Last Week in Cartagena - La Ultima Semana en Cartagena

Zone Conference in Murcia last week with the Cartagena, Alicante and Murcia Zones.

Spot Elder Read

Conferencia de la Zona en Murcia la semana pasada con las zonas de Cartagena, Alicante y Murcia

Elder Read  understands he'll be moving next Wednesday when this transfer ends, but where to as yet he has no idea.  He will have been in Cartagena for 3 transfers of six weeks each, in other words four and a half months.

On Monday they had a wonderful P-Day, when his district climbed a mountain - El Roldan, and he's sent us lots of photos which you can see lower down.

Elder Read says that last week he was really busy - as usual - and he was soooo tired!  After their hike up the mountain on Monday he took a siesta, the first time for almost a month, and he just wanted to carry on sleeping, P-Day being the only day in the week when he can!

At the Zone Conference in Murcia, which covered three zones, he again met his second companion Elder Rodriguez from Barcelona.  I see he is also photographed with him on the P-Day trek.  He was delighted to see him again.

Unlike other weeks, they didn't have many discussions last week, but it's a new area and they are planting seeds for the missionaries who will come after them, which is what missionary work is all about.  The brother he baptised in this area is strong in the Church and holds the Aaronic Priesthood.  He lives in Cádiz now but from time to time he phones and they are able to chat.

Do you remember that a few weeks ago when they were given their new area Elder Read asked the Mission President whether it would be possible to have a car?  Well, now he says that those who walk aren't as fat and are much stronger than those who have cars!

So on Saturday he will have been on his mission for ten months!!!  So much has happened but it only seems like yesterday when he left home.  And in no time he'll be back!

Teaching a chameleon on the mountain. Last week it was a dog!  They're certainly obeying Mark 16:15 and preaching the gospel to every creature!

The chameleon 

Elder Hampel

Elder Read's with his second companion, Elder Rodriguez, who comes from Barcelona, and who is now serving in the Zone

I'm the king of the castle; get down you dirty rascal!

Light relief from studying in the flat.  

This must be a view out of the window of their flat.

Desayuno de Elder Read: fruta con yogur natural, Jugo de naranja y leche

Elder Read's breakfast: fruit with natural yogurt, orange juice and milk

La comida principal aquí es el almuerzo, y siempre estamos comiendo en la casa de los miembros :) Principalmente del obispo, Lider Misional y el presidente del Quórum de Élderes :) Mucho, arroz, pan, carne (Especialmente Jamón serrano y chorizo) comida muy rica :) Compré mazamorra en polvo hace algunas semanas; estoy animado para hacerla :)

The main meal for them in Spain is lunch, which they always have in members' houses:  mainly the bishop, ward mission leader, and the elders' quorum president, and they eat a lot of rice, bread, meat - especially boiled ham and hard pork sausages.

Elder Read dice:
Fuimos a subir una montaña (El Roldan) por mi última vez antes que me voy. Casi seguro que me voy de aquí el dos semanas y pico. 

Esta semana hemos trabajado mucho, estoy cansadísimo, casi me quedé dormido hoy cuando tomé una siesta, como hoy es el único día que lo puedo hacer y no e tomado una siesta por casi un mes, me hacía mucha falta jeje. En la conferencia de Zona, eramos 3 zonas! Vi a uno de mis compañeros también. Élder Rodríquez, mi segundo compañero, ¿se recuerdan? El de Barcelona. Me alegró mucho verle otra vez. 

No tuvimos muchas charlas como otras semanas pero estamos trabajando duro en nuestra área nueva que no tiene mucho, entonces estamos plantando muchas semillas para los misioneros que vienen.  El hermano que bauticé aquí está fuerte en la iglesia y ya tiene el Sacerdocio Aaronico  Vive en Cádiz ahora pero de vez en cuanto me llama y hablamos :) 

Hoy era un día super bueno. 

Hace unas semanas, recuerdan que Elder Read pido un carro del presidente de la Misión?  Ahora dice: Los misioneros que caminan no son tan gordos y son mas fuertes que ellos quienes tienen carros;) jeje. 

Es muy raro pensar que esta semana voy a cumplir 10 meses en la misión. Tanto a pasado pero al mismo tiempo siento como si fuera ayer que me fui de casa. ¡Que raro! 

La comida principal aquí es el almuerzo, y siempre estamos comiendo en la casa de los miembros :) Principalmente del obispo, Lider Misional y el presidente del Quórum de Élderes :) Mucho, arroz, pan, carne (Especialmente Jamón serrano y chorizo) comida muy rica :) Compré mazamorra en polvo hace algunas semanas; estoy animado para hacerla :)