December 30, 2013
Elder Dana Sorensen, Valencia, Spain

Great to hear from you all! Thanks for the news and pictures.

I´m going to keep it a little shorter this week since we talked on Wednesday.

We've been eating quite a bit for Christmas, that is, 2-3 meals with members a day for a few days there. I´m feeling a bit bloated. Since we didn't really eat any of the food we bought last week I just bought about 6 liters of juice instead  this week. Mmmm... juice.

Élder S____ from our piso went home this week. He blew up his meniscus and tore his ACL playing ultimate frisbee a few weeks ago. (He didn't even hit anything or step on his leg wrong, he just went down). We got up at 3:30 in the morning on Saturday and took him to the airport. He should be back in 3 months after the surgery. Because of that we're in trio this week until transfers next Tuesday.

We're planning on jump starting our areas this week: three way split (each missionary with a member) contacting and visiting. That way we can get three times the work done, in theory.

I´m really enjoying the Christtmas package. Those caramels are great, the sweater makes me look good, and the bands make me look even better. Honestly I was a little skeptical about the pedometer but I've been using it and it's great! It's fun to see how far we´re walking every day. (We´re averaging about 5 miles a day or so.)

I´m still working on the D&C. I read section  98 today about forgiveness. If we bear our trials patiently and forgive our enemies, we are blessed. If we forgive again a second time, we are blessed an hundredfold. And so on and on. A recent convert we are visiting is passing through the hardest time of this life. He has been taken advantage of  for 8 years, and now has nothing. It's difficult to try to teach someone forgiveness and patience when you've never been through trials so difficult, but I know that the Lord is always in control and that all those things will "work together for [our] good".

Thank you for your support and prayers, they mean a lot to me. Enjoy Christmas break and don´t get too lazy!

Hasta el lunes que viene,

Élder Sorensen