Pascuas

23/03/08
Happy Easter! It was a normal Sunday here in Spain, but because every Sunday is fantastic, today was an incredible day. Church was great, especially Sacrament meeting where all of the speakers did an incredible job, all testifying of Christ. My professor was one of the speakers and he did a great job, and I especially enjoyed it because I can understand his Spanish perfectly. The pianist was at his prime today, I got the shivers during every song! The intermediary hymn was phenomenal, it was a hymn we don’t have in the English books and so I didn’t know it very well, but the pianist sure did. His hands were flying all over the keys and he would raise his hands high off the keys during dramatic parts as if he was performing in Carnegie Hall. I want to bring him back to my home ward, the man is amazing. After church Amy and I came home and helped Ana a little with lunch and then enjoyed a great meal together. I hurried off to the plaza behind the school afterwards because I had an Easter skype date with the whole family. Jana was home because she and my mom needed to finish her dress and her bridal shower was on Saturday. My mom and dad are doing great, I can’t really explain how awesome it feels to see their faces and hear their voices when I am so far away, I just love it. My parents are amazing and I can’t wait to travel with them after the program is over! Jana came onto the camera wearing a pajama shirt that said ‘Jana loves Joe’ and it made me smile. That girl is so head over heels in love and I can’t help but get excited. Everyone was down in the kitchen eating breakfast and I could almost taste my dad’s honey bunches of oats and bananas, almost… Megan and Emma’s beautiful faces came up on the screen, which made me happy and everyone seems to be doing really well. I love my family so much!
Yesterday during breakfast Ana asked us if we wanted to go visit Chinchón and Arranjuez with her to make the most of the day. Of course we agreed and so we all got ready and I helped her make some bocadillos for our picnic. It wasn’t the best day weather wise, but we had a great time. Ana knew quite a bit about the two towns so we had a personal guide as we walked around. When we were in Chinchón we saw them preparing for the live procession of the last supper, crucifixion of Christ, and resurrection. The people of the town put a lot of work into it and it helped me to remember the great life of my Savior. My testimony of the love of God and his son Jesus Christ has grown immensely since I have been here in Spain. God loves every single one of his children. Living in a different country for the first time has really opened my eyes to how big this world is, how life is going on at this very moment in thousands of other places. There are so many people yet God knows my name, he answers my prayers, and comforts me daily. This phenomenon amazes me and is a great testimony to me of the omnipotence of God, of His endless love and compassion that he has for all of his children. I am so grateful for the gift of prayer; I have used it immensely while living here in Spain and trying to learn Spanish. Although my answers are not always right when I want them, I know that Heavenly Father’s timetable is much more accurate than my own. It has been a great Easter here in Spain, and I will probably never write that sentence again in my life haha… hasta luego!