New Investigators and a Parcel - Nuevos Investigadores y un Paquete

Our Easter parcel of goodies has arrived for Elder Read and Elder Crandall to enjoy.  They loved the chocolate.

Nuestro paquete pascual ha llegado por Elder Read y Elder Crandall a disfrutar.

An Easter egg especially for Elder Crandall

Un huevo pascual por Elder Crandall

They are finding new investigators - but Elder Read says they need baptism dates. And urgently!

Estamos encontrando nuevos investigadores. Pero necesitamos fechas de bautismo. Urgentemente.

Recibí los paquetes; muchas gracias :) Y sí nos encantó el chocolate jaja :P 

One fascinating  thing about Elder Read's mission is his interest in photographing shadows - and very effective it is too!

Le encanta sombras  

And here's the opposite - sunning himself on the balcony

Se bronceando en el balcón  

View from the balcony

La vista del balcón 

A furry friend

Amigo de peluche 

Holy Week - Semana Santa

Semana Santa

Holy Week

Elder Read says they have had another good week, just like every week on the mission.  This is a very special area  but it needs a lot of hard work for them to achieve their goals, and they are disappointed when they don't achieve them.  At the moment they've got just six, three of which they found last week.  But, he says, they need far, far more.  He and his companion want to see at least one baptism together, and it was for this reason that the mission president sent them to Huércal Overa: to have baptisms, which the branch really needs.

The branch has a new mission leader, who is a returned missionary and is engaged to one of the young ladies in the branch, which is why he has moved there.  He is from Barcelona and knows some of Elder Read's former companions.

Monday wasn't a holiday in Spain, but virtually all of last week, Holy Week, was, and they saw various processions, which were lovely, which we can see from the photos.  He tells us not to be frightened by them. They're not real. 

The weather is getting hotter and Elder Read is beginning to get brown.

He says that his accent is getting more and more Spanish, but never mind.  He's not changing it.

Last week they taught over 20 discussions, the majority of which were to members as the branch president had given them a list of those who needed strengthening.  They have therefore been working with that.  They only taught five discussions to investigators - but this week is going to be better.

Yesterday they were going to go shopping for a sister who is ill - "a housebound member."  And they were going once they had finished doing their e-mails, which they are doing at the chapel.

Elder Read finishes by saying he hopes we had a good week last week and that this one will be equally as good.

Elder Read dice:

Bueno, hemos tenido una semana buena, como cada semana de la misión :) jeje. Esta en una área muy especial. Pero tenemos que trabajar mucho para conseguir nuestras metas, y nos desanimarnos cuando no las logramos. Solo tenemos como 6 investigadores, Hemos encontrado 3 nuevos esta semana pero necesitamos MAS. ¡¡MUCHO MAS!! Tenemos que ver por lo menos un bautismo juntos. Esa es la razón porque el presidente nos mandó aquí. Para tener bautismos. Los bautismos que la rama necesita. 

Tenemos un nuevo líder misional. Es un misionero retornado. Está comprometido con una de las chicas de la rama. ese es porqué vive aquí. es de Barcelona, y conoce algunos de mis ex-compañeros. 

No es verdadero

It's not real

Hoy - lunes - no es festivo. Pero casa toda la semana pasada sí jaja. era semana Santo. vimos algunas procesiones. Son muy bonitas. les estoy mandando fotos. No se asustan por los disfraces. No son KKK.  

El calor ya está empezando. Y se nota. Me estoy bronceando jaja :P 

Estoy notando que mi accento se está poniendo mas y mas español jaja :P espero que no les importa jaja :P Pero evito cecear jaja. 

Eset semana tuvimos mas que 20 charlas. Pero la mayoría a miembros. El presidente de rama nos dio una lista de miembros que necesitan fortaleciendo. Entonces hemos estado trabajando con ella. Solo tuvimos 5 charlas con investigadores. Pero está bien. esta semana va a ser mejor. 

Hoy vamos a hacer la compra para una hermana que está enferma (housebound member) vamos a ir despues de escribir, Estamos escribiendo en la capilla :) 

Pues nada. espero que hayan tenido una buenísima semana y que tengan una semana MUY buena! :) 

A Wonderful First Week and an Even Better One to Come - Una Primera Semana Fantastica y la projima va a hacer mejor.

Elder Read says that there are a lot of people in Huércal Overa who are ready to receive the Gospel.  They have found new people and have appointments this week. The mission president has taught them how to get referrals from members and he has inspired them to work with the less-actives.  Therefore that's what they are doing.

He and his companion are getting on really well.  On Sunday the sacrament attendance was only 24... but they're going to increase it!!  They have to baptise.  This week, of course, is Holy Week - and Elder Read misses English chocolate. But there is an English shop there.  In fact, there are a lot of English people and he never knows what language he's going to have to speak.  He greeted a couple in the street in Spanish and then heard them speaking English.  He went into the English shop and discovered that the owner's name is Carol and that she comes from the Lake District.  She's great!!  

Huércal Overa

Normally only English people go into that shop and because of that Elder Read addressed a man in English only to discover that he understood no English at all.  He was what Elder Read described as TOTALLY Andalucian.

On Monday the elders were going to eat at the home of some members  Last week Elder Read saw a lot of the missionaries from Cartagena and to hear about the members made him very happy. The bishop of Cartagena 1 is the father of Élder Martínez, who is in the same mission as Simon Bray.

So all is going very well and they have had a super week with a lot of miracles - and this week is going to be better!

ElderRead dice:
HOlaaa!!!!!! Pues hemos tenido una semana de milagros! 

Hay muchísimas personas preparadas aquí. muchísimas. Estamos encontrando nuevas personas y tenemos que poner fechas esta semana. El presidente nos enseñó algunas cositas para poder sacar referencias de los miembros. Nos animó a trabajar con los menos activos. Entonces eso es lo que estamos haciendo. Mi compañero y yo nos caemos super bien :) Y la rama tiene miembros super buenos. Ayer tuvimos una asistencia de solo 24... ¡Vamos a mejorar! ¡Tenemos que bautizar! Esta semana empieza la semana santa. Hecho de menos chocolate de Inglaterra jaja :P pero hay una tienda inglesa aquí. Hay MUCHOS ingleses aquí. Nunca sé cuál idioma debo hablar jaja :P Una saludé una pareja por la calle in español y luego les escuché hablar en inglés. Y luego entre en la tienda inglesa, la dueña de llama Carol es del Lake District, es muy buena :) Pero entré, y como normalmente como solamente son ingleses que entran saludé a un hombre en inglés, y luego noté que no hablaba NADA de inglés y era TOTALMENTE andaluz jaja :P 

Vamos a ir comer en la casa de algunos miembros hoy. Vi a muchos todos los misioneros de Cartagena la semana pasada. Eschuché de los miembros y fué guay. El obispo de Cartagena 1 es el padre de Élder Martínez quien está en la misma misión que Simon Bray. 

Pues todo va super bien. hemos tenido una semana buenísima. Muchos milagros y esta semana va a hacer mejor :) 

El perrito lo besó

The puppy kissed him

New Area and Baptisms - Nueva Area y Bautismos

Elder Read y su nuevo compañero Elder Crandall

Elder Read and his new companion Elder Crandall 

NEW AREA!!
Elder Read says "How are you? Everything is going really well here in Huércal-Overa."

There's a lot of work, the members are super and they are delighted with this transfer.  They've got one baptism date and they're going to get at least two more during the week. He says that thanks to the Lord there's going to be a harvest there soon.

Fue difícil despedirse

Elder Read says it was really difficult to say goodbye to Elder Orr.  He's become one of his best friends and they've gone through a lot together. However, they'll meet again at special training by President Deere - and he'll also see Elder Metcalf.

He took the train to Málaga for the meeting with a lot of other missionaries and they had a good time together. Their aim is to serve or die trying!
Nine of Elder Read's friends finished their missions last week.

"Here they are--our 9 missionaries finishing this week.  From left to right, Elders Gochez, Norton, Vosters and Woodford, Hermana Chavez, and Elders Peters, Mambo, Nunez and Cortes.  We will miss you! " From the Mission Blog.


Elder Read can't believe that he's already completed 16 months of his mission. The members asked him:  "How much time have you got left, Elder?"  And he replies "Not much," so the returned missionaries in the ward say they won't ask him again.  They understand that although to have experience is good, it's not good to think about returning home, especially in your final year.  However, there's enough time to WORK, WORK, WORK. or at least to try.

Elder Read and Elder Crandall work well together, and his companion has got almost a year longer left in the mission field than he has - which makes him feel old haha!!!  Huércal-Overa is a very small unit so the members have to work hard to strengthen it, so they work a lot with the missionaries.

He loved the General Conference.  It's so true that the missionaries experience a lot of challenges, some more dramatic than others, but challenges and trials nevertheless.  However, what helps them is the knowledge of why they are there; to serve the Lord with all their might, mind and strength.  And when that's not enough the Lord always helps: always.

This is his new address:
 Elder Roberto WC  Read
Calle Silvestre Martínez de Haro #21, 2B
Huércal-Overa
Almería
04600
España

Elder Read y su nuevo compañero Elder Crandall con Elder Galarza.  Elder Galarza viene de Barañáin donde viven amigos de nosotros.

Elder Read dice:
¡NUEVA ÁREA!

¿Cómo están? ¿Bien? Pues todo va super bien por acá en Huércal-Overa :)

 Bueno, hay mucho trabajo, los miembros son muy buenos y estamos MUY animados por este traslado. Tenemos una fecha bautismal, y vamos a poner por lo menos dos mas esta semana. Gracias al señor habrá cosecha pronto aquí.

Con Elder Orr y un miembro

With Elder Orr and a member

Fue difícil despedirme de Élder Orr. Es uno de mis mejores amigos y hemos pasado por mucho juntos. Pero lo voy a ver esta semana en entrenamiento especial con Presidente Deere. Y Élder Metcalf también :D
Pues, viajé a Málaga en tren con muchos otros misioneros (todos se fueron a Málaga) para servir o morir. 9 amigos terminaron sus misiones la semana pasada... No puedo creer que acabo cumplir 16 meses en la misión. Los miembros me preguntaron ¿cuanto tiempo lleva Élder? solo les dije que no me queda mucho jaja. Los misioneros retornados en el barrio dijeron "Ah, vale, entonces no preguntaremos mas" jaja.

Entienden que aunque tener experiencia es bueno, tampoco quiere uno pensar mucho en casa, especialmente cuando uno se va a casa al final del año... Pero bueno, todavía me queda tiempo para MACHACAR! O por los menos tratar jaja :P

Mi compañero y yo enseñamos muy bien juntos. Llevo casi un año mas que él... Me siento viejo... jaja

Pues, Huércal-Overa es un pueblo MUY pequeño, y los miembros necesitan fortaleciendo. Trabajan mucho con nosotros.

¡QUE BUENA LA CONFERENCIA! ¿NO? Me encantó. Es verdad que como misioneros pasamos por muchos desafíos, algunos mas dramáticos que otros, pero desafíos y pruebas. Lo que nos ayuda es saber por qué estamos aquí. Para servir al Señor con toda nuestra alma, mente y fuerza. Y cuando no es suficiente, el señor siempre nos ayuda. Siempre.

Mi dirección es esta:

Elder Roberto WC  Read
Calle Silvestre Martínez de Haro #21, 2B
Huércal-Overa
Almería
04600
España

Huércal-Overa

Transfers and Old Friends - Transferencias y Amigos Viejos

Conferencia de Sevilla

Conference in Sevilla

On Monday - P-Day - Elder Read and his companion Elder Orr went to Sevilla, for the last time before their transfer, to see the cathedral and the Plaza de España. It was fantastic and he'll send photos - but when he was writing the e-mail his camera was out of battery and he had left the cable at the flat.  So we should get them next week.

Now: Transfers: They're both moving. A lot of missionaries are going home  and there aren't enough to replace them at the moment, so they're combining his area.  Only two missionaries are remaining and the one who is coming is Elder Adams from Leeds.  He's the only other English missionary in the mission, which is ironic, as the only two English missionaries in the whole of the Spain Malaga Mission aren't completely English!!!  Elder Read, of course, is half Peruvian and Elder Adams is black.  And he - Elder Adams - will be finishing his mission soon.

Now then, where are they sending Elder Read?  To a little branch called Huércal Overa.  It's in a small town and has only 25 members, but he doesn't know how many of those are active.  His new companion is Elder Crandall, who went to his first area, Jerez, on 7th October last year.  President Deere told Elder Read that he had a very good feeling about the two of them, so he's excited about that.

However,  he's naturally a little sad about leaving Castilleja.  Last week was excellent and the theme of Sunday's sacrament meeting was missionary work. Also they had a meeting with the stake mission leader.

Elder Read is sending us a copy of the latest issue of the weekly mission bulletin, which is excellent. The mission president talks about setting goals: how to do them and when - and so on. 

The other day Elder Read saw his convert Neftaly again.  They were in Sevilla and he invited them to lunch along with his sister, who is an investigator in Sevilla, and the missionaries who are teaching her, one of whom is Elder Buckway, the nephew of the missionary who baptised Elder Read's mother.  Neftaly is what Elder Read calls a machine of a missionary.  Seriously, he says!!  

While they were at the chapel in Sevilla they saw a number of members from Huelva, Elder Read's first area.

But Elder Read says they had papa a la huancaína boliviana - in other words a similar dish from Bolivia - but the sauce was made with peanuts instead of cheese. 

When he was at the zone conference in Sevilla he saw two of his previous companions:Elder Hampel, who is in San Fernando, the same ward as Neftaly; and also Elder Rodriguez, his second companion, who doesn't have much time left.

Elder Orr has gone to Crevillente.

Elder Read dice:

Hoy fuimos a Sevilla por última vez para ver la catedral, la Plaza de España yyyyyyyyyy............ El museo militar que hay en la Plaza de España! :D jaja les mandaré fotos, Fue SUPER guay! Pero mi cámara ahora no tiene batería y se me olvidó mi cable en el piso...

Ahora. Traslados. AMBOS NOS VAMOS : Hay muchos misioneros que se van a casa esta semana. Entonces NO hay suficientes misioneros para remplazar a los que se van por el momento.  Están combinando mi área. Solo se quedan 2 misionarios y el que viene es Élder Adams de Leeds. Es el único otro inglés en la misión. Es ironico, los únicos ingleses en toda la misión España Málaga NO son completamente ingleses jaja :P Él es negro. Se va a casa pronto también.

Elder Erickson will train Elder Crandall in Jerez.  This was on 7th October 2013

Elder Erickson va a entrenar Elder Crandall in Jerez. - el 7 de octubre 2013

Pues ¿A donde me mandan? A una ramita que se llama Huércal Overa. Es un pueblo pequeño. La rama solo tiene 25 miembros (no sé cuantos activos hay...) Mi nuevo compañero se llama Élder Crandall. Presidente me dijo que tiene un sentimiento MUY bueno acerca de nosotros, Entonces estoy MUY animado.

La verdad es que es un poco triste que nos vamos. Hemos tenido una semana muy buena. Ayer tuvimos una reunión sacramental acerca de la obra misional. También tuvimos una reunión con el líder misional de la estaca de Sevilla.

Les voy a mandar el boletín semanal de la misión esta semana porque es MUY buena. El presidente está hablando acerca de el fijar metas. Cómo y cuando, y todo eso.

El Otro día vi a Neftaly otra vez!!! :D Estuvo en Sevilla y nos invitó a almorzar con él, su hermana (que es una investigadora en Sevilla) y los misioneros que la están enseñando a ella :) (uno es el Élder Buckway). Pues, Neftaly ya es un máquina de misionero. ¡En serio!  También vi a varios miembros de Huelva en la capilla de Sevilla :) Comimos papa a la huancaína boliviana. Es igual que la peruana menos que la salsa es de maní en ves de queso :)

También vi a dos de mis compañeros en la conferencia de Zona en Sevilla :) A Élder Hampel (está en San Fernando, el mismo barrio que Neftaly) y a Élder Rodríguez, mi segundo compañero (le queda muy poco) . 

Bueno, Élder Orr se va a Crevillente.