Email from Hermana Randall 12/9/15

I wanted to give your family an update of Manuela :) Oh, it was so incredible to teach her with Hermana Een. Your daughter is amazing! I absolutely LOVED being with her - she is such a hard working, diligent, obedient, and consecrated missionary. We had a blast our two transfers together and I wish she could have been at the baptism of Manuela this last weekend.
So I was with Hermana Lamoreaux [Hna. Lamoreaux and her companion shared the apartment with Alayna and her apartment in Valencia.] after Hermana Een left Bilbao (I don't know how I was so blessed to be with these two incredible missionaries! They are the best!) But with transfers yesterday, I am now on the island of Palma de Mallorca. I will be with Hermana Johnson, who just finished her training, and am really excited.
Con amor, Hermana Randall

Hna Randall, Manuela, Hna Lamoreaux

Begin forwarded message:
From: Amanda Randall
To: Alayna Een
Subject: Manuela's Baptism :)

Oh Hermana! I so wish you could have been there! And I wish I could capture how wonderful it was in an email. She talked about you EVERY visit and will NEVER forget the impact you made in her life -- I have never seen an investigator (now member!) love a missionary more :) I feel bad that both of us are gone now because of how much she will talk about us.

So I don't have enough time to write you all the details (that would take all day!), but here are some pictures of journal entries that talk about her baptism. This last week was such a whirlwind that I didn't get to write about anything until I was on the shaky train going down to Barc-Sants with about 3 hours of sleep from the night before.

[From her journal]
Tuesday December 8th, 2015
"Manuela was BAPTIZED!!!Oh, it was so perfect. :) This week has been incredible and so busy, but I finally have time to write since I am currently 7 or 8 hours to Barc for transfers.
Friday was Manuela's interview. The Elders showed up late- so she missed Noche de Barrio- but she passed :). (We went over everything beforehand- but she was in there for a full hour with Elder Loaiza. She came out with a sad face to joke around and say she didn't pass. After, she told a few members and they congratulated her). :)
(I think she told Elder Loiaza all about what happened with her husband and what happened with him and Jonathan. . .)
We then went and ate lunch (a portugal dish with beans and then a Latino version of Shepherd's pie) at Manuela's with her Kids, Amy, and Bishop. THey made me a cheesecake to celebrate my birthday. :)
The baptism started a little late but everything went so smoothly. (Hna. L said it was one of the best she's seen). A bunch of family and friends came, including her brother Angel, her Sister Merci, kids... that, with Ward members made it so we had about 30 people there!
Us missionaries did a musical number singing "Lead, Kindly Light" (They sang, Hna. L played violin, I played piano).
The baptism was performed by Bishop.
He was great at calming her down and practicing before she got in the font. Everything was perfect for the baptism and she gave Bishop a big hug after. I was then with her and Alma in the bathroom while Hna. L was in the chapel tho play violin while people wrote notes to Manuela.
Hermana Lamoreaux and I then bore our testimonies :) It was a beautiful baptism service.
While I was with Manuela and Alma, Manuela said "soy Manuela." She said that the water was "calientita" and she felt so much warmth as she came out of the water. I told Alma how we came in contact with her :). It was incredible to be with her and see her joy and happiness.

Well Saturday night was transfer calls. I'm still a little shocked that I'm going to Palma de Mallorca. I will be with Hna. Johnson (an Hermana who just finished training.... so I'm her breaker). It's my first time being "senior companion" and knowing more Spanish than my comp.......
But it's hard to leave Bilbao. It is a BEAUTIFUL city with an awesome ward, incredible members, the best district... ahhh I love it SO MUCH!...
I was SOOO nervous with how Manuela would handle it. She was surprised, too. We didn't prep her at all beforehand with the knowledge that I could be leaving (because we didn't want it to affect herbaptism and confirmation). Bishop and his councilors confirmed her a member of the church with a beautiful blessing. When we explained to Manuela after how we had just got the phone call the night before saying that I would be leaving she teared up and looked pretty sad the rest of the meetings."

We went Monday night to visit her one last time before I left. Oh, it was hard! I held it in pretty well until we got in the elevator and turned around to say one last goodbye - then I lost it and wanted to bawl :)

Thanks for your emails! It's so fun getting them from you and Hna. Ingram :) [Hnas Randall and Ingram were companions at the MTC.] Love you and glad to know this are going well in Lleida - take care of your lame toe ;)

Hermana Randall

The Long Winter. A Little Bit Lame.

The long winter: 1) A book in the "Little House" series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Also, one of the few books I've never finished (guess it was a little TOO long.) 2) Also, an 8 week transfer encompassing ALL the winter holidays. I'll be spending it in Lleida with Hermana Ingram (killed the suspense there, but since I forgot to mention last time that we would be having transfers, there wasn't much to build up to.)

Lame: 1) inability to walk normally as a result of injury to the leg or foot 2) (of an explanation or excuse) unconvincingly feeble.

Let's start out with a word you haven't heard in my emails lately...
Intercambio. Yes, I still do them, but there aren't very many hermanas in this smaller zone so they're a bit less frequent.  Anyway I had the strange yet pleasant opportunity to go on an intercambio with Hermana Manotas this Wednesday/Thursday. It was a strange blast from the past, complete with multiple bus rides, contacting in dimly lit streets, and always feeling slightly lost. It was remarkably like our transfer in Valencia! The only difference was US. We've both changed and grown because of and since that long-ago transfer together and now we can look back and see how important and necessary it was for both of us. We talked as old friends, taught together, and worked in beautiful Zaragoza.

Hermanas Een and Manotas, together again for an intercambio

Norma is an investigator out here who is PERFECT.... And she has plans to get married in February, so we're excited for her, but we have also been visiting with her sister Ana. She recently had a baby and has been SO open and sincere and ready to learn. We challenged her and her husband (not the baby, that's The Catholic Church) to prepare to be baptized on Christmas Day. We're working towards a white Christmas, my friends!

Another lesson I learned this past week is that pride comes before a fall. I was telling my companion the day before (as she continues to wage a war on her internal intestinal battlefield) that I've never stayed in piso [apartment] on the mission because of my own sickness or health challenges. And then that next morning my foot slipped out from under me as I was doing wall sits and slammed into the table in front of me.  Did I really just have a repeat baby toe injury? Yes, this time on the other foot. I iced it and tried to ignore it and we went out that morning to test it out. Upon returning and taking off the sock I was greeted with the satisfying fact that I wasn't being lame (making a fuss unnecessarily) but that I was, in fact, somewhat lame, as my purple toe and ugly bruise proved. We called it in and stayed the rest of the day icing and elevating it. (Applicable scripture, James 4:10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.) now we're being more careful, and I'm learning patience yet again.
         

As Christmas approaches, with all the fun festivities, I'm remembering more and more this year, the real reason. That God so loved the world, he gave his only begotten son. For us. As part of a grand, eternal, and perfect plan, of which a Savior is an essential part.  Mosiah 3:5 For behold, the time cometh, and is not far distant, that with power, the Lord Omnipotent who reigneth, who was, and is from all eternity to all eternity, shall come down from heaven among the children of men, and shall dwell in a tabernacle of clay, and shall go forth amongst men, working mighty miracles, such as healing the sick, raising the dead, causing the lame to walk, the blind to receive their sight, and the deaf to hear, and curing all manner of diseases.  In third Nephi, after tumult and destruction, Christ's voice is heard pleading for the people to come so he can heal them. That is why he came and why we still celebrate his birth, because he heals and makes us whole, in his own, perfect timing. And I've never been so sure of anything.

Companion facts:  once lived next door to Miley Cyrus. Likes picking things up with her toes/ is actually really good at it.

Recuerdo, acción de gracias

Recuerdo- I remember
Día de acción de gracias- Thanksgiving doesn't exist here, but if it did, this is what they would call it.

I gave my third talk as a missionary. I had it all written out but didn't like it all, so spent the rest of my preparation time (and not much of that) tracking down the first talk I ever gave (my first 8 weeks in the mission) and gave that one instead. It was much better; not a call to repentance, but a focus on Christ and His example. When I didn't know how to say very much, I said only that which was most important. Something I should remember, simplicity is the ultimate sophistication (thanks Leonardo da Vinci).

On Saturday I remembered what diligence means. The activity we were planning to help with was not what we expected it to be and would be a waste of time so we left a little dejected and without backup plans. But before we'd gotten very far, I realized we needed a change and asked how many pass-along cards Hermana Ingram had.  She told me, and all told, we had 20. We set the goal to pass them all out before going in for lunch. "Well then Hermana, I guess we'll need to talk to EVERYONE." And you know what?  We did.  And we saw miracles right from the start.

We are still working with our friend, Zian, and every time he amazes me a little bit more, this time because he was in JACOB 5 and still loves the Book of Mormon and because he shared a dream he'd had of Hermana Ingram and I holding light and coming towards him. So he knows the Book of Mormon is true. But he's Muslim, and that comes with some inherent difficulties on several hands. Everyone deserves this gospel, and it IS for everyone...but it definitely comes harder for some people to accept. Keep him in your prayers.

I went down to Barcelona for Concilo [leadership meeting] and received so much strength and energy there. Speaking with the hermanas who are serving in my past areas was very gratifying. Hermana Lameraoux (a good friend who replaced me in Bilbao) says that Manuela is the most prepared person she's even taught and that she's getting baptized this Saturday and inviting EVERYONE. She gave me a letter that was a little hard to read but said "I love you" a lot. Hermana O'Neill (from my MTC group and another good friend) had surprising news from Valencia that Carol (who had dropped off the map long ago) was coming back strong and doing everything she could to prepare for baptism... because a few months ago I sent her an email (that I didn't even know went through, since I never got a response) calling her back.  I'm thankful that no efforts are wasted. Often in missionary service and in normal life, we aren't blessed to see the positive consequences of even our smallest, faithful actions. But that doesn't mean it doesn't matter. It matters so, SO very much.

I'm thankful for these little things.

Our mission put the inspired goal for EVERY companionship to have a baptism in December. What  greater gift can we give the Savior than to work with faith, diligence, and obedience, and help someone understand the truth of a Savior?

We had a great American thanksgiving... As much as you can with just an hour and not a lot of access to the typical foods.

Last email she said there are tumbleweeds in Lleida . . . Voila, tumbleweed tree!

Hey, who turned out the lights? Jesus es me luz [The Lord is my light]

Hey, who turned out the lights- an often repeated phrase from a silent library deep in space. If you don't understand the reference I'm making, I'm so, so sorry.

Light-
1. one of my favorite gospel themes that yes, I am going to focus on again.
    2. A symbol of understanding of God's plan.
    3. Something you see in the streets when the sun is out. It makes a big difference.
    4. Something they turn off along with the gas (heat) and water when you haven't paid your bills for 11 months. (You mean we were supposed to DO something with all those envelopes coming in?)

So much has happened this week that trying to wrap my brain around it and tell you everything would be nearly impossible. So for the sake of a coherent email, I'll focus on a few key points and highlights.

On Monday morning, during personal study, we lost power. It wasn't the 'too-many-appliances-running-at-once' kind of loss, as we found out at the switch breaker. A quick look at a LOT of unopened bills and a call to the office confirmed that the power wouldn't be coming back on for a while.
Fun songs when you're stuck in the dark:
- Hark all he nations, in Spanish (171) Second verse. "Vivíamos en oscuridad" [We were living in darkness]
- The Lord is my Light (Jesus Es Mi Luz)
- Brillan rayos de clemencia [“Brightly Beams our Father’s Mercy”](also our mission song)

So we were grateful for Hermana Ingram's flashlights, bundled up, and waited, keeping in contact with the mission office.  Our light and power were restored on Tuesday night.  Living in darkness complicates things: We had to plan in the hallway to have light for nightly planning. We were limited on the food we could eat, wanting to keep it cold in the fridge. Studying had to be done in places with natural light. Cooking.... Didn't exist.

I'm sure you all see the spiritual parallel I'm going to make here now. Many people nowadays are living in spiritual darkness. It's unnecessarily complicated, often frustrating, and downright unnecessary. But sometimes it's all they can do, waiting for some outside source, some sympathetic soul to pay the bill, flip the switch.

Christ paid the power bill, and we were liberated from spiritual darkness. Missionaries try to help people realize this and turn on the lights in their individual lives.  So I'm grateful, in a different way than I've been before, for the gospel.

Lleida isn't gray anymore!!! Some wizard-of-Oz-worthy winds came and blew the clouds away (we found out that there are tumbleweeds in Spain) and the sun shone brightly several days in a row. But because the mission is a place of contrasts, there were also nights with dense fog. More weather metaphors, we set a baptismal fecha [date or appointment] with a sincere Muslim man who says he feels great peace when he reads the Book of Mormon and received a break-up text/ visit from Evelyn and her girls.  Hearts filled, hearts broken. Agency is tough sometimes. (I've mentioned before that my non-existent dating life didn't prepare me for the mission.... Mission's doing a pretty good job of preparing me for a future dating life...) ;)

The rest of the week was good, complicated by doctors appointments and analyses stuff (a blood test and breath thing for Hermana Ingram.  Apparently "air from my lungs" is medically significant [Dr Who reference]) and lots of fallad citas [failed appointments] but we kept chugging along. We had Stake Conference and Specialized Training (special missionary meeting President comes to) which meant a trip to Zaragoza for all of us. I learned a lot and especially liked the focus on becoming a consecrated missionary, though a lot of it felt like déjà vu and reminded me of my first Specialized Training (complete with flu shots). I wonder if they recycle topics yearly...

Our zone is one of the smallest in the mission, and although most of the Elders are unknown to me, I know and love all of the Hermanas. I saw and was able to talk to Hermana Manotas for the first time since we were companions. So much has happened, so much has changed since then, but that transfer - the trust of training her- changed me. As she stood and tearfully bore her testimony I had the profound impression that perhaps my greatest success as her trainer- perhaps my greatest success of my MISSION- was helping her stay in the field.  I've served in a couple of her old areas (Bilbao and now here in Lleida) and I know of the good she's done and the people's lives she's touched. And it's beautiful.

John 8:12 (again, but it's my favorite)
Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

-Hermana Een

Llegué a Lleida

Llegar- to arrive.  In this case, by an early train.
Lleida- a city without metros. We have a castle though, so that's pretty cool. To be honest, I don't know exactly where it is on the map, but I know it's about an hour and a half from Barcelona and that I'm back in Cataluña.

There is a castle on a cloud . . . . 

Castle/cathedral La Seu Vella.

Llegué a Lleida and the sky was gray, a chill had settled... And it stayed that way.

Singin' in the Rain in Lleida 

Yep. The winter I was worried about in Bilbao caught up with me here in Lleida. It's "see-your-breath" cold, "wear-a-blanket-around-your-neck-and-call-it-a-scarf" COLD. But then I remember that there are missionaries in Russia, and I remember that I can't complain.

High School friend Dawn Dimick who is currently serving in Russia, picture posted on fb today.

It was a good week. We met with a family (Evelyn, Ariana, and Laila) the Hermanas here had contacted a few weeks ago, and they are ready to go. The little girl is in Alma (in the picture version, but still. She's nine). There's a lot up and going on here in Lleida, and I'm grateful to be a part of it. But we've also had our share of last nights and citas [appointments] that fell through -ALL of them- for two days straight.  Those are defining moments for missionaries. And after the frustration fades, you get back out there and try again. You play contacting games and talk to EVERYONE. And then you are blessed. On one of those nights, we were looking at a goose-egg day, we hadn't been able to teach a single lesson. But with a prayer warming my heart we went forth and met two Bulgarian women. They've had hard lives and we saw them open up as we testified of the Plan of Salvation and set up another time to visit with them. Moments later we had a similar experience with two sweet Brazilian ladies. I know that even though it was hard to be there, God needed us on the streets that night.

There's a lot of adjustments I'll still need to get used to, but I'm excited to keep working in the  Lord's Vineyard.

I read Jacob 5 this morning (often seen more as a chore than a pleasure) and now as I understand the parable better, I'm able to pull more out of it and specifically pondered on the verse 47
47 But what could I have done more in my vineyard? Have I slackened mine hand, that I have not nourished it? Nay, I have nourished it, and I have digged about it, and I have pruned it, and I have dunged it; and I have stretched forth mine hand almost all the day long, and the end draweth nigh.

We must work diligently, and receive correction along the way. This is his vineyard, and every sprout is precious.

Lleida hosts the Snail Festival in May each year

Looking forward to more miracles, until next week.
Hermana Een

Bilbao Baggage

Bilbo Baggins- a hobbit of no small reputation chosen to fill a vital role in the quest of a lifetime. Though hesitant at first, he embarks on the journey, kindles the spirit of adventure, and does a lot of good. His adventure is something he looks back on much throughout the rest of his long life.

Bilbao- a beautiful city by the river, iconized by the Guggenheim museum, Basque culture, and the  cleanest little city I've ever seen.

Baggage- can be emotional or literal, and with transfer calls, it's usually a little bit of both.

Hermanas Een and Randall

Hermanas Randall, Een, and Wiseman

Fancy church we always saw on the way to our humble little "bajos"

Bilbao Ward

This week was a full one. On Wednesday we had a wonderful and inspired Zone Enfoque [Focus] preceded by an in-depth leadership meeting (while still in a trio with Hermana Wiseman, I might add) in which I was asked to do an emergency intercambio with a companionship of struggling Hermanas before the end of the transfer... in 4 days. With that in mind and weighing on my heart I completed an already planned and regularly scheduled intercambio with Hermana Schmidt (4th one with her, just how things work out, but the first one where we stayed in my area). Thanks to a member, a mini missionary, a willing and competent companion, and the convenient return of Hermana Wiseman to Bilbao that following Friday night (to pick up Hermana Roggiero from the airport) I was able to do that extra intercambio, becoming a trio for a little less than 24 hours and working like crazy to try and see miracles with them.


It was a sacrifice, it was inconvenient, and it meant that for the last week of the transfer the only full day I had with my REAL companion was Sunday, and at times I wondered whether it was worth it.  But after a contact I made one of the Hermanas turned to me and said "Wow. You're so persistent. I wish I could be like you."  So I know it was worth it. And although it was a little last minute, I know we were able to make a positive difference.

On Saturday afternoon we were reunited and taught Manuela the Plan of Salvation. She really GETS it, asks all the right questions, and really wants this for herself and for her family. It's downright inspiring. We let her know that one of us would probably be leaving and promised to call her after we received the transfer call that night. She promised to come to church.

Transfer calls. They happen every six weeks. Usually when I think we'll stay together, we do, but guessing what will happen when something HAS to change.... I'm usually dead wrong.
And well, this was no exception.
When our district leader called that night and told me that I would be leaving to serve in Lleida, I didn't believe him. I had him call back and double check, but there was no mistake.  I called Manuela and a couple of members. It was hard, and continues to be so.

"Mean Mugs" at the Elder's request

 I thought for sure that I would be the one to stay this time, especially after Barcelona. I was frustrated and looking for answers. I found them in a familiar hymn, "I'll go where you want me to go." I realized that I had promised to go. I promised that I would go and keep going until I had been to all the places He needed me to be. And right now, I guess that's Lleida.

I'm still a Sister Training Leader, my new companion's name is Hermana Ingram. She was trained by Hermana Stilson, fun side note.

Coming to Bilbao was for me, like Bilbo Baggins' adventure, an unexpected journey. Looking back, I can see that it has also been a treasured adventure, a great growing experience, and a blessing for me and many others.

Bilbao farewells

Manuela came to church that Sunday (having taken a taxi to get there on time) and happened to be  wearing a bright orange blazer (my favorite color). She loved the services and thanked me for  everything, promising to continue in this path and to nurture the seed that I had helped plant. She's a real special lady.

A Bilbao goodbye hug

It may not be on the mountain height
Or over the stormy sea,
It may not be at the battle’s front
My Lord will have need of me.
But if, by a still, small voice he calls
To paths that I do not know,
I’ll answer, dear Lord, with my hand in thine:
I’ll go where you want me to go.

The front door in Bilbao
 "Faith Brings Hope" (translation)

525,600 Minutes

525,600 minutes= minutes in a year (according to some song lyrics that I hope are reliable because I don't have time to check the math)

 How do you measure, measure a year?

In transfers? In companions? In intercambios [exchanges]? In cups of Fanta? In contacts? In concilios [leadership meetings]? Or mission-wide meetings? In baptisms? In citas [appointments]?

How you measure a year in the life of a missionary?

How about love?

I had so much that I wanted to say in this email and I don't quite know how to say it all. Just know that hitting the year mark in the mission was a huge milestone and something I'll have to mull over for the next little while. I still have a little more that I want to do, change, and become, and I hope I can.

I spent my year mark on an intercambio in the nearby pueblo of Vitoria (intercambios have been a HUGE part of my mission these last six months, but I'll never forget my first real intercambio with Hermana Boyer back in Valencia. She changed my mission, for the better. I hope I can do the same.)

I read my farewell talk for the first time since giving it. We ate ice cream, lit candles, and read random selections of

my old journals. I also re-read my call letter. I believe that there are certain times in your mission that you have to re-decide to serve.

And I have. Looking back at my farewell I'm surprised at the clarity and surety I showed. I know why I came, I know why I'm here, and I know why I want to finish strong.

Not just to complete another couple of transfers and see more parts of Spain.

Not just to meet new people and make friends (companions),

Not just to switch things up every week on intercambios,

Not just so get fat on Fanta,

Or contact to the letter of the law,

Or get to talk with mission leaders and friends and eat good food in concilio,

Not just to sit through or teach in more meetings,

Not just to get people to baptisms.

Not just to teach and pass a good 45-60 minutes.

But because of love. Because I love this gospel and this work that is an inherit part of it. Because I love God and he has been so good to me. Because I love the other missionaries I serve with and the people

in my areas, past and present.

And although I don't always love them in the moment, I'm grateful for the twists along the way that bring us chances to grow our abilities, our strength, or even just our faith.

I could have said a lot of things about this week, but I want to focus on that.

With a slight call to repentance.

Repentance isn't a bad thing (I've learned on the mission). It just means a change in Christ for the better.

Having been a missionary for a full year now, I'm well familiar with extending commitment invitations. I'm also pretty good at following up. So, if you haven't written me in the past 2,3 or 6 months....

Well, then, ahora es el momento [now is the moment], my friends.

Tell me how you are doing, one great thing you've learned this year.

I promise the blessing of a response. ;)

OK now that that's over with, here's some other potential subject-lines from the week I think you might enjoy.

The life and lice of Hermana Randall - another couple of buggers. And it turns out I still need to learn patience.

The once and future companion - Hermana Wiseman came down for a couple of days because her companion has to leave temporarily. I'm trying not to be too excited. Love that girl.

Hermanas Een and Wiseman

Concilio crack-down - it's amazing how the natural man jumps out and you think "they can't do that! They can't make me do that!" And you are right, they can't enforce it... But if they ask us to, we will.

Because obedience is the first law of heaven, and the one upon which all blessings await.

HallowEEN - we were Frozen again in the most mission appropriate and subtle way... But the little girl who got it made my night.

Subtly Frozen

I'm really loving the New Testament right now, so I think I'll end with a scripture from 1 Thesalonians  2:8.

“So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.”

You are all dear unto me.

Lots of love,

Hermana Een