christmas MIRACLES

MY DEAREST PEOPLE-

Well, yesterday was the BEST because I talked to 6 of my most favorite people but here I am once again to give you the rundown of the week!!!!!!  This has been a crazy week because we've only actually worked about 4 days ((due to conferences and holidays)) but nonetheless, there are miracles to share!!!!

The first and biggest miracle is that we have a set baptismal date with someone!!! TALK ABOUT A MIRACLE.  Things have been going pretty slow in Jerez but it's all turning around.  On Thursday, we went to our pueblo and had a cita with a man named Vicente.  He is so so so prepared.  Basically the first thing he said was, "So what steps do I need to take to be a member of your church?"  We talked a little bit about prayer, scripture study, church attendance and YES, we definitely invited him to be baptized :)) He's working towards the 4th of January!!!  He's already read the Book of Mormon completely through and he just started it again.  He prays every day and is more than willing to listen to us.  The only hard part is that he lives about 2 hours away but we will figure this out!!!

This week we had our Christmas conference with president.  We were just 3 zones but it was super fun and so nice to see people.  I even got to see my girl Hermana Wood!!!!!  Our district did a song for the talent show and it was pretty fun.  President and Hermana Andersen talked a lot about setting goals and what "gift" we can give the Savior this year.  We reflected on this last year and what we gave and what we

gained.  It was great to look back on this year and see how much I've learned and how much I've grown.  I can honestly say that I am a completely changed person because of the mission.  I have learned how to trust in my Savior more.  I've learned how to love others as the Savior would.  I've learned what role the Savior plays in my life.  I don't think I would ever be able to put into summary what I've learned

this year but I hope that others will be able to see it through the way I live my life.  I have lots of goals for the next year to make me stretch and grow.  AND IN BIG NEWS, Hermana Højholdt and I get to stay together for another transfer!!!!!  I'm so happy because I just love her to death :))  We've got some big things planned for Jerez.

I have learned that God is merciful with his miracles-even with insignificant things. Yesterday, on the way to church, Hermana Højholdt and I were carrying tons of really heavy bags.  The walk to the church from our piso is about 30 minutes so we were not excited about that.  While we were walking, I said, "I would cry if some members just drove up and asked us if we wanted a ride to church."  Not kidding, 2 MINUTES LATER we hear, "hey hermanas, wanna ride????"  Talk about a Christmas miracle!!!!!!

DONT FORGET HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU ALL,

Hermana Spangler

when life gives you lemons, SHARE THE GOSPEL

MY DEAREST PEOPLE-

This week has been FULL of miracles ((I think I'm seeing a pattern in every week)). We taught a RECORD of 21 lessons this week!!!!  I'm not going to lie, Jerez has probably been my hardest area so far.  The hardest with the members, with finding futures, with teaching lessons.  But slowly, we are seeing miracles!!

There is one specific miracle that I would like to share.  A few days ago, I was putting someone into the area book app named Ana.  Her registro seemed interesting and I was saying to Hermana Højholdt that we needed to find her but we didn't have her address.  Later that night, we were visiting a less active member and there was

another woman there.  Well, after talking to her a little bit we found out that it was the Ana we were wanting to find!!!!  ((It was the mother of the girl friend of the less active, does that make sense??))  She said we could come visit her and gave us her address and she was super sweet :))  Later that week, we passed by her house and she was there!!  She told us that her brother in law had passed away earlier this month and that they were going through a really difficult time.  We read in Mosiah

18:7-9 which says,

"7 And if Christ had not risen from the dead, or have broken the bands of death that the grave should have no victory, and that death should have no sting, there could have been no resurrection.

8 But there is a resurrection, therefore the grave hath no victory, and the sting of death is swallowed up in Christ.

9 He is the light and the life of the world; yea, a light that is endless, that can never be darkened; yea, and also a life which is endless, that there can be no more death."

We testified of the father's plan for us and told her that she would see him again.  We told her that there was not much we could do but that Jesus Christ knew what she was going through and she could turn to him for help.  We asked if we could say a prayer together.  I offered a prayer pleading with Heavenly Father to fill her and her home with love and comfort during these hard times.  We were just praying right outside her door but the spirit came in so sweet but so strong.  After the prayer she touched her heart and started to cry.  She said, "That was a beautiful prayer, I don't word to describe how I feel but I feel good.  I feel peace.  Thank you."  It was such a special moment and I felt so much love for this woman I didn't even know.  I gave her a hug and she just cried in my arms for a little bit and then thanked us over and over again for bringing peace into her home.  Jesus Christ really is the light of the world and he can bring that light into any situation, no matter how dark it is.

This really is the most wonderful time of the year & the most wonderful place to be!!!  I feel extremely blessed to be a member of the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and especially grateful to be a missionary and share this beautiful message with all of the world :))

I love love love you all more than I can say.

MERRY CHRISTMAS,

Hermana Spangler

let us all press on

MY DEAREST PEOPLE-

This week went by SUPER fast but when I look back at all the things that happen, it feels like it's lasted weeks. I guess that's a good thing, right??

GUESS WHAT- so today is iris' birthday so for pday today we came to San Fernando and I surprised her!!!  It was fun to see her and hug her and laugh with her.  She's doing really great :') However, I am the worst because I totally forgot to take a picture with her :/

Also, Chela((from Alcalá)) GOT BAPTIZED!!!!!!!!  She finally did it!!!!!  Pics below :-)

First things first, we had consejo this week!!!!! Ah, what a seriously beautiful and uplifting experience it was. The APs ((assistant to the president)) and SUSHEs ((SHEs for the sister training leaders)) all spoke and we got to listen to President and Hermana Andersen as well :)) I learned so much about how to be a better missionary and how to trust in the lord.  I was actually moved to tears because the spirit was so strong.  President played a video of the Mormon tabernacle choir singing "let us all press on" and we all just felt a BURST of animo and a desire to be better.   I love remembering that we can have COURAGE because the lord is always on our side.  He really is always on our side and I can testify of that.  So many times this week Hermana Højholdt and I would be at the point of not being able to walk one more step and God would send us some little miracle to keep us going.  One night we came home and agreed that when we got up we didn't think we were going to get through the day, but that it actually went a lot faster than we thought it would. Heavenly Father is so so good to us.  Whether it's putting someone in our path that will actually talk to us or just a house that's all pretty and decorated for Christmas or a song that comes on an EFY CD from 2009 that says just what we need to hear.  He

pushes us and encourages and keeps us moving forward and then when we can’t do it anymore, he picks us up in his arms and carries us the rest of the way.

After consejo, that meant that we and the zone leaders were in charge of the zone meeting.  ((Yikes)) but no, it actually went a lot better than I thought it would!!!!  I gave a taller ((lesson/workshop)) on setting goals and I think I learned a lot more writing it than the zone did listening hahahahaha but it's okay it went good.  The elders and Hermana Højholdt each talked about something as well.  We made hot chocolate and muffins and ate it together and it was a good time.

This week, we passed by the house of a less active man that we have never met.  The door opened for the first time ever and a 17 year old girl came out.  We talked to her for a little bit and then showed her the Christmas video ((it's a big hit out here)).  She said, "Can you guys come back again when my family is here?  I want them to see it too."  Ummmmm OF COURSE.  So we're hoping she's the key to coming in contact with her parents.  The Christmas video is bringing us crazy miracles and we've been using it in every single contact hahahaha no shame it's beautiful.  People are opening up a lot more-that's just what Christmas does to ya :))

I love Christmas.  I love the gospel.  I love being a missionary and I LOVE YOU ALL.

Besitos,

Hermana Spangler

PS-If you guys wanna write me, I won't complain :::)

Ronda del Peliron N.53, edif.2, 1°D

Jerez de la Frontera 11405

España

the good shepherd

KÆERE FAMILE OG VENNER

((Dear family and friends)) ((Yes, I can speak Danish))

Pues, this week has actually been SUPER great.  Hermana Højholdt and I made lots of new goals for our obedience and we have been working really hard all week.  We are still getting along really well.  She's such a good, hardworking, obedient missionary and she makes me want to be better.  With every transfer, I can really see the way God has been working in my life and in my mission.

We are on a train right now, headed to Malaga!!!!!  We have consejo (a council with all the zone leaders and sister training leaders) this week with president!!!!  I'll let you know how it goes next week.

We had intercambios with the SUPER she's ((they work with the whole mission, while Hermana Højholdt and I work over a specific zone)) it was great!!!!  I learned a lot from them :))  We also had our intercambios with two native girls in our zone.  It was fun to speak Spanish for two days straight-I saw a lot of improvement.  I absolutely adore the girls in our zone.

This week, while Hermana Højholdt and I were walking, we came across a whole flock of sheep!!!!  They were just standing and eating in a big field right next to the road.  At first, we were laughing about it and then we came across the Shepherd.  We talked to him for a really long time and we found out he was actually a member!! Unfortunately a less active but he had a lot of really good memories from his missionaries and from the church.  We gave him the new church tarjeta and he said he would look at the website!!!  At one point, the sheep were walking too close to the road, so the Shepherd called out for them to move and they all moved away immediately and came closer to him.  This Shepherd told us that he had 300 sheep and he knew them all by name.  The comparison of the Savior and the Good Shepherd really came alive for me.  These sheep had learned to trust their Shepherd and follow his voice.  The Shepherd warned his sheep of the dangers that were coming (the cars in the road) and they were protected.  If the sheep had never learned to follow the voice of their Shepherd, they could have been hurt.  This applies to us more than I ever realized.  If we learn to trust the voice of the Good Shepherd (Jesus Christ) he can protect us from physical and spiritual danger.  Christ really knows and loves all of us in a very personal way.  He knows us by name and he knows what we need to be protected and to be happy.  We only need to do our part to learn how to trust him and learn what his voice sounds like to us.  I know that Christ is really our Savior.  He spends his whole life trying to rescue us as his lost sheep.  It doesn't matter in what circumstance you find yourself, he will rescue you.  I've seen him rescuing people every day out here in the mission but the most evident rescue I've noticed is the one he's done with me.  The mission is changing me in more ways than I thought were possible and for that I will forever be grateful.

I love the mission and being able to see miracles every single day.  God is just so merciful and so loving.  I'm also grateful for how patient he is with me as a missionary and for all the trials and blessings he gives me in order to help me learn.

I love love love you all!!!!!

Besitos,

Hermana Spangler