Our Spanish Missionary

It’s been awhile since I’ve updated you on our missionary, Shanna. She’s in Spain and is loving it! It’s finally starting to cool down a bit—those 110-plus-degree days didn’t sit very well with her—so that’s a nice thing, and she’s catching onto the language, which makes a huge difference in how comfortable she is and how much she enjoys interacting with the people she meets.

We get letters (usually e-mails) from Shanna once a week. She can only write—and receive mail—on her “P-day,” which is short for preparation day. That’s the day missionaries from our church have to do all the stuff they need to do to “prepare” for the upcoming week, stuff like laundry, cleaning their apartments, writing letters, and even a little sightseeing when they can fit it in. Their schedules during the rest of the week are pretty structured, so P-day is a much anticipated day!

Shanna’s P-day is Wednesday, and she’s eight or nine hours ahead of us, so I’ll write her an e-mail on Tuesday night before I go to bed, and she’ll get it when she wakes up on Wednesday. Then she’ll write an e-mail back, and I get to read it first thing when I get up on Wednesday, and it’s practically real time—everything is only a few hours old. So you can see why Wednesdays are one of my favorite days!

Her e-mails are full of news and stories and her testimony, and quite often requests. Before she left, she tried to stock up on things she would need that she might not be able to get over there, like skin care products and toothpaste and things like that. But she’s starting to run out of some of those things, as well as identify other things she’s missing that she didn’t realize she would, like WalMart Light packets for water and cake mixes and peanut butter. Of course, candy is always welcome too!

As I mentioned, missionaries only get their mail once a week, and she sent us a picture recently that showed how excited she was when she received three packages in one week!

 

I thought it was touching to see how excited she was about receiving things that are really very simple and basic, things that I take for granted. Nothing like living a simple life focused on serving and teaching others to make you realize how blessed you are!

This other picture shows her and her companion (missionaries for our church always work in pairs and are never supposed to go outside without their companion) on a P-day doing a little sightseeing.

It’s a wonderful opportunity for her to be in Spain, and she loves meeting the people and experiencing the country on a much deeper level than tourists are able to.

So that’s our Shanna update! She’s only got about a year left—but who’s counting? (smile)

Comments

[Megan]

Oh How proud you must be! Thanks for sharing your wonderful family with us. Megan form New Zealand

[Lisa Martin]

Hi Shelli

I was wondering - which Faith are you?

How long do Missionaries go away for?

Is the other girl pictured from your Church too?

Blessings!

Lisa - Australia :)

[Lydia Fiedler]

Wow - that is such a great story!!!! The pics are adorable. Tell her that that is EXACTLY how I feel about peanut butter too!! :)

TFS

[Staci Miserlian]

Thanks for the update. She's lucky she's not blonde...she'd hear calls of "Rubia, Rubia" (Blondie, basically) everywhere she went! At least that's what I heard when I was in Spain in 1989 for an Overseas Study.
I know how she feels about mail from home. Exciting that you are able to send her big boxes of things like that.
Ask her how she likes "Tortilla Española" & tapas & real Valencian oranges & the olivas.
Thank you for sharing her mission with us!

[Karen Spain]

Thank you so much for sharing that about Shanna.

We've had the pleasure of being stationed overseas with the US Navy now for 6 years, 4 years of that in Italy and now in the UK. We've felt it our obligation to spoil the missionaries because we can get all those goodies at our commissaries and I know that when my kids eventually go on thier missions, I'd want someone to take good care of them. We were really thankful especially in Italy for the missionaries because we were in an Italian speaking branch and we were so clueless about the language; the missionaries really helped us understand the meetings.

You've raised a great girl and I am sure you are proud beyond belief with her!

Karen Spain

[Wendy Ristow]

Thanks for sharing these great moments in your families life. I spent a year over in the UK for overseas studies and it was fun, scary and a learning expierence all in one.

I can see how proud you of Shanna and all of your family. Thanks for sharing

[Angie Page]

What a wonderful young lady you have! Of course all your girls are wonderful & you already know that but this post is about a specific one. LOL! I love reading the updates on your family! That's the part of Convention that I really loved....the family updates! ;c)

[Jeannette Haynes]

Thanks for the great update on Shanna! She's so lucky AND blessed to travel to another country. My father was Air Force and for four years we were stationed in Japan, which was amazing beyond description. We were also stationed in Germany, which gave us the opportunity to travel all over Europe. Loved it!

I wish everyone in the U.S. could travel to another country ... in whatever capacity ... and not the tourist spots. They would then realize what a wonderful place America really is. We take so much for granted here and are so spoiled by abundance. That view would change very quickly.

I know it's hard for you and your family to have Shanna so far away, but just think of the amazing experiences she's having. My prayers are with Shanna for her safety and spiritual journey.

Hugs,
Jeannette

[Pat Washburn]

Thank you so much for sharing Shanna's missionary experiences. It reminds me so much of our 4 missionaries (Not all at once!). I appreciate your openness on all areas of your life. Your testimony comes shining through everything you right about families. Thank you!

Pat Washburn, Riverton

[Melanie]

Hi Shelli,

How fun to get an update on Shanna! She looks really happy.

I got to visit Spain and Portugal with my two sisters and one brother-in-law a few years ago.....Those countries are unbelievably gorgeous. So fun to see what's happen away from our own environs!

BTW.....I LOVE mail!!! Well, everything except bills and advertising circulars!!

Melanie

[Sarah Kirk]

Shelli,
Thanks so much for giving us a glimps into the life of your family hear at home and over seas! It was wonderful to see pictures of Shanna's "life" in Spain and my prayers are with her as she shares love to the people of Spain! Can we send her mail? What is her address there? Could you emagine the amount of mail she would get from us demos! How fun would it be to see a picture of that! :)

Oh, by the way did I see a comment from Tyra Banks!!! Shelli!!! You get comments from celebraties too! And her mom wants a Catalog! That is so cool!

God Bless,
Sarah Kirk
Redmond, Wa

[cindy]

Thanks for sharing! Our son is on a Mission in East Texas--we love our Monday morning e-mail!

[Connie G]

Thanks for sharing news about your daughter. I have a son in the MTC right now ready to go to Ukraine in two weeks. I can't imagine sending him so far away for so long but it is great to see missionaries happy faces.

[Bridget Larsen]

I'd love to be able to send her a Christmas parcel from Australia. Let me know if I am able to and what she can and can't have
Bridget

[Bridget Larsen]

Oh I had no idea Shanna was your daughter, makes it all the more special then that I should send her something
Bridget

[Elizabeth]

Wow, I've never been outside the US and forget how luxurious and convenient we have it! We should send her bday cards from all of us - of course I don't know when her birthday is, but she'll be away for awhile so I imagine it'll be while she's in Spain! I think she'd so appreciate handcrafted cards from her SU friends. Thanks for sharing with us!

[Maureen Stivala]

Shelli - thanks for the update on the family...glad all seems positive with both Dad and Shanna! And one more year...and WHO's counting??!?!?...LOL {choke on coffee}!!! Where do you keep your count down!! I'd have down the MINUTES....of course, I wouldn't TELL that!! Ahhhh, how we keep track of our "babies!!"

As always...TFS
((()))reen

[Sharon C.]

Thank you for updating us on Shanna. I always love hearing missionary stories! My brother went to Italy on part of his mission (got sent home for surgery and went back out to Oregon), so I know how much the missionaries love those packages from home of all those things that they miss.

Cool story about my brother (just as a side note) his first mission call (to Italy) was from Pres. Benson, his second mission call (the one sending him Oregon to complete his mission after his surgery) was signed by Pres. Hunter. His release papers were signed by Pres. Hinkley. Only missionary I know who can say that. Sorry, just had to throw that in there. I think it's cool. *grin*

[Shannon West]

Hi Shelli! I just wanted to write and tell you that I loved reading this post about Shanna. Me and all my siblings served missions (I have 3 sisters and 1 brother) and there's nothing that touches me more than hearing mission stories. I think it is so awesome that Shanna decided to serve and I bet there are lots of others who will, or already do feel that way too! :)

Shannon West

[Linda Hansen]

Happy Birthday Shelli! Just wanted to post a quick note to wish you Happy Birthday. I'll hand-deliver your card to you tomorrow at the Edmonton Regional Seminar! :) I loved reading about Shannon serving her mission in Spain. The sister missionaries are especially dear to me, since I once served a mission too. Please know that there are many people who know and love you and are praying for your Dad to recover quickly. We love you! -- Linda

[Gay Ferland]

Shelli,
How exciting for Shanna, but I bet you all miss her allot! I am amaised she took on this venue, such growth on her part! I remember the first time I met her she grabbed me and started dancing with me at my first convention!! We had a blast that night and I will always remember the experience of first convention!! Your daughter is a beautiful, spirited, and fun gal who is a blessing amoung the Spanish community for sure!! Thanks for sharing this update about Shanna!

[Jen]

How exciting that your daughter is in Spain - a country that I love! My dad's entire family is there - I am a first generation American and I am fortunate enough to have been to Spain many, many times to visit family and sightsee. It is a wonderful country full of delicous foods, friendly people and beautiful landscapes.
Your daughter should be able to find some of these items at the local supermercado - if she is not too rural. I hope she is sampling the wonderful cuisine - there are many dishes that are not to be missed!
I am curious what region of the country she is located in. The photo looks familiar, but I cannot exactly place the town.
Best wishes for her continued happiness!

[Julie Hosick]

Shelli, reading your posts is a daily breath of fresh air for me. You are always so upbeat. I have a soft heart for the sister missionaries, because it was two sisters from Utah who taught my parents in Dallas, Texas way back in the 60's and they probably don't even know the impact their initial teaching has had on all of my family through the years. Thank goodness one of them still lives in Kaysville so we get to keep in touch with her since I now live in Morgan. By the way, thank you so much for being so gracious to have pics done with us four demos who were in the audience at your Good Things Utah appearance last month. We enjoyed meeting you!

[Julie Hosick in Morgan, Utah]

Shelli, reading your posts is a daily breath of fresh air for me. You are always so upbeat. I have a soft heart for the sister missionaries, because it was two sisters from Utah who taught my parents in Dallas, Texas way back in the 60's and they probably don't even know the impact their initial teaching has had on all of my family through the years. Thank goodness one of them still lives in Kaysville so we get to keep in touch with her since I now live in Morgan. By the way, thank you so much for being so gracious to have pics done with us four demos who were in the audience at your Good Things Utah appearance last month. We enjoyed meeting you!

[Lila E.]

Shelli,
You have a wonderful daughter. Althoug many things do not taste the same as here, she can find some of those items there. here is a littl ehelp intranslation, in case she needs it
peanutbutter = crema de cacahuate
flour= harina
cake flour = harina para pastel
thothpaste= paste de dientes
thothbrush= cepillo de dientes
jelly=mermelada

I hope taht helps,
Lila E