Feliz Cumpleanos a mi

Hola familia,
Let me just tell you that this past week was a joy to be a missionary in the Spain Barcelona Mission. This really is the greatest mission in the whole world, no doubt in my mind. I love it here. This past week we had a three day training with President Hinckley, and he taught us a lot about the new curriculum that they´re integrating into all the missions. It was just a joy to sit there and listen to him, and learn and receive revelation. I would get so tired after those things, because I was writing so much and learning so much about myself and about how to be a better missionary.
President is very business like. You can tell that he is very successful in life, because he sets goals and works closely with the Lord. He just loves this work, it´s very obvious by how he teaches and talks about it. He doesn´t talk about his father or his mission too much, but when he does you could hear a pin drop in the room, because every single person is listening so intently! It´s so good listening to him. I look up to him so much. He gives hugs now - the older missionaries said that he used to not give hugs. His wife is so sweet, and whenever she talks to you she makes you feel like you´re her favorite missionary in the whole wide world. She is precious and overflows with love for the work, her husband, and the Lord. She´s great.
So we had another miracle. There is this girl, Ariana, I´m not sure if I´ve talked about her before, but she´s 15 I think and she wanted to get baptized so bad! But her dad was dead set against it. She was very distraught about the whole thing, so we fasted, and we fasted for her dad to get work, and he got work 10 minutes after we ended the fast. He still said no the baptism, even after she approached him and the mom had an intervention. We kept meeting with her and we told her that we were going to pray for her in every prayer, and that she should do the same, and that if we were diligent, we were going to see a miracle. We planned a baptism for October 10th, and we said that´s when you´re getting baptized. How bold is that! So we prayed, and we did it for about a week. We continued meeting with her, got her reading her scriptures every day, and then right before we were about to go to bed a few nights ago, she called us and told her that she was sitting in the living room, reading her scriptures, and her dad came in and said ¿Ariana, quieres bautizarse en serio? and she said sí, and then he said ¡Pues te bautiza ya! So basically he said do you really want to get baptized? And she said yes, and then he said, well then get baptized! His heart was changed. That is an absolute miracle. We were so happy for that. That was a sweet moment on the mission. We saw her at conference and she was smiling and she was so good. She is very excited. We´re going to get the baptism all planned out this week and get her baptized on sunday. We´re so excited. The Lord holds true. It was really great.
I loved conference. It was so good to listen to the prophet and the apostles. You can´t listen to them and NOT know that they are men inspired by God. It was so awesome to listen to them. I took so many notes and have a lot of goals to set of self improvement. One thing that President Hinckley really pounds into us is goal setting. Goal setting is so key. I´ve decided that its time to start setting goals. I´m going to set my goals and work towards them. I´m excited about it. Today on our p-day I´m going to go back to the Piso and write out a list of goals.´
It´s so weird to me that I´ve almost been out in the field a month! Time goes so fast, yet it feels like I´ve been here forever. I love the people here, I love the area. This really is the greatest area in the whole mission. The members are so great, they feed us all the time. There are so many cute little kids in this ward too. I try and make it a point to see the kids, to get down and look them in the eye and give them hugs and talk to them. I get to talk to them in the informal way, so that´s good practice for me. It still blows my mind that these little tiny kids can speak Spanish! One of the kids in particular is Gustavo. He´s so precious. I think he has ADHD or something, because he is all over the place and he is a devil. His mother and him are African, and she was recently baptized. He´s 5 years old. When we go over to his house, my companions say he´s a devil. But I just sit him down beside me, put my arm around him, and let him tell me about his snails and about his Spain picture book. He writes his name for me, his handwriting looks like mine (bad). He´s great. I´m nice to him, because he´s going to grow up and be such a good missionary. I think of what my leaders thought of me when I was a little 11 year old shy boy scout. Or when I was 6 years old and a rebel in primary! It´s all about the leaders you have. I´ve realized the importance of example and love.
LOVE. Man, that´s the key to missionary work. When I can´t understand the language, and we´re in a cita, and it´s so hot and it´s really late or it´s right after lunch, I just pray for love and charity. There are so many special people here. Everyone is a child of God. Even the Spaniard who talks so fast and uses swear words at us. He´s a child of God. People are children of God with potential! I´ve been trying to work on my love for people. I try and say hi to everyone at church, smile, ask how they´re doing, what we can do for them. People are so great here. Of course you get the people who chastise and say things, but hey, that´s quite alright. Let em yell! They don´t know what they´re missing.
Thanks for the birthday package. I haven´t received it yet, and I´m not sure when I will. You probably don´t have to get me a scarf, I´ll just buy one here. I think I´m putting on weight, or my pants are shrinking, because they´re tighter than when I started the mission! The food is really good. I made french toast the other day, I remembered dad just cracking a bunch of eggs in a bowl, a little cinnamon, and soaking pieces of bread, then frying them. My companions loved me for doing that. Just trying to be nice!
So anyways, how are my beautiful sisters? Gabbi, Alex - make a list of boys that disrespect you, and I´ll take care of them when I get back. Just kidding. But remember that you´re special. Special to mom and dad, special to me, special to your other sisters. You set an example for our family, for me, for your friends, and you will set an example for your husband and your children when you have them. I know that´s way in the future, but hey, you grow up faster than you know. It seems like yesterday that I would come home from basketball games mad as a hatter because coach didn´t play me. And now look at me - I´m sitting in a little city outside of Barcelona, a missionary of Jesus Christ. Weird. Just remember who you are, feel free to drop a line every now and then. Izzy, there was a rat like dog in the subway the other day, i think it was a greyhound. It was ugly, but I thought of you and how with your ever optimistic attitude you would have loved it. Annie, love trees, don´t procrastinate, don´t play too much halo! Alex, same thing, don´t play too much halo. Don´t crash my car, tell me how your homecoming date it. Gabbi, HOW IS IT BEING A SENIOR?? Let me know all.
Mom and dad, I can´t express my gratitude enough. When Elder Holland was speaking, oh man, it was too much. I love you way too much. Thanks so much for all you do, for getting me on a mission, for loving me even when it was impossible, for supporting me. I´m way too blessed to have you as parents. Thank you.
I love my mission, and I´ll continue to serve, as long as you continue to fight as well. Until next time, and with much love,
Elder Pericle