The Holy Ghost‏

Family and Friends!

I've had a great week. The thing I'm most grateful for this week is the Spirit. I've been guided by the Spirit this week and received confirmations of the truthfulness of the message I am sharing. As many of you know, as missionaries, we share the message of the restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ often, multiple times a day. Sometimes it is hard for me to not simply get in a routine and share the same things, instead of teaching it for each individual person. In zone conference this week we listened to a general conference talk about Joseph Smith and the Restoration and talked about this message a lot. I felt the Spirit strong and reconfirmed my testimony of the restoration, Joseph Smith, and the Book of Mormon. I felt the same strong confirmation during a family home evening this week. We also taught a man who had met with the Hermanas about a year ago to simply learn English for his work and they tried to share messages and the Book of Mormon with him but he was not interested. When we met with him, I know what we were saying was guidance of the Spirit and he accepted the Book of Morrmon- to read and pray about it. I have also been guided in ways to discern needs of people we are teaching and how to help work with the ward better. In fact, the second have of our zone conference was about this- being a full-purpose missionary and working with the investigators, less actives, leaders of ward, also be looking for new people to teach, etc. Hermana Vilariño and I have made new goals to help us achieve this idea of a full-purpose missionary. I love Barrio 8. I'm grateful to be working here. I know the Book of Mormon is revelation given to prophets in ancient Americas and that we can come unto Christ as we read and follow its teachings. I know it was translated by Joseph Smith who was a prophet of God called to be an instrument in the Restoration of of the gospel of Jesus Christ. I am so grateful for the Holy Ghost to confirm the truthfulness of these things to me and to guide me in my personal life and with missionary work- sharing the gospel with all. I love you all so much and am grateful for your support. 

Oh, one other awesome thing of the week- a used to be less active member we teach has been coming to church and told us this week he wants to serve a mission now! Yay! :)

Love,

Hermana Bingham

Only picture I took this week- an 8-yr-old in the ward was baptized and we helped with the baptism. After they had a minions party, which we didn't stay for, but the decorations were pretty awesome. And Hermana Vilariño is in love with minions, which meant a needed pic.

A great first week in B8 and BYU basketball game :)‏

Family and Friends!

There is a lot to share, being in a new area now. Barrio 8 is in the southeastern part of Madrid, Vallecas is our main part but it covers much more as well. The area seems a lot bigger than my last. We take buses and metro on a daily basis, and the renfe train sometimes as well. My companion, Hermana Vilariño, is from Alicante, Spain. We have worked well together this week. Yesterday I met a lot of members, who are great and really nice. I think I'll be eating with members more here, we did 3 times last week, more than Alcobendas. 

We had some lessons this past week with some investigators. My first lesson in this area was with Leo. He's only 19 and has gone through a lot in his life. I'm amazed at his positive attitude still. We also taught a lady, Trinidad, and her family. They're really awesome. Her 8 year old son is so smart and had awesome responses to all the questions, and really understood the scriptures. It's amazing what little kids can understand. Unfortunately they are moving out of our area this week. One of the other awesome lessons we had was with a new that the hermanas contacted in the streets the other day, Jose. He told us his son was on a mission in El Salvador, and we were thinking probably a different type of mission but he pulled out his phone with Facebook and showed pictures. His son is a member! The only one of the family. Jose never listened to the lessons with the missionaries before, but seems open now. He even had a friend there, Angelo, who gave us his information and we are teaching him again as well. We also taught a 14-year-old girl Winny. She's really cute and understands a lot, just needs permission to be baptized.

The beginning of the week I was exhausted because I got little sleep Sunday through Wednesday nights. All for good reasons though, but I'm happy I'm finally back to normal. I couldn't sleep as long because of packing, getting up early to help other hermanas catch their trains to the north, an early temple session, and a BYU basketball game on the other side of Madrid. The BYU basketball team was here last week and President Pack told all the missionaries in Madrid we could watch them play Wednesday night if we brought investigators or less-actives. It was so fun. I will admit I had a bit of a "trunky" moment wanting to be back at BYU. We brought Leo and Claudio. I think they enjoyed it. And I got to see a bunch of people from Alcobendas that came. It was a great night.

I still have a lot to learn in the area but I'm enjoying it. There is a lot of work to do here and I'm excited to be part of it! I've already seen great miracles here and I know they'll continue. Love you all.

Love,

Hermana Bingham 

My new district – barrios 8 y 6

My new companion – Hermana Vilariño

Barrio 8 crowd at the BYU basketball game – Edison, Hermanas Berry, Spencer, and Vilariño, me, Claudio, Leo

Some of the team

Somehow we fit all these people…

…into the bus

Transfers

Family and Friends!

What a crazy week. First news first, I have now left my first area of the mission. It was so hard. I love Sanse and all the people there so much. Yesterday was really hard saying bye to everyone, I've never been a fan of goodbyes. But I'm also really excited for a new area, companion, experiences, etc. I am going to Barrio 8 (8th ward) in Madrid. It is a ward right by the temple, we share the stake center with Barrio 6 so I'll get to see the temple all he time! My new companion is Hermana Vilariño. I just met her so don't know much but will get to know her more soon. She is from Spain and from what I've heard just speaks a little English so I'm going to learn even more Spanish! Yay!! There is another companionship of Hermanas in our ward and we share a piso. One is Hermana Berry from my MTC group and another Hermana Spencer that I know a little. They're both awesome. I'm excited.

This week was great in Sanse. Hermana Olsen and I had some good lessons and also found some really awesome people in the streets. We also got to see many people - investigators and less actives- yesterday between church and the FHE activity. I have many great memories of Sanse. The AP's and other Hermanas both had a baptism on Saturday as well. Nancy and William were baptized. It was a beautiful baptism and I'm excited for both of them. They bother bore their testimony, and you could see how happy and full of the Spirit they felt.

We also had a zone training this week. It was a great meeting. The biggest news from that is that President Pack has made a change to our schedule. We used to study until 11:30 then have 2 hours for Medio Dia (because we don't have dinner). Now we will leave the piso at 10:30 and take one hour of our Medio Dia to do companionship study. So an extra hour of time to work. I'm really excited! President Pack has promised miracles as we stick to this schedule even though it will be a change.

On Saturday I also finished reading the Book of Mormon in Spanish! Even though I read it not in my native language, I'm sure I learned more than every other time. I'm learning how to actually apply it to my life and use it to help those I'm teaching. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know that as we read it and live the principles it teaches, the gospel, we can learn more about and come closer to our Savior.

I'm so grateful to be a missionary and share the joyful news of the gospel. I know there are people who the Lord has prepared who are ready to learn and accept this message. I'm excited to go to Barrio 8 and keep searching for those people. 

I hope you all have an awesome week. Love you all!  

Love,

Hermana Bingham

P.S. I have tons of pics to send... Sorry for the overload.

Angel took us to eat delicious food from Ecuador.

The best running with the Bulls I'll get.

Mercedes and Simon (members)

Christian and Cristina (members)

Those I love in Sanse!

The Larsens (Matrimonial couple)

Zully (member)

Lisa and Nancy (members - Nancy was baptized on Saturday)

Diana (member)

Lida (member)

Caroline Pack

Angel (member)

Cecilia (member)

Nelsey and Agustina (members)

Mostafa (investigator)

Monolo (member - 'grandpa')

Andy (ward mission leader)

Wellington (member)

Eusebio (member)

Setting up for first in Sanse and the running with the Bulls - missed it by a week

The Matos (members - Jesus and Patricia)

FHE activity

Karen, David, and Alison. :)

Cristian (member)

Happiness

Dear Family and friends,

I've been thinking this week a lot about happiness. Then this week Brother Gehring (a man from my home ward, taught me temple prep, and sends me great emails every week) sent me an email with this quote from President Harold B. Lee: "Happiness does not depend on what happens outside of you but on what happens inside of you; it is measured by the spirit with which you meet the problems of life." I also read Elder Uchtdorf's talk 'Your Wonderful Journey Home' where he said, "Happiness is the destination, but it's also the path." The truth is this week was not successful, have had a lot of discouragements with investigators, should have been a "hard" week, but I wouldn't have been anywhere else this week. I have a lot to learn still, but I'm starting to realize that what happens around me and the choices of others does not need to affect my happiness. I'm grateful that my happiness is my choice.

The week did end really well last night. We had our FHE at Andy's house. There were a lot of recent converts, a few less actives, and investigators. After the elders showed a Mormon message about listening to the promptings of the spirit even in the midst of many distractions of the world, one member related it to her conversion story. Then an investigator of only 4 days said she knew there was something special about our church from the beginning from the way she has felt, then recent converts (including Karen :) ) starting sharing their conversion stories and bearing their testimonies. The Spirit was so strong. It was a great experience.

Today for pday Toni from the ward took us on a tour of Madrid. It's so much better visiting places with natives who have a little history to share. It was fun. We had famous Madrid calamari sandwiches. I'm even learning to like seafood. :)

I hope you have a great week! Love you all!

Love,

Hermana Bingham

One perk of living in the area of the senior couple.

Best tutoring ever. Love Caroline.

Dinner at the Larsens.

We ran into Hermana Berry from our MTC group in Madrid today!

The exact center of Spain.

Where the royal family used to come to watch bull fights, executions, etc at plaza mayor

The wall is curved because it used to be the city wall (curved so people couldn't climb it) and then people were so poor so used the one wall already there to build their apartments.

Cathedral of Madrid.  Funny story - one queen had some of the stained glass inside covered for her wedding because she thought it was so ugly.  At least I was told.

BBQ with the ward missionaries‏

Hola Familia y Amigos!

I continue to learn and love my experiences here in Spain as a missionary. I'm really excited about some of the investigators we are teaching. We started teaching a really cool guy from the Dominican Republic this week, Oscar. He is very nice and wants to learn more. We are also still teaching Mostafa, just unfortunately the weekends only when he has time. But he still loves everything. He has a lot to learn still - without much of a Christian background even - but is very open to what we teach him. We also are teaching a man from Peru, Homer. He is very prepared for the gospel. He brought his cute 7-year-old daughter to church Sunday. Turns out a kid in our ward is her classmate at school. He's only 7 yet he was right away being her friend, showing her where they went, etc. I love how much the ward here friendships everyone right away! They also had to leave a little early and she didn't want to go, I think that is a good sign. :) We haven't met with Edward in a long time but did this past week and had a great lesson and got him back with a baptismal date. It looks like we will be able to meet with him with more frequently now which will be good.

We had district meeting on Wednesday and did a really cool activity. Each companionship taught the first lesson of the restoration in 5 minutes, but switching off every 10 seconds. We did it in front of everyone else to get feedback and I was afraid it was going to go horribly, but it didn't. It ended up being a super good learning experience of what thing we missed, how we can improve, and how we can teach with better unity in the future. We also had intercambios this week. Hermana Olsen went back to Torrejón (her last area) and I stayed here with Hermana Keleman.

We have been wanting to do something with the ward missionaries outside of them coming to lessons with us so we can get to know them better and strengthen our relationship with them. We decided to cook for them and have them all come eat during one Medio Dia. We did it this past Saturday, at the mission home. We had an American BBQ. It was so fun! I made an effort to try and talk with each ward missionary. They're great, fun people! I think it was a success. And I got to eat hamburgers, watermelon, and American chocolate chip cookies. I'm sending the one photo I have of it... Only a handful of us and most faces you can't even see. I am trying to take pictures more, just need to improve still.

It's been a great week! I hope you all have had a great week too. Thanks for all your support!

Love,

Hermana Bingham