Train Crash!!

Hey Everyone!

SO its been an incredible week here in Barcelona! We saw so many miracles this week it was unreal!

So first off, I just want to clear some things up. The missionary that was in the train crash is actually from the MADRID mission, so I really dont know too much about the whole thing. I saw a video of the crash! Nuts! The conductor is an idiot! Last I heard he is being charged for man slaughter and is willing accepting being put into jail. Kind of interesting. Last I heard the Elder is doing fine and will be in the field soon. There was also a member couple on the train... The Husband is doing fine, but the wife is still in critical condition in the hospital. Pretty intense. Hope everything turns out well! 

Another thing, I think some of you might have misunderstood me. They are NOT splitting the mission. They just split my ZONE. haha President Pace is still the mission president and I still serve in Barcelona! :) 

But anyway, like I said, this week was a week of miracles! Last weekend, Elder Arce and I fasted for our area, we knew that one of us was going to leave, but we decided to fast for the ward because Barrio 1 hasnt seen a lot of convert baptisms this year. Well, Elder Feller and I saw the miracles this week! On Tuesday we received a couple calls. The first was from a lady named Maria. We set a visit for the next day to go and visit her. We got there to the door and as she opens the door she says Hello, Im Maria. My boyfriend is an exmissionary who lives in Chile. He is on Skype right now, and I have been talking to him and I want to be baptized! The only bad part is she left the next day for a month long vacation... BUT we gave her a Book of Mormon and when she gets back we will start to teach her the lessons! Miracle! 

Well, We also recieved a call from a man named Claudio. He was born in Chile but moved here when he was 13 and has been living here for 30ish years. He called us and said he wanted to talk to us. We arrived to his house and he was super nice, as we sat down on his couch I ask him how he is doing and he says really well thanks. Really I want to get baptized and I just want to know the process and what I need to do! haha Boom! Miracle! I guess his mom is a member here as well and he decided he wanted to become closer to God and knew that baptism is the best way to do it! Well, I couldnt agree with him more! 

As for Nikole and Rocio, everything is still going really well! Hopefully Nikole gets out of the hospital soon, we still dont know when they will release her... Everything is going well though! Rocio is still progressing. We have a visit with her tonight and we are excited! I talked to her the other day and we  might have some potential problems with her husband not wanting her to be baptized, but im positive the spirit will help us! Please keep her in your prayers! 

Elder Feller and I are having a blast together! He is a really great kid! Really down to earth, has a lot of desires to work, but also likes to have a lot of fun! We are having a really good time together and have already seen a ton of miracles together! I am positive we will also see many more! 

We found a lady this week contacting and it was her birthday. She told us she was interested in learning more so we told her to come to church on Sunday and we would make her brownies and celebrate her birthday! Well, She came to church, but the brownies didnt turn out so well! haha In fact, the didnt turn out at all! haha 

Dad, as far as the whole Ipad thing... Yeah, I still think we are a little behind... My phone is still one of those little bricks! haha Hopefully the come around soon! I think they would make things a whole lot easier, but we will see! We are trying to work a lot closer with the members. I think President Pace said it best. The members arent here to help us with our missionary work, we are here to help them with their missionary work! Its so true! As members of the Lords true church, its our responsibility to share our blessings with others! 

Well, I love you guys lots! Keep up the good work and enjoy your last month of summer! :) 

Loves! 

Elder Carrigan

Transfers

Hey Everyone! 

So as you all know, transfers were this week, and I was expecting a transfer call, but the Lord wants me here in Barcelona a little bit longer! Im not complaining! :) Unfortunately Elder Arce is off to the Valencia zone so I will have a new companion. His name is Elder Feller. I have talked to him a couple of times, but dont know much about him. I do know that he is from Utah and went to Alta. From what I have heard and seen, he seems like a pretty cool kid and a great missionary. I am excited to work with him! Opening an area is always tough, and I feel like this next month or transfer we are going to see lots of miracles and lots of work here in Barcelona! 

The transfer was pretty nuts! You can tell that President in trying to prepare the mission for next transfer. We recieve 43 missionaries next transfer! Crazy! Because of this lots of people were moved around and put into areas where next transfer they can easily open a new area. They split the Barcelona Zone is half!! It is so fun to be in the mission right now just because seeing all the growth of the church and of the mission pumps me up! haha

As far as the work goes for us.. The week was filled with some ups and some downs. So Nikole was supposed to get baptized on Saturday but unfortunately she didnt... Thursday night we found out that she was sent to the hospital due to some issues... Please keep her in your prayers! I dont want to say this has turned out to be a good thing, but it kind of has. The young women in our ward are incredible! We called the young womens president as soon as we found out and on Sunday almost the of the young women in the ward went and visited her with signs, balloons, and everything! She loved it and felt really loved! Her mom also saw this and I think she is starting to open up a little bit now. Now she actually talks to us! :) Its a start. Hopefully she recovers well. When she is released from the hospital we will put another date. I know she she will be baptized and hopefully we can reactivate the whole family as well! 

We do have a new inestigator!!! Her name is Rocio. Both of her kids are members and her paretns as well! She is incredible and ready to get baptized! I guess not so long ago she wanted nothing to do with the church, but we invited the whole family to a family home evening with another family and it went extremely well. We talked to her, and at one part of the lesson she started explaining about how she didnt want anything with the church at one part in her life, and yet now she is at church every week. SO I asked her "Well why is it that you come to church now?" And she said it was because she felt good there. So I asked her."Well. what makes you feel so good at church?" She responded with the answer that I love! "Thats just it, I still dont know why I feel so good!" BOOM! We both testified about the Holy Ghost and how we can feel the Holy Ghost in places like chuch and FHE! The spirit was incredible! Not goign to lie! I love teaching by the spirit! It is incredible how much the spirit really helps me while we are teaching! We invited her to be baptized and she accepted! She is working to be baptized on the 10th of August! 

Then, we had a lady call us this week and said, Hello, My name is Maria and I would like to listen to the message you share.... It blew my mind! haha I was like... Um, Yeah, I think we can help you with that! We will try to fit you into our busy schedule! haha We have a lesson with her today at 4! Hopefully it goes well! If everything goes as planned, we will invite her to be baptized on the 10th as well! 

So thats about it for the week! :) It was a good week of missionary work! 

So to answer some of your questions! 

Dad you asked why it feels so hot. Yes it is really humid! You walk out the door and imidiately start sweating! Its one of those heats where by the end of the day you just feel nasty like you are sticky and smell... Plus we have been in the street LOTS the past couple weeks! Put me at the beach and I dont think it would be that bad, but just the fact that I am in the sun all day everyday, in a white shirt and tie, makes it that much worse! haha

As for the package that both of you talked about... Honestly, I cant think of anything that I need right now... As of right now I am good! I will probably need some white long sleeve shirts in the winter because I have given some of mine to converts and peopel that need them, but I am going to buy some european style shirts so I can come back looking real spaniard :) My pants have all ripped but they have been fixed by the members here! I have holes in my shoes, but they still are hanging in there! My ties are stained with food, sweat, and who knows what else, but I wouldnt want it any other way! :) All is well! If your going to send a package, I would love lots of photos, some letters from my brothers and sister and just some goodies maybe some Dr. Pepper or Mountain Dew Code Red, if its possible! We were talking about it the other day and I suddenly have a craving! haha  Other than that, all is well!! 

I am also trying to get a package off to you guys sometime soon with some things and lots of photos. The only problem is the computers we use dont let us plug in our cameras, so I need to find another computer... but im working on it! :) 

Well I am headed off to pick up Elder Feller from the train station! Love you all tons! Nick and Ryan, let me know how camp went! Annie, I want to hear about your tournament as well! Love you guys ton, and I pray for all of you everyday! Thanks for everything! 

Elder J. Carrigan

Lake Powell

Hey everyone! 

Hope you all are enjoying your trip in Lake Powell! Dad sent me some pics and I feel like I got my little piece of heaven just looking at them! I am glad you guys are having a good time! Luckily I have been able to stay focused this week and I havent thought of you guys too much! haha

Overall this week went well. It was a little tough... Maria, the girl from Peru that was really good dropped off of the face of the earth. I called her this week to confirm a visit and she told us that she cant visit with us anymore. I think its because he mom doesnt want anything to do with us. She is 21 so really she can do whatever she wants, but she lives here with her mom, so i am sure she plays a major part. We are going to continue trying to meet with her and maube we can talk to her a little more and help her with some of the doubts she has, but as for now, she doesnt want anything...

we also found out this week that there is a chance that Nikole might not get baptized this next week... She is super ready and he have taught her everything, or I guess I should say repassed everything because she already knew everything, but her mom doesnt want her to be baptized until the end of August... The worst part is the mom wont even talk to us so it is pointless. I am kinda bugged with the whole situation... We are praying hard and I knwo if the Lord wants it to happen, it will happen, but unfotunately people have this thing called agency that really bugs me! haha More than anything, I feel liek I am lossing my patience for a lot of people... Its either that or the heat is driving me crazy! Maybe its a little of both! haha 

Thsi past week we had an activity with all the youth which was really fun! They all came super early to the church and had a mission day. We ate breakfast, had personal study, companionship study, and then visited some families in the ward. We taught them how to teach the Plan of Salvation, and then they had to teach it to the families we visited. It was really fun and I think the youth also had a reallt good time! We are trying really hard to work with the bishopric and get a lot of the youth here out on missions! Almoth everyday we have a young man helping us. Wether its with a visit or just contacts, we take them with us and do splits all the time. Its really fun! 

We also have an activity today in the church. We are having a big sports day! One of the sister missionaries made a ton of mexican food and we told the youth that if they bring a friend, they can eat Mexican food!! haha We are just going to play a ton of sports! Of course I am going to teach them how to play scatterball! I just hope I dont hit a little girl in the face today!! haha Its going to be a fun day! 

Alright, Im out! Thanks for everything! Love you all! I am looking forward to all the pictures of Powell you are going to send me next week! :) 

Loves! 

Elder Carrigan

Go Big, or Go Home!

Hey everybody! 

So  my inbox was filled with like a thousand pictures this morning! Loved them all! Everything looks great at home! It looks like everyone is having a blast! Ry Guy with the lady friend! Well done big dog! She is a cutie! Nick well done on the tournament! looks like you mom and dad had a lot of fun! And Annie... Put my hat back!!!! haha No its chill, im positive that all my stuff has already been taken out of my room, used, and maybe destroyed... Just means I will have to buy some new clothes and things here before I come home!!! haha 

So Lake Powell this week.... Thats all we are going to talk about that.... haha Send Pictures! 

Then the week after Nick and Ryan have camp and are rooming together? That should be a blast! You both better do work! Let those coaches know who the Carrigan Brothers are! In fact, make sure the whole camp knows who the Carrigan Brothers are! haha And then, always be humble! ;) 

So I am going to be honest guys, this week killed me! We worked SO hard, and our week was incredible! we killed it! We taught a ton of lessons!!! haha it was insiane! We also found a ton of new investigators! We did splits with the youth in our ward like all week, and just went to town! When we didnt have visits, we went to the parks and malls and just taught people! On benches, sittign on the grass, on the play grounds, it didnt even matter, we just taught! We found some new investigators and some are progressing. 

As of now, we have two baptismal dates. One is still with Nikole. She is doing great, but the problem is her parents dont want to support her... Her parents told her that they would sign the paper and that she could be baptized, but they would not come to the baptism... She is progressing really well, and honestly could be baptized tomorrow, but she just really wants her parents to support her in what she is doing... Please keep her in your prayers! She will be baptized on the 20th.

We also found a girl this week names Maria. She is 21 and from Peru. More than anything, she just has a desire to learn and to know! She has never been baptized into any church and knows that baptism is important. But she told us that before she is baptized she wants to know exactly what she is doing! She couldnt be anymore prepared! We set the goal for her to be baptized on the 27th of this month and promised her that she would recieve an answer if she did her part. I couldnt be more confident! She will be a solid investigator and the youth here in our ward are amamzing! 

I am loving our ward! They are incredible! I think with all this hype about missions, the youth are just pumped to go on missions and more than anything they want to help us whenever they can! It has been incredible how much the ward is helping us, Now we just need to find a way for them to share the gospel with there friends! That way I dont need to be in the street dying from the heat all day! haha O yeah! Did I mention how freaking hot it is here!!!!!!! IM DYING! haha Lets just say going to bed sweating every night really isnt my favorite thing in the world! haha 

So yeah... Thats it for this week. We are planning on going hard again next week! I dont know if I will make it another 10 months, but im going to die trying! haha

Love you guys a ton! Have a great time at Powell and like I said, Please send lots of pictures! :) 

Hugs and Kisses! :) haha that was a little gay

Elder James Carrigan

P.S. Ryan, what happens with Anika when you find another girl at Lacrosse camp next week?? You SLY dog! haha Love you buddy! 

Mes de Mil

Hey Fam,

Sounds like summer is a blast at home but also super crazy! I just have to tell you one thing... The mission is ten times better! :) haha This week was super crazy, so much fun, and full of miracles! 

Im not sure if I told you guys, but at the begining of the month, the leadership council made a goal to find 1000 new investigators in the month of June. Usually we find around 750 to 800 a month so it was a pretty solid goal. Well coming into this past week we were a little short, we had found about 800, and we werent sure if we were going to make it, but... We did it!!! It was absolutely incredible! it was so awesome to see the missionaries so excited and working so hard to find these new investigators! It was a lot of fun as well! We were always on the phone like, How many you got, lets go, we need more! But honestly it was one of the greatest miracles I have seen on my mission so far! We have been praying at 10:00 everyday to find the 1000 and my testimony of prayer has grown so much! I know the Lord listens to us and wants to bless us in every way possible! 

This week we also had a huge miracle happen! Earlier this week we recieved a reference from the Elders in Badalona. They said that when they were in the metro a girl came up to them and told them that she ahad already listened to the missionaries and had been to church, and she wanted to start listening to them again! SO we contacted her and she told us that she would come to church. Well we went and picked her up for church on Sunday adn she came! After church we had a lesson with her and we asked her about her past experience with the missionaries. She told us that she listened when she was young but started not believing in God, and that now she relizes that she needs god in her life and really wants God in her life and that the only way she can have God in her life is if she comes to church and is baptized! Well, Elder Arce and I were like well... We help people with that... Can we help you prepare to be baptized? And she was like well yeah! haha So she is getting baptized on the 20th of July! We are super excited! Her name is Nicole! She 15 and her parents are Less Active so we are excited to work with them as well! She also told us that she has a friend who wants to come to church as well! Honestly she is so ready! It was a huge miralce! 

We also had the opportunity to watch the special conference on missionary work! It was incredible!!!! The spirit was so strong and wow the videos! It made just want to go baptize someone! haha I dont know, there is just such a better way for us all to do missionary work and I loved the way they all explained it! Sharign the gospel can be so simple, we jsut need to look for the easy ways we can share it everyday! I honestly have such a desire to share the gospel here with the people of Spain, but I also all of a sudden just have a huge desire to get home and share the gospel with all of my friends. And I guess its just that... Before I understood the gospel and I knew it blessed my life, but here in the mission, I havent only seen it bless lives, but I have seen it change lives, and I always think of peopel at home that need the gospel in their lives! For now, I think I will stay here, but I think I now really understand the importance of the gospel. I love this gospel and I love my savior! 

Last but not least, I got a haircut.... Unfortunately I made the mistake of letter the Elders I live with cut my hair... yeah, I ended up just buzzing it... haha it was bad! But hey, just another good ole mission experience! haha Luckily I dont look half bad with a buzz so president wasnt mad with me, but I thought I was going to get a ton of crap from all the elders in our meeting today but once again I lucked out and no one said anything! Thats another great miracle for the week! 

Well Gents. I love you all! I know this is Gods work! And last of all the church is true and God loves you! Have a great week! 

Loves! 

Elder Carrigan