June 13, 2010

We didn't have any new pictures this week. We were busy at the office, but not super busy. This next week is going to be really busy. We get 5 new missionaries coming in during mid-transfer, 4 from Spain and one from the USA. The one from USA is getting bored, because his group that was suppose to come to Madrid for 6 weeks are delayed because of visa problems. It is hard to get a visa to Spain and takes about 6 months if all goes well, so he is coming down to his mission early. The ones from Spain only spend 3 weeks in the CCM (the equilivalent of MTC in Spanish), because they know the language and while they are in the mission they should pick up learning English with their companions.
Next week we will also be having Zone Conferences with an area authority. Elder Kerr from Scotland will be coming down here for 3 days, doing Zone Conferences, Zone Leader Conference and meeting with Stake Presidencies, so he will be very busy.
We were trying to get a picnic together for our branch, but not enough people could come this weekend, so we will stick with the Munch and Mingles each month, because then the Philippinos can come, Since they have Sunday off. The retired people can meet easy during the week, but those who have jobs can only do it when they have a free day or a day off. We had a great Sunday today. Had good lessons, good sacrament meeting talks, plus we had 10 visitors. A couple from France, a couple from Scotland and a family with 4 children from Salt Lake City. It's always so fun to meet people from all over the world and see the dedication those people have to look up the Church wherever they go. Sometimes it is hard to find, but we always hope that they feel the spirit whereever they go. I know Roy and I have tried to make it a point that whenever we are on vacation to go to church, and we have truly been blessed because we have made the effort.
We have started over again in reading the Book of Mormon in Spanish aloud for the third time. We are beginning to understand a lot more, but still can't speak it very well, I tend to mix my German when I try to speak. They speak so fast here also that it is hard to distinguish between the words, especially if the speak with the Andalucian dialect. We can understand the missionaries better, first because they speak slower and realize that we are still learning. And we don't have to speak it in the office. If we had been going to the Spanish ward, we might understand more, but it meets the same times as our church and we go to the international branch.
I hope everyone has a wonderful week and I'll try to take some pictures this week.
Love JoAnne and Roy