May 7, 2012

Hola,

This week was awesome!  Elder Jones and I have been talking with tons of people and doors are opening left and right, literally!  The Lord has led us to many people that are willing to at least let us in and share this message, but it didn't happen by itself.  As we open our mouths and declare the news of the restoration of the gospel and church of Jesus Christ we find those who are searching for the truth.  Everybody has needs, and there are needs that only the restored gospel can satisfy.

We had a car for the past few weeks that we used to travel to another pueblo called Vera, but on Saturday the missionaries from Cartagena came and took it, so it's back to public transportation.  There are, however, members that are willing to drive us every once and a while.

On Sunday we experienced a miracle.  About a year and eight months ago, I was in Almería, my first area, with Elder Adams, my trainer, and we were teaching a part-member family.  The husband, Orlando, is a member, but his wife, Jaqueline, is not.  Orlando's family lives here in Huércal-Overa, and they attend church here.  Orlando and Jaqueline come here on the weekends for work, but they still live in Almería.  Anyway, the last couple of weeks, they have come to church here, and yesterday, after the meetings, Jaqueline comes up to us and says, "I would like to be baptized."  I don't think I've ever smiled bigger than I did when she said that.  We will baptize her in two weeks, on May 19th.  I know that God has not ceased to be a God of miracles.

Sunday was also Mother's Day here in Spain, so Elder Jones and I wrote letters to each of the mothers in the branch.  Mother's Day will be this coming Sunday in the United States, so, Happy Mother's Day to all of you wonderful mothers!  I'm excited to talk with Mom.

I love all of you and I'm grateful for each of you.  I know that God lives and wants us to be happy.  Jesus Christ is his Son.  He came to earth to prepare the way for our happiness and our salvation, and all are welcomed and invited to come unto Him.

Love,
Elder Fagersten in Spain

P.S.  The photos: the first one is me eating a squid, I think, in a typical Spanish dish called paella.  We ate with Pedro, Rosa, Julia, and Belkis, who are actually from Honduras, but Rosa is an amazing cook and it was great.  The second one is a Johne Deere sign that I found while we were waiting for the car to get revised and stuff.