Thanksgiving in Spain = Spain-ksgiving

Well I hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. Lol we ate octopus with
our Branch President.  It was also my
parents anniversary on Thanksgiving so shouts to them for that
#therealmvps

Last PDay we went with members down to the border of Portugal in a
city called La Guardia. It was super cool and probably top 5 most
beautiful things I've ever seen. Pictures to follow. We found these
old hut things and I don't speak Galician so I couldn't read what it
was about hahah. The girl hooked us up with some Cuban chicken though
and it was cool cool stuff.

We have this 18 year old brotha from Senegal that comes to English
class every week and he's like my best friend in Vigo lol. I see so
much potential in him and so we've tried to introduce the gospel
slowly with him and offer him "special lessons" outside of English
class to get him by himself. So after beating around the bush for a
couple weeks, we cut to the chase last week. Taught him the Plan of
Salvation because he's Muslim and they believe like the same thing, so
he's all excited and stuff. We tried to teach in English but he just
doesn't understand so we switched to Spanish after like thirty
seconds. It went so well that we kept teaching the restoration! It was
a really spiritual experience and he loved it. We gave him a Book of
Mormon and he was shocked it was free. He said he would read it and
pray and we'll see him again on Wednesday to see how everything went.
I'm really excited because it felt like I was just teaching my best
friend!

Oh and I don think I mentioned that our one investigator we had with a
baptismal date is no longer a thing. After much prayer and thought we
decided to stop teaching her. She wasn't progressing at all. she was
actually de progressing if that's a thing. Wasn't accepting anything
and refused to keep commitments. So after getting our hopes up after
seeing a little success it got shut down. It's easy to see why this
used to be the second least successful mission in the world (1.
Vatican Mission) But we're working really hard to switch that! And the
members still have that mentality, but we're seeing a lot of change
and we kind of set them straight this past Sunday and said if they
want more members they need to pull there own part. But it's exciting
seeing the change, but I think I'm getting transferred this week so
that's really sad. I love it here and am tight with a lot of people.

A miracle from yesterday: Elder Howard's companion has been like dead
the past three days and Elder Howard needed to run pick up some
investigators. Literally like run. We did service for them Saturday
(which is another miracle that people allowed us to do service for
them) and they decided to come to church. So we run to their house and
she decides to bring two friends! We were thirty minutes from the
church and needed to be there in 10 minutes and, like last week, were
blessed by the Lord. This taxi out of nowhere pulls around the corner
and I literally jump in front of it. We throw in the women and throw
the taxi driver money and tell him where to go. We start running to
the church when this less active family pulls in front of us and we
jump in the back of their van and cram ourselves in there. So first
miracle is that we did service. Second miracle is we got investigators
to church. Third is we got them a ride there on time. Fourth is this
less active family made the right decision by deciding to attend
church and helped get us there. It was great. We walked in and sat
down in the chapel right as sacrament started. If there's a will
there's a way. It was an awesome sacrament meeting and I'm glad there
were investigators there to feel the spirit.

Also Vigo goes hard for Christmas. I need to get pictures of this
place at night. it competes with Temple Square I kid you not. Except
it's in the middle of Babylon. And not spiritual. But they go
haaaaarrrrddddd. The lights are beautiful and make me trunky for home
but it's awesome. And I never thought I'd miss the dry cold of Utah,
but it's sooooooo much better than a windy humid cold here. And
there's snow in Utah. None of that here 

I had the opportunity to read the three talks from conference from the
new Apostles. They're more like testimonies. But just reading them, I
could feel the spirit and new these men were called by Jesus Christ
and it was a privilege to sustain them live here in Spain. I loved
Elder Renlunds "Through Gods Eyes." We need to see every person
through the eyes of our Heavenly Father. I promise if we do this,
we'll have so much more love for everyone, have more patience,
charity, love, desire to do good and serve them. This is coming from a
kid who had a hard time being patient with people and looking for good
within them before his mission. I know it sounds hypocritical of me to
say that but I've seen the change in my heart in these three months
and it's astounding. I want you all to feel the same.

Sorry this is long but I hope you were able to take the time to read
at least the last paragraph. Much love from España to wherever you are
reading this. My prayers are with you during this wonderful holiday
season until the next week my
friends.


It's beginning to look a lot like (a not white) Christmas,
Elder Gearig