August 27

So, the week in a nutshell went as follows: We just had an awesome preparation day. It was a Zone Preparation Day, and all 10 of us were here in Ciudad Real playing basketball and hand ball (way awesome). You play handball like soccer and basketball mixed, and there is dribbling, and then soccer nets. Actually Ciudad Real has a World Championship team of hand ball, and Spain took 3 medals in the Olympics, from what I heard. Also we played fútbol. It was with about 6 youth who were at the field- about 14 year olds, and then the Branch President Sanz (about a 40 year old Spaniard), and then Luis, the Branch Mission Leader and Elders Quorum President (about 60 or a little less Spaniard). So it was really fun and we played for about 2 or 3 hours, then had sub sandwiches (or bocadillos if you prefer) and Spanish horchata which is different. Then everyone parted ways and got back home.
I cut Elder Griffin’s hair, and he really needed it. Also, I cut my own about a week ago, as well as Elder Ott’s. He has gotten a few compliments on it. So I am getting better at the hair cut thing. We then went to a Chinese/Asian buffet for 6.95 euros. You get all you can eat food that comes around the restaurant on a conveyer belt to the tables and you just take off the stuff you want as it passes. Elders Ott, Cavanaugh, and Starley each ate about 20 little plates of everything you can think of. It was just delicious. Then they give you ice cream to go with it.
We went on exchanges 2 times this last week. On Friday I went with Elder Starley in their area, so that was interesting because we had both only been here 2 weeks. But it went well and we found a really cool Spanish family for them to teach. Then we did exchanges in Valdapeñas, I went with Elder Baxter. It went really great. We found 2 of their investigators who had gone missing, and then taught a new homeless man in a park- a frustrating lesson. The exchange was a blast, and it was really fun to work with Elder Baxter, after living with him twice already. We have exchanges tomorrow with Alcazar and then Saturday with Elder Cavanaugh here. So that should be good.
Sadly René moved to Valencia because he was out of work, we had set a baptismal date with him for the 6th of September, so hopefully that works out in Valencia since we sent over all of the information to the Barcelona mission. We found an awesome new investigator named Sergio from Brazil. He is awesome. More on him next week… Well, thanks again Grandma Judy for the spiritual thought I pirated and re-gifted. But this is from President Monson "Whom the Lord calls, the Lord qualifies.That is the phrase I believe in. You just plow in and go to work. I've done that all my life. I haven't had a period in my life that I can remember when I didn't have any thing to do. I do have a good work ethic.”
So make good choices team, and keep on keeping on.

Much love from Spain.

Love, Elder Miller