Hello from Madrid for the Final time

March 22, 2010
Well, Today is Monday. I leave at 9:00 am in the morning to go on a train and travel to Barcelona!!

Finally, I thought this day would never come.

Me and the teachers, L to R Hermana Nalbandyan (aremenia), Me, Hermana Gutierrez(español)
I am excited to get on to really working hard and not sitting in a class room. It is wearing on you on a daily basis. But I am really grateful for the opportunity I have had the past two months to have been taught by some great people who really know what is going on in the really world of missionary work. I am so excited to get out and share what I have been learning for the past 22 years. (that is because I am 22 now) Weird I know, but it is the truth.

Oh, by the way my MTC president has a blog that he updates with pictures. It is dougearlfamily.blogspot.com. Okay, So for the last couple of days. The update!!

Thank you Shalese for the birthday kit!!!

Saturday: Was my birthday. Turned 22. I am officially old now. But anyways. I woke up at 6:30 as usual, prayed, and then grabbed my clothes and hopped into the shower. What I didn´t notice were all the post its that were all over my bed and under the top bunk of my bed. My companion had decorated my bed after I had fallen asleep the night before. (they have a tendency to stay up a little later than I do. I got that from my mother. I can fall asleep anywhere and I am good at it too. I only have to put in earplugs to block out the talking. But luckily I purchased them in Provo!) Anyways, the day continued as a normal Sat in the CCM in Madrid. We had breakfast, Devotional with the pres, and then off to the park to proselyte.

Hermana Cannuci and I at the park

My companion for the day was Hermana Cannuci and we made 5 contacts in the Metro and 11 in the park. I actually spoke with 2 people from Germany, and while I was speaking to one of them, the other was taking pictures of me. Quite random, but a very good conversation with the people. Hermana Cannuci is from Italy and we spoke with roughly 3 Italians.

 But I used much more Spanish this week in the park than I had done in previous accounts at the park. After that, then we sang at the fountain some good old hymns of the restoration and then we went back to the CCM for some real good laughs and fun.

Singing in the park. More singing!

We just continued with the day. We ate the Cherry Chip cake that you sent mom. It was delicious. All the sisters kept on asking for the recipe and I told them that it was a secret recipe handed down from Generation to Generation. Ha ah aha ha a. (just for you mom). Anyways.

Beautiful building in park in Madrid.

                                                                     

  My companion had arranged to meet up with her family on Saturday at the Chapel that we play sports at, but sports were cancelled and she was in hysterics. So we went and talked with the president so she could ask if she could go down and see her family. Anyways, the president had just given a speech during the morning devotional about meeting up with your families and how you are not supposed to do so. So he said no, and she cried more. I don´t really know how to deal with emotions in English, let alone Spanish and hysterical. So it was awkward. But yeah. I am learning more about how to deal with the emotions of others in another language.

I copied a bunch of music and I am slowly building up my repertoire of music here in Spain. I am loving being used so much for my ability to play the piano, even though it is not very good. Anyways, it is great!

Sunday, all the missionaries in the CCM sang the As sisters as Zion/Armies of Helaman song in spanish. Everyone was really emotional. It was really fun to be incharge of more music. I LOVE TO BE INCHARGE OF MUSICAL THINGS.

I have really loved learning about all of the Españoles and learning how the people work here in Spain. I LOVE IT HERE!! THe weather is great. I am going to love Barcelona.
Anyways.
I´ll let you go. Gotta finish packing!
Hermana Skouson

Me and Elder Johansen, Elder Pyne

 We all had to choose names and make a card for the person (President told us that this is very cultural. Anyways, I had elder johansen. It is a depiction of a bunch of our inside jokes.)