I got my Visa!

Hi Family,

   

Well, I am off to Argentina this Sunday! The mission home got my Passport, Visa and other travel documents on Wednesday.   I am leaving San Francisco on September 1, 2013 at 12 noon, exactly one month to the day that I've been here in California! :)

   

I go from San Francisco to Atlanta and then to Buenos Aires.  I will meet a group of other missionaries in Atlanta and fly with them to Buenos Aires.  From there, I will catch a plane from Buenos Aires to Bahia Blanca where my Mission President will pick me up.

   

I am really excited to go to Argentina but I am really sad to leave the Oakland Mission.  My trainers have been amazing and have taught me so much.

   

I love you guys so much! I hope you are doing well this week!  I just wanted to update you as to what part of the world I am living in.  ;)

   

I LOVE YOU!

   

Hermana Susana Zubeldia

Here are some pictures...

With my companions (Hermana McLaws and Hermana Cooper)

The hills in San Francisco

The Brentwood district

Visiting sister Treat -  in Brentwood

With Sister Cooper and Sister Goff (from Edmond, Oklahoma)

 

Hi Family! Week 5 in the mission Field!

Hi Family,

I am so glad to hear that you guys have had a fantastic week with school starting and your trip in New York!  What a great time you had in New York; seeing the Sacred Grove, Hill Cumorah, The Temple, Plays and the the Statue of Liberty!!!!  I can't wait to see pictures of your trip. Email them to me next week, or mail them, it doesn't matter.  Also, I would love to get some letters in the mail, hint hint ;) How long does it take to mail a letter?

We went bowling with our Zone. We had a blast!

Me and my Companions: Hermana McLaws and Hermana Cooper

My district at our Zone Bowling Activity

I hope you have a great week now that almost everyone is in school now. Sarah, have fun next week starting COLLEGE!!  You will LOVE it!  Thanks for keeping me updated on everything back home. I love hearing about it!  And I hope you guys have fun with the Teacher from Barcelona. Its kinda weird that most of the teachers in the Spanish school aren't Mormon since we live in Utah.

Well, this has been a great week.  I have seen many miracles as we have found tons of people to teach.  We have been running into a lot of less active members on the streets and visiting a lot of less active families.  We also have been getting a lot of referrals from other missionaries.  Just this week we met with four people who have accepted a "soft" invite to be baptized!

Jordan's baptismal day!

Also, Jordan was Baptized!!!  The sisters here have been working with her for 3 months. She was so excited and happy after her baptism. :)  Nelson came to the baptism which was really exciting!  He seemed to really enjoy it.  He went to Church yesterday with the elders and then went with them to have dinner at a counselors home with a couple of other YSA members.   I can't wait for his baptism on September 14!  Its exciting to see the change in people's lives when they find and accept the gospel.

The work is going good.  This week, as a zone we beat the mission record in having the most investigators with baptismal dates-  27 total!  It was a good week.

Some of the sisters in my zone at the Stake Safety Fair

My companions are great!  We are learning to work together and to help each other.  Because there are three of us sometimes one of us (usually me) doesn't get to say much in the lessons.  We are trying to work together and equally teach the lesson.  Sometimes when my companions are taking over the lessons, I have to stop them and ask questions to see if the investigator is understanding what we are sharing.  To fix this problem, during companionship study we are practicing teaching the lessons and take turns and write down possible questions that we can use.  These practice lessons are really helping me learn how to work in a companionship of three :)  Each day I learn that there is so much for me still to learn and do better at.  I am having to be patient with myself.  :)

Me and Hermana McLaws and Hermana Bram (from Panama. She knows Fernando, Noemi and April!!!)

Life is busy with teaching, finding people, and driving all over the place.  The members are feeding us well.  We have dinner appointments with them each night this week.  Papi, last week when we were eating dinner at the bishops home I was talking with their grandma and she said that she works in the healthcare industry.  She was talking about Ingenix and how they were bought out by some company I don't remember.  It is great to understand what she was talking about (clearinghouses, providers, etc.)  I told her that you used to work at Ingenix.  :)

Sarah - Have fun at BYU! I am so glad that you had a great trip and that you are enjoying yourself. Be good and make more friends than the 11 DHS kids in your ward.

Daniel - Have a great time at school! Be a good kid!

Levi - I am glad to hear that you are having a good time at your new school.  Make some friends! and bring them over to the house.

Carlos - Make friends at the new school and then you can play with them and Zach together! That would be way fun!

Sofia - I am glad that you have a great teacher! Good job for trying out to be in the student council, that takes a lot of courage!

Soraya- Stay cute! I can't wait to see the picture you drew for me and Pablo

I love you guys so much!! I am also going to reiterate what Pablo said: READ THE BOOK OF MORMON!!  I know that when you read the Book of Mormon you will see blessings in your life as you apply what you learn from each day's reading. Also, my challenge is to pray each day for an opportunity to share the gospel.  I know that you will have the chance each day. Pray and look for the small opportunities to share!  Let me know how it goes this week.

I think of you everyday and I pray for you every night. Have a great week and remember that I love you so much! 

Love,

Hermana Susana Zubeldia

The life of Sister/Hermana Zubeldia

Dear Family! and Friends!!!

Thank you for the emails everyone.  I am so glad that you are having a fun time in New York, in Spain, starting school and being at grandma and grandpa's house.  I can't wait to hear from you guys again.

The sisters in my district

Zone conference, with the Zone Leaders

This week has been full of ups and downs. We didn't find as many people as we wanted to or have as many lessons as we had planned, but I did learn a lot his week.  I don't know why, but I was a little down.  Just when things feel a little down our prayers are answered just at the right time.  For me, this was Zone Conference.  The topic at Zone conference was all about Teaching by the Spirit and having Faith. The things that I learned at Zone Conference really helped me this week.  I know that prayers are answered everyday. Here are some of my notes:

• Do the best you can and He will do the rest
• Be happy - Enjoy Life - Its a Choice
• Keep moving one foot ahead of the other each day.  We aren't going to be perfect, but if we are trying and using repentance we will be given help.
• Don't compare yourself with others.  We are all on the save path moving in the same direction.
• As we obey, we gain God's trust.
• See the potential in others and have the courage to talk to them.  Don't deny others the opportunity to have the gospel.
• When we have faith and have a true desire to share the gospel, we will have the power and will be guided to those who are ready to accept the gospel.
• God is more invested in this work than we are.
• "The Savior knows me.  He knows the people here.  He loves me and loves them.  And he has called me to share the love with his other children.  He called me here to Brentwood for a reason.  He knows the people here personally because he suffered for them, one by one."

After Zone Conference miracles started to happen.  We met with Nelson again this week.  We met Nelson last Thursday.  The story is that we were walking back to our car after an appointment didn't answer the door.  As we were walking, Nelson was in his house and his dogs started barking at us.  He opened the door to see who was on the street and there we were.  We took the opportunity (since my companions goal is to talk to everyone) and walked up to him.  We talked for a bit and he said we could come back and share a little bit more about our religion. He didn't really seem interested, but was nice and said we could come back.

On Wednesday we met with him for the third time.  We were talking about the doctrine of Christ and the five steps we need to do to get on the path to the Celestial Kingdom (1. Faith 2. Repentance 3. Baptism 4. Holy Ghost 5. Endure to the End).  The spirit was very strong during the lesson.  I haven't felt the spirit as much in a lesson here as much as I did in this lesson.  My companion asked him if he knew what we were saying was true.  He paused for a second, thought and then said, "Yes, I do."  At that moment, my companion looked at me and nodded.  The spirit was present and the time was right.  Nervous about what was going to happen next I took all the courage and faith I had and asked him If he would be baptized.  He paused and then said, Yes!!! I couldn't believe that he said yes.  His eyes were red and I knew that he was feeling the spirit tell him that it was what he needed to do. It was a miracle for us and a life changing moment for Nelson.

Nelson and Jordan at the Temple Visitors Center

As I look back at this last week and half of knowing him I have noticed a change in him.  He seems happier.  He has been praying and reading the scriptures.  Two days ago he texted us and said, "Laban is a jerk!"  Haha, its great to know that someone is reading the book of Mormon.  In over a week, he has gone from being very skeptic of the whole religious thing, not knowing who Jesus was, wanting physical proof of the bible to know reading the scriptures, praying and going to the temple with us yesterday!! Yes, we invited him to go to the Visitor Center with us yesterday and another one of our investigators who is getting baptized this Saturday. I know that he felt the spirit at the temple, especially as he heard the Christus, the prophets speak and watch the video on the family. 

After all the hard work, the dropped appointments and the people saying no, when you have moments like this, it makes all the mission work worth it.  When you teach a lesson and see the instant change in others, I know that our Heavenly Father loves us so much.  I find so much joy and excitement in seeing others feel the spirit and recognize it for the first time in their lives.  In D&C 18 it says, "How great shall be your joy when you bring one soul unto Christ."  I know that this is true. This experience was the first time I felt this love and joy in teaching others.  And I know that I am just His Instrument and its our Savior who is doing all the work through the Holy Ghost. 

View of the Bay from the Oakland Temple

We also went on two exchanges this week. During one of the exchanges we went to visit a referral we had gotten from the English Sisters.  While visiting with the man and his children, he stopped us halfway and said that we had a light about us and that we looked different.  He then invited us back to meet with him and his wife on Friday! I am excited to share more with them and help them come unto Christ! 

We also met a man from Wales.  When we told him we would get him the Book of Mormon in Welsh he got so excited! I can't wait to give it to him tomorrow. I know that he will read the Book of Mormon for sure since its in Welsh and there aren't many places you can get welsh books here.

We also went tracking at a Car show.  As we left our apartment we saw the show and took the great opportunity to talk to tons of people.  Not many were interested, but it was still sure fun.  We stopped this woman who is a minister in her church.  Her in-laws are Mormon, but her husband isn't. :(  she didn't let us talk much though. 

Yesterday when we were at the Visitor Center in Oakland I ran into my MTC teacher!! It was totally unexpected but it was really cool.  I knew that he was from Oakland but I never thought I would run into him.  He was caught off guard too.  His name is Hermano Bell.

Today is my Companions Birthday! Hermana McLaws in 22 years old! She was the first one up this morning and she opened up all the presents her family and friends had sent her. It sure was fun vacuuming up all the confetti that were in the boxes her friends sent.

Today for a Zone Activity we are going Bowling.  I'm not the best at it but it will be fun to do an activity with all the Zone.  I'll send pictures of it next week. :) Also, talking about pictures, papi, I am sending the passport pictures to you today.  You should get them in a couple of days.  If you need anything else, email me and let me know and I'll do it as soon as I can.  

And here are some cute pictures of our neighbors' children.

I love you so much!! Thank you for everything you have done for me! I loved getting your emails!!! and your updates!

Love,

Hermana Susana Zubeldia

Missionary article in the Deseret News

Take a look at this article in the Deseret News. I am on tip #8, "Love" with my MTC companion. The caption is wrong: Hermana Sorensen is in Salem, I am in Oakland/San Francisco.

Hi from Hermana Zubeldia

Hi family!!

Its so great to hear from you guys!! Have fun at Grandmas house! Have fun in NY!!! Have fun with your last couple weeks of summer!!

Well, This week has been really good. There have been its ups and downs but overall a lot of work was done and I smiled a lot. There are so many people who need the gospel but don't have any desire to change what they have. Its kinda sad, but I know that one day they will have the chance to receive the gospel again and to accept it. I was kinda discouraged yesterday after all of our appointments fell through and no one was wanted to hear what we had to say.

The picture is Hermana Cooper from my desk, during companionship study. This morning as I was studying in Preach My Gospel I read, "When people choose not to investigated the restored gospel, your work is not wasted. Your consistent efforts in serving and teaching as many people as you an is one way God prepared His children to eventually receive his servants... do not be discouraged... you have given them a clear choice... maintain a vision of who you are, and continue to diligently move forward." This was what I needed this morning! Day after day my prayers are answered. Usually I find answers in what I read and study each morning. Sometimes when Things don't happen and appointments fall through we always receive a miracle and find someone new who is interested in the gospel. And so even though many of our appointments fell through we found a lot of new investigators this week. A lot dropped us, but we got to hold on to a few :)

Because my companions want to talk to everyone we see on the streets we have had a lot of street contact investigators. I am breaking out of my shell and learning to approach people. Usually when we walk up to people we say hi, ask them if we can invite them to learn more about Jesus Christ, tell them who we are and ask them if they believe in God. Sometimes it works and people stop and talk, other times, they just walk by and say they are catholic or they aren't interested. Little by little I will learn how to contact people more effectively. :) One of the blessings of talking to everyone is when you find someone who is ready to hear the gospel.

We went to visit a less active this week. He wasn't home. As we walked back to the car, a young man opened his door and his dog almost ran out. And just like my companions always do they walked up to his house and started talking to him. And guess what?! We got a return appointment. And not just one, but we've met with him twice this week. His name is Nelson and he is 23. He had read a little of the Book of Mormon before and knew what it was about. When we followed up with him at the second lesson, he had read all of the introduction, the testimonies, and had started to read the book!!!

He has a lot of analytic questions about the creation, what we believe about Noah, about Jesus and all the physical evidences. Like my companion says, "he is an honest seeker of truth." We have another meeting with him tomorrow. Miracles happen. All we need to do is have faith and open our mouths and proclaim the gospel to all!

Kristen is our investigator. She is getting baptized on Aug 31. We took her to a baptism in the Singles Ward on Saturday so that she could see what her baptism will be like. She is so excited to get baptized :)

I am also learning how to listen to the spirit as I teach. Its harder to do it in Spanish but I know it will soon come as I keep trying. My MTC teacher told me that even thought it may be hard to teach in Spanish I need to remember that when I speak with the spirit, even if my Spanish is imperfect, the spirit will touch their spirit and translate what I said to their heart. We also had the opportunity to teach a woman named Andrea. Her family was in a car accident a month ago. They were all injured and she lost her unborn baby. She likes what she hears, loves when we sing, and thinks we were sent by god to share scriptures with her. She is a sweet woman with a tender heart. I hope that she will come to a knowledge that she needs the gospel.

One of the funnest street contacts happened on Friday.  Last Friday all of our appointments dropped (as did they all on Saturday and Sunday). We were with a member and she suggested we pray to find where we needed to go. After we prayed the member said, lets go somewhere with lots of people. We decided to go to the park where a concert was playing. We did splits and went separate ways to just invite people to learn more about Christ. It was so fun (and a little nervous/terrifying at first) to walk up to people and give out the small pass along cards. I talked to a lot of people who had been to see the temple before. I didn't get any numbers or appointments but I did learn to do street contact a little better that night. One of the people I had just talked to ran into my companions down the block and they got his number. he seemed interested and wants us to come over and tell him more. Miracles happen when you are doing what the Lord wants you to do.

We had a flat tire this week. We were coming home from a lesson around 9 pm with some members in our ward. On our way home we had the wonderful chance to get a flat tire. I know that I have seen papi chance a tire with the scouts before but I have never done it in real life. Since none of us knew exactly how to do it (though collectively we probably could have done it ourselves) we called the zone leaders to help us. They changed the tire and we were off, not getting home till 9:45, 15 minutes after curfew. I guess it was okay since the Zone leaders were also with us and they knew what had happened. We had to get a new tire the next day and sit on the curb and study while we waited.

Answers to questions:

1. Usually on P-day we email, buy food, write letters, do laundry and then teach later at night. Today we washed our car because we have zone conference tomorrow.  My companions said that the car really needed to be cleaned since it had been 3 months since they last washed the car. Honestly, even after we washed the car it looked the same as before, but with water marks all over it. I hope it rains tonight so that we don't have to wash it again tonight. It probably wont though since I've heard it rarely rains here. :)

2. Yes, my sheets are perfect! They are nice and soft and even though I don't have the fitted sheet, its big enough to just tuck in.

3. No, we never eat fast food. My companions want to eat healthy and so we eat all our meals at our home. We take turns cooking or fixing the meals. This week, we had brown rice with soup, spaghetti, sandwiches, soup, oatmeal for breakfast with either fresh fruit or yogurt with oatmeal. They are keeping me well fed. I can admit that I have had sugar cravings all week, but my companions keep each other in check. Also, we usually have one meal each day at a members house. At church they pass around a calendar for the month and people sign up for each day. Yesterday, we ate dinner with a member from Peru. She served us homemade lasagna and Arroz con leche. I love having a mix of Latin American food and American food.

A lunch we had. Yes, we are trying to eat healthy at our apartment :)

4. Papi, the water bottle that you got was one that the MTC gave to me. I still have the one that we bought. Give the water bottle I sent home to one of the boys!

5. No, I haven't give a talk yet in church. I don't think they will ask me since our ward is pretty big. The picture below is our Stake Center.

***Family (and friends) I want to challenge you to be missionaries to everyone! I know that members can be the best missionaries. We had so many lessons this week with members. They added so much to the lessons. Go out and help the missionaries teach. Invite them to dinner. Give them referrals. The best investigators are the ones that members refer to us. The three secrets to be a successful missionary are:

1. Smile

2. SMILE

3. Smile!

Be happy! Everyone is looking for happiness. Let them see how happy you are and they will be attracted to the light that you have. As we prepare ourselves and pray for opportunities to share the gospel people will be put into our paths. All we need to do is to follow the gospel and our steps will be guided. It doesn't matter really where you go, "for it matthereth not where you go."(D&C 80:5) There are so many opportunities around you, just reach out with faith and you will have them. I have seen this work all week, every single day!

I love you guys so much! Thank you for your prayers and support. Missionary work is definitely work, but it is so much fun! I have had a great week!

I can't wait to hear from you next week! Have a fantastic week! Keep smiling and remember that as you do what is right you will always be guided to where our Heavenly Father wants you to be.

Hermana Zubeldia

I'm here in the Oakland Mission

Hi Family!!!

I made it safely to California with no problem at all!  The plane ride was really short but I wasn't able to sleep much because my ears were hurting.  I think they were hurting because of my head cold and stuffy nose..and also my sore throat.  I'm almost all better now, all I have left is my runny nose...and its running everywhere! :)

When we got off the plane we (32 missionaries) were greeted by our mission president President Meredith and his wife.  They told us that we were the biggest incoming group of missionaries in the history of the mission! Isn't that just great! I was put into a sub group of 3 missionaries who are also waiting on their visas for Argentina.

When I was walking through the Oakland airport one of the airport workers walked by me and said, "hey sister, where is your companion?"  I guess people noticed that I was walking with just two elders.  She had to have been Mormon to ask me that.

We were taken to the Mission home/office which is right across the street from the Oakland Temple and visitor center.  I love the temple!! It is absolutely beautiful and stands on top of the hill for all of San Francisco to see.  Also, the weather was cool and crisp in Oakland.  It was so nice to have beautiful weather after being in hot and dry Utah. :)
 

After meetings all day with the President I was given my first companions and assigned to my area.  I have been assigned to the Brentwood Area in the Antioch Zone, which is the most east zone of the mission.  I kinda would have liked to have served in San Francisco but I am really liking the Brentwood area.  Its kinda like Kaysville; not so busy, very quiet but in the middle of no where.

My companions are: Hermana Cooper and Hermana McLaws, they are the Sister training leaders in the Anticoch and Concord Zones.  Hermana Cooper is from Arizona.  She is a fantastic piano player and singer.  She is so good in Spanish and has the same voice as Aunt Rachel. Sometimes when I hear her voice I think its Aunt Rachel.  Hermana McLaws is from Park City.  She has been out almost a year and is hilarious!!!  She loves dolphins, more than I've ever seen anyone obsessed with any animal!  She reminds me of one of my friends from BYU Jerusalem, Emily.  How lucky I am to have such great Senior companions! They say that I came pre-trained (just like Pablo's first companion said) and that they sometimes forget that I am brand new and don't know the area at all. They also said that I was an answer to their prayers.  They had been praying for a Spanish speaker for their area!  They love the Spanish accent and want to talk in Spanish as much as possible. I have learned a lot from them and they make me laugh all the time.
 

They have been teaching me how to plan for the week effectively and how to plan to get the most out of my days.  They are also teaching me how to study each morning and how to street contact the right way.  They are wonderful teachers and I am so blessed to have them.  Maybe this is why I am here...to learn how to get over my fears and just walk up to people and teach.  Its their goal to talk to Everyone! And I mean everyone!!! And we do. Apparently they have had the most new investigators and most street contacts in the whole zone.  And also, they have the most lessons with ward members.  Out of the 16 lessons we had last week, 11 of them were with a member.

I am serving in a Spanish/English area and ward which means that I have a huge Spanish area and a small English area.  Sometimes its hard because in some neighborhood we can only teach in English but in all the neighborhoods we can teach in Spanish.  Its fun though. At church yesterday (I'm serving in the Oakland 1st Ward), everything was in English and then the Spanish members wore head sets and the meeting was translated for them.  It was really cool.  Also, when a Spanish speaker went up to bear their testimony, the translator would translate over the speakers the testimony into English.  I am liking the area and getting used to where things are.  We have a car!  I don't know what we would have done with out having a car here.  Because my companions are the sister training leaders we had to drive to Oakland/San Francisco everyday this last week for meetings with the President.  And it takes an hour-an hour and a half to drive to Oakland with all the California traffic.  We only had a lot of meetings last week because it was the beginning of a transfer.  This week we don't have to drive to Oakland for any mission reason.

These are the boundaries of the Oakland/San Francisco Mission

I am liking the work here in Brentwood/Oakley.  Since I've been here we have been teaching a girl named Myren, Arlina and her daughter Tatiana, and an other girl named Jordan.  Myren is 15 and has a baptismal date but hasn't been able to go to church because her parents take the family to Sacramento every weekend.  We prayed with her and told her that with faith miracles happen.  We will see if she can find a way to church next week.  We have also been teaching a woman named Arlina and her daughter Tatiana (9 years old). They have a baptismal date for Aug 31.  The family has been going through a lot of challenges.  They came to church yesterday though which was a miracle.  My trainers have had a hard time teaching her though because she doesn't internalize what they say.  I pray that she soon understands and grasps the concept of the priesthood.  She asked for a priesthood blessing yesterday and I know that she felt the spirit. However, she still thinks that we are just like any other christen group...her baby was baptized catholic last week so I guess we will see what happens:)  her daughter does like to read the children's book of Mormon.   Jordan is from a part member family.  her mom was baptized 2 or 3 years ago and her brother was baptized last year. She is 15 and is the sweetest girl.  She is so excited to be baptized!  I love meeting with her because you can feel the spirit in their home.:)  her dad isn't a member though and has no interest what so ever. We will see about that!  My companions say that we will never give up on anyone!  We are also teaching a women who is a compulsive liar and is dying from liver failure.  She wants to be baptized and has a date but doesn't want to just put one toe in the water if she isn't committed to jump fully in.   We will see.  I met her yesterday for the first time after going to her house like 4 times.
 

This week I had all my firsts (I guess its a duh since its my first week :)
 

1. I had my first door slam!  I don't know you did it mami, going 9 months into your mission with your first door slam.  We were talking to a family outside having a barbecue.  They said that they weren't interested in what we were saying but their neighbor down the street would love to talk to us because he loved religion.  Well, we went to the mans house and guess what?  he was an atheist.  he said we were barking up the wrong tree and nicely slammed the door.  All I know is that we gave him a chance to hear the gospel and he rejected. 

2.  I had my first street contact! We went to see another referral but she wasn't there.  On our way back to our car we saw this man working on his car and so my companions told me to make my first street contact.  I was so nervous but I did it anyway!!!  1 down, a million more to go! And the miracle is that we talked with the man for 30 minutes outside and then he invited us for some lemonade with his wife and granddaughter.  We asked him one questions and he went on for the whole 30 minutes talking about his life and how God has blessed him for protecting his family and for helping him settle here in California.  He didn't want us to leave but we had to since we had another appointment.  We are going tonight to teach him about the restoration.  I hope that he still is interested and that he can feel the spirit tonight. :)  His name is Melchor (like one of the tres reyes magos) and his wife's name is Maria.  Neither of my companions knew the reyes magos had names.  Thanks papi for teaching me catholic tradition, it turned out to be helpful.  The man was impressed that I knew it. :)

Well, it has been another long week.  The MTC seemed like it forever! and now, these 6 days here in Oakland have seemed like a whole month!  I am liking it though and have enjoyed waking up early and going to bed early.  Each night I hit my pillow and fall fast asleep.  I am exhausted each night and can't wait to hit my bed and sleep.  I had a dream last night that Levi was getting married :)  Mami I want you to know that I have been eating well.  We usually have a member feed us once each day, usually for dinner.  So don't worry about anything, I am eating good and I'm not going hungry :)  We went shopping today and have enough food for almost the whole month.  The mission gives us bank of America cards and they put on like $160 a month for food and other mission expenses, excluding gas for the car.  But because I am here as a visa waiter my money has been put on my trainers card.  Also, my companions are so much nicer than yours mami.  They believe in sharing their food and in making the food together.  When we went shopping today they planned out our meals together for the week and split the cost of all the food.  its great!  Also, they are trying to eat healthier and so we bought fruit, vegetables, pasta, yogurt, quinoa (spelling??) and other stuff.  I am going to learn how to force myself to be healthy here! 

After teaching tons of lessons this week on the restoration I have to say that I am so grateful that we have the gospel in our lives.  I am so thankful for my family and that we are sealed in the temple.  There are so many people that don't have the gospel and I just want to share it with everyone.  When we are driving in the car my companion always looks at the people driving by and says, "they need the gospel!"  We just laugh sometimes at her, but when I think about it, it is so true.  If only people had the gospel they could be so much more happier.  I want to thank you parents for raising our family in the gospel! I love you guys so much!  Thank you for writing me letters and keeping me updated on all that is going on at home.  I love hearing about what you guys are doing.  And how fun that you had the Scoville family over for dinner.  I have only met them once, but I know that if their daughter Malia can be so sweet their family has to be as well. 

Its great to hear that Pablo is also doing so well!  Send him my love when you send him the next letter or package! :)

My mission address is: (the mail and packages are sent to the mission home and then they send it to the missionaries at their apartments)

Hermana Susana Zubeldia Barlow

California Oakland/San Francisco Mission

4945 Lincoln Way

Oakland, CA 94602

if you haven't sent a package yet i'd love it if you also sent me other snacks (like Oreos or fishy crackers or maybe some gummy bears )  You are the best :)

I love you guys!  Also, Dear Elder should work here. I just asked my companion and she said that it does :) 

I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH!!!!!

Hermana Zubeldia

PS: Also! I want you guys to watch MONK!! you know why???  Because I am in the San Francisco Mission, the same place where Monk Lives!!!!  When ever you watch Monk I want you to think of me!!