Semna Santa in Catalunya

3/28  We had a marvelous week this week with the mission wide goal of finding 8 news each companionship. At the beginning of the week, we were having a really hard time getting anything to work. It seemed like all of our visits failed, and nobody wanted to talk to us in the streets, however, we kept working. By Wednesday, we had only taught a handful of lessons, and hadn't found a single new. That's when everything started to turn around. Thursday we had a couple good visits, and were able to find one new. Friday, we had several great lessons and found two. By Saturday, I figured we would reach the goal, but I thought it was going to be a last minute thing. I was figuring we would find 3 on Saturday and 2 on Sunday, but I was wrong. Saturday, we had a few visits fall through, but we had a ton of success finding. By the end of the day we had found 5 new investigators and achieved the goal of 8 in the week. Sunday we were able to find one more to finish off with 9 in the week! It was so amazing to see all of those blessings pay off! A rather humbling experience!

Elder Cullimore and I are teaching very well together. We have several investigators who are likely to get baptized really soon. One of which is Ana. She is very intelligent, and understands and remembers everything we teach her. It's really incredible. We are also teaching a man named Jose, who before meeting with us had read all the way through the gospel principles handbook along with many other church manuals. He is very interested in the church, and is constantly researching and studying about it. He has a lot of potential as well.

On a cultural note, Semana Santa is really big here in Tarragona. Tarragona actually has the largest celebration in Catalunya. On Friday, we were able to get a real close look at the largest procession of the week in the old part of the city by the cathedral. It was super cool to see the traditional robes and cloaks that they wear and see all of the floats and drums. It's really cool that each float they carry represents a specific event that happened in the last moments of Christ's life. For example the last supper, the suffering in the garden of  Gethsemane, etc. it was by far the coolest experience I have had yet in Spain! I hope to one day see it again.

In celebration of Easter, I thought I would share a little on the Atonement of our Savior Jesus Christ. Almost 2000 years ago, the most important event in the entire history of the world took place. Almost 2000 years ago Jesus Christ suffered for our sins, pains, and afflictions in the Garden of Gethsemane. He was betrayed by one of His chosen apostles. He was spat upon, beaten, judged, and scourged. On the cross He was crucified and gave His own life. In His last moments He even forgave those who tortured Him. Then, miraculously, three days later, with His infinite power, He broke the bands of death and rose from the tomb. The most miraculous thing of all is that by doing this, He made it possible for every human who has ever lived, and who will ever live on this earth, to be resurrected. Everyone, no matter what they do in this life, will be resurrected and live forever. His suffering before His death made something else possible. Something even more glorious and magnificent than immortality. His suffering for our sins makes it possible for every human being to receive forgiveness of our sins and be clean once again. This gift, however, is not free as was immortality. To receive forgiveness of sins, we have to show that we love and accept Jesus Christ as our Savior and Redeemer, not in word only, but in our actions. We have to follow His teachings and His commandments. If we do, not only will we live forever, but we will live forever in the presence of our Heavenly Father.

Semana Santa procession