Miracles in the Office

Castle on the hill in Blanes

 Hola a tots!

It has been so much fun these past few weeks! So busy with so many things to do, and I am still in shock with how fast the past 6 weeks flew. If you told me we were only 3 weeks into the transfer it would not be hard for me to believe. Crazy! We have been really busy recently with Easter, as the Church has been on this really big initiative of #startingtoday, and our mission is full steam ahead as well! Do keep an eye out on the church's websites and social media, they have some super awesome videos and prompts coming up this week! (Just one dub of being a social media specialist, I get to see all of the social media plans the church has hehe.)

This week we have also seen some serious miracles. Before the transfer happened, we went to the gas station to get the cars ready for the moves, as during transfers we taxi people from location A to location B, and everywhere else in between. When we arrived at the gas station, the 2 other Elders had misplaced their wallet, and the key to the car they were driving, being a brand new Hyundai Santa Fe, which just happened to also be Presidente´s car. Bad news bears. However, the car still recognized that the key was in the car, so we said a prayer hoping we would find it later, and went back to the office. The car still recognized that the key was in the car in the garage, so we were assured that nothing had been stolen, and it must have fallen down into some black hole in the car. Later, 2 other Elders went down again to try to find the key, and one of these Elders felt inspired to look on top of the car. Thinking no way the key would have stayed on top of the car, because we had been driving around Barcelona for a few hours since the incident, he looked up and to everyone's surprise, the key and wallet were found there. God put some serious Gorilla glue or something because there is no way the wallet and key should have stayed there. God is good.

Another miracle is found through Facebook! Which are my favorite types of miracles. We post things to our pages here in the mission several times a week, in hopes that these posts will reach people who are prepared to receive the Gospel. We often will pay Facebook so we can run an ad, and said ads will reach even more people. However this week, a missionary posted a solid video about a Book of Mormon on their page, and it blew up. In the past few weeks, it has reached well over 40K people, with over 4,000 reactions, hundreds of likes, and even more shares. And we did not put a dime into this video. Really grew my testimony that God has a direct hand in this work, because after being here for a while, I can recognize how well a post will normally do, but with this post, I am still blown away. God is good.

Like I said, the Church is going to be putting out some really cool content this week for Holy Week, and I invite you all to ponder about their #startingtoday prompts, and think about ways you can focus on the Savior's Atonement and the impact it has had on your life. Watch the videos and think of the personal sacrifice the Savior made for you, and I promise you will feel the Spirit so strong, and your love for the Savior will increase. Try it!

Until next week!

Élder Van Wagenen

God Bless America, Viva España

1. Said goodbye to my comp - Elder Rappelyea

2. My trainer - Elder Whitehead also returned home at this transfer

3. Castle in Girona

4. The boys in from the office in Blanes

4. Els bois

5. Sunset on top of castle in Blanes

Pickpocketers!!

Me and my companion, Elder Rappleyea, at 

Park Güell

Hola a todos!

It has been such a good time here in Barcelona, it is crazy that I've already been here for a month because it has just flown!! We always have so much to do, but it has been lots of fun and really awesome seeing the hand of the Lord work through Facebook! My testimony has grown so much these past few months that the Lord is preparing, has prepared, and will prepare, people to receive the Gospel. And even though we aren't in the streets like we were before, we are online, so God gives us that tool so we can bring to pass the purposes of God. So good!!

Barcelona is known as the pickpocket capital of the world. And, I received my personal witness of that this week. Everything turned out fine in the end, I'm assuming because once the guy who tried to steal the phone realized we both were tall Americans, he used his agency well and handed back the phone. Be aware of distraction tactics, because it worked pretty well! It was a 2 man operation. They had one dude "taking pictures," who was really the guy to take the phone, and they had another dude who was the distraction. The distraction called for our attention and started talking gibberish. I can guarantee you it was not English, Spanish, or Catalan, my best guess would be what the minions speak, but while that was happening, the dude who was "taking pictures" grabbed my companion's phone that was right next to him on the bench we were sat on. Again, everything turned out fine, just need 2 Americans and a threat to call the cops, worked for us, but it sure was a fun experience. 

And as I write this email, sharing a nifty experience wouldn't be as good if I didn't relate it to the Gospel right? In life, we have all the things we need to be happy. We have families that can be eternal, we have the Gospel, which literally gives us step by step instructions on how to be happy, we have scriptures that are our literal maps and guides, Prophets who warn us of danger and teach us, the list goes on and on. However, in spite of all these things, sometimes we can get off the beaten path. Just as me and my companion were completely distracted by the minion speaking man, there may be distractions in life that pull us off from the right path. Now when that happens, the Atonement exists for that reason and can always help in a bad situation, but we must always be aware, and watch out for those distractions. Another great example is the vision of the tree of life. When the thick darkness arose over the people, and the distractions of people in the great and spacious building, those who persevered, and held to the iron rod, at the end were safe and enjoyed the rewards of doing so. 

Hold on to the rod, and watch out if someone starts speaking to you like a minion! Until next week!

Élder Van Wagenen 

God Bless America, Viva España 

Fotos:

1. Looking over Barcelona from the top of Tibidabo

2. Spanish paella time

3. One of the first big hospitals in Barcelona

4. Hospital 

6. From the Art Museum looking down towards Plaza España 

7. Famous Catalan Art museum