For those missing our Brooklyn, here are updates on Hermana Wheeler in Spain from Weeks 6-10. It's been so fun to re-read her emails. Love you so much, Buttermilk!
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Week 6: Intentar
Hola amigos!! Como están?
This week was crazy! We were sooo busy, so it went so fast but at the same time it feels like last P-Day was forever ago. I'll try to actually keep it pretty short this time.
Tuesday was the day of sugar. It was my roommate Hermana Turner's birthday, so we ate chocolate for breakfast and then all went to lunch together at this 50s diner close to us, which was SO fun. I had a burger named after Dolly Parton with goat cheese and caramelized onions and we all got milkshakes. Then, we were the guests of honor at a birthday party for a 12 year old member. She was so excited to see us it honestly kind of made my week. After that we had an ice cream date with the Hotties de Madrid (I'm not even kidding, that's our group chat name). They're this group of JA girls that are mostly less active, so we're trying to help them feel more comfortable at church. Anyway, by the end of the day we were definitely feeling the sugar crash.
Wednesday we had zone conference and I honestly learned so much more than I expected!! It was all very teaching skills oriented, which was great for me because with my assignment that's definitely an area where I lack. I could talk about that forever, but I guess I'll just say that there's a really special spirit that comes with having that many missionaries in the same space. I'm so inspired by the sacrifices that every single one of them is making to be here.
Thursday was exchange day! We planned 3 fire lessons but unfortunately all of them fell through. I guess that's good practice for what it's like being a regular missionary anyway. In the evening though we had English class and taught about clothes and colors!! We went to a corner store and bought a bunch of super cheap clothes to play games with and it was hilarious. 10/10 recommend.
Friday we spent basically the entire day doing contacts and setting up lessons for this week, which meant we definitely got a little house crazy. However, the coffee shops here are a great place to study accompanied by super cheap pastries. For dinner we went back to the 50s diner and worked there while drinking green smoothies.
Saturday we spent like 4 hours at a young adult activity that was Mexican themed (although all the posters were in English which kind of cracked me up). I ended up being strong armed into doing karaoke to Shakira since there were only like 12 people there and that's the only Spanish music I really know. Thanks, Dad. ;)
Yesterday was crazy busy but I got to have my first arepas here! We had lunch with this Venezualan family and the arepas were soooo good. Plus, they're just amazing people. After studies we had another meeting with a couple who are getting sealed this month! He brought his less active brother too, so it was a really good chance to get to know some more JA.
I'm discovering that every week on the mission is this combination of spiritual highs with moments where you don't feel equal to the work that's been asked of you. I had so much fun this week and I'm so grateful for everything we were able to accomplish, but I still had a day where I was really struggling to find the energy and motivation to put my best self into it. So, the word for this week is intentar.
Intentar means to try. Now I know Yoda said trying isn't a thing, but to God it is. One thing I've really had to learn to take to heart is that even when we're not at our best, God loves us for trying. I believe he is even more proud of me for trying when everything feels hard than for doing it perfectly when it feels easy. So for now, I'm just trying to be like Jesus, and that's enough.
I hope you are all doing amazing! Sending lots of love and prayers!!
Best,
Hermana Wheeler
P.S. PHOTOS!!!
1. Sugar day part 1: The Diner
2. Hermana Turner being my fav person
3. Sugar day part 2: Cake (I promise the birthday girl was actually happy)
3. Sugar day part 3: Llao llao with the Hotties
4. Zone conference posterity pic! My mother, grandmother, sister, and aunts (My grandma Rothas is dying in a week)
5. The most incredible sweet potato fries of my life
6. Elder Stoehr playing our game at English class
7. The Diner part 2
Week 7: Ayuno
Hola everyone!!
How's life? As SpanishDict keeps asking me, are you eating enough fruits and vegetables? And as Hermana Eastland (my mission president's wife) keeps reminding us, are you showering every day? Maybe I need to come up with my own general health question: when was the last time you read the Book of Mormon? If it was more than 24 hours --- wait, actually, scratch that. It doesn't matter, reading more of the Book of Mormon is always a good thing. And if you don't know what all the hype is about, try it out!! And email me if you do, I'd love to hear how it goes. 
Now that you've heard my little missionary schpiel (no idea how to spell that) on to the good stuff! Speed round.
Monday: P-Day! Fire Italian pizza at the mall, tried to skip zone P-Day but got called out, got too into secret Hitler, and went to a carnival (fun fact, in Spain they're waaayyy sketchier than in the states).
Tuesday: Went to the temple!!! Oh my gosh, I love the temple so much. I also got my Spanish residency and did a whole ton of doorbell-ringing. Experienced a miracle (found a corner store with refrigerated water when we were parched).
Wednesday: Taught a lesson and had district council with a questionably named "speed dating" activity (don't worry it was actually just speed invitation-extending).
Thursday: Exchanges! All 3 of our lessons happened, I was guided by the spirit, we ate Kebab, taught English class, and I got to sleep in the AC since Hermana Bailey stayed the night in Villalba with Herbst (I think I like parenthesis too much).
Friday: So many contacts and volleyball in Carabanchel. Talked to a Ukranian guy, Sergio, who I think was just really excited to not be speaking in Spanish. Had my first DL call.
Saturday: A million baptisms and didn't end up going to any of them because the person we invited didn't show up so we did passbys instead. Also bought groceries for the first time in at least 2 weeks and got a new blender.
Sunday: Member meal with the sweetest older Spanish woman named Arbolina until I was physically incapable of eating anything else. Had a call with Presidente and we got permission to make an area instagram!
Monday: We're going to Segovia! Look it up. Not there yet though so I'll tell you about it next time.
One of these days I'll stop giving you a play-by-play of my week but oh well, you're stuck with me for now.
Word of the week: ayuno!! Ayuno means fast (no, not like I ran fast, like breakfast). In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the first Sunday of every month members go around 24 hours without food.
Now you're probably thinking, Hermana Wheeler, this week wasn't even fast Sunday! True. However, in my apartment, we are all starting a 40-day fast tonight. Don't worry, it's not a food fast, it's a fast from behaviors that keep the Holy Spirit from being our constant companion. It's inspired by a letter President Robert E. Quinn from the Adelaide, Australia mission wrote to his missionaries some time ago. I don't know if you can find it online, but if you want it, shoot me an email and I'll send it to you.
For me, for the next 40 days I'm working to be more charitable, to myself and others. I want to stop tearing myself down, start eating to feel good, and stop guilting myself when my best efforts seem to fall short. I want to look for ways to serve others, see the best in them, and let them know how their examples bless me. I'm hoping that through my efforts, the Lord will be able to work through me more thoroughly and I'll be prepared to be the best missionary I can be. Is there anything you can give up to God to be closer to Him?
I hope every one of you is finding the sunshine in your life!!
With love,
Hermana Wheeler
Photos!!
1. The Venezuelan family that fed us arepas last week
2. The Italian pizza (you're welcome Lily)
3. Temple!!!
4. Us and the Ruppes!!
4. We maybe shouldn't have done the Titanic pose here...
6. Carnival Craziness
7. Random Catholic virgin parade
8. Segovia sneak peek ;)
Week 8: Creyendo
Hola amigos!
I hope everything's going well for all of you! This week has been crazy so I'll get right to it. The goal: one sentence per day. Get ready for an English teacher's run-on sentence nightmare.
Monday we had to create a new group photo album for just Segovia because between the aqueduct, castle, and incredible bookstores we had almost 400 photos for the day...
On Tuesday I had interviews with President and Hermana Eastland and officially adopted the Ruppes as my third set of grandparents because on the way home from a ward game night I mentioned I hadn't had empanadas in Spain yet and they made an immediate empanada pit stop.
Wednesday was district council, the sweetest lesson with a less active family in Parla, and more volleyball in Leganés (I don't duck as much now!).
We ran around even more on Thursday with another lesson in Parla and an appointment in Getafe before coming home so by this point I'm considering making the metro station my permanent residence.
Friday was exciting because a lesson we thought would be short ended up being a 2 hour game night and dinner that let out 10 minutes before we had to be home (it was epic though so all good).
I learned on Saturday that God is in the details: a month ago I bought a white skirt even though it was 2 sizes too big because it was 7€ and have been regretting it ever since, but this 72 year old lady was in a pinch and wore it for her baptism.
Sunday I went to church in Villalba for a young adult council meeting and had the most amazing lunch with the senior couple that lives out there, but most importantly I was able to take the sacrament.
I'm realizing my life this week was a little repetitive, so the basic gist of it is that Hermana Herbst and I are doing everything we can to meet and get to know as many less active young adults as we can, and as a result are constantly hopping from city to city. Between this week and last week, we will have visited almost every ward in our stake that is within a 2 hour radius (plus 2 that aren't). It's a lot of work, but I'm so happy and grateful to have the chance to do it.
To wrap up, my word this week is creyendo, and it comes with a book recommendation. Creyendo means believing, and for everyone who hasn't read Believing Christ by Stephen E. Robinson, you should put it at the top of your list. It's been on mine for a couple years and I'm seriously regretting not reading it until now (cue the "I told you so"). There's so much I could write about it, but I'll suffice with saying that it has changed the way I understand the atonement, repentance, and my covenants in a way that has brought me so much joy. You might hear me talk about it more later. ;)
Hope you're all doing amazing!! Thanks for all your messages and prayers.
Love you all!
Hermana Wheeler
Photos
Hermana Turner being a mother of 4
Not sure how I got to Wyoming from the middle of Spain...
Photoshoots are obligatory with the quad so here's my favorite picture of me and the aqueduct in Segovia (that might be why we had 400 photos)
Goofy yet accurate representation of my feelings about being in Spain
I love books :)
Apparently I'm quite large for a medieval Spanish knight 
The castle!!
Well, that's as many pics as this email will let me add. Guess I need a google photos now.
Week 9: Milagros
Hola todos!! Como estáis? (I'm thinking about learning vosotros - it's like the y'all of Spanish)
Congratulations!! I am here to inform you that you have all officially made it to the end of Hermana Wheeler's play by play, day by day email era. Well, probably not but I'm at least going to do it a little differently today because GUESS WHAT? Today's word of the week is milagros!!
I honestly had to go through all of the emails I've already written to double check I hadn't used this word already because it has been such a big part of every single week of my mission. Milagros means miracles. As a missionary, I've gotten so much better at seeking and expecting little miracles every day. Here are some of the highlights from this week.
Juanjo: My companion Hermana Herbst served in the area where we live when she first moved to Spain a year ago. While she was here, she taught and helped baptize this man named Juan Jose (Juanjo). Shortly after, he stopped coming to church for personal reasons and hasn't really has any contact with missionaries since. That is, until Hermana Herbst reached back out and we were able to have a lesson with him last week!!
Juan Barreda: Juan number two has a similar story. He was taught by Herbst a year ago and baptised, but then he kind of dropped of the face of the earth. Randomly a couple months ago he started showing up in a different ward and somehow was put in contact with our roommates. Turns out, he was robbed and had to change numbers and move. He still reads the Book of Mormon though and we're meeting with him again tonight!
Sara: Sara's yet another one of my companion's recent converts. Herbst did her hair for her wedding, was at her baptism, and is now going to be here when her baby is born any day now. What's awesome though is that even though we just went to the temple, we got special permission from President Eastland to go to her sealing on Saturday!! The spirit there was absolutely incredible and I'm so grateful we got to be there.
Honestly, I could go on and on and on about the miracles I've seen this week. From the thunderstorms that have finally broken the Madrid heat to the conference talks that have brought peace to my sometimes angsty mind, I know God sends us tender mercies to strengthen us every day. All you have to do is look for them.
Sending lots of love,
Hermana Wheeler
Week 10: Obra
Hi friends!! How's it going? I hope life is treating you so well and (at least for those of you in the states) that you are appreciating having easy access to delicacies such as goldfish and Kraft mac and cheese.
I hit 10 weeks as a missionary today!! To be honest, it feels like a mission goes so fast and there are so many things going on that every other day is an anniversary of something, but they're kind of fun to celebrate anyway so who cares. Plus, we are always looking for excuses to buy pastries or chocolate or ice cream so it works out.
Now that I have reached the ripe old missionary age of 70 days, I figured I would offer some sage advice about what I've learned since donning the chapa (bonus Spanish word! We call our nametags chapas).
Here it is: missionary work is really hard. The expectations are so high, you have to be *on* all the time, and even if you do absolutely everything in your power, people still have agency and sometimes things don't turn out the way you wanted. To be honest, Hermana Herbst and I had a little bit of a slump for a few days this week. All our lessons canceled, the activities fell through, and we spent so, so many hours in Google sheets making sure the member lists are accurate. Doing the work was just difficult.
Here's the thing though. When you translate "missionary work" into Spanish, nobody calls it "trabajo misional," even though that's technically correct. It's called "la obra misional."
Essentially, "la obra" is "the Work," capital W. More than just effort, it implies a mission or significance. It's more related to work as in work of art than in the sense of labor.
Working as a missionary can be exhausting and frustrating, but I am so happy to get to do it because it's God's work and God's mission. I get the incredible privilege of waking up every day knowing the only thing I have to do is point people to Christ, even if I only succeed in pointing myself. Good day or bad, I get to be a part of the obra that God has planned for me, and the rough moments make the miracles even more miraculous.
I'm so grateful for the opportunity to be where I am right now. I'm so grateful for the sun and the rain and my companion who feeds me out of her treasured stash of Skippy peanut butter when I'm having a meltdown. I'm so grateful for Christ's infinite atonement, and I'm so grateful for all of you for bearing with me while I wax philosophical, this time (and probably a hundred others). You're amazing.
Lots of love,
Hermana Wheeler
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