¡WARNING THIS EMAIL IS LENGTHY!
A flash in the future: It is 9:00 at night, Elder Owens, having been in the country of Spain for 4 days is Driving In some weird Spanish car with another elder with the same amount of experience in the passenger seat. We are currently in the streets of Elche the largest pueblo in Alicandre. For those who don't know, (I had no idea) Manhattan has nothing on Spain! The roads are so confusing! If you want to drive down the street 2 miles, you will most likely go about 15 miles before you get there. So anyway, because of some unfortunate quick thinking, the two senior companions are shopping while we try to get some gas. Turns out that "gas station" was just a dirt lot... Plus!! the other elders were about half a mile behind us, and to get back to them would take us about 30 minutes... Oh Spain... ¿Por que?!!!!!
It all started when I was given a yellow envelope on a charter bus at the MTC. This journey I was about to about to embark on took me to the airport in salt lake, then to the airport in Paris where me and my MTC comp. handed out a Book of Mormon to a guy named Andrew. Then straight to the Málaga airport where we met our mission president and Elder Ward!! (A guy that i know from Highland.) Then to the mission home where we ate and met out new companions! DRUMROLL PLEASE!!! His name is Elder Wagner!! From Gilbert Arizona!! Hahaha yes I am now companions with my friend from home and I love him!! What a day...
So my first day in Spain was the craziest day of my life. I learned a lot that day. Weird things like: elevators have doors with hinges, front doors don't have door nobs, milk comes in boxes, and people act like you don't exist, there is a lot of sin here.. Unfortunately.. Also I learned that I was to serve in a place 6 hours away from the mission home, and that I was to drive there with one of only 13 used cars in all of the Malaga mission. After a few near death situations, driving white knuckled through Granada and Malaga where the roads are like 3 yards in width and all 1 way roads and paying €10 on a three course meal at a random restaurant on the side of the road we finally got to our piso(apartment) and had a great night of sleep.
So when it comes to the language I'm pretty much useless... It's one of the easiest languages, but here in southern Spain it sounds German mixed with Spanish. They spit it out so fast! At least I make people laugh. That's always fun... I'm slowly getting used to it, but it still seems like a different language. The "th" is real here in Spain. Like every s,c,z sounds like it.
So when it comes to the people of Spain, they are absolutely the nicest people I have ever met! Which actually is a big problem here. They love company but have no intention of accepting the gospel. So they just end up hearing our message and turning it down, which is bad, and sad. It gets rough here in Spain. Baptisms are kind of rare here. My comp has had 0 baptisms in 11 months he has been here. But it's important to have faith and pray that the people here will be humbled. Pray for more floods (just kidding). Haha.
I love this gospel with all my heart. We NEED to sculpt our lives around the gospel. Conference is so important!! We need to listen to the words of the prophet and general authorities! My friends and family, these days are the last day. Satan is trying his hardest 24/7 I see every day the effects of his efforts. He has his grasp around entire nations, entire cultures. We need to be aware of all of our actions and desires and be truly converted to the lord. Please, I beg of you, help the kingdom of the lord spread. Start with your families, help and lift up everyone.
I love you all and pray for you. Never give up.
Elder Owens
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