#36 Get Pumped!!

People enjoying mexican food that I made...

Gotta be short!!

Quick story!! Brasilian!!

So two weeks ago we had a meeting with one of our investigator's mom. She's a Brasilian lady. She looked really mean, and I had heard stories of her ripping into missionaries! We had a lesson with her where we taught about prayer and the Book of Mormon. she said that she knew God wasn't there, and if He was then he was heartless. I told her to pray, and that I was suere that she'd feel God's love. She then said, "if by next time I don't have an answer then I never want to see you again."

Fast forward to Friday. We went to pick up Harry and Milena(Less active member and investigator) They told us that Eliana (Brasilian mom) wanted to talk to us. I was thinking.. Crap! Well then we went up and sat down. She said, "I want to be clear and direct." I was thinking.... super crap! She's going to drop us and then rip into me!
She proceeded to tell us that she had read 3 Nephi 11 twice, prayed to God, and recieved an answer. As she talked I could see her eyes light up and her smile grow. It sounds cheesey, but It's really what it was. It was awesome. She said that she could also feel of our love, something that she hadn't felt from any of the other missionaries in the past. She said that as she gets more comforable with God that she's going to come to church!!

I learned a lot form this expiernce. First off that I needed to have more faith and confidence in God. He will always answer our prayers. I also learned that we need to always be happy and express our love for God's other children. They will notice it! The church is true!!!

With lots of love Elder Bailey!!

Cozy!!

#35 Just a Good Ole' Paint Job

This week GREAT!!!!! I've had few weeks that weren't, but I love feeling like I'm making a difference!

We're been looking for some service opportunities, but it's rough because nobody in Spain wants a Mexican and an American moving around stuff in their flat! But our ward mission leader needed some of his house painted. I had the time of my life just paining and hearing his mission stories!! Jaja they're crazy!!! We also met one of his friends and set something up to start teaching them English! They seem super solid and I'm excited to get something going with them!

In our branch we need a sort of awakening. We have a lot of less active people that have been bishops in the Dominican Republic, Branch Presidents in Venezuela, and just a bunch of crazy potential!! We're been working hard to help those people rediscover their testimonies. I've been super happy in those lessons and feeling the Spirit powerfully as I've had the opportunity to testify of the importance of the basic principles. I'm super excited for this branch!! We are making great progress, and there's just so much potential here!!

Well I know the church is true, and I'm sorry if this letter has been all over the place... I'm 90% sure I have ADD! The church is true, and God loves us!!!

#34 Throw your shirt on and get to work!

This week was interesting... Ha everyone was failing on us, and nobody wanted to talk to us because it was Semana Santa.(Holy Week) We were still working hard! My comp would pump me up, and I would try to pump him up!

Future Missionaries

We showed up to this less active lady's house, after we had just confirmed the visit with her. She wasn't there, and then sent us a text that she couldn't meet anymore. We had rang the door like 3 times before she sent the text. I felt like we should wait a minute before we left. I don't know if I was just tired, or what, but we waited. 2 minutes later a shirtless man sticks his head out the window. We hang rang the door so much that we woke him up. He said, "Hola Elderes" I asked him what his name was. He said Vladamir. I couldn't believe it! The missionaries who had been there had told me to find Vladamir, but his name wasn't on any of the records, and none of the members knew about him. I was way excited!! I told him to throw on a shirt and that we were going me meet with him right now!!

He tossed us down the keys, and we went and taught him. As we were teaching his ex wife(Lady who failed on us) came in and we taught their family. We called them to action, and the Spirit helped them realize that they had to come back and contribute! It was one of the best lessons I've had on my mission! They came to the church and watched conference with their whole family!

I know the Lord opens doors when we do our part! I love seeing these little miracles and the progress which I see in my areas. God is awesome!

Elder Terry Bailey

haha I feel like the kid in the last picture looks like MEE!

Late Birthday Presants!!! (They're always welcome) Gracias familia y Amy!!

#33 When You Believe

 What a spectacular week!!

I'm going to start right off with a story! Jorge! Here's his profile:
He's about 50 years old with a mustache. He's been less active in the
church for about as long as I've been alive. He's a shy guy. He's been
drinking and smoking for a long time. Our first visit with Jorge he
didn't have pants on.. it was kind of weird. Well we met with him on
Friday and talked about keeping the commandments. He wasn't very
receptive, but just needed some motivation. I made him repeat after
me.(In Spanish) "I am a son of God! I am strong!" I got him to say it
with confidence! He then Repeated, " I am a son of God, I'm very
strong, and I don't smoke anymore!" He started saying it with
confidence and practically yelling it. I knew it but just had to be
reminded. He was so excited that I told him to grad his cigarettes.
(something he had refused to do 5 minutes earlier) He gave them to me
and we threw them away. We've called him everyday and he hasn't smoked
since Friday!!!

                                                        Baptisms!!
Well I could talk about the baptisms and the people who got baptised
for hours! They are so great and were super ready! Esneda is the one
with the mullet, nose ring and lip piercing, and Robertito is the
young kid. The baptisms were awesome and the Spirit was there. Esneda
had to make some changes in her life, but through her faith she did
and is now a member of the church. It was a great blessing for me to
confirm her as a member of the one and only true church.

It's awesome to see this great progress! There hadn't been a baptism
is Ourense for a little over 2 years. I know that it's not because of
me that this happened, but it's because of God and His love. The
church is true!!

#32 Hermano Jacob

"Pray for Miracles and have faith that the Lord will give them to you
after you do your part" -Elder Holland

This week was fantastic!! We had a great start, and a bomb finish!

As you can imagine the great start was playing soccer! We had 4
investigators there, our main man Jacob and a few less actives! My
comp is super good so it's fum to play with him!

Hermano Jacob!! Jacob is a convert from Cameroon! He was the last
person to get baptised in my area. He got baptised a little over 2
years ago! He's always open to come with us to the visits! I can
barely understand his English even though it's his native language,
and his Spanish is hard to understand too. But his spirit is very easy
to understand and feel! I don't think I've met someone with a stronger
testimony! I'm so grateful for him! He can always put a smile on my
face even though he always asks me for ties! HAHA I love Jacob!

Well this week we are still contacting like animals, but we finally
had a day that was just full of visits and that was great! We have
seen great growth and it feels awesome!! The best news is that we for
sure have 2 baptisms taking place this Saturday!! I'll tell the story
of these people next week, but it's just great that I feel like I have
been able to be a useful instrument in the hands of God and I know
that we Can all feel that when we work!

The church is true!

Love Elder Bailey

pics Me and Jacob!! and our barber!! We look good with our new cuts!

#31 Miracles

Well I told you guys that I'd tell the story of what happened last week.. so here it is!

We came to church an hour early to start filling up the font. I thought that it'd be a good idea! :) But I was quite wrong. During the end of first hour the Branch President pulled me aside and told me that we weren't going to be having a baptism that day. I had been informed the night before that I was leaving plus we had to fight like lions to get Miguel ready for this day. I decided that I would do everything in my power to get it ready for today!! (People had already brought food, his family was there, and Miguel was excited) During all of second hour I had Elder Boone teach Gospel principles, and I started filling buckets!!! I would fill up as much as I could from the sink and then take it in. third hour sacrament meeting started. Once it ended the branch Prez. said that if there is enough water then we'll have a baptism. Him and I walked to the font... there wasn't enough water. Even with all of my effort we weren't even close. He said sorry Elder. Before he could say anything more I run to our pulpit and quoted James 2:16-16. "Show my your faith without works and I'll show you my faith by my works" I was way good friends with all of the branch, so I asked them to help me, and if they helped then God would find a way to let us have a baptism!! EVERYONE moved chairs, grabbed buckets and got to work!! It was the most unity that I had even seen there! WE all worked hard for about an hour! Miguel and I then got dressed and we had a baptism!!!!

Although Satan had kept putting road blocks in our way we were able to be instruments in the hands of God to be part of a Miracle. The very fact that Miguel made crazy changes to be baptised is a miracle. He had to stop drinking, going to parties(Which is all everyone does
here) and start keeping the law of chastity. Meaning leaving a lot of his old life behind. I thank God for the opportunity that I had to play a small role in the conversion of one of His sons!! The church is true, and God is a God of miracles.

#29 Short

This week was grand!! We should be having a baptism or two this

Sunday!! We went up to the wilderness and had a little barbecue with 2
recent converts (Edwardo and David) and Miguel and Helmut! They both
have a fecha and are integrating really well with the members!!

Overall we are having some great experiences here in good ole'
Talavera! I ask for your prayers that everything will go will with
Miguel and Helmut's baptism this Sunday!! The church is true!!