Is there anything on this menu that’s not swimming in gravy?!

(**A note from Ashley: We LOVE the movie Emperor’s New Groove, so in case you don’t get his movie references (and the post title), it’s from that movie. You should watch it. It’s awesome. ;) Also, Jason has one week left at the Spain MTC. Because it takes about 10 days for handwritten letters to reach him, I’m removing his MTC address and he can be reached at the Mission home address listed to the right. Thank you so much for writing him! He just loves it!**)

This past week has been pretty uneventful.  But remember how I mentioned everything on the menu swimming in gravy? well for dinner last p-day, we had some crazy creature that looked EXACTLY like the food in Emperor´s New Groove.  I´ll send it later today.  But you can´t look at that picture and NOT think of Emperors new groove.  It was the husk of an eggplant with some kind of ground up fish and mushrooms and other abominable things.  I took one bite and really thought that I was going to puke...it was bad. i mean, just look at the picture!

bleh...bad memories, there are no options here...you take what the lunch ladies give

This past Saturday in the park was very slow.  My companion and I were there for an hour and a half and no one talked to us.  Every single person we approached refused to talk to us. Actually, we talked to an old man, they are easy targets because they walk slow, and he basically told us his life story and that he was 86 and only had 4 years left to live. I wanted to say something like, hey, if you get baptized you can live forever, but it didn´t feel right to say it. So I didn´t. hah.  But it was discouraging to say the least.  But later that day I read Alma 26:27 and I felt better. (You´ll have to look it up for yourself!)

From what all the church leaders have told us, the work is slow in Europe. Very slow.  But after conference I just have a feeling that Europe´s time to accept the Gospel is very close at hand! Right now, we are here preparing the people to completely receive the Gospel! in about 2 and half years the temple in Rome will be finished and i would bet that once it is done, the church will bloom here in the European countries.  We had a devotional and the Parable of the Sower from Mateo 13 was shared.  I am a sower.  I am out here planting as many seeds as I can in hopes that some will grow.  I really do feel that Europe´s time to accept the gospel is close at hand. It isn´t time right now, but through our hard work, the time will come! I know it! It is so discouraging because so many people have rejected us, but we just keep going! I don´t know the lord´s plans for the people of Spain, but through me, and my fellow missionaries here, we are preparing the people to receive the Gospel, and it is just so exciting!

I only have a week left here in Madrid before I get sent to Málaga.  We leave on April 26, so a little more than a week, but we only have a week left of classes.  Spanish is coming along, and I use it more and more everyday.  I gave up on learning French, the Frenchies are not willing, or nice enough to help us learn their language.  We eat a lot of French fries here at the CCM and so we make it very clear to them that we call them Freedom Fries, not French fries. Hah.

I´m kind of at a loss of words because nothing too huge has happened. We just had class and that´s about it.  Elder Walton and I go running every so often through the city and that has been fun. We´ve gotten really close as friends and that has been great.  My companion and I don´t always like to be around each other (to put it nicely), so it has been VERY nice to be with a friend every now and then.

Well, I guess I will close for now, I´ll make sure to send the picture of the food later today, and maybe some pictures of something fun that we´ll do today.  I think we´re gonna go into the city and just walk around.  Again, I know that I was sent to Spain because the Lord knows me.  We get naps on Sundays and in the field we don´t have to wake up until 7! But we also go to bed at 11 so its supposed to balance out.

Elder Walton and I, he WASN'T wearing his name tag (sí, un pecador, yo sé - yes, the sinner, I know)  so he was covering his chest

this is me and my fellow fisher of men, Peter. He´s a pretty smart guy

Elder Walton and I got some amazing Italian ice at the Plaza Mayor, I guess this was the place the movie "Vantage Point" was supposed to take place. But I can´t remember for certain.

Me and the temple sign! I´m really here! I´m in Spain!

This is me and the metal statue of the family on the temple grounds. As you can see, we´re all pretty happy the little one started walking. ;)

That's me at Puerta del Sol

me and don Averga or some body...can´t remember

That's me and the back of the giant Cathedral

me and the front of the church. The thing was HUGE! kinda freaky and intimidating as well

Well I love hearing from everyone (family AND friends) I can feel your love and support so strongly.  I am here on the Lord´s errand and I testify that He lives and that he cares! I have grown so much while I´ve been a missionary!

I love and miss you,
Jason