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

Sept 9 2013

I just received this email from Jessy.  She sounds so good  and busy.  Enjoy 
Sept 09 2013

Hola Everybody

Its been a long week. I´ll go in some sort of order today in my email. 

On last Monday we started our flight across the world.  There were 7 of us that were going to Barcelona; Hermana Mangelson, Hermana Jarman, Elder Seegmiller, Elder Butters, and Elder Merkley.  It super cool I had the opportunity to call my family in the Airport in New York were we had a 6 hour Layover.  We continued to fly to Barcelona which was a 9 hour flight and arrived in Barcelona Airport at 1100 am on Tuesday morning.  The office Elders pick the 7 of us up and we meet at the capilla in Barcelona.  Where we meet the other 32 new missionaries from the Spain CCM and we again saw Hermana Hassett and Hermana Vazziri.  It was so great. We received a little training, and toured and food and then recieved our temporary companion and went and proselyted. Super fun. The following 2 days we did fingerprinting and got things ready for our residency in Spain and continued proselyting with our temporary companion. on Thursday we received our assignments of our first area.  Mine in is Palma Mallorca in the Lavente branch. Palma is a island in the chain of islands that are in the Barcelona Mission.  I am so excited to be here.  

My Companion is Hermana Pazuengo a Native spanish speaker that doesn´t know very much English. It´s super fun because I have to learn the spanish fast.  I learned a gospel conversation I can understand at any speed but when the conversation is about anything else its quite hard.  I love my Companion So much she is from Mexico and I will be her last companion she leaves in the end of November.  We found a game that is super fun that helps me with my Spanish pronunciation and her´s in English.  Have you ever heard of scripture baseball or of scripture golf.  If not look it up.,  Any way our slight variation is that she has the English BOM and I have the Spanish BOM.  

I love it here in Palma. Its been fantastic.  

I have seen many miracles ( milagros) and the following is one of many 

This week the miracle that I saw was while street contacting in the park yesterday, we found some one that accepted the Book of Mormon. While we were at the park we reached the end of the park and then turned around I was inspired to talk to this couple on the bench I approached them and the gentleman noticed my American accent and his English was better then his Spanish, so I spoke to him in English and Hermana Pazuengo spoke to the lady in Spanish, We talked to them for about 20 minutes.  She took the Book of Mormon in Spanish. It was so neat to see the way the spirit works and to give someone an opportunity to change their life with the Book of Mormon on our efforts.  We received her contact information, and shewill only be in the area for three weeks, so we have to work fast. 

While studying this week I realized while reading 1 Nephi that when he wanted something from the Lord or taught he did it with all energy of heart and that is how I have got to do this Mission thing With all my energy of Heart.  

I love you all and miss you.  

Attached are some pictures

lies next week I´ll Have some I need to buy a converter for my MicroSD card

CON AMOR,

Hermana Ward 

Jessy's address in Spain

 We received a short email from Jessica this week, which I will include in this post.   On Tuesday we were curious if Jessy made it to Barcelona.  We decided to look at the mission web site to see if they had posted pictures of their newest missionaries.  It was exciting to see on the front page the pictures of the 43 missionaries that arrived to the Barcelona mission on Tuesday.  There was Jessica in the midst of them. Here are the pictures from the web site

All the new sisters and the president wife.
 She's in the second row
Poking her head around the sister in the brown dress

We think this is the group that came together on one plane

I love the sea in the background.
Jessy is toward the left in a blue shirt

Lunch for all the new missionaries.
Jessy is the one with watermelon in her hand!

Wow She just looks great!  She is excited to go forth and do the work.  I can't imagine what it is like to get 43 missionaries at one transfer so I imagine that this is the reason we haven't heard from the mission president, but no worries. 

  I am sure that she would love to hear from anyone who would like to write her.  The best way to write is threw email because it's free.  Her email address is jessica.ward@myldsmail.net .

  Please understand that she has one hour to use the computer each week so she may not be able to respond to each individual email however please come back to this blog site to see her weekly updated letter.  

There is also another way to contact her through snail mail.  This address will be good throughout her mission.  It's the address of the mission office.  They prefer that the mail goes through the office because the missionaries are more likely to receive it.  Please do not send packages because of the problems with customs the mission home has to pay extra costs when it is received.   For stamps and cost please go to the post office.  For what little research I have done it costs $1.10 for a post card.  

Sister Jessica Ward

Spain Barcelona Mission

Calle Calatrava N' 10-12, 1'

Barcelona

08017   Barcelona 

Spain

Here is Jessica's Email                                                      Sept 6th 2013

I am in the Palma Island as my first Area in my mission with a native as my companion. I am so happy to be here.  The humidity is about the same as DC.  I love it here in Spain. I am told that I have excellent Spanish. Hey let every one know my situation here.  Monday is my usual pday so I will reply then. I love missionary work.  read Alma 13:21  

I love you all so much.

Hey send me letters at the mission home address.  mom has the address for letters and packages, its just more reliable then sending it to my apartment, I´ll get letters about once a month and they probably wont get lost in the mail you´ll get more info on Monday on my pday.  ¡¡¡Hasta luego!!.  

con amor

Hermana Ward

We are so glad to have a missionary serving.  She would be so grateful to hear from all!

I got my Visa

August 30 2013


So I guess You can tell that that I got my visa, We leave on Monday early morning, and arrive Tuesday morning!!! I am so excited my companion is coming with me!!!!! I can call you when i get to the JFK airport I have a 5 hour layover. I will call mom's cell so please keep it on you.  

Neal A Anderson came on Tues and gave a devotional about loving and sacrifice and a quote that i would like to share with you is that you " you sacrifice for what you love, and love what you sacrifice.  

I did indeed get you package and thank you so much for the things that you sent me and and the letters. I love you all so much.  

I cant believe I leave and go out in the field.  Its crazy we have been here for six weeks and that its time to leave already. but for the most part my Spanish is OK, its still a little gringo but all is well.  

I love it here, and I am so excited to go directly to Barcelona, Espana and to be where the Lord needs me to be attached are some pictures of my life the last couple of weeks.  Did I tell you 3 weeks ago I got a hair cut?

#1 my district by the map before we lost a third of our district to other districts and other mtc

#2 all the sisters in the zone for about 5 days then 5 left us

#3,4 me with the sisters in my district that left after being here for 4 days.

 comp and i

 my haircut

#5 my zone 2 weeks ago where we were the 2nd oldest district. 

 comp and i

August 23, 2013

mom:                                                                                                                             August 23,2013

Thanks for the letter I got on right after we got back from the temple and i didn't see an email from you but my companion reassured me that one would come and it did and i am very happy it did.

thank you for the package i am super excited to receive it.   we received our travel plans so we got reassigned but our district leader hasn't given it to us yet.  so ill tell you next week or send a paper letter with it in it this evening.  

is it OK that i send you a letter meant for Christina Sorto i do not know her address but I felt impressed to send her a letter, so could you do that.  

Every body:

This week has been great my companion hurt her foot and has been on crutches, but she is mostly good now.  our lessons with investigators are going great and we are making great improvement in our teaching and in our language i understand and can almost use 6 different conjugations in Spanish.  on the fist night that missionaries arrive we see "experienced" missionaries have a discussion and then the new missionaries finish the discussion and our teacher recommended my companion and i do do it, it felt great.  while we were there we meet elders that were also going to Barcelona also.  it super cool.  this week our district has a goal of sharing 200 testimonies in Spanish today we are at 52 and we have till Monday we will see if we make it.  I love it hear in the mtc and i cant believe i have one more p day left in the mtc its crazy.  i am so happy to be a missionary, i am learning so much about me God and about this church and how close you can grow o people and learn to love some one in a matter of minutes.  

I'm so glad you saw the pictures of me and Kandice.  I got a hair cut last week I'm going to try to send an email with a couple of pictures but i have got to change computers first. I love my zone and my district and my companion.  I love everything about this gospel.  i think that you have really got the language down when you can cry and bear your testimony in that language.  

the last couple of weeks I have been pondering alot of scriptures and this is one that I want to share with you All its Romans8:31 " 31 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who  can ^abe against us?" and also 3 nephi 9:14 you'll have to look that one up.

i love you all so much!!!!

Con Amor 

Hermana Ward

8-9-13

8/9/13

Thank you mom for the letters, and the dear elders!!!!

this week has been totally awesome and fantastic.  This week I have learned a lot!! Did you hear about the new film in the temple? We get to go next week the temple has been closed since we have been here. I saw Katie cotton on Sunday.  I haven't seen elder Morgan.  I also forgot my camera cord again in my room and right now I'm at the computer, soo... next week I promise.  I can only write letters by hand and email on pday so sorry for the late replies.  my time here in the MTC has been awesome.  in our devotional on Sunday Jenny Oaks Baker came and it was so awesome, her and her children played music and it was fantastically awesome.  on Tuesday, Jay E Jensen came and spoke about the importance of studying the scriptures, and service. It was so great.  I am learning so much in the language and in spiritually. 

ok awesome story you ready?

So while I was up at school I was a drop in lab tutor and I meet this girl named Hannah that was also going to Spain Barcelona mission on the same day and thought how cool would that be to meet her there.  So as I Was thinking about this last night I realized that girl I met in the chem drop in lab is MY COMPANION right now.  We both freaked out and have been telling everybody, almost everybody in my zone knows.  The Lord Knows EVERYTHING. 

I have got to go soon but everything is great expect a handwritten letter sometime soon with the rest of the answers to you questions. 

Dad thank you for your letters too I love the words of wisdom you have sent me. 

one piece of spiritual info for that I learned yesterday:

so in Spanish god is DIOS. look at the word.  its plural, right.  God is a order of the priesthood that can only be given to a man and his wife. ( maybe don't share this in the blog but maybe don't) all right I have to go I love you. 

oh yea my companion is the sister training leader, there is only one companionship of sisters in our zone and we are it. 

love you all!!!!!!!!!!!

con amor,

 Hermana Ward.