January Joys

Fuengirola experienced a lot of baptisms this past week. Three brothers and a sister and one member baptism made for a sweet baptism of the children. Elder Alejandre and Elder Ferreira enjoyed the sweetness.

Elder Manning and Elder Ferguson enjoy bringing families together on the path of being eternal. The husband was baptized a few weeks ago and then he was able to baptize his wife. It was a very sweet baptism with lots of tears and joy. Two people, one from Mexico, one from Russia find the church in Spain. This world is truly in commotion.

In Elche Elder Hunt and Elder Estrada are busy trying to keep up with all the baptisms. They are two hard working, happy Elders.

See what I mean, they had another baptism. These two can't be stopped in inviting all to Come unto Christ.

The Hermanas in Murcia, Hermana Capener and Hermana Ross are always doing their part. Elder Forrest helped out in the baptism. Way to work together.

Jaen is enjoying the fruits of the work of Elder West and Elder Gomez. They are enjoying some time with the people of Jaen.

No wonder everyone looks so happy. I think I am going to ask Elder Gomez to come and cook for me!

Elder Bennett and Elder Melgarejo are always busy visiting and teaching members and investigators. This looks like a 3 Kings celebration.

In LaMancha Hermana Carter and Hermana Letendre are serving members by helping with the olive harvest.

Wow, great work Hermanas.

Elder Jones is ready to stand up and fight for the right. Look out Valdepenas, he is searching and he and Elder Triana will find.

Elder Seely seems to have noticed something in the Liahona.

Yea, that's our Hermana Clegg from her days when she served in the General Primary Presidency. She and Elder Clegg are now Presidente and Hermana Clegg in Madrid serving as the interim MTC or CCM president. We miss them but hope to have them back by March.

Elder McGarry is taking it seriously to call all unto repentance in Huelva. But this is hard work and so afterwards he is in the mood for some nourishment.

Cookies sound great to me. He wanted to dedicate this to Elder Mervai, who must love cookies too.

We enjoyed more great specialized training this week. In Malaga we had a great zone meeting. Everyone seemed happy and energized to keep moving the work forward.

As we moved to Seville, the Elders moved the piano into the cultural hall. For some reason there are no wheels on pianos in Spain. Thanks Elders Geest, Card, Fowkes and Taylor.

The Sevilla Zone is the largest zone in the mission, and they are excited to reach out to all the people in Southern Spain.

We noticed that we seemed to have a few sets of twins in Sevilla. Elder Pallas and Elder Taylor bought matching ties, Hermana Rojas and Hermana Crowder bought matching sweaters while Elder Geest and Elder Berrett were given matching ties.

The next day we had a wonderful training in San Fernando. This is an all Elder Zone (no sisters). And guess what, we have a set of twins here as well. They have done the ultimate. They bought matching suits. They both look sharp but you'll have to guess which companionship did that.

Elder Blanch, Elder Kirkham, Elder Hafen and Elder Rodriguez all came out together. They are getting close to their year mark. Everyone is a fantastic Elder whom we love. For that matter, we love all our Elders and Hermanas who are working hard to understand their purpose and do all they can to invite everyone to Come Unto Christ and be baptized. We love our missionaries.

We Are Starting the New Year Right.

The new year started where we left off, with baptisms. Elder Hoyos and Elder Peterson won't let up in searching and teaching and baptizing.

Elder Bradley and Elder Anderson had the last baptism of the year in Cartagena. Way to work every day Elders.

Some of the Malaga Elders and Hermanas went out on Christmas Eve to feel the wonderful feeling of the season. Beautiful lights, and I am talking about the missionaries!

Hermanas Torres and Sturgess with Elders Dangerfield, Peterson, Hoyos and Roa enjoyed a special night in Malaga.

Christmas in Murcia also was full of cheer and celebration. Elder Melgarejo, Hermana Ross and Hermana Capener along with Elder Bennett, Elder Forrest and Elder Shaver enjoyed New Years Eve with some members.

A different kind of Hermanas with Hermana Capener, but nevertheless, sweet servants of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Almeria Missionaries spent a p-day with the JAS of Almeria.

Hermanas Perera and Moreno enjoy a moment together.

Monday brought consillio at the mission home but we had a problem. Only 3 1/4 liters of milk for breakfast for 18 Elders, what is Hermana Clegg going to do?

Elder Shaver and Elder Forrest just tell her to believe, have faith.

Our newest Zone Leader, Elder Hall agrees.

So do Elder Alejandre and Elder Lignell.

Breakfast went forward and would you believe it, the Elders used very little milk and we ended up with some extra. Go figure.

Hey, is that our Ayudantes in a church picture? They look great don't they. Elder Ferreira and Elder Alejandre are always looking sharp.

We had a great 1st of the year consillio with hard working zone leaders. They know they will all need to work hard and trust in the Lord to be with all the missionaries all year in order to achieve our goal for 2012.

They are jumping for joy at the task of serving the Lord in 2012.

The rest of the week was spent doing Specialized Training with each Zone. We are in Alicante with the Elche Zone.

Everyone is learning a lot as they listen to President Clegg talk about the basics of being an excellent missionary.

Oh me oh my, what has happened to all the pictures of Elche, Murcia, Granada and LaMancha Zones? Hermana Clegg's computer lost them, literally. After a lot of tears on her part and a lot of sympathy from Elder Fagersten and Elder Seely in Puertollano, she is trying to feel better. Sorry to everyone, they were great pictures. So to ease the pain a little bit, she thought she would share her favorite Hockey Player to make everyone smile.

Fearsome, rough and tough Annie-Kate to the rescue. If this doesn't make you smile, then you don't have a heart. This is what one cute 4 year old looks like in some hockey pads. They have a frozen pond in their backyard in Utah. Go get them Annie!

2012, Here We Come

Happy New Year to everyone! Here in the Spain Malaga Mission we are so excited to share our goal busting total of 325 baptisms this year. This is the 4th largest ever in the history of the mission and the 1st time it was done with only 100 missionaries. The other 3 years that were higher were back in the vicinity of 1989-91 and at that time they were 220 missionaries or more, so to say we are proud and pleased and blessed and honored and happy in this mission is an understatement. The best part about this is that the church is really growing here and the faith of the missionaries, put into action, works. We are so thankful to our Heavenly Father for his blessings to everyone, especially the new members of his church.

Elder Hales and Elder Biamont were helping President Clegg along with one of the most recent converts in Chiclana to show you the new goal. Can we say, "READ OUR FINGERS." After every missionary putting in the number they prayerfully thought should be our goal, taking an average and President Clegg rounding it to 404+, we have a new goal. Elder Hales and Elder Biamont are sure it will happen. They are already working toward it as is all the rest of the mission by now.

In Murcia, on Christmas Day, Elder Forrest and Elder Shaver thought it was the best Christmas ever. But wait, they forgot something.

Yep, that looks better!

Elder Cooper and Elder Rencher had a great Christmas Eve in Almeria. Can we say "White Christmas?"

Puertollano wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. This little branch is growing and feeling the love of the Savior in their lives. Elder Seely and Elder Fagersten are there along with the Cleggs to help them celebrate.

Talk about great recycling. Elder Rencher and Elder Cooper reused the bows that were on their Christmas present from President and Hermana Clegg to look festive for Christmas. Creative thinkers here.

The Murcia District wanted to wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and say, "Share a Book of Mormon with everyone this year." Hnas Capener and Ross, along with Elders Melgarejo, Bennett, Shaver and Forrest share their love.

Elders Card and Wells send a special Christmas greeting from Alejrafe. They are enjoying a little hot chocolate on Christmas Day.

And though we might not have much snow in Spain for Christmas, we border the beautiful Mediterranean on all sides. And as we look to the future, we are so excited about every missionary in this mission who have learned to exercise their faith in their Savior Jesus Christ. They have put their shoulders to the wheel and marched, ran, knocked, taught and invited everyone they could to bring the country of Spain the truth.

And so as the sun has set on a wonderful 2011, we can only look now to the future, 2012, with much joy and anticipation. And proclaim to the world that in the Spain Malaga Mission we baptized and confirm worthy converts and we are going to find more and more, 404+ in 2012.