Mini CCM in Palma

We held the 4th of five "mini-CCM" training sessions on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Having held a mini-CCM in Vitoria, Barcelona, and Hospitalet, this week it was time for the Baleares Zone in Palma.

Elders Bennington, Cannell, Jacinto, Sommerfeldt, Rhead, Bajana

Elder Thompson, Hna. Thompson, Elders Bowers and Greep

Celebrating Elder Thompson's birthday!

Packing up after the meeting

Elder and Hna. Thompson put together a sandwich bar for lunch!

Mission Tour

Mission tours are life changing events for missionaries, and our recent tour was no exception. Elder Jose A. Teixeira of the 1st Quorum of the Seventy came with Sister Teixeira and met will every missionary in three special zone conferences.

The tour began in Bilbao, where the Vitoria Zone gathered in the Bilbao chapel. The Hinckleys and the Teixeiras arrived on Tuesday night, and we had a wonderful conference on Wednesday.

Sisters from the Bilbao Ward - who provided us with a wonderful lunch - pose with the Teixeiras and Hinckleys

Following the conference in Bilbao, we flew to Barcelona, arriving at the mission home late Wednesday night. We met with the combined Barcelona, Hospitalet, and Baleares Zones on Thursday in the Hospitalet Stake Center. It was a great conference with 67 missionaries in attendance!

Sister Belnap was aided by Carolina in preparing lunch for the three combined zones in Barcelona. Elder Saldaña (in the back) and Elder Parry joined them in the kitchen.

Elders Plaskett, Greep, Knudson, Hughes, Bowers, and Ryser enjoy lunch in the Hospitalet Stake Center

Sister Teixeira joins Hnas. Snow and Henderson for a photo while enjoying dessert

At the conclusion of the conference in Barcelona, we got in the car and drove south to Valencia, arriving around 8:30 p.m. We checked in at the hotel and had time for a short stroll around town and a quick supper. Friday morning we met with the Valencia Zone for the last meeting of the mission tour. It as another great conference filled with wonderful instruction from the Teixeiras.

Members in Valencia provided us with a special treat!

A special thanks to Elder and Sister Teixeira for their inspired instruction and counsel, and the great spirit which they brought to the mission!

Bilbao missionaries make the news

Wednesday morning as we were about to begin zone conference in Bilbao, a member of the ward brought to us a copy of last Sunday's newspaper with a major article featuring our four missionaries in Bilbao:

http://www.deia.com/2010/10/31/bizkaia/bilbao/misioneros-callejeros

In the print edition, this photo covered a half-page! Elder Ramirez and Elder Awerkamp are standing at the entry to the chapel; Hna. Ruz and Hna. Bennion are talking to a investigator.

It is a great article, very positive, with wonderful quotes from the missionaries. We are very proud of these great missionaries!

Mission Tour

This week we are excited to have a mission tour by Elder José A. Teixeira of the 1st Quorum of the Seventy and 2nd counselor in the Europe Area Presidency. We begin on Wednesday in Bilbao, then Thursday in Barcelona, and Friday in Valencia.
We look forward to a great spiritual feast!

More Interviews

The Vitoria Zone (with an unknown passer-by) poses on the chapel steps in Bilbao

Falleras

After arriving in Valencia in the evening, we walked out to get light supper and ran into what appeared to be family event of some type, with the family members all in full traditional dress!

These $10,000 dresses never cease to amaze!

Miracle in Valencia

Missionaries in the Spain Barcelona Mission claim that investigators just fall out of the sky...

As we finished up interviews in Valencia on Friday, Sergio came over to the chapel and meet us. We had heard about him from some of the missionaries.

Elders Greenburg and Shields, both in the country just two weeks, were working together while their companions were out of town on mission business. In spite of their very limited Spanish and very limited experience, they were doing very well, but did miss the bus and found themselves standing at the bus stop for longer than they had planned. As they were waiting, a little disappointed that they had not planned properly, Sergio saw them and came running. He had met a member of the Church over the Internet, had been learning from her (she is in Trujillo, Peru!), and knew enough that he wanted to be baptized but didn't know where to find missionaries! So he was thrilled to see two elders standing at the bus stop!

When their companions returned, Elders Greenburg and Shields excitedly told them about their new contact. Although their Spanish was limited, they were pretty sure they had an appointment to teach Sergio and they were pretty sure he said he wanted to be baptized. They were right on both counts!

Elders Nye, Ames, Shields and Montoya with Sergio in Valencia

Sergio is currently studying at the University and, with two weeks in the Church, preparing for a mission. Every convert is a miracle!