The Spain Barcelona Mission

Scenes from Barcelona Zone Specialized Training

2012-02-11T11:49:00.000+01:00

The entire zone!

Elders Hadley and Middleton help(?) Hnas. Soderquist and Roberts make the salad

Elders Olson, Huaman, Gonzalez and Oldroyd doing a role-play

Lunch!

New Standards of Excellence

2012-02-09T21:19:00.003+01:00

During the January mission council meeting, the mission leaders discussed and developed new Standards of Excellence for 2012. These represent a substantial increase in the pace of the work, and will stretch us, but many companionships have already demonstrated that is possible to work at this level.

Click here to read the 2012 Standards of Excellence.

Also included here are our four areas of emphasis, or cornerstones, for 2012. We are excited about this great second harvest!

Specialized Training

2012-02-09T21:01:00.000+01:00

February is "specialized training" month, and this month we are launching the new year with a 2-day "mini MTC" in every zone. Specialized training usually focuses and skill-development - learning and practicing how to teach and work more effectively. Our emphasis in these training meetings is primarily on two key issues: how to leverage the power of members, and how to use the power of the Book of Mormon.

We began in Lleida and had a wonderful two days. The weather was very cold, but the Spirit was warm!

Preparing in the hotel room in Lleida

Elders Bronson, Saldaña, Galan and Parry doing a role-play in Lleida

Saturday night we flew to Palma so we could attend district conference there (which was a satellite broadcast from Salt Lake with Pres. Uchtdorf, Elder Christofferson, Elder Zwick, and Sister Dalton). To our great suprise we awoke on Sunday morning to two inches of snow in Palma! But again, we were warmed by the spirit of the conference.

Pres. Hinckley makes a snowball in Palma!

The Baleares Zone: Missionaries from three islands gather in Palma!

Hermanas Dalton, Mancera, and Hinckley are awesome!

Saturday Night in Hospitalet

2012-01-28T22:22:00.000+01:00

Late last summer, two sister missionaries, Hna. Bennion and Hna. Johns, were visiting Gaudi's famous Parc Guell on a preparation day and met a 50-year old Peruvian woman who was selling ice cream in the park. She was a well-educated woman who was a relatively recent immigrant to Spain. When her children were grown (one son is an electrical engineer, a daughter is married to an aeronautical engineer in London, and her youngest son is finishing his degree in architecture), she left her Communist husband and, at the invitation of her uncle, a retired orthodontist in Belgium, moved to Belgium to begin a new life. Her uncle owned a vacation home in Barcelona, and she eventually moved here, where she met the missionaries in Parc Guell.

Because of work and other obligations, she was never able to attend Church or meet more than a few times with the missionaries, but she knew there was something special about them. Some months later she was on the metro in Barcelona and saw two young woman with an older couple, and thought one of the women looked like Hna. Bennion. She tapped her on the shoulder, and to her delight is was Hna. Bennion. She was with Hna. Culverwell and Hna. Culverwell's parents two days before they all returned home. They invited her to Church the next day and she came. Tonight she we attended her baptism in the Hospitalet Stake Center.

Hna. Marlith and Hna. Hinckley

On Christmas eve, Maria was walking to the local parrish church with her daughter, but found the church closed. She had not felt good about where she was spiritually in her life, and recalls praying in her heart, "Heavenly Father, I know this is not the right path, I don't know what is, please lead me to it." Although her mother was a less-active member, Maria had never had any interest in the Church. On her way back home, she heard some missionaries singing Christmas carols. She stopped to listen and Elder Egan began to talk with her. She was impressed with the spirit she felt as she talked with him. She gave him her name and address and took some pamphlets home with her, and immediately felt like this was an answer to her prayer.

Two days later two elders contacted Maria's mother and she told them she wanted to get in touch with the bishop and receive a blessing. The elders gave her information to Hna. Kline in Hospitalet who called her and invited her to Church. Not only did she come, but her daughter Maria, to her surprise, said she would come with her. So grandmother, daughter and grandchild attended Church the following Sunday together. Tonight Maria and her daughter were baptized.

Hna. Marlith, Hna. Maria and her daughter Maria Rosa

We love Saturdays!

Ibiza

2012-01-24T19:08:00.001+01:00

Today is a historic day in the mission - for the first time ever missionaries are being assigned to the island of Ibiza! Elders Allphin and Roco fly out tonight to officially begin missionary work there.

We currently have an official group organized on Ibiza, part of the Poniente Branch in Palma de Mallorca. We have had a small number of members on island for some time. Several months ago Pte. Balcazar of the Poniente Branch flew to Ibiza to meet with the members, and began to discuss with me and the district president the need to at least organize a group and call a group leader. Hna. Hinckley and I visited the island a few months ago and met with the members. Following that trip we established a formal group and called a group leader. We have spent a few months looking for a missionary apartment there which could be used by members as well as missionaries and we put the pieces in place to build a branch. We were able to sign a contract on an apartment this week and Elder Allphin and Elder Roco are at the airport as I write this.

Elders Roco and Allphin prior to leaving for Ibiza

We have about 12 active members on the island in three families. Most of the members are part of a large family from Paraguay, but we have one other mother with two daughters and an elderly sister who was baptized about two years ago and recently endowed. One of the Paraguayan sisters is married to a man from Ibiza who was also baptized about two years ago and they were endowed and sealed just a few months ago. We believe there are other members on the island, and the members have at least one additional family they have been preparing for baptism. We are excited about the potential to create a new branch from this little group of the Poniente Branch!

Ibiza

The island has a population of about 150,000, large enough to support Church growth in membership. It is a popular tourist spot in the summer month, so much so that we will probably pull the missionaries out before the season gets into full swing, but during the off-season it is as quiet and tranquil as its sister islands, Mallorca and Menorca.

The members are very excited to finally have some missionaries on the island. They see themselves as pioneers for the Church on the island, and are anxious to built a strong branch of the Church!

"Scheduled" Transfers

2012-01-24T18:50:00.002+01:00

Today was actually a "scheduled" transfer day, meaning it is a day in which, barring visa issues, missionaries are scheduled to arrive and go home. Because we are going through a phase of growth in the number of missionaries in the mission after the reductions of two years ago, no one went home this week. In fact, Since November we have only had 3 missionaries return home!

Elder Huaman and Elder Valles arrived this morning from the Madrid MTC, excited and ready to go to work. Elder Roco and Elder Shumway have been working with zone leaders for the past week since they arrived, and today met and began working with their trainers.

Elder Huaman with Elder Olson

Elders Valles and Huaman with Elder Roco and the Hinckleys
at the train station

Partly cloudy over the Mediterrenan - from Montjuic

Elder Roco and Elder Allphin point to Ibiza!

Elder Huaman and Elder Olson will serve in Barcelona 3

Elder Valles will be with Elder Bennington in Albacete de la Mancha!

Elder Shumway and Elder Araujo will serve in Castellon!

Every Week is Transfer Week

2012-01-20T21:50:00.003+01:00

10 JAN 2012 Our wonderful Hna. Ruz, who had agreed to extend her mission briefly (meaning she would spend both Christmas and her birthday in the mission rather than at home), returned home after serving a remarkably productive mission. By serving an extra 4-weeks, she was able to continue training her new companion, the legendary Hna. Mancera.

Farewell, Hermana Ruz! We look forward to big things in your future (and an occasional visit visit from you)!

Hnas. Ruz, Hinckley and Mancera

17 JAN 2012 We recieved notice a couple of weeks prior that two missionaries, Hnas. Stephenson and Cruz, had received their visas and would be in Madrid on the 10th and come to us on the 17th! Hna. Stephenson had been serving in Utah SLC and Hna. Cruz on Temple Square. Then on Monday we learned that Elder Shumway would be coming to Barcelona with them on Tuesday! And, the biggest suprise was that Elder Roco would be arriving from Santiago, Chile on Tuesday evening! So instead of receiving just the two missionaries we expected, by the time the day was over we had welcomed 4 new missionaries!

Hna. Stephenson

Elder Shumway

Hna. Cruz

Elder Roco

We don't expect to have any more new arrivals until next Tuesday, 24 JAN 2012!

January is Interview Month...

2012-01-18T17:38:00.003+01:00

We see all of the missionaries every month: specialized trianing one month, zone conferences the next month, and interviews in the third month. January is interview month, and we needed to sandwich the interviews between leadership training in the first week and transfers (which happened three times in January: the 10th, 17th, and 24th).

We started in Palma, then did Barcelona and Hospitalet, then drove to Vitoria, stopping in Zaragoza and Lleida on the way back home. We travel to Valenica tomorrow to finish things up!

Palma! (Yes, we ate kebabs)

Vitoria: the Hnas of Pamplona and San Sebastian

Burgos and Logroño

The Vitoria Zone

Hnas. Preston and Walker in Zaragoza

Leadership Training

2012-01-18T17:24:00.001+01:00

Following zone leader council on Monday, we held two days of leadership training with all of the district leaders.

Elders Jimenez, Estrada, and Bajaña

Hnas. Ratcliffe, Soderquist, Rejon and Fernley joined us for the training

Elders Corbitt, Johnson, Rhead, Oldroyd, Jones
and Estrada

Elders Allphin, Lloyd, Keeler, Taylor, Abplanalp, Oldroyd, Mattice,
Hadley and Plaskett

Elders Jones, Rhead, Johnson, Greenburg and Pericle
enjoy the new edition of El Clarín

We experienced a conference as described in Doctrine and Covenants 44:

"And inasmuch as they are faithful, and exercise faith in me,

I will pour out my Spirit upon them in the day that they assemble themselves together."

Concilio: The New Year Begins!

2012-01-18T17:09:00.000+01:00

On Monday afternoon, 2 January 2012, we gathered all of the zone leaders together for the first zone leader council (Concilio) of the new year. Following a tradition started last year, we reviewed the history of Columbus, reading of his account of the literal fulfillment of Nephi's prophecy as recorded in 1 Nephi 13:12, then visited the old Royal Palace where he made his official report to Queen Isabel and King Ferdinand in April of 1493.

Zone leaders on the steps of the Medieval palace.
The monarchs were seated at the top of the steps as Columbus and his entourage
entered the plaza in April of 1493.

We then spent the evening talking about miracles and determining priorities, plans and goals for the coming year. It was a wonderful event, and all left edified!

Mosiah 18:35

2012-01-09T10:22:00.005+01:00

"They were numbered among the people of the church of Christ; and their names were taken"

Moroni 6:4

4-5-0

Eduardo was excited to be the 450th convert baptism in the mission in 2011!

Have we not reason to rejoice?

2011-12-30T12:50:00.001+01:00

A YEAR OF MIRACLES
How great reason have we to rejoice; for could we have supposed when we started [this year] that God would have granted unto us such great blessings?
2 And now, I ask, what great blessings has he bestowed upon us? Can ye tell?
3 Behold, I answer for you; for our brethren…were in darkness, yea, even in the darkest abyss, but behold, how many of them are brought to behold the marvelous light of God! And this is the blessing which hath been bestowed upon us, that we have been made instruments in the hands of God to bring about this great work.
4 Behold, [451] of them do rejoice, and have been brought into the fold of God.
5 Behold, the field was ripe, and blessed are ye, for ye did thrust in the sickle, and did reap with your might, yea, all the day long did ye labor; and behold the number of your sheaves! And they shall be gathered into the garners, that they are not wasted.

11 I do not boast in my own strength, nor in my own wisdom; but behold, my joy is full, yea, my heart is brim with joy, and I will rejoice in my God.
12 Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever.
13 Behold, how many… of our brethren has he loosed from the pains of hell; and they are brought to sing redeeming love, and this because of the power of his word which is in us, therefore have we not great reason to rejoice?
14 Yea, we have reason to praise him forever, for he is the Most High God, and has loosed our brethren from the chains of hell.

23 Now do ye remember, my brethren, that we said unto our brethren [back home], we go up to the land of [Spain], to preach unto our brethren… and they laughed us to scorn?
24 For they said unto us: Do ye suppose that ye can bring the [people of Spain] to the knowledge of the truth? Do ye suppose that ye can convince the [people of Spain] of the incorrectness of the traditions of their fathers, as stiffnecked a people as they are…? Now my brethren, ye remember that this was their language.
26 But behold, my beloved brethren, we came into the [mission field] …with the intent that perhaps we might save some few of their souls.
27 Now when our hearts were depressed, and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren… and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give unto you success.
28 And now behold, we have come, and been forth amongst them; and we have … traveled from house to house, relying upon the mercies of the world—not upon the mercies of the world alone but upon the mercies of God.
29 And we have entered into their houses and taught them, and we have taught them in their streets; yea, and we have taught them upon their hills...
30 …and all this, that perhaps we might be the means of saving some soul; and we supposed that our joy would be full if perhaps we could be the means of saving some.
31 Now behold, we can look forth and see the fruits of our labors; and are they few? I say unto you, Nay, they are many; yea, and we can witness of their sincerity, because of their love towards their brethren and also towards us.

35 Now have we not reason to rejoice?
(Alma 26)

When we began the year, we set a goal to help bring 450 souls into the Kingdom during 2011. During the early months of the year, it seemed virtually impossible, but as we approached the last few months we all felt like the Lord had prepared these people. During the last 50 days, one companionship of missionaries fasted each day and all missionaries prayed daily that the Lord would lead us to these prepared people.

By the end of the last Sunday of the year (Christmas Day), we had seen 448 people baptized and confirmed during the year! And then, as if to remind us whose work this is, a few more miracles took place this week. A young girl in a small branch, whose mother is an active member but whose father had never allowed his daughter to be baptized, had a sudden change of heart and agreed to let his daughter be baptized on Wednesday night if she could be confirmed that same night (as he refused to attend Church on Sunday when the confirmation would normally take place). On Thursday morning, the membership secretary, who had been working on a missing membership record of a convert from early in the year, received the baptism record for this convert, bringing the total to 450. And on Thursday night, another baptism and confirmation, due to special circumstances, took place in Palma. It has been a year of miracles!

Elders Allphin and Bennington with Juan and Nancy.
This great couple, 2 of 451 converts this year, were baptized in November.
Their 12-year old is preparing to be baptized on January 7th.

A White Christmas in Barrio 2

2011-12-26T10:55:00.001+01:00

Saturday there were four wonderful baptisms in Barcelona Barrio 2. Each of our three companionships working in the ward (the office Elders and the Ayudantes) had a baptism. The ward had set a goal early in the year to help 30 people enter the waters the baptism during the year; with these four new converts they exceeded their goal by 1!

Cindy, Ligia, Sebastian, and Carmen

Every convert is a miracle, and each of these four wonderful new converts has their own miracle story. The Elders found Cindy´s name in the Area Book. She is the niece of one our Filipino members and was taught about 4 years ago but her parents did not want her to be baptized. The Elders got back in touch with her and her family (her parents are still in the Philippines). She wanted to get baptized, talked to her parents, and they agreed to give her permission.

Ligia was found by the missionaries several months ago. They taught her and her friend, and her friend was baptized within a few weeks, but Ligia was out of town and then had a difficult work schedule, and only in the past few weeks were the missionaries able to again begin meeting with her.

Sebastian showed up at Church a few weeks ago with his wife who is an active member. They live in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, but spend a month each year in Barcelona visiting family and friends here. Sebastian had never been baptized because of a smoking habit, although he attends regularly with his wife in Bolivia. The Elders Quorum President here immediately befriended him on the first Sunday, heard his story, introduced him to the missionaries and asked them to help him prepare for baptism. The EQP and the missionaries gave him a blessing to help him overcome his addiction, and he asked if he could be baptized by the EQP before returning to Bolivia. He kept all of his commitments, was baptized on Saturday, confirmed on Christmas, and returns to Santa Cruz today where he will attend Church on New Year´s Day as a new member!

Carmen is a young university student from Honduras who recently came to Barcelona. In one of her first classes the instructor asked each student to introduce themselves, and when Carmen found another student from Honduras, Diosana, she immediately felt connected to her. Diosana is one of our great Young Single Adults, and invited her new friend, Carmen, to Church on Sunday. Carmen was baptized Christmas Eve and confirmed on Christmas. Her older sister, just arrived from Honduras, came to Sacrament meeting on Sunday to see her confirmed, so this story is not yet over.

We love miracles!

Christmas Conferences

2011-12-26T10:39:00.001+01:00

Following the mission tour with Elder Causse, we made the rounds one more time to have Christmas lunch with all of the missionaries. We had our traditional pizza lunch, enhanced by Hna. Hinckley´s homemade chocolate chip cookies. Each missionary also received a small gift - a lighthouse ornament with "El Faro 2011" written on it. Most of the ornaments we purchased at the lighthouse in Tossa de Mar earlier this year.

The missionaries also had a little gift exchange - "something white" - and we concluded our get-together with a slide show of the year, the new Church videos on the birth of Christ, and testimonies. It was a wonderful time to be together and feel the spirit of Christmas!

We begin in the Lleida Zone, a short day-trip from Barcelona:

Next was a flight to Bilbao to meet with the wonderful missionaries of the Vitoria Zone:

And from Bilbao´s rainy skies, we flew to Palma where the weather was markedly better:

From Palma we flew to Valencia:

And from Valencia we took the train back to Barcelona, where we met with the combined Barcelona and Hospitalet Zones for our last conference:

Bon Nadal per a tots!

Mission Tour

2011-12-23T21:51:00.005+01:00

Elder Gerald Causse toured the mission from December 6 to 9. We met him in Bilbao the evening of the 6th and held a wonderful conference there with the Vitoria Zone on 7 December. We then flew to Valencia for a conference on the 8th, then took the train to Barcelona where we met with all the other missionaries (4 zones combined) on the 9th.

It was a wonderful three days of inspired instruction. Elder Causse concluded each conference with a special Christmas present - he played a piano solo for the closing song.

One of the aspects of the conferences was a clear message that we are entering a "second harvest" in Spain. The first great harvest occured in the 1970s, when missionary work was very productive and when most of the current leaders of the Church were baptized. We are seeing the beginning of this second harvest already - this year we have already seen more convert baptisms than we have seen in any year for the past two decades, and with fewer missionaries than in any year except 2010. Elder Causse encouraged us to think of Spain as part of Latin America rather than part of Europe! This is an exciting time to be a missionary in Spain!

Navidad Nuestra

2011-12-02T14:01:00.001+01:00

It's that time of year again. Fum, fum, fum!

Report from Palma

2011-11-30T21:19:00.001+01:00

At the beginning of November, one of our companionships on the island of Mallorca were setting their goals for the month and felt strongly that there was a family being prepared in their area for baptism during the month. They set a goal to find and baptize that family. Then they made plans and went to work. They discussed their feelings and goals with the branch mission leader and branch missionaries and invited them to pray for this family. They asked about families that branch members knew.

"We went to work, and we talked to a lot of people. We met families from all over the world, from Spain, from Argentine, for Colombia, from Ecuador, and from a handful of other countries. But the family that the Lord had prepared to receive the fullness of His gospel came from a different country, and it came in a way that was most unexpected."

Three weeks ago we held the semi-annual district conference of the Baleares District in Palma. Since the chapel is small, the Sunday session of district conference is held in a rented auditorium. That Sunday morning a young man and his father were on their way to church and, forgetting that it was district conference, went to the chapel as usual, only to find it locked. But standing outside the chapel was a family of 5. The young man talked to them and discovered that they had come to attend church, so he invited them to walk with him to the district conference. They attended the conference session and met the missionaries following the meeting. The Elders set up an appointment to meet with them on the following day. At that first lesson, the missionaries invited each member of the family to prepare to be baptized on November 26th, and each of them accepted the invitation. They began reading the Book of Mormon, they fasted and prayed together as a family. They attended Church each Sunday. And last Saturday they were baptized.

"We had a lot of white clothes to iron..."

A few notes...

2011-11-24T18:20:00.001+01:00

While we were in Valencia for stake conference a couple of weeks ago, we took the opportunity to drive up to Albacete to see the new piso where the elders live. It is a great piso located in a good building in the center of town. Small, clean, and just right for missionaries. We are excited about re-starting the work in this branch after several years!

Home of the Albacete elders

Late at night from our hotel room window in Valencia there was plenty of action on the streets below. The intersection was crowded with itinerant vendors. Anybody looking for cheap knock-offs?

Street vendors in Valencia

For those more interested in eating than buying a 10 euro pair of "Ray-Ban" sunglasses, there are plenty of tables available on the sidewalk.

Sidewalk cafes in Valencia

Last weekend took us to Zaragoza. We drove up on Saturday morning and met Hna. Clarissa Dalton, who arrived on the train from Madrid just a couple of hours before we arrived! She has been waiting for a visa in the Provo MTC and the Temple Square Mission for the past few weeks, and has now finally arrived! Since we had to be in Zaragoza for branch conferences on Saturday, and she was going to be assigned to Zaragoza and leave Madrid on Saturday, we skipped the usual visit to Barcelona and put her right to work!

Hna. Dalton with the Hinckley's in Zaragoza

Hna. Dalton and her trainer, Hna. Fuentes

Following the branch conferences in Zaragoza, we drove back to Barcelona and prepared for a full day of training with the recently arrived missionaries (those arriving during the past four weeks) and their trainers. Since many of these new missionaries came from Spain, they received only 3-weeks training and did not attend the Provo MTC, so we spent an extra day with them helping them get a jump-start! They are are remarkable group of missionaries. We are very proud of them and very glad to have them in the mission!

New missionaries and their trainers at leadership training

Specialized Training

2011-11-16T17:41:00.001+01:00

We just finished our sixth training conference this month. This week we trained missionaries in Palma, Barcelona, and Bilbao.

It has been a great, if tiring, two weeks. We had inspiring meetings and are excited to go out and help 74 more people repent and be baptized this year!

¡Bienvenidos a los nuevos!

2011-11-07T10:36:00.003+01:00

The new missionaries who arrived last week were welcomed with this short video. We hope it gave them a feel for the mission and the miracles they will see! We hope it will also give you a feel for the mission and the miracles we see!

November Concilio

2011-11-04T18:59:00.000+01:00

Zone Leader Council is usually held on the first Friday of each month, and this month the first Friday followed transfers, so it has been a busy week around the office and the mission home!

As is the tradition, the morning began with a pancake breakfast cooked by the Ayudantes - this was Elder Hadley's first week as a new Ayudante, so it was his first time in the kitchen!

Elders Hadley and Allphin doing kitchen duty

Following breakfast, we moved into the living room where we had a wonderful morning as the zone leaders reported on the month of October and discussed their goals and plans for November.

View from the breakfast table to the living room

We took a lunch break at 2:00 p.m. and were able to get all the zone leaders in a photograph before they began dessert.

Zone leaders around the table
Ayudantes with Pte. Hinckley (standing)

We were fed both physically and spiritually as we discussed goals and plans for the coming months. We have been greatly blessed during the past several months, and we are praying, planning, and working to bring at least 90 souls into the Kingdom during November and December.

Albacete Tape

2011-11-04T07:48:00.001+01:00

Because so many asked, here is the "Secret Albacete Tape." Not much, really, but it's rumored existence has been the source of much speculation. Enjoy!

November Nuevos

2011-11-03T20:41:00.000+01:00

This was a big week - we received 5 new elders and 3 new hermanas! And what made things even better, no missionaries returned home this week. So we now have 103 missionaries - 84 elders and 19 hermanas - in addition to our two wonderful couples. This is the largest complement of missionaries we have had in a long time - we are clawing our way back from a low of 78 missionaries in July 2010.

As is our tradition, we traveled from the train station to Montjuic to take in a view of the mission field and hear the story of Columbus.

Overlooking the city on a cloudy day

After lunch and orientation at the mission home, each of the new missionaries spent the afternoon and evening with a pair of missionaries in the Barcelona area. It was their first real experience proselyting, and it was great fun. Elder Castillo was able to meet with a father and husband whose wife was recently reactivated and whose two children were recently baptized. They had a powerful visit and Elder Castillo was able to invite this brother to be baptized. He is preparing for November 19th!

On Wednesday morning we introduced the new missionaries to their trainers, then spent a couple of hours studying the doctrine of Christ and practicing inviting investigators to be baptized (because that is what we do).

Hna. Ratcliff (from Auckland, NZ) practices the baptismal invitation
with her trainer, Hna. Soderquist.
In the background, Elder Rios (Granada, Spain),
practices with his trainer, Elder Gallegos

Elder Cerqueira (Elvas, Portugal), practices with his trainer, Elder Greep.
Hna. Farrell (Rolling Hills Estates, CA) practices with Hna. Boone.

Trainers (back row): Elders Gallegos, Greep, Hnas. Boone, Soderquist, Ruz, Elders Keller, Bennington, Buchkovich.
Nuevos (front row): Elders Rios, Cerqueira, Hnas. Farrell, Ratcliff, Mancera, Elders Castillo, Arce, Gonzalez

Assignments:

Elders Gallegos / Rios: Manacor

Elders Greep / Cerqueira: Mataro

Hnas. Boone / Farrell: Benidorm

Hnas. Soderquist / Ratcliff: Sabadell 1

Hnas. Ruz / Mancera: Inca

Elders Keller / Castillo: Menorca

Elders Bennington / Arce: Albacete

Elders Buchkovich / Gonzalez: Granollers

Albacete hasn't had missionaries for about 7 years, so Elders Bennington and Arce have an exciting few months ahead of them as the build up this little branch! (Note to ex-misioneros del faro: if you would like to listen to the "secret Albacete tape" just let me know!)

Barcelona Stake Conference: 40 Chairs

2011-10-27T17:24:00.004+02:00

"And I have given you a land for which ye did not labour, and cities, which ye built not, and ye dwell in them; of the vineyards and oliveyards which ye planted not do ye eat."

Joshua 24:13

First eight missionaries in Barcelona, October 1969

Last weekend we attended the stake conference of the Barcelona Stake. The conference was held in the beautiful new Barcelona stake center, a three story building which has been open for just about six months. Outside of the Madrid Temple, it is probably the most beautiful Church building the country.

In the Sunday session, as I stood at the pulpit and looked out over the congregation - chapel, cultural hall, and onto the stage - I was reminded of the beginning of the work here in Barcelona. In October of 1969, eight missionaries traveled from Madrid to Barcelona to open the work. They arrived early on a Saturday morning so they would have time to find a place to stay that night. They held the first sacrament meeting on the beach early on Sunday morning, presided over by Elder Michael Duffin who served as the zone leader and branch president. They soon located space on the second floor of a building near the Sagrada Familia and hired a contractor to build some partitions for classrooms. They then petitioned President Smith B. Griffin of the Paris France Mission (which included Spain) for 40 chairs for the new little chapel. President Griffin questioned the need for so many chairs when the little branch consisted of only eight missionaries and two or three investigators. But the elders promised that they would fill the 40 chairs.

As I looked over the congregation in the stake center on Sunday, I noted that we had at least 40 chairs on the stage at the back of the cultural hall! We owe a special debt of gratitude to those first eight elders - in so many ways, we are the recipients of their pioneering work.

Early missionaries in Barcelona

Why We Love this Work

2011-10-25T22:11:00.002+02:00

Elders Allphin and Bennington with Juan and Nancy

Elder Bennington provided this summary of the recent baptism of Juan and Nancy:

"One afternoon in late September we were walkingdown the street after our morning meeting. As we were walking we began to talk about the upcoming month of October,and what we wished to see happen in our area. Elder Allphin began to express that he had a feeling that there was afamily that we were meant to find and baptize in the month of October, andmoreover a family that would be going to the temple in a year’s time. As we began to talk about the idea, we bothbegan to feel a confirmation that that is what the Lord wanted in our area inthe month of October.

"Looking over our potential families that we wereteaching, the future looked bright. Wewondered if it was one of these families, or if it was someone that we had yetto meet. We came together and prayedregarding this goal, and kept it in mind as we went out everyday to work. If a stroller came down the street, our goalflashed into our mind. If a reference wereceived was connected to a family situation, we were again reminded. We were blessed with so many opportunities todedicate ourselves to our purpose. But when the answer to our prayers came, itcame through an unexpected medium.

"Margarita was a less active member fromParaguay. She was the only member baptizedin her family. During her baptismal process she began to receive harassmentfrom her family, and even began to feel discouraged regarding her newfaith. Nevertheless, she persevered andreceived a calling in the church and continued to grow in the Gospel. Around the age of 18, Margarita took herbelongings and moved to Spain. Uponarriving she was faced with trial after trial, testing her faith time and timeagain. With the necessity of workgrowing more and more apparent in her life, she began to sacrifice herreligious backing and started to work on the Sabbath. From that point on she struggled to make itback to church for roughly 6-8 years. Asshe saw the missionaries from time to time, she felt a longing to speak to themand to return to the richness of the Gospel.

"One afternoon walking down the street Margaritaspotted you and Hermana Hinckley. Shefinally mustered up the courage and began a conversation. You then passed her information on to us, andwe began to teach her. Upon teaching herwe quickly realized that Margarita´s testimony was still as strong asever. From that next Sunday on she hasyet to miss a Sunday.

"One Sunday Margarita told us that shewanted to bring a friend that she was really excited for us to meet. Thenext Sunday she came with Nancy and sat with her through all three hours ofchurch. At the end of church Margarita came up to us and told us thatNancy was really excited to start meeting with the missionaries and had alreadyexpressed her desires to become a member of the church. We scheduled afirst visit for the next night, right after the Noche de Hogar activity that wehad with the ward. When Nancy came the next day she brought her husbandJuan. We sat down with them after the activity and asked how they likedit. Juan immediately began to tell us how he felt something amazing as hewas in the church and how much he liked the people that were there. Wetaught them about the gospel of Jesus Christ and why it is so important toapply in our life. As we invited them to be baptized we had not evengotten though the invitation when Juan began to shake his head, tears in hiseyes saying, "YES, this is exactly what my family needs right now. We have finally found what we are lookingfor." Nancy looked at him very surprised and with tears in her eyesalso accepted and committed to be baptized on the 15th of October. It wasthree weeks away but from the time they accepted to be baptized to the 15theverything went perfect. They had no problems with any of the commandments;in fact they loved every time we taught a new commandment because it alwaysseemed like something they had been wanting to change in their life. Theywere the most prepared family that we have ever met and it has been such ablessing to see the gospel work in there life.

"The day of their baptism Juan and Nancy showed upmore excited than ever. As Margaritashowed up, she revealed that she had brought a laptop with her. As we walked back into the room afterattending to something, we walked in to see Juan and Nancy equipped with aheadset excitedly talking to their two children and Nancy´s mother on Skype inParaguay. It was a very special moment tosee them interact and explain what was about to be taking place. As the daughter saw her mother dressed inwhite she said, 'Mom I want to wear a white dress like that too!' With tears in her eyes Nancy responded, 'Don´t worry, when you and your brother come you will both be baptized too!'

Preparing for baptism

"Nancy´s mother and two children watched theentire baptism from start to finish. Nancy´s mother became overwhelmed with emotion and began to cry duringthe moments of Juan and Nancy´s baptism. It truly was a special experience to see this family together in Spirit.

"Their children will be flying over to reunitewith the parents at the end of November. Matias will be baptized by hisfather in the beginning of December, and then middle of December they areplanning to attend the trip with the ward to the temple to do baptisms for thedead. There main goal at this point isto make it to the temple a year from now to be sealed."

Every Week is Transfer Week...

2011-10-21T22:30:00.002+02:00

...or almost every week, but we are always grateful to receive new missionaries whenever they can come! On Friday, 21 Oct 2011, we were blessed to receive three young missionaries and one couple - the long-awaited Elder and Hna. Church!

At Estació Sants

Hnas. Dalton and Smith as we they get in the van

Elder Timmig (center) pointing to Cornellá where he will serve
with Elders Manotas and Egan

Hna. Martín and Hna. Dalton point to Valenica!

And Elder and Hna. Church will serve in Zaragoza

Interview Road Trip

2011-10-19T14:34:00.001+02:00

This week's road trip for interviews took us to Martorell and Vilafranca. Great visits with four great missionaries doing great work! We have six investigators in these two branches preparing for baptism in the next few weeks.

Elders Roberts and McKinnon during weekly planning in Vilafranca

Columbus Day 2011

2011-10-12T19:11:00.000+02:00

Letter from President Hinckley to All Missionaries:

LA MISIÓN ESPANA BARCELONA

ChristopherColumbus

and theOpening of the Last Dispensation

As the sun sank below the western horizon of the AtlanticOcean on the evening of October 11, 1492, it left three small wooden shipssurrounded by the gathering darkness. The ships were located at latitude of 24degrees, slightly south of Key West, Florida, and a longitude of about 73degrees, about 3500 miles west of SanSebastian, The Canary Islands. In all of recorded history, there was no knownrecord of any ships sailing so far west from land, certainly not in the broadAtlantic.

The two smaller ships, the Niña and the Pinta, werecaptained respectively by Vicente Yañez Pinzon and Martin Alonso Pinzon, twobrothers from Sevilla Spain who were experienced captains. The third andlargest of the ships, sometimes known as LaGallega (having been constructed in Galicia) but named the Santa Maria by her devout captain, wasunder the command of a 45-year old Genoese seaman who used the Spanish versionof his name, Cristóbol Colon. In English speaking countries he is known asChristopher Columbus.

As darkness set in, the ships were at full sail in galeforce winds, traveling due west at about 9 knots. It had been 35 days sincethey had last seen land – the small port of San Sebastian in the Canary Islandswhere they had repaired a damaged rudder on the Niña. The voyage had already become the longest known journeythrough open ocean.

About 10:00 o’clock in the evening, an hour before moonrise,Columbus was standing on the sterncastle of the Santa Maria, scanning the dark horizon, when he thought he saw afaint light in the distance. Not certain in the darkness if it might be land,he did not inform his crew, but he mentioned it to an aide, Pedro Gutierrez,who thought he saw it to. The little fleet continued to sail due west underfull sail.

At 2:00 a.m. on October 12, Rodrigo Triana, a 23-year oldsailor from Sevilla, was atop the lookout on the Pinta. In the light of the moon, he saw “something like a whitesand cliff gleaming in the moonlight on the western horizon, then another, anda dark line of land connecting them” (Samuel Elliot Morrison, Admiral of the Ocean Sea, p. 226). Recognizing land, hecried out to the deck below, “Tierra! Tierra!”

In that moment the world changed. One era – an era thatcovered nearly 4 millennia of recorded history – ended, and a new era began.The known world, which had consisted of Europe, Africa, and Asia, expanded toinclude a New World previously unknown, and the discovery would arguably have amore profound impact on the world than any discovery before or since. In thedim light of the moon on that fateful morning of October 12, 1492, RodrigoTriana saw not just a slip of land on the horizon, but the dawn of a new dispensationand the fulfillment of prophecy.

The written story of Columbus begins nearly 2,000 yearsearlier in the deserts of Arabia, “in a valley by the side of a river of water”(1 Nephi 2:6). In this remote location, somewhere near the Gulf of Aqaba, Lehiand his family lived in a tent after leaving the city of Jerusalem. Duringtheir stay in the desert, the young Nephi was given a great vision in which he sawscenes from the history of his descendants as well as events leading up to therestoration of the gospel in the last days. Nephi gives us only a brief accountof these latter-day events, beginning with this interesting verse:

And I looked and beheld a man amongthe Gentiles,who was separated from the seed of my brethren by the many waters; and I beheld the Spirit of God, that it camedown and wrought upon the man; and he went forth upon the many waters, evenunto the seed of my brethren, who were in the promised land. (1 Nephi 13:12, emphasis added)

Columbus, of course, did not have access to Nephi’sprophecy, but by his own account his world-changing voyage of discovery was theresult of being “wrought upon” by the Spirit:

With a hand that could befelt, the Lord opened my mind to the fact that it would be possible to sailfrom here to the Indies, and he opened my will to desire to accomplish theproject. This was the fire that burned within me.

All who found out about myproject denounced it with laughter and ridiculed me. All the sciences … were of no use to me. Quotations of learned opinionswere no help… Who can doubt that this fire was not merely mine, but also of theHoly Spirit who encouraged me …urging me to press forward? (The Libro de las profecías ofChristopher Columbus, translation andcommentary by Delno C. West and August Kling)

LikeColumbus, you are engaged in a life-changing adventure. You may meet with manyobstacles, as did Columbus, but the work you do will have eternal impact. LikeColumbus, the learning of the world is of little use to you – it really doesn’tmatter how smart you are, how talented you are, or how well you speak. Whatmatters is the fire that burns within you, urging you to press forward!

May that same fire that burnedin the heart of Columbus burn within every missionary in the Spain BarcelonaMission,

Pte. Clark B. Hinckley

Columbus Day 2011

Christopher Columbus Statue, Barcelona

Menorca's First Missionary!

2011-10-09T20:37:00.001+02:00

Pte. and Hna. Hinckley spent 24 hours in Maó (or Mahón) on Saturday and Sunday for a very special event: Pte. Hinckley set apart Eddy Perez Familia as a full-time missionary. Eddy is the first missionary to be called from the island of Menorca. He will serve in the Spain Madrid Mission.

The little Menorca Branch was organized in 2006 as several members of the Church from Latin American immigrated to the island in search of employment. With the current economic crises, many of those members have moved elsewhere in search of work, but we still have about 30 members of record in the branch and an average attendance of 12-15.

Elder Perez with members of the branch

Elder Perez moved with his family from the Dominican Republic about two years ago. He and some of his siblings had joined the Church in the DR, and Eddy immediately became our "third missionary" on the island, working almost everyday with the pair of full-time missionaries assigned to the island.

Elder Perez with his mother following the setting-apart

Saturday evening we were able to interview Elders Keller and Plaskett in their apartment in Maó. These two wonderful missionaries are doing a great work in Menorca - they have several investigators working towards baptism and regularly teach 20 lessons a week.

Sunday morning we met together for sacrament meeting and Sunday school (with such a small branch, we have a shortened block), then everyone stayed for the setting apart of the branch's first missionary. The branch president's wife brought some food and we all stayed for a light lunch together.

It was a memorable and historic occasion!

The Port of Mahon is the second deepest natural harbor in the world

Nuevo y nuevos

2011-09-29T12:07:00.000+02:00

We had transfers two weeks in a row! On our regular transfer date, only Elder Bookstaber had his visa and was able to come. He arrived in good spirits on the AVE from Madrid. Unfortunately, we did not have a camera with us so our only photo is somewhat shakey photo from a cell phone, but you can see his great smile and spirit!

Elder Bookstaber and his trainer, Elder Dalton,
points out Palma de Mallorca on the map

One week later, we recieved two more missionaries. Elder Kane has been serving for six weeks in the Utah Salt Lake City Mission, and is now being trained by Elder Rasmussen in Lleida. Hna. Walker came to us directly from the Provo MTC (and a week in Madrid for residency paperwork). She is being trained by Hna. Fuentes in Zaragoza.

At the train station

Taking the luggage to the van

At Montjuic

Hnas. Walker and Fuentes point to Zaragoza!

Elders Kane and Rasmussen point to Lleida!

We are grateful to have these wonderful new missionaries serving with us! They have arrived ready to go to work, teach, and baptize!

Farewell - Viejos Video

2011-09-23T22:03:00.001+02:00

We already miss this great missionaries, but we expect to hear great things from them as they return home and move foward with their lives!

Concilio - September 2011

2011-09-03T12:19:00.000+02:00

Our monthly zone leader council was held on 2 September 2011 at the mission home. As always, it was a wonderful experience to meet and counsel together with these great young priesthood leaders!

The "official" photo - on the terrace

Getting ready... the Ayudantes set a beautiful table!

We were not just fed spiritually, but physically!

Some Zone Conference Photos

2011-08-30T12:11:00.000+02:00

September was zone conference month. We met with all six zones in five days - Vitoria on Monday, Lleida on Tuesday, Barcelona, Hospitalet and Baleares (combined) on Wednesday, and Valencia on Friday! It was wonderful to be able to see every missionary in the same week.

Lleida Zone

Hospitalet Zone

Valencia Zone

What We Do

2011-08-29T09:54:00.001+02:00

On Sunday 20 new converts received the gift of the Holy Ghost and were confirmed members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Here are some of their stories.

A few weeks ago the Assistants were walking down the street in Barcelona and contacted a woman who, as it turned out, was a member of the Church but had not been to Church for several years. She had been baptized in South America but moved to Spain and had never found the Church here. She was so excited to find the missionaries and find out where meetings were held! She lives in the Barcelona 1st Ward, and came to church the following Sunday with her son, Ernesto. Ernesto is in his 30s and had never been baptized. She also invited her niece, Lina, and Lina's husband Juan Carlos.

On Saturday, Ernesto, Juan Carlos and Lina were all baptized by Bishop Lino in a beautiful baptismal service at the Barcelona Stake Center. Each of them bore their testimonies following the baptism. Juan Carlos described how he and his wife Lina had been looking for a church for a long time, but everytime they attended a church Lina would come home and say, "No me gusta" - I don't like it. He was so happy their first Sunday attending the Barcelona 1st Ward when they come home and Lina said, "Me encanta" - I love it!

Ernesto's mother, Hna. Roberts, Lina, Ernesto, Juan Carlos, Hna. Reed

A faithful sister who lives in Turin, Italy, was visiting her boyfriend in Cornella during the month of August and invited him to attend Church with her each Sunday. She gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon, which he began reading, and she shared with him the story of the Restoration. Two weeks ago she cornered the missionaries after Sacrament meeting and introduced them to her boyfriend and asked that they meet with him.

They arranged an appointment for the following Thursday night and had a wonderful lesson. When the Spirit was strong, they invited him to prepare to be baptized on September 10th, just three weeks away. He hesitated for a moment and said, "Well, my girlfriend goes back to Italy on the 30th of August and I would really like her to be here for my baptism. Is there any way I could be baptized before she leaves?"

Juan Carlos was baptized on August 27th and confirmed on August 28th.

Elders Buchkovich and Manotas, Juan Carlos and his girlfiend,
and friends in the Cornella Ward, following the baptism on Saturday night.

"Neither have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men... And the office of their ministry is to call men unto repentance" (Moroni 7:29, 31)

We are grateful for the way in which angels are preparing to people to receive the message of the Restoration!

ConfeJAS 2011

2011-08-28T09:28:00.003+02:00

In between traning meetings last week we were invited to make some presentations at the annual country-wide young single adult conference - ConfeJAS 2011.

So on Wednesday morning we morning we made the 5-hour drive north through Lleida up to the conference site near the French border in the Pyrenees. The conference was held in a youth conference center in the Valle de Pineta, a high, glacial hanging valley above the village of Bielsa. The setting was spectacular - think Yosemite Valley, complete with waterfalls cascading off of cliffs thousands of feet above the valley floor.

Cascades at the head of the valley

The view from the conference center

It was a wonderful event, with 287 young people in attendance, including several of our former missionaries! It was great to see these wonderful young men and woman again, and see how they are progressing with their lives. And yes, that is Elder Flores in the center, who is currently in Spain visiting Hna. Garcia...

Ex-misioneros del Faro at ConfeJAS 2011

Clase de baile - dance class

Playing games in the dining hall

The schedule of workshops for Wednesday afternoon

Specialized Training Conferences

2011-08-27T21:24:00.001+02:00

During August we held specialized traning conferences with each zone. On sunday, 14 August, we flew to Bilbao and met with the Vitoria zone in Bilbao on Monday. Monday afternoon we flew from Bilbao to Palma, where we had a training conference on Tuesday. Tuesday afternoon we flew to Valencia for a training conference on Wednesday.

The Ayudantes met us in Valencia on Wednesday and we drove up to Albacete on Wednesday evening where we had a wonderful visit with the branch president and his counselor. We have not had missionaries in Albacete for several years, but we wanted the branch president to know he had not been forgotten. The branch is part of the Valencia Stake and has a wonderful little chapel, very well maintained, in this beautiful city of La Mancha.

Thursday we drove back to Barcelona and met with the Hospitalet zone on Friday.

On Monday we had our weekly meetings with the office staff and the Ayudantes, while Hna. Hinckley made several trips to Teknon with missionaries who needed medical attention. And on Tuesday we met with the Barcelona zone for a training conference.

Our final training conference of the series was held with the Lleida zone on Friday.

Much of the focus during these conferences was on finding new investigators. We had some wonderful discussion and role-plays based on principles from Preach My Gospel.

Barcelona Zone

Vitoria Zone with los Ugarte (YSA Center couple)

Post-Transfers: Leadership Training and Concilio

2011-08-13T16:23:00.002+02:00

With the returning missionaries all on their way home and the new missionaries all safely in Barcelona, the next order of business was a full day of leadership training on Thursday. The trainers (and their newly-arrived companions), ayudantes, zone leaders and district leaders all gathered at the Barcelona 2 chapel for a day of instruction. We had a wonderful and edifying experience together and left renewed and recharged!

Leadership Training

After a few brief hours of regrouping and few brief hours of sleep, it was time for our monthly Zone Leader Council meeting on Friday. The ayudantes came at 7:30 a.m. to begin cooking pancakes, and breakfast was served to the 16 participants at 9:00 a.m.

Awaiting the arrival of hungry missionaries...

Following breakfast, we had a very interesting and edifying council, where all missionaries participated actively and discussed how we can help every missionary experience the great joy of baptizing every month. There was a great spirit in the meeting and all "rejoiced together."

Unfortunately, Hna. Hinckley was able to attend only briefly as she needed to accompany a missionary to the emergency room. Not to worry, all is well!

Nuevos

2011-08-13T16:16:00.004+02:00

Enjoying juice and napolitanas at the airport -
Hna. Rodriquez, Elders Ryser and Henrie, Pte. and Hna. Hinckley,
Elders Araujo and Bronson, Hna. Garcia

Wednesday morning after dropping off the returning missionaries at the airport, we drove directly to the train station to say goodby to Hnas. Gonzalez and Garcia, who were returning home on the AVE to Madrid. We were also able to bid farewell to Hnas. Cabrejas and Quintana, two great young adults from Bilbao who have served a mini-mission with us for the last several weeks.

Estacio Sants: Hna. Garcia, los Hinckley, Hnas. Gonzalez,
Cabrejas and Quintana

With the returning missionaries on the train, we then greeted four new missionaries arriving on the 11:22 AVE from Madrid! We took them directly to the mission home for lunch as Hna. Rejon needed to immediately begin processing some papers for her residency. Following lunch we all went to Montjuic for the traditional view of the mission field and to hear the story of Columbus.

At Montjuic:
Elders Allphin and Bennington (ayudantes)
Hna. Rejon (from Mexico) with her trainer, Hna. Martin,
los Hinckley, Elders Prieto (Cartagena), Reeves (Bountiful)
and Fica (Pocatello)

On the castle walls at Montjuic

Along the ramparts

After a brief orientation, the new missionaries spend the afternoon and evening with some seasoned missionaries, teaching and contacting in the Barcelona area. We are excited to have these impressive new missionaries in El Faro!

Canto de los ángeles

2011-08-12T19:11:00.001+02:00

As we do every six weeks, on Tuesday night following our farewell dinner and testimony meeting with the departing missionaries, we went down to Plaza Cataluña to sing hymns and contact. It was a beautiful summer evening, and we had a wonderful evening of contacting.

One woman who stopped to listen to the singing was touched by both the singing and the message shared by a missionary who approached her. She accepted an invitation to join the chorus and a member brought her into the circle. Some of the youth from the ward came over to meet her, and she is excited to meet with the missionaries this week and to come to Church on Sunday!

Elders Salmon and Allphin share a message with a passerby
(this is the woman who joined us in singing hymns)

Elders Bennington and Buchkovich testify to some young men

Elder Salmon teaches in the street

Hna. Soderquist shares a passage from the Book of Mormon

Members and missionaries singing hymns

¡Gracies y Adeu!

2011-08-12T07:24:00.002+02:00

Transfer week. We said goodbye to five wonderful missionaries on Wednesday: Hnas. Rodriguez (Milan, Italy), Garcia (Madrid), and Gonzalez (Madrid), and Elders Henrie (Idaho) and Ryser (Utah). Great missionaries all, and we expect to hear great things from them in the coming years!

One Miracle of Many: Edilma

2011-08-08T16:44:00.000+02:00

A couple of months ago Elder Abplanalp and his companion left their apartment exactly at 11:30, the designated time to begin proselyting. As they came out their front door, a middle-aged woman was sitting on a bench taking a short break on her way home from grocery shopping. They offered to carry her bags to her apartment, and ultimately began teaching her about the restored gospel. She was interested and set a date to be baptized. But a before her baptism date her father passed away, and she returned to her home country for a month.

When Edilma returned to Spain, she told the missionaries that she was no longer interested in being baptized, but was willing to meet with them and they began teaching her again. As she began to respond to the Spirit, she set a date to be baptized on August 6th, but once again began to doubt. Finally, as they were teaching her one day, she said that she had been baptized into an Evangelist church several years ago and did not feel like she needed to be baptized again. When missionaries hear someone say they see no need to be baptized again, their immediate reaction is to teach the importance of authority, but Elder Abplanalp said he felt like that was not the appropriate response this time. Rather, he had the impression to read with her from Alma 7. As he was gathering his thoughts, his companion, Elder Cuevas, began introducing the same scripture! They asked Edilma to read Alma 7:11-14. She read through verse 14, then continued to read until the end of the chapter. Her countenance softened and began to change as she read, and at the end of the chapter she looked up at the Elders and, with a voice full of emotion, said, "On the 6th, right?"

Edilma was baptized on August 6, 2011 and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on August 7, 2011.

How grateful we are - and how grateful Edilma is - for missionaries who are willing to persist and who follow the promptings of the Spirit!

¡Que Viva España!

2011-08-07T22:32:00.001+02:00

We have a group of new missionaries who will arrive on Wednesday this week, and they will join us for Leadership Training on Thursday with all Zone and District Leaders and their new trainers. While we will show them the most recent "Viejos Video", we will also show this short little video to get them excited about doing missionary work in the incredibly beautiful country of Spain - and to help them understand that this is a work, and a country, of miracles!

At Long Last...

2011-08-04T18:53:00.005+02:00

We have finally posted the "viejos video" from the June transfer!

Saturday Night

2011-08-03T09:46:00.002+02:00

Saturday night in Hospitalet. Hno. Ric was baptized! The missionaries saw him playing with his brothers a few weeks ago, stopped and introduced themselves and invited him to hear their message. He listened, gained a testimony, and was baptized last Saturday. He hopes to serve a mission in a year!

Elders Ramirez and Johansen with Hno. Ric
in the Hospitalet Stake Center

Hno. Ric was one of 10 people confirmed members of the Church this week in the mission, and one of 41 baptized and confirmed in the month of August. It is a work of miracles!

Pioneer Day

2011-07-26T17:44:00.001+02:00

Pioneer Day, July 24th, found us in the little town of La Seu in the Pyrenees mountains near the Principality of Andorra. The Andorra Branch actually meets in La Seu, on the Spanish side of the border, as more of our members live in La Seu than in Andorra.

Although it is only a 2 1/2 hour drive from Barcelona, we don't get there nearly as often as we would like, so it was a special Pioneer Day to join with 11 faithful Latter-day Saints and 2 investigators in our little meeting place in La Seu.

We had a wonderful Church service presided over by our faithful branch president (who returned on Saturday from a 3-week visit to his family in Bolivia). After Church we went to the apartment of his first counselor and joined them for the dedication of their new "piso" - a new apartment which they have just rented.

With the Valdivia family in their new piso

La Seu is located in the valley of the Rio Segre, deep in the Pyrenees. It is a beautiful valley and was the venue for the kayaking events in the 1992 Summer Olympics.

The view from our hotel window in La Seu

More Interviews

2011-07-26T17:32:00.000+02:00

Interviews for missionaries in the Barcelona and Hospitalet Zones (as well as our faithful companionship in Menorca) are held in the office. We had a great series of interviews, while the office elders continued to do their duties!

Companion unity: Hnas. Soderquist and Boone

Hnas. Fernley, Quintana, Reed.
Hna. Quintana is serving a mini-mission with us for a few weeks.

Elders Dalton and Swenson came in from Gerona

Yes, that is Elder Saldaña next to Elders Bascopé. Littlefield and Shields

Elders Johnson, Jones, Ellis and Mattice
(with Elder Bronson in the back!)

Elders Garces, Mathews, and Carrol, with Elder Hadley behind them

Elder Reeder, Registrador

Elder Araujo, Secretario del Presidente

Elder Call, Secretario Financiero

Elder Bronson, Secretario de Distribución

Farewell to the Thompsons

2011-07-16T11:40:00.002+02:00

Neighbors: the Thompsons and the Hinckleys in the Mission Home

After 18 months of dedicated service on the island of Mallorca, Elder and Hermana Thompson are heading back home! We had a wonderful paella dinner with them and several of their family members and hope to see them again on Sunday before they leave for Madrid and then Salt Lake City. In any case, we will see them when we return home, as we live next door to them!

The Thompsons have left their mark on Mallorca and the young missionaries who served with them there. They have been instrumental in several baptisms (including a woman at the gas station who sold them the fuel to drive their little mission Corsa 3,000-4,000 kilometers a month!) and reactivations. They will be missed and remembered !

July Interviews

2011-07-16T11:32:00.003+02:00

We interview each missionary once every three months, and July is the month for interviews. We began in Lleida on Friday, 8 July. Then we fly to Bilbao on Sunday evening and interviewed on Monday; Monday evening we fly to Palma for interviews; and Tuesday evening we flew to Valencia.

Elders Salmon, Estrada, Rhead and Malan, and Hna. Kline in Lleida

Hna. Garcia points out the new edition of El Clarín

Hnas. Henderson, Garcia, Hinckley, Reeder, Fuentes and Kline

Hnas. Rodriquez and Martin, Elders Greenburg, Thompson,
Keller, Farley and Knudsen in Palma

Elders Gross, Matherus, Hughes and Middleton in Valencia

Elders Olson, Taylor, Ryser and Galan in Valencia

Next week we will have the opportunity to visit with the remaining missionaries from the Barcelona and Hsopitalet zones, as well as Menorca!

Saturday

2011-07-09T22:55:00.002+02:00

Saturdays are special days, since most baptisms take place on Saturday. We returned this afternoon from Tarragona in time to attend two baptismal services in Barcelona.

The first service was in Barcelona 2, where the girl-friend of a recently reactived young adult was baptized. The newly actived boyfriend also had his non-member sister and niece at the service. This is a great group of young single adults, and Elder and Sister Brown were there to invite all of them to come regularly to the Young Adult Center and participate in institute classes.

Elders Araujo and Bronson flank Andrea and Cesar
(a priest in the ward who performed the ordinance)

We then went over to the stake center to attend a baptism in Barcelona 3. Mother and son, Natividad and David, were baptized about a month ago, but Fernando, the husband/father has not been very receptive. Last Sunday they were all at church, and Elder Shields and Elder Garces felt they needed to visit with them after the meetings. They found an empty class room, had a prayer, and began to visit, no really knowing what they needed to teach or what to say. But there were guided by the Spirit, and that wonderful miracle unfolded where the Spirit touched Fernando and his testimony came. Today he was baptized, thus bringing the entire family into the Church. They are making plays to go to the temple in a year. And David is counting the days until his 19th birthday when he can be a missionary (he turns 14 next month).

Elders Garces and Shields flank David, Fernando, and Natividad,
following Fernando's baptism

What We Do: Open Our Mouths and Witness Miracles

2011-07-06T19:27:00.001+02:00

On the Tuesday night of transfers, we gather to sing hymns in the plaza and contact people to teach them about the gospel.

Elder Ramirez working with newly arrived Elder Carroll

Elder Johnson shows Elder Olsen how to teach in the street

More often than not, we don't know the impact of many of these contacts. But last Tuesday we had a very interesting experience. Elder Bennington, one of our Ayudantes, took Elder Carroll out onto the sidewalk to contact some people while the other missionaries were singing. The first three people they spoke with had no interest. Elder Bennington said to Elder Carroll, "OK, who do you think we should talk to next?" Elder Carroll responded, "The very next person we see." They turned around as a woman with a bicycle pulled up to listen to the singing. At first she said she was in a hurry and didn't have time to talk, but after one or two quick questions she began to listen. After a few minutes, she asked if they had anything she could read. They took over to a little table where we had some pamphlets and Books of Mormon and explained the different topics. She asked for a brochure on the plan of salvation, saying that this was what she needed to bring some peace and comfort into her life. She continued the conversation for 20 minutes and before she left, said, "If I give you my telephone number, could you call me and come over and tell me more?" She is now preparing to be baptized on July 30.

June: Transfers!

2011-07-06T19:15:00.000+02:00

All good things must come to an end, and so it was with the month of June. And for some missionaries, it was the end of a wonderful two years! It is always sad to say goodbye, but we are so proud of these fine young men who have given there all and now return to even greater things. As we remind our departing missionaries, these have been the best two years - so far. The best is yet to come!

For others, transfers means finally arriving in the Spain Barcelona Missionary. Our new missionaries have had their calls for many months, and the reality of actually arriving in Barcelona is pretty exciting!

And for many others, transfers means a new city, a new companion, a new assignment, and new ward or branch. Change is a big part of missionary life!

After President Hinckley determines the changes, the transfers are announced by telephone to all the missionaries who will have a change. The Ayudantes meet with him in the office, and while the President is talking to one missionary on the phone, the Ayundantes have the next missionary on hold...

Notifying missionaries of transfers

Transfer calls were made on Saturday night (25 June), even though transfers did not officially take place until the following Tuesday. This was a "big" transfer - 11 missionaries going home and 11 new missionaries arriving - so most of the companionships saw some change. The transfer including calling a new Ayudante and 5 new zone leaders, 11 new trainers, while still providing trainers for the 9 new missionaries who arrived last transfer!

Interviews with departing missionaries took place on Sunday and Monday. Then on Tuesday morning we met our new missionaries at the train station (they come on the high-speed train from Madrid). We took all four cars, including the mission van with all seats removed. We filled the van with luggage, put the new missionaries in the other cars, and drove them to Montjuic for the traditional view of the mission and orientation.

An amazing group of new missionaries at Montjuic!

After lunch, interviews, and a brief orientation at the mission home, all the new missionaries went out with missionaries in the Barcelona area to get a flavor for "real" missionary work before a more detailed orientation on Wednesday.

With the nuevos out working, the "viejos" - the missionaries returning home on Wednesday - came back to the mission home where we had dinner and testimony meeting before going down to Plaza Catalunya for the traditional canto de los ángeles - singing for the angels.

Taking the metro to Plaza Catalunya

Early on Wednesday morning we headed out to the airport for a final farewell. Because of the size of the group, we rented a bus that would accommodate the luggage. This insured that everyone could link up quickly with their luggage when we arrived at the airport!

Our bus pulls up in front of the mission home

At the airport...

We are so proud of these wonderful elders who have served with such dedication and effectiveness! And we will especially miss Elder and Hermana Lund who have been our companions in the office for the past 18 months! We look forward to great things in the future from these wonderful missionaries!

June: Valencia and Baleares Conferences

2011-07-06T18:06:00.003+02:00

Following the Lleida Zone Conference on Thursday, we drove back to Barcelona where we had a day to prepare for the quarterly Regional Correlation Council on Saturday.

Then the next week it was back down to Valencia, this time traveling by train. We arrived on Tuesday evening (14 June) and had a wonderful conference on Wednesday. And then took the train back home on Wednesday night.

Thursday we repacked to fly the next day (Friday) to Palma. We spent some time on Friday with Elder and Sister Thompson on the beautiful island of Mallorca (see fotos below), and on Saturday and Sunday participated in the Baleares District Conference. We have 5 branches in the islands - 4 on Mallorca and 1 on Menorca - that form the Baleares District. We had a wonderful district conference under the direction of Elder Wright of the Seventy (from Scotland).

Palma!

El faro: Formentor, Mallorca

Fornalutz, Mallorca

Hnas. Hinckley and Thompson with some of the sisters of the Baleares District, including one sister who took the ferry from Ibiza with her husband. He husband was ordained an elder during the conference.

Elder and Hna. Thompson with some of the wonderful Mallorca saints!

While on the island, we were invited to (another) Argentine asado with the Tiberi family of the Manacor Branch. Doing this once a year gives us our annual protein fix!

Meat on the grill...

Hno. Tiberi tending the asado

On Monday following the district conference we held zone conference with the Baleares Zone. As always, it was an inspiring and wonderful conference as we met with this dedicated missionaries.

Baleares Zone Conference

June: Continued...

2011-07-06T17:36:00.000+02:00

After returning from Valencia late Sunday night (5 June), we spent the day in the office on Monday meeting with the office missionaries. Then on Tuesday we drove north all the way to Vitoria (about 7 hours) to begin zone conferences. On Wednesday we met with the Vitoria Zone in a wonderful conference.

Vitoria Zone

Wednesday evening we drove from Vitoria to Lleida for the next zone conference. That evening we went over to the chapel as soon as arrived to greet a new missionary! Elder Garces arrived early during the day from the Madrid MTC and was assigned to work with Elder Keller in Lleida.

Elder Garces with Pte. and Hna. Hinckley in the Lleida chapel

The Lleida Zone

Of course, everyone wants a photo of the zone on their camera!
This is one of the many talents of our great Assistants,
Elders Bennington and Sommerfeldt!

Hard at work doing some role-plays at zone conference

June: Concilio, Stake Conference, District Conference, Zone Conferences, Transfers, etc.

2011-07-06T15:06:00.001+02:00

In other words, just another great month in the mission field!

We began the month of June with our monthly Zone Leader Council ("Concilio"). This month we invited all of the district leaders to join and expanded the council to include some broader leadership training. We had a wonderful series of meetings on Thursday and Friday with these great young priesthood leaders.

The following day - Saturday - the new Barcelona Stake Center was dedicated by Elder Jose Teixeira of the Seventy and 2nd counselor in the Area Presidency. It was a wonderful event at which both President and Hermana Hinckley spoke.

Image via Wikipedia

Coat of Arms of the City of Valencia

Following the dedication we drove Elder Teixeira to the airport (in company with President and Sister Moore of the Madrid Temple), then returned home for a quick lunch before jumping back in the car and driving down to Valencia with the Moores for stake conference.

Sunday morning we attended the general session of conference, held at a large convention hotel in the city. It was a wonderful conference, with record attendance, a great choir, inspired instruction, and a wonderful spirit! After the session we met a couple who had come from Castellon (about an hour away) to attend the conference. They had walked into the chapel the week before asking how they could "sign up" for this church. Among other things, they signed up that day to take the bus down to Valencia for stake conference!

Image via Wikipedia

Paella Valenciana

After conference we were invited over to President Bleda's home with the other members of the stake presidency to enjoy a fresh paella valenciana. The meal was almost as good as the conference! Well fed both spiritually and temporally, we dropped the Moore's off at the train station where the boarded the high-speed train to Madrid and we drove back up the Mediterranean Coast, between the orange groves and returned home that night.

Missionaries and future missionaries at the Valencia Stake Conference

Sergio stopped two missionaries on the street a few months ago and
told them he wanted to be baptized! He was sustained to
become an elder at stake conference, and hopes to go
on a mission once he has been a member for a year!

Hnas. Ruz, Fuentes, and Moulton add smiles and energy to stake conference!

July Clarin

2011-07-04T22:48:00.000+02:00

The July edition of El Clarín has now been posted to the blog. You can read the full issue by clicking on the link at right.

Companion Unity

2011-06-21T21:28:00.000+02:00

Hna. Preston plays the bass clef while Hna. Culverwell plays the treble clef at Cornellá district meeting.

With such a spirit of unity, it was a great district meeting!

El Clarín: June 2011

2011-05-31T20:16:00.002+02:00

From President Hinckley´s message in the June issue of El Clarín:

May was a month of many miracles. The Savior said to the Twelve, “I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep” (John 10:14). To the Nephites He said, “For behold I know my sheep, and they are numbered” (3 Nephi 18:31). He knows his sheep, He knows where they are, and He knows when they are ready for the message of the restored gospel.

Two missionaries prayed recently about where they should go to find the elect when they had some free time. Each missionary selected three streets in their area, and when they compared streets they observed that two of them intersected. They decided to start at that intersection. When they arrived at the corner they saw a woman with her children and felt impressed to contact her. She said her family had been looking for a church to attend and invited them over. During the first visit she told them that she is looking for a place where her daughter, who has never been baptized, could be baptized. The family members now have baptismal dates.

In another city in the mission, the elders were in a meeting at the chapel when a family came by and entered the building. They had many questions, like, “Why are there so many churches?” and “Shouldn’t we pay tithing?” They came to church the following Sunday, signed up on the list to feed the missionaries, and signed up to take the bus to stake conference!

The entire issue of El Clarín is now available on the blog. See the link in the right-hand column.

A Month of Miracles 2

2011-05-30T09:52:00.000+02:00

The month of May was a month of miracles. We were blessed to see 56 people enter the waters of baptism and be confirmed members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This is the most successful single month in terms of convert baptisms of any month for which we have records.

Elders Bennington and Sommerfeldt with Hnos. Julio and Dres
at the baptism of Julio and Dres

Every one of those 56 converts is a miracle. Here is just one story. About 7 months ago, two missionaries were with a young priest on their way to visit. They had been contacting some people along the way, and the young priest asked one of the missionaries how they know who they should contact when the sidewalk is filled with people. The missionary began to explain that you look at the people walking and watch for someone.. Then he stopped abruptly and said, "Wait just a minute, I need to talk to that man." He approached a man on the sidewalk, tapped him on the shoulder, and began a conversation.

Julio, the man on the sidewalk, was surprised. He said he had prayed the night before to know which Church he should join. The elders invited him to accompany them immediately to the chapel (just a couple of blocks away) where they taught him and invited him to be baptized.

But before his baptism, Julio had to return to his native country in South America and lost contact with the Church and the missionaries for several months. Then three weeks ago a new set of elders in the same area received a telephone call from a man who introduced himself as Julio and said he was back in town and ready to prepare for his baptism! He was baptized last Saturday and confirmed on Sunday, one of the 56 great miracles of the month of May!

¡Nueva!

2011-05-29T22:30:00.001+02:00

On Friday Hna. Moulton arrived, after spending a week in the Utah Ogden Mission and a week in Madrid working on her residency.

She arrived on the 11:22 AVE from Madrid, and immediately Hnas. Culverwell and Preston took her contacting in the metro and at Plaza España, before we all went to Montjuic together.

Hna. Moulton is serving in Valencia 2 with Hnas. Ruz and Fuentes, so after lunch and a brief orientation, she was back on the train headed to Valencia, and spent the night with her new companions. We are thrilled to have this great new sister join the ranks of El Faro!

A Month of Miracles

2011-05-23T17:40:00.000+02:00

Hermano Kumar, pictured below with Elder Keeler (in white) and Elders Oldroyd and Hastings was baptized and confirmed in the Vitoria Branch this past weekend.

He is one of 47 wonderful new converts baptized so far this month. May has already been a month of great miracles, and we still have a week left! We are so grateful for the privilege and blessing of helping these wonderful, prepared children of our Father in Heaven prepare for and receive the saving ordinance of baptism.

Viejos Video

2011-05-22T13:57:00.000+02:00

From final interviews with Elders Hansen and Southwick:

Why We Love this Work!

2011-05-20T22:20:00.000+02:00

About six or seven weeks ago a pair of hermanas gave a pass-along card to a woman they met on the street. Three weeks later, she called them and said she would like to visit and learn more. Last Saturday she was baptized. Tomorrow she joins other ward members for a trip to the Madrid Temple where she will participate in baptisms!

I received a note from one of our branch presidents (in a mission district) that a member of his branch who lives on the island of Ibiza is traveling to Columbia to visit family in July and would like to get a temple recommend so that she can receive her endowment at Bogota Columbia Temple. This is the same sister that telephoned Elder Brian on his birthday in late 2009 asking to be baptized that week while she was in town (we have no missionaries on the island of Ibiza where she lives). She was baptized, returned to Ibiza, has met faithfully each Sunday with our handful of members there (it is not an organized branch but a small group that meets in a member's apartment).

It is always exciting to see these miracle baptisms prepare for and take the next big step in their life by going to the temple!

Despedida

2011-05-18T18:37:00.000+02:00

Elder Southwick and Elder Hansen returned home to today. Both were outstanding missionaries and will be greatly missed! We look forward to many great things from both of them over the years to come!

Eight New Missionaries!

2011-05-17T19:31:00.001+02:00

Tuesday morning we received eight wonderful new Elders from the Madrid MTC.

At the train station

The entry to Castell de Montjuic

On the ramparts overlooking the city

Listening to the story of Columbus

Castell de Montjuic

This is a great group of new Elders - four are from the United States and four from Spain, and all are able, dedicated, and excited to get to work in their first real missionary area!

Elder Dalton with Elder Swenson - Gerona

Elder Manotas with Elder Rasmussen - Cornella

Elder Bascopé with Elder Roos - Barcelona 3

Elders Pericle and Keller surrond Elder Shiflet - Lleida

Elder Middleton with Elder Gross - Gandía

Elder Nye and Elder Batanero - Menorca

Elder Bowers and Elder Galán - Alcoy

Elder Allphin and Elder Salmon - Tarragona

A Reminder

2011-05-15T22:00:00.001+02:00

On Saturday night we went down to the office to call out the transfer changes to missionaries. In the office lobby we met a missionary who served here nearly 15 years ago and was in Spain on business. It was an emotional visit for him, and he reminded the Assistants that when they return home, they will discover that not everyone has the same mission experience as missionaries in the Spain Barcelona Mission.

¡el faro!

Saturdays in Barcelona

2011-05-14T18:00:00.000+02:00

Saturday is the best day in the mission, as most baptisms take place on Saturday. Every baptism is a miracle, and it is always an inspiring event to attend a baptism service and watch someone receive this sacred ordinance.

This afternoon in the Barcelona 2nd Ward, Hno. Chau and his wife, Hna. Diaz, were baptized. Elders Keller and Sommerfeldt has seen Hna. Diaz on the sidewalk carrying groceries home and offered to help her with her bags. Two and half weeks later she and her husband were baptized. Their children and siblings attended the service, and we are praying that more members of this wonderful family will accept the gospel!

And the walls come tumbling down...

2011-05-14T13:29:00.000+02:00

With our office couple, the Lunds, just weeks away from returning home, we have some remodeling that needs to be done in the office in order to have an office configuration that complies with Church standards (no computers in enclosed offices). So today a wall in the office is coming down.

Rubble...

The wall around Elder Lund's office (the financial secretary)
begins to disappear

None of this deters Elders Corbitt and Araujo, who are working this morning
to organize the transfer travel and purchase tickets.

Interviews

2011-05-12T21:22:00.000+02:00

Under the new guidelines for missions, we do personal interviews once each quarter with every missionary. We completed a round of interviews in late April / early May, beginning in the Barcelona area and the Lleida zone, then Bilbao, Valencia, and Palma.

Elders Southwick, Harris, and Gallegos in Bilbao

Elders Benito, Matherus, Krasnoselsky, and Parris in Bilbao

Elders Keyes, Reeder, Benito, Krasnoselsky,
and Hnas. Rodriquez and Soderquist

Palma: Hnas. Bennion, Martin, Elders Egan, Bennington, Farley, Bodily,
and the Thompsons

Dia de Sant Jordi

2011-04-23T20:41:00.004+02:00

Flooding the world with the Book of Mormon

Today is the Dia de Sant Jordi - St. George's Day - in Spain. St. George, the dragonslayer, is the patron saint of Catalunya and is a popular figure throughout Spain. This day has evolved into a great celebration where men give a red rose to their sweetheart, and woman give their best man a book (it is also International Booksellers Day). Florists and booksellers set up tables and booths throughout the city selling roses and books, and we take advantage of the celebration to distribute copies of the Book of Mormon.

Table at the doors of the Barcelona Stake Center

Hnas. Fernley and Culverwell (hidden) talk to a
passerby about the Book of Mormon

Elders Call and Roos talk and walk

Missionaries with Hno. Lindomar, a recent convert

We drove over to the Barcelona Stake Center at mediodia to see the missionaries and see how the day was going. They had already given away nearly 300 copies of the Book of Mormon. Because the Dia de Sant Jordi falls on Easter weekend this year, most people thought the holiday would fizzle. But by the end of the day the missionaries at the stake center had distributed 462 copies in Spanish plus a few others in other languages. In addition, at least 198 copies were distributed by missionaries in other locations. A great day for flooding the world with the Book of Mormon!

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Notes from the Field

2011-04-19T17:13:00.000+02:00

Outside the Vitoria chapel

"We experienced a miracle on Thursday."

The Elders in Vitoria had an interesting experience this week. They were talking with the manager of a locutorio (an Internet cafe where they write their emails home). They discussed the gospel with her briefly, but she had a number of customers and they did not get a chance to obtain her contact information.

Three days later they were on the other side of town looking up a former investigator. The investigator was not home so they decided to ring a few bells to see if they could get in the building and talk with someone. A woman answered when they rang the first bell, they asked if they could come up and visit with her, and she let them in. When she opened the door to her apartment, she was as surprised as they were - it was the manager of the locutorio whom they had contacted earlier in the week! They confirmed an appointment to come back and teach her.

We love miracles!

Leadership Training

2011-04-15T19:41:00.002+02:00

This past week we held a 3-day leadership training workshop. This is the second time we have done this in the past year. The purpose is to insure that the principles of "Fundamentals of Preach My Gospel: Teaching More Effectively" take root in the mission before we begin to receive new missionaries from the MTC who have been trained using these principles (we receive our first such group the end of June).

We had a marvelous and spiritually uplifting 3 days with 32 of our missionaries, included four hermanas. On Tuesday morning, the first day of the training, we spent some time reviewing principles of finding people to teach. For lunch, every missionary received a little cash to buy a sandwich, and they fanned out from the stake center to find both food and people and teach!

Elders Jimenez and Rhead teach
a man from Córdoba

Hermanas Rodriquez and Soderquist visit
with a woman on the sidewalk

Elders Hadley and Corbitt write down the contact
information of a potential investigator

The agenda for the three days included lessons, discussions, and role-plays covering the following topics:

Our Missionary Purpose - The Doctrine of Christ
The Role of the Holy Ghost in Conversion
The Process of Revelation

Revelation through Prayer
Revelation through the Book of Mormon
Revelation through Church Attendance

Teach People, Not Just Lessons
We Invite, They Commit, We Follow Up
How to Begin Teaching
The Faith to Find - Finding People to Teach
Leveraging the Power of Members
Planning to Baptize

In addition, we watched one of our favorite movies: The District. If you haven't seen it, we highly recommend it, as well as The District 2. These are live, unscripted, videos of real missionaries and real investigators, filmed by camera crews who spent several weeks filming virtually everything the missionaries did. The are awe-inspiring!

Final day of leadership training

The meeting concluded with messages from Hna. and Pte. Hinckley and a wonderful testimony meeting. We left having been taught and edified by the Spirit, and rejoicing together!

¡Nuevo!

2011-04-13T19:22:00.000+02:00

In keeping with the theme that every week is transfer week, we received a marvelous new elder this week: Elder Jared Malan from Palma de Mallorca. Elder Malan is actually assigned to the Utah Salt Lake City South Mission, but is still waiting for his visa to travel to the Provo MTC, so he has been assigned to serve here until his visa arrives.

The best part of this is that Elder Malan is a member of the Levante Branch of the Baleares District. President Hinckley flew to Palma on Sunday (10 April) to set him apart!

Elder Malan with his family and Pres. Hinckley,
after being set apart in Palma

This is the first time we have had a visa-waiter in our mission. Usually our missionaries are waiting for their visas somewhere else! We are thrilled to have this great new elder in our mission, even if he is only with us for a few weeks!

P.S. Elder Malan is serving in Zaragoza with the zone leaders, Elders Jiminez and Rhead.

Concilio - April 2011

2011-04-09T13:51:00.001+02:00

The new transfer begins with a zone leader counsel and training of new zone leaders. This time we also invited two hermanas: Hna. Culverwell and Hna. Garcia. We had a wonderful day together talking about and planning for the coming month. Expect miracles!

On the terrace of our "city condo" - the mission home in Barcelona!

El Canto de los Angeles

2011-04-09T13:46:00.000+02:00

Tuesday night we had our traditional farewell - singing and contacting at Plaza Catalunya.

Old friends: Elder Raban and the Hinckleys are joined by (Elder) Jorge Chavez,
who is currently studying English in London!

¡Fotos!

Hermanas are awesome!

Llegada - One New Angel Arrives

2011-04-09T13:35:00.000+02:00

We lost nine seasoned Elders, but gained one incredible Hermana: Hna. Soderquist! Her new companion, Hna. Rodriquez, went with us to the train station to pick up Hna. Soderquist who arrived Tuesday morning on the 11:22 AVE from Madrid.

At the station: Elders Keller and Sommerfeldt,
Pte and Hna Hinckley,
Hnas Soderquist and Rodriquez

Eager to get started!

At Montjuic. Welcome to Barcelona!

Despedida - Nine Angels Return Home

2011-04-08T18:01:00.004+02:00

On Wednesday, 6 April 2011, nine wonderful Elders boarded the airplane at BCN headed for home, served faithfully and well to the end!

Elders Ames, Gerber, Jacinto, Johnson, Awerkamp, Flores, Hunsaker, Nasaeth, and Raban - thank you for your life-changing service, for your faith in miracles, for your example, for your friendship, and for the great legacy which you have left in El Faro!

In the office prior to leaving for the airport on Wednesday morning

At the airport

March Zone Conferences

2011-03-30T13:13:00.004+02:00

[I know, it's been a while since we posted. Stake Conference (Vitoria), six zone conferencias, 19 interviews with members of districts and branches, a visit to the Saints on Ibiza, and family visitors from out of town have left little time for blogging. But here is a long-awaited update!]

March zone conferences began in Vitoria. President and Hermana Hinckley drove to Zaragoza on Friday the 11th, where President conducted a number of interviews with members of the two branches there. Saturday morning we drove to Vitoria and participated in the stake conference meetings on Saturday afternoon and Sunday.

On Monday we drove to Burgos to visit Elders T. Johnson and Matherus in this most distant city of the mission! It is a beautiful city, the Elders have a nice piso (which they maintain well!), and they are doing a fabulous job in this little branch.

Elders Johnson and Matherus in front of the Burgos cathedral

We also inspected the Vitoria piso in the evening after our return, and are happy to report that not only do Elders Taylor and Oldroyd have one of the nicest pisos in the mission, they keep it immaculately clean!

Tuesday we held the first of this series of zone conferences in Vitoria and had a wonderful session with the marvelous elders and hermanas of the Vitoria zone.

After the conference ended, we drove with the Ayudantes for 4 hours through a driving rainstorm, arriving in Lleída in the evening. We had a wonderful zone conference with the Lleída Zone on Wednesday, then drove the 2 hours back to Barcelona. We took the Ayudantes directly to airport where they boarded a plane for Palma to do exchanges before the zone conference in Palma.

After five days on the road, we repacked our bags and flew to Palma on Thursday night. Zone conference with the Baleares Zone was on Friday, and it was a wonderful conference.

Elder Sommerfeldt instructs the Baleares Zone

Saturday we attended the baptism of two new converts in Palma, and on Sunday morning we flew from Palma to Ibiza to visit a small group of Saints on this somewhat isolated island. The island belongs to the Poniente Branch in Palma, and the branch presidency met us in Ibiza for a visit with this little handful of pioneers who meet in the home of a member each Sunday to partake of the sacrament and teach one another.

With the Saints on Ibiza

In Ibiza we met Hna. Morelia for the first time. She was baptized in the Fall of 2009 in Valencia by Elder Brian. It was one of the most memorable experiences of his mission. She called him one morning and asked to baptized that week while she was in town! She was baptized four days later and returned to Ibiza, where she has met every Sunday with this faithful group of Latter-day Saints.

With Hna. Morelia in Ibiza

After a wonderful and uplifting day in Ibiza, we flew home to the prospect of sleeping in our own bed for more than one night for the first time in nearly two weeks.

On Monday we did the wash and prepared for the next three zone conferences. Monday evening President Hinckley participated in a live radio broadcast from the Badalona Chapel - Elder Ryser got some airtime and did a great job!

Tuesday we held zone conference in Hospitalet, Wednesday in Barcelona, and Thursday in Valencia, concluding the series of six conferences.

The Barcelona Zone poses in the new stake center

The Hospitalet Zone gathers in the foyer of the stake center

Arriving in Valencia! Rob and Holly Lesan and their new daughter, Tessa, were visiting!

The Valencia Zone!

The zone conferences followed a similar pattern. The primary training topic was on leveraging the power of members. Each conference began with a discussion of "Sister Susan Fulcher" a case study of a missionary who was extremely good at connecting with and working with members to accomplish missionary work. The case was written some years ago by Elder Clayton Christensen who served as a counselor in the presidency of the Massachusetts Boston Mission before serving as an Area Authority Seventy. The discussions centered around the principles which Sister Fulcher seemed to understand so well, how she implemented those principles in the work, and how we can implement those principles in our own areas.

The Ayudantes did a powerful training session on how to work more effectively with the ward council by preparing Progress Reports and conversion plans that are detailed, neat, accurate, and informative. They suggested that all missionaries provide the ward council with photographs and a short bio of each progressing investigator, in addition to asking for specific help from ward members to teach and fellowship these investigators.

Our own experience in the mission suggests that of those investigators found directly by missionaries who set a baptismal date, only about 20% actually get baptized on or near that date. When investigators referred by members set a baptismal date, about 80% of them actually get baptized on or near the date. Members make a difference!

Following the training on working with members, we spent some time on how to continually focus on extending invitations to investigators to do the things they need to do to progress: pray, read, attend church, etc. Preach My Gospel reminds us that "rarely, if ever" should we meet with someone without extending a commitment. We practiced extending commitments to attend church and to obey the Word of Wisdom.

Finally, the President met with the Elders while Hna. Hinckley met with the sisters for some specific instruction. We had lunch, testimonies, and enjoyed a wonderful spirit while learning from each other. We love this work!

Elder Hastings Arrives

2011-03-06T20:56:00.000+01:00

Another long-awaited missionary arrived on Friday: Elder Hastings from Torrance, California. Elder Hastings arrived only 2-3 weeks late, having received his visa approval shortly over completing the regular schedule at the Provo MTC. Another week in Madrid enabled him to begin his residency process and arrive in Barcelona this week.

Elder Hastings, Pte y Hna Hinckley, and Elder Anstensen at Montjuic

In the office

Elders Anstensen and Hastings point out Zaragoza on the map.
They are serving in the Zaragoza 1 Branch.

Councilo - 1 March 2011

2011-03-01T11:56:00.001+01:00

Each month we hold a "concilio" - a zone leader council - to discuss the previous months and make plans for the coming month. Once transfers are completed, the new mission leaders (zone leaders and assistants) also gather for a day of training at the mission home.

Councilio - 1 March 2011
On the terrace of the mission home

These are always inspirational and uplifting meetings as we discuss principles and doctrines and how we can apply them to accomplish our purpose - to bring others to Christ through faith, repentance and baptism.

The Long-Awaited Browns Arrive!

2011-02-28T20:45:00.000+01:00

Elder and Hna. Hadley have reached the conclusion of their missionary service - and they leave a marvelous legacy in a very vibrant Center for Young Single Adults in Barcelona. They are much loved, not just by the young single adults that they have worked with so closely, but by all of us who have had the blessings of serving with them!

The Browns and the Hadleys at the farewell/welcome party thrown by Archie

Archie poses with the Hadleys and their gifts...

The good news is that Elder and Hna. Brown, who have been awaiting their visas since last July, finally made it to Spain! And they arrived in time to be briefed for a couple of days by the Hadleys before taking over their role as advisors to the Barcelona Center for Young Adults. A Barca welcome to los Brown!

Elder and Hna. Brown are finally able to pose
on Montjuic with the Catalan flag flying in background!

At Montjuic

Last Transfer's Angels

2011-02-26T22:15:00.002+01:00

Each transfer the Ayudantes produce a short video featuring the returning missionaries and their advice for newly arriving missionaries. Hna. Roerig, Elders Crofts, Hansen and Monks, and Los Hadley share their advice and testimonies, and remind us why we love serving the Spain Barcelona Mission!

Adeu

2011-02-24T21:55:00.000+01:00

It was an interesting transfer week - four wonderful missionaries went home and no one arrived!

On Tuesday, many of the transfering missionaries passed through Estació Sants in Barcelona where they met their new companion and headed off to their new area.

Meeting up at Sants

In the evening we met with the returning missionaries, then went together to Portal D´Angel for the traditional singing of hymns, contacting in the street, and saying farewells.

Singing at the Plaza

Elders Monks, Crofts, Hansen and Hna. Roerig in the Metro station on their last night...

Adeu to four wonderful missionaries who are going on to even bigger and better things!

What We Do

2011-02-20T18:52:00.000+01:00

On Saturday afternoon we dropped by the Barcelona 2 chapel to attend the baptismal service. A couple of weeks ago Elders Corbitt and Johnson visited with a less active family who, as it turns out, were anxious to come back and well prepared for the visit! They have three daughters who had never been baptized, so the Elders have been busy teaching them and preparing them for baptism.

It was a wonderful service and the girls were so happy to finally be baptized! All three were confirmed in sacrament meeting today, and the ward now has a wonderful new family!

101 Interviews Later...

2011-02-18T16:46:00.001+01:00

Today we finished the first complete round of interviews of 2011! Interviews actually began nearly 3 weeks ago on January 31, but were interrupted by the arrival of 5 new missionaries whose visas had been approved and the visit of Elders Causse and Paya of the Seventy.

Valentines Day treats in Bilbao
Hnas Roberts, Bennion, Hinckley, Boone and Rodruguez

Waiting for interviews:
Elders Southwick, Awerkamp, and Taylor
Hnas. Roberts and Rodruguez

This last week of interviews began on Sunday night when we flew to Bilbao and interviewed the 5 missionaries in the city. On Monday we completed interviews with the rest of the Vitoria Zone, then flew to Palma in the evening and interviewed the elders serving on Mallorca on Tuesday (along with some member interviews, as this is a mission district). From Palma we flew to Valencia and began interviews on Tuesday evening in Valencia, finishing the interviews there on Wednesday. Wednesday afternoon we took the train home to Barcelona to begin working on transfers, and spent the day on Thursday working on transfers.

Then on Friday (today) we finished the remaining interviews (most of the Lleida Zone as well as the Menorca elders).

While I conducted interviews the zone leaders did training. It was a great series of interviews, and we were impressed again at how wonderful these young missionaries are!

Waiting No More...

2011-02-12T16:42:00.001+01:00

Last week we received five new missionaries who had been waiting for visas. We were fortunate to receive them in just two groups on the same day (rather than one at a time which is very often the case). They are incredible missionaries: prepared and eager to work!

Elders Bronson, Reeder and Farley arrived on the 11:22 AVE from Madrid and were met by the Ayudantes and Hinckleys. The Hinckleys took their luggage back to the mission home, while the Ayudantes took the new Elders down to Plaza Catalunya for an hour of contacting!

Elders Bronson, Reeder and Farley at the station.

After a quick lunch, the new missionaries were each taken out proselyting by a pair of missionaries in Barcelona, then came back and spent the night in the small dormitory located in the office.

In the meantime, the Ayundantes and the Hinckley's trained the new trainers. Then the Hinckley's made a second trip to the station to meet Hna. Fernley and Elder Keyes who arrived on the 9:22 p.m. AVE.

Elder Keyes and Hna. Fernley at Estacio Sants.

At the station.

The next morning we all met for some training and orientation, the new missionaries met their trainers (or at least one of them, as all will be working in trios for at least a couple of weeks), and by noon everyone was on their way to their new assignment!

Elder Keyes and Elder Greenburg pointing to Las Arenas.
Elder Jimenez stayed up north to keep the work going!

Elder Southwick and Elder Reeder point to Pamplona.
Elder Matthews met them upon arrival.

Elders Rasmussen and Hughes show Elder Bronson the location of Cornella!

Hnas. Culverwell and Fernley point to Barceona 1.
Hna. Fuentes joined them a few minutes later.

Elders Farley and Egan find Manacor, Mallorca on the edge of the map.
Elder Farley consolidated down to one bag, and then flew to the island to meet Elder Greep
who is the third member of their trio.

It seems that purple is this year's color!

Interviews

2011-02-12T16:17:00.001+01:00

Last week we began interviews in the Barcelona area, which means that missionaries from the Barcelona and Hospitalet Zones were coming and going throughout the day on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. It makes for some lively days around the office!

Elders Krasnoselsky and Raban pick up their mail
and a new supply of Books of Mormon

Elders Rasmussen, Roos, Castro, and Araujo prepare for interviews
while Elder Corbitt goes about his work...

Hnas. Kline and Ruz... just being Hnas. Kline and Ruz!

On Tuesday afternoon we took the AVE to Zaragoza and interviewed missionaries there. Then we had the opportunity to set apart Elder Kevin Barahona Franco for a mission. He left the next morning for the Madrid MTC and will serve in the Spain Malaga Mission.

Elder Franco and his parents in Zaragoza

A Work of Miracles

2011-02-08T09:32:00.002+01:00

A couple of weeks ago a pair of missionaries was meeting with an investigator who said she had been having a recurring dream in which she saw her mother who passed away a year ago. She asked the missionaries what the dreams meant. They had not yet taught her about the Plan of Salvation, and simply told her that she needed to pray and ask God herself what the dreams might mean.

When the missionaries returned for their next visit she said, "After your last visit, I prayed that night and asked God to show me why I was having dreams about my mother. That night I had another dream. I don´t know who was talking, or where the voice was coming from, but I heard a voice that said to me 'Celestial Kingdom.' Can you tell me what that means?" The missionaries then taught her about the Plan of Salvation.

She is preparing to be baptized on February 26th.

In Moroni 7, Mormon explains that angels are sent "to minister unto the children of men" and that the "office of their ministry is... to prepare the way." We are grateful to be able to teach people who have been prepared by angels!

Zone Conferences - Part 2

2011-01-28T21:39:00.000+01:00

This past week we had three more zone conferences. Monday we were in Bilbao with the Vitoria Zone; Tuesday we held our first zone conference in the new Barcelona Stake Center with the Barcelona Zone; and Thursday we were in Valencia.

The Vitoria Zone in the Bilbao Chapel

The Barcelona Zone in the new chapel - carpet, pews, and behind the folding wooden doors at the back, a basketball court with wood floors!

Valencia!

Thus ended a wonderful series of zone conferences to begin the new year. We are excited for what lies in store. We were blessed with a very successful year in 2010, and we are confident that as we rededicate ourselves even greater blessings are in store!

First Baptism in New Barcelona Stake Center

2011-01-22T22:24:00.002+01:00

The new Barcelona Stake Center opened last Sunday; and today we had the first baptism performed in the new building. Hno. Alfonso was baptized by his new friend, Hno. Jorge. Jorge was baptized just two months ago.

Alfonso had had some contact with the missionaries some time ago, but on January 2nd a friend of his brought him to church on Sunday. After church they invited him to come to an open house at the mission home (for recent converts and investigators), and we met him that Sunday afternoon at our home. Over the next three weeks he was taught by Hnas Johns, Fuentes and Culverwell. Hna. Johns completed her mission last week and returned home, so was not able to be here for the baptism, but it was a joyous day for all involved!

Hnas. Culverwell and Fuentes with Alfonso; Jorge is the second from the left.

Standing in front of the font in the new stake center

The stake center itself is a beautiful new building and finally provides us with a good presence in the city of Barcelona. On this particular Saturday night there was a primary activity in the Primary room, a baptismal service in the Relief Society room, and a large group of young single adults playing basketball in the cultural hall (a full court with a wood floor!). The building is being well used just a few days after opening!

More Help Arrives

2011-01-21T16:49:00.000+01:00

On Friday morning Elder Call arrived on the train from Madrid. He is the first of our missionaries scheduled to arrive on 11 January to actually receive a visa and arrive. We are excited to have him here!

This afternoon he will board an airplane and fly to Bilbao, where his new companions will meet him at the airport. He will be serving in Bilbao with the zone leaders, Elders Awerkamp and Bajaña, in a trio for the next few weeks until we receive some additional missionaries.

Elders Awerkamp and Bajaña are glad for the help - when I called them this morning they told me they currently have seven investigators with baptism dates scheduled!

Elder Call points to Bilbao with Elders Keller and Jacinto (acting as proxies for his actual companions, Elders Awerkamp and Bajaña).

Hna. Hinckley Visits the Basque Country

2011-01-21T16:44:00.000+01:00

On Tuesday, Hna. Hinckley flew to Bilbao for the day and had a productive visit, including lunch with the Hnas. in their piso. Among other things, she learned that the hermanas had been without hot water for two weeks, a period of time which they described as "an adventure." (The hot water has been repaired and is now working fine).

Hnas. Bennion and Boone enjoy a hearty pizza lunch in Bilbao, although Hna. Bennion seems a little unsure about the quality of the food!

January Zone Conferences: Lifting Our Vision

2011-01-21T16:38:00.000+01:00

January Zone Conferences! This week we held zone conferences in Palma, Hospitalet, and Lleida. We had wonderful conferences. Each conference began with a reading of the names of every convert baptism in the mission during 2010, which brought back a flood of memories as we read aloud hundreds of names and were reminded of the marvellous miracles we saw during the past twelve months.

Unfortunately, neither Hna. Hinckley nor her camera made it to Palma on Tuesday (she was in Bilbao for the day tending to the needs of missionaries there), so we do not yet have photo of the Baleares Zone.

Wednesday we met with the Hospitalet Zone at the Hospitalet Stake Center. This is our largest zone, and we had a wonderful day together.

Hospitalet

From the Hospitalet Stake Center we drove directly to Lleida (about two hours) for zone conference there the next morning. This was the first conference of the newly-created Lleida Zone and the first time we had held a conference at the Lleida chapel.

Lleida

Next week we hold conferences in Bilbao, Barcelona, and Valencia!

Help Arrives!

2011-01-16T22:38:00.000+01:00

Blessings from heaven, or at least from Indiana: Elder Littlefield had been serving in the Indiana Indianapolis Mission for several weeks waiting to receive a visa. We are happy to announce that on Friday evening he made it Barcelona!

Elders Sommerfeldt, Harris, Littlefield and Keller at the station

Elder Littlefield is working with Elder Harris in the ancient and beautiful city of Gerona. These are two outstanding missionaries and we have no doubt they will see much success in Gerona! Welcome, Elder Littlefield!

The Fire that Burns Within Us

2011-01-14T22:22:00.003+01:00

We held our first mission council of the year on Thursday and Friday, 13-14 January. Because this was the first council of the year, we started early and took a little field trip to help us appreciate the way in which God fulfills prophesy. At the Columbus statue (at the foot of Las Ramblas), we read the account of Nephi's vision:

“And I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles, who was separated from the seed of my brethren by the many waters; and I beheld the Spirit of God, that it came down and wrought upon the man; and he went forth upon the many waters, even unto the seed of my brethren, who were in the promised land.” – 1 Nephi 13:12

We rehearsed the history of Columbus - how his proposal to sail west to reach the East was turned down as foolish nonsense by Portugal (twice), Genoa, Venice, and Spain. But how he persisted in lobbying the Spanish court for seven years until the monarchs finally granted him some funding. And how, after 30 days at sea he had already doubled the record for consecutive days sailing out of sight of land, and how finally after 70 long days at sea, a young lookout on the Pinta sighted a small strip of land on the far western horizon, changing the course of history and setting in motion a series of events that ultimately led to the restoration of the gospel.

And then we read Columbus' own description of why he pursued his vision with such tenacity against almost unsurmountable odds:

“The Lord opened my understanding with a hand that could be felt, so that I knew it was possible to sail from here to the Indies, and He opened my will to desire to accomplish the project. This was the fire that burned within me... Who can doubt that this fire was not merely mine, but also of the Holy Spirit who encouraged me...urging me to press forward ?”

We walked through the medieval city to the old royal palace, where in April of 1493 Columbus entered the royal plaza, Isabel and Ferdinand seated on their thrones at the top of steps to greet his entourage. We climbed the same steps that Columbus climbed to greet the monarchs.

The palace by night

The steps of the Royal Palace

The story of Columbus is a story of the fulfillment of prophecy: Nephi prophesied of a man "wrought upon" by the Spirit of God; Columbus testified that the Holy Ghost was like a fire that burned within him urging him to go forward.

We concluded with other, more recent prophecies about the work in which we are engaged:

“There are tens of thousands of people in Europe being prepared. The great days of the harvest are ahead of us, not behind us.”

And we noted, that like Nephi's prophecy of Columbus, these modern prophecies will also be fulfilled by men and women - young missionaries of the Spain Barcelona Mission - within whom that same fire burns.

Hasta luego...

2011-01-11T21:46:00.000+01:00

It was transfer week again, and a somewhat unusual one - six amazing missionaries returned home in addition to the incredible Belnaps - and not one of the missionaries scheduled to arrive has actually received a visa yet!

As has been the custom for many years, we went to Plaza Catalunya on Tuesday night with the outgoing missionaries where we sang hymns with other missionaries and members and made contacts.

As always, this was a bitter-sweet event for everyone. We will miss these wonderful elders and hermanas, and we will struggle to survive without the Belnaps (who will clean the pisos, move the furniture, maintain the cars, prepare the mission history, and feed the five thousand?). ¡Hasta luego!

A Year of Miracles

2011-01-04T21:11:00.000+01:00

2010 was a wonderful, miracle-filled year in the Spain Barcelona Mission! With the combination of visa delays for U.S. missionaries, the change in mission boundaries, and the reduction in complement of missionaries, we dropped as low as 78 missionaries at one point in the year (compared to 120 in July 2009). Overall, we averaged only 48 companionships during 2010, down from an average of 60 in 2009. But even with this very reduced complement of missionaries, the Lord blessed us with 336 wonderful new converts during the year - a significant increase in convert baptisms per companionship from prior years. Photos of a few of these miracles are shown below.

We are grateful for the faith, dedication, and hard work of our wonderful missionaries. They worked through the hot, humid days of summer, the cold rains (and snow) of winter, they worked through rejection and disappointment, they kept themselves worthy and demonstrated their faith through obedience, and they were blessed! Thank you for your continued prayers on behalf of the many people in Spain searching for the truth!

Holiday Arrival

2010-12-28T17:48:00.000+01:00

Hna. Kline received her visa in December, traveled to Madrid, and was able to complete her paperwork there. She arrived in Barcelona on the 27th where she was met at the train station by Pte. and Hna. Hinckley and Hnas. Snow, Stosich and Ruz.

From the station we made the traditional pilgramage to Montjuic where Hna. Kline and her new companion, Hna. Snow, posed with Hna. Hinckley:

From Montjuic it was off to the mission home for a brief orientation, then to her new assignment in Hospitalet. She was out working before the day was over!

A very warm welcome to the wonderful Hna. Kline!

Blanca Navidad

2010-12-26T20:13:00.000+01:00

On Christmas day we were surprised by carolers a the front door.: Elders Keller, Southwick, Corbitt and Hadley, along with our friend Archie from Barrio 2!

Then in the afternoon we drove down to Tarragona to attend a baptism service. Hno. Leal, whose wife has prayed fervently that he would someday accept the gospel, was baptized by his father-in-law. Elders Close and Benito had been working with him for several weeks, so it was a happy day for them, too!

A White Christmas!

Christmas Conference - Barcelona

2010-12-23T15:55:00.000+01:00

Finally, a few photos from the last and largest of the Christmas Conferences. The Zones of Barcelona, Baleares, Hospitalet and Lleida all met together in the Hospitalet Stake Center for a wonderful conference, with a meal again provided largely by the incredible Hna. Belnap.

Feeding the Five Thousand

Hermanas are awesome!

Los Hadley and Hna. Lund enjoying lunch!

Elder Hadley y los Thompson

Los Hinckley, los Ayudantes, y Joseph

Christmas Conference - Valencia

2010-12-19T16:46:00.001+01:00

On Thursday we packed the van back up with food, mail, supplies, and headed south for zone conference in Valencia.

In December the citrus groves are filled with ripe fruit, and fresh oranges and clementines are available in all the little produce shops.

Hnas. Nalbandyan and Roerig add music to the kitchen while Elder Belnap takes a break from cooking

As is our tradition, each district had 20 minutes to create a skit and 5 minutes to present their skit. We have some very talented missionaries...

Elder Anstensen ("Aladin") rides his flying carpet - thanks to Elders Bowers and Monks

Each missionary brought a gift (something white) for the gift exchange. After choosing a gift, all missionaries opened their package at the same time shared their newly-acquired prizes!

Hna. Hinckley enjoys the gifts!

But more than fun, we had a wonderful, spiriutally uplifting conference where we felt the true spirit of Christmas!

The Valencia Zone - Christmas 2010 - ¡Bones Festes!