The Great Escape

Buenas! 

These past few weeks have been good. Thanks to those who wished me a happy birthday! It really meant so much and I suprising didn't feel too far from home that day. Well two days ago we were FINALLY able to leave our apartment!! We can be outside a couple hours in the morning and a couple hours at night. We've been exploring our area at night and it's been amazing! It's crazy how the quarantine has put things into perspective. The nature is a gift. Fresh air is healing. And life is precious. 

I've had a lot of time to study in these weeks and I'd like to share a couple thoughts. As hermanas in the mission we watched the general women's conference together. I heard a quote that I really loved. "We are all imperfect people on the road to perfection". We are all imperfect people who are trying to be better.  I know that it's so much easier when we have people on our road who love us and help us along. There is no point in judging others. That will not get us anywhere. I love the image of people on a road helping and encouraging each other to keep going. I know that even though we may fall, if we try our best to get back up the Lord will take our hand and guide us back on that road. Christ died so that he can best know how to help us. He loves to fix broken things and find the one who is suffering. That is what brings Him joy. I know that if we need help, reach out because He is there waiting to lift us up. 

I love you all and hope you have a great week 💛💃🏻 

La Gran Cuarantena II

Hola!! 

How is everyone?? I am praying that you all are safe and healthy during these times. 

I am doing good. Sometimes quarantine can be rough but I am grateful to our wonderful mission president and his wife for encouraging us every day. I am also grateful to have my companion. She is awesome. 

Well nothing too exciting has happened this week other than we got our hot water fixed after a week of it being broken so that was a HUGE blessing. Right after the guy came to fix it we took a shower and wow it was heavenly. Also, this a guy came to our door and delivered us a burger from grubhub or something and I told him we didn't order a burger he told us it was ours. We knew it wasn't so we had a big desion to make: eat the burger or try to find its rightful owner. We decided to find its owner to we took a little adventure around our building and eventually found the owner of the burger. He was super nice and thanked us. Ya super exciting story I know. Just a day in the life of a quarantined missionary trying to do the heroic thing. 

Ya I'm sorry I don't have much to report jaja. A little more on the spiritual side, I have been studying a lot on the atonement of Christ and wow my gratitude has grown a bunch. In some languages atonement is translated to "a tight embrace" I love the imagery in this. The Savior is waiting for us to come to Him so he can wrap his arms around us in a tight, loving embrace. I know that in the Savior's arms we can find refuge and safety from the world's storms. 

I love you all and hope that you feel of the Saviors love for you a little more this week. 

Con cariño, 

Hermana Ross💃🏻💛

These are the most exciting photos I have...

La Gran Cuarentena

Hola!! 

Wow thank you all so much for your thoughts and prayers. I really am so grateful for you all and for the opportunity in have to be a missionary in España! I'm blessed to still be here. Although it's different, we are finding creative ways to teach and meet people though working online. 

Being in quarantine I've had a lot of time to think and study the scriptures. I've seen such a difference in myself when I take time to really ponder and learn from the words of God. The scriptures have a power to them. They strengthen us when we read them, they bring us peace, and bring us closer to our Savior Jesus Christ. I am so thankful for the knowledge I have that I am a child of God and that my Savior Jesus Christ died for me. He know exactly how I'm feeling and exactly how you are feeling. He knows we are in crazy times. He is waiting for us to reach out and grab him hand. I can promise that as we focus more on our Savior we will be strengthened and filled with his love. 

I was grateful for the opportunity I had to participate in a fast this past Sunday. It was beautiful to think of so many people joined together for one cause. I know God hears our prayers and that he is a God of miracles. Like our prophet has said, "this will be temporary". I hope we all take some extra time to reflect on our Savior and our blessings. I know as we do this will feel a lot better. I love you all so much! Have a great week!! 

Hermana Ross 💃🏻💛

Water Color Painting while in Quarantine

Homemade Sushi

Quarantined

Hello everyone!


First of all, I am ok and doing well. I am in Albacete! Its a very typical Spanish pueblo. The people here sound great. We have a branch of about 45 families. I haven't met many people because after my first couple days here we were told we would start being quarantined in our piso. The government is cracking down on people leaving so we have had to be really creative so we dont go crazy inside.


I was pretty worried that we would be stir crazy by now but we have found a lot to do! We've studied the scriptures and ensigns and general confrence talks and written in out journals and checked up on the branch and much more. Today being preparation day we've painted, made a music video, and caught up on some sleep.


Our mission president has told us this will be a cool experience to tell our grandkids and I agree jaja. I know that missionary work will go on! Just yesterday we called an amigo and set a day for him to be baptized!! Miracles exist!!


Thank you for your concern and prayers. I ask you to add the missionaries who had to go home for health reasons in your prayers. It would be heartbreaking to go home right now but I know God has a plan for everyone. We will continue to work hard and see miracles. Love you all! Viva España!

Mi Compañera Nueva Hermana Haunga

Adios Hermana Lugo

Albacete or Bust!

Hola a todos!! 

Guau, its been a while, sorry. Hospitalet has been amazing. We seen a lot of new people progressing. I will be so sad to leave. I really feel like my second family is here in Hospitalet. My past companion hermana Lugo is done with her mission so she is saying bye to everyone. We went together to eat with this family and they brought out a cake with our faces on it! I was dying. It was the sweetest and funniest thing ever!! I'm gonna miss it here! Ok so I'm going to Albacete. It's a little pueblo in the south. I'm excited to see how things go! 

This week has been good. We had some really good lessons with amigos. We have one amigo who is looking for more direction and balance in his life so we talked about how the church tries to help us make religion part of our life instead of a separate part. It makes me grateful that I've learned how to make my religion a normal thing that really makes my life so much happier. 

We had zone confrence this past week and Hermana Gali talked about sacrifice. I love how she shared that sacrifice means we give up something for an even better purpose. Some may say that being on a mission is a sacrifice but I have seen that the friends I have met, the things I'm learning, and the stronger testimony I have is SO much worth it than being at home and doing other things. I'm so happy and grateful for this opportunity I have.

Love you all and feel free to write me cause I'll be on a train for 5 hours, yay! Have a great week, 

Hermana Ross 🇪🇦💃🏻

Camp Nou FC Barcelona

Hola a todos! In the spirit of el día de San Valentín...I love you all! Thank you to those who send me emails and prayers. They mean more than you think. 

These past couple weeks have been good! We have met a lot of new people. Spain never gets boring jaja. We met with a Muslim woman who speaks English and she is so awesome! She was like, "girrrrl you can come over whenever you want girl. Just text me and say you're coming ok" I've loved talking to her and learning about her beliefs. Its really interesting and I love how we can just talk openly about what we believe. That is how it should be with this mutual respect for one anothers beliefs. 

We also had a ward party this last week that we put on. It was such a blast. It was called noche de países. Because there are a lot of people from different countries in our ward, we all brought a traditional dish from our country. We also played games, listened to music, and tried to teach the ward cupid shuffle. It was hilarious!!! 

We saw a pretty cool miracle these past weeks. We have been trying to meet with this kid for weeks but he never seemed interested. Out of the blue, he sends us a message and tells us he is having a hard time. He tells us he is here alone with his grandpa trying to work and save money to bring his family here from Columbia. We we start taking to him and apparently he has been raised in the gospel and also his dad is a bishop in his ward at home. We are working with him to prepare for baptism and maybe a mission. He's a great kid and meeting him I've seen that God knows where we need to be to grow and progress. 

We still continue to have a great time here. The ward and people are so great. Also, being to close to Barcelona is so fun! Today we took a tour of Camp Nou and it was so amazing!! I feel lucky to be here everyday. I hope you all have a great week! Email soon! 

Hermana Ross ❤💃🏻

Mucho tiempo...

Hola a todos!! Sorry its been a while since my last email. Lots has been going on! I continue to love Spain and the people here more and more everyday. 

I want to share something that I've been learning this transfer. In 1 Nephi 11:17 Nephi says," I know that he loveth his children; nevertheless, I do not know the meaning of all things." 

I love this scripture because there is always more to learn. There is no way we can learn everything in this life but we can have faith and trust in the Lord and his plan for us. As I was reflecting this week on the knowledge I have, I felt pretty small and underqualified but as I read this scripture I remembered that I need to have faith and build upon the things I already know. I know that God has a plan for me and you. I know that Christ is my savior and that he lives. I know that we have a living prophet today to lead us and guide us. I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know these things without a doubt and although I dont know everything, j know that God loves us and if we trust in him we will find peace and happiness in this life. 

Thank you all for the prayers and emails. It means a lot. 

Mi Querida Compañera- Hermana Lugo

Views from the top of Tibidabo

Cute little Spanish streets

Cute little Spanish Pueblo

Mi mejor amiga 

Stained glass of the Sagrada Familia

La Sagrada Familia

The gates of Montjuic