WHYYYYYYYYYYY

I had some other titles for this email swirling around, but first things first, we got transfer news about an hour ago. I'm getting sent to Aviles to the far north of Spain with Elder Tapia. Not shocked to be leaving, it's been surprising to us as a zone that I've been in the islands this long. I'm going to miss Lanzarote a lot  but I'm pretty pumped. 3rd area vengaaaaaaaa!!!!


Here's the tough part:


Elder Romrell's going to the Madrid 9th ward, in one of the most populated areas of the city, with my boy Elder Williams. I've heard it has insane potential and he's going to do great. The downside is that (and stick with me here, the missionary logic is kinda complicated) if he leaves Arrecife and goes to Madrid, he won't be here in Arrecife anymore. We just got whitewashed. 


Brrrrrrruuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhhhh


After the week we just had this is not the news I wanted to hear. I was excited to leave this area in his capable and knowledgeable hands, but now we have to leave it with Elder Rawle and his new trainee. It's not all doom and gloom, Elder Rawle is a beast and another missionary gets to start out in Lanzarote. Not excited to tell all the members but transfer news comes by inspiration. The new guys will do great.


Alternative titles:


1. Mop Again
If everyone remembers my email entitled "Mop" from a few weeks ago about the leak in the chapel roof- that happened again on Sunday.


Speaking of, we had four non-members in church yesterday, two of our newest people to teach, the new boyfriend of this one awesome grandma, and of course Ulises, Graciela's husband. More on all them in a sec. 


2. Green dots and green thumbs


Thumbs first- we adopted a tree off the side of the road. His name is Alvin the Arbol, and we're growing him in a water jug


Dots- so many teaching miracles. 
We've started teaching our friend Midalys so much more now and have visited her house twice. She came to church on Sunday and loved the talks! (including the one that I was asked to prepare just before the sacrament and to deliver immediately afterward. That's a personal record - 10 minutes' notice) 


Also at church was Efigenia's new friend Felisa! She's been trying to weeks to get in touch with an old friend of hers named Rosa, so this week she hopped on a bus and knocked on Rosa's door. There she got to know several of Rosa's relatives, including Felisa, who she immediately brought back to the chapel for our English class. We had a lesson immediately afterwards and another one the next day. Felisa has talked fmto missionaries before, but that was years ago so she wanted to try again. She seemed all-in and even decided during our Plan of Salvation lesson that she'd like to work towards the goal of baptism. 


Back to Ulises... we've put him on baptismal date for June 17! We had a great lesson on faith and the blessings that the gospel brings to those who live it. He already comes to church super consistently and is learning a lot, I'm pumped for him. 


Elisa's mother sadly got sick so she couldn't come to church, but she's still progressing and learning a ton. We'll probably see her later today. 


3. Ciao Islas- Northward Bound
I'm sad to be leaving the islands but the north is going to be an adventure and a half. We'll see how it goes.


Doctrinal tidbit for this week... 2 Nephi 25 is literally just Nephi explaining all his Isaiah chapters in plain English, and his explanations, which make Isaiah's prophecies (of the mission of the Savior, the scattering and gathering of Israel, and the latter-day Restoration) coherent, explains this was the meaning in there all along, available to all those whith the gift of prophecy. In 1 Corinthians 14 Paul says that every saint (so every disciple of Christ) should seek the gift of prophecy. This means the spiritual gift to understand God's plans and promises with the help of the spirit. As y'all study the gospel, ask for and practice this gift as you strive to understand your place in the Father's plan for us all.


I'll write you from the north next time!
Elder Curtis


Pics
Final Canaries-exclusive delicacies
Graciela and Ulises
Jose, Lely, and Efigenia 
Watching the transfer call with Manuel
I will not explain where we found snow on a tropical island
How hard is it to spell "Chad and Alexander"
Rescuing Alvin
After a long day, sometimes you just have to pass out in an unused outdoor bathtub 







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