Feliz año nuevo!

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!  Hopefully, you took a moment to remember why we celebrate this special time of year.  

This week was my second week in Sabadell. There are two wards here in Sabadell, and our ward/area consists of the bottom part of the city and some smaller towns around it. The hermanas (sister missionaries) have more of the actually city part. Also our church building is around 30-40 minutes away on bus from where we live. Which is much different from my last area where I lived about a 5 minute walk from the church building. 

with Caga Tio

We are not currently teaching many people right now so we have been doing a lot of contacting. We taught English class to a new amigo this week. Teaching English has become one of my favorite things on the mission.  Since I have been here in Sabadell we have had a lot of meal appointments with members which has been nice.  That didn't happen too much in Vitoria. I asked one of the families we were eating with if the dish was Spanish and they replied no its Catalán (haha). Catalonia is province here in Spain which is trying to succeed and like the Basque country they have their own language called Catalán. It is similar to Spanish and everyone who is from here can speak it. One cool thing is that we can wear missionary tags in Catalán. 

Another funny thing that happened is everyone always asks what part of the United States Elder Bucio is from because his accent has changed to gringo. (In case you forgot he is from Mexico). One tradition they have here during Christmas time is called 'Caga Tio' which literally translates to pooping log. Little kids smack the log and it poops toys/candy. If you don't believe me go ahead and google it.  I don't think I would have believed it either if I wasn't living here to see it myself.  

I hope everyone has a Happy New Year!

Elder Neuberger

lots of pictures below:

Christmas market

Sights of Sabadell

A nice family invited us over for a
Christmas feast.

Went to Barcelona for Pday.

Arco de Triunfo

Gaudi House

Christmas morning

Name tag written in Catalan.

Sabadell

Sagrada Familia

This week has been pretty crazy! Monday we spent most of our day traveling to Barcelona for a 6 Zone Christmas conference. On Tuesday we were able to hear from a member of the Seventy, Elder De Feo and also the Bushmans who are religious/historical authors. It was fun being with a big group of missionaries for the day. The biggest news at zone conference was that Barcelona missionaries can now go to the temple in Madrid!  Not sure when that will happen but I hope I get to go while here in Spain.   

That night after the conference we went and ate civiche with a member from my companions last area, and we also went by Sagrada Familia. It is pretty amazing!  While we were in Barcelona we stayed an extra day so my companion could renew his temporary residency. That morning we dropped the Bushmans off at the airport. 

Also transfer calls were this Saturday and I am going to be moving to Sabadell. Which is a city close to Barcelona and in Catalonia. I will be in a trio with Elder Rappleyea who was in the same district as me for my first two transfers in the mission, and who also became a good friend of mine. Elder Bucio who is from Mexico will be my other companion. So I am very excited to serve with them when I arrive in Sabadell. 

This past Sunday was the primary program. Our ward had around 20 kids participate. The primary program is always the best.  I will definitely be sad to leave Vitoria, ¡Viva País Vasco! 

Feliz Navidad!

Elder Neuberger

lots of pictures, enjoy!

more pics of Sagrada Familia

Saying goodbye to Carlos and Beatrice

Felipe and Amandin

Javy feeds us once a week in his restaurant

Christmas lights around Vitoria

with Elders Griffin and Hood

eating chinese food with Elder Hannant

Christmas market in Barcelona

walk through nativity at the park in Vitoria

the Bushmans

a neat little church outside of Vitoria

Elefante Blanco

White Elephant exchange

Last Monday night while in Bilbao we had a white elephant gift exchange with our zone and after President Gali took everyone to Pizza Hut, which is all you can eat in Spain. I think we ate so much it might be out of business now. 

The next day we came back to Vitoria for a district council. Afterwards I had an intercambio with Elder Cruz. This week our lessons with Darwin and the family from Ecuador both canceled. In the words of Elder Frazier, "That's just how it be sometimes." 

This week we were able to go over to a members house and teach their family from Columbia who was visiting. Also we went to Dora's house this week and ate fufu which is always a fun time. We started teaching someone english this week who might be interested in the gospel. 

 

streets of Vitoria

Saturday one of the kids in the family the hermanas were teaching got baptized (didn't have to boil water this time). It was so awesome, and Felipe and I did a musical number where he played the ukulele and I played the piano. I must admit we sounded pretty good.  Also I played the piano again on Sunday for sacrament meeting.  This week we will be in Barcelona for a six zone Christmas conference. And next week is transfers already.  There is a chance I might be moving.

One video that we love sharing is the new nativity video, The Christ Child.  It is super awesome and I encourage y'all to watch it.  https://www.comeuntochrist.org/light-the-world/the-christ-child

Tenga una buena semana, 

Elder Neuberger

Pizza Hut

candy store