The lord calls the unlikely to do the impossible"

-Russel M Nelson (spoken literally five feet from me)

This week we had the opportunity to hear from an apostle of the lord; Russell M Nelson,  his wife Wendy and Jennifer and Patrick Kearon, they came to speak to our mission. It was by far the most spiritual and impacting moment of my whole life. As we gathered as the entire mission waiting for the President Nelson to enter the room we quietly sang "we thank thee o God for a prophet" and the spirit was so strong, you could not deny that the lord testified to each one of us that we were going to be learning from one of his chosen servants that day.

I could probably write a novel about the things I learned that day, but what was most impacting for  me was President Nelsons, was he was of being (I'm so sorry if that doesn't translate right it sounds better in Spanish) anyways, his presence and how you could just look at him and see something different about him. He and his wife talked about how the lord is coming back, and he's coming back soon. And the importance of leaving it all on the mission and coming back changed and staying changed. We also had the opportunity to hear from the Kearons and that in itself was so amazing.

Well President Nelson did leave us with a challenge-to try a new door approach. Every time someone answered the door we needed to ask them "would you like to know more about you family?" "Do you know your grandparents, your great grandparents? Well let us help you!"

So we tried it out  and saw soooo many miracles Haha and so many funny responses as well. One of those miracles  was meeting Adrian and his girlfriend Denia. As we knocked a building this young Spanish couple answered, covered in tattoos and piercings clearly had just been smoking and so well we presented ourselves and asked if they wanted to know more about their family, and you know what?! THEY SAID YES I just want to make it clear that that NEVER happens haha. We ended up teaching the plan of salvation and it was so incredible, were coming back Wednesday to teach them more. 

The work is growing here in beautiful Girona, we have three investigators preparing for baptism right now- Daniel from Honduras, Merlin from Honduras and Elvira from Peru; we love working here and I absolutely LOVE the members here, I feel more at home than ever. 

I love this work, I love being a missionary and I love Spain! I'm grateful as President Nelson stated that the lord "calls the unlikely to do the impossible." I at times feel like the most unlikely person to be called to the lords work, as I think of all my flaws and how much more I have to learn and do, but with the lord I truly can do the impossible 

Love you all!! Xoxox Hermana Cragun 

perfect week

cant beat that view of the city

life is good, mission is perfect

Mom's favorite, family from Venezuela with typical plate of Pabellon

 

What a crazy week! Between two intercambios and teaching at zone conference, visiting our favorite Venezuelan family and it raining like CRAZY and getting soaked

we had an amazing miracle...MARI HAS AGREED TO BE BAPTIZED!

the experience was so amazing,

Saturday we met with Mari to talk about her doubts about baptism, and in the beginning she was saying that she just felt like she was just not ready And needed to keep learning, and we explained to her that she WAS ready. Mari has changed her whole life around for the church, she stopped drinking, going to parties, she stopped going to the gym on Sunday to keep the Sabbath day holy, she even is moving out of her piso to find a better atmosphere where she can study and keep the faith with less temptation. SHES AMAZING. Anyways we explained baptism and how it's really just the gate to the path and not the ending destination and she was still hesitant,
WELL then an idea came to my mind...an elder from my past area shared this experience and brought back to me...

And we suggested that we could pray. Each of us. Mari, Hermana Spiegel and I, and our two members that were helping us, to ask god if Mari was ready. 

So we each knelt down and prayed and the spirit flooded the room, we couldn't resist but crying and by the time it was Mari turn to pray she said she knew she needed to but she was afraid, she thanked God for each of us in her prayer and when she finished she stood up and said she knew she needed to be baptized 

My testimony grew so much that day that God DOES hear and answers prayers. He is so perfectly aware of each of his children and wants them so badly to have the gospel and the answers to our prayers. Sometimes he tests us and makes us wait for these answers, but the only thing he asks of us is that we have faith and KNOCK at the door, because he will always answer. His way is ALWAYS the right way, even if we don't understand it and even if we're afraid to follow it, he will do what's best for us.

Love you!!!

Hermana Cragun 

September update

Herman Spiegel and Hermana Cragun

                                                   

                                                   Once a cat women always a cat women

What a spiritual week! I feel as though I've sat at the feet of the Savior and heard and learned so much through his servants this week. It was absolutely incredible to be able to spend 2 days with the Zwicks, the area seventy. I learned sooo much from them! Some of my favorite parts were how they said to always keep striving, and their touching stories about their son Scottie with disabilities who even despite set backs has helped convert people because of his love of the gospel! I learned so much from them and was able to receive so much revelation for myself and area! The best part? Elder Zwick said he was going to call on a random companionship for the practica in front of the mission, and who did he call? Yours truly. Hermana Spiegel and Cragun hahaha, but it went well so it was okay in the end. 

One of the highlights of this weeks was when Hermana Spiegel and I were able to  visit a family from Venezuela, they are living together but the husband wants to get married. Since they done have papers we had to do the hard thing and teach them the law of chastity and invite them to pray about it, and move out.  The spirit was sooo strong and at the end, they accepted!

We are so happy for them and know the lord will bless them so much! He's doing so much to build his kingdom here in Gerona! Our other investigators are doing so well too! We are constantly finding and teaching and seeing so many miracles! Mari has accepted that she needs to be baptized so hopefully in the next couple weeks she will be ready!!:) 

Love you all!! 

Hermana Cragun 

Small update and picts from maddie

                                                 Not much but quick updates these days.
                                                       She is happy and doing well.

           This is a friend from High school Emilie, who was on student council with her and is now serving in Barcelona.  They were able to see each other briefly making transfers when Emilie arrived.

                                  As of today this is Maddie's new area Girona Spain

                                 She is super excited and has a new comp ( no picts of her yet)

                             Good bye to one of her favorite areas and a Bishop and his wife who became like family to her.

The Lord always answers prayers

First before we get to any other details or talk about a hunk the else that is happening let me say, I'm staying in Vilafranca, a miracle if I do say so myself.

Secondly. My mind is so muddled at what to write right now haha 

I've been HORRIBLE at writing so I'm sorry, but to update you my birthday here in vilafranca was without a doubt the best birthday I've ever had. I've always celebrated my birthday with close friends and family, and this year I did the same. It really was so humbling to see people take me in like their daughter and spoil me. People that I haven't known for more than a couple months. They all hold a special place in my heart, and four cakes later on the scale as well...

But truly it's such a humbling experience to see people just love you so much. 

Third- LESLIE WAS BAPTIZED. There's a 110 things I want to write about it, but basically to sum it all up one night in vilafranca we met her contacting and I wrote "miracle girl" next to her name in my agenda to try and help me remember who she was, and that's exactly who she's turned out to be, our miracle girl. As she got up to bear her testimony she said : 

As I went in for my interview for the elder asked me if I had prayed if I had received my answer, and the truth is I did. I did those things. But the way I had received my answer was through the people I met here. The peace and love I was looking for from my Heavenly Father I received and felt through the members of the church, through all the members and missionaries I met, and that's I came to the church was true, 

I loved hearing her testimony  and it was such a good reminder that the lord ALWAYS answers our prayers. Since day one Leslie has said want she wanted "to feel the love of Heavenly Father" but it is usually through others he answers our prayers. 

My companion just left for her second area, I'm sitting in a laundry mat with my friend hermana Mayes who ends her mission today. She was the missionary I spent my first night with here. Time is not real here. 

Last Saturday I received a call from President asking me for a new calling- training and sister training leader. I'm excited for this new opportunity to train again and get to work with the hermanas :) 

Love you all 

Xoxo Hermana Cragun  

what a WEEK!

Bea

Friend that is moving

Monserrat

District

What a WEEK! 

This week was full of a little bit of everything. Moments of fear, tears, and pure joy as we watched our favorite little Bea be BAPTIZED!! 

 Tuesday we were off to go go district meeting when the phone rang from an unknown number so I picked it up thinking it was an investigator when I heard "hermana cragun, do you know who this is?" I immediately recognized the voice as an old investigator from my FIRST area. And my stomach basically dropped. He began asking me where I was, where my trainer was. He was trying to get information about her. When I told him I couldn't give out info like that he said "well it's just that I've been wanting to learn more about the gospel again" and I said "contact the missionaries in sabadell  then, they can help you" and he said "well hermana cragun, it's just that I'm not in sabadell anymore, I've moved because of work, and I've just so happened to find myself in vilafranca now. And I've heard you are here now, correct?"

I couldn't believe it. I had no idea who told him where I was or who had given him the number to our phone. I basically told him never to call back again and that we could never meet. (But that if he was really interested in the gospel that he should call the sabadell missionaries) 

 I phoned my STL who had me talk to president, so basically our whole district is in guard in case anything happenes, but I don't think anything will so know worries. How he figured out our number or where I was now? Still unknown. 

There were some tears this week though as one of our favorite families in The ward moved to Mallorca :( they've lost everything so they had no choice but to go. Being on my mission has made me realize how lucky I am. I've watched people and met people who have passed through horrific things, and yet keep going. One of my favorite lines is from a girl my age who said "there are people who will complain all day to you about your lives, but I don't like to do that. All that does it make you sad, and life isn't about being sad. Life is about laughing" 

This comes from a girl whose been abused, whose lost her sight, and who has lost her home, and is on her way to live with her cousin. It's just made me realize how lucky I am to have the life that I  have. What I use to think was a "big deal" before the mission has become nothing but petty worries now. 

But the best part of the week was when BEA WAS BAPTIZED!!! it was so amazing to see her take his step! She's come so far spiritually, she's even sharing the gospel with her friends. Her service was small and beautiful. She didn't want a lot of people there, just close friends and family. But it was so great and went so well. This is one of my favorite things about the gospel. That it comes from an all knowing God we can't even comprehend, and yet it's so simple even a child can grasp it. And Bea has truly grasped it.

Well time is flying here. It's hard to believe I'll be 20 this week, or that I've been almost out for a year now on the mission. Everyday I strive to make the most of my time here. Que sepan que me encanta ser misionara. I Love being a missionary. This has been the hardest but most joyful fulfilling time of my life. 

Xoxoxo

Hna Cragun