"Does somebody need a hug?"

My dear family and friends!

Wow, what a whirlwind of a week it has been here in Spain! I am not

quite sure where to begin... Wow just thinking about it makes my brain

and my heart start racing. Deep breaths... Here we go!

So the title of my email "does somebody need a hug?" Comes from one of

my favorite movies and if you can name it you will get 10 points and a

picture of me eating a yummy pastry from Spain for you (since I can't send it to you)!

This week was FILLED with hugs! A lot of people were struggling

this week and after about every cita, Hermana Larsen and I walked out

and would say "she just needed a hug!!" First Jen. She is still trying

to juggle her life with her three autistic kids and find a new place

to live. We went over there 2 times this week and each time we brought

her something nice and hugged her and shared scriptures with her.

After each time she was just BEAMING with light and so happy! Even

when someone's life is hard if you can show them love they will begin

to open up and their heart will be softened enough to see that

everything will be ok.

On Wednesday we picked up 2 HUGE bags of baby clothes from a member,

Maryann, to give to our investigator, Yahaira, for her new baby. We

also had a cake in our hands for her. We called her on our way over

and told her we would be there in a few minutes with BUNCHES of baby

clothes. There was no response. I said, "todo esta bien Yahaira" to

which she replied, "es que... Mi bebé murió". We were NOT expecting

that AT ALL! Wow! It was so sad! We dropped all the baby stuff off at

the Elders house and went and just hugged she and her mom for about an

hour as they just sobbed in our arms. The doctors still have no idea

why the baby died but he passed away 1 day before her due date and it

was going to be her first little child. She showed us sweet little

pictures of her dear Kirian once he was born and videos of her holding

him and just sobbing. I sat there and couldn't help but just hold her

in my arms and cry with her. It was one of the saddest experiences I

have ever been through. The neatest thing to me though was that as I

was holding her she turned to us and said through her tears, "but it's

ok. I know that God has a plan for me and for my baby boy. I know he

is a sweet little angel and he is with God right now. I know that

there are no coincidences in life and I need to learn from, this

experience". I was AMAZED at her testimony and positive attitude -

and she hasn't even been baptized yet! She is such a huge example for me! 

We shared a short scripture with her, our testimonies and then prayed. 

I am so grateful for Yahaira and for her example. But in this moment I 

was most grateful for the plan of salvation that I could testify to Yahaira 

that everything would be ok and she will get to be with her sweet Kirian one day! 

I know this is true and I am so so so grateful for the testimony I have of our

Father's Plan for us!

We had lots of lessons with our investigator Jennifer this past

week... They have us come over every morning that we are available to

teach them :) I love them so so much!! This week she also just broke

down crying because she was so stressed out with everything that she

has to do with school and all her tests. We were able to hug her and

love her and pray with her. Afterwards she felt so so much better. I

am so grateful for the power of prayer and the spirit that comforts us

when we pray.

It was Hermana Fernandez's birthday this past week and she was having

a really hard time staying positive and being happy with her first

birthday away from home. BUT we made it really special for her and

helped her to feel loved and important all day (cough cough... I LOVE

BIRTHDAYS!!!). She was so happy and basically... She just needed a hug!

A lot of people had to go home early from the mission this past week

and they were missionaries that I was really close to. It was really

really heartbreaking to see them go. They are INCREDIBLE missionaries

with testimonies so strong! I love them all so much and I am grateful

for their willingness to turn to their Savior at all times in life

especially now. I know the Atonement is real and it works PERFECTLY! I

know that He loves each and every one of us and He will always always

ALWAYS accept us back into His arms if we just turn to Him. That is the best 

kind of hug and it's there for all of us, all the time!

Then to end the week and top it all off... 

Well, we got TRANSFER CALLS!!!!!!  so we were all super

excited for transfer calls because we knew for a fact that none of us

were leaving! Then we got the call around 10:43pm!!! Ahhhh! Our

district leader said, "well there are some pretty big changes!" We

thought he was joking.... But he wasn't. I AM GETTING TRANSFERRED!!!!

After 4 of the most amazing months in Barcelona I am getting

transferred. I could not believe it! Also I would be leaving one of my

best friends and companion, Hermana Larsen! It was honestly so sad. I

couldn't even finish the phone call before I started bawling. I

thought I liked transfers and change before this but once I was the

one actually leaving... Well in the words of Hermana Larsen, "it's the

pits"! I started calling all my members and recent converts who I love

like family and telling them that I would be going. Sunday was REALLY

hard... Especially when bishop announced it in church. But somehow I

survived that day but Monday was what really killed me... When we went

around saying bye to everyone and then they did a surprise farewell

Noche de Hogar that night for me. It was so sweet of them! Melany, my best friend

investigator, was even there and it made my whole night!!! They all

gave me sweet little gifts and it was so thoughtful of them! I cried

the whole way home after saying bye to them... Especially Melany! That

was definitely one of the hardest goodbyes I ever had to do especially

since she will probably get baptized soon and I won't be there :( but

I know that the Lord has a perfect plan for each of us and being

transferred is part of the plan. I really am so grateful for my time

in Barcelona and I will miss it SO SO much!! The good news is that my

new area is....... TARRAGONA!!!!!!!! I actually just barely got here

and it is GORGEOUS!!!! It is a little bit of a city but mostly pueblos

which I am SO excited about! The best part is that you look to your

right and you have the beautiful beach and then to the left you have

the mountains! Apparently we have ancient ruins here where the apostle

Paul taught too! I can't wait!! Everyone says the ward is

INCREDIBLE and they are always helping with missionary work. My new

companion is Hermana Mcwhorter and I am so excited to work with her.

She is so so so cute and reminds me a lot of cute Tia Zwick! Right now

basically.... We are homeless :) haha our piso is brand new and under

construction a little bit so every night is a new adventure of finding

a hotel to stay at! Yay! This will be fun ;) it was probably the

hardest thing EVER to say goodbye to my sweet dear Hermana Larsen a

few hours ago. We laughed and cried and cried some more at the train

station, but I'm excited to work hard here in my new area with my new

companion AND the best part is that we will be back in Barcelona next week

for a big conference with Elder Christensen! I can't wait!!

This week has definitely been a learning experience. But a learning

experience of how to truly love as the Savior loved. He has his arms

open wide everyday to us and we just need to choose to come to Him!

I know He is there for us and I am so grateful for the Atonement in my

life that allows me to become better everyday. These past few days

have been pretty sad but I read a scripture today that I loved... Alma

37:44-45. Through The gospel of Jesus Christ that we are so blessed to

have in our lives we can have ETERNAL BLISS. Yes, we will have hard

times and we might get really sad every once and awhile. BUT I know that we

can always pick ourselves right back up again because we have this

eternal happiness in our lives... Our Savior Jesus Christ! I know that

is true con todo de mi corazón!

I love you all! Have a great week! Pray for the homeless Hermanas ;)

Love,

Hermana Eyring

Happy Birthday Hermana Fernandez!

Thank you Grandma for the package - I love it!

Goodbye Barcelona

Love all these awesome Hermanas

Goodbye to Susana and Audrey

Medio Dia with Giancarlo and Jennifer

We went on a hike with Melany and Wendy and her family

Rosa and Angela

The awesome Relief Society Presidency in my Barcelona ward

Susana and Jala - I will miss them so much!

Monica, Luis and their sweet family

We spent Preparation Day with Susana and Angela at Park Guell

Limber, Sandra and their family

Goodbye to my first "piso" and to my amazing companion. I will miss her so much!