Hinckley Conference

Elder Richard G. Hinckley of the First Quorum of the Seventy completed a tour of the mission this week. Yes, he is Pte. Hinckley's brother, but he was assigned by Pres. Packer to tour the mission as part of a European trip to visit the MTCs and tour missions.

He began his tour in Paris and was scheduled to fly from Paris to Barcelona, but the Icelandic volcano changed those plans. After scrambling for 24 hours to find a way to get from Paris to Barcelona, we finally determined that automobile was the only option. So, with the blessing of the Area Presidency, Pres. and Sister Staheli (of the France Paris Mission) left Paris with the Hinckleys in their car and headed south, while we got in our car and headed north. We connected in the little town of La Canourge somewhere in central France, traded passengers, and headed home!

Elder and Sister Hinckley with Pres. Staheli in La Canourgue

 Hna. Hinckley with Elder and Sister Hinckley in La Canourgue

We arrived back in Barcelona late Saturday night. Sunday night Elder Hinckley was the featured speaker at a fireside for investigators and new members, and spoke to a packed stake center. Monday and Tuesday were zone conferences (Barcelona, Hospitalet, and Palma combined on Monday, and Valencia and Elche combined on Tuesday).

The conferences were wonderful and we all came away with many questions answered and many new ideas to be more effective in helping others develop faith and repent so that they can be baptized, receive the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end!

Wednesday the Hinckleys boarded the AVE (high speed train) for Madrid to spend some time with the Madrid MTC before (successfully) flying to England.