10/28/2013

Jessica Ward jessica.ward@myldsmail.net	10/28/13

This week in the middle of transfers my companion Changed. Hna Pazuengo left and Hna Arana came in her place. I have been told by almost everybody that she is only assigned to those that have great potential. She is a Sister Training leader, Here in the islands to shorten it we (mostly the Elders) call her the jefa (Boss).  She is wonderful. I love her so much she arrived her on Wednesday along with Hna Bennett the new Companion of Hna Wallace.   

Wed Hna Witt and Hna Pauengo left and we went to a cita (appointment) of Hna Wallace´s and It was good and productive. and then we meet Hna Arana and Hna Bennett. They are wonderful and they are exactly what we need here in the islands. Each day I am learning so much more of what my role is of what a missionary really is. Today I was listening to a talk from Jeffrey R Holland that he gave in the MTC. And He was talking about the mission experience should touch their heart and cause them to change that it would never have a returned missionary fall away. I think that if I continue to develop into the perfect missionary that sits in my mind. I will be that missionary that Elder Holland is Talking about. 

This week we had a miracle. We have an investigator named Silvia that Has a little Girl and had a boyfriend that she had been living with. We sent her a text on Saturday reminding her about church in the morning, not thinking much of it. But she come to church and sat with Evelyn a member that is also her friend. Then Hna Arana talked to her and she told her that she kicked her boyfriend out and that she is ready to live the ley de castidad (law of Chasity) and that she is I think prepared to be baptized!!!!

I love Hna Arana . I love her boldness, and I learned that her boldness is because of the charity she has for the members and the people in our branch. I have already in 3 days learned so much more about missionary work and about her life and how it gives her the strength that she needs. . 
 

As I was reading in the Book of Mormon with the plan of the mission and, I love reading about the Anti-Nephi-Lehi´s and the strength and the trust they have in the Lord. And then I have been learning a lot from the war chapters about wearing the armor of God we will be protected from the adversary. 

Everyday 

I know that Christmas is a little far off, but I just wanted to challenge you all something that one of my teachers in the MTC asked his family and friends to do. So I would like to give you some time to do this for me. If you Find an opportunity to serve those around you and serve them with your whole heart and if you would send me an email or a hand written letter of what happened and what you learned from this experience in your life. I Will write each of you a hand written letter in reply if you truly take this opportunity to really serve. 

I am so grateful for you support and for you love and your prayers for me. 

Until next Monday,

Con Amor, 
Hermana Ward

Oct 21 2013

Jessica Ward	Oct 21 (3 days ago)

Just to Let you Know that Mission Presidents are Called of God.   I had an interview and the words that he shared were the exact words that I needed to Hear. 

 

This week was good and a little slow. We aren´t seeing as many miracles as we have in the weeks passed but we did see one that was amazing. we have this investigator Lenardo and we invited him to be baptized and he said that he would the only problem is that he will be in Bolivia for 54 days and wont return until Jan 5 and so we might send the referral to the sister missionaries down in Bolivia so that he can be taught there and if possible be baptized down there to.  We have another cita with him on Sunday so we will see what happens. With God all thing are possible.  In this area we had two baptismal services and three baptisms this Saturday. One in our branch and the other two were down in Manacor.  Our investigator, Vicente,  that has a fecha (baptismal Date) came to the baptism service and felt the spirit I hope and helped him with his desire to be baptized we have two more lessons to teach him. 

 

This week we ate hamburgers at a members house. ¡super rico! I really cant remember what else happened this week. ..oh yea i gave a talk yesterday about the obra missional (missionary work) and that fact that many members in my family have served mission has impacted my life.  I had written my whole talk out about Wednesday and then on Saturday night i read it again and had Hermana Witt edited my talk. It was ok talk. on Sunday morning I was inspired to read out of a certain section in preach my gospel. Then As i was at the stand giving my talk, I started Reading my talk but then was guided by the spirit and Talked about things that I hadn't originally thought about saying and the Lord definitely blessed me with the gift of tongues that day.  the Lord is so ready to bless those that are prepared and obedient. 

 

Today is Preparation day and Hermana Witt taught us how to make Pot stickers, and they were so good when I get home we´ll make a whole bunch. 

 

Something that I learned from my studies this day is that we do everything by faith and hope of what the results will be. I was reading Alma 17-29 and saw and noted all the times that Alma and His brethren acted on the faith that the Lord would guide them to do the things the He wants them to do . They had hard times but in the midst of the hard times, there will be the small mercies of the Lord and there will be big success after the trial of your faith. 

 

The Pictures are of me and my companion, Hermana Pazuengo making potstickers, Then our district plus the hermanas de poniente in the capilla for Dia de Preperacion.

 

Con Amor

Hermana Ward

Oct 15 2013

	Oct 15 (9 days ago)

Every one in which this email reaches. This week has been great and I loved this week of busyness.  These are replies to questions that I have received.  If I am missing something sorry and if you have any questions please feel free to email me back :::

1, 2.  I am doing Fantastic, This week is transfers and none of the hermanas got transferred here in palma, our branch got two new elders so now there are 6 missionaries in this little branch.  There are in the mission two elder Wards and one hermana Ward(me).  I went into Bars (Barcelona) this week to get my DNI ( ID for Spain) and my companions were 3 elders. It was a Super different and uneventful day we flew for 45 minutes into Bars and then were in the city for about 3  hours and then flew back. We spent about 5 hours in an Airport that day. Our two progressing investigators Vicente and Guzman came to church this week and the testimonies were so strong that Guzman was llorando (crying) during the sacrament meeting.  We have this fantastic Family in our branch that serves us abundantly and attached is a picture of Brother Queirolo in our bathroom fixing the toilet. Attached is also a picture of me eating lentils that my companion made me. What Else, I am loving This area of Spain  its starting to be cold some days.  but super warm other days and I realized i have no winter items. I´ll have to buy some.  

I´ll be praying For sister Jones and Her family. That is so devastating.  I know the Lord will bless her family and that it will all be for the better. Will you send me her email.  

No I am not in a three some you may have thought that because of all the pictures of Hermana Witt but she is just another hermana that lives in our piso.  

My days are pretty simple. The mission schedule is an hour later then it is in the states because of the culture here.  We wake up at 730 and then we exercise for a half hour which is usually some kind of stretches or exercise i can do in my bed. (the hermanas in my piso(floor) don't like to work out. ) then at about 8 i get in the shower and get ready and prepare breakfast and then sitting at my table ready for personal study at nine until ten and then all the missionaries in our mission pray at 1000 for the mission and our goals. and the after that we have companionship study and training until 12 and then we go out and contact until 2 and then we have medio dia (middle of the day) where we eat lunch and have language study and then leave the piso again between 4 and 5 and then contact or go to citas (appointments). then return at 10 have daily planing and then go to bed by 11:30.  (I hope that makes sense)

Great Question. about keeping commitments.  I am not currently good at doing that. But when they haven't read the book of Mormon as their commitment we skip what we have planned and talk about the importance of the book of Mormon and then read their lecture with them.  In the Mtc when we weren't prepared for class our teacher canceled what he had planned and made us do the preclass work.  I'm not exactly sure what your commitments with your students are but if you change the plans and show them the importance of the assignment then they will understand that they need to do their part to have a better spiritual experiences at church. Church should be a time in which we are spiritually up lifted and our testimonies grow.  I hope that Helps.  

 I´m sorry about the roof, its good that school is going well for the kids.  Emily doesn't write me will you ask her too. i miss hearing her updates.

Thank you for your prayers and for your support while I am here serving the Lord.  This week I have a talk and its about missionary work and how having so many relatives that have served missions has impacted my life. After I give my talk I will send it to you by mail.  Also yesterday I also sent you a letter by mail.   

I love you all and would love to receive letters by email or my carta, What ever you prefer its a 1.10 to send it from the US to Spain. 

con muchisimo amor, 

Hermana Ward

Sept 30 2013

Sept 30 2013

This was a Great week full of ups and downs.  Where to start....

On last Monday we had a water fight in the fountains with Hermana Wallace, Witt, Elder Larsen, Arrirán and a member Carlita.  Super Fun. 

We visited some great people. We meet with this man named Carlos it was an investigator the elders were giving us and so we met juntos(together) and then we were in the cita (appointment) for like 2.5 hours. forever then meet with him 2 other times this week for about the same amount of time.  He has a lot of questions and he doesn't believe that Christ accomplished the atonement for us, but everything else he believes. He is crazy but after we get him to understand Christ, then he will be golden.  But we gave him back to the Elders. the elders also gave us Adela who is Romanian who know Chek, Spanish and wants to learn English. Super cool so we are teaching her English and giving her lessons. She has three copies of the Book of Mormon, in 3 different of languages.   Then we Have Vicente and Guzman who are also super golden. And we found Leonardo this week and he is super  golden tambien (also).  There is more about him later  in the letter.  

We also had zone conference which was super fantastic. the spirit was so strong and learned how to be a better missionary.  I love everything about my zone the Bareles islands.  More about that in my excerpt from the letter to President.  

As I have been reading the scriptures I realized that there are many things that talks about the isles of the sea I never really cared or took interest in it before but now i love to see the promises that are given to me and the people I am teaching our here on my beautiful Island of Mallorca.  

I love you all and  miss you all here is a excerpt from my letter to President Pace.  

´´I was so grateful for the opportunity to attend Zone conference this weekend, and the ability to feel the spirit so strong.  It was exactly what I needed.  I learned about the importance of obedience.  I really had understood obedience previously and have all ways wanted to be 100% obedient. I was working on that for the first 6 weeks of being here and being the only one getting up at 730 and the only one studying at 900 and the only one in bed at 1130.  Hermana Pazuengo all ways told me of what a great example of obedience I was and that she was grateful that I am her companion.  But after the conference her attitude about obedience changed we now all are getting up at 730 and exercising, and getting to study fully ready for the day, and leaving promptly and getting to bed on time (most of us any way). Thank you for that topic in Zone Conference. Thank You.  Because of our obedience we saw many miracles on Sunday. We had 2 investigators at church with us, Vicente, and Guzman, they both loved it. Then after correlation we had a cita and then we called and then he didn't answer but then he called us back and we were already in the park so we waited for him. We explained to him about the Book of Mormon. We then ended with a prayer and I prayed sincerely and simply and prayed that the Lord would bless him in his work and with his family, I then closed the prayer. As we opened our eyes we saw that he had tears in his eyes. The spirit touched his heart, I´m not sure what it testified of but he was touched and he told us that he would read the Book of Mormon starting with the Introduction and then start 1 Nephi.  I´m so glad we found him contacting in the park. 

My companion understands her purpose as a missionary and I admire that so much. I also admire her patience with my broken Spanish as I try to speak Spanish with her on the street."

Some Pictures

Jessica sent these pictures 2 weeks ago, but because of computer problems and my lack of computer finesse I am finally getting them posted.  It looks like a great place to be!

Cathedral at the Palma

View out the apartment

View out the apartment

Hermana Witt, Me and Hermana  Pazuengo,

Park where we street contact

Jessy's letter                                                                                                      Sept 23,2013

A lot of things happened this week. It was great contacted some, three new potential investagators. its super great when we ware contacting and we find some one that wants to listen to what we have to say. We live next to this park and that's where we do all of our contacting.  

This week its been raining a lot.  and we see it in the sky its so funny it comes on so fast. we usually get drenched on the way to the capilla (chapel).  I finally bought an umbrella because my rain jacket is to warm for right now.  

We  have this family that we are teaching Romosa, Clemente, and Oliver, and Fabi (already Baptized) they are ready for baptism but this week all of their citas they weren't there or they canceled.  they are so ready.  

we have another investigator Vicente who is ready on Thursday I tried to extend the baptismal invitation but my memorized skill lacked, but I have got it down now so I am able to ask the whole island and baptize with a tsunami. 

I love the elders in my district the are such full of service and caring for us.  on saturday we were getting a new wash machine so Hemana Pazuengo and Hermana Witt went to go and buy the washing machine, and We Had a cita at 130 and Hermana Wallace and I didn't know how to get there any way the elders came to our piso and walked us there, and then carried our washing machine up three flights of stairs.  ç

My miracle for the week is that Hermano Fransisco helped us buy a new washing machine and Elders Larsen and Arriarán helped carry the washing machine to our piso. I am so grateful for the service the Queirlo family has done for us.  

One thing that I have learn to admire about my companion is her testimony and the strength that it has.  The spirit that lingers afters she testifies of the truth and of all that knows to be true.  I am so glad to have her as my companion. I love learning the Spanish from her.  

 It was great to able to attend the baptism of the Poniente Branch this week.  It was an opportunity for be to become more excited to do this work.  I am so glad to be here in the Spain Barcelona Mission, and have the opportunity to serve here on the islands.  I have been learning to love the people of Palma.

Something that again came to my memory is that preaching the gospel, and sharing the gospel is a commandment of the Lord.  I am so grateful for this opportunity to set 18 months of my life set directly apart for focusing on this commandment but to remember after I am released that this is still my duty as a disciple of Christ

Love Hermana Ward

Jessy sent some pictures but I'm not so good at tech things so I will have Willy help me with putting them on the blog a little later.  

Sister Ward"s letter                                     Sept. 16 2013

This week has been great.  We have this park near our piso(apartment) and we are always there contacting. And this week we found three people that would listen and that we gave pass along cards to and taught them.  Vicente is the one that is the one with the most success as we met him in the park we taught him the plan of salvation, and then set up another cita ( appointment) with him on Saturday. on Saturday we meet with him and talked about the Book of Mormon and Its importance, it also went really well he seemed to believe what we were saying.   We tried to Give him the Book of Mormon , but he wouldn´t take it because he can´t see it so we are going to try to get a copy with big print.  We then asked hem if he would come to church with us, He said YES. he came and he liked sacrament meeting, but then we found out he doesnt live in our area. ¡QUE TRISTE! Its ok 

We also Met Gislea in the park and we have a cita with her tonight at a noche de hogar (FHE).  

We also Met Milta in the street and had our second lesson with her too about the importance of the book of Mormon.  

We also taught a family Lliquira about the plan of salvation they seemed realy reseptive, one of thier daighters is already baptized we are working with the rest of the family, we are going to ask them to be baptized this week I think.!!!

It rained alot this week which is odd for the islands. we rain throught the rain to a cita and then she canceled and then we ran back to the church in the rain.  Oh how I love the rain.    

I love my time that I have to be in the scriptures and learn to grow closer to the Lord there are so many things and so many levels in which you can learn about each gospel principle.  I invite all you that read my letter, find a topic in the gospel that you know alot about and then study more about it, we will never know everything about every thing. This pont was pointed out to me while in the MTC and I realized That I have alot of studying to todo and that there will never be enough time to study it all.  

Something that I learned This week was Romans Chapter 8 : 31-32.  Read it and never forget that the Lord is on our side so why doubt what he tells us to do.  

I love you all and hope that you all are sharing the gospel all in little ways to those that you see.  

I promise Pictures next week.  I need to buy an adaptor for my sd card.

Con amor 

Hermana Ward