Note from mom: It seems like things are going pretty well with Gabe and Elder Olson. I know at first Gabe was worried that this guy would hardly talk, and I think he was secretly hoping he would only be with him for one transfer. But now that they've been together for about three weeks, it seems like Elder Olson has at least started talking to Gabe more. He still doesn't love to start conversations with new people in public, so Gabe has to do most of that, but I'm thinking President Obando probably put Gabe and him together for that reason. Gabe is really good at making people laugh and bringing people out of their shell, so hopefully Elder Olson will keep getting more brave about talking to people at church and during street contacting. It's starting to get colder in Aranjuez, and Gabe even asked for me to Amazon ship him a beanie! I was kind of laughing because I remember when we were packing his suitcase in July (mostly me) he fought me about even taking a sweater and a pair of sweatpants because he was convinced he would be hot the whole time on his mission! Luckily, I did also sneak in a light puffer coat! I told him he may need to buy one there though!
Also, Gabe and Elder Olson have been opening up the little "12 Days of Christmas" packages that I had sent in the suitcase with Denae. It's been things like popcorn, some sour patch watermelons, gloves, gum, pens, etc. I also shipped him a few gifts via Amazon Spain that he got the day of the Christmas conference (a zip-up sweater, a little Lego set, some slippers, some gummy bears, a couple new ties). I also mailed him our Christmas card, but he said he hasn't gotten it yet! I think cards must take about two weeks! Amazon Spain is the safest way to send things it seems!
Spiritual Experience: I've really been praying for more people to teach lately and on Wednesday I had prayed to know what to do to find people. I couldn't think of anything so I was like, "We can just pass by members houses while doing street contacting." Then at one member's house, Fran was walking down the street and that's how we met him. Then we had a really good lesson with him and his wife on Sunday and we got him help with the bishop, which they really needed because of their house situation. (Note from mom - Apparently these people somehow got "tricked" into renting a place that was actually owned by someone else. I guess Gabe was saying this happens a lot in Spain. So now the people are living there in this place that they've paid for, but they don't have any electricity because they can't legally put it in their name.) But looking back, it was so crazy we found him because even if we would've rung the buzzer, he wouldn't of heard it because they have no power. I know God made everything timed perfectly so that we would get there right as he was walking away from his house. Because we met him, his family is getting them help for their immediate needs and they're also coming to church and taking lessons from us.
Tuesday, December 10: Today after we woke up, we had breakfast in the chapel, then a temple trip and we did endowments which was super nice. Then we had lunch and all just talked for a while. It was super funny meeting everyone in the mission (every single missionary in the Spain Madrid South mission was there) and it was so fun to talk to everyone. After that, we came back to Aranjuez and had a member lesson/board game time with a less active member. It was super fun playing a card game with him. Then we finished our day with language study.
Wednesday, December 11: Today wasn't too exciting. We did some street contacting and talked to a lady that basically was just begging for cigarettes for like 5 minutes because she thought I was a Jehovah's Witness because I was wearing a blue shirt. And apparently the Jehovah's Witnesses give her money sometimes. We also had an English class with just Roberto. It was basically just us talking in English and then talking about Baptism. He said "I'll have my answer by 2 weeks" so we'll see how that goes.
Thursday, December 12: Today was pretty boring. We did our studies and weekly planning then we did street contacting for awhile because our lesson canceled. We talked to a lot of people but no one was interested unfortunately. We had some funny conversations though which was fun.
Friday, December 13: We had district council today, and then went to Dominos for lunch. It was the first in-person district counsel with everyone new (some new missionaries had arrived on the last transfer around Thanksgiving) and it was kinda weird, but it was still pretty fun. Both lessons we had today canceled so we did street contacting most of the evening. Because Elder Olson won't start and conversations, the system we have is, I start all the conversations and stop people on the street. Then I talk for as long as possible, and then he steps in. It worked pretty well today and we talked to a lot of people. Two of the guys seemed pretty cool and interested in having lessons. One like thirty-year-old lady thought we were flirting with her, and I don't know what she was smoking because we had asked her what her first language was and she said "nothing". Then we baked cookies for the ward dinner tomorrow.
Saturday, December 14: Today was pretty crazy. We had the ward party and we had 1 family and 2 of our amigos come. Then we had like 5 families we had to talk to. The lessons were with Mateo and Roldofo. Mateos was really good and he's coming to church tomorrow. Roldofo was drunk and we have a meeting with him on Saturday. The whole party I was running back and forth around the room chatting with everyone setting up lessons and meetings while Olson chilled with 2 of the Amigos and listened to them chat. He is talking more though, kinda. I was doing pretty good with Spanish and I'm understanding way more now when people speak. Andrew(Nigerian guy) said, "Every time I look at you, you're somewhere else talking to someone new, it's like your teleporting, where is your companion?😂ðŸ˜." The food was good, but it was cold by the time I finally got to eat. It went really good though and I really enjoyed it.
Sunday, December 15: We had Mateo and the Fran family come to church today and it was super cool. We had a lesson with Mateo first and it went really well. Then we had a lesson with Fran and his wife. We actually meet them the other day when we were passing be a members house who had moved. They are super cool and said they're going to come to church every Sunday. Then we had a meal with the Daguimar's and Fran and his wife came. The Daguimar's are so fun and she made really good lasagna, so it was an awesome meal. (note: Their dog is the little white dog that's always dressed up in some fancy clothes!) Then we came back to the apartment and did some online contacting and I got to call my family.
Monday, December 16: Today we got groceries and went up to Madrid. We played pickleball at the chapel then all went and got lunch which was super fun. Then Me, Olson, Bohn and Page walked around different stores and just chatted. (Note: The picture of the big shopping mall is a store called Primark - which Gabe says we have to visit when we go there!) It was really fun. Then afterward, we got back on the train towards Aranjuez. This random guy (an inactive member) then came up to me a said I was being a "Mal representante" of the church because he thought I was making fun of a homeless lady begging for money on the train (Elder Olson was quizzing me on what she was saying in Spanish, and I was quietly translating into English). He didn’t speak English very well. We talked to him for like an hour and a half and tried to explain that we weren't making fun of her. He said he's inactive because he felt like he was being misjudged at church (which is ironic, because he had misjudged me). Then we went home.
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