Week 15 Email to Mom and Dad

Yeah so the email from last week is completely gone, nothing I can do about that but I will try and make up some of the important parts in this week's email. The missionaries are from the left to right : Elders Apodaca, Mayburry, me, Holbrook, Rodriguez, and Rupa. 

I heard a lot about the hurricane sounds like a lot of rain on Oahu only so it's not the worst. Also, rule changes I can now receive emails throughout the week and read them so you can send me emails whenever you like but I still can only reply on Mondays. Anyways let me know if you have any more questions I'll be emailing little by little today and then for a couple hours later!

Love you

Elder Keith 

Week 15 Email

I'm gonna send pictures first to everyone because I have a lot from this last week and then I'll send my weekly email. These are pics from the last 2 weeks.

1. Last P-day hike to Porto Cristo tower then lighthouse.

2. The lighthouse from the first picture. 

3. Selfie in the lighthouse door. 

4. Funny graffiti 

More pictures

1. Elders in my district 

2. Tile design from the museum I visited today. Also, the description box is written in Mallorquin for those of you interested.

3. Skeleton of a dead person from Manacor. Real skeleton. Super sick.

4. Missionary humor 

 

Ok so I have to fill you all in this last week I had some serious problems with the technology actually the whole mission had problems and so my email from last week completely disappeared. Sorry everyone, no one got to hear from me but in this email I'll fill in the important details. Really it wasn't too much it was just a rainy rough week. I had one miracle experience that I won't share in this email. I'll send it out personally. Also, we lost some of our progressing investigators, 2 of them, and I almost got kissed my a drunk homeless woman on the lips. Honestly, that's all that happened the week my email didn't get sent out. Yes, I could totally expand on all that but I'll spare the details, especially that drunk woman one that would scare some of you. 

This last week was another rough week, even worse than the one before but we have been picking up more and more within the last couple days. Transfers in the mission always will, they go really good and then down and then really good and then down and it continues like that over and over again. I was at the top now I'm at the bottom.

This last Tuesday we decided to do a fast because we literally went from having a packed schedule to only one person to teach. The thing about fasts for me is I don't have a huge testimony for them. I have fasted all my life but always with the view that nothing ever came about because of a fast. So it was really difficult for me to say ok let's fast to find people. That day we went to a pueblo Villafranca to proselyte and nothing came about. So I was discouraged and then the next morning we are still fasting and we went to visit with an investigator and she basically told us she's too lazy to change, literally. She's like I agree with all your beliefs and everything but I'm 65 and I'm really tired so I don't think I can change I'm good where I'm at. So that was ridiculous and we had to let her go after she gave us back the Book of Mormon we gave her too. So after those two things I was super discouraged and basically thought well I fasted and nothing happened just another time it has happened. Then late that day we had a lesson with our investigator who is on track to being baptized. With this lesson, I finally understand personally what it says in Ether 12:6 where you don't receive a witness until AFTER the trial of your faith. At this time we had finished our fast and we were teaching him and he told us an experience that last night when we were fasting he had a dream. In this dream, the Lord was talking to him and told him that he will receive many blessings after his baptism. Now he's sure of being baptized and we have him on track to be baptized in 2 or 3 weeks!! First baptism of the mission!! Truly a miracle because of a fast.

Thursday we went to an inactive members home to talk to him, get to know him and invite him back to church. He's actually a returned missionary but he had a bad experience with his mission. He went to a Spanish speaking mission with all missionaries from the US speaking English lots of times and so he was always out of the loop. Even his mission president only spoke English and so even when he was transferred it was a confusing process so he really didn't have a good mission. But we talked to him and this last week he came back to church! The first time in like 7-8 weeks. That night after that we stayed the night with all the district in the piso of Maratxi to go to zone conference the next day. I slept on two couch cushions on the ground that night, just mission stuff. Also, it was our district leaders birthday so we bought him a present. It was some fake mustaches, Jesus stickers, a Jesus keychain, a super embarrassing picture from his Facebook we had everyone sign, and a watermelon stream ball. Best present ever.

Friday was zone conference with all 18 of the missionaries from the Baleares islands attending. We learned from the zone leaders and the mission president about changes and then how we can be better missionaries. Rule change we can now read emails all week but still only respond on Mondays so everyone you can send me emails whenever you want during the week to help me get through and I'll respond each Monday. We learned about being more casual missionaries, people here view us as too aggressive which I think is very true. My mission president told us that he was instructed by President Uchtdorf in mission president training to "teach the missionaries to be less weird! People think we are a cult!" Just hilarious Haha Haha. So we are trying some new ways of contacting and it's working better already.

Saturday we went to a district-wide priesthood meeting. For those of you that don't know there are stakes and districts. Districts are like stakes but they don't have enough members to be a stake. That's Spain for you. We learned more from my mission president also about tithing which is odd but people seem to skip that commandment especially teaching it as missionaries because of the sacrifice you're asking people to do but really it can bring people so many blessings.

Sunday I gave a talk on the talk called "Bible Stories and Spiritual Protection" by Dallim HOakess, October 1992 General Conference. Anyone who hasn't read or listened to this talk go do it now it's an amazing talk super interesting stuff.

Today we visited a museum where you all should have received the photos. Interesting but super small museum, free entry so why not.

Thank you everyone for the emails. I love to hear how everyone is doing! So keep sending them! Thanks for the prayers I love you all

Elder Keith

Week 14 Email to Mom and Dad

Jonathan Keith	Mon, Aug 20, 8:00 AM (7 days ago)
to me, Earl

Hey y'all I'm alive and well. Just wanted to check in with you guys and let you know how I'm doing. I had a rough week probably the hardest week yet but also the weirdest, I'll Include my experiences in the weekly email group. I heard mom was released from her calling as camp director, sounds hard but relieving after 7 years of that. But it's all for the better, as missionaries we only have 2 years and after that you can relax in a sense and let your body rest.

Going back to school is so great finally the kids will be busy, that's the best thing to do is just be busy. You learn that here cause when you aren't busy the day passes by so slow. 

I've been listening to a lot of mormon tabernacle choir lately, I wish I had some way to put them on a flash drive and play them on my phone, but theres a song called consider the lillies. I highly recommend this song, it's one of my favorites and it's so powerful.

My companion received like 4 packages from his family from Amazon this last week, I didn't know you could do that but if you want to send me anything from Amazon Spain to my piso you can, the address is.

Plaça de l'Arquitecte Bennàsar, 1 2D 07500 Manacor, Balearic Islands Spain

Let me know if you have any questions in particular this week I'm about to write my weekly email. Love you both!

Elder Keith 

From Mom:

Maybe we can send you a flash drive with music already loaded on it. Dad has a lot of church music - is that something you would like us to send? I already started a Christmas package. ️ I got one thing in Utah and figured I would add to the package over the next couple months. What kinds of things would be good to send thru amazon? Let me know!

I’m sorry you had a rough week - I kind of had the feeling that you did.  That’s why I ended my letter the way I did. Keep your chin up. Shine your light for others to see. I know you are doing such hard work. You will see amazing blessings come from all of the disappointments as well as the successes.

Anything else??? I’m available this morning if u need to email me some more. I’ll be checking my phone. 

I don’t see your regular email. Did u send it???

From Elder Keith:

Yeah idk what happened it disappeared, I tried to send it but it idk it's gone and I'm not allowed to email till next week. Sorry idk they're having problems with the church settings on the phones and it's completely jacked up this phone. It probably with that that everything disappeared. Idk I'm sorry it's completely out of my control. I dont make the rules I would love to make it up. 

Week 13 Email to Mom and Dad

Good to know, today I went shopping and bought some shoes at Nike for like 30$ and a bag for 20$ today with the credit card but you can totally take that out of my personal account if you want I don't expect you to pay for those. 

So anyways this week has been good like I feel really good this transfer already. I feel like I've gone over the hill of starting the mission it's super great. I feel super confident in my Spanish basically I'm just learning new words not as much grammar. Also, I got an eye infection Friday. Idk how but I woke up with sore eyes crusted shut and pink so I knew it was Infected. I called the mission doctor and got some drops and they feel way better. I think it's because I wear contacts like all day every day and so I need to take more days off during the week and wear glasses. But I'm doing well. Idk if I have any talks to recommend from this week I don't remember much of what I listened to but I do recommend reading a couple things. One message I shared this week at a visit with some members was in 2 Nephi 32:9 which is about praying always and then I shared the scriptures from Mosiah 24:10-16 and in this chapter alma and his people are under bondage and the king said no one can pray or they will be put to death. Well, how are they gonna pray, so they prayed in their hearts and the Lord heard them and delivered them from bondage. Another principle I liked was the Lord said I will ease the burdens on your backs. We wouldn't take the problem away but he will help you out, always. Anyways idk what else to say, it's getting cooler here on the island it's been such a blessing. We've had way more people going to church recently it's been super good. The prayers are being answered we can totally see it so keep it all up. Thank you all if you have any questions please let me know and I'll get back to you anytime before 7:00 here or like 10:00 am Cali time I think. Love you all!

Elder Keith 

From Mom:  Do u know if it was because of the contacts or if it was pink eye? Keep your hands washed and maybe get a small bottle of hand sanitizer to keep with you so when you are always shaking people’s hands you can sanitize after. You don’t need an eye infection!!! Take a day off one or two days a week and wear your glasses. 

How are your eyes doing? Are you having any vision problems? Do you tell your companions about your eyes? Did you tell the mission doctor about your surgery?

Did u ever go to the caves on the island? Any cathedrals? You always seem to go shopping on P-day. But I shouldn’t be surprised - that’s my boy! He likes to shop. Don’t forget - you have to carry that stuff around when you get transferred!

BTW - we are singing Where Can I Turn For Peace for choir this month. I found a different rendition on freeldsmusic.com and I’m super excited about it. Thanks for the recommendation!

All my love 😘 Mom

From Jon:  Yes they know about my eyes, It's not pink eye it's getting a lot better I'm wearing my glasses the next 2 days more or so. On Mallorca there's not a lot to do here.  We only have from 9:00 a.m to like 2:00 free every P-day to do things. We have to clean the apartment and buy groceries and email so that's the rest of the day basically. Really it's not a break day... we went to an outlet mall and really I'm only buying things I need. My other shoes have holes in them and I don't have a small bag for P-day or other days, I keep having my companion hold my stuff. 

There are caves in Porto Cristo but my companion doesn't want to go to them because he's gone already and he says 20£ for one hour of looking at caves is a RIP off so we won't go while he's here. I've been honestly in one cathedral in Manacor because we were out contacting and suddenly this cathedral we always pass by was open and so we entered and talked to an old man inside and that's about it. It's not super old, it's from like the 70s but it's cool to look at. 

Week 13

Week 7 people! Finally feeling like a real missionary. 

This past week was pretty quick because it was one day shorter with transfers so I have less to talk about but more pictures this week.

 

I'll start with Wednesday from where I left off last. We had 2 lessons this day, one with Rosa who is a new investigator and is super super humble woman. She's from Columbia and is a victim of abuse from her ex-husband so she moved to Mallorca. Through all this, she is super faithful and so earlier I gave her a Book of Mormon and in this lesson, we explained the book more and our basic beliefs. She basically has no one here not even family and so she knows us and that's it.  She's so sweet and we hope to meet with her again. The thing I like about this woman is I found her in the street in an intercambio with another Elder and so I basically take lead on the lessons and she warms up to me a lot and not my other campanion. It helps my confidence a lot, obviously we try our best to be 50/50 on everything but this person is different hahaha. The other lesson we had was Clara. So far everyone should know about her by now and how she needs to be baptized. We taught basically all the rest of the lessons with her and this lesson we were like - ok we've taught it all so now we want you to focus on baptism and then she started breaking down and telling us her mind on all this. She lives with 2 of her 30 old sons.  Basically they do nothing and won't move out but she does a lot for them.  She's their mom but she can't handle being around them while they're this old. So she's thinking of moving to Catalunya with her sister to get away but also she doesn't know if she will like it there because her whole life is here. Basically she's a mess stuck between these two things and doesn't know what to do. We've asked her to pray and so we will see soon how it all works out. She leaves on vacation Wednesday and won't be back for a month. We will see how it all works out but she needs all the help she can get from heaven. 

Thursday: my companion got sick from the heat again so we went contacting and then stayed in the rest of the day basically.

Friday we had district meeting and I met the new missionaries, they're super nice and we have a new district leader who I knew before but now he's the boss. It was a normal meeting basically not too much to talk about there and then we met with Petri our investigator we're helping to stop smoking. Basically our plan from before did not work and she was not progressing. She's praying and has read like half the Book of Mormon now.  She's a machine with the book but isn't stopping smoking at all. So we made a new plan with her and are holding her more accountable now. Hopefully it all works out now. 

Friday, I got an eye infection. Not fun my eyes have been sore all weekend but I have medicine now and am doing way better. Anyways Friday we had a lesson with Antonio idk if I mentioned him before. He's from Honduras and is literally the most faithful person I've ever met, more than me for sure. He's totally golden and has been attending church the last 3 weeks. We set a baptismal date for him the 8th of September! First bapsitmal date in 7 weeks here, that's how hard and long we've been working to get to this point. Anyways we're super certain he will be baptized.  He's great there's only one problem.  He does not know how to read.  He's 50 years old and was never taught how to read. So we're teaching him and trying to help him get to a point where he can read the Book of Mormon on his own. We will see how much we can help him... also we went to a party at the church building that night for a returned missionary in the branch. He's the first person to serve a mission from this branch so it's super great to have him back.

Sunday we listened to him give his homecoming talk and then had basically had a normal day. 

Today: we went to festival park which is basically an outlet mall here with all the Elders from my district. And then came back and bought groceries. Honestly, we weren't even at the outlets for long it was like 10:30 to 1:30 I think. And that's all the time we had to do like touristy or fun stuff during the day. Theres a reason  they call it preparation day and not break day because it's not really a break. You can do touristy things but only if you manage your time super well and don't clean the apartment or something like that to sacrifice. 

Anyways that's it, my week was fast and now I have another week ahead of me. I will hit 3 months in the mission on Wednesday! Not a long time still 21 more... but I feel well adjusted now. I'm really confident in my Spanish and my understanding of others, it's coming along super well. We're having way more success as of lately, the prayers are paying off, with time. Idk I'm sure there's more I'm forgetting to say but all I have for now if anyone has any questions or hasn't emailed my by now, do it!! I love hearing from you all and thank you for the prayers! 

Elder Keith

1. Me and my companion are ensaimadas which is a mallorca pastry. It's basically a crosaunt in a swirl with powdered sugar. It's really good and really great when you dont eat breakfast one day...

2.  I bought a manacor pin with the town Crest.

3.  Picture of jesus we found on the ward computer hahaha.

4.  Someone put a hole in the wall of our capilla... gotta get that fixed its still there I think, we dont know who did it.

5.  Graffiti in manacor 

6.  Most of my branch at the ward party for the returned elder.

7. Theres a problem here with mallorquin people hating tourism on the island this is one sticker they put around town.

8.  Weird statue in the town of Manacor 

Week 12 Email to Mom and Dad

Wow I feel like I've been gone a long time, it's been only 12 weeks but feels like 6 months hahaha. Just wanted to say I've been doing good I feel pretty adjusted into the mission. This last week was full of miracles and it's only gonna get better. This next week we have a lot of good stuff planned but one thing sticks out to me. This week will be our last visit with Clara. In that she's going to vacation for like 2 or 3 weeks so it won't be a while till we see her. And we're gonna finish teaching her the lessons and basically make her decide whether she will be baptized or not. This is a huge step for her and us and we really want her to take that leap of faith so please pray for her. This last week I read some great talks I'm really liking the talks from Elder Wirthlin lately. The top three lately would be:

1.  Come What May and Love It, Joseph B Wirthlin, October 2008

2.  Life Lessons Learned, also Joseph B Wirthlin, April 2007

3.  Its True Isn't It? What else matters, Neil A Anderson, April 2007

Also, I've been studying in the Book of Mormon in Mosiah lately and lately I read about Abinadi and I love his example a lot, one of my favorite prophets. I got a haircut today from the same guy who cut it perfectly last time and this time was not so perfect, he went super short on that one side which I told him not to but he wasn't paying attention and so now I have to let it grow out again, not the first time this has happened but oh well. Let me know about any stake news or what not with the ward also. And how it all works out with the shingles, sounds really rough. Is it something that can be healed that leaves over time? Idk much about it. At least you don't send a whole email about it like grandma would.  Also let me know how the fires work out, sounds super dangerous this time, I think Cali has been on fire for a while now. Also, I haven't heard anything about Duke, I hope he's still alive and well Haha. I believe I didn't get an email from dad this week also at least I didn't receive one. It was probably just a busy week I'm sure. Anyways love you all, I'll be on email for another 2 hours so answer back if you have any questions. 

Love you!

Elder Keith 

Here's a pic of my companion hahaha

Week 12

I completed my first transfer in the mission, Insane right! I feel like I've been here 3 already.  Every day I pass by the same people in the street... oh Manacor. This past week has been so hard, it's been burning up here in Spain, one of the hottest summers in a long time. It's been hot I can't even explain it but summers in California as a lifeguard and summers in Hawaii with the humidity have both prepared me for this climate, so I'm writing this email meaning I'm still alive and haven't melted yet hahaha.

So this week started off with an exchange from Tuesday to Wednesday with an Elder Maybury who is the companion to our former district leader. I stayed with Tuesday, slept there, and then came back Wednesday morning. He lives in Maratxi (the x makes a ch sound in English so its pronounced like Maratchie with an emphasis on the ie at the end) anyways we had two visits set up with him. The first one was at the church building in Palma, about 30 minutes away walking from his piso in Maratxi. We went to the visit, and he noticed the keys to the building are with the other companion in my area of Manacor, so we did the visit outside of the building on some benches. He was a new investigator, we taught him the Plan of Salvation and he accepted a baptismal date for the end of August so it was a really good visit. After that visit Elder Maybury goes ok so we have to back to the piso, there's a restaurant around the corner we're gonna have a visit, and also we have to be there in 10 minutes.... ok so we start walking fast almost running to get there on time. On the way there I realize I lost my nametag.... just fantastic and I couldn't find it anywhere so we continue to the visit and a man in a car, who drove us earlier that day to the church building from his piso for the first meeting, came by and gave me my nametag. Turns out it fell off in his car. But anyways we went to the visit, we taught a simple lesson about the restoration and then she accepts a baptismal date for the end of August. So two fechas (baptismal dates) in 2 visits. It was a good night.  After this we went to the local market and bought some popsicles and ate like 3 each on benches cause we were so tired and hot. Then that was that, I went home the next day to Manacor.

We taught English class like normal Wednesday night and that was basically the day. 

Thursday was weekly planning and then we had a visit with a super great recent concert whose been inactive recently. He came to church also this last week which was super good. 

Friday was another contacting day in the heat. Later that night we met with a new investigator named Petri. She's from Extremadura in Spain and is crazy. Super great but a little crazy. We set up a visit with her to help her stop smoking, she been smoking for like 40 years and wants to stop so we're helping her get on track. We set up a plan with her and through reading the Book of Mormon, praying, and coming to church, she can stop smoking with the help of God and her doing her part with these things. She has read now about 1/3 of the Book of Mormon, she loves it so much. and she's praying and came to church with us this last week which is great! She ended up falling asleep through sacrament meeting but for her first time it was great.

Saturday I went with my companion, Clara our investigator, and a member to a baptism of some men in Palma. This was all to help Clara choose to be baptized. It was a super good baptism. Clara liked it a lot. We went there and back in suits in a small car and it was hot like nothing I've ever felt. I'm pretty sure my companion got heat stroke in the car because we got back to piso and he wanted to throw up he was so nauseous and hot. He felt bad the rest of the day and so we stayed in so he could rest. He's from Utah and doesn't take the heat too well, so this can happen a lot.

Sunday was fast Sunday.  We as missionaries fast dinner the night before and breakfast the day of so we fast for 24 hours but also sleep through most of the fast. After church, we went to the member's house who feeds us each week. She made some more Colombian food. Some kind of pasta a shrimp and chicken. More normal but also super weird. And then we had some rice with a fried egg to with it and then some dessert. I was so full. And they kept saying keep eating elder... hard stuff. I mean some people don't even have food so I probably shouldn't be complaining. 

Then there's Monday.  Usually Monday is my P-day but this week is transfers week. Me and my companion are staying together for 6 more weeks! Which is actually super surprising. This transfer has been full of changes - 3 people from my zone finished their missions and went home including my district leader Elder Salazar. And they transferred a ton of people who were training other missionaries, at least half of the 15 people who are being trained have new trainers which is super unheard of. So we have some new sisters and elders coming in which is good but sad to see the others go. Were thinking that this will be mine or my companions last transfer here. Because of transfers they move P-day to Tuesday and that's why I'm writing you all today.  Nothing else went on since then really. I forgot to mention one thing about Tuesday that I'm remembering now. Like I said our district leader has left the mission but because he was leaving we held a "funeral" for him. The saying is a missionary leaving the mission is "dying". So we held a Hawaiian themed funeral, we killed him with a plastic sword, we gave some final words and then to go with the theme we gave him things to take with him to the next life. Basically we smothered him in water, ice cream, and other stuff. I have a video but it's too long to add to Google drive or send in email so everyone will have to wait to see that, but I do have photos. Also part of this funeral, we drank mate. Whoever doesn't know what mate is, it's a drink made from this herb, you can drink it hot like tea or cold. It's full of caffeine, and so I would say about 80% of missionaries here drink it. I think it takes like dirt, Its horrible but people love it. 

That's all I can think of right now, if there's anything you would like to hear me talk more about let me know. Keep praying for us.  We've had more people to teach and more people coming back to church so your prayers really help. Love you all! Until next time!

Elder Keith 

1. One of our fans is broken and so we do this with it all the time.

2.  Funeral of Elder Salazar 

3.  Me with our zone leader who just went home.

4.  Me with Elder Salazar and Elder Hughes.

5. The walls of this Chinese restaurant we went to after last district meeting.

Week 11 Email to Mom and Dad

Wow week 5 already it feels like it's been 6 months. Just wondering when time starts to move faster. Anyways this week was super good and I've been adjusting way better. I feel like next transfer will be so good. I wanted to share a few conference talks with you that you can use personally, as family home evening or whatever you would like to do - 

1. Three choices by Joseph B Wirthlin, October 2003

2. Hidden wedges by Thomas S Monson, April 2002

3.  And nothing shall offend them by David A Bednar, October 2006

4. What's in it for me by James E Faust, October 2002

That's probably not all of them but they're the ones I remember in the moment. 

I'm glad to hear all is well and that vacation was all fun. I really wish I got a vacation on the mission or at least 2 days off a week. It's literally the hardest and most tiring thing I've ever done in my life, I'm sure it will pay off. Wanted to give a quick note to let the kids know to stay learning sacrament hymns on the piano. I've had to practice so many since I got here because I came into the mission knowing only one sacrament hymn and after playing the same song about 3 weeks in a row it gets really boring for me and the congregation. Also, I've been losing weight already. In the last two weeks the temperature has shot up and I've eaten less. I've lost 10-15 pounds already and lots of my close are much more roomy to say the least. Anyways I'm enjoying the mission and trying my best to get through this and adjust the best I can. I'm surviving and learning so much. Also, I've been emailing Grandpa Earl and he's been really enjoying my emails. I got him to start reading the Book of Mormon again which is so great and I hope it makes a huge impact in him. That's all I have to say really. Thank you for all you've done for me, I sent you both the file to the videos from the parades so please post those or something so people can see them. Love you both and talk to you either if you respond soon or next week!

Elder Keith 

Week 11

So on my way to the church to write this email today a man on a moped zoomed past us, honked, flipped us off, and then almost hit the car in front of him. Just wanted to start off the email letting everyone know where I'm at hahaha.

Week 5 already here in Manacor and I can't believe there's one more week till I've completed 1 transfer in the field. Totally crazy it feels like I've been here for 3 transfers.

Well, I'll start from Tuesday of last week: we planned for a district meeting this day and our leader called us and said we weren't gonna do that so we were left with a day just completely open which meant walking the streets a lot. At least 10 kilometers that day, still tired today from that day hahaha. But we walked around all day and for a while, we couldn't find anyone, it was completely dead and we wondered where is everyone. Turns out there was some festival for a town saint and everyone was at the parade. I took some videos but they're too big to send in the email so I'll make a Google drive file and share it with my parents and maybe they will post it on my Instagram or something. Anyways we found the parade and let's just say it was different. Super different with all these creepy statues and it was just weird. I can't really explain it without photos. But anyway me and my companion watched the parade a little and while we were watching a man came by and burned me in the arm with a cigarette and then threw up a cross in my face and left laughing. I think he was on drugs but from the beginning of the email to now you can see how many people view us as missionaries. Then later we figured we can't do anything because everyone is at the parade so we went to an investigators apartment building and went to the roof. His building is super tall and you can see almost all of Manacor from the top and so I'll include a picture of what I saw. That was pretty much Tuesday.

Wednesday: Wednesday we didn't do too much different. We went to a family history activity to talk to the teacher about doing a big family home evening with the branch and she pretty much gossiped about members the whole time and we got nothing done for 2 hours but that's all good. Late we taught Clara again our amazing investigator. We taught her about the ordinances of the temple and she loved it all said it's all beautiful but is having doubts about whether she could be good enough and fulfill all of it. And we gave her a ton of encouraging words but she really needs to decide for herself and show herself she can do it. Everyone pray for Clara she's so close to baptism and we don't want to lose her to any small doubts like this. Wednesday night we went back to piso and I guess that after the first parade the next night is some kind of demon festival so that was creepy. The whole town was covered in demon signs and about 10:15 at night there was this group of people dressed up in like Halloween demon costumes banging drums and lighting off fireworks all over town and one person dragged this huge chest of "treasure" through with the group. Let's just say again I was weirded out and creeped out. We didn't get much sleep that night they went on for hours. Again I took a video and I'll share it with my parents so stay tuned.

Thursday: we went to Palma again for district meeting and for interviews with President. Pretty normal day and then after that all we came back and went with our branch president to a less active family's home. This is the same family we visited weeks back that was a super strong spiritual lesson and they still hadn't come back to church so we decided to meet with them again. We talked about our baptismal covenants and it was a super powerful lesson and then our branch president said I think this will be a good lesson to help prepare you guys to go to the temple and be sealed as a family and the couple immediately started crying. Obviously it was something they had been talking about recently and we reminded them about it. Still they have not come back to church but we still have faith.

Friday: we did weekly planning which was good pretty normal stuff. We had two visits set up for after that that both fell through so we went and passed by some houses and we talked to a 26-year-old man for about 30 minutes at his door. Literally this was the saddest conversation I've ever had. Basically, this man doesn't want anything to do with religion, he doesn't want to do anything, he believes there's nothing after this life and doesn't want to find any purpose in life or any true church. He basically insulted us as we tried to talk to him and tried to help him change. After that talk me and my companion went outside and sat on a bench for like 30 minutes talking about that talk and exhausted and disappointed. Rough times.

Saturday: pretty much the most boring day of the week we walked around town found nothing and just prayed for the day to end and be Sunday.

Sunday: we went to church and then went back to piso. Later that day we went to an investigators house who wants to quit smoking. We gave her a Book of Mormon beforehand and told her it would help her stop without much explanation. She called us days before and is like this book says nothing concerning the words smoking, Tabacco, or anything of that matter. So this lesson we explained how the gospel helps us leave addictions and how through the atonement we receive the needed help inthe process of quitting. She didn't smoke at all for the hour she talked to us and it was a good lesson but immediately after we left she lit another cigarette so I hope she starts to do something about it.

Today: really a more relaxed day. There was a zone activity but we decided not to go because we are so tired. So today we walked around town a bit went through the open market in Manacor that's on Mondays and went shopping at chino stores. A chino store is basically a dollar store, super small really cheap but always owned by a Chinese family. And the stores are so random. I'll send pictures of what I bought. Also, I decided to start a collection for my mission. I've seen countless types of playing cards here so I'm gonna start collecting different types of designed playing cards throughout my mission. Bought 2 packs today to start and we will see where we go from here. 

Anyways that's my week you guys, in all its weirdness and all. Thank you all for the emails and prayers I appreciate them all a ton. I love you all and ill talk to you next week!

1. Picture of Manacor from my investigators building. 

2. Diagram I used to explain temple ordinances to Clara.

3. Picture of the cathedral tower next to my piso at night.

4. Found some good sunflower seeds in Spain, they're one of a kind here.

5. District leader opened his suitcase and found the surprise I left him hahaha 

6. Picture of a Manacor street, super old 

7. Placemat of the last supper I bought at the chino store today hahaha. Just so random.

Week 10 Email to Mom

Hey so I've been learning a ton of songs on the piano recently and I wanted to recommend a few for you to have choir sing. First is "where can I turn for peace" don't know the number in English and "Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy" which is our mission song and is incredible. One of my favorites, just some suggestions I thought could help. 

Week 10 Email to Mom and Dad

Wanted to tell you all how I'm doing this last week. Honestly mentally I've been doing good, super good but physically I'm being torn apart. First it was the feet, then shoulders, now it's my Achilles and it continues. Makes me feel like grandma a bit talking about all this but it's how I feel really hahaha. But anyways it's kinda like military boot camp as I imagine.  You get broken down but now I have the opportunity to be built back up with God's help right. So I bought the phone and it was 382 euros. I bought it with the credit card not knowing which one to use and Idk if you wanted me to buy it all with my money or not. So deal with my accounts as needed to rectify that whether you want me to pay for half or all of it or whatever you want it to be. Also, I saw there is 500$ in my Golden One account and Idk if that's correct but that's too much so if you could please change that back down to 200$ or around there. It's a good phone and will help me with the work and photos and everything. 

Honestly, I'm doing super great out here in so happy to be on the mission.  I'm learning more from the scriptures than I ever have and I'm growing spiritually each day. Thank you all for all you're doing for me at home with the prayers and all. I love you all thank you again! 

Elder Keith 

Week 10

I feel like I've been here for forever guys hahaha there's only 2 more weeks in my first transfer! 

This last week has gone down from last week, a lot less to talk about but I'll still try and write down more of what happened and more missionary experiences.

Last Monday was P-day and all we did was go shopping in Manacor and later we went to the Capilla and our investigator Clara brought us food which thank goodness she did cause were so low on food and money. She bought us some apricot jam and some muffins and it was so good and so bad for me hahaha.

Tuesday: we went to Villafranca to visit an investigator named Maura from Columbia, she has been reading a ton in the Book of Mormon and has been progressing well. Totally think she thinks it's all true. Anyways we taught her and right before the lesson ends this man comes in and we are confused, he says his name is Juan Sastre. Juan Sastre is a name that's been on our records as a member for years and we have never found him. And suddenly he walks in and not only that, he's dating our investigator hahaha. Completely insane, anyways we talk to him turns out he was baptized in 2 weeks, super quick, and he literally hasn't come to church since then and he even tells us he wasn't ready for baptism when it happened. Really sad story but we're gonna work with him and help him learn over again the lessons and get him back into activity again. 

Wednesday: we had district meeting this last Wednesday instead of Tuesday and it was a super great meeting. All the Elders and the Zone Leaders came to Manacor and we did a drafting activity where we took the city of Manacor and split it up into 4 zones and each person took one zone for an hour. I got to go out with one of the Zone Leaders Elder Stephenson who goes home this transfer. He was super great and we found some really good people and he taught me a ton. Anyways after the meeting, everyone went home, and our district leader left his suitcase in Manacor... to give some detail he was on an exchange with another missionary the day before so he had his suitcase with him. Well, he left it and me and my companion had to do something to mess with him. He goes home this transfer also so we can do this with no problem. We put like 15 law of chastity pamphlets in his bag with all his clothes just all over the place and filled the pockets with confetti. Let's just say he's gonna have a great time with that. Later that night we had a lesson with Clara, the woman I said is basically a member but not baptized. We taught her some commandments just some normal things but she told us something we were totally thrown off by. She said next month she will go on vacation to Barcelona for a month but after she comes back she would like to be baptized!! She has been with missionaries for years but never thought to put a time to get baptized and she's finally decided to do it. I'm so excited for her, it's gonna be a month away but it's going to be such a great experience. 

Thursday: Thursday was a normal day besides the afternoon. We went out with our branch president to meet with an inactive member who hasn't come to church in 24 years. She was baptized in Chile and since she moved to Spain hasn't been to church. She's super funny and she called Manacor ugly or in Spanish "feo" a ton and it's hilarious because I'm kinda with her on that hahaha. Anyways she invited us over to come eat her famous empanadas another day so that will be great.

Friday: we helped clean the church with some sisters and after we went to teach Enrique a recent convert which was good. But after all that, we had one of the best moments of the mission so far. We had a lesson with a man named Madi from Morroco. A little story back we have been trying to meet with this man for the entire time I've been here but it's never worked out. And so this last time we tried to set a visit and it didn't work out we gave up and said to give it time. But then days later he texts us and sets a time with us and we say fine this is the last time. And he actually came! So crazy!  Then we get to know him. In Morroco, all the people are Muslim basically but he said from a kid he knew that that religion wasn't right. And so for 15 years, he has been trying to find the right church. This is his first time with the Mormons and he is ready to learn. We taught a lesson guided by the spirit like I've never felt before. We taught the restoration but all over the place all the points but all in a different order and the spirit was super super strong. He had all these questions prepared to like how would you describe a Mormon and what do they do? Can't do? And we answered them all and he wasn't thrown off by anything. Super great lesson even my companion in the year and 3 months he's had , said that was one of the top 3 lessons of his whole mission. He was so prepared for the gospel it was great and I can't wait to teach him again. 

Saturday was so normal honestly I have nothing to say.

Sunday was good, we had branch council which was good and we all have assignments to work on. Our branch has been struggling hard since I got here, we've had only 15-20 people come each week the last 3 week's  which is bad, really bad. We need a miracle here everyone please pray for our branch and the less Active members that they will come. After church, we went to the same members house who cooks for us every Sunday. She literally hasn't cooked any normal food for us yet. She made this soup from zuchinni which was good, some French fries which were fantastic and then some rice. But then came the bad part. Some kind of concoction of tuna and vegetables and vinegar from hell. It was so horrible I can't even explain it. My còmpanion loved  it but I thought it was bad. First off when you're in a members house in Spain eating, always comment on their food and say it's good or they assume you don't like it. Every time. And so she goes elder Keith do you love the tuna and I say yeah uhuh  it's great. Later after that visit I went back to piso and threw it all up I felt so sick. What a day guys.....

Today P-day we went to Palma again but this time to buy a phone!!! Finally everyone you can get photos and everything it's going to be great. I bought a Samsung galaxy a8 which is a nice phone. They're going to give me a SIM card with internet and so I'll finally be all set out here. We had to go to Palma and walk 30 minutes from the station to buy and it and 30 minutes back but it was so totally worth it. Anyways y'all  thank you for all your prayers and please continue to pray for us and for the branch. Please send emails! Love you all!

Elder Keith 

1. Sometimes we have long days so we go on the roof at night time, eat popsicles and just relax it's great.

2. I got bored during study one day and took  this photo with the phone. Super cool lighting. 

3. This is a picture from way outside the city of Manacor. We were pretty far as you can tell. That big steeple from the cathedral is right next to where I live. 

4.a picture of that cathedral from the roof.