Hola from Almeria! [Letter 35, Almeria]

HELLO!!!
I am writing this from a small locotorio just out side of my building in ALMERÏA. yep I arrived last wednesday after a 4 hour  bus ride which was only suppose to be 2 and a half. Crazy. anyway this place is different from anywhere I have EVER lived. It is a big city.  It is kind of like living in downtown Salt Lake but a lot dirtier. Working here is great. There aren´t a ton of people in the streets but when we talk to them generally they stop and listen even if they don´t want anything. The members here are amazing. They are so nice and really want to help with the missionary work. Our ward mission leader is THE BEST. no seriously. I have never seen a man more involved with his calling. He has called us I think about everyday since I´ve been here checking up on us, asking if we need help with anything, and what citas we have so he can send members with us. It is awesome. This past Sunday we had a meeting with him for like 2 hours introducing me and a new elder to the ward and then talking to us about the ward mission plan. He is very into communicating and helping us FIND new investigators through members. After this past Zone meeting and the meeting with him I feel as in the focus of the mission is changing. We are still here to teach and baptize bacause that is our calling but the way we go about it is changing. Before the missionaries found, taught, baptized, and then fellowshiped into the ward. Our focus now is very much on finding through the members. We are only there to teach and then skip out. The members are to be the link to the church not the missionaries. The way that they have presented it is that we are more focused on retention and recieveing temple ordinances and baptism as a step to get there. We are going to start with the rescue and reactivation of less active members. The way he presented it involves A TON of work. But it is going to be very rewarding. And also this sounds like it is coming from the stake. From what I have heard the stake and mission president have been coorolating. President Deere has arrived with a vision. And I am so excited to be here and part of the change. This is how the church in Spain is going to grow. This is how we are going to invite our brothers and sisters to come unto Christ and enter into the Celestial Kingdom. Oh I could go on and on and just jabber about how we plan and doing it but those are just details. Instead I am sure you all want to hear about the NEW COMPANION:

Her name is Hermana Torres. She is from Barcelona. She has two sisters and is the middle girl. She has been in the chruch all her life. She is quite a bit shorter then me with dark curly hair. She knows a little english, understands more then she speaks but I think that is about with every second language. She has been very very patient with my spanish. And it is definatley improving daily and some days hourly. She is a great cook. I really do like spanish food. VERY different from the states but good. I do miss a nice big steak though. They don´t eat a lot of beef here. Well they don´t eat a lot of meat period but it is good. She loves American music. She has been playing my ipod for days now. Oh she loves to play basketball so we are going to go play today. I´m excited. I haven´t touched a basketball since the MTC so this is going to be interesting to watch.

Also we have two elders here in Almería. Elder Bird, who is our district leader, came out with me. I know him from the Provo MTC. and Elder Lyman, crazy name huh, is from California. He has been out 20 months. Elder Bird is from Arizona. We see them like everyday pretty much. Not like we plan too. but they are sometimes on the same bus we are on or turn down one of the same streets we are on. It is very different from Nerja where we go a week usually without seeing any other missionary. But it is nice. They are good elders and work really hard.

Anyway I love you all. I know this chruch is true. I know that we can have eternal families. I know that lie will always have its ups and downs but I also know that these challenges are for our eternal progression and learning. I hope this letter finds you well and happy.

With all my love,

Hermana Petru

P.S. I gave a five minute talk in sacrament this sunday and I did NOT cry. Miracles really do happen. :P Yep everyday.

Love ya.

NERJA? [Letter 34]

HELLO from the sunny side of Spain!

This week has been kind of crazy because its TRANSFER WEEK! That is right another transfer has come and gone. The time on a mission is like a time capsule. pretty sure. Days seem like weeks and weeks seem like days. Every moment counts. Anyway I am sure all of you are dying to know about transfers. Really anything could happen... I could stay, I could go, Hermana Crowder could go or both of us could stay. All of these were possibilities until about medio dia on Friday when we finally got the call from President.

Hermana Crowder is staying in Nerja..... and I'm... GOING TO ALMERÍA!!! That is right i am leaving Nerja. really crazy. anyway... We are ding a switcherooo with the sisters from Alermería. Sister León is coming here. But the next exciting news is who my new companion is going to be. Hermana Torres is her name. She is from Barcelona. Sooooo... that is going to mean Spanish all day everyday. Pray for me. My spanish skills are okay but not great. They will definately be improving this transfer. I will try to send pictures next week of some of the new stuff but I'm not terribly reliable for pictures so keep your fingers crossed.


Okay so on to the amazing miracles here in Nerja. This past week has been full of working hard in the heat. But the Lord always helps. We have been working with a couple of less actives in Vélez for the past couple of transfers. We have yet to see them at chruch but both have been making progress. Well we finally were able to get a member into their lessons. After 15 minutes with the member a wonderful man was commited to coming to church. Also a lovely lady and her family. When sunday rolled around they all walked through the door. Antonio hasn't been to chruch in 20 years but he showed up in an ironed white shirt and trousers. Chelly hasn't been to church in about 8 years. Her and her non member husband and their 3 year old daughter all came as well. It was my last sunday in Nerja and it was completely the best ever! I love this work. I love it. The opportunity to help others should never be lost. I have the wonderful opportunity to invite people to come closer to our Savior. At times I think my testimony is small or inadequate or even that i will never be understood because a lack of language skills but with the Lord all things are possible. Be brave my loved ones. Have faith to take that step to obey a commandment or talk to your coworker about your favorite sunday talk. The Lord will be there by yourside uplifting and encouraging you. I know our Savior lives. He loves us. He loves you. I know the church is true. And I know obedience to the commandments is liberation from sin and heartache. Stay safe.

With lots of Love,

Hermana Petru

Hello [Letter 33, August 13]

Hello my dear Loved ones because you are the ones I love,

Okay so this week has pretty much been like the last several weeks. We walk and talk to people in the street. Have a lesson here and there. And sleep and get up and do it all over again. What a blessing to share my testimony everyday with people that haven't had the great priviledge to know where they come from, why they are here, and the great poteintal they have.

We have had a few lessons with some less active members this week and something that has really stuck out to me is how easily we forget who we are. We are sons and daughters of God. I don't think any of us fully understand this relationship. But something that I have done for a few days that has made me understand this more is a challenge I would like to give all of you. Stand in front ofthe mirror. After you brush your teeth. Look at yourself in the mirror and repeat three time. "I am a son or daughter of God." Sit and just look at yourself. Does the image of yourself change? Mine did. Also a scripture story of course. If you read in The prodigal son it is only after he came to himself that you felt he should or could return home. I think that as we come closer to our Father in Heaven and truly understand what it means to be a Child of God we will have greater desires to follow Him. Keep His commandments and service one another. I love you all and I hope that life is full of ups and downs. Rely on the Lord. I am learning to more and more and some of my worse downs have become my best ups. Keep smiling. and Give a hug to someone special for me.

I LOVE YOU.

Hermana Petru

More Pictures [Letter 32, Aug 6]

 Hermana Crowder diving into the not entirely set up font. This is as close to swimming as we ever get.

Me, Hermana Daisy, Presidente Amado and their son David. They came over to help us finish setting up the font. It only took us like 2 hours. 

we built the ladder and it was really rickety. So Hermana Crowder was testing it out for the baptism.

 I tested it too but I almost ended up in the font. All turned out okay. Everyone one got in and out without any problems.

 Little Armando and us

And this is about half of our little branch

Hola from Nerja [Letter 31, August 6]

Dear Loved Ones,

Okay so I only have like 10 minutes so this one is going to be short. Not like my other ones are long or anything. But with week was great!! We have been working like crazy. On thursday it took us 2 hours yes 2 hours to BUILD the font on Thursday. Pretty much it is like a giant swimming pool. But it was fun. The baptism went really really well. Everyone was excited to be there but nobody as excited as Armando. He was so cute in his little white jump suit. It reminded me of my brothers on their baptism days. The program went nicely. A few hicups but nothing major. and Oh my Gosh the Spirit was so strong during the actual ordinance. I have never really felt the Spirit like that at other baptisms. I don't know if it is because I wasn't a missionary then or if it was because I didn't have the knowledge I have now about the great importance of baptism and what that actually means. I have been studying alot, no surprise, and everyday I learn something new. But Baptism is so important. Read through the book of Mormon. Almost every prophet speaks of repentance and baptism. Baptism is essential to enter in to the Celestial Kingdom to live forever with our Father in Heaven in Eternal joy with our family. What an amazing step that little Armando made this week! I am so excited for him. and I pray that it will be the first of many more baptisms in Nerja.


Our investigators are doing very well. We keep finding amazing people that love the Lord and want to come closer to Him. It is such a privledge to bear testimony daily of the Love of God and the Restoration of His church. I know this church is true. I know that the Book of Mormon was translated by Joseph Smith the prophet of the restoration. I know that we can become happier, have more peace, and experience greater love by obeying His commandments. I love you all very much and pray that the Lord guides and protects you.

Love,
Hermana Dayna Petru