Hello everyone!

I hope that as you all start going back to school or start sending kids back to school or however the start of school affects you, that it goes well. Anyway this week was a really good one. We went to the park last week again and it was really cool, my temporary companion and I had a really good time. It's such a beautiful park and it's so cool to talk to people in such a nice place. Then we got to sing again and one of the songs we sang is called "Children Around the World" and it was super meaningful to me at the time because the song hit me because I've talked to people from literally all around the world at the park and I feel so good being able to do that. Then later that day, for practice, my companions and I got a chance to teach a lesson to a cousin of one of our teachers who decided to get baptized! So to explain a little background, our teacher has cousins who live in New York and most of the family was baptized about 4 years ago, except for the dad and the youngest son (Benjamin) who is 10, but then they went inactive. When their whole family was visiting their relatives in Spain, two of the daughters wanted to talk to missionaries that their cousin was teaching, so my companions and I got to talk to one of them and it was a really good lesson. I talked about it 2 weeks ago I think. Then, almost a week ago our teacher told us that Benjamin had decided to get baptized, and we were all so happy for them all. So to give us practice teaching, our teacher had Benjamin come in and we taught him a lesson, and it was amazing because his sisters were there too and we could feel how much his decision meant to them. It was such a strengthening experience. 

For those of you who are into that Pokémon Go lifestyle, we found out that the temple is a gym in the game, so every once in a while we'll look out the window and see people sitting on the temple grounds on their phone and we all have a good laugh about it. One more thing about my mission; I found out that for the Spain Madrid Mission specifically, we don't have to get up until 7:30 and we don't have to go to bed until 11:30. Apparently it's better for finding people to teach here, but normally missionary hours are from 6:30-10:30. I'm pumped to start that once I get out in the general field. 

Today for our weekly excursion we visited the royal palace of Spain, or the Palacio Real. It was my favorite thing we've visited, it was so cool. We took a tour and it was sooooo awesome looking on the inside. They had a legitimate throne room and a super long dining hall and a crown and scepter in a display case. My favorite part was a room where they had 4 instruments for the royal string quartet from around 1700 in display cases. There was a cello from 1700-ish that had been played in royal courts! Also we saw a royal Catholic Church where the king and queen would attend church if they wanted and there was am organ in there that I really wanted to play but I probably would have been beheaded for treason or something. Sadly we couldn't take pictures inside the tour but I have a few of me and my companions and the guys in our room.

Anyway I hope you all have a great week, and I wish everyone who is starting school good luck!

Elder Corey Dobbs

Palacio Real