Monday, September 30, 2013
New pics!
Hello family!!!
You know what? I love you guys. I really do, and though I hate to admit it, I miss you. And I´m excited to see you again. But I think you just need to come up here, becuase even after the two years, I just want to keep being a missionary :) But I suppose I might have to do that in a different area in Utah. But the work still continues even after the mission. I´m glad to hear that things are going well. Sounds like Skyler is having a lot of wonderful opportunities and that things are going well with Ammon and plays and Logan and sacerdocio and Micah and whatever he is doing :) And the girls. For me things are going well. This last week my comp had to go have an interview with the police in Madrid (sounds sketchy, right?) to figure out some nationality things so I headed up to Sevilla for an entire week! It was fun, but it was awful being out of my area for a week. I felt lost. But I learned a lot from the zone leaders and it was great. But there is one thing this week that I learned that I think is going to change the course of my mission. As I sat in sacrament meeting yesterday I was thinking. I was thinking a lot about the area and what we could do to improve. As I thought I listened to the spirit and wrote down the ideas. I came up with five different people that we needed to focus on and had a meeting with our branch president and ward mission leader to discuss it. What it was that I learned was this. It´s not about numbers or "success" or anything, it´s all about people. Sure I knew that before and I tried to do it, but it was in that moment that I realized that it doesn´t matter how other people see the work that we´re doing. It doesn´t matter if the zone leaders see that we taught 20 lessons in a week or that the APs see that we have 5 baptismal dates or even that President sees that we had 3 baptisms last week. Although those things are wonderful, and I would definetly not turn them down, I realize now that the only person that sees our work and matters, is the Lord. And he also sees our hearts. When we are caring for his children, really worrying about their needs and their doubts, their desires and challenges, he sees that we are fit for the work and that we are ready for his help. As I thought for and cared for these people, the Lord filled my heart and mind with the things we need to do for them. I have said this time and time again, but it is so true: the Lord knows how to do HIS work. I am so grateful for that. I love you all. Thank you for your examples and your love. Keep up the good work and pray for a missionary experience this week. I know you all can do it! Especially you mom, I remember all your missionary work in Washington with Mirna (that was her name right?) I was telling someone about that the other day and was like, wow, my mom is a really good missionary :) Keep it up you all. I love you!
Elder Charlie Flint
PS My comp is good, Pdays we sometimes go to different places. Last week we were in Sevilla and there was a fair with different booths and countries. It was fun. This week we are going to a mall to find me a watch and going out to eat with our ward mission leader. Normally we just do fun things like that. Sometimes hikes or visiting cool castles and cathedrals. The weather here is actually really good right now. Well actually it´s raining, but the temperature is nice. But I think it will get a little cooler. I´m going to try to send fotos today. Hopefully I´ll have time. Oh quick question, is there a way to tell how much money I have on this cash card you gave me? I´ve used it quite a few times, and I´m not sure how much is left. If you could let me know that would be great. And remember how I said it would be better on my own card? Well that was a lie. That was just because I was in a tiny pueblo, here in Badajoz it is a great gift :) Thanks for everything, love you!
You know what? I love you guys. I really do, and though I hate to admit it, I miss you. And I´m excited to see you again. But I think you just need to come up here, becuase even after the two years, I just want to keep being a missionary :) But I suppose I might have to do that in a different area in Utah. But the work still continues even after the mission. I´m glad to hear that things are going well. Sounds like Skyler is having a lot of wonderful opportunities and that things are going well with Ammon and plays and Logan and sacerdocio and Micah and whatever he is doing :) And the girls. For me things are going well. This last week my comp had to go have an interview with the police in Madrid (sounds sketchy, right?) to figure out some nationality things so I headed up to Sevilla for an entire week! It was fun, but it was awful being out of my area for a week. I felt lost. But I learned a lot from the zone leaders and it was great. But there is one thing this week that I learned that I think is going to change the course of my mission. As I sat in sacrament meeting yesterday I was thinking. I was thinking a lot about the area and what we could do to improve. As I thought I listened to the spirit and wrote down the ideas. I came up with five different people that we needed to focus on and had a meeting with our branch president and ward mission leader to discuss it. What it was that I learned was this. It´s not about numbers or "success" or anything, it´s all about people. Sure I knew that before and I tried to do it, but it was in that moment that I realized that it doesn´t matter how other people see the work that we´re doing. It doesn´t matter if the zone leaders see that we taught 20 lessons in a week or that the APs see that we have 5 baptismal dates or even that President sees that we had 3 baptisms last week. Although those things are wonderful, and I would definetly not turn them down, I realize now that the only person that sees our work and matters, is the Lord. And he also sees our hearts. When we are caring for his children, really worrying about their needs and their doubts, their desires and challenges, he sees that we are fit for the work and that we are ready for his help. As I thought for and cared for these people, the Lord filled my heart and mind with the things we need to do for them. I have said this time and time again, but it is so true: the Lord knows how to do HIS work. I am so grateful for that. I love you all. Thank you for your examples and your love. Keep up the good work and pray for a missionary experience this week. I know you all can do it! Especially you mom, I remember all your missionary work in Washington with Mirna (that was her name right?) I was telling someone about that the other day and was like, wow, my mom is a really good missionary :) Keep it up you all. I love you!
Elder Charlie Flint
PS My comp is good, Pdays we sometimes go to different places. Last week we were in Sevilla and there was a fair with different booths and countries. It was fun. This week we are going to a mall to find me a watch and going out to eat with our ward mission leader. Normally we just do fun things like that. Sometimes hikes or visiting cool castles and cathedrals. The weather here is actually really good right now. Well actually it´s raining, but the temperature is nice. But I think it will get a little cooler. I´m going to try to send fotos today. Hopefully I´ll have time. Oh quick question, is there a way to tell how much money I have on this cash card you gave me? I´ve used it quite a few times, and I´m not sure how much is left. If you could let me know that would be great. And remember how I said it would be better on my own card? Well that was a lie. That was just because I was in a tiny pueblo, here in Badajoz it is a great gift :) Thanks for everything, love you!
Monday, September 23, 2013
Well hello there family,
Sounds like things are going well for you all. Lots of exciting things happening right now. Here in Spain things are pretty exciting too. We had some really good experiences this week. We were given two references from our branch president of a man that he was in contact with. The man is from Peru but lives in a pueblo here in Badajoz. So they came down on Friday to meet us and see the capilla but it took us forever to find them. They don´t know Badajoz very well, so we spent forever trying to get to them. But eventually we did and we had a really good lesson with them. The man was with a friend and they both have strong connections to the church and a lot of interest in learning about the book of mormon. So we are really excited to see how things shape out. Also this week we had a cool experience with another investigator. His name is Mané. He is the novio of a member and really wants to learn about the church for her, and for himself too. But we had a lesson with him last week and after watching the Restoration video and talking for a few minutes he told us that he was feeling something he had never felt before. He said that he felt a peace, like he wanted to cry, but didn´t understand why. We told him it was the Spirit. Ever since that moment he has held on to that testimony of the Spirit. He has had a really hard week. The adversary is throwing every type of temptation and doubt in his path, but he told us that since he had that experience, he can´t go back. He told us that before he didn´t believe in God, but he does now. It was an incredible testimony strengthening experience. God is there, he does exist and his spirit testifies of him. I´m so grateful to be a part of this work. I love you all and am grateful for all your love and support. Keep on going! You´re doing great :) Love you and have a wonderful week.
Love,
Elder Charlie Flint
PS I want to see pictures of homecoming! Send me some! And then when I´m not in Sevilla (I´m in Sevilla right now) I´ll send you some too :)
Monday, September 16, 2013
Hey there fam!
Well I´m glad to hear that the house got sold and that things are getting a little less stressful bit by bit. Things here in España are going well. This week we worked and worked and worked and worked. Honestly we probably walked about 20 miles one day going from one place to another helping people fix lightbulbs and teaching lessons outside our area, it was crazy. But definitely worth it. Another awesome thing that happened this week. We went to a place called Mérida. Mérida is one of the oldest Roman communities here in Spain. It´s full of aquaducts, ampitheatres, chariot races circles, and the longest standing Roman bridge in Spain (it´s said that Paul the apostle walked across the bridge). Basically it´s super awesome. There used to be a branch there, but after a while the people moved away or became inactive and the rest started coming here to Badajoz to go to church. But President Deere and the Sevilla stake are really wanting to boost things back up again. So they´ve asked us to work there. So that´s what we´re doing. We went with the hermanas and our ward mission leader the other day and we worked in Mérida. We ended up finding the family of a menos activo and other investigators. It was pretty great. Also Hna. Wilcox a few weeks back had an idea. Her dad was in My Turn on Earth (church musical kinda like Saturday´s Warrior) back in the day and while he was a mission president they put it on in Chile. So she decided a great way to get the church going in Mérida (whose real claim to fame is the Roman ampitheatre that they have and the plays and things that go on there) would be to do the musical there. Turns out we have a proffesional actor that lives in our rama and he is willing to help us figure it all out. So that´s what we´re working on right now. Do you know what that means? It means I might get the chance to combine two of my favorite things to do; acting and singing, with missionary work, my other favorite thing to do :) Super pumped to see how it goes. But it´s super great. I have yet to see the Roman theatre but in the next few weeks I think we are going on a Pday there, so I´ll send some pictures. But that has been the most exciting thing for my week. And it sounds like your week has been fun too. Good job Micah on trying out! And you made call backs! That´s awesome! And Logan you filthy little Mudblood! Good work with the deacons quorum. Ammon or should I say Caesar, good work. And Skyler, I´m glad to hear you are doing well, just keep holding in there and things will be great. I think you would like being a vetrinarian a lot or maybe you could do something with forest services or something like that, helping find animals and saving them. But keep looking for the thing you really want to do. Papi, porque sientes solo? Tienes a tu alrededor un montón de gente que te ama. Incluso yo. Recuerdes que en cualquier momento nuestro hermano mayor esta allí para ti. De verdad. El es nuestro amigo mejor y será para siempre jamas. Confía en el. Te amo, eres el papi mejor del mundo. Te lo prometo :) Gracias por todo. And mom I´m glad to hear that things are working out. You are the best. Really. You don´t deserve all the stress that you had to go through, but you stuck it out and now things are going to just get better. I love you and I´m so grateful for you. If you could send me Elder Driggs email I would really appreciate it.
Well that´s about it fam. I miss you all and love you all. Keep on doing what you´re supposed to and the Lord will bless you. Thanks for everything!
Love,
Elder Charlie Flint
Well I´m glad to hear that the house got sold and that things are getting a little less stressful bit by bit. Things here in España are going well. This week we worked and worked and worked and worked. Honestly we probably walked about 20 miles one day going from one place to another helping people fix lightbulbs and teaching lessons outside our area, it was crazy. But definitely worth it. Another awesome thing that happened this week. We went to a place called Mérida. Mérida is one of the oldest Roman communities here in Spain. It´s full of aquaducts, ampitheatres, chariot races circles, and the longest standing Roman bridge in Spain (it´s said that Paul the apostle walked across the bridge). Basically it´s super awesome. There used to be a branch there, but after a while the people moved away or became inactive and the rest started coming here to Badajoz to go to church. But President Deere and the Sevilla stake are really wanting to boost things back up again. So they´ve asked us to work there. So that´s what we´re doing. We went with the hermanas and our ward mission leader the other day and we worked in Mérida. We ended up finding the family of a menos activo and other investigators. It was pretty great. Also Hna. Wilcox a few weeks back had an idea. Her dad was in My Turn on Earth (church musical kinda like Saturday´s Warrior) back in the day and while he was a mission president they put it on in Chile. So she decided a great way to get the church going in Mérida (whose real claim to fame is the Roman ampitheatre that they have and the plays and things that go on there) would be to do the musical there. Turns out we have a proffesional actor that lives in our rama and he is willing to help us figure it all out. So that´s what we´re working on right now. Do you know what that means? It means I might get the chance to combine two of my favorite things to do; acting and singing, with missionary work, my other favorite thing to do :) Super pumped to see how it goes. But it´s super great. I have yet to see the Roman theatre but in the next few weeks I think we are going on a Pday there, so I´ll send some pictures. But that has been the most exciting thing for my week. And it sounds like your week has been fun too. Good job Micah on trying out! And you made call backs! That´s awesome! And Logan you filthy little Mudblood! Good work with the deacons quorum. Ammon or should I say Caesar, good work. And Skyler, I´m glad to hear you are doing well, just keep holding in there and things will be great. I think you would like being a vetrinarian a lot or maybe you could do something with forest services or something like that, helping find animals and saving them. But keep looking for the thing you really want to do. Papi, porque sientes solo? Tienes a tu alrededor un montón de gente que te ama. Incluso yo. Recuerdes que en cualquier momento nuestro hermano mayor esta allí para ti. De verdad. El es nuestro amigo mejor y será para siempre jamas. Confía en el. Te amo, eres el papi mejor del mundo. Te lo prometo :) Gracias por todo. And mom I´m glad to hear that things are working out. You are the best. Really. You don´t deserve all the stress that you had to go through, but you stuck it out and now things are going to just get better. I love you and I´m so grateful for you. If you could send me Elder Driggs email I would really appreciate it.
Well that´s about it fam. I miss you all and love you all. Keep on doing what you´re supposed to and the Lord will bless you. Thanks for everything!
Love,
Elder Charlie Flint
Monday, September 9, 2013
Hey guys,
So first off, don´t have a lot of time to write. Sorry about that but we have been gone all day :/ But it was a fun day, so that is good. This week has been a crazy one. Our whole district changed. Most of us were out of our areas for 4 days straight! So needless to say not a whole lot happened here in Badajoz recently. But I did get a new companion. His name is Elder Pomazón. He is from Peru, but lives in Madrid. He is 26 years old. Yeah that´s right, 26. I didn´t even think that was allowed! But I guess it is. So it´s a different experience working with him. But luckily things are going well. We have a great rama here and some great hermanas to help us all along the way. The newest hermana is named Hna Rawle. Lisa Rawle. She went to Maple Mountain and saw all of our plays in Salem. So she knows who I am, or at least all of my characters. Pretty crazy stuff. But things are going quite well.
So about Skyler. I think you know what to do better than me. Just love him. Encourage him to prepare himself for school, for life, and possibly, to come out on the mission again. Help him to know that the Lord is on his side, and that he will help him. The anxiety issue is one that will be there. But the Lord can strengthen him to become anything he needs to become. Just love him and give him a big hug sent from me.
Well honestly that´s all the time I have. But I love you all and I´m so grateful for all you do. Thanks and hugs from me for everyone.
Con amor,
Elder Flint
PS Ammon, good work with the dancing and with the ladies ;) Who is olivia Christian again? Me sueña the name, but I can´t put a face to it. Just send me pics. And Logan good work with being a stud. You know, you´re going to be famous. And then you can buy me cool stuff :) Love you all
So first off, don´t have a lot of time to write. Sorry about that but we have been gone all day :/ But it was a fun day, so that is good. This week has been a crazy one. Our whole district changed. Most of us were out of our areas for 4 days straight! So needless to say not a whole lot happened here in Badajoz recently. But I did get a new companion. His name is Elder Pomazón. He is from Peru, but lives in Madrid. He is 26 years old. Yeah that´s right, 26. I didn´t even think that was allowed! But I guess it is. So it´s a different experience working with him. But luckily things are going well. We have a great rama here and some great hermanas to help us all along the way. The newest hermana is named Hna Rawle. Lisa Rawle. She went to Maple Mountain and saw all of our plays in Salem. So she knows who I am, or at least all of my characters. Pretty crazy stuff. But things are going quite well.
So about Skyler. I think you know what to do better than me. Just love him. Encourage him to prepare himself for school, for life, and possibly, to come out on the mission again. Help him to know that the Lord is on his side, and that he will help him. The anxiety issue is one that will be there. But the Lord can strengthen him to become anything he needs to become. Just love him and give him a big hug sent from me.
Well honestly that´s all the time I have. But I love you all and I´m so grateful for all you do. Thanks and hugs from me for everyone.
Con amor,
Elder Flint
PS Ammon, good work with the dancing and with the ladies ;) Who is olivia Christian again? Me sueña the name, but I can´t put a face to it. Just send me pics. And Logan good work with being a stud. You know, you´re going to be famous. And then you can buy me cool stuff :) Love you all
Monday, September 2, 2013
PICTURE TIME!!!
Happy Birthday Charlie!
Well hello there family!
So first off want to thank you for all the birthday wishes! And I want to let you know mom that I got the package the day before my birthday and so I even waited to open it! Sunday morning I opened it all up and marvelled at the Americaness of all the food! Loved it :) But I must confess it was not the best present I got on my birthday. Let me explain. So last monday things were looking pretty bleak for the week. Didn´t really have that many potential investigators and a lot of the investigators we have weren´t even in town. So we were just expecting a hard time. On monday we had a family home evening with our branch president and an investigator. We invited her to be baptized on the 14th. She said no. Bummer. But we set up another meeting with her the next day. After the lesson on Tuesday we talked about baptism again. This time her answer was a little different. She basically just asked when she could be baptized. We said whenever, but said, why not in one or two weeks. She told us that she has a pretty busy schedule coming up, but that she would like to be baptized that Sunday if she could. We were a little shell shocked, but we said, of course you can be baptized this sunday. We set up lessons with her every day of the week and got an interview lined up for her on Saturday and on Sunday we were able to participate in a baptism. Yeah, Sunday, as in, my birthday :) It may have been the best birthday present I have ever recieved, the opportunity to witness someone enter into the waters of baptism and make an essential covenant with the Lord. Truly an amazing experience and a true testimony that the Lord´s hand is in everything. That´s basically what I want to share with you all today. Just that. The Lord´s hand is in all of our lives. I know things are tough right now for all of us. For Skyler especially. But I want you ALL to know that no matter how many houses we need to sell, how many classes we need to teach or take, how many hours of homework we may have, and how much despair and hopelessness may cloud our eyes, that the Lord is there just on the other side of the fog saying, just a few more steps, just a little while longer. I´m here, I´m going to help you. I love you all so much. I have seen the Lord work miracles and I know that no matter what happens, things will work out. Just keep to the basics, and the Lord will "make weak things become strong unto us". I love you all so much. Keep on keepin on :)
Con amor,
Elder Charlie Flint
PS Transfers are this week. I´m not moving, but I´m training again. Super pumped for that :) Love you all
So first off want to thank you for all the birthday wishes! And I want to let you know mom that I got the package the day before my birthday and so I even waited to open it! Sunday morning I opened it all up and marvelled at the Americaness of all the food! Loved it :) But I must confess it was not the best present I got on my birthday. Let me explain. So last monday things were looking pretty bleak for the week. Didn´t really have that many potential investigators and a lot of the investigators we have weren´t even in town. So we were just expecting a hard time. On monday we had a family home evening with our branch president and an investigator. We invited her to be baptized on the 14th. She said no. Bummer. But we set up another meeting with her the next day. After the lesson on Tuesday we talked about baptism again. This time her answer was a little different. She basically just asked when she could be baptized. We said whenever, but said, why not in one or two weeks. She told us that she has a pretty busy schedule coming up, but that she would like to be baptized that Sunday if she could. We were a little shell shocked, but we said, of course you can be baptized this sunday. We set up lessons with her every day of the week and got an interview lined up for her on Saturday and on Sunday we were able to participate in a baptism. Yeah, Sunday, as in, my birthday :) It may have been the best birthday present I have ever recieved, the opportunity to witness someone enter into the waters of baptism and make an essential covenant with the Lord. Truly an amazing experience and a true testimony that the Lord´s hand is in everything. That´s basically what I want to share with you all today. Just that. The Lord´s hand is in all of our lives. I know things are tough right now for all of us. For Skyler especially. But I want you ALL to know that no matter how many houses we need to sell, how many classes we need to teach or take, how many hours of homework we may have, and how much despair and hopelessness may cloud our eyes, that the Lord is there just on the other side of the fog saying, just a few more steps, just a little while longer. I´m here, I´m going to help you. I love you all so much. I have seen the Lord work miracles and I know that no matter what happens, things will work out. Just keep to the basics, and the Lord will "make weak things become strong unto us". I love you all so much. Keep on keepin on :)
Con amor,
Elder Charlie Flint
PS Transfers are this week. I´m not moving, but I´m training again. Super pumped for that :) Love you all
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