in the Guide and read about them and then asks us a ton of great questions. Wow. She is going to get rid of a chin piercing on Friday and sheĺl be totally ready. It is a little difficult because the the majority of teenagers have facial piercings in Madrid, especially if they are Spanish. Even some of the sweetest looking girls have a nose ring or a lip ring. The young people in Madrid have it rough spiritually speaking. They are exposed to everything. The point is that Jenifer is amazing and strong and she has seen a lot of great changes in her family as they have learned about the Gospel.
I LOVE being with Hermana Bell and Hermana Bustamante. Most people dread being in a companionship of three, but I love this trio so much. My companions are so great. I am learning a ton from them. It seems to take a lot more to discourage three than two. This has to be one of the funnest times of my mission thus far.
Family, just know that I love you so much and I am praying for you. This Christmas is going great!!! Everyone seems to be feeding us way too much and I love it!! Thanks for everything and thanks for your love. I cant wait to talk to you!!!! Make sure Grandma C gets a special "Merry Christmas" from me.
Love Hermana Shayla Moulton
Thanks so much for everything!!!!!!!!! MERRY CHRISTMAS!
Monday, December 27, 2010
Transfer 6 week 3
December 15, 2010
Hello Family,
I´m sitting here with two letters from Mom and Shalese that we just got on the way to use computers. THANKS!!! Shalese, I´ll be on the lookout for the Charlie Brown Package :) Lots of Big news today! First, we got permission to watch a Disney movie today and Elder McArthur was super excited to watch Mulan so Mulan it is. Even better: We will be a trio until about January 17th. Hermana Bustamante is our third companion. She is great friends with one of the teachers I had in the CCM, hermana Nalbandayan (from Armenia). She is 23 and very excited to be here. She will be serving in Los Angeles in the visitor center there. She spent four days in the CCM and is now working with us...then she will go to the MTC in Provo and spend nine weeks there to learn English..at least we think it will be nine weeks. We are supposedly training her but she came pre-trained. Her questions in lessons come naturally and inspire people to talk to us openly. I think it helps that she speaks Spanish. I am super excited to have time to learn Spanish with her. It is difficult to remember to always speak in Spanish when there are two English speakers serving together but it will be much easier now. She was born in Peru in Arequipa and moved to Spain as a little girl. She speaks using the zeta. I have been speaking without it because the majority of the people we meet with in this area don´t use it....I think I will be home before I ever decide if I want to use it or not. No importa. The point is that I am so happy that we have this time together as three because we will all learn a ton. Sure, we still need to learn to navigate through the bathroom with three of us, and contacting in the street might be a little intimidating to the people we meet, but three sounds like a party to me.
We are working with a family: Veronica, Hatson, Jenifer (18), and Mateo (almost 1). Jeinfer will be baptized on December 26 and Veronica is working very hard on her papers so she and Hatson can get married!!!! Their testimonies are so strong and she is reading the Book of Mormon every day without fail. Often our lessons are centered mainly on whatever she read that day. Veronica said that her testimony came when she finally started reading the Book of Mormon. That is a testimony to me of the importance of reading the Book of Mormon. Since then she says she has had desires to avoid doing things that aren´t right. The other day we went to teach Jenifer about tithing...we asked her if she had learned anything about it previously and she proceeded to tell us how she had looked it up in the guide of the Book of Mormon and then looked up all the scriptures that were listed in the Bible. She explained that it was ten percent that they paid from ancient times...we talked a little bit about Abraham...then she told us a story her cousin told her that she had heard in Málaga in church of a family who was struggling financially and still paid tithing...and the blessings that came to them. Yes...I think Jenifer is ready. It is pretty cool that a story someone told a while back made it up north and touched the heart of someone who was searching. It was a lesson to me that our experiences can be a blessing to others and that we should share our testimonies...you never know who you can touch.
Last night we set a date for baptism for a woman and her daughter, Maria and Luz. They have been attending church for a year! Her challenge that kept her from setting a date to be baptized was that she wanted to be sure she could live up to it. She will be the first to be baptized in her family and she wanted to be sure she was living right to be an example to them. I can say that she is a wonderful person and already is an example to her family and to me. Her daughter Luz (11) has been practically begging her to get baptized because they will be baptized together. Maria feels bad that she has to work one Sunday each month. Hna Bustamante had had a similar experience that helped Maria. They have a ton of friends in the church (which is sooooo important) so they have a great support system. I can´t wait till they get to do baptisms at the temple. Maria will love that peace.
Family, thanks for the letters and emails and the love!! I loved the pictures of Dad and Mom in California. Shalese..I got the pictures of you with Tina, Meg, Rebecca, and Nicole!! Thanks. You´re all beautiful! Jake:Good luck in the performance, Shalese says you are helping out. Josh: When does basketball end? Sharah: Shalese says you are the sweetest sister we have! I love you all!
Love Hermana Moulton 1 (-para distinguir entre las bellas Hemanas Moulton ;)
Hello Family,
I´m sitting here with two letters from Mom and Shalese that we just got on the way to use computers. THANKS!!! Shalese, I´ll be on the lookout for the Charlie Brown Package :) Lots of Big news today! First, we got permission to watch a Disney movie today and Elder McArthur was super excited to watch Mulan so Mulan it is. Even better: We will be a trio until about January 17th. Hermana Bustamante is our third companion. She is great friends with one of the teachers I had in the CCM, hermana Nalbandayan (from Armenia). She is 23 and very excited to be here. She will be serving in Los Angeles in the visitor center there. She spent four days in the CCM and is now working with us...then she will go to the MTC in Provo and spend nine weeks there to learn English..at least we think it will be nine weeks. We are supposedly training her but she came pre-trained. Her questions in lessons come naturally and inspire people to talk to us openly. I think it helps that she speaks Spanish. I am super excited to have time to learn Spanish with her. It is difficult to remember to always speak in Spanish when there are two English speakers serving together but it will be much easier now. She was born in Peru in Arequipa and moved to Spain as a little girl. She speaks using the zeta. I have been speaking without it because the majority of the people we meet with in this area don´t use it....I think I will be home before I ever decide if I want to use it or not. No importa. The point is that I am so happy that we have this time together as three because we will all learn a ton. Sure, we still need to learn to navigate through the bathroom with three of us, and contacting in the street might be a little intimidating to the people we meet, but three sounds like a party to me.
We are working with a family: Veronica, Hatson, Jenifer (18), and Mateo (almost 1). Jeinfer will be baptized on December 26 and Veronica is working very hard on her papers so she and Hatson can get married!!!! Their testimonies are so strong and she is reading the Book of Mormon every day without fail. Often our lessons are centered mainly on whatever she read that day. Veronica said that her testimony came when she finally started reading the Book of Mormon. That is a testimony to me of the importance of reading the Book of Mormon. Since then she says she has had desires to avoid doing things that aren´t right. The other day we went to teach Jenifer about tithing...we asked her if she had learned anything about it previously and she proceeded to tell us how she had looked it up in the guide of the Book of Mormon and then looked up all the scriptures that were listed in the Bible. She explained that it was ten percent that they paid from ancient times...we talked a little bit about Abraham...then she told us a story her cousin told her that she had heard in Málaga in church of a family who was struggling financially and still paid tithing...and the blessings that came to them. Yes...I think Jenifer is ready. It is pretty cool that a story someone told a while back made it up north and touched the heart of someone who was searching. It was a lesson to me that our experiences can be a blessing to others and that we should share our testimonies...you never know who you can touch.
Last night we set a date for baptism for a woman and her daughter, Maria and Luz. They have been attending church for a year! Her challenge that kept her from setting a date to be baptized was that she wanted to be sure she could live up to it. She will be the first to be baptized in her family and she wanted to be sure she was living right to be an example to them. I can say that she is a wonderful person and already is an example to her family and to me. Her daughter Luz (11) has been practically begging her to get baptized because they will be baptized together. Maria feels bad that she has to work one Sunday each month. Hna Bustamante had had a similar experience that helped Maria. They have a ton of friends in the church (which is sooooo important) so they have a great support system. I can´t wait till they get to do baptisms at the temple. Maria will love that peace.
Family, thanks for the letters and emails and the love!! I loved the pictures of Dad and Mom in California. Shalese..I got the pictures of you with Tina, Meg, Rebecca, and Nicole!! Thanks. You´re all beautiful! Jake:Good luck in the performance, Shalese says you are helping out. Josh: When does basketball end? Sharah: Shalese says you are the sweetest sister we have! I love you all!
Love Hermana Moulton 1 (-para distinguir entre las bellas Hemanas Moulton ;)
Transfer 6 week 2
December 8, 2010
Dear Family,
First off, thanks to Sharah and Shalese for the coolest Christmas Tree this side of the Atlantic Ocean. It is so great and it made me super happy!! (see pic) I hope the picture works this time.
Christmas looks like it will be pretty fun this year. People HAVE TO listen to us if we say anything about Christmas season and Christ. Last night we had the ward activity and it was pretty great. We had a lot of people come out for it. We also did a skit...I need to work on my acting skills but the Elders were pretty funny.
Hermana Bell and I are trying to find people that really want to act on what they learn and not just let us come over...that means we have been walking around searching a lot more than before... It has been a little exhausting which is how we know something great is coming. It is a little difficult starting over and learning an area again. In my last area Hna Smith and I had to learn the area together so I became a professional map reader and by the end I knew where most of the addresses that people gave us were located. The cool thing is that since I have already learned an area once I am learning this one double-fast. Contacting has also gotten a little easier...partly because Spanish has become easier and partly because the search seems to have become more part of me and more desperate. I am finally feeling that the responsibility is on my shoulders and it gives me more confidence to act. I figure that if I don't do it nobody will- so I should do it even though my approach wont be perfect, and the Lord will make it good enough. The real truth is that if I don't talk to these people, someone eventually will because Heavenly Father will get the message to them somehow, but I will miss out on the chance to be part of the process. Hope that makes sense.
Well, I better go but I love you a ton!!!
Love Hermana Shayla Moulton.
PS. Mom just so ya know, I am getting over being sick and all that jazz. Ya!! Also, My hand is better...the blisters are finally peeling off...gross ;)
I also have a special Christmas request...maybe Shalese can help out...Church music CDs...like single artists...singers or pianists or guitarist etc that play christian music or hyms etc. Thanks!!!
Love ya!!!!
Dear Family,
First off, thanks to Sharah and Shalese for the coolest Christmas Tree this side of the Atlantic Ocean. It is so great and it made me super happy!! (see pic) I hope the picture works this time.
Christmas looks like it will be pretty fun this year. People HAVE TO listen to us if we say anything about Christmas season and Christ. Last night we had the ward activity and it was pretty great. We had a lot of people come out for it. We also did a skit...I need to work on my acting skills but the Elders were pretty funny.
Hermana Bell and I are trying to find people that really want to act on what they learn and not just let us come over...that means we have been walking around searching a lot more than before... It has been a little exhausting which is how we know something great is coming. It is a little difficult starting over and learning an area again. In my last area Hna Smith and I had to learn the area together so I became a professional map reader and by the end I knew where most of the addresses that people gave us were located. The cool thing is that since I have already learned an area once I am learning this one double-fast. Contacting has also gotten a little easier...partly because Spanish has become easier and partly because the search seems to have become more part of me and more desperate. I am finally feeling that the responsibility is on my shoulders and it gives me more confidence to act. I figure that if I don't do it nobody will- so I should do it even though my approach wont be perfect, and the Lord will make it good enough. The real truth is that if I don't talk to these people, someone eventually will because Heavenly Father will get the message to them somehow, but I will miss out on the chance to be part of the process. Hope that makes sense.
Well, I better go but I love you a ton!!!
Love Hermana Shayla Moulton.
PS. Mom just so ya know, I am getting over being sick and all that jazz. Ya!! Also, My hand is better...the blisters are finally peeling off...gross ;)
I also have a special Christmas request...maybe Shalese can help out...Church music CDs...like single artists...singers or pianists or guitarist etc that play christian music or hyms etc. Thanks!!!
Love ya!!!!
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Transfer 6 week 1
December 1, 2010
Dear Family,
So the big news: I have been transferred from Barrio 9 to Barrio 3. That means that I moved my stuff upstairs with Hermana Bell and Hermana Smith stayed downstairs (not much of a move ;) My address is still the same:
C\ Las Tintas 17, 3ºB
Madrid 28025
Spain
The pictures: The first one is with some girls from Barrio 9. Laura, the one hugging me teaches seminary and came with us on a lot of visits over the summer. Sheyla is next to her. She has become a good friend and it has been amazing to watch her spirit and strength grow. Gabby is on the far left. She is the one that showed me how easy it is to deep fry...which I learned was a mistake when the first thing I deep fried was my hand.
The second picture is of me and Hermana Bell. She is great...very happy and very excited to work and see miracles. There is a lot of adjusting to do in a new area but it feels like I am starting fresh again. It was a little sad to leave behind some of the people that I have been with so long. The nice thing is that we still attend the same chapel so if there is ever a baptism in Barrio 9 we will get to bring someone. The other nice thing is that I still live with Hermana Smith ;)
I still don´t know many of the investigators in this area but I am excited to meet them. We actually met Veronica the other day who is working very hard on her papers so that she can get married and baptized. The cool part about that was that Hermana Smith and I contacted her a long time ago and gave her address to the other sisters...it shows how important contacting is even if we don´t personally end up teaching the person. Veronica said she watched us contact another couple on a bench and hoped we would come talk to her. We knew that she had been watching us so we almost passed her by because it feels a little awkward talking to someone who just watched you talk to someone else (I know that is silly...I´m getting over it.)
I hope Mikayla got my letter. I have also had a letter sitting on my desk for Grandma C for a long time.
Yesterday I read in 1Nephi 3: 15 -16 about how determined Nephi was to do the will of the Lord. It reminded me of the council President Monson gave in a recent(ish) Priesthood session of conference. 1.Find out the will of the Lord, 2.Make a plan, 3.Do it. I feel like it is a great time to make goals and find out exactly what the Lord wants from me now as I start in a new area. Something I have learned though is that we shouldn´t wait for a big external change like that before we re-evaluate and decide to change. It just takes a little more effort if there isn´t that external change. Nephi did make a plan...he and his brothers gave away all the riches they had left...their whole life´s savings...and that plan failed. (Don´t feel bad when your first plans fail...) I bet that they felt that they had given everything they could give but Nephi went back and truly gave the last effort and that is when the Lord stepped in and gave him what was required. The Lord probably could have given the plates to Laman in the first place, but miracles happen after faith and obedience. Besides that, we wouldn´t have this inspiring and instructional story at the most-read part of the Book of Mormon...the beginning. Side thought: When we are passing through something really difficult, maybe that trial will become a story for the people we love in the future to learn from, just as Nephi´s hard life has become an honored and loved example for us.
I love you all so much. I am so glad to be on a mission. Shalese you are going to learn and grow so much it is crazy.
Love, Hermana Moulton
Dear Family,
So the big news: I have been transferred from Barrio 9 to Barrio 3. That means that I moved my stuff upstairs with Hermana Bell and Hermana Smith stayed downstairs (not much of a move ;) My address is still the same:
C\ Las Tintas 17, 3ºB
Madrid 28025
Spain
The pictures: The first one is with some girls from Barrio 9. Laura, the one hugging me teaches seminary and came with us on a lot of visits over the summer. Sheyla is next to her. She has become a good friend and it has been amazing to watch her spirit and strength grow. Gabby is on the far left. She is the one that showed me how easy it is to deep fry...which I learned was a mistake when the first thing I deep fried was my hand.
The second picture is of me and Hermana Bell. She is great...very happy and very excited to work and see miracles. There is a lot of adjusting to do in a new area but it feels like I am starting fresh again. It was a little sad to leave behind some of the people that I have been with so long. The nice thing is that we still attend the same chapel so if there is ever a baptism in Barrio 9 we will get to bring someone. The other nice thing is that I still live with Hermana Smith ;)
I still don´t know many of the investigators in this area but I am excited to meet them. We actually met Veronica the other day who is working very hard on her papers so that she can get married and baptized. The cool part about that was that Hermana Smith and I contacted her a long time ago and gave her address to the other sisters...it shows how important contacting is even if we don´t personally end up teaching the person. Veronica said she watched us contact another couple on a bench and hoped we would come talk to her. We knew that she had been watching us so we almost passed her by because it feels a little awkward talking to someone who just watched you talk to someone else (I know that is silly...I´m getting over it.)
I hope Mikayla got my letter. I have also had a letter sitting on my desk for Grandma C for a long time.
Yesterday I read in 1Nephi 3: 15 -16 about how determined Nephi was to do the will of the Lord. It reminded me of the council President Monson gave in a recent(ish) Priesthood session of conference. 1.Find out the will of the Lord, 2.Make a plan, 3.Do it. I feel like it is a great time to make goals and find out exactly what the Lord wants from me now as I start in a new area. Something I have learned though is that we shouldn´t wait for a big external change like that before we re-evaluate and decide to change. It just takes a little more effort if there isn´t that external change. Nephi did make a plan...he and his brothers gave away all the riches they had left...their whole life´s savings...and that plan failed. (Don´t feel bad when your first plans fail...) I bet that they felt that they had given everything they could give but Nephi went back and truly gave the last effort and that is when the Lord stepped in and gave him what was required. The Lord probably could have given the plates to Laman in the first place, but miracles happen after faith and obedience. Besides that, we wouldn´t have this inspiring and instructional story at the most-read part of the Book of Mormon...the beginning. Side thought: When we are passing through something really difficult, maybe that trial will become a story for the people we love in the future to learn from, just as Nephi´s hard life has become an honored and loved example for us.
I love you all so much. I am so glad to be on a mission. Shalese you are going to learn and grow so much it is crazy.
Love, Hermana Moulton
Transfer 5 week 6
November 24, 2010
Hello Family!
Happy Thanksgiving! We switched our preparation day to Thursday this week so that we could do a Thanksgiving celebration with the missionaries and mission leader in our ward. It should be a blast. We are going to watch the Joseph Smith movie. This morning I took a second to remember why we celebrate Thanksgiving. I am so grateful for all the blessings I have received. Every day we talk with people who´s life experiences make me realize how blessed I have been to have been guided by the gospel all my life. Principles like honesty, chastity, charity, faith, hope, trust, forgiveness, work, service, tithing, and prayer have shielded our family from so many heart aches and provided for our temporal needs as well. I am so grateful for so many things and my family above all.
As for excitement this week: On Saturday we helped a girl in our ward make lunch/dinner and we fried calamari. I saw how easy it is to deep-fry and I remembered something I had eaten in the CCM...Deep fried french-toast with a different name. I thought it was a brilliant idea...until a huge distraction caught my attention in the middle of my attempt. The next thing I knew the pan was smoking like crazy so I thought I should hold it out the window so the smoke would go out. Meanwhile the distraction continued in the kitchen and I stopped thinking...I dumped out the oil....onto my hand. Thoughts of how Bro. Stockard had to go to physical therapy every day including Christmas for his hand flooded my mind (over-reaction). I kept my hand in a bucket of water the whole night. It was just a second degree burn on part of my palm and index finger. It hurt a bit in the morning and I brought a bag of frozen peas to our morning lessons. Vanesa, one of our investigators, but some bee´s-wax on it....I didn´t think that was a very good idea, but between 10 hrs of submersion in water and the bee´s wax it stopped the pain completely and I just have a couple of cool giant blisters to show for it. The part that made me feel really NOT-SMART was the fact that we live on the fourth floor and I could have scalded one of our neighbors if they had stuck their head out the window...fortunately I didn´t see any clothes on the clothes-lines below us...but the puddle of oil was still there a couple days later...
Other than that, our whole apartment has been sick this week. Fortunately I uncovered a stash of medicine left by other missionaries and we have all been partaking. Mom, I did get the DSF! Thanks!!! I love that stuff.
This week has been crazy but great. A couple from our ward were sealed in the Temple and they invited us to explain some things to the groom´s parents in the waiting room. Very interesting experience. Then more of their friends came to a ring-exchanging service and the Stake president talked about temples. Hermana Smith played the piano and I led the music. at least half of the people there were not familiar with hymn-books so I felt like I was singing a bit of a solo up front...which wouldn´t have been so bad but I was already sick and couldn´t reach the high notes..not pretty. The important thing is that David and Paula seemed very happy and she looked so beautiful in a simple white dress.
We had a great zone conference with Elder Casse, a member of the Seventy. He is French but his English is great. I learned a lot of things that can help me be a better missionary.
On Monday-Tuesday, we had interchanges...which means I spent the day with Hermana Read in my area and Hermana Smith went to Barrio 8 for the day. Hermana Read is so great. I learned a lot from her.
Well, I have to run but I love you!
Happy Thanksgiving!!! Eat some turkey for me ;)
Love Hermana Moulton
P.S. Shalese: look up David Swenson on facebook ;) he is from UT...friend of Hna Smith´s family and he got your same mission call!!
Hello Family!
Happy Thanksgiving! We switched our preparation day to Thursday this week so that we could do a Thanksgiving celebration with the missionaries and mission leader in our ward. It should be a blast. We are going to watch the Joseph Smith movie. This morning I took a second to remember why we celebrate Thanksgiving. I am so grateful for all the blessings I have received. Every day we talk with people who´s life experiences make me realize how blessed I have been to have been guided by the gospel all my life. Principles like honesty, chastity, charity, faith, hope, trust, forgiveness, work, service, tithing, and prayer have shielded our family from so many heart aches and provided for our temporal needs as well. I am so grateful for so many things and my family above all.
As for excitement this week: On Saturday we helped a girl in our ward make lunch/dinner and we fried calamari. I saw how easy it is to deep-fry and I remembered something I had eaten in the CCM...Deep fried french-toast with a different name. I thought it was a brilliant idea...until a huge distraction caught my attention in the middle of my attempt. The next thing I knew the pan was smoking like crazy so I thought I should hold it out the window so the smoke would go out. Meanwhile the distraction continued in the kitchen and I stopped thinking...I dumped out the oil....onto my hand. Thoughts of how Bro. Stockard had to go to physical therapy every day including Christmas for his hand flooded my mind (over-reaction). I kept my hand in a bucket of water the whole night. It was just a second degree burn on part of my palm and index finger. It hurt a bit in the morning and I brought a bag of frozen peas to our morning lessons. Vanesa, one of our investigators, but some bee´s-wax on it....I didn´t think that was a very good idea, but between 10 hrs of submersion in water and the bee´s wax it stopped the pain completely and I just have a couple of cool giant blisters to show for it. The part that made me feel really NOT-SMART was the fact that we live on the fourth floor and I could have scalded one of our neighbors if they had stuck their head out the window...fortunately I didn´t see any clothes on the clothes-lines below us...but the puddle of oil was still there a couple days later...
Other than that, our whole apartment has been sick this week. Fortunately I uncovered a stash of medicine left by other missionaries and we have all been partaking. Mom, I did get the DSF! Thanks!!! I love that stuff.
This week has been crazy but great. A couple from our ward were sealed in the Temple and they invited us to explain some things to the groom´s parents in the waiting room. Very interesting experience. Then more of their friends came to a ring-exchanging service and the Stake president talked about temples. Hermana Smith played the piano and I led the music. at least half of the people there were not familiar with hymn-books so I felt like I was singing a bit of a solo up front...which wouldn´t have been so bad but I was already sick and couldn´t reach the high notes..not pretty. The important thing is that David and Paula seemed very happy and she looked so beautiful in a simple white dress.
We had a great zone conference with Elder Casse, a member of the Seventy. He is French but his English is great. I learned a lot of things that can help me be a better missionary.
On Monday-Tuesday, we had interchanges...which means I spent the day with Hermana Read in my area and Hermana Smith went to Barrio 8 for the day. Hermana Read is so great. I learned a lot from her.
Well, I have to run but I love you!
Happy Thanksgiving!!! Eat some turkey for me ;)
Love Hermana Moulton
P.S. Shalese: look up David Swenson on facebook ;) he is from UT...friend of Hna Smith´s family and he got your same mission call!!
Transfer 5 week 5
November 17, 2010
Shalese!!!!! I hope you get my letter soon! I am so happy!!! Barcelona!!! Hermana Watkins called me early on Saturday morning to tell me she got the email from Dad about where you would go. I started crying like a baby...just like when I opened up my mission call ;) Even Hna Smith was crying. And then we went upstairs to tell Hna Avellán that you are going to Barcelona and she was super excited too...(she is from Barcelona). You might meet six elders that I was good friends with in the CCM in Madrid E.Taylor, E. Moss, E.Waite, E.Parry, E. Egan, and E.Estrada!!!! I love them and you´re gonna meet some of them for sure. I´ve been making everyone guess where you got your mission call to....they never guess Spain! You are going to love it!
I bet when you got your mission call you got the New sister missionary dress code sheet....way better!!! Sister missionaries are allowed to be cute....without nylons!!
Parents: Matter of business...Is the plan still to come and pick me up at the end of my mission, or at the end of Shalese´s? Will it bother her if we are all in Spain while she is on her mission? Should all three of us come back at the end of her mission? Or is it better to do it sooner now?...and save on an extra plane ticket? I´m going to stop worrying about it...
I bet you were all so excited to get her call!!! It is really nice to know that Shalese will not be so far away!
We didn´t see the worldwide training meeting....what big changes did they make?
Tomorrow we have Zone Conference. Zone conferences are the best. We have them once every two months or so.
Cool story: Last night we talked to a guy that we had talked to before. He told us that he believed in a Supreme being because he has felt His help, and even more evidentetly, he feels the consequences when he does something wrong. He told us that he was really worried about a driving test that he would take in the morning. He said that the last time he talked to us he took the same driving test the next day and failed it. He said he would pray about it and if he passed this time he would call us. So we prayed last night that he wuold pass this test and call us...and he called us around 10:30 this morning. We don´t normally encourage people to depend on signs like that but hey, the Lord works in mysterious ways. Hopefully we can start teaching him soon.
The other day we were kind of down because it seemed that none of the people we are working with are progressing on their own, but the past few days we have been visiting them and we are starting to recognize changes that are happening in their attitudes and in their prayers. Things are going pretty well.
I love you so much!!!
Love Hermana Moulton
Shalese!!!!! I hope you get my letter soon! I am so happy!!! Barcelona!!! Hermana Watkins called me early on Saturday morning to tell me she got the email from Dad about where you would go. I started crying like a baby...just like when I opened up my mission call ;) Even Hna Smith was crying. And then we went upstairs to tell Hna Avellán that you are going to Barcelona and she was super excited too...(she is from Barcelona). You might meet six elders that I was good friends with in the CCM in Madrid E.Taylor, E. Moss, E.Waite, E.Parry, E. Egan, and E.Estrada!!!! I love them and you´re gonna meet some of them for sure. I´ve been making everyone guess where you got your mission call to....they never guess Spain! You are going to love it!
I bet when you got your mission call you got the New sister missionary dress code sheet....way better!!! Sister missionaries are allowed to be cute....without nylons!!
Parents: Matter of business...Is the plan still to come and pick me up at the end of my mission, or at the end of Shalese´s? Will it bother her if we are all in Spain while she is on her mission? Should all three of us come back at the end of her mission? Or is it better to do it sooner now?...and save on an extra plane ticket? I´m going to stop worrying about it...
I bet you were all so excited to get her call!!! It is really nice to know that Shalese will not be so far away!
We didn´t see the worldwide training meeting....what big changes did they make?
Tomorrow we have Zone Conference. Zone conferences are the best. We have them once every two months or so.
Cool story: Last night we talked to a guy that we had talked to before. He told us that he believed in a Supreme being because he has felt His help, and even more evidentetly, he feels the consequences when he does something wrong. He told us that he was really worried about a driving test that he would take in the morning. He said that the last time he talked to us he took the same driving test the next day and failed it. He said he would pray about it and if he passed this time he would call us. So we prayed last night that he wuold pass this test and call us...and he called us around 10:30 this morning. We don´t normally encourage people to depend on signs like that but hey, the Lord works in mysterious ways. Hopefully we can start teaching him soon.
The other day we were kind of down because it seemed that none of the people we are working with are progressing on their own, but the past few days we have been visiting them and we are starting to recognize changes that are happening in their attitudes and in their prayers. Things are going pretty well.
I love you so much!!!
Love Hermana Moulton
Transfer 5 week 4
Novemeber 10, 2010
Dear Family,
Another week to wait for Shalese´s call...pretty sure this is killing me more than it is her. Here is what to do: Email Hermana Watkins (Mission President´s wife) and ask her to let me know where Shalese is going and when she will leave the minute you find out, k? She can call me!
By the way, I am sending a letter for Shalese...as soon as I find a stamp. Happy Birthday soon!!!!
I am also emailing pictures of Segovia from last week!!
Things around here are pretty great. We had a good lesson with Alexandra this week and I walked home surprised at the love I have learned to feel and at the way I am learning to recognize the Spirit. She felt it too and she came to church for the first time in a month. This is a big thing for her because she is now babysitting her little niece and nephew every weekend and Jofre is working. It is hard to bring three little kids on the bus!! So this showed a lot of faith on her part.
Hna Smith and I are doing pretty well. Most people are surprised to learn that we´ve been in the same area for five transfers...especially since this is my first area! The great thing is that we know many of the members pretty well by now. That is a good start to learning how to involve them more in the work. Last night we visited a family who is struggling because the dad is addicted to alcohol, but their faith is so bright. We have seen them at some pretty rough times and helped them find someone who could give them a blessing. Last night it seemed that they are being healed. The daughter, Cristine (17) has such a strong testimony and a deep understanding of gospel principles. Seminary is really paying off for her. She is helping us by inviting and watching out for one of our investigators who is also 17. They are a strong example of how faith and obedience can carry us through even the hardest trials.
I read a great talk by President Eyring from the October 2007 Priesthood session of General Conference this morning. He had just been called to the First Presidency and he felt overwhelmed. He spent a few nights in prayer before giving this talk and he shared three principles that he learned: 1. He remembered all the times that God took care of him and trusted that He will always carry him through. 2. Forget yourself and start praying for the people that you serve. President Eyring says that always brings the Spirit into the prayer..."but be prepared to lose track of time in prayer" I liked that the best. As missionaries we run a tight schedule, (and I am pretty sure that will never change) sometimes I am more worried about getting to bed on time and getting in those 8 hours than I am about having a productive and sincere prayer. I want to lose track of time as I pray. It was clear that President Eyring has lost more than a few nights of sleep while in prayer...I don´t think 10 or 15 min will kill me ;) As we pray, the circle of people we pray for will get wider and wider and in the meantime our hearts will change.
3. Get to work. He says that faithful service will never be easy. It wasn´t easy for Christ and it wasn´t easy for His disciples. That is part of how we get a "broken heart" not just a softened heart. Accepting that fact somehow actually does make it seem easier. He says the most important measure of our success is how much we help others take a testimony down into their hearts. I really love President Eyring.
I sure love you!! I pray for you all the time.
Love, Hermana Moulton
Dear Family,
Another week to wait for Shalese´s call...pretty sure this is killing me more than it is her. Here is what to do: Email Hermana Watkins (Mission President´s wife) and ask her to let me know where Shalese is going and when she will leave the minute you find out, k? She can call me!
By the way, I am sending a letter for Shalese...as soon as I find a stamp. Happy Birthday soon!!!!
I am also emailing pictures of Segovia from last week!!
Things around here are pretty great. We had a good lesson with Alexandra this week and I walked home surprised at the love I have learned to feel and at the way I am learning to recognize the Spirit. She felt it too and she came to church for the first time in a month. This is a big thing for her because she is now babysitting her little niece and nephew every weekend and Jofre is working. It is hard to bring three little kids on the bus!! So this showed a lot of faith on her part.
Hna Smith and I are doing pretty well. Most people are surprised to learn that we´ve been in the same area for five transfers...especially since this is my first area! The great thing is that we know many of the members pretty well by now. That is a good start to learning how to involve them more in the work. Last night we visited a family who is struggling because the dad is addicted to alcohol, but their faith is so bright. We have seen them at some pretty rough times and helped them find someone who could give them a blessing. Last night it seemed that they are being healed. The daughter, Cristine (17) has such a strong testimony and a deep understanding of gospel principles. Seminary is really paying off for her. She is helping us by inviting and watching out for one of our investigators who is also 17. They are a strong example of how faith and obedience can carry us through even the hardest trials.
I read a great talk by President Eyring from the October 2007 Priesthood session of General Conference this morning. He had just been called to the First Presidency and he felt overwhelmed. He spent a few nights in prayer before giving this talk and he shared three principles that he learned: 1. He remembered all the times that God took care of him and trusted that He will always carry him through. 2. Forget yourself and start praying for the people that you serve. President Eyring says that always brings the Spirit into the prayer..."but be prepared to lose track of time in prayer" I liked that the best. As missionaries we run a tight schedule, (and I am pretty sure that will never change) sometimes I am more worried about getting to bed on time and getting in those 8 hours than I am about having a productive and sincere prayer. I want to lose track of time as I pray. It was clear that President Eyring has lost more than a few nights of sleep while in prayer...I don´t think 10 or 15 min will kill me ;) As we pray, the circle of people we pray for will get wider and wider and in the meantime our hearts will change.
3. Get to work. He says that faithful service will never be easy. It wasn´t easy for Christ and it wasn´t easy for His disciples. That is part of how we get a "broken heart" not just a softened heart. Accepting that fact somehow actually does make it seem easier. He says the most important measure of our success is how much we help others take a testimony down into their hearts. I really love President Eyring.
I sure love you!! I pray for you all the time.
Love, Hermana Moulton
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