PICTURES!!! (Finally)

This week we received a package from Elder Roos which included two camera cards full of photos. Here are a few of our favorites.

At the Provo MTC with his friend Ty

With the other Elders in his class at the Provo Temple

.

All the Elders in the MTC who had matchiing ties.

All the missionaries in the Madrid MTC singing in the park.

The Madrid Post Office (not kidding).

In front of the Madrid Temple

The Madrid Temple

At the train station in Madrid Leaving for Barcelona

View of Barcelona from a castle overlooking the city.

With the Hinckleys and the others who arrived in the mission with him

View of Manacor from his apartment window

Members of the Branch (congregation) at the Branch Christmas Party.

With his companion, Elder Naseath

With Cati at her Baptism!

A view of Manacor

With members of the Branch at a Branch activity

A Cathedral in Manacor

A Few Editor's Notes

Elder Roos has started making a voice recording each week off his camera. I am having a few technical difficulties but I will start posting those as soon as I figure it out.

We are still waiting on pictures. He sent a few in an email a few weeks ago, but the way they were attached locked them against being downloaded.

If there are ever things in the letters you don't understand, just leave a comment and I will try to explain.

Although Elder Roos has access to email once a week, snail mail really is better. He is only allowed to email immediate family and he only has an hour a week to read all the emails and to write us. That really isn't much time. Additionally, he can't print it and his email has limited space so he can't keep your letters. Trust me, missionaries love receiving letters in the mail, it can make their entire day (international postage is 98 cents). If you just have a short message, you can make a comment on this blog and we will include it in one of our letters that week.

Thanks for all your support and prayers! We know he appreciates it!

-The Roos Family

December 14, 2009

Today we went and saw the one of the old Catholic churches in Mallorca. As far as a museum goes, it was really cool. iIt had a tun of stuff from the 1300s. But as far as a church it was different than I'm used to.

I really can't describe home much I'm loving it right now. Seriously it is borderline perfect. Our branch (congregation) is really small but you know me, I've always done better is small environments.

As far as speaking in Spanish on the audio next time I'll see what I can do. I love being with Elder Naseath because he wants to work on his Spanish too. Right now we are doing an English fast until Christmas. Its working pretty well. Once in a while I slip and say something in English, but I can't tell you how much it is helping my Spanish. My goal is to be able to speak Spanish with Evan when i call (well here they call it castellano, the Latin American form is Spanish). the Spaniards are really weird, they have pride in weird things.

Well, love ya'll!
Elder Roos

If I wasn't a missionary, I wouldn't believe this week - December 7, 2009

So, this week was amazing, we are truly seeing miracles. We got that commitment Monday night from a person who we were close to dropping, but she snuck up on us. She wasn't able to come to church because of work. We thought she had other concerns but that was it. She is so strong I can't believe it. I did a voice recording and am gonna try to send it. That has more details on everything. Like I said, this week was borderline unbelievable.

I love my companion. he just has a good head on his shoulders. We are changing this area from a barely surviving area to the strongest area on the island, all because of the Lord's hand. Seriously, I think I'm happier right now than I have ever been. I love this work, there is nothing like seeing people change.

Love ya,
Elder Roos

Barc vs. Madrid + Rain November 30, 2009

Well, I'll start this letter out with a little mathematics:
Barc vs Real Madrid = people don't come to the door or are drunk at the bar
Rain = wanting to get inside
Barc vs Madrid + rain = two soaking wet missionaries

So yeah, this place loves their soccer. We know when something good happened by the yelling, honking and pandemonium. Gotta love Spain.

So now to the report of an awesome week. Tuesday we flew up to Barc for a multi-zone conference with Elder Kapisckie. It was amazing. He didn't come with a agenda, he just asked us questions and vice-versa, I am a better missionary for it. Wednesday night we stayed on the main land and I got to meet the family of a guy I was in the MTC with. It was really cool. Then the cool part: Thursday we were flying back and i started talking to the lady next to me. Found out her sister was a member and we just talked a lil then me and Elder Naseath taught here the 1st lesson, including a baptismal invitation which she accepted. How awesome is that? Too bad she lives in Palma and the other missionaries get that one, well we are on the same team. Then on the train a lil later we met a guy who's sister is Mormon, and of course he got off the stop before our area started. I love doing other peoples work  :) 
 
So my companion is from Cali. He is only on his 4th transfer, about 7 months. We are the youngest companionship in the mission. Its okay, we get work done. We don't have any baptismal dates right now but we keep asking. We got a call from the assistants this morning saying that the president had a feeling that we are gonna set a baptismal date this week so we need to call him when it happens, so we are planning to set three just to blow his mind. Please pray for that.

So how do you get a branch president who isn't very motivated going? You get his inactive daughter to show up to church. We met with her Saturday night and watched "Finding Faith in Christ with her and her bf. Then, when he started questioning things she was like "Stop being stupid. Can't you tell this stuff is true?" You shoulda seen the smile on the president's face. Let's just say meetings were a lot more effective yesterday.
    
Besides that not too much, just living the life.

November 23, 2009

So to answer your questions of how i like it and how my companion is.... well the title (Manacora, is there anything better)should give you your answer. The branch here isn't very strong (only about 20 people) but it is growing. I think we could realistically have 4 baptisms this transfer. We made one baptismal date this week (not sure if it counts, it a girl who is about 8 and a half and about half of her family just got activated, so we will have to ask president to see if that counts).  but yeah all of them are family of 2 different members. Elder Natheas is still a stud, I really like him. We are going to change the reputation of this area.

The weather's good because its about 80 today.  They said we should bring a
coat but I don't think I'll need one while I'm here.

So yeah, things are really good here, I've really seen my Spanish improve.
I would say I've spoken more Spanish here than i did all 6 weeks in Castellón.

November 9, 2009 and November 16, 2009

*Stephie apparently sent a letter on November 9, but we never received it. He tried to recreate a little of it for us in his November 16th letter.

What made this week interesting:
So, I was sitting an a train station with another elder waiting for a couple of other missionaries to come after exchanges (when missionaries change companions for a day or two in order to learn different methods of teaching). A man walks by and I say hola, just like I do to everyone. He looked at me weird... like everyone does. Then he misses his train. So, for the next 30 minutes he stands on the platform and stares and me for a the entire time. It was weird but I didn't think much about it. His train comes, and I wish I was making this last part up, but he steps on the train, turns around, winks at me and blows me a kiss. What the crap is wrong with Spain!!!!!!!
So, now that you are done rolling on the floor you can read the rest of the letter.
That was last week.

I'm getting transferred to Manacor, its on the island. It should be cool. Lets just say this transfer might be action motivated (we had a 3 day exchange last week because we got in a little discussion about if we should be lazy and negative or not, and the Citadel has taught me to yell well. I like Elder Harris he just doesn't have the same work ethic i do.

I just got in Manacor and I'm not gonna lie I've been in this area and with this comp 30 minutes and it is already my favorite. It is beautiful. It looks so Spanish it isn't even funny. Its a small zone and everyone seems to really have their head on straight. I am really excited for it.

My new companion is Elder Naseath. Rumor has it that he is a machine. From our talk  on the train I would agree. The first thing he said when I told him I was in the military was "I´ve been praying for a comp like you!" He is pretty new as well, only 7 months, so he really wants to nail Spanish. Can you tell I'm excited?

Fun fact, Manacor is the home of the #2 tennis player in the world, Nadal. Cool, huh?
Well, nothing new after that.
love yall
- Elder Roos


avenida salvador juan 67, 3 izq
07500
manacor
Palma de Mallorca
españa