Sunday, March 27, 2011

Mission Tour and Mission Surprise

Elder Velasquez, please say this isn't the door to your piso?
Last week we were in Cuenca and we didn't get the picture of the branch on the blog. This is a great group of people. This week I was having difficulty loading these pictures so this will be a blog of little words. It was an amazing week with a mission tour with Elder Manfred Schutze and his lovely wife Helga.
Always lot's of love for the Hermanas. Yea, Hna Bozeman.
Missionaries need to eat before baptisms. Elders Sanchez and Stowell show us how.
Baptisms all over the mission starting in Cordoba with Elders Burdette and Stowell.
Torrevieja was next. Yea Hna's Cannuci and Perera.
Huelva has their newest member. Yea Elders Shaver, Fagersten and Niebergall.
Cordoba again but this time with Elders Stowell and Sanchez.
The Hermanas in Sevilla, Hna Montes de Oca and Bozeman are on top of their game.
Cartagena 1 is happy with Elder Mervai, Travis, Pratt and Jordan.
Elders Adams and Heywood are happy in Chiclana.
El Puerto is saving souls with Elder Ferguson and Velasco.
We started our mission tour in Cehegin with the Casto family and Elder and Sister Schutze. We had a beautiful family night with a beautiful family.
Murcia with the mission tour. Hermanas are happy.
Elder Pedersen is showing off his food arrangement.
A great start with the Elche and Murcia Zones.
Elder Biamont what is so funny? I think I'll ask Elder Thornley later.
We had a wonderful visit from Bro. and Sister Menlove. Brother Menlove serenaded us at lunch with hymns with his harmonica in Granada.
With a sea of wonderful Elders and Hermanas we thought a picture of the "adults" would be nice. From l. to r. Bro. and Sister Menlove, Elder and Hna Clegg, Pte and Hna Clegg, Sister and Elder Schutze and Hna and Elder Hunt. Sister Menlove was the former General Primary President of the church and our Hna Clegg, (Gayle) was her 2nd counselor. Royalty in Granada.
Another great conference with La Mancha, Granada and the Malaga Zones.
In Sevilla we found two neighbors, Elder Pallas and Elder Langston. They are both from the great town of St. George.
March 24th, and it is my birthday. The missionaries sang to me and gave me a card. (The other Zones did the same but it wasn't really my birthday yet.)
The 3rd and final conference was as special as the first. The whole mission has been "Schutzed?"
Yes, and lot's of pictures to be taken.
So after the guests left, it was time for a little relaxation? Actually, the office Elders were coming to take me for a birthday lunch without the President. Something is a little different, but President said o.k.
We went to the Hard Rock Cafe past Marbella.
Dah, this is how Elder Moss looks after a day full of calls from around the mission. We love you Elder Moss.
We were dreaming Nachos all day long.
Then what could be better than a game of bowling. Don't we look like champs. But there was one more thing to do. I was wondering if they were ever going to take me home. We came back to the mission home to the surprise of my life.
Our oldest daughter Hillary had just flown in from Utah. This was a plan that Pte and Hillary had worked up all by themselves. She even brought us each a new I-Pad. Wow, do birthday's get any better than this? She brought her sister-in-law Jenny, who we will picture on next week's blog. Wow, what a week and what a surprise.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

We are Specialized

This is how Hna Clegg feels after this week. It has been a busy week and so many wonderful things are happening. Sorry to all because this is probably the longest post yet, so if you don't want to go further, don't. But you will miss out on a great week in the Spain Malaga Mission.
A super baptism in Cuenca. Way to go Pte. (Elder Velasquez) and Elder Alejandre. Hilder is now baptized and he and his wife will hopefully go to the temple in a year.
More baptisms in Almeria. Elders Beck, Lignell, Hamilton and Bennett are enjoying this one. This is a mother Rocio and her teenage son Teddy.
Glenda is excited along with Elders Bradley and West in Malaga at her baptism.
The Hermanas in Elche, Hna Sturgess and Hna Cluff are busy bringing more priesthood into the church. The former Elder Leon, who is a friend of Jorge, baptized him. What a great day in Elche.
And there is nothing that says baptism better than the Hna's in Murcia. Hna Ackerman and Woffinden are excited about Domingo and his choices.
Elder "James Bond" Thomas is ready for action in Murcia.
And Elder Taylor is enjoying his work in the Pueblo of Jumilla.
Almeria is such a beautiful place, what is going on with the missionaries in Almeria?
Elder Hamilton, we hoped that companionship inventory would be going better than this.
The Hermanas are all smiles in Almerica. Hna Capener and Frandsen are doing fantastic together.
No Elders Bennett and Lignell, you can't have that car. It isn't mission approved.
Lot's of castles dot the land in Spain.
4 beautiful Hermanas in Sevilla, Hna Franden, Montes de Oca, Capener and Boseman.
Now to the work of the week. We love our training in Granada. A hard working Zone.
The Ayudantes taught a lot about the Area books. We are going to have the best organized books in the world.
Elder Goodman cleaned up on the scripture chase.
Granada Zone we love you.
Elder Crawford says, "Yes President, I am ready to train."
Elder Travis and Pratt are ready also. Lot's of new missionaries coming this week. And we are ready.
We love our Hermanas.
Singing the mission song is always a highlight of the training.
Getting the mail is also grand. Elder Phillips, you won't have mail, you are going home in 3 weeks.
Murcia Zone is doing great and will be growing with 4 new Elders in two more days.
Elder Giler is thinking about what would be the best for the Elche Zone.
The orange cards means one thing, Scripture chase time. They were great in Elche.
Go Elders go!
Happy Birthday to Hnas Cluff and Perera.
More great Hermanas. We have the best in all the land.
Elche rocks and we know our missionaries are doing all they can to lift and build the kingdom here.
Back to Malaga because we have 6 new Elders. Here they are coming out of the AVE. Yea for new Elders.
This is a big group ready to go.
First thing is to store all the luggage before we walk to the capilla. We can't do the orientation at the mission home because of trains to catch, so we are making it a fun morning in Malaga.
Way to set the example Elder Avellar and Elder Jordan. They are contacting as we are walking to the church. Always contacting.
Elder Stoner needs the passports. Come on Elder Rencher, find that passport.
We got to know everyone while we ate cinamon rolls and orange juice. You can't do things on an empty stomach.
After a great orientation it is time to find out where they are going. We left the big map at the mission home, so our little one will have to do. Elder Mervai, from Budapest, Hungary is going to Cartagena and will be with Elder Travis.
Elder Lyman, from California is also going to Cartagena to be with Elder Hall.
Again, says Elder Jordan. Yep, he is going to Cartagena to be with Elder Pratt. Elder Jordan is from Colorado and is one of 14 children in his family.
Elder Pearce is not going to Cartagena, but in the same Zone. He is going to Lorca to be with Elder Crawford. He is from Utah.
Yikes, Elder Cooper is going in the opposite direction to Dos Hermanas to be with Elder Hatch. He is also from Utah.
And Elder Rencher is way excited to be going to Valdepenas where he will be with Elder Shrewsburry. He is from Washington state.
6 happy new Elders ready to fly!
And since we can't go to the mission home, Burger King for lunch seemed to be o.k.
Bye to Elder Cooper and Elder Rencher who were off on the first trains. Welcome to the best mission in the world. We love you and need you.
And then for us, we were off to Ciudad Real and then to Alcazar for more training. We are proud of this Zone. Hopefully Elder Avellar isn't giving too hard of a time to Elder Wilson.
Elder Corradi, you are suppose to be filling your paper out. 2 Frencheman and 1 Spaniard and one Las Canarias man! (what are you called Elder Velasquez? Oh yea, Ecuadorian)
Hnas Stolk and Millan are so diligent. Elder and Hna Clegg are discussing something with Pte. Clegg. Must be important.
Elder Rencher's first day in the mission. He and Elder Shrewsburry are excited.
You can't take the picture before we are ready!
Great Zone! Yes Elder Velasquez, we do use Preach My Gospel. Hey, when did Elder Basurto grow?
This is a picture of part of the old town in Cuenca. A beautiful place that was having a baptism this weekend.

After the baptism we had a branch party. We had 45 people in the capilla. It was great.
Yes, babies need their beds.
We all shared about our country and brought some food to try. Henry is from Nigeria. A country where the people have nothing but they are always happy. That is the way to be.
Elder Alejandre and Soraya share about Spain.
Las Hermanas Clegg and Soraya and Maria Isabel Notario gather for a picture. Soraya served in the Barcelona Mission. Four beautiful sisters in Zion in Spain.
Two Presidents. Elder Velasquez serves as the branch president in Cuenca and he is doing a wonderful job.
Estella and her newly baptized husband Hilder. Don't they look happy?
We spent our Sabbath day in Cuenca, then said good-bye to a beautiful city. More beautiful because of the wonderful members of this little branch who are striving to make a difference and invite others to Come Unto Christ.