i'm home

grateful

ALL THOSE WHOM I LOVE THE MOST-

I am ALL emotions as I write this letter- knowing it's my last letter as a missionary of the church of Jesus Christ.  Spain has become an actual part of me and I never want to leave, but I feel at peace knowing that I did all I could and hopefully changed a few lives along the way.

I have learned SO much but I've summed all my knowledge and experiences into the five biggest things I have learned on the mission:

1. God is present.  His hand is in every single part of my life.  It's not only there, but it is there and working miracles.  I've gone through weeks where our numbers were at the lowest of lows, but when it came time to sit down and write you, all I could remember were the millions of little miracles I had seen!!!  My favorite quote from my mission president goes like this: "miracles happen because God loves his children."  The areas I've served in, the companions I've had, are all evidence that God is PRESENT and working in my life.  This week we taught Jonathan 3 times and he continues to progress every time.  On Monday, he cried because he had never felt the spirit so strong.  On Wednesday, we invited him to be baptized August 17th and he accepted!!!!!  And on Sunday, he came to church.  That's what joy feels like, I'm pretty sure.

2.  The gospel makes me happy. I have cried, been yelled at, rained on, cussed at, and ridiculed. I have had my legs 'broken' from walking so much, my spirit broken from so much rejection, and my heart broken watching people I love make wrong decisions.  BUT I have never been so happy.  I have come home every single day, exhausted, and crashed into bed with a smile on my face and heart full of gratitude to my Heavenly Father for the experiences He's allowed me to have.  The gospel is part of God's marvelous plan and what's the ultimate goal of that plan?? OUR HAPPINESS. "Men are that they might have joy."  He knows us so perfectly inside and out and He knows exactly what we need-which is why He gave us the gospel of Jesus Christ, the KEY to happiness.  It's not a list of rules to make us miserable.  It's a giant book of BLESSINGS and what we must do to receive them.  Anaís, one of my very best friends, taught me that when I was in Cartagena.  She went from being lost and lonely, to becoming confident and radiant and happy.  I saw it change in her face and in the way she acted.  The little things we do every day (read, pray, serve, repent) are the things that lead us to real, true JOY.

3.  The Book of Mormon has brought me closer to God than any other book.  I have no doubt in my mind that that book is TRUE.  I can't even number the amount of times I've mentioned this in my weekly email, but it's true!!!!!!  It's seriously like a magic book full of animo, and answers to my questions, and stories, and insights. I've gained such an appreciation for it and I can't imagine my life without reading it every day.

4.  The atonement of Jesus Christ is for everyone and everything.  He loves us SO much that He came to earth for the very purpose of being killed and mocked and whipped JUST because He loves us.  Just so that we might have a chance to make it back to Him.  Just so that we would have someone that understands us and can walk with us in our trials.  The atoning power of Jesus Christ truly heals.  My sweet friend Iris helped me learn that more than anything.  I watched the power of the atonement physically CARRY her when her mom passed away and she was left with nothing.  She had no where to go and no one to help her, expect the power of Christ's atonement which led her to making decisions that would change her life forever. One of my favorite moments is just after her baptism, dressed in white, soaking wet, and dancing because she felt so light and clean and new.

5.  Faith is an action word. I can believe in Jesus Christ with all my heart and soul but it doesn't make any sense until I get up and DO something about it.  It makes me think of Rosa and Rocio, those two angels from Jerez, and how INCREDIBLY prepared they were.  They had questions and doubts and they didn't find those answers to their questions until they did something.  Rocio received her answer reading the Book of Mormon.  Rosa received her answer while praying.  They had that desire to know and they worked until their faith turned into knowledge.  Every experience, every cita, everything that happened led them up to their baptism day-which is still one of the most beautiful days I have ever experienced.

I know that God loves us with an infinite love.  I know his son, Jesus Christ, is the Savior of the world and I am eternally indebted to him.  I know that His gospel was restored through Joseph smith.  I know that the Book of Mormon is physical evidence of that.  I know that the gospel of Jesus Christ is the only thing that will give us real joy and ultimately lead us to salvation.

I have learned and changed and grown in ways I didn't know were possible.  I'm still Ginger Dee Spangler....just a better version of her.  My time as a set apart missionary may be over but I will forever be a servant of Him who saved me, even Jesus Christ.

PS-I love you all!!!!!!!!!  I can't even begin to thank you for the support and emails and prayers and things that have helped me every day.  I will hug you all very soon :):):):):)

Hermana Spangler

the field is white

MY DEAR GENTE-

The most AMAZING miracle happened this week.  On Sunday, we fasted as a mission for miracles to find people that were prepared to hear our message.   Hermana Mckeown and I were heading to visit a less active member and on the way, we passed a man and his two kids.  But it happened to be one of those awkward moments in the middle of the crosswalk where you can't really stop people so we just kept going.  I really felt like we needed to talk to them but they had already left and we were in a hurry to our cita so we continued (not a good excuse, I know).  I said a little prayer and apologized to Heavenly Father and asked him to put them in our path again if we really needed to talk to him.  We went to visit the less active and she came down to walk her dog so we just walked a little with her.  After walking for about 15 minutes, WE SAW THE MAN AGAIN.  I was in the most awkward situation again of trying to listen to the less active and wanting to talk the man and I literally let him walk right past us.  But I couldn't deny the spirit that told me to leave her and go talk to him so I said to the woman, "I'm so sorry, I need to talk to that family right now."  And she was totally great about it and just told us to come see her after talking to the family.  So we thanked her and ran back and we found him just standing there in the middle of the sidewalk. (blessings)  We started talking to him and he was SO nice.  His name is Jonathan and he's from Venezuela.  We went to a park to talk to him and so his kids could play and taught him about the restoration of the gospel.  And then listen to what he said.  He said that the first time he saw us walking, he wanted to talk to us but didn't have time and hoped to see us again!!!!!! AND THEN, when he saw us later he said, "when I saw you I really wanted to talk to you but you were talking to that woman so I just stopped right here to wait and see if you would come back.  And you did." !!!!!!  We had such a good lesson with him and then set a cita to meet again.  SO, we met him again (another Hermana and I on intercambios) and it went so good!!!!!  It was one of those lessons where we had something planned and then just changed because of all the questions he asked.   We ended up testifying a lot of the Book of Mormon and how he really, really needed to read it and find out if it was true.  At one point he started kind of shivering and then kept saying "WOW, I've never felt the spirit like this before.  Of course I'll read it." Just as a background, he's evangelist but kind of a confused one that's really just looking for the truth.  He recognizes the spirit really easily, which is great because HE, on his own, tells us that this is what Hod has been wanted him to hear.  HE’S SO PREPARED!!!!!!!!  We have a cita with him tonight, so pray for him!!!!!!!

Just another cool story:

We were walking to visit a family and got totally lost.  (You'd think that I would know the area by now)  We were stuck in this neighborhood that didn't have an exit and while making circles this woman stuck her head out the window and asked us who we were.  We explained that we were missionaries and shared a message about Jesus Christ and she proceeded to say, "I don't really practice my religion, but I want to learn more about yours, want to come up and teach me right now?"

............. we cried.  We told her that we had a cita already but that we would come back as soon as we could and teach her so she gave us her house number and name and told us to come back.

This week, we had 4 different people contact US and tell us they wanted to learn more.  After almost two transfers, things are starting to look up and people are just falling into our laps.  My testimony was strengthened that God in fact, IS preparing people.  It's made all the hundreds of rejections worth it.

I love you guys TONS.  And apologizing in advance for all the pictures I'm about to send. Enjoy :-)

xoxoxoxoxoxo,

Hermana Spangler

god's will is better than my will

MY LOVED ONES,

The weeks are seriously FLYING by!!!  I don't even have time to blink and it's already time to write another email.  Can you guys believe it's already July?!!!  I'm in shock when I think about myself last July and how much I've changed.  It's been a good year and I am a happy girl.

This week we had a BOMB ward activity!!!  I basically gave myself an ulcer trying to plan it and make sure everything was perfect, but it turned out great!!!  We had a talent show and a tortilla de patata cook off and it was seriously a blast :))  I'll attach photos and videos-TONS of people came.

Hermana Taggart and Hermana Burt invited all of us hermanas to pick a Christlike attribute for the month of July and work towards really developing it.  I chose obedience, or just aligning myself more perfectly with God's will.  It's been really cool to study Christ's life and how willingly He obeyed the Father in every single thing and how much I want to do that as well.  I've been trying to be exactly obedient in every single thing and make it a PART of me.  Something that will make life a lot easier when I come home.  I've seen so many blessings, and truly seen how much more abundantly the spirit is blessing my life.

In other news, ELDER HOLLAND IS COMING TO OUR MISSION.......in September.  So I'm bummed because I literally just missed it but, está bien, I'm excited to see how our mission will start preparing for him to come.

We've found some cool people here but for some reason, no one seems to want more.  We're working really hard and it feels so good to talk to everyone but satan's working really hard on the hearts of these people ):  We did a mission fast and included ALL the members in southern Spain, fasting for miracles and the ability to find those that are prepared.  I'm excited to see miracles!!!!!!

I love you guys tons and tons.  Thanks for all the support and love and things!!

Hermana Spangler

another weekly update

HELLO MY BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE-

This week, I had the opportunity to do intercambios with two different hermanas that are in training.  I learned SO much.  I just love these brand new missionaries and their fire and I would seriously do anything to take their place.  Both of them just went and talked to EVERYONE and we had so much fun.  I've learned that I'm just so much happier and have so much more fun when I'm working hard.

Okay CRAZY MIRACLE:  So a little while ago, Hermana Burt and I contacted a really cool guy named Eduardo.  He didn't want anything at first, but after talking to us for a while, he opened up and gave us his information.  We've tried to set citas with him, but have never ended up meeting with him.  WELL, the other day I saw him on the bus but he was talking on the phone.  He was on the other side so he didn't see me, but when he got off he left his wallet in his seat!!!!!!  And guess what??  I HAVE HIS NUMBER.  So I called him and we planned to meet up so I could give it back to

him.  He wasn’t able to come but his parents came, invited us up to their house, AND accepted a Book of Mormon!!!  TALK ABOUT A MIRACLE.

God's been really nice to me lately.  Not necessarily in blessing me with what I want, but in blessing me with what I need.  One manifestation of that is in my sweet companion who just inspires me to be better.  I adore her.  I also LOVE the ward here and just all the people.   The mission is just so great!!!!!!  I'm sorry that my emails are slowly getting worse.  I know I should put more thought into them especially during this last transfer but I just have no desires to sit down and write :/ Just know that I love you all lots and lots!!!!!!!

Hermana Spangler

*spam of consejo pics*

families can be together forever

MY LOVELIES,

So today is consejo!!!!!  I am so excited but that also means 2 things for you guys: short email and picture overload next week hahahahaha sorry about that.

In good news though, I love Hermana Mckeown!!!!  She's a doll and we are having a great time together.  She has the cutest English accent, has crazy art skills, loves to play the piano, and is actually moving to Provo!!!  We get along just splendidly.

I'm not gonna lie, it was sad saying goodbye to my lovely Hermana Burt but I am with her right now so no pasa nada!!!!  At consejo, I will be with 5 out of my 10 companions, HOW COOL IS THAT???

This week was a week of FAMILIES.  We searched for families and I have to say, we saw some miracles!!!!!!  We found some really really cute families (as in mom, dad, kids) that are interested and hearing more about the gospel!!!!  One cute mom actually told us that she didn't believe in God and didn't really care and then we started talking about eternal families and asked if she wanted to know more and she was like, "actually, yes, I love that and I wanna know more."  IT WAS SO COOL :-)

I'm so blessed to have the knowledge that families can be together forever.  Do you guys realize what I'm saying??  If you follow the gospel of Jesus Christ, and do your part, you can be FOREVER with all the people you love the most!!!!  What an incredible blessing.  I'm a lucky gal because I have the BEST family ever and I’m happy to know they're stuck with me hehehehehe.  I'm so grateful for Jesus Christ and his atonement and the hope I have to be with him and my father in heaven and all my most loved ones.

The gospel is true and I am a happy missionary,

XOXO

Hermana Spangler

This baptism is from Cartagena!  My first investigator ever, I think!

                                                                Hermana McKeown

                                                       The fish are eating our dead skin.

time flies when you're having fun

MY LOVED ONES,

Soooooooooo the time has come once again to have a change.  This has officially been the FASTEST transfer of my mission.  But, I'm staying in Malaga!!!!!!!  But unfortunately, the prayers didn't work and my companion is leaving me ): She's actually been assigned to be the super SHE so she'll just go to the other side of Malaga to be with Hermana Taggart.  I've accepted my calling of being the SUSHE preparer, but I'm actually really happy to be staying in Malaga.

Hermana Burt has honestly been SUCH a blessing to me and I am so grateful for the time we've had together.  I've never met a more dedicated, diligent, driven person. She taught me so so much and it's just evidence of how well God truly knows me.

My new companion will be a cute girl from England named Hermana Mckeown.  She will be my last and 10th companion, and actually my 6th foreign companion.  I've met her once and she's really sweet so I'm excited to see miracles with her!!!!  She comes in on Wednesday so I'll send pictures next week :))

A while ago, I mentioned that we found an Arabic/Christian girl named Sara.  Well, we met with her this week and turns out her name is actually Saida and she's a lot more Muslim than we thought.  We taught her about the restoration and it was one of the most spiritual lessons I've ever had.  She's very, very open to listening to us and even praying to know if it's true so we're hoping to help her recognize the spirit. She is seriously one of the cutest people I have ever met, I adore her :')

Hermana Burt and I started teaching the cutest Peruvian lady and she loves meeting with us!!!!  She's readily willing to accept basically anything we teach her.  She's a little confused on what a bible is though because she calls anything that talks about God a bible, including the Book of Mormon and those little pamphlets we pass out. We're working on her with that one :)) Her name is Eva if you want to mention her in your prayers.

This area is pretty hard, not going to lie.  But it's so fulfilling to work hard and see little miracles every day.  I'm still going strong on my joy journal and I've seen the hand of God SO much throughout this transfer.  I'm sad the time is passing so quickly but I'm so excited for this last transfer and all the miracles we are going to see!!!!  Thanks for all the love and support, it really means a lot.

XOXO,

Hermana Spangler

PS there's still time to send me letters :):):):):)

Spain Malaga Mission

AV. Jesús Santos Rein N°2, 1°C

EDIF. Ofisol, Fuengirola

29640 Malaga

Spain

                                                                 Cute little Erik

The greatest district 

                                                         Yummy food with members

preachin' the good word

MY LOVELY PEOPLE-

Is it just me or are the weeks FLYING by??  What's really crazy is that we get transfer calls this week!!!  ((What?!?!?!?))  Fingers crossed that I get to stay with my girl Hermana Burt again but chances are pretty low considering I only have 1 transfer left and she has 2.  I'm excited to see how I'm going to stretch and grow in these next 2 months.

This week was a lil complicated because an Hermana had to go home early so her companion came and stayed with us for the week.  Trio life is so crazy but so fun.  So we had Hermana sigcha (from Ecuador) stay with us and we saw MIRACLES.  Also, it was crazy because our water heater broke and flooded our whole laundry room.  Our landlord couldn't come til like the end of the week so we invented this thing with a bag and straws so that the water went straight outside instead of dripping on the floor.  We spent a good hour trying to fix it and we finally came up with a genius thing to save the floor.  (video attached)

We met with Alberto again (the less active) and had a really good review lesson about the restoration.  He served a mission like 3 years ago so he still remembered a lot (including, he still had the first vision memorized). We talked a lot about the blessings that have come from the restoration and it just helped me see, once again, that I am so incredibly blessed to be a part of Christ's church. We tried really hard to follow the spirit in the lesson and ask inspired questions and we had a really good discussion.  He didn't come to church on Sunday but he's been reading and praying every day so that's a start!!!!  I love watching him make these steps again but you can really see how it's affecting him.  I've only seen him 3 times but he's doing so well and is just so much happier.  I love how happy the gospel makes me and how much joy it can bring into the lives of others.

I've been studying a lot about the atonement lately and I just wanna share some of the beautiful scriptures that I've read recently:

"2 Nephi 2: 5 And men are instructed sufficiently that they know good from evil. And the law is given unto men. And by the law no flesh is justified; or, by the law men are cut off. Yea, by the temporal law they were cut off; and also, by the spiritual law they perish from that which is good, and become miserable forever.

6 Wherefore, redemption cometh in and through the Holy Messiah; for he is full of grace and truth.

7 Behold, he offereth himself a sacrifice for sin, to answer the ends of the law, unto all those who have a broken heart and a contrite spirit; and unto none else can the ends of the law be answered."

Basically, because of the fact that we are imperfect humans, we already lost our chance of getting back to God.  BUT Christ, who was the only perfect human to live, made it possible to be clean and start over.  What would we do without His perfect atonement.  I, for one, am extremely grateful for what he did for me and I am even more grateful to be here in Spain preaching the good word to all my new friends and family.

I love you guys A TON.  Thanks for all the love,

Hermana Spangler

i love jóvenes

HELLO MY LOVELY GENTE-

Remember how Hermana Burt and I did a fast to find more young people??  Well, let's just start this email out by talking about those miracles.

Alberto-so this random less active texted us and said something like this, "hermanas, I don't know what to say or do.  I feel so lost.  I miss my Heavenly Father and I want to come back. Can you help me?"  Claro que si Alberto!!!!  We met with him and had a really sweet, really spiritual lesson talking about the atonement of Jesus Christ.  The spirit was really strong and he really opened up.  He came to the ward family home evening the next night and had a super great time, so we're hoping to help him get back on track :))

Carlos- so, this guy is from Peru!!  I think a while ago I mentioned that we contacted some Peruvians.  Well, this week we met with him and he is WONDERFUL.  It was a total miracle and he wants to know if it's true and start reading the Book of Mormon.

Tamara-we had met with this girl previously and she was great until she got busy and we lost contact with her, BUT she ran to the elders on the street and told them she's been waiting for us to come by (!!!) so we went by and had a SUPER great lesson with her and her family.  In fact, her dad had read 27 pages in the Book of Mormon.  They're going through some crazy things as a family so we made some promises that if they read the Book of Mormon as a family, it would all work out.

Isabel- I actually didn't meet her because it was on an intercambio.  BUT she's a super cool girl that accepted a Book of Mormon and asked us to come back and learn more :))

Hermana Burt and I have been having so much fun contacting these younger people. I am just so so extremely grateful to have grown up as a member of the church.  I can't image how different my life would have been, growing up without the knowledge that Christ is my Savior and that God always loves me, no matter what happens.  There's a lot of lost and confused people in the world, but the gospel of Jesus Christ really brings a new light into life and I love being a member of his church.

I finished the Book of Mormon this week for the 3rd time on my mission.  If anyone is wondering, it's still true :)) I love how I can read it so many times and ask if it's true every time.  I always get the same peaceful feeling in my heart that tells me it really is the word of God.  Read it, and ask, and you'll feel it, too.

I love you all SO much,

Hermana Spangler

happy

ALL THE PEOPLE WHOM I LOVE THE MOST

This week we saw MIRACLES.  I think probably the most miracles I've ever seen in a row and I love it!!!!!  We were headed to a cita the other day and were waiting at a red light and there were some South American people next to us.  So I asked them where they were from and we ending up talking to them for a long time, taught them about the restoration, gave them both copies of the Book of Mormon and set another cita to talk again!!!!!  It was seriously fantastic. Eva and her son Carlos, if you wanna add them to your prayers :))  Then, just last night we stopped a really cute girl from Morroco who was christian!!! (they're usually Muslim) we had a really, really good conversation and gave her a Book of Mormon and she was super excited about it!!!  We have a cita tomorrow so we'll see how it goes.

Yesterday, Hermana Burt and I did a fast that we would find youth/young adults that are prepared to accept the gospel.  Of course it's wonderful that older people find the gospel but we have absolutely zero young single adults in our ward and we need more!!!!  We've been on a search and trying to contact every single young person we see (usually what we do already) but we have so much faith that we'll start finding some future leaders of the church.

We had a cita this week with some members that was really great.  It's a cute family with 3 boys. We split up the topics of the restoration and all taught a different part and it was SO good.  I was so impressed, these boys really knew their information.  Just my weekly invitation to really study these gospel principles that sometimes we take for granted and then teach them to your families and friends!!!!

I know with all my heart that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God and that Jesus Christ restored his church through him.  I know that the Book of Mormon is perfect evidence and that we can know FOR OURSELVES that it's true when we read it.  I am so extremely grateful that the gospel was restored and that it's such a big part of my life.  Nothing else in this world brings me so much joy. But like true, genuine, joy.

I've seen it even more as a missionary while I spent all my time thinking about it, living it and teaching it.  Seriously guys, I'm just so incredibly happy!!!!!!  And I want you all to be just as happy so I'm inviting you to look into it if you're not a member, and live it more fully if you are.  I promise you'll never experience a more pure joy :))

Hey, love you guys a ton!!! Thanks for all the support and love!!!

Besitos,

Hermana Spangler

for those who wanted to know

DEAREST PEOPLE,

Unfortunately, this is going to be another quick email but I hope you can feel through my words how much I LOVE all of you.  I'll send lots of pictures though, hopefully that makes up for it.

Malaga is an absolute DREAM.  I love the ward.  I love my companion.  I love being a missionary.  We've been working really, really hard and finding tons of super cool, new people.  The other day, I felt prompted to knock a specific door and I kinda pushed the prompting away and told myself I would knock it later but then I felt it again and went back.  The guy opened the door, looked at us, and then shut it ): I was a little bit confused as to way I felt like I needed to knock it but the answer came later when we met a super cute couple and their baby on that side of the street!!!! They were interested and totally wanted to hear more :) all I can say is, God loves his children and will use us as his instruments if we are ready and worthy.

Thanks for all your love and support!!!!!

Hermana Spangler

I'll just blow up your emails with consejo pictures of me and all my friends.

When missionaries come back after being home ten months ((what))

Pday today

week 4927277261

MY DEAR PEOPLE,

Remember the first time I traveled to a new area and totally messed up everything and got lost??  Remember how I have lived in Spain for a year now and should know how to travel??  Yeah, me too.  But somehow I managed to mess everything up again my last time around.  Let me just paint the picture:  I got on a train at 12:15 with Elder Rogers (thank goodness I wasn't alone) and we headed to Dos Hermanas.  It was a 45 minute trip and it was great.  When we got to Dos Hermanas, we got all of our suitcases and things and got out of the train.  As we were waiting for the elevator, an older lady holding a baby came up to us crying that her daughter was still on the train and that the doors closed before she could get out.  She had her granddaughter and her daughter’s bags and phone and everything and she was freaking out.  So we calmed her down, got all her stuff together, called some people and helped her get to where she needed to go.  What we didn't realize was that we only had 10 minutes to catch the train to Malaga.  So, in the process of helping this lady, our train came and left...........  We called the missionary secretary who figured everything out but told us that the next train wasn't coming until 5:30.  So here's us: Hermana Spangler and Elder Rogers stuck together at the train station for 5 hours, no food, 4 giant suitcases, and to top it all off, the lady had left her baby in our care (without telling us).  It was the craziest situation I have ever been in but we had a blast.  We couldn't leave the train station because our tickets wouldn't allow us so we found a bag of Oreos in my bag and a jar of peanut in his, and lived on that for the rest of the night.  Our train finally came and we arrived in Malaga, hungry but happy at 8:30 pm.  I don't know how I manage to do this every time.

But anyways, I LOVE MALAGA.  I am having a grand time and actually working harder than I ever have before.  We walk and talk and teach all day until we get back home and literally crash into our beds, completely exhausted.  It's the best kind of feeling :))  My companion is amazing and I am learning so much!!!!!  We have seen a ton of miracles already.  Including a family that we found on Friday.  We are teaching the daughter, Thamara.  She's 27 and super great!!!!  Her parents sat in on the lesson too and had so many wonderful questions.  We have a cita with them on Wednesday so pray that it'll go well :))

I am so happy to be a missionary and be able to serve God.  I want to work extra hard these last 3 months and put my heart and soul into this work.  I love the Lord and I love sharing the gospel with all that I meet-it brings me REAL joy.

Sorry this is kind of uneventful, but we are going to consejo today, AND I GET TO SEE HERMANA BAILEY along with 3 of my other companions :-)  I'm pumped.

Hugs & kisses & all my love,

The newest malagueña,

Hermana Spangler

change is good, right?

MI QUERIDA GENTE-

I know you're all waiting for the transfer news so let's just get right too it.  I'm leaving and I’M GOING TO MALAGA.  I have gone through so many mixed emotions and madre mía I do not want to leave this special place ): Jerez has touched my heart and changed my life in so many ways that I didn't think were possible. You bet I cried like a baby giving my last testimony yesterday in church and I cried basically the whole rest of the time saying goodbye to people.  I genuinely felt like I was leaving home and it was so hard.  This whole week was full of goodbyes and I didn't like it at all.  BUT I'm actually really excited to start fresh and end strong in Malaga. My companion is a super cute chica from Washington state (shoutout to the Spangler family).  She trained Hermana Wood in Alcalá and then was companions with Hermana Bailey in San Fernando so we have a lot in common :)) We've worked together for intercambios and she's a really, really dedicated and hardworking missionary so I'm really excited!!!!

I'm really sad to say goodbye to Hermana Malterre as well because she has changed my life.  I think she is hands down the most obedient missionary I have ever met and I have learned so much from her.  I'm glad to leave the area in her hands because I know she'll continue to do great things.

This week I shared a lot of scriptures with a lot of different people as a 'goodbye' and I want to share one of my favorites.  It's in Alma 26:16.

"Therefore, let us glory, yea, we will glory in the Lord; yea, we will rejoice, for our joy is full; yea, we will praise our God forever.  Behold, who can glory too much in the Lord?  Yea, who can say too much of his great power, and of his mercy, and of his long-suffering towards the children of men?  Behold, I say unto you, I cannot say the smallest part which I feel."

I love it.  Who can glory too much in the lord??  I don't think I will ever be able to express my love and gratitude for the Savior and everything he did for me.  I feel so blessed to be a missionary and to be able to share my testimony with the world and rejoice in the gospel :-)

Sorry this is a short one, but I've got lots to do today!!!!  Next time I write I'll be in Malaga!!!!!

LOVE YOU ALL

Hermana Spangler