Email 68 - "Receive the shower of heavenly blessings!"

"We finally tried this AWESOME sandwich place I´ve heard about during my whole mission. There are more than 100 mini sandwiches, and each one is like a euro. They´re soooo delicious. The best, by far, was that little beauty you see there- chocolate-chip bread with chocolate icing and oreos in the middle (Katie, you would LOVE this). So, so delicious."

"We found this store. It´s a second-hand store, and I bought 3 sweaters for a euro each. Score!"

 "Eating with a solid family that just moved back to Chile."

Hey, family!

Thanks for the emails!! It was crazy hearing that soundbite of Brad´s marching band... like I mentioned to Dad, just hearing "Drum Majors! Is your band ready!?" gave me a weird little adrenaline rush. Haha, it´s been such a long time...

Thanks for filling me in on tender mercies, too, those are the best!

Speaking of tender mercies, Hermana Cançado (my buddy from Gijon) finished her mission but was in our area for a week while she waited for her parents to come pick her up. Not only did she fill me in on Devonshire (where Mom´s got me set for housing next semester) by RAVING about it, but she also gave me an awesome coat that she was leaving behind!! So now I´ve got more peace of mind about where I´ll  be living, and I´m all toasty-warm. It got really cold really fast this week...

Oh, and remember Lexi Crandall? We were both called as the Sister Training Leaders for our zone. We´re pretty excited to get to work together!

Also, I heard that my dear friend F---- (convert in Gijon) is doing okay!!! I don´t think I updated you all, but the last news I received was back in June, and it was not a good report. To make a long story short, he was inactive and labeled as "dangerous." Yep. Preeeetty sure that´s the worst thing you can hear about a convert.

But I called Hna Mather last night to ask her something, and she told me he´s active, has a calling, and is doing AWESOME. Hooray!

And yeah, I got pretty sick, as you heard from the Jacksons. That was no fun... no way to make that sound any better than it was, haha. If it´s not too gross to mention, I discovered just how tired I was when I couldn´t sleep because my stomach hurt to bad, and couldn´t hurl because I was too tired, hahaha. But that was just the first night... when I literally counted minutes until 7am so I could call the Elders to come give me a blessing!  I am, however, 100% recovered. Hallelujah. The Priesthood is real, folks!  

Anyhoo, the work took a big blow while I was stuck on the couch for 3 days, which is really frustrating, but I´m really hoping we can get things back together this week!

Like I´ve mentioned before, we tend to keep finding and teaching people that can´t be baptized right away because of their limited agency due to past transgressions (complicated situations with unmarried couples, addictions, etc). Our new District Leader, Elder Cahoon, didn´t know that´s something we´ve been struggling with, but he was inspired to assign us to speak on how to deal with those situations in our meeting last week.

It was cool having that chance to study exclusively about that. 

We ended up using President Uchtdorf´s explanation that he gave in the past General Women´s Broadcast last month. He said:

"Part of our challenge is, I think, that we imagine that God has all of His blessings locked in a huge cloud up in heaven, refusing to give them to us unless we comply with some strict, paternalistic requirements He has set up. But the commandments aren’t like that at all. In reality, Heavenly Father is constantly raining blessings upon us. It is our fear, doubt, and sin that, like an umbrella, block these blessings from reaching us.

His commandments are the loving instructions and the divine help for us to close the umbrella so we can receive the shower of heavenly blessings."

We had everyone think of an investigator that has just one thing. One "umbrella" that´s keeping them from being baptized. Then we read Mark 10:17-21, the part in Christ´s ministry where He is approached by a young rich man. This guy´s main struggle was his riches. We all know the story, but I love how Christ makes sure the young man understands the basic doctrine, feels love for him, and then goes straight to his "umbrella."

"Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor."

No beating around the bush. Get married. Quit smoking. We love you and this church is true. Now get rid of this stupid umbrella.

Let´s put away the umbrellas, shall we? I´ve never been a fan of them anyway. I always get hit in the face by my companion´s (literal umbrellas, by the way... haha)

Have a great week!!

Love you tons!

-Hna Grover