The Little, Small Things

Yes, we went in

Little/small: of a size that is somewhat less than usual, diminutive (way to go dictionary, defining an easy word with a big hard one), etc. In the case of the subject line, a somewhat obscure Nanny McPhee quote.

You know what is little and small? Eggs, nits, and lice bugs. They've made their reappearance, helped on slightly (I predict) by a sweet girl in our Ward who LOVES to hug Hermana Randall, though it's hard to say for sure and doesn't help that we're in a culture where besos (putting your heads together and making a kissing sound... also a great way to spread the little buggers) is THE greeting.
Here's a cute except from my companion's email.

“Spanish word of the week: piojos . . . Translated to "lice" in English. I found out this week that I had lice . . . again. Woot!  Woot! Party in my hair . . . And my companion's hair . . . And all our blankets and sheets and towels and clothes. I never had it before the mission, but I've now had it 3 times - all in the last 3 months with my last 3 companions. Hermana Een (who now calls me "Itchy Head") has had a lot of patience and little fear as she combed out a whole bunch of the little suckers and nits and eggs. With that and washing all our stuff multiple times and using special shampoo, it should be all good soon :)
I was trying to think of how I could be all "clever" and tie lice into the Gospel somehow . . . But nothing related to little bugs showed up when I searched Lds.org . . . But here we go :) I feel like there are a lot of little things in our lives that aren't immediately spiritually life-threatening, but that don't belong. We can't ignore the "cockroach in the ice cream" and justify our actions (such as watching inappropriate T.V. show/movies because they aren't "that bad', only have a few bad parts, or because we know other members are doing worse things.) Our spirits are very sensitive to things that drive out the Holy Ghost - and Satan wants us to be unworthy of this Guide so that we will fall easier, faster, and further. The longer we go without cleaning up the little "eggs" or big "lice" in our lives, the faster the consequences spread. It affects other people and the way we view ourselves. Change takes time, but as you "try a little harder to be a little better," you will be cleaner and happier :)”

The Milka bar bet for transfers!  Your buy a Milka bar, and the companion who leaves gets it.  If you stay, you share it.
(I started it with Hermana Terrazas)

Bilbao is just as beautiful as ever and the weather (even with a somewhat reliable weather app) is unpredictable. The day you wear boots it's sunny and bright, forget your umbrella and it will be cold and rainy. ;)

This is what the sidewalks in Bilbao look like.

Things here haven't changed all that much, but I'm starting to see the little differences our time here has made, specifically in the life of a menos [less] active (Carlos) and his girlfriend (Manuela) who have really opened up to us. So that helps.
Lately I feel like I could write a book entitled "Being tall and falling short." Feeling ridiculously inadequate for my calling as a Sister Training Leader, as a missionary... everything. And then I remember the testimonies of the three new apostles, how feeling inadequate for the call was central to at least two of them. So if I'm feeling humbled, at least I'm in good company, and I'm sure it's a good thing when you apply it right, which I will try to do.

And we did have a little ray of sunshine with an area book find who accepted a baptismal date, making our first fecha in the area! Looking forward to moving the work forward, but for now I'll do my part with conducting the music for baptismal services (the Elders had two back to back and the only musical preparation was to make sure we came. I'm grateful for a companion who can play all the hymns and then some.) We've met with the Relief Society president and talked about who we could visit with and it has turned into a wonderful, mutually beneficial relationship I'm so grateful for.

Our tortilla de patata

The infamous kebab

I'm also learning patience, as I comb through Hermana Randall's hair and wash the sheets and towels again, and we even tried the mayo treatment which really just made our hair really oily. Pero bueno. [But good.]  On we go.

Alma 37:
6 Now ye may suppose that this is foolishness in me; but behold I say unto you, that by small and simple things are great things brought to pass; and small means in many instances doth confound the wise.
7 And the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls.

Love you all. Have a great week.
Hermana Een