Baking Powers

So, transfers. Nothing happened! Huzzah! Not a single person left the district or came in. The only thing that happened is that my companion became district leader. Before the mission I thought mission leadership positions were sought after. They aren´t. Or here at least. It takes so much more work and time that we don´t have. But everyone is very happy that all is the same. Me especially. I had 6 companions in the 6 transfers before this. It´s pretty maddening.

On a random side note, a blessed member of our ward who´s husband works in the American embassy got me a large stash of brown sugar. Oh yeah. I have baking powers again. Hello cinnamon rolls. 

Mom, you would be proud. I had one of those times where my genes from you kick in and I must clean. Our kitchen looks beautiful. I cleaning everything basically including our stove. By the way, we have a gas stove which is a fun experience. Everything heats up very fast. Sometimes too fast but that´s ok. I´m used to it now and no fires have occurred in my time here. Although I had a funny moment when I asked why our oven mitt was burnt and after hearing the story, repeated history by trying to grab something off the stove with the mitt and set it on fire a bit. 

Today we bought pumpkins and carved them! I´ll send pictures another day. It was very laborious but very fun. We all did one except for my companion who didn´t want to. We also had a farewell for a sister missionary we knew who finished the mission. And we played some games.

Hooray for Kara! What am I now? A second uncle? Double uncle? No idea. Still is exciting, though. I wish I could´ve been there. She´ll be pretty old once I get there. Which is also very close. It´s scary that it´s almost November. Time does fly by. Everyone was right when they said the second half of the mission is much faster. 

Umm... not much else to tell. It´s been a less successful week but they happen. It should be better from now on. Thanks for all the letters! Love you all! Miss you loads!

Os quiero,

Elder Morgan the Younger

Out of the Bubble

Well apparently we are rising out of the cold, sadly enough. It´s back to short sleeves and windows open at nights. I like wearing winter clothing too. And I finally have a companion who is chill with it. I suppose I can bear a bit more summer.

So I guess they informed you about Ebola. I wasn´t going to because I think it is the worst idea to write about a deadly disease nearby. But the figurative beans are spilt. Ya, that was a bit interesting to hear of Ebola getting so close. But that's why we have quarantine. Now whenever anyone gets sick, everyone joking says, "It´s Ebola!" 

We made the mistake of being in a neighborhood called Chueca on a Friday night. Just so you all know, we have Chueca in our area which is the gay capital of Spain. We generally try to avoid it at night but we accidentally headed that way looking for a house. I saw things I want to unsee. Grody. Although during the day it´s fine and theirs a bajillion clothing shops and shoe shops (of course). I have been exposed to so much of the world here and I definitely like the Utah bubble better. And apparently everyone´s voices go lower during the mission here because of all the smoke everywhere.

We had a free morning so we officially contacted the whole length of our area from Cuatro Caminos (The north end by the church) to Legazpi (the south end). It took us about 3 hours and we made a few detours to avoid too busy streets. And as a result we got quite a few references, as would be expected.

Umm... not much else to tell. I´ll send pictures and since pictures are worth a thousand words this will be long.

Love you all!

Os quiero!

 Elder Morgan

 

The main train station called Chamartín. It´s where basically everyone goes for transfers.

Here is when we got a false reference which turned out to be the Finnish Embassy which was a funny coincidence

My Finnish Companion -- Elder Alhovuori

 

Nice looking street in Barrio 5

A clever shirt from a Mexican member

The nice looking Metro we usually take

And  a cleverly named restaurant (Tómate/Tomate un respiro. Take a breath).

Older photo from Villalba -- his district

Train station from his last area -- Villalba

Ebola Letter

This is a very interesting email I got from Daniel's Mission President. I hadn't yet heard about Ebola being in Spain. I'm not worried though. I know his Mission President is inspired and I like the fact that he is a Doctor too.

Dear Parents of Missionaries serving in the Spain, Madrid Mission,
 
 
I am aware of the recent diagnosis of the Ebola virus in a nurse’s aid in Alcorcón, a suburb of Madrid. I have been following the news closely and am aware of the quarantine of several others who may have been exposed. I have been in close contact with the Europe Area Presidency and the Church Missionary Department. There is no need at this time to consider moving missionaries out of the area. We will inform you immediately of any changes.
 
 
 
Sister Jackson and I love serving with your missionary!
 
 
 
Warm Regards,
 
President Scott T. Jackson
Spain, Madrid Mission

Worldwide Mission

Forgive me, for I have sinned. I did not bring my conference notes this time.

Also, pardon any missing letters. This keyboard is messed up.

Random question. Did any of my friends get sent to Aunt Toni and Uncle Arnold´s mission? I think one of them might´ve.

It has been quite the cultural week! Firstly, one of my mission dreams has been fulfilled and we sent a referral to Paraguay! Sadly Wesley wasn´t ther but it´s still cool. It´s in a city called Laurelty Luque. Maybe he recognizes that place. We talked to a Jewish New Yorker and sent his info there to be taught. We ate at a Thai restaurant and I just had a basic rice and veggie and chicken dish with peanut sauce. We found a Nordic store with a bunch of stuff from north Europe and I bought dutch waffles (the waffle things from The Best Two Years.). We were contacted by a man from Alaska/Montana (He had a handlebar/mutton chop facial hair combo and a big cowboy hat and a big belt buckle and he spit tobacco) and his girlfriend from Latvia (Met on the internet. Lives in Spain.) who claimed to be pagan and that we can´t teach her. Elder Alhovuori met an old friend from another ward who is from Sudan. We met a couple who claimed to be French (must´ve lived there) who were probably Romanian. We contacted a Japanese lady. And all of this is in Spain with my Finnish companion. I feel quite cultured. 

And I´ve heard of missionaries doing a lesson based off of a rubik´s cube. Could you find what it is?

It rained like none other finally. Due to that the temperature dropped a lot so now it´s chilly. Yes! It´s back! Rain. clouds, and cold. My kind of weather.

Due to Conference our schedule is back to waking up at 7 and going to bed at 11. Next General Conference it´ll move a half hour forward again. 

So I think I just typed twice the length of this letter but this stupid keyboard messes up my life. Sorry that this is short but it´s relatively long. I love you all!

Os quiero,

Elder Morgan the Youger

There is No Spoon

Alright, let me specify the nerdiness I mentioned earlier. It´s not just looks. I mean I´m surrounded by players of Magic the Gathering, League of Legends, World of Warcraft, and so on and so forth. And I´ve seen a bit of anime like Pokemon and a few movies but I am nothing in comparison to some. It all makes me feel at home, but also very much not nerdy when I compare myself.

I had possibly the most interesting contact in my life talking to an old Buddhist Spaniard. He tried to convince us that God is infinite (ya) but since we are able to name him he must be finite. And we tried to talk to him about faith and prayer and stuff. Like I always ask people if they´ve seen their heart with their own eyes and how do they know if they have one? Everyone has that "faith" and they say they´ve felt it inside. Didn´t work. He asked me what my arm was and told me that the arm is made of many things and cannot be specified and told me that my arm only exists because I can see it and my arm only exists in my mind and reality could be some form of dementia. He thinks too much. It remind me of the "If a tree falls in the forest and no one hears it, does it make a sound?" or "There is no spoon." from the Matrix. But ya, easily my weirdest contact ever.

On our way to a lesson we saw a recently returned missionary, Hermana Tabares, and she actually joined us in the lesson. Although she now noted the difference between teaching as a missionary. And she told us about her rough experience of being released. And she chose the most awful movie to watch as her first movie which was some horror movie with the cover as a bunch of skulls and the Eiffel tower upside down. We also saw her at conference.

Conference! It was so good! I will write about it next week for the sake of time.

Random paragraph: We live by the metro Canal. We are literally like 20 feet from it. The street is Calle Bravo Murillo. Ya, I see the temple films in Spanish. I saw B. A is gone forever I think. I have yet to see C and D. Yes the Sullivans are the temple steps choir people from the MTC. Into the Woods is becoming a movie?! Weird. England? Why are they taking a trip to England?

Pardon my relatively brief and short email. I have to go write a very long email to a recent convert because lots of bad jazz just went down in her life. Pray for her if you would. Her name is Raquel. I love you all and I gotta go!