Week 4 in Barcelona

Hello everyone!

Happy Holidays from Spain!!! Even though it is not quite the same without the snow, there are some very festive things about Spain during the Holiday season. Many of the streets have lights of all different kinds of things, like trees, gifts, stars, ornaments, and many other things, that hang over the streets...and so when you are driving, or in our case walking, there is just a long street with tons of Christmas lights and I think it is super neat. Sorry...that was a really long sentence. Well, in addition to that, we live about two blocks away from the Sagrada Familia, which happens to be one of the neatest things to go and see in Barcelona. It was designed by Gaudi and construction is still going on and who knows when they will actually be done with it. But...anyways, the thing that is very festive about that is that it was all lit up red the other night. But in addition to that, on the square that is just south of the Sagrada Familia, they have all these stands set up for Christmas. They have thousands of different nativity sets and individual pieces, as well as many had made decorations that are all really neat. There are also stands with candied apples and many other neat treats like cotton candy and gummy candy. So something that I have found out here, is that Spain is very well known for their gummy candy and their nativity scene´s...so if you are ever in Spain in the month of December, you should really check this out. 

A really interesting tradition that they have here in Spain is what many people do instead of a tree with presents underneath. It started when there were many people that couldn´t afford a tree and presents and then it just took off as a fun tradition from there. They get this log (can really be any size...even down to the size of a waterbottle), and they paint a face on it and prop it up with two little feet. Then on Christmas Eve, the children beat the log with a stick until they are just tired out. Then the next morning, the log poops out candy for the kids. Super interesting tradition...but I think it sound like a good way to get your kids tired out on Christmas Eve and get them to bed early and sleeping well. 

Well, things here are crazy busy. We are finding lots of new investigators and many people that want to be baptized, but many of them are overcoming some really hard things. Some need to get married before they can be baptized, but are lacking the motivation or resources to do that. We have a few that are life-time smokers and coffee drinkers and are really struggling to let those things go. But we are doing our best to help them get rid of those things and to get married, cuz they really have the desires to live better and happier lives and want to get baptized. But it is definitely going to take a lot of work. Our investigator Alberto finally came to church and we were so so excited about it. He was able to get a blessing from the Elders after church to help him overcome his temptations and continue preparing for his baptism. But keep him in your prayers, as well as our new investigators Victor, and Luis...both of whom need to get married before they can be baptized. 

Well, we are still seeing lots of miracles here and we are working hard for the Christmas concert that we are organizing. This ward is great and I just love my area and my companion! It is going to be a great holiday season!

Love you all and talk to you next week!

Love,

Hermana Eyre