Sunday, October 31, 2010

Two sets of Cleggs in the Mission

Always fun to start with a baptism. Our assistants are working hard both in the office and in the field. Elders Halverson and Solari are up to the task.
We spent the first two days of the week in the Sevilla Zone and the San Fernando Zone. We didn't take any pictures of the Sevilla Zone, sorry, but we did take a lot in San Fernando thanks to Hna Montes de Oca sitting here with her companion Hna Hidalgo. The two are ready for the training to begin.
So are the elders, they look excited.
Elder Wells is ready to play the piano as Elder Velasquez, one of the Zone Leaders is ready to conduct.
The other Zone Leader, Elder Langston is ready to do any translation that is needed and with a smile too!
After the training I am doing a little scripture chase while we are waiting for the food. The missionaries in the New Spain Malaga Mission know their scriptures.
Elder Giler is studying his notes as he waits for the food.
Elder West looks like he sees something good entering the room.
Hooray for pizza! El Presidente says it is good and "Let's eat."
Wow, you can almost taste that pizza that Elder Travis is eating. Mm, mm, good!
Of course Elder Stowell is enjoying his Reece's Peanut Butter cup that all the missionaries received for a Halloween treat!
Elder Avellar and Elder Giler, you aren't going to Portugal are you? Oh no, just helping us get to the car and get on our way after our wonderful training sessions with everyone. We need to get home to Fuengirola because the Cleggs are coming!
Yes, I said the Cleggs are coming, and actually, they are here! Elder Cal and Hna Gayle Clegg have just arrived to the mission to serve for 18 months with the District of La Mancha. They have served in the church in many capacities and it is to our joy and delight that they will spend 18 months with us.
They spent the night in the mission home where EL Presidente cooked his famous, perfect over easy eggs. Notice the wonderful apron we received from a parent of one of our missionaries in Bilbao, Elder Anderson. It says El Presidente, Espana Bilbao-Malaga. We love it! He also sent one for me, Hna Clegg, so we are now ready to feed the Army of Helaman.
We took the Cleggs to the Malaga specialized training where Elders Black, Niebergall, Hunt and Hna Clegg look happy. Well at least 3 of them look happy.
Elders Solari, Bullen and Goodman are also giving us the thumbs up!
Elder Romney and Elder Wallace are feeling the love of missionary service!
Hey, why not an entire Zone picture just for the fun of it.
We drove the next day to Ciudad Real where we introduced the Cleggs to their new piso. The Zone Leaders, Elder Gold and Del Molino were there for a "Cosecha" in Puertollano that day and so they were there to help us move in. Elder Talbot is also looking mighty happy.
A big thanks to Elder Siddiqui and Elder Talbot for all their work in finding the apartment and making sure it was clean and ready to move in. Great job Elders!
I think Elder Siddiqui is going to faint while carrying in the mattress for their bedroom. Elder Del Molino isn't even tired, it must be the difference between a Spaniard and an Englishman! (Whoa, I am going to get it from Elder Phillips and Elder Siddiqui now.)
We are in Don Quixote country now. Los Clegg (two of them) with Elders Talbot and Siddiqui in a town square in the lovely town of Ciudad Real.
The next day we had a district meeting and then it was lunch time. Kabobs for everyone.
Wow, I don't think all of that is going to fit in my mouth, but mm, the kabobs are great in Spain!
Sunday brought the District Conference in Ciudad Real. It was well attended then afterwards the District Presidente made empanadas for everyone and an incredible cake. He is a baker and it was all delicious.
Beatriz and Ken are engaged! She is a member of the Valdepenas Branch and Ken is an American, working in Spain who served his mission in Spain a few years ago. They look happy.
Elder Edgar Montes, the newest called missionary from the La Mancha District is looking excited. He just received his call to Montevideo, Uruguay. He leaves in February. Everyone is so excited for him. His family didn't find out about his call until today as the District President announced it. It was a great moment.
Presidente Pedraja sure looks happy passing out some of the fabulous cake he made. His wonderful sweet cake matches his wonderful sweet heart. He loves the members of his District and they love him too.
It was time to leave Ciudad Real and all the wonderful people and things that are going on up there. Elders Heywood, Bader, Fetzer and Moss are working hard and loving being a missionary in the New Spain Malaga Mission and we do too!

Sunday, October 24, 2010

Dresden or Bust!

We start the week in Elche at the beautiful Elche Chapel located in a palm tree forest. It was such a beautiful crisp fall morning, we just had to stop and admire it before we went in. I think that Elder LeBaron is doing the same.
Inside we had a great specialized training. Afterwards the missionaries were given their "Halloween treat" which is a Reece's Peanut Butter Cup. They love them. You can't find them in Spain so the missionaries were delighted.
"Yikes" says Elder Wardell when he sees the food that the newest member in Elche, Jose Antonio is preparing for the missionaries for lunch. Elder Marchello can only smile with joy at the anticipation of eating this wonderful....
Paella. It is incredible. Have you ever seen such a huge cooking pot? Wow, thanks Jose!
Speaking of newest member, here is his picture of his baptism day with Elder Serrano and Elder Moss.
The love and happiness in Lorca is continuing with Elder Waite and Froberg.
And Elder West and Paolinelli are baptizing again in Chiclana.
This is a great picture of Hna Montes de Oca. When she was young her family lived in Rota, Spain as her dad was in the military. This was where she lived then but now it is a pre-school. The great thing is that now she is serving in nearby Cadiz, a dream come true for her and an inspiration from our Heavenly Father to Presidente Clegg.
We know what you are saying, this does not look like Spain. It isn't. This is in the center square of Dresden, Germany where we had our once a year Mission President's Seminar. It was a fantastic 4 days where we were inspired and lifted and taught.
We spent Thursday afternoon attending a temple session in the beautiful Freiberg Temple. It was a very special afternoon.
The sun was setting as we left the temple to go back to Dresden.
As you can see we are in front of a statue honoring Martin Luther, a reformer that did so much before the true church was organized. Germany is beautiful and we came back to beautiful Spain filled and inspired to help our missionaries succeed even more to invite all to come unto Christ and be baptized!
We were home for 1 1/2 hours and then we were in the car and driving to Caceres. We enjoyed a wonderful Branch Conference there. Here we have the wonderful Hermanas of Caceres, Hnas Ramirez and Cannuci along with the joyful Bresa. The members are few, but their spirits are strong and we were uplifted and strengthened to be in their presence.

Sunday, October 17, 2010

From Fish to Elche?

What Elder is this? O.K., so this isn't a picture in Spain, but our son was fishing in Washington and caught this nice big salmon and sent us this picture. The question of the week is what kind of salmon is this? (hint, it isn't a king salmon)
Back to business! Almeria is at it again. What an incredible ward and also great Elders who send me their pictures of their baptisms. Way to go Elders Hurley and Dunoskovic. We do have other places where the missionaries are baptizing, but they are not sending me their pictures. So when they do, I will put them on the blog!!
Also, Elders Fagersten and Adams are pictured with their baptism this last week. Now Elder Hurley, what is all the smiling about?
Wait a minute, this looks like a serious game of.......
Cockroach baseball? I don't know what that is exactly but the Elders had to mix a little fun with their service in cleaning the chapel. Clever, clever.
Much of this week was spent by "Grandma Annie" being a grandma for a few days. Just thought I would show you what kids like to do in Spain. First of all, Henry loved the bullring in Mijas.
Ellie and AnnieKate loved to look like Spanish Flamenco Dancers. Oh such grace!
They loved going bowling.
Grandpa even took a p-day to take us all to Gibraltar where we all got a piece of the rock. They especially loved the monkeys there!
Fuengirola has a great zoo.
Yes, this is in the zoo.
Visiting Marbella is always nice.
Or just playing in the mission home tree!
We loved their little visit and were somewhat sad to say good-bye, but grateful for the sacrifice of their parents to bring them to us. Sweet dreams AnnieKate and Henry.
We put them on the plane and drove straight to Granada for the beginning of this month's specialized training. The Granada Zone is doing great. We enjoyed the teachings about the Book of Mormon and also working on "Inspired Questions." Afterwards, it is time to eat.
Elder Adams isn't too sure about this box, but Elder Hurley is. This box contains one Book of Mormon in Spanish in Braille. It was amazing to see. They are taking it to Almeria for a man who is blind and investigating the church. Wow, never realized the books were this big.
I found Elder Kusseling playing the piano while his companion Elder Alejandre enjoys the music. Presidente was also doing interviews at this training, so they were being patient waiting for their turn.
Mmm, Hot Dogs for lunch! They were actually quite good with all the fixings. Elder Pratt doesn't look like he's too sure of that, but El Presidente says si, they're good!
The next day we found these two happy sisters in Murcia. Hnas Guerra and Ruiz de Mendoza. Time to do some more training.
El Presidente is just checking on the facts for the training with one of the Zone Leaders, Elder Brian.
We are ready to start!
And of course lunch after we are done. Elder Wilson is happy we had tacos today, prepared by the Elders in Cartagena. Great job Elders and Hermanas.
The rest of the pictures you will see are of our wonderful weekend attending Stake Conference in the Elche Stake. We love the members there and enjoy socializing with them. This is one of the special families that love the missionaries and support them in many ways. The mom, Marie, is from France, so we loved speaking a little French together. She helps me to remember un peu de la francais!
This darling family is the Munoz family. Great family, just a great example of the many wonderful families and members who live in this glorious Stake.
We love being with the Moores, who are the current Temple President and Matron of the Madrid Temple. They are such wonderful people and are doing so much to strengthen the members all throughout Spain. We are in the same home Stake in Bountiful, Utah, so this is always a treat to see each other.
Presidente Marmol is a wonderful man who leads this Stake. We are getting ready to begin the Sunday general session. It was a spiritual feast.
Afterwards we talked with many members. These wonderful members are members in Crevillente and they are deaf. Three of the sweetest people we have met in Spain. Notice the red scarf! The choir of over 70 youth of the Stake sang and every young woman had this scarf and every young man had a matching red tie. They gave one to me and Hna Moore and ties to Presidentes Clegg and Moore. We will cherish them always.
We chatted with a few of our wonderful missionaries after the conference which was held in Alicante. Elders LeBaron, Sanchez and Larsen are all smiles on this beautiful fall day. We will be with them tomorrow for their training in Elche.
Finally, what is better than two adorable sisters to be in a picture with. Hnas Ackerman and Brown always make my day. Whew, this was a busy week with many blessings abounding. The mission is doing great, the missionaries are all working hard and are seeing the fruits of their labors. We love being missionaries in the Spain Malaga Mission.