Valencia!

VALENCIA
I can't express how amazing it is to be here. Valencia is just a
quaint city with so much charm and spunk. Not even a year ago I was
here for "las fallas" for my study abroad and now I'm literally walking
the same streets teaching the gospel. The lord is just the best.
What can I even say? This week has been action packed! The work here
never stops. My companion is Hermana Storer a tiny little Ecuadorean
who lives in Florida. She's an amazing worker and I LOVE HER. She
didn't have a companion aaaall last transfer and had to work with
members for six weeks. Crazy right? Needless to say I don't think I
can do any wrong in her eyes because she is just thankful to have a
companion that actually stays with her for the day haha. Anyway this
week I met a man who thinks he is literally the black Jesus. He told
us of how the Gentiles from the bible are actually Nigerians and that
his apostles are back in Africa hard at work. He's also in the process
of "atoning" for me right now (poor guy that ones gonna take a while)
but he told me that I shouldn't worry because from what I could tell
I'll be saved, hallelujah.
The ward is amazing. Baptism this Saturday more news next week.
Miracles everyday.
So happy to be here and I LOVE the mission
Xoxo madd

Transfers

The goodbyes begin with  Dayana

Natalia and her mom

Perla actually someone shorter than Maddie

good friends- rat pac

African dresses made with love

And end with Hermana " Holly"

Hermana Holly and I sat next to the cell phone waiting for it to ring Saturday  night at 10:00. I was feeling a mix of emotions, mostly sick to be honest haha. Transfers can be the most nerve wracking thing for me. 10:30 passed..then 10:45. Thinking it would be a while till they got a round to us, I jumped in the shower when I heard the familiar sound of the elevator style music go off, and my companion scream "HERMANA" from the living room. I jumped out of he shower pulled on whatever I could find and ran to the couch where we quickly looked at the phone and saw that president was calling. 

When the president calls you know there are going to be changes. I immediately felt even sicker. Hermana Holly picked up the phone and talked to president for a couple minutes before she hung up and grinning from ear to ear announced she would be training! And what about me? We waited five more minutes until the phone ran again. This time for me. I answered to hear my district leader Elder Campbell on the other end. "Do you know where you're going Hermana Cragun?" "Ummmm no" I answered back. "Well neither do we" UGG THE WORST. My district leader is aaaaalways doing things like that haha well after a lot of persuasion he finally confessed that he did know....

VALENCIA!!!!!!!!

Valencia is right on the border of the mission. It's the farthest south our mission goes and it is known for being "on fire". Probably because it is hooooottt there for most of the time, and because the work there is just unreal. The minute he told me I was going to Valencia I started screaming. I couldn't believe it.

The next day I started my packing and started planning who I was going to visit to say my last goodbyes. All that adrenaline began to wear off, and as I packed my bags and wrote in my journal Sunday night, I realized just how much I loved my little city of Sabadell and how many special people there were here I was going to miss. As I prayed that night for all the people who had me during my time here I began to cry realizing just how much I loved them and was going to miss them.

I passed by Perla, a mom from Honduras who is probably the sassiest and shortest human being I've ever met. She's been a member for a while and she has always been so good to me during my time here. She has made remarks to me such as: "Hermana I think you have gained weight" or "Hermana. You are crazy" or Hermana I'm not going to miss you Hahahahah but that is  . Under aaaaall that sass you find the most loving humble human ever who is sooo faithful to the church. And as we hugged goodbye she told me that she really would miss me and her house would always be my home if I wanted to come back.

I passed by Natalia and her mom, two of our closest friends here in Sabadell from Brazil. They have the biggest hearts and strongest testimonies. I went by Patricia and her daughter who is my age, Lucia. Lucia and I are born on the same day and we just clicked from the first time. We've decided we were twins, separated at birth. I love them soooo much. I'll miss all their laughs and style. Lucia is trying to decide if she wants to study in the U.S.for a year. I hope so because if she did I would cross seeeeas to see her again.

I went by my best friend Jeffrey's house hahaha just thinking of him makes me laugh. Jeff has the most style and sass out of anyone. He is famous for always saying in his thick Peruvian accent: "Hermana, por favor" or "siter (just like that) puh-lease" to any of the sarcastic comments I make. when I walked in he had the table lined with treats and cakes. He had printed out pictures of the infamous "ratpac" as we called ourselves (Hermana Holly Jeff and I) and had written captions on the back of them. Hahaha I love that kid.

But the hardest goodbye went to my girl Dayana. Dayana is 16 from Bolivia, I can't explain it but we just clicked from the first time. We eat with her family ever Saturday and basically always find ourselves in tears for, laughing so hard. She's truly become a little sister to me. As I went by that night to say goodbye, she met us in the doorway and said "Hermana no no you can't go." And burst into tears. We sat hugging and crying before we had to leave. I love her more than words can describe and just thinking of her crying pulls on my heart strings.

This week was packed with other events, such as getting African dresses and saying goodbye to our friends from Nigeria who I won't forget. They call us the "white Nigerians". Meeting a lady from the ward who was once the strongest member and leader. And has now lost her testimony and doesn't believe in it anymore. Eating fufu and spicy rice, trying food from Honduras, sitting in the house of Graciela who I met my first week on the street who I felt I should talk to and clapped her hands exclaiming she had been looking for the missionaries... We sat talking about faith and prayers and I felt like both of our prayers had been answered that day long ago.

Sabadell.. I couldn't have asked for a better place to have began my mission. Testing and trying, but in the end so rewarding. The people here will ALWAYS have a special place in my heart and I'll never forget them. I love them all so much and am so grateful for the moments I had with them. It's  bittersweet and hard to express the feelings I have right now, as I get ready to board the train to my next adventure.

Onto the next chapter of my mission: Valencia

huge miracles and fufu

Eating African fufu

  It's currently raining and Hermana Holly and I are snacking on crescents and hot chocolate that we bought to use the cafe wifi. No complaints though, I could live off European hot chocolate for the rest of my life. This week was aaaaaamazing. 

I wish I could write everything that happened this week but I don't have enough time :(

Some of the highlights from this week though were that we saw a huge miracle with Carlos, the dad of my fav little C, he ended up completely opening up to us.  He had so many questions and a lot of heart ache and  we were able to teach him bits of the plan of salvation and the entire lesson of the restoration. That night he committed to baptism, and for the first time we knelt as a family and prayed. Even more amazing was that Carlos offered the prayer. When he finished he was completely different, and kept saying how hot he had felt. It was a 180 degree change.

We also got to eat with my fav African family! Peace and destiny (Africans names are the best). They're from Nigeria and made us traditional fufu. What they didn't know was that thanks to my friend Cam,who served his mission in Africa, I was already a fufu expert and got to show off my fufu eating skills. The only downside to this experience was that we dipped the fufu in turkey gizzard which was very much gross, hahaha. But we had so much fun with their family.

This week a testigo ( Jehovas witness ) stopped us on the street. At first he asked us very innocent questions about the church, and then by the end was basically telling us we were liars condemned to heck. At that moment I was ready to just prove the truth of the church. But then I heard the voice of my stake president in my head. The night I had gotten set apart he had stopped me and said' "if anyone tries to fight you about the church, bear your testimony and leave it at that." So I basically bit my tongue, we bore our testimonies, and we left at that.

I'm grateful for inspired church leaders, apostles and a modern day prophet. I know the same church Jesus Christ once established has been restored on the earth.

Love you all and hope you had a great Halloween cause we sure did here!

Xoxox 

Hermana Cragun

The Lord has a hand in all things

pday in Barcelona

no Halloween but kids
  hand out cooked Hazelnuts instead

Hermana Holly and Maddie

Halloween package arrived in time

a touch of Halloween decor

It's funny what moments you remember as you look back through the weeks, months or years that pass. There are so many big things that happen life, but usually it's the small moments that pass under the radar of the world that I remember most. Moments with close friends or family. In the mission it's no different. What moments do I remember, from the few days that have passed since the last time I wrote? Having intercambios with the Hermanas from Barcelona, spending the day with Hermana Stapley who was a friend before the mission (small miracle). Street contacting and meeting a Spanish girl named Amelia, who the Lord prepared and put in our path. She walked with us to the bus stop, Book of Mormon in her hand. "I had so many questions and I wanted to start new," she told us "I left for pastries this night and instead came back with two girls and a book".

 No doubt God put me in your path"

Spending the day in Barcelona. Eating lunch and trying new foods, wandering through shops. Aaaaahh, I just love this beautiful city and country

 We taught a lesson Wednesday to a man from Sabadell. We got to the part about the priesthood being restored.  "... And the priesthood was lost until the year-" "1820" he said smiling at me. I think my jaw hit the ground. "You see, I researched your church a lot. I never felt the spirit in my church. But I feel it here. I feel like God prepared me for this message, and I know it's true"

Yes my friends, God is truly in the details of our lives.

My mission of Barcelona Spain is not like any other mission in the world. And it could not be more perfect for me. My testimony has been stretched and tried, and with people questioning my faith everyday. I can truly say I know more than ever this church is true. It is something I have studied and prayed about. And I have had feelings I cannot deny. God lives, Jesus Christ is the son of God and Joseph Smith truly saw them in the sacred grove. This message is true and it changes lives and you can know it for yourselves. 

Les quiero

La Hermana Cragun 

The Rain has started

 The original Sisters who met on Facebook before going to the mission

Hermanas Larsen, Cragun, Erying, and Stapley

The leaves are changing and the weather is slowly beginning to cool down here in Sabadell. The people are switching their morning coffees, to churros and chocolate, and Spanish fans are being replaced with umbrellas these days to avoid the never ending forecast of rain. I love it though. Sabadell is just quiet and cozy at this time of year.

Nothing too exciting to report this week, interviews and the usual work. Our investigator from Bolivia, Daniella, is doing great. We brought her to sacrament meeting and she loved it. She received a blessing to help her heal with an injury, and after we walked together silently, she said "there are no words to describe this feeling." 

As for other investigators, we worked with David from Honduras, Laurenza from Bolivia, and actually a Muslim. Usually Muslims aren't really open to change, but this man is actually honestly really interested. After we explained the first vision he sat there for a second and then said "did it really happen?" And I said "yes" and he sat there quietly amazed. 

We got our teeth kicked in this week contacting. We had a ton of success the past two weeks but is week was tougher, nooooo one wanted to listen. We decided we needed to be even more obedient and it paid off. We were out contacting in the streets and met a lady named Hilda from Bolivia. At first she was not too interested but at the end of the conversation she was like why don't you come over Saturday and I'll make you lunch? And I'll invite my niece and sister and their kids and friends from Barcelona because I think they would like to hear this message too

We waited till we turned the corner to scream in excitement.

There is nothing like serving a mission. If you really let it, it truly changes you little by little. It's the hardest but best decision I've ever made and ever day I am just more grateful for it. 

Love you all! Xoxox Hermana Cragun

 Earth´s crammed with heaven, and every common bush afire with God, and only he who sees takes off his shoes-- the rest sit around and pluck blueberries.” – Elizabeth Barrett Browning

 new comp Hermana Hollenbaugh

 friend "Peace" after a long day

 Zone conference

Natalia a member from Brazil

In years past I watched conference in the comfort of my house, all
wrapped up in blankets with the comfort of a remote, that could easily
pause and play the TV when I couldn't keep up.  But this year was
different. Last week I sat in a hard plastic chair with my eyes glued
to the computer screen and one hand pressed against my head phones
trying to hear over the sound of the Pakistan men who were loudly
talking behind me. My other hand was scrambling as fast as I could to
write down the words and impressions I received as I listened to the
prophet and his apostles.
My favorite talk was by Elder Hales, about making decisions. I loved
how he said they we are the pilot, and we are in charge. I've really
come to realize that I've had this mentality my whole life that
basically life was life and you couldn't do much to change it. All you
could do was make the best of it. A couple weeks ago at zone
conference h

Hermana Dayton said "we are the authors of our fate". And
something really struck me.
We truly are in charge, we truly have the power to change. Whatever we
want in life we truly can have.
As we set goals and work towards them we can achieve them. "Because of
the saviors atoning sacrifice the power is in you"
This life is about about improvement, it's about change, it's about
moving forward. This life is also about enjoying the journey. There is
no goal out of our reach, without hard work and the help of our savior.
I'm learning this over and over and over again on my mission

It's never too late to become the person you want to be. It's never
too late to do what you have always wanted to.  Like h

Hermana Dayton
said "we are the authors of our fate" but the true author and finisher
of our faith and fate is Jesus Christ.  As we trust in him and rely on
him we can become the person we want to be, and he will help "bring
you back to your highest home"

I love my mission and my savior. Wouldn't want to be anywhere else 

Transfers = new comp

 Not sure whether to laugh or cry

 Hermanas Cragun, Eyring,Larson

 Little C turned 9

 Bus stop selfie

Bolivian dinner

What a crazy week. I have NO time so let me try and sum up a year of cosas into one email. TRANSFERS. New companion, same city. Hermana Stott left to white wash Terragona. For those who aren't familiar with mission language that means to open a new area. Considering the   fact she has become my best friend, it was a saaaad goodbye. We spent our last night with  our beds pushed together laughing about the memories we have and planning future get       togethers. I just love her. 

 My new companion is Hermana Hollenbaugh, no she is not from Germany. She's from the UnitedStates and has been out for 8 months. She likes baking cookies and spending time with      family, she's all gluten free. Basically picture the happiest, cutest, smiliest, blue eyed gal and you have my companion. Haha she's cute though, so I'm excited for this next        transfer. 

  Our investigators are doing GREAT. We are working a lot with a girl named Daniella. More "deets" to come later. She lives in apartment with her ex mother in law and two guys from  Pakistan, Ali and Umed. They are the ODDEST mix and yet the FUNNIEST people  ever. They    need a TV show I think. What else..... I was contacting and felt to stop to talk to this   lady. She kindly rejected me twice and so then I asked if I could at the least leave her   with a prayer. When I prayed I felt like I should bless her to feel gods love.   When I    finished the prayer, I opened my eyes to see her have tears streaming from her face which I wasn't expecting. She took my hand in hers and just kept saying thank you, thank you,     thank you, through her tears. I'll never know why she needed that, or what has happened to her since, but it was a special moment and the spirit was so strong.

 Well GOTTA GO the work never stops here in Sabadell. 

Much loveeeeee xoxox Hermana Cragalagalaga 

PS little C is 9 and as sassy as ever. We partied it up with her this week. She's doing great if you were wondering :) well that's all.