Life is ever-changing! I am so happy to hear how wonderful the people in your ward are to you. When you have changes, I am sure leaving Enrique will be the hardest. I love him and his sweet Orfilina so much and I have only known them through your letters and videos.
Changes around here this week:
Camilla and I helped Sariah get settled into her new apartment in Provo. She has 5 room-mates and they all seem wonderful. Jordan Fagan lives right above her and all the girls are fantastic. One attends BYU and just returned from her mission to Hong Kong, her friend served in your mission. Two attend UVU are preparing for missions. They all are boy crazy!
On our way home yesterday, Camilla toured BYU-I. Donavaghn and cousin Kira gave us the tour. The campus is so beautiful! Every building is wonderful, the grounds are amazing and the temple overlooks it all. Not going to lie, it is remote, but I think worth it, the spirit is strong there.
Nauvoo and Malachi stayed behind for their games and to keep dad company. Karlita stopped by and said hi to dad while she was here visiting her family this weekend. Made his day:) Malachi's game was cancelled due to extreme weather, the worst since 1962. I don't think it was anything this far inland outside of a little wind and rain, but there are videos of the coast with a tornado over the ocean and winds clocked at 100 mph.
My spiritual thought is from BYU-I weekly devotional. I will include a link for you here
Just in case you can't link up, here is a snip it of a missionary story he shared:
In the Ensign there is a story about a young man named Christopher, who was grateful he didn't turn bread into stone or serpents. When he tore open his mission call, his heart dropped when he read the line "Michigan Lansing Mission." He had waited his whole life for that moment. He took German and Spanish in high school because he had dreamed of a foreign mission--walking the cobbled streets of Europe or hiking remote mountain pueblos in South America. What he got, however, was Michigan. Did you ever have something like that happen to you--you figuratively wanted Argentina, but what you got was Michigan? Christopher could have regarded that call as a stone, a serpent, but instead he saw it as bread. He accepted the call the Lord gave and served an honorable mission.
More than 20 years after his return, his neighbor invited him to take a DNA test. "I had been adopted and had no idea of my biological ancestry," said Christopher. He was curious about his biological parents but was content with his life. He had a family he loved. Then the results came back. It was a "close family" match. It predicted with 99 percent that they found a close family member.
"Before I knew what was happening," said Christopher,
More than 20 years after his return, his neighbor invited him to take a DNA test. "I had been adopted and had no idea of my biological ancestry," said Christopher. He was curious about his biological parents but was content with his life. He had a family he loved. Then the results came back. It was a "close family" match. It predicted with 99 percent that they found a close family member.
"Before I knew what was happening," said Christopher,
my wife composed] an email to send to this "close family" match.
Within minutes an email came back. How old was I? Where was I born? . . .
Within minutes an email came back. How old was I? Where was I born? . . .
It turned out the "close family" match was my half brother. The person sending the emails was my birth mother. . . . [S]he wanted me to call her.
The next morning I dialed her number. As we talked, she told me the story of my birth.
Before Christopher hung up, he asked about his biological father. His mother thought Christopher's father was from Lansing, Michigan. Within minutes after the phone call, Christopher found his father on the Internet. He lived in an area close to where Christopher served his mission. Digging further, he discovered his dad had a sister in the same area. He emailed his father, and his father replied that his sister was LDS, and she and her husband were coming to Utah and hoped they could visit with Christopher.
The next morning I dialed her number. As we talked, she told me the story of my birth.
Before Christopher hung up, he asked about his biological father. His mother thought Christopher's father was from Lansing, Michigan. Within minutes after the phone call, Christopher found his father on the Internet. He lived in an area close to where Christopher served his mission. Digging further, he discovered his dad had a sister in the same area. He emailed his father, and his father replied that his sister was LDS, and she and her husband were coming to Utah and hoped they could visit with Christopher.
As they walked in my door, I felt an instant familiarity. Suddenly another light turned on. The man's hair had gone from black to silver, . . . but suddenly I saw in front of me the ward mission leader from the Grand Rapids Ward. . . . I had worked [with him during] a large part of my mission. For months I had been at his home weekly. I had played with his children--my cousins--and been with my aunt and uncle and hadn't known it.
In light of my discovery, I knew why I had been called to serve a mission in Michigan. . . . My biological family was spread all over Michigan in the places where I was called . . . to serve. . . . I knew now . . . this was truly a call by inspiration specifically for me.[16]
In the same way, that mission call was a part of Christopher's micro plan, and Joseph's slavery was part of his plan, our experiences are part of our plans. Why God tailors some experiences for us may not be clear now. Thus, we may have to be patient because "all things must come to pass in their time"--even understanding.[17] However, with the Savior's help we can learn to not only say, "Thy will be done[, Lord]," but patiently also, "Thy timing be done."[18]
In the same way, that mission call was a part of Christopher's micro plan, and Joseph's slavery was part of his plan, our experiences are part of our plans. Why God tailors some experiences for us may not be clear now. Thus, we may have to be patient because "all things must come to pass in their time"--even understanding.[17] However, with the Savior's help we can learn to not only say, "Thy will be done[, Lord]," but patiently also, "Thy timing be done."[18]
You may not now know all the reasons why you were called to serve in the Madrid, Spain mission at this time, but undoubtedly God does. He masterfully coordinates all the intricate pieces to help us all to return to Him. I love you so much and am very proud of you. I will send pictures from my phone in a separate email.
Je'taime Toujours,
Mom
What's up hot Mama,
I have really enjoyed my week. That's awesome that Sariah is starting school especially with an old friend. It feels like everyone is growing up. Soon everybody's going to have kids. That's crazy. I'm kinda feeling low on energy. And I want to just be done with it so I can go and work hard like I should be. We hiked up a mountain in Oviedo last week, on top of the mountain is a big statue of Jesus Christ. Looks like a small version of the Jesus in Rio de Janeiro. I'm really excited for the end of this month, I can't believe that I'm turning 20! It's been a year since I've seen you guys. I feel like the time is just flying here in the mission and I think that the reason for that is ~ I'm having fun. I'm excited for Halloween for two reasons, 1. We are dressing up because it's on P-Day. 2. I had a special time at Ray's Food Market 2 years ago. I love you mom and I want everyone at home to know that I hope that they have a Feliz Halloween tío. 
(with a Mexican accent). Mucho Amor. Moroni
🇪🇸 Élder Moroni S. Beal 🇪🇸
Madrid, España
