4/4/16

Well these last two weeks have been pretty basic. Last week was Semana Santa, or Holy Week. Always interesting here in southern Spain. They walked around with these big Virgin Mary floats and Jesus statues, burning incense while a marching band followed, dressed up as what honestly looks to be a KKK costume (I know it's not, and there is history behind it.) but it looks like one! That week kinda just goes down the gutter. Nobody wants anything. So it was a rough empty week. (even more than usual). One night around 12:30am they came down our street banging drums so loud our windows were shaking... always a good time. I must say that Lorca (my first area) has a more intense Holy Week than Dos Hermanas. It's raining today so we've just kinda hung out in our apartment. Nothing too special. I've been to the doctor a few times this week trying to heal a foot injury... I have to get my blood analyzed and then I should be able to get some medicine to fix me. I spared you details because I really don't believe anyone wants to read about my foot problems. Haha anyways, I guess Spain is at a level 4 of terrorist alert or something like that. I'm not sure what that means but it spicens up life a little I guess. My comp and a member were telling me that some extremist said with in the next 5 years they are going to take Spain. Good thing I'm out of here in 7 months! Everything is pretty calm here, I'm not worried. I haven't heard any reliable sources talking about it.

Anyways, love you all! Follow Jesus and you'll be a much happier person!

We should stay off play equipment... it doesn't end well

My food creations

Some sweet bikes

3/14/16- the pellet gun incident

So I had a interesting experience this week. About two weeks ago my old comp and I were knocking doors. At one of the apartments, a girl who is about 20 answered, and we explained who we are and asked if we could share a message. She said she couldn't today but she wanted us to come back a different day. The next few days I was in Malaga, so my old comp and another missionary passed by, and she couldn't at that moment but they set a meeting for that night at 7:30. Well, that's when I got back
from Malaga, so we missed that meeting. 

So finally this Thursday we went by to see if we could meet with her (with my new companion) oh and also this is the worst part of town. Two or three more blocks up the road is an area where police won't go to help you... the part we were in was bad but wasn't the worst. Anyways we knocked on the door and a guy opens it, and I ask "is Maria home?" and he just shuts the door. And I thought he was going to go get her or something so we waited another few seconds. He didn't come back so we knocked again and this time a lady answered, and I asked again "Is Maria home?" and she began to yell and scream and said something like "why do you guys keep coming here! Leave her alone! She's Muslim! Stop with the Christ crap!" But she said it in meaner ways... So we said that we were sorry and she slammed the door. So we crossed the street and we were standing across from their house. I was looking at my planner trying to see where we were going next, and my comp said "look" and we could see one of the guys from Maria's house out on the balcony just staring at us. Super creepy. I just ignored it and kept looking at my planner, then all of the sudden I hear something hit the wall next to me, and the another. Then my comp yells "RUN!" and we start sprinting down the sidewalk as the man is trying to pick us off like scared rabbits with his pellet gun... it was crazy. I was just sprinting and heard little pellets bouncing off the wall next to me (luckily he didn't have good aim). We sprinted for a good 20 seconds until we got out of range and just looked at each other. Then a police car turned the corner and we flagged them down and explained what went down. And they went and talked to the lady who slammed the door on us. We went with them and we said "good afternoon" to her, and she said "oh now you say good afternoon? What was all that you said at my door about how Christ is the only way and we are dammed!?" (We didn't say that) but anyways they took our info and theirs and we can file a complaint or whatever. President was supposed to tell me what to do but he had to call someone in Germany first to ask them but he never called me back... So yeah. It was just a freaky sprint down the street with some man trying to pump us full of lead! So I'm don't really wanna go back to that part of town...but yeah. 

Plaza de Espana in Sevilla

Shoutout to my sisters city!

3/7/16

Well we got transfers calls Saturday and my companion is being transferred and I'll be receiving Elder Maldonado. Another native speaker for Elder Rex. I think he's Brazilian, or that's what I've hear at least. So maybe Spanish isn't his native language... Should be interesting! He's pretty new to the mission. Hopefully he doesn't mind that he isn't coming to much...it will be nice to hopefully intensely work on my Spanish again. I haven't had a native since last August!  Well I guess we will see how it goes... 

Sevilla

2/29/16

Haha I really don't know what to write about! I've knocked more doors here than all my other areas combined...hundreds of doors...and how many have I entered? Zero. Hahaha that's okay though! Such is the life of a European Missionary! I once heard a quote that some of you may take offense to, so I apologize beforehand. It said "The Lord sends boys to South America to become men, he sends men to Europe to become leaders." Hahah I mean just look how may prophets came to Europe on their missions ;) haha no, I was just talking with my companion yesterday about this. I believe every mission has it own difficulties. Some are harder than others but no mission is easy. Every mission has the good and the bad. I hope nobody comes on a mission thinking it will be all sunshine and rainbows...because it's not. You'll have those days, but you'll also have those days where you just keep stepping one foot in front of the other because that's all you can do. You got find the little moments, save them, and remember them. When things get tough, if you handle the situation well, you will become a better person.. So really in either situation you are being blessed. Whether it be the days with rainbows and sunshine or the dark days... you're being blessed.
Anyways, love you guys!

Costco in Sevilla!!!!!!! 

2/15/16

Well this week has been interesting. I'm starting to feel better finally, I still have a runny nose but that's about it. The work here is kinda like a stagnant puddle of water full of mosquitos... never the less we are trying to get some fresh water circulating in here. We've spent most of the week knocking doors... it's been rough. We supposedly have 2 pretty good investigators in the area, but since I've been here they won't answer the door or their phones. We were going to go to Costco last Monday but my comp couldn't remember how to get there so we saved it for today! I'm looking forward to that, hopefully it won't make me too trunky! They still have hot dogs for 1.50 and everything. So I'm excited for that. 

There are 4 elders in this small town; me, my companion elder Morgan, elder burton and elder reader, who is like 7 feet tall and 280lbs. He's a big man. Anyways, our piso has a roof so I'm going to find a cheap bbq to put up there so I can do some grilling. That would be sweet. Oh and I've gotten two engagement photos this week.... everyone needs to calm down or at this rate I'll have no friends when I get home! Haha congratulations to Shane and Dylan! Crazy! Anyways, I hope all is well back at home. You're are all in my prayers! Even you people who think your not! Sometimes I just pray for certain people randomly... sometimes it's not even people I really know that well or have ever met. I'll just be praying and this person will pop into my head and I pray for them. I'm kinda weird like that. But it can't hurt. Love you all!
Elder Rex

2/8/16

Well hello family and friends. So I got transferred to Dos Hermanas. I'm here with an Elder Morgan from Utah, he seems to be a good guy. This area doesn't have too much to work with but we will see if we can change that around. There is an Air Force base close to here so there are some English speakers who come to church so that's always cool to see/hear. I've been pretty dang sick since I've been here. Like the sickest I've been on my mission... I pretty much have to lay in bed all day. I did for three days so that sucked for everyone. I made myself some homemade chicken noodle soup which was pretty good if I do say so myself. But yeah so the week has been kinda hard. But that's life sometimes. You just gotta keep swimming. Anyways I really don't have much to say since I've been inside sick. We are close to Sevilla, and there is a Costco there, so we are going there next pday and that's going to be sweet! I'll try to have more to say next week. 
Love you all and you are in my prayers. 
Elder Rex

Saying bye to my old comp