Hola de Madrid!

Hola!

S0! things are going great here. I love being here. let me see... Since I e-mailed you last, we have had a few good days! Today, we went to the temple in the morning with all of the people from the MTC. There are about 30 missionaries here right now, which is almost double of what is usually here. So cool! While we were out today I didn't really talk to anyone about the gospel, but I made small talk with a few people. i really need to practice my spanish!!! Tomorrow and Saturday we will be going to a park to do some street contacting....so we will be able to practice a little more!

Today we got to do a little sight seeing! It was really great...we went to see the Plaza Mayor, the Palacio Real, and the Catedral Almudena. You can google these places and see where I went! It was great!! I'll send photos home soon... ( Click on the links to see the sites!)

Let's see, things are great. I am excited to go to the park tomorrow. I am still pretty tired....actually I feel more tired today than I did yesterday. Maybe the time change is really hitting me...but I'm sure I will be fine in the next couple of days. I really love Europe so much...Since being here I have realized how much I have missed it. There is just a different feeling here...like a feeling of enjoyment...of not rushing around just to get things done, like in America. I love walking around outside and seeing plazas with lots of outdoor cafes and things. I can't wait to get to my mission so that I can see what the area is like. Madrid is great, but it is just a big city...I hope that I get to serve somewhere that is a little smaller.

It seems like I will be here in the MTC in Madrid until Tuesday (9/27), then I will travel to my mission.

Take Care,

Hermana Letendre

Comments for Valerie

Hello friends,

If anyone would like to comment on Hermana Letendre's Blog Posts I'm sure she would love it! If comments are made, I will forward them to her. I'm sure it would brighten up her day to hear from friends and family back home!!

Thanks!

~Crystal

(Valerie's Sister)

Hermana Letendre está en España!!

Hola Amigos!

We made it to Spain. We are now in the Madrid MTC and will be here for one week (until next Tuesday). We arrived this morning at about 10am Spain time, and it is about 2pm. I am quite tired because I did not sleep much on the plane. Today we are just going to be having a little class, I think...I think we are going to et to go to sleep early tonight!

Things are going well. I am just very tired. The MTC is right on the Madrid Temple grounds. We can see the temple from our bedroom window--it is very nice. The temple here is very beautiful...

Madrid, Spain Temple (http://www.ldschurchtemples.com/madrid/)

We will definitely be able to go to the temple Thursday, but they also said that we might get to go tomorrow as well.

I am really tired right now...I am not sure what else to say. I think on Thursday we will be able to see Madrid. On Saturday we will be going out to the biggest Park in Madrid and we will be doing some contacting! Wish me luck! I hope that I can understand people. I am excited, but also a little nervous!

Take Care!

Hermana Letendre

Heading to SPAIN!

Mom & Dad received a call from Valerie on Friday night. Valerie, AKA Hermana Letendre, was very excited to inform us that she had received her Visa and was leaving for Spain on Monday!

So, Valerie left SLC today, Monday, September 19th, to Madrid, Spain with her companion, some other Hermanas and an elderly missionary couple. She is very excited to arrive and start sharing her special message with the wonderful people in Spain!

Edith "Annie" Fox -- 5/10/22-9/10/11

On 9/10/11 Valerie's Gramma Fox passed away. Valerie was able to speak briefly with Mom & Dad that evening. It was a great comfort to Mom and I'm sure to Valerie too.

This evening was Gramma's wake in Massachusetts. While we were there, we received an unexpected email from Val. She was given some extra time on the computer to write a little something for Gramma's Funeral the next day. Here is what she wrote:

I sincerely wish that I could be there with all of you to celebrate the life of Grandma Fox. SHe played such an important role in all of our lives, and I wish I could be there to give each of you a warm embrace. It is difficult for me to not be with all of you, but one thing that has brought me much comfort in being away from home during this time, is my knowledge that Grandma was ready to move on to the next phase of eternity. I continually think about the fact that Grandma used to always speak about her "invitation". What a beautiful perspective she had on what was to come; and what a wonderful depiction of her faith. She had great faith that as her time on Earth came to a close, that she would be "taken home to that God who gave {her} live." just as it says in Alma 40:11. This faith has provided such a wonderful example to me, as I prepare to leave the Missionary Training Center next week to enter the mission field. As I have been reflecting on Grandma's life over the past few days, I have realized that without ever serving as a full-time missionary, Grandma Fox has brought the Gospel into the lives of so many individuals simply by accepting the gospel herself. Especially at this time in my life, as I prepare to preach the Gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ to the people of Spain, I am so grateful for Grandma's decision to accept the gospel, and pass that knowledge on to her posterity--including me.

Even thought I am comforted by the knowledge that Grandma has now entered into the rest of our Heavenly Father, I will inevitably miss hearing her stories, songs, and rhymes. I continue to marvel at the fact that Grandma seemed to remember more about her childhood at the age of 89 that I do of my childhood at the age of 25! Despite the sadness that we feel at this time, I cannot help but be excited for Grandma--for her to experience new things and new adventures in the Spirit World, where she will prepare a place for us all. I know that God lives, that Jesus is the Savior of the world, and that Grandma is truly living in peace right now.

I love you all, and I love you Grandma!

Love,

Hermana Valerie Letendre

An Apostle Spoke to Us.

Hello everyone! I am still in Provo at the Missionary Training Center! Still no word on my Visa. We did find out that the Spanish Consulate Office was closed for the whole month of August, so that may be one reason why we still do not have our Visas. WE are scheduled to leave the MTC on September 20th!! That is only two weeks away! I can't believe it! If I have not received my Visa by September 16 or 17th, I will probably be assigned a stateside transfer. This means that I may be starting my mission in the US, and then I will go to Spain when I get my Visa! We'll see what happens! It might be exciting to go somewhere in the US for a few weeks!

Things are still going great! I feel so strongly that I am at the right place at the rig

ht time in my life---what a wonderful feeling that is! I still teach 'fake' investigators. (We call people who are learning about the church investigators. We just got two new teachers this week, so we got two new "investigators". My companion Hermana Crowder and I are improving so much in our teaching skills--it is still difficult at times because of the language, but I just love teaching people about the gospel of Jesus Christ. Understanding that God is our Heavenly Father and that he loves us is so powerful and can truly change peoples lives. Additionally, I love teaching people about the Atonement of Jesus Christ---this is the central part of what we teach about. It is so amazing to k now that no matter what we struggle with in this life, that there is One who knows exactly how we feel. Christ keeps his hand extended, and will comfort us if we come unto him. What a joyful message this is to share. I cannot wait to get to Spain so that I can help others learn how they can come unto Christ, and feel His love through using the Atonement in their lives.

CHECK OUT THIS BRIEF MORMOM MESSAGE ON THE ATONEMENT

This week was particularly exciting because an Apostle, Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, came to speak at the MTC on Tuesday night.

For those of you who are not familiar with the LDS Church, our church is structured and organized just as Christ structured and organized the Church during His earthly ministry. We have a Prophet who receives revelation (like the Prophets in the Bible.) The prophet is the President of the Church, and the Twelve Apostles assist him with the work of testifying to the world that Jesus is the Christ. It was so exciting to hear an Apostle of the Lord speak here at the MTC. There are nearly 3,000 missionaries here at the MTC, and the spirit was so incredibly strong when Elder Holland spoke to us. He talked about many things, but I will only share a few with you. Throughout his talk, he spoke about how his mission has meant everything to him. He stated that he does not think that a single day has passed in the past 50-60 years that he has not thought about his mission--it truly helped to shape his future.

Elder Holland decided to answer some questions form missionaries at the end of his talk. One missionary asked: What is the most important thing that Christ wants us to know right now? ELder Holland answered this by saying that Christ wants us all to know that He told the truth--about everything. This means that we must trust in the Lord with all our hearts, and follow Him with exactness.

Another question that Elder Holland answered was: Why does God love us? Simply put, God loves us because we are His Children. Elder Holland then stated that although he is not perfect, nowhere near perfect, that the only thing that he is almost perfect in is his love for his children. Elder Holland stated, with tears in his eyes, that he would literally do anything for his children--he would even give his life for them. He continued by marveling at the fact that if he being an imperfect being could love his children so much, how much more could God, a perfect being, love us! God loved us so much that He gave His one perfect son (Christ) for all of us imperfect ones. God loves each of us individually, and know each of us individually. The spirit was so strong during and after Elder Holland's talk. I know with all of my heart that this man is called by God to testify of Christ and to invite other to Come unto Christ.

I can't wait to share this message with the people of Spain!

Take Care!

Hermana Valerie Letendre

MTC / Visa Update!

I only have 15 days left in the MTC, crazy huh? my departure date is sept. 20! we checked on our visas this week and we found out that the spanish consulate office was closed for the whole month of august...we are hoping that they come any day. however, they said that if sept. 17 comes around and we have not heard about them by then, that we should go check in with the travel office, and they will put our name in for a stateside transfer. this means that our names will go back to the 12 apostles, and they will decide where i go in the US. i will only go there until i get my visa, then they will make arrangements for me to go to spain! we'll see. i am okay with whatever happens...!!!

Take Care,

Hermana Valerie Letendre