The Homecoming - Bienvenido a Casa

This great group of missionaries returned home this week.  Sister Cerna also finished her mission but is not pictured.  We love you Elders and Sisters!

The Christmas Tree outside Heathrow Terminal 2

 Right before his release

 Celebrating at the Carvery

Welcome Home cake made by one of the members of our ward.

Home in Three Days!! A la Casa en Tres Días

Farewell to Córdoba

Adios a Córdoba

For the last time Elder Read has sent his weekly e-mail.

In truth, he says, the last week has been pretty good.  They taught with the Christmas video He is the Gift, sharing the spirit very much throughout the week.

He really can't think of what to say as he'll be seeing us so soon but today, P-Day, they had permission to go and play Paintball, something he loves and he has a Paintball gun at home.  It's so realistic that he can't carry it in public!!!!!  Where they played is on some land close to their flat.  By the end he had run right out of "bullets."

Elder Read has a final goal, and that is to continue to share the gospel message on his journey home: on the plane and at the two airports etc.  And he'll see what happens.

He apologises for having written so little this time, but he just doesn't know what to say and will, of course be answering all our questions.  That is, if he isn't too tired.

Then I can hand over the blog together with the Facebook page back to him.  Needles to say, there are many photos that he hasn't been able to share with us and - inevitably - a lot more stories.  Perhaps he'll even be able to recount that shaggy dog story!!

So keep looking as I'm sure he'll want to share these things.

This is a member they visit in a residency really close to where they live. He can only move his head and can't speak. But he's amazing! and really funny :) Always smiling and welcoming :)
Es un miembro quien visitan en una residencia cerca a donde viven.  Puede mover solamente su cabeza  y no puede hablar.  Pero es gracioso; siempre sonriendo y acogedor.

Adiós a otra miembro

Por la ultima vez,Élder Read escribe:
Pues, la semana pasada fue una semana bastante buena de verdad. Hemos enseñado a muchas personas el video de "Él  es la dádiva" hemos disfrutado mucho del espíritu esta semana.

La verdad es que no sé qué decir. Les voy a ver bastante pronto.

Hoy fuimos a jugar a paintball en una finca que hay cerca de la cuidad. La verdad es que fue genial. Me quedé sin balas al final. (tuvimos permiso para jugar)

Mi meta es seguir contactando hasta que ya no puedo más. En el avión, en el aeropuerto etc. Ya veremos lo que pasa.

Lo siento que he escrito tan poco pero no sé que contar, ya contestaré sus preguntas pronto, si no estoy muy cansado jaja :P

Maegen Rindlisbacher With Elder Read and Whitney Wilcox Laycock.

Presumably this is in Córdoba chapel.

Christmas Message - Mensaje de Navidad

http://www.mormon.org/christmas 

Elder Read expects we already know but there is a new initiative from the Church, directly from the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. This Friday the Mission is going to receive a lot of gift cards, and they have the goal of giving out 10 per day. And they have to show the video - above - to ALL the members, investigators and less-actives.  He is sure that the missionaries will be able to find a lot of new people to teach over the Christmas period, so he invites us all to do the same.  The missionaries have been instructed to share this message with the members.  (In Southampton Ward the missionaries gave a special presentation in Sacrament last Sunday).

Elder Read says that this week is going to be a super week. Yesterday - Monday - they had a lot of really good discussions.  It was the birthday of an older member - everyone calls her Granny, with much love. She's less-active and they bought her a cake.  They also took a message and a couple of games and had a Family Home Evening with all the family. The daughter or granddaughter, who isn't a member, also took part.  The husband, who had said he wasn't interested in he Church, came in, greeted us, saw what we were doing - we were playing UNO - and joined in.  He's also a less-active member.

There are so many members who need help that Elder Read just doesn't want to leave.  He arrives home in just NINE DAYS!!!  It almost makes him cry to think that he's got only just over a week to help, teach and find as many people as possible.

But everything comes to an end, including this "epistle."

He loves us all lots and is looking forward to seeing us next week.

Interestingly, P-Day was today, Tuesday - instead of the normal Monday. Perhaps we'll find out why next week.

Espero que ya saben, pero  hay una nueva iniciativa de la iglesia, directamente de la primera presidencia y el quórum de los doce apóstoles. este viernes vamos a recibir muchas tarjetas de obsequio y la tenemos la meta de regalar 10 cada día. Tenemos que mostrar el video a TODOS los miembros, investigadores y menos activos. Estoy seguro que vamos a encontrar muchísimas personas para enseñar durante la navidad. Les invito a que hagan lo mismo. Los misioneros ya debían a verles comunicado esta nueva iniciativa. ¡A POR ELLOS! 

Esta semana va a ser una semana buenísima. Ayer tuvimos muchas lecciones muy buenas. Era el cumple de una miembro mayor (todos la llamamos abuela jaja :P  con mucho cariño) Es una menos activa. Pues compramos una tarta. Llevamos un mensaje y un par de juegos y tuvimos una noche de hogar con toda la familia :) La hija o nieta que no es miembro también participó :) El esposo, que nos habia dicho que no quiere nada que ver, entró, saludó, vio lo que estábamos haciendo (estuvimos jugando UNO) Ya tenemos una relación pequeña con él también (también es un miembro menos activo)

Hay tantas personas aquí que necesitan TANTA ayuda. NO quiero ir me. De verdad. Casi me pongo a llorar cuando pienso que solo tengo una semana y pico mas para ayudar, enseñar y encontrar cuantas personas que sea posible. 

Des afortunadamente todo tiene su fin. También el tiempo del locutorio. 

Pues les quiero mucho y nos veremos la semana que viene :) Escribiré mas la semana que viene :) 

17 Days - 17 Dias

Meeting an old friend and previous companion - Elder Hampel

Elder Read says they've had another excellent week, although a little difficult. And now he's got the details for his flight home.  He flies from Málaga to Lisbon, Portugal, so he says he needs to practise saying "Which plane goes to England?" "Where's the toilet?" "How much does it cost?" "Have you seen a missionary before?"

He leave Málaga at 10.50ma and arrives at London Heathrow at 5.25pm.  We were advised not to use the flight direct to Southampton from Málaga due to baggage restrictions - but we now discover that he's got to pay excess baggage anyway and he has to go all that distance out of his way.  However, he'll still be a missionary until he's released by the stake president that evening and he'll have lots of opportunities to talk to people.

A dew days ago they went to Málaga to listen to Elder Kearon of the Area Presidency.  He really enjoyed it and had the opportunity to shake his hand and to talk to both him and Sister Kearon.  He told Elder Read that he was the first English missionary he had met in the mission, and Elder Read replied that he was the only one. He thinks he's the only English Peruvian in the whole of Spain!!

This is what Sister Deare, the wife of the mission president put on the Mission blog:

"Our second session was held in Malaga on Thursday 20 November.  Pictured are President and Sister Deere, Sister and Elder Kearon, and Sister and President Jimenez, a counselor in the mission presidency.

"We had a wonderfully memorable week in the Spain Malaga Mission.  Each year we receive a visit from a member of our Area Presidency, and this week Elder Kearon visited our mission.  The first session was  held in Alicante with 110 missionaries from the Alicante, Elche, Cartagena, Murcia, Granada and La Mancha Zones.  The second session was held in Málaga with the remaining 110 missionaries from Málaga, Sevilla 1 and 2, and San Fernando Zones.    Elder Kearon thanked us over and over again for our service, and encouraged us to stretch  beyond where we are now, to decide to change and give the mission our all.  I personally am so grateful to Elder Kearon, his family and our other leaders and their families who so selflessly serve for years.  While our missionaries have sacrificed our time and money for 18-24 months, they sacrifice their freedom, time, entire career, and in the case of Elder Kearon move their families frequently, all to answer a call to serve the Lord."  

They have a rather high goal for this coming Sunday.  The target throughout the mission is to have 500 investigators committed to attend church that day, with an actual attendance of 250, which means 3 per companionship attending sacrament.

Elder Kearon invited them to do a number of things.  Rather than call investigators by that name they should be called friends because, really, they are our friends.  And there's a new "rule" in the mission: a new saying: "Attack the day"  Each morning when the alarm goes off at 7 o'clock they start the day with a companionship prayer before having their personal prayers.

As missionaries they pray a lot.  By 11 o'clock Elder Read has prayed at least seven times.

He says he'll continue working until he's released - and that's a promise.

He says he's now picked up a Spanish accent  together with the idiom, so he needs his Mum to help him get the Peruvian Spanish back!!!

Elder Read dice:

Pues la verdad es que hemos tenido una semana muy buena, un poco difícil pero muy buena jaja :) Como ya saben tengo mis planes de viaje ahora. Me van a mandar a Portugal primero entonces tengo que practicar diciendo: ¿Cual avión va para Inglaterra? ¿Dónde está el baño? ¿Cuanto cuesta? y ¿Ha visto un misionero antes? jaja :P llegaré a Heathrow sobre la 5pm- Voy a incluir los planes aquí en el correo entonces ya lo tendrán :) 

Hace algunos días fuimos a Málaga para escuchar al Élder Kearon de la presidencia de área. Me encantó. Tuvimos la oportunidad la dar le la mano. Hablé un poco con él y su esposa. Me dijo que era el primer inglés que había conocido en la misión. Le dije que era el único jaja :P Creo que soy el único Inglés/Peruano en toda España jaja :P 

Tenemos una meta bastante alta para este domingo. Tenemos la meta de tener 500 investigadores comprometidos a venir a la capilla este domingo. La meta es lograr 250 investigadores en la reunión sacramental. 3 personas cada compañerismo. 

Élder Kearon nos invitó a hacer varias cosas. Ahora, en ves de llamar a los investigadores, investigadores, les estamos llamando amigos. Porque realmente son nuestros amigos. Ahora tenemos una nueva regla en la misión y un nuevo dicho "ataca el día". Cada mañana cuando suena la alarma a las 7am hacemos una oración de compañerismo, luego hacemos nuestras oraciones personales. 

Oramos mucho como misioneros. Antes de las 11am ya hemos orado por lo menos 7 veces.

Voy a continuar trabajando hasta me relevan. Les prometo. 

Mamá, tendrás que ayudarme a quitar mi acento español y me terminología española jaja :P creo que la palabra que se me a pegado más es "vale" jaja :P 

Zapatillas gastadas  - Worn out trainers

¿Acuerdan esos?  Do you remember these?

Three Weeks Left

Unfortunately Elder Read forgot the cable for his camera so I'm using this photo of him with his companion Elder Morán.
This is his latest epistle:
Thank you for the photos of Remembrance Sunday. I miss it. There is such a strong spirit there. I'm going to quit saying "I miss" because it doesn't help.

I'm going to echar mucho de menos the mission (note: I didn't say "I miss" haha :P ) There are so many things that I have learned here. I just hope that I can apply everything when I come back. I'm going to have to take things slowly. I know that many missionaries immediately jump right back into normal lifestyle. Going to movies, playing video games and watching tv until they're sick of it. Then they forget their mission horario.

I want to have a healthy mix. I'm still going to wake up at mission time. 7am go to bed at 11pm for the first few weeks. Keep my personal study schedule going. I want to keep that up forever. Also with morning exercise. I want to be as busy as possible. I know that the first few weeks home at Christmas are going to be hectic. There are lots of people to visit and lots of people I need to catch up with. Both at home and here in Spain. Tell the bishop and stake president that I want to work. I'm willing to do anything they ask me to do to help the work progress.

One of my goals is to be totally obedient to my church leaders. I know that I wasn't exactly before my mission. That is something that I have learned here; obedience. Obedience to the Lord and his servants, no matter what the request.


It's a lot colder here now. It's dropped down to 10 degrees and I have a little bit of a cold. But it's all good :)  (That'll prepare him for England!!!)

Now let's go on a tour of Córdoba:

This is the Mezquita - Cathedral Mosque

Roman Temple

Plaza de I Potro

Juderia Córdoba

Another quaint street along the Judería Córdoba

This must be inside the Mezquita

General views

I'll try to add some more photos later.

Photos

This week it's just photos, except to  say that Elder Read is sprinting towards the finish of his mission on 10th December.  By that he means that he has a lot to do and won't slow down.  There are baptisms in the offing and they are hoping and praying that they will take place within the next four weeks.

I'll try to add some photos of Córdoba, which is such a beautiful place.

Farewell to Elder Pomazón and Hello to Elder Morán

 Adios a Elder Pomazán

Hola a Elder Morán

Elder Read is very happy with his new companion, Élder Morán.  They get on really well and they laugh a lot.  He's great and they work really well together, he says.  His last companion, Elder Pomazán, comes from Peru and Elder Morán comes from Argentina.

And there's a new missionary - a greeny - in Córdoba, by the name of Elder Stephens.  On Monday he had only been in the field for 4 days and is an excellent lad and very funny.

I've put  in the top picture for the sunset! These are the Córdoba elders. Can you recognise who is who?

Last week was really good as they managed to teach 22 discussions and they found an excellent new investigator.  However, they don't have an dates for baptisms. They did have four but they didn't turn up to Church on Sunday nor did they have time to meet with the elders.  However, Elder Read and his companion will continue to work with them.  

He would like to baptise someone else before he finishes his mission, and he's going to do all he possibly can to achieve this, but it won't be the end of the world if he doesn't.  He sincerely believes that the main reason for his being there is to strengthen the members of the branch who are lovely people.

On Monday - P-Day - they went to visit La Mezquita, which is part mosque and part cathedral, and a World Heritage Site, but before doing so they had breakfast at the house of an investigator and played various table games. They really enjoyed themselves that day!!!!!!!!!!!!  It's all great there, he says.  Yesterday, they were going to Sevilla for a zone meeting.  In fact there are several activities taking place there, which pleases Elder Read as it will give him a chance to see members from both Huelva and Castilleja, which are in the same stake.

In the house of a member

En la casa de un miembro

Elder Read dice:
Pues la verdad es que estoy muy contento con mi nuevo compañero Élder Morán. Nos llevamos muy bien y nos reímos un montón.  Es muy bueno y trabajamos muy bien juntos:) 

Pues hay un nuevo misionero aquí en Córdoba ahora que se llama Élder Stephens. Lleva solo 4 días en el campo y es un chico mucho bueno y muy gracioso jaja :P 

Elder Wilson will train Elder Stephens in Cordoba

Pues esta semana la verdad es que a sido muy buena. Hemos podido lograr 22 charlas y una nueva investigadora muy buena. Aún no tenemos fechas. Tuvimos cuatro pero no han venido a la capilla ni han tenido tiempo para quedar con nosotros. Pero vamos a seguir trabajando con ellos. Quiero bautizar a alguien más antes que termine la misión. Voy a hacer todo lo posible por hacer eso pero sé que si no lo puedo lograr no pasa nada. 

Sinceramente siento que la razón mas grande que por qué estoy aquí es ayudar a fortalecer a los miembros de la rama, quienes son gente MUY buena. 

Hoy fuimos a visitar a la Mezquita con los nuevos élderes del distrito y también un investigador de los otros élderes. Luego fuimos a desayunar en la casa de tal investigador y a jugar algunos juegos de mesa. Le verdad es que nos divertimos un montonázo jaja :P Todo va super bien por aquí. Este viernes estaremos en Sevilla para una reunión de zona. La verdad es que quiero que halla alguna actividad en que tenemos que ir a Sevilla. Porque quiero ver a conversos y miembros de Huelva y Castilleja jaja :) Están en la misma estaca :D 

 ¿Quien es? Who's this?

 Córdoba Elders