Fútbol and contacting

This is in front of our church building. It is in the middle of a date farm and there are palm trees everywhere

Hola a todos!

This week has been great. I am adjusting really well to mission life here in Spain, and we had a great week.

We have had a lot of meals with members, and I am getting to know our ward very well. A way we do this is by playing fútbol, and how could I complain!? There is a fútbol field, I say field, but it's really just concrete, in the back of the church and we play there. We play with members, amigos, less actives, recent converts, and other missionaries. It is a great way for us to interact with our amigos, and I mean who can complain about playing fútbol?

This week we also had interviews with President Galli. He is a beast. I am so grateful to have President Galli as my mission president. I truly felt his love for me in our interview, and know he will be a great guide to me throughout my mission. After our interviews, we went to eat a Columbian restaurant with the Gallis and a recently arrived senior couple. It was a great meal and I had a lot of fun spending time with my district and President Galli. 

In light of Thanksgiving this week, I have many things to be grateful.for. I am very grateful for my family, my friends, my country and all the men and women that have sacrificed their lives for our country. Even though I don't live there, I am grateful for America. But I am also grateful for my mission call, the opportunity I have to serve in beautiful Spain, and I am grateful for the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the Spirit and its guidance.  My companion and I went contacting the other day in the streets of Elche. It was later in the evening, and we both were looking forward to bedtime. We walked through the streets, with no specific direction or place to go, just random really. As we were walking, we saw a guy who would cross paths with us, we thought nothing of it, and we greeted him, but he didn't seem to acknowledge us. As we walked away, we heard an Espera! (wait). And he told us that he had some friends who had served missions, and he had wanted to talk with us. We got his number, and we already have a lesson appointment with him this week. He has a lot of questions, and I think the Gospel is exactly what he needs. Clearly, we were being led by the spirit that day so that we would cross paths with this guy, and start teaching him. I know this Gospel is true, and that it blesses all of our lives, at times in ways we may not see.

Hope all is doing well, have a great Thanksgiving and enjoy your week!

Élder Van Wagenen

God Bless America, Viva la España 

Fotos:

1. I found all the necessary ingredients for crepes! It was not easy, I am finding that many of my recipes are quite useless here in Spain because the ingredients are nowhere to be found. But all is well, I can make crepes!

2/3. For día de preperación, our district went to Santa Polo and went to the beach. That is the Mediterranean and it was really beautiful.

4. I truly miss America. So I drew a flag in the sand. 🇺🇸

España!

Just hours in Spain!  

Elder Van Wagenen with President & Sister Galli

(President Galli grew up in RENO - small world)

Hola a todos!

So much has happened in the past week. I will do my absolute best to not turn this email into a novel.

Our last few days at the MTC were very fun, but also very tough. I really loved my district at the MTC and will miss all of them. I had some of the most fun, and the most spiritual experiences with my district while at the MTC. 

The flight to Barcelona, with the layover in JFK really was quite boring an uncomfortable, and needless to say, this jet lag is still taking its toll on me. But I am slowly adjusting to this new schedule. When we arrived in Barcelona, we met up with President and Sister Galli, and los ayudantes. (The assistants to the president). We then drove around Barcelona, saw some sights, and went to Castell de Montjuïc. Up there we saw the entire city, and the Mediterranean. It was really cool, a little windy and cold, but beautiful. President pointed out some sights of the city, and spoke about our mission a little bit. After that we headed to the mission home for interviews and ciesta. Boy do I love ciesta! We basically napped, talked with the President and his wife, and went through some house keeping business. Anyways, for the night we crashed at the Zone leaders piso, which fortunately for me was right across from La Sagrada Familia. So I got to walk right in front of that this week. It is so cool, and really pretty at night, even though it is under construction! 

The next day we headed back to meet our trainers and go to our areas. We had a little pow wow, talked a little more with the president and his wife, and got our assignments. And I got to go to Elche, which is down south, with Elder Whitehead as my trainer. I really like him, and he is showing me how to work!

All the new missionaries with President & Sister Galli

Elder Van Wagenen with new trainer Elder Whitehead

My very first appointment was with a member who is a great cook. And we had Columbian style paella. So not the authentic Spanosh paella, but it was very close. And it was also very good. After the meal, we taught the second half of the Plan of Salvation to some people who are not members who are living with the member, if that makes sense. I didn't say a whole lot, but do feel that they understood most of what I said.

Columbian Paella

I really love Elche, it is November and is not cold, there are palm trees everywhere, I am in a 4 man piso, and we have a car! The members here in Elche are very helpful and nice, and we have 2 visits every day, one for lunch, one for dinner. So we have been doing a lot of contacting, and a lot of member visits. It's been a great week!

The street in Elche - Lots of Palm Trees everywhere

(Date Palms actually)

I see this email has already breached novel status, so I'll end it here. Spain is treating me well thus far, and I hope all of you are doing well. Until next week!

Elder Van Wagenen 

God Bless America, Viva la España

Arrived Safely in Spain

MOM Notes:

This morning Nathan left for his adventure to Spain.  A little nervous mom here, but we got updates along the way:

This picture was sent to us by some thoughtful UTA  train employee.  They made it to the Airport!!!

I stayed up late and watched his progress on the Delta Website - It was pretty cool, but he didn't land until after 1am in the morning!!!!

He made it!!!  Below is his first note from Spain, can't really call it a letter!

Hola Familia,

The Mission President wants me to email you and let you know that I have arrived safely in Spain, and I am currently at the mission home. I am exhausted, this jet lag stuff is no fun, but I'm sure it will all come to pass. I will find out who my trainer is tomorrow where I'm going. Keep an eye out on

Instagram, we did some cool stuff today.

Élder Van Wagenen 

His first view of SPAIN!

España or bust! 2 days left!!!

Hola a todos!

 Yeah... I am only here for 2 more days. I will be flying to New York City on Monday, and then from there, I will have a red eye flight to Barcelona. I am so excited, but also quite nervous, but excited, I don't know what to think!

Our devotional on Tuesday was awesome. We got to listen to Sister and Elder Uchtdorf!!! Like how lucky am I!?!? I thought I was lucky enough to get Elder Cook, but Elder Cook AND Elder Uchtdorf!?!? Oh my gosh it was great! He talked a lot about things we can do to be successful missionaries, and how to overcome tough days and how to face them. Like with Elder Cook, I felt the spirit very strongly just from his presence, and even more so when he was speaking. It was really awesome to hear one of my favorite apostles while at the MTC!

On Monday, the reassigned scare came around. Some people in my district got reassigned to a stateside mission, a lot of my soccer friends got reassigned, and I was stressing a little bit. Maybe I would be going to Wichita instead of Barcelona??? I believe they are all just visa waiting, but it had me worried. Luckily, on Thursday I went to UVU to appear before the Spain consulate to get my passport and visa. So let me talk about that a little bit. We went to UVU because the consulate works there, it's 4 miles away from the MTC, so that's what we do. First shock, being a missionary in the real world for the first time. It was so weird. Walking around campus I was getting a lot of weird looks from people. And it took me a second to realize, hey, I am at a place with a lot of people, and none of them are missionaries. It was very weird, but a fun experience. I even enjoyed some Chick-Fil-A. But I got to the consulate, listened to him blabber for over an hour, and then went back to the MTC with passport and visa in hand. So there is only one place I can go, and that is bonita España!

This week has been sad as well because it has been the last week. And the part of me that is itching to leave it still wanting to leave, but part of me is really sad. The MTC has been very good to me, I have made lots of new friends, gotten really close with our district and teachers, and have felt the spirit very strong every day. I have also enjoyed playing soccer here, which is good because I hear in Spain they kinda like soccer. So all good things.

This is my last P-day here in beautiful America. The next time I email you I will be in Spain! I can't wait. I wish all of you well, and I hope everyone has a great week!

Elder Van Wagenen
God Bless America

1. Since it is our last week, our district had a sleepover on P-day eve. Cuz why not??? We had chips and salsa, donuts, anything with sugar, and laughed until a very late hour.

 2. This is me and Elder Perzarro, who I met at 2018 NYLT at Camp Fleischmann. Elder Perzarro was in my patrol and I was his troop guide! NYLT is so good!

 3. The 4 Elders in my district going to Barcelona, picture at Utah Valley University where we met with the Spanish Consulate and got our visas. Left to right: Elder Boden (mi compa), me, Elder Cox, Elder English

5. This is a picture of our district with our Branch President and his wife. I loved them so much!!! President and Sister Edwards really had the spirit with them and gave us lots of encouraging words and served us well. I will miss them very much!

6. So Elder English, an Elder going to Barcelona with me, shared this picture with me this week and I love it! So I figured I'd show it to y'all as well. It is a picture of Jesus Christ and John the Baptist just chillin. Just 2 good buds, they are having a good time just chatting, and I just really enjoyed this picture and wanted to share it.

MTC vs. Usain Bolt, which goes by faster?

Hola a todos!

This week was a lot of fun, and it felt like just a few days ago it was P-day, it went by so fast! But a lot has happened this week, and I felt the spirit a lot.

The first thing that happened this week is the Branch President asked me and my companion to be the Zone Leaders! I really was not expecting this at all, but I have really enjoyed being in this position. My job is to talk with all the district leaders and see how each district is doing and help address needs as necessary, I am the planner over Sunday meetings, and probably my favorite responsibility, I get to welcome a brand new district each Wednesday, talk to them about the MTC, and give them a tour. And I get to do it again this Wednesday! My leadership skills from NYLT have most certainly come into use this week, and I can imagine they will be of great use for the remainder of my mission.

The devotional this Tuesday, we had Elder and Sister Bassett come and talk to us. And they showed us a really awesome video of the history of the church, and I felt the spirit very strong. They talked about the restoration and the role it has in the conversion process. I felt the spirit consistently throughout the meeting, and my testimony in the restoration increased. I know that testimony is very important and I cannot wait to share mine with the people of Spain. On that note, I am down to 8 days left at the MTC! Like where did the time go!?!?!? I got a trip itinerary for my travel to Spain and I just hadn't realized how quick it went by. According to the itinerary, I will be in Barcelona Spain around 10 am local time on November 12th, nothing can describe how excited I am!

I hope everyone is doing well, and I have attached some photos for your enjoyment. Christmas is in full swing here at the MTC, so apparently, the rule here is once Halloween ends, it's all Christmas. Don't know if that's the same back home, but the MTC did do better than Costco... Until next week!!!

Elder Van Wagenen

Me at the Provo Temple on my P-day

It snowed last Sunday here, so had to make a snowman

It's always fun to bump into missionaries from my home stake (Carson City Stake) in the dining hall:  middle is Elder Cole Ashton from Carson City, he just arrived this week and we served in the Reno temple at the same time), & on the right is Elder Dane Hamblin from Dayton, we served as staff at NYLT together and he's shipping out to the Philippines this next week.