Dear Friends and Family,
Greetings from here in Alcorcón! It´s been quite a change for me, my first area change in the mission, and it was kind of hard. New companion, new area, new investigators. Every companionship does things differently, has their own style. It was hard for me when Elder Wilson came to my area--I felt like he just came in and wanted to change everything, which wasn´t true. It was a learning experience for me, to realize there are other ways of doing missionary work. Everybody has different likes and dislikes. So I did my best to open my heart and learn from Elder Wilson. Now, looking back, it was some of the best times I´ve had and we worked super hard. I´m really grateful for that. Now, I´m on the other side of things. I came into Elder Mower´s area and I have some different ideas. So that has been what I´ve been working on lately, trying to adapt to his ways and help him adapt to mine. I don´t want him to think I´m barging in and turning everything upside down. I´ve learned a ton just in this last week. He is a good missionary, he's got some things that have helped me be better. He is still pretty new in the mission and his Spanish isn´t the greatest, but it's good because it's made me work harder--I have to do my best to understand what they say. I was thinking about it the other day and realized that all of a sudden I can understand everything, and I can speak Spanish! I´m not fluent, of course, but I was able to recognize the hand of the Lord and the Gift of Tongues. Holy smokes it is amazing. How is this possible?!
So we have an investigator named Carolina, 17 years old, kicked out of her house becuase she had a kid, lives with a very nice and willing member who helps her and provides for her. She is so prepared, so ready. Everything we´ve taught she has accepted as the truth and is willing to live this Gospel. What an amazing miracle. She loves reading the Book of Morning and praying.
It is a branch here and there are some awesome members. Church is held in the bottom floor of a big apartment building--a little squishy but that's alright. The branch president has some of the biggest hands I´ve ever shaken hands with. Just imagine a catcher's mitt.... that´ll do it. So intimidating! Haha don´t want to get on his bad side.
Oh one more thing, my new address is
Calle Moraleja 6, 3B
28921 Alcorcón Madrid
España
Can´t wait to get some letters! *hint hint* haha just kidding.
Love you all, thanks for everything! Have a great week!
Elder Franson
Monday, February 24, 2014
Tuesday, February 18, 2014
transferred to alcorcon
Dear family and friends,
Well, big news to start this letter off...I got transferred! We got the email on Saturday night and I had Sunday to say goodbye to all of the members and investigators that have had an influence in my life and changed me forever. I have changed so much, especially in the spiritual sense. It was really hard to say goodbye to them--knowing it is possible I never see them again. As the day went along I did alright holding back my tears, but each one got harder. We went by Pablo, Pilar and Luis's house and at one point she said that we were her angels, we saved her--which just about killed me! She is such a wonderful person, so sweet and pure. But how happy I am to have known her and taught her about this gospel. At night we went by Mari and Paco's for the usual hot chocolate and bizcochon, then afterward we took pictures and said goodbye. That's when I started bawling. Freak, these people mean so much to me!
But the goodbyes are done for now, my new area is Alcorcon, just outside of Madrid. It is a smaller city outside of Madrid. It is a smaller city and every street basically looks like a constant sidewalk--modern cobblestones--and it's super cool. A lot colder here, and a different cold as well, more dry. But I'm so excited to begin working here and have a little change. My companion is Elder Mower, from Texas, and only has about 3 or 4 months in the mission--just barely got out of the 12 week program. He is super cool, I think we're going to get along really well. Before I left La Laguna, I was getting a bit nervous, you know just having to get used to another companion, another way of doing things. But when I got here I just got really excited and ready to work. Sounds like the members don't really feed the missionaries here much, which thank freaking goodness maybe I'll lose a bit of this unneeded and unwanted weight.
I don't really have much more news than that...I'll have more details and info for you guys about this area and the people here next week. Oh and I don't have the address for our piso (which by the way is super nice! Two floors! And I have a big bed and my own bathroom!), but I'll get it for you guys next week.
I love you all so much, thanks for your help, your prayers and love. None of us missionaries could do this without our supportive families and friends. I am so blessed to have you with me. Have a great week, and go share the gospel with someone! :)
Love,
Elder Franson
Well, big news to start this letter off...I got transferred! We got the email on Saturday night and I had Sunday to say goodbye to all of the members and investigators that have had an influence in my life and changed me forever. I have changed so much, especially in the spiritual sense. It was really hard to say goodbye to them--knowing it is possible I never see them again. As the day went along I did alright holding back my tears, but each one got harder. We went by Pablo, Pilar and Luis's house and at one point she said that we were her angels, we saved her--which just about killed me! She is such a wonderful person, so sweet and pure. But how happy I am to have known her and taught her about this gospel. At night we went by Mari and Paco's for the usual hot chocolate and bizcochon, then afterward we took pictures and said goodbye. That's when I started bawling. Freak, these people mean so much to me!
But the goodbyes are done for now, my new area is Alcorcon, just outside of Madrid. It is a smaller city outside of Madrid. It is a smaller city and every street basically looks like a constant sidewalk--modern cobblestones--and it's super cool. A lot colder here, and a different cold as well, more dry. But I'm so excited to begin working here and have a little change. My companion is Elder Mower, from Texas, and only has about 3 or 4 months in the mission--just barely got out of the 12 week program. He is super cool, I think we're going to get along really well. Before I left La Laguna, I was getting a bit nervous, you know just having to get used to another companion, another way of doing things. But when I got here I just got really excited and ready to work. Sounds like the members don't really feed the missionaries here much, which thank freaking goodness maybe I'll lose a bit of this unneeded and unwanted weight.
I don't really have much more news than that...I'll have more details and info for you guys about this area and the people here next week. Oh and I don't have the address for our piso (which by the way is super nice! Two floors! And I have a big bed and my own bathroom!), but I'll get it for you guys next week.
I love you all so much, thanks for your help, your prayers and love. None of us missionaries could do this without our supportive families and friends. I am so blessed to have you with me. Have a great week, and go share the gospel with someone! :)
Love,
Elder Franson
Rainstorm that only made half my pants wet because my jacket was covering the other half. Our investigator, Alejandra. We gave her a drawing I did so she could make a shirt for the craft store that she runs and she gave us each one! Super cool.
Our investigator, Alejandra. We gave her a drawing I did so she could
make a shirt for the craft store that she runs and she gave us each one!
Super cool.
With the Cozzolino family!
In front of the church.
With Paco, Mari, and Arelys--my second family here.
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
luis commits to a baptism date
Sorry, we hardly have any time today to write or do shopping because we went for a fun "excursion" with the mission president and his wife! They came down here to the islands for a couple days to do interviews with us and then spend P-day with us. We went to a place called Anaga Forest and it is absolutely beautiful. We'll see if my SD card reader works and I can send some pictures. It was really cool, and at the very end of the drive we stopped at this place really close to the ocean--I got to watch the waves crash against the rocks and smell the salt in the warm breeze. Really cool experience, and even cooler that we got to spend it with the president! He is incredible, the best president in the world. Haha he told us that this morning at the hotel they stayed at he went and swam laps in a pool! Which made me miss swimming even more, ahh! I just want to jump in and race somebody! But, I guess I can wait for two years :)
So, real quick, I wanted to talk a little about Luis. I noticed some sort of change in him, like he has more interest and maybe has found a part of that desire to find the truth. We asked him, after a really good lesson about faith, repentance, and baptism, if he would be baptized on the first of March and he said, "For me, there's no problem!" Which was awesome! Continue praying for him and his family. Pablo is still basically the same, even though the doctors have lowered his level of medication he seems to at times not quite be all the way there. But little by little!
Funny story--I shined my shoes for the first time on Tuesday, in the six months I've been on my mission. They were turning a weird color so I decided I probably needed to. Looking great now!
Elder Franson
Drawing in Luis's studio.
"Oh hey! I tried shrimp today and liked it! What do ya know?"
Overlooking La Laguna.
"My joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God. Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things."
Alma 26: 11-12
Monday, February 3, 2014
a push up competition and finding paco
Hey family and friends!
I'm going to start right off with the miracle and hand of the Lord for this week, which was that investigator named Paco! A couple months ago I told you guys we finally got in contact with him and it was a miracle. But when the day came to meet with him he called us and cancelled because he was sick. After that we lost contact with him for a while again. BUT somehow he answered his phone last week and we set up an appointment to meet with him and it actually did happen this time. We met in the chapel on Tuesday, and for the first time since the beginning of October I talked to him! He is still doing awesome but pretty sick. We found out that the main reason he went off the face of the earth was because of his wife. She can't stand our church basically. Can't stand the thought of Paco having any part in it. So every time we would call Paco's phone and she saw, she'd freak out and threaten him, threaten to answer and chew us out. Sounds like a crazy woman. Never met her and don't really have an interest in meeting her.
Anyway, he told us he has his Book of Mormon hidden away in his house and whenever she would leave for work he got the book out and read as much as he could and then hid it away again when she got back. This story made me really realize how easy we have it. I've got a family who are all members and support me on my mission, encourage me to go to church rather than keep me from it, parents who invite me and my siblings to read the scriptures together and pray every night. And yet, here is Paco with this search for the truth. During the lesson, without us mentioning it at all, he told us he wants to get baptized really badly but doesn't know how to with his situation. I didn't really know at first what to say, how to address the issue. I mean, we are here to bring people closer to Christ and to get baptized and be strong in the church. I hate to admit that at first I was thinking like, "Hmm...how can we get rid of or past the wife," haha which I feel so bad about, because this gospel really is all about families as well. I've been praying super hard every day that the Lord will soften the heart of his wife and at least, for now, allow him to continue meeting with us and eventually get baptized. Then when he does that, she could see the change in him for the better and hopefully she can change and come to our church. So if you guys could, she needs all of our prayers and help. Please pray for her and Paco. This is something that I, or any missionary, can't do alone. The better way is to rely on Christ. Is there anything too hard for Him?
This week was really good. We ended up teaching a total of 32 lessons, which was the most we've ever taught in a week. It was incredible. I feel that every week with Elder Wilson we're getting better and better--we've been together for almost 4 and a half months now. There have been some frustrating times but overall it's been great.
Okay, funny story to end it off. Friday, Elder Wilson and I were talking about our 30 minutes of exercise each morning and how we should have a contest. So on Saturday morning we had a push up contest--who could do the most push ups in 30 minutes. The winner got the nice couch on Sunday morning (because only one person can lie down on it, and Sunday morning we don't have to exercise, which means we just go out there and lie on the couch or chair for the 30 minutes listening to music or reading haha) as well as the second shower, which means they can lie there on the couch for longer! A lot was at stake. So Saturday morning rolled around and we both got started. Oh boy, we both went so hard those first five minutes. We hardly talked at all haha. After I hit 80 I was struggling haha. I went until I honestly couldn't support any weight on my arms anymore--I think I got around 180 total. Showering was quite a struggle because I couldn't lift my arms up to put shampoo on my head haha. Elder Wilson probably won (he claims he did), but he lost track so I'm holding that against him and telling him it was a tie ;) It probably was one of the worst decisions of my life.
I weighed myself the other day...and yep. I weigh more than 190...came out with 170. I don't know where it's all going, but thank goodness not too much is going to my belly.
Well, that's it for now, folks. Have a great week!
Love, Elder Franson
P.S. The last day of the transfer is the 16th, so make sure to send all the letters to me before this Friday because there is a good chance I could get transferred :(
I'm going to start right off with the miracle and hand of the Lord for this week, which was that investigator named Paco! A couple months ago I told you guys we finally got in contact with him and it was a miracle. But when the day came to meet with him he called us and cancelled because he was sick. After that we lost contact with him for a while again. BUT somehow he answered his phone last week and we set up an appointment to meet with him and it actually did happen this time. We met in the chapel on Tuesday, and for the first time since the beginning of October I talked to him! He is still doing awesome but pretty sick. We found out that the main reason he went off the face of the earth was because of his wife. She can't stand our church basically. Can't stand the thought of Paco having any part in it. So every time we would call Paco's phone and she saw, she'd freak out and threaten him, threaten to answer and chew us out. Sounds like a crazy woman. Never met her and don't really have an interest in meeting her.
Anyway, he told us he has his Book of Mormon hidden away in his house and whenever she would leave for work he got the book out and read as much as he could and then hid it away again when she got back. This story made me really realize how easy we have it. I've got a family who are all members and support me on my mission, encourage me to go to church rather than keep me from it, parents who invite me and my siblings to read the scriptures together and pray every night. And yet, here is Paco with this search for the truth. During the lesson, without us mentioning it at all, he told us he wants to get baptized really badly but doesn't know how to with his situation. I didn't really know at first what to say, how to address the issue. I mean, we are here to bring people closer to Christ and to get baptized and be strong in the church. I hate to admit that at first I was thinking like, "Hmm...how can we get rid of or past the wife," haha which I feel so bad about, because this gospel really is all about families as well. I've been praying super hard every day that the Lord will soften the heart of his wife and at least, for now, allow him to continue meeting with us and eventually get baptized. Then when he does that, she could see the change in him for the better and hopefully she can change and come to our church. So if you guys could, she needs all of our prayers and help. Please pray for her and Paco. This is something that I, or any missionary, can't do alone. The better way is to rely on Christ. Is there anything too hard for Him?
This week was really good. We ended up teaching a total of 32 lessons, which was the most we've ever taught in a week. It was incredible. I feel that every week with Elder Wilson we're getting better and better--we've been together for almost 4 and a half months now. There have been some frustrating times but overall it's been great.
Okay, funny story to end it off. Friday, Elder Wilson and I were talking about our 30 minutes of exercise each morning and how we should have a contest. So on Saturday morning we had a push up contest--who could do the most push ups in 30 minutes. The winner got the nice couch on Sunday morning (because only one person can lie down on it, and Sunday morning we don't have to exercise, which means we just go out there and lie on the couch or chair for the 30 minutes listening to music or reading haha) as well as the second shower, which means they can lie there on the couch for longer! A lot was at stake. So Saturday morning rolled around and we both got started. Oh boy, we both went so hard those first five minutes. We hardly talked at all haha. After I hit 80 I was struggling haha. I went until I honestly couldn't support any weight on my arms anymore--I think I got around 180 total. Showering was quite a struggle because I couldn't lift my arms up to put shampoo on my head haha. Elder Wilson probably won (he claims he did), but he lost track so I'm holding that against him and telling him it was a tie ;) It probably was one of the worst decisions of my life.
I weighed myself the other day...and yep. I weigh more than 190...came out with 170. I don't know where it's all going, but thank goodness not too much is going to my belly.
Well, that's it for now, folks. Have a great week!
Love, Elder Franson
P.S. The last day of the transfer is the 16th, so make sure to send all the letters to me before this Friday because there is a good chance I could get transferred :(
splits with an old member
Dear family and friends,
The hardest part of writing this weekly letter is the very beginning. I never know how to start them haha. We had a great week, but it went by so fast. It's been the usual rainy and cloudy weather over here, which I love. Today, however, is super nice and sunny. On Friday we did a new fun thing--splits with the members. From 4-6 we had two members come and Elder Wilson and I split up and went with them to cover more ground haha. I went with this guy named Juan Manual. When I called him to ask if he could come do it with us he agreed but seemed super worried about the fact that we don't have a car. And then when he met with us and found out we were going to be passing by some houses over in a place a little ways away, he freaked out on me saying, "I'm a 66 year old man! I can't walk like you guys!" Haha. Whining before we even started. So it ended up that we drove to that neighborhood and then walked to the differen houses. Besides the whining about not being able to walk part, he did a pretty good job.
We were walking and he saw a girl smoking and decided to ask her for directions and turns out he recognized her from probably 12 years ago when she was a little girl. She was baptized into the church here in La Laguna with her dad I think! But when I tried to ask for her number or the option of talking some more she quickly refused and closed off. Pretty sad. I wish we could have talked some more and brought her back to the church. The dang free agency will getcha sometimes.
At Pilar's baptism there was an elder from the Seventy there to have a leadership meeting so he came for the baptismal service as well. He was a really cool guy, super nice, but I found it kind of annoying because almost throughout the whole service he was sitting up there on the stand in front of us all, switching off between his iPhone and iPod. I know he's super busy and got lots of stuff to do but I just wish sometimes people would leave the technology and live in the moment, feel the spirit right there and pay attention. We spend most of the day walking in the street and there are so many people on their phones texting or playing games. I admit that it happened to me as well before the mission. I wasted too much time on the computer/iPod. But being on my mission I've seen the other side and am so grateful.
This world that our Heavenly Father created for us is amazing, so incredible! Everything about it is amazing. Luis and Pablo are doing good. They both want to get baptized (Pablo accepted another date!) but Luis is still wanting to go a little bit more slow. We've been doing our best to reach out to him, showing him we love and care about him, want the best for him. We'll see what happens this week. Pray that his heart will be will be opened and he'll have a desire to be baptized with his son!
Thanks for everything. You all are truly amazing and have helped me out so much. I love you!
Elder Franson
The hardest part of writing this weekly letter is the very beginning. I never know how to start them haha. We had a great week, but it went by so fast. It's been the usual rainy and cloudy weather over here, which I love. Today, however, is super nice and sunny. On Friday we did a new fun thing--splits with the members. From 4-6 we had two members come and Elder Wilson and I split up and went with them to cover more ground haha. I went with this guy named Juan Manual. When I called him to ask if he could come do it with us he agreed but seemed super worried about the fact that we don't have a car. And then when he met with us and found out we were going to be passing by some houses over in a place a little ways away, he freaked out on me saying, "I'm a 66 year old man! I can't walk like you guys!" Haha. Whining before we even started. So it ended up that we drove to that neighborhood and then walked to the differen houses. Besides the whining about not being able to walk part, he did a pretty good job.
We were walking and he saw a girl smoking and decided to ask her for directions and turns out he recognized her from probably 12 years ago when she was a little girl. She was baptized into the church here in La Laguna with her dad I think! But when I tried to ask for her number or the option of talking some more she quickly refused and closed off. Pretty sad. I wish we could have talked some more and brought her back to the church. The dang free agency will getcha sometimes.
At Pilar's baptism there was an elder from the Seventy there to have a leadership meeting so he came for the baptismal service as well. He was a really cool guy, super nice, but I found it kind of annoying because almost throughout the whole service he was sitting up there on the stand in front of us all, switching off between his iPhone and iPod. I know he's super busy and got lots of stuff to do but I just wish sometimes people would leave the technology and live in the moment, feel the spirit right there and pay attention. We spend most of the day walking in the street and there are so many people on their phones texting or playing games. I admit that it happened to me as well before the mission. I wasted too much time on the computer/iPod. But being on my mission I've seen the other side and am so grateful.
This world that our Heavenly Father created for us is amazing, so incredible! Everything about it is amazing. Luis and Pablo are doing good. They both want to get baptized (Pablo accepted another date!) but Luis is still wanting to go a little bit more slow. We've been doing our best to reach out to him, showing him we love and care about him, want the best for him. We'll see what happens this week. Pray that his heart will be will be opened and he'll have a desire to be baptized with his son!
Thanks for everything. You all are truly amazing and have helped me out so much. I love you!
Elder Franson
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