Sunday, February 27, 2011

New Missionaries, New Looks, More Baptisms

We were wondering if the dress code for the Spain Malaga Mission had changed? We think the Hermanas in Sevilla look great!
This is a little more of their normal look with some of the wonderful young members in Sevilla. Great work Hermanas.
Elder Hatch is working with some of the youth also.
Elder Vaninetti can't be stopped in Alicante.
Lorca too, Elder Crawford, Larsen and Phillips are on to something.
This dear man was just baptized. He seems to be glowing. We can see the glow on the missionaries faces also.
Two new missionaries, Hna Perera and Elder Barahona. Two great young people to add to our already great group of missionaries.
They are doing their best to understand all that is presented to them.
"We don't know where we are going?" is what Hna Perera seems to be saying.
Elder Barahona is going to be with the machine, Elder Vaninetti, in Alicante. You better be ready to work!
Hna Perera is going to Torravieja and will be trained by Hna Canucci. Hey, the two Italians are training two Spaniards, that is fun.
We are now saying good-bye to 6 Elders who are leaving the mission. But note, two new faces in the mission office. Elder Avellar is our newest ayudante and Elder Stoner will be the new mission secretary. Welcome Elders, we love having you with us.
"That's right", says Elder LeBaron, "I am going home tomorrow." Always a time of mixed emotions.
We will miss the 6, Elders Bullen, Larsen, Thatcher, Wallace, LeBaron and Han.
Hey look, we were able to sneak a kiss without them seeing us.
Elder Larsen's parents came for him. It was a very happy reunion in the office on Thursday morning.
The weekend found us in Sevilla. Here are just a few shots of the wonderful sights in Triana, the oldest part of Sevilla just across the river.
From that side we see the Torre de Oro. This is where Christopher Columbus and others would store their goods from the new world when they sailed home to Sevilla.
Hna Reyes and I went into the market in Triana. We had a great time.
That evening we had a wonderful Chinese dinner with the Koh family. He is a member of the mission presidency along with Elder Clegg.
Our first official picture as a Presidency together. We had a wonderful time and also took care of some mission business.
We spent our Sunday in the LaMancha District with the sisters of the Ciudad Real Branch. We also had a wonderful fireside in Puertollano, but those pictures will be on next week. A great week in a great mission.

Sunday, February 20, 2011

We Love Visitors and Zone Conferences

Elder Masterson is just baptizing a future missionary. Elder Ward has now joined him in Algeciras, a city that baptizes!
Elder Wells and Elder Becerra are all smiles in Alicante as they keep baptizing.
Elder Wallace and Elder Thatcher are finishing up their missions strong with another baptism.
Elder Vaninetti is keeping the baptismal fire going in Alicante. That city is hot!
Elder Hatch and Elder LeBaron look very content at their baptism in Dos Hermanas. Way to go Elders. There are many more baptisms happening around the mission. We are striving to reach the goal that the Lord would have us accomplish which is inviting all to Come unto Christ.
In Jerez we have 3 very happy Elders. Elder Waite, Long and Bennett. They wanted to let the mission know how happy they are.
They love knocking doors. They always greet people with a smile!
Sharing the Book of Mormon is one of the greatest parts of being a missionary. They are actually with Paco, one of the best new members of the church. Paco is a new member that is sharing the gospel with everyone!
What is this? That's right, our missionaries hear no evil, see no evil and speak no evil to anyone. Thanks Elders for a few pictures of the everyday life of a missionary in Jerez.
We had the great pleasure of a visit by Pte. and Hna Earl from the CCM in Madrid. We loved their visit so much. They love every missionary that comes to the CCM.
We took them on a little sight-seeing trip around the area. We even went to the beautiful city of Marbella, but Pte. and Pte. couldn't stop talking about missionary work.
They enjoyed the view of Fuengirola and the Mediterranean Sea from Mijas. We are in a beautiful part of the world made more beautiful by wonderful people who sacrifice a lot to serve the Lord. We are sure glad they came down for a few days to be with us and share of their wisdom.
We started into Zone Conferences. Our first conference was in Granada. Elders Solari and Brian are teaching. They must be saying something important as we see all the missionaries taking great notes.
The LaMancha Zone provided a special number.
Hna Mercedes provided our lunch. It was a wonderful lunch. Elders Christensen, Goodman and Solari agree.
Elder Hamilton and Burdette are enjoying a break in the Zone Conference.
We have the best Hermanas. Hna Stolk and Bascope love serving in Ciudad Real.
Hna's Millan and Rojas are working their hearts out in Malaga.
Elder Forrest and Elder Bailey are practicing their Spanish with one of the wonderful members in Granada.
Dear Elder Velasquez gave us a clock from the Canary Islands, his home. We will cherish it forever.
What a great looking Zone after a great Zone Conference.
The next day we were in Murcia. Elder Ferreira did a great job conducting the conference.
Elder Thomas just isn't quite sure of what to expect. We promise it is going to be a great conference.
These dear members fixed a great meal. We have been spoiled by wonderful, caring members.
We look happy and hungry. Dig in Hermanas.
We definitely are a happy group when we are eating great food.
Elders Taylor, Han, Bullen and Thomas treat us to a special number. Nothing like music to bring the spirit.
What pictures are they all checking in their cameras?
Elder Taylor looks happy.
Even these smiling old elders are looking happy.
Oh this is the photo. Our group shot of the Elche and Murcia Zones is a great one. We have the best consecrated missionaries. We love them all.
Thursday we were in Sevilla. The Zone was ready and willing to learn.
Elder Salls and Elder Fagersten treated us to a wonderful special number.
The former Elder Ponce brought the food his father fixed for us. We are all grateful and eager to try it.
This is a 3 generation photo. "Grandpa" Adams trained "papa" Fagersten who is training "son" Shaver. Putting it a little differently you are seeing the trainer, who's son is a trainer. Does that make more sense?
Elder Langston and Elder Heywood are passing out the great food.
We always have to celebrate birthdays in the mission. We had over 10 alone in this Zone. Lot's of singing.
We gathered around the piano to sing the mission song.
We love singing the mission song, it is the best!
The Hermanas are looking great on this side of the mission.
We are looking great in the Sevilla and San Fernando Zones. Great conferences, we enjoyed them all immensely.
The weekend was filled with special visitors. Ana gave up her Saturday to take us around. She is pictured in front of the location of the first meeting place for the church in Sevilla. The black door was the entrance and they met on the 1st floor. This is where Ana came to church almost 30 years ago.
This picture might give you a hint of who was visiting us. In the background is the tower of the cathedral in Sevilla. We had a great morning visiting the charming city of Sevilla.
We were blessed by the visit of Elder Teixeira and his wife, Elder and Hna Clegg, our wonderful mission couple, Pte Clegg and myself and Sister and Elder Hallstrom who arrived from Salt Lake just the day before. We experienced a wonderful Stake Conference and we were delighted to help host them and participate in the conference. They lifted the spirits of all the members who attended. It has been a busy week with many wonderful blessings spread all over the mission.