lazy weekend

It's been a few days since I've written, so I thought I'd update.  

I did absolutely nothing this weekend.

YAY!

Around here, it's almost a cultural sin to do nothing - not one thing- on a Saturday, nonetheless.  I did not leave my piso.  What's wonderful about that is that I live with 5 other people and not one of them was here.  Pierre's grandfather passed away, so Pierre went to France.  Mercé took Christian and Jairo to her house for the weekend and Ginna went to her parent's house for the weekend too (they always do).  I was not invited due to bed space at the home of Mercé, but I didn't mind.

Late in the night on Friday (since I'm 6 hours ahead of everyone over in the USA, well, 9 hours ahead of the West-coasters), I Skyped.  I skyped with Andy for nearly 2 hours, then and hour or so with Pam Slotsema (who downloaded it for me and had her first skype session!  Thanks Pam), and then with Jenn Stehouwer for about an hour and a 1/2.  After all was said and done, I went to bed around 6 am- like a normal weekend night around here.  AND I got to spend quality conversation hours with friends that I have missed.

That brings me to Saturday, the day I did not leave the house.  I slept in until 2 pm. I showered and got ready to leave the house, but in the end did not.  An add for Moulin Rouge came on tv during the other movie I was watching that said at 10:30 pm it would be on and that was enough to keep me in.  Plus I had great intentions of reading and doing homework (which I never got to that day).   All I did was watch the 2 movies (Moulin Rouge and some other ghost movie- creepy- good thing it was the middle of the day for that one), sweep and mop my room, the hallways and the comedor, write some letters, and eat.  Perfect.

Sunday, however, I left the piso.  I went to church for the first time since I got to Spain.  Not by choice, but by lack of knowing where a church -similar to what I am used to- was located.  After talking to people, searching the internet, walking up and down streets, etc.  I found a church.  I should mention here that I met two Mormons the first week I was here - Elder Nixon and Elder someone else.  They invited me to their church (they are from Utah- so there ARE other Americans in Lleida), but I didn't accept their offer.  I took their card and said, "thank you" or "gracias" I'm not sure if we spoke in English or Spanish that day.  Anyway, back to la iglesia evangelica bautista Lleida that I attended on Sunday morning- I got there at 11:30 (starting time) and walked in, was greeted by a few people, and the worship started.  The praise band was full of really wonderful people and they were all singing their hearts out.  It wasn't comparable to GRCHS chapel worship or Fuller Ave's choir, but it did make me feel like anyone could worship- just SING!  It was nice.  There wasn't a piano, which made me a bit sad, but the keyboard had sort of a piano-esque quality.  One song we sang especially got me.  It had lyrics about saving Spain and helping the lost find Jesus.  It was more allegorical than that though- about sending the rain to Spain.  Haz llover video.  Haz llover letra.  Where is says "over the nations" or "sobre las naciones" the church I was in said "sobre nuestro españa" and it choked me up- Spain really is thirsty to hear the word of Jesus and know him personally. Andy's sister Christine warned me to be careful looking for a church b/c people here think everything other than Catholicism is a cult.  It's pretty much true.  Missionaries here have a hard job.  I don't know how I'll start telling people.  I suppose one person at a time as I meet them. 

In church I had to raise my hand b/c I was a visitor and the lady doing the announcements made me say where I was from, so I did.  Then, the lady (Miriam) sitting in front of me turned to tell me that that was her sister- but at the same time the sister in front of church was asking me something- but I missed the question since I was listening to Miriam- so I looked up and said "¿cómo?" like I didn't know what she said meant or something- so she repeated in English "What is your name?" AGH!  I felt so dumb.  Like I didn't know what "¿Cómo te llamas?" meant in Spanish or something.  Anyway, after that, a lady from the back of church came up to me and gave me her number b/c she wants to practice her English with me.  I can't tell you how sick of that I am.  Everyone- well, most people,- when they here I am from the USA they say "podemos practicar mi inglés" and they mean it.  I'm not going to walk around speaking English all the time so that other people can practice their English- I'm here to speak/learn Spanish and Catalan.  

After that I met some nice people, and left.

What I didn't mention yet is that on Sunday mornings there isn't a pastor nor a message.  You have to come Sunday nights for that.  What I was there for was worship, announcements, and a Bible study of Romans.  The Sunday night service is from 6pm until 8:30pm.  I'm wondering then if that's all message or what...2 1/2 hours?  I never realized what a wealth of church choice we have in GR, Michigan.  I'll never take it for granted again.