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 

Semana de San Jordi

HOLLLAAA ️

This week was the week of San Jordi, which is basically the Catalonian version of Valentine's Day. Here the girls give out books and the boys give out flowers and so naturally we missionaries took advantage of it and gave out Books of Mormon! And San Jordi was a success! Giving out books and working with members to stop everyone on the streets. I was surprised how many youth came up and asked me about our religion and god in general. They kept asking me how I "knew" these things and it was a cool experience to be able to testify of Book of Mormon in my hand to peers my age about the gospel. The experience also made me realize how lucky I am to have grown up in the church and how religion has impacted basically almost every aspect of my life. I can't imagine what my life would be like without it.

Our investigators are doing amazing. The Lord is truly blessing us and helping us, there's no other explanation. 

Noeli is doing amazing :) she is reading and praying everyday. She's the absolute sweetest and she's going to be baptized the 14 of May. She has the two cutest kids ever and  she invited us over Tuesday to try some dishes from Peru! 

Bea as well. Our 10 year old investigator ( her parents have been less active) never fails to surprise us with stick figure drawings AND colored paper haha I love it. She's going to be baptized the 7 of may. She's energetic and wild but she has a big heart and we love her.

We also have Leslie ! Our 18 year old investigator from Peru who is the funniest cutest girl ever! She's so smart and what I love about her is when she reads the Book of Mormon she gets it! She loves Nephi and his decision to pray which helped him not rebel like his brothers. She's not even baptized yet and she's sharing the gospel with her friends!

I've come to the point where home seems like a dream to me. I speak Spanish trying to speak English and my dreams all take place in the streets of Vilafranca. I love the work so much and Spain. I say that ever email, haha but it's true!!

Let me finish with a scripture I found this week

 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.

Miracles are happening here in Vilafranca 

Xoxoxo Hermana Cragun