Consejo with Elder Causse

After two wonderful days of Zone Conferences we enjoyed another spiritual feast with Elder Causse at our Zone Leader Counsel. Here we are enjoying our actual feast of Hawaiian Haystacks. All seemed to be enjoying the lunch. It was the first time for Elder Causse to experience them. He enjoyed them. For our Zone Conferences I made my mom's french vegetable soup with a great salad and french lemon cake. The best thing Elder Causse said to me was, "The food was great, it was a French Lunch." Wow, that made me feel great.

Elder Corbridge is trying to make us think he is asleep. I don't think he has fooled Elder Griffiths or Elder Cairns. Elder Moore isn't impressed.

Such a wonderful man to have in our home. We had such a special 3 days with this dear man. These men who are called to full time service serve as great examples of people living close to the spirit. His spirit filled the home with love.

Such a great looking group of leaders. The meeting was memorable and enlightening. We took Elder Causse to the airport shortly after our consejo. We would have loved to keep him longer, but grateful for all the wonderful teachings and leadership he brought to our mission. He had many wonderful things to say about our missionaries. We love them all and so happy that Elder Causse felt of their wonderful spirits too. A great few days in the Spain Bilbao Mission.

Incredible Visit with Elder Causse

This week has been incredible with the wonderful visit of Elder Causse from our Area Presidency. He brought so much to our mission in the way of teaching, testifying and love. We will remember his visit forever. This picture is with the Vitoria and Bilbao Zones. It was fun to gather half the mission to be together.

Elder Leon with Hna Moraza and Sanchez were all smiles after the Zone Conference.

Elder Farnsworth seems to be enjoying his apple. Hna Johns looks happy too. Elder Nye is giving us the thumbs up in the corner. All have enjoyed their spiritual feast with Elder Causse

Elder Nye is all over the place. Elders Anderson and Strickland seem happy too. At the end of the Zone Conference we gave everyone an apple and a package of M &M's. Just a little treat to end what was a wonderful day. The apple so they would eat something healthy, and the m & m's to remind them that they are "Missionaries to Match the Message." Elder Causse taught us so much. He made us all want to do better.

Elder Fowers is just happy to be here.

Elder Crocker is getting a little one on one with Elder Causse. This wonderful man was so willing to spend time with every missionary. As we entered the room at the beginning of each conference he wanted to shake the hand of every missionary and speak with them. Every missionary was beaming as they spoke with him.

Now we are at the combined conference with the Leon Zone and the Vigo Zone. We all met in Gijon. It was just as wonderful as the other conference the day before. Here Elder McClanahan is enjoying his lunch.

Elder Causse is enjoying his lunch while talking to the Hermana's. Hna Sandoval is letting us know all is great. The sisters sure look intent on what Elder Causse is saying.

More Elders enjoying lunch. The special numbers for the conferences were great. In Vitoria Elder Ashby and Hna Rudder sang a duet while Elder Woods played the piano. In Gijon, Elders Driggs and Aston played the piano.

The Presidente is making sure everyone got enough food.

We still had birthday time. And no, don't write me about Elder Ciccio's eye. He does that every so often to try to scare me. He's fine.

Elder Bingham looks great. He will be leaving us soon which seems hard to believe.

Elder Castellon and Hna Calderon pose together.

At the end of both Conferences Elder Causse played "Come Come Ye Saints" on the piano. He is a very accomplished pianist. It was such a wonderful ending to each day of Zone Conference. We loved gathering together in bigger groups. It seemed to make the days even more special. But truly the best part of each conference was to know we had been taught by a wonderful man of God. He will influence our already great mission for months to come. Merci for your wonderful visit Elder Causse.

Santiago District Conference

At one of the farthest points west is the Faro Cabo de Villano. This is a lighthouse on the northwestern tip of Spain by the charming town of Camarinas. We actually went out there about 2 months ago. It is about a 1 1/2 hour drive from Santiago. Absolutely breathtaking and the color from my photograph didn't transfer well. We waved to New York and returned to Santiago.

This is a small snapshot of this tiny seaport town. This is where much of the handmade lace of Spain comes from. Very beautiful things are made here. A beautiful evening was enjoyed.

The picturesque Galician seaport with their colorful boats. It was a very tranquil night as the sun was setting.

Here are the real "Faros" of Galicia. The choir for the district conference was from the A Coruna Rama. They sang with much spirit and love. They set a wonderful tone for the conference.

We met in the Melia Araguany Hotel and it was a great conference. Elder Camargo, our Area Seventy was presiding and he was wonderful. You can tell from the smiles of Elders Ryser and Driggs, they enjoyed it too.

So fun to go to the District Conference and see friends that we have made while visiting the Rama's. This wonderful young women is Katherin and she speaks absolutely perfect English. She has lived in the states for a few years. (Is that right Katherin?) She is adorable and don't you love her glasses!!

The Hughes Family lives in Ferrol. They are an American family working in Spain. They are John and Kadee Hughes and their darling boys Ian, Jack and little Eva (due soon). Doesn't every kid love the mike?

Elders Hansen and Garcia and either a member or investigator, I didn't find out for sure. They are in Pontevedra doing incredible missionary work.

Members from A Coruna meet up with Elder Webb who used to serve there. That is one happy part of District Conferences to renew old friendships. And don't you love the little girl on the lower right. She was mugging big time for the camera. These are all wonderful people with incredible stories. Irelis, the second from the left is really smiling. Her husband was baptized last week and then he baptized his daughter the next day. Their older daughter Wendy was baptized in August and now they have the goal to go to the temple in a year. Fantastic!

Papa Webb with his son, Elder Ryser. I guess these terms of endearment are universal. Elder Ryser is one of our newest missionaries but he doesn't act like one. Elder Webb reports he is incredible in his language and teaching skills. We need those kind of missionaries here.

Angels among us!

Elders Kofe and Oscanoa ham it up a bit. They are loving life in Ourense. They get to live with Elder Webb and Ryser, never a dull moment.

This is Tairi Bamio who's father is the mission leader in Vigo. She is so fun. She speaks fluent English, German and of course, Spanish. She is studying to be a translator. I think I am going to hire her.

Elders Nestvogel and Sayaz are doing great in Santiago. Elder Nestvogel is our linguistic missionary. Of course perfect German, Spanish and English. Wow, such talent that the church does need. These are two hard working Elders in a city that needs them. Elder Sayaz has been a Zone leader and currently is the District Leader. Go Elders!

The children of Spain are adorable as evidenced by this little smattering of kids. And just like home, when the meeting is over, the shirttails come out and the kids are on the run.

I finally met the famous Iago from Vigo and his lovely wife Carina. They are the future of the church in Spain.

Camilla, my darling friend Camilla from Pontevedra. She lived in Salt Lake and she talks like she lived in Salt Lake. I am so amazed when they speak another language without any hint of an accent. She is dedicated to the work in Spain, although she longs to go back to Salt Lake. She will.

Finally, Elder Jackson seems to be saying "Take me to you leader." I think Elder Stevens needs to take him home to Ferrol. They had a baptism this past week and have been working hard to get all the details worked out and make it a wonderful experience for all. A great conference and a wonderful time to renew and refresh our friendships and our spirits. Now it is on to another week of missionary work, that's what we do!

From Burgos to Vigo

We needed to go to Santiago for the weekend District Conference but on the way we made two stops. The first was in Burgos to visit with our two Hna's there. These two, Hna Moraza and Hna Sanchez are such darling hard working missionaries. They are both native Spaniards and they love being companions. They are working very hard with the rama in Burgos and hoping that through these efforts they can serve the members better and realize referrals and investigators to teach. Their beautiful dark hair is such a contrast to mine, yet our love for them and our unity in purpose to spread the gospel is firm. We left feeling up lifted by them and excited to watch their progress.

We arrived in Vigo at night, and I had was able to meet with the Hna's and go with them on a lesson. The Presidente had district business. The next day was the missionary correlation meeting with Bro. Bamio, the newly called branch mission leader. We were thrilled that we could attend the meeting and share in the planning part of the work. This is so important in getting the members and the missionaries unified and informed as to what is going on in the field. Bro. Bamio is fantastic. He just arrived a few months ago from Venezuela. He is here with his 3 children and his wife, who is a psychiatrist will join them when he has secure employment in Spain. They felt a need to leave Venezuela and we are so fortunate to have them here. He was in a Stake Presidency there and is such an asset already.

Elder Johnstun sure has a happy smile. He should, he and his companion Elder Anderson have a baptism next week and are teaching many investigators. The work is really moving forward in Vigo. Looks like a happy Elder Dredge by his companion Elder Cairns in the corner. Those two are our Zone Leaders and loving life.

I think the Presidente has noticed something I didn't notice at first. Yes, look to your front left and see the matching photos. I will have to look closer to see what is written on the pictures of the planners of Elders Cairns and Dredge.

"Best Friends Forever" Wow, happy missionaries carry happy spirits don't they. Hey, what's in the corner, Dream Team? Wow, these two are tight!

So do missionaries who get tons of letters and a package as Hna Patten just received. She looks like she is saying "Thanks mom and dad and family and friends." She and Hna Abellan are new companions and they are working fabulously together. Hna Patten helps Hna Abellan with her English and Hna Abellan helps Hna Patten with her Spanish. They are great together and are navigating the hills of Vigo as if there are none.

We finished our missionary planning meeting and then decided to have lunch together at the Chinese Buffet. Those are very popular here and they can feed the missionaries without much expense. We left Vigo feeling great about the teamwork of the mission leader and the missionaries. A true spirit of teamwork and service was felt there, as we hope will be the case in all our wards and branches in the Spain Bilbao Mission. Next stop, Santiago for a 2 day district conference. Should be exciting and hopefully we will all feel the Lord's spirit in our meetings.

Trick or Treat or Pain

It was Halloween night in Spain and we were on our way to Leon for church the next day. We took the time after we arrived to go and walk around and see the Cathedral in Leon. It is a very old Cathedral and is under a hugh renovation that has been on going for years. It was originally built in the 1100's. It was night time and a very impressive site.

We took the Belnaps along so they could get to see a little bit of Spain. They loved going into the cathedral, their first one ever to see. Not a bad place to start.

It was a lovely fall night and we enjoyed our walk around the old city.

This was about all that we saw of Halloween decorations. We did see a few teenagers dressed up as we walked the streets of Leon. We had a wonderful day in church the next day. Great saints there. Sorry no pictures, hopefully when we have our District Conference in two weeks I can get a bunch of people in pictures then.

On Monday we ran over to San Sebastian to take my violin to Elder Howard. He is going to be playing a solo for Zone Conference when Elder Causse comes. We are all getting excited for next week. It is a busy week with two District Conferences wrapped around our mission tour. Here the Presidente found a red umbrella and thought it would be fun to open. Looks like Elder Crocker on the left thinks it is raining. Elders Blazian, Howard and Nielsen are just looking happy. Great looking Elders.

Today we had a dental emergency. Who do you call, well in this case, the Presidente. We called the ayudantes in the morning and found out that Elder Ashby didn't have a very good night. A bad toothache. So Presidente Clegg got to be Dr. Clegg for a moment or two. Just sit back and relax Elder Ashby, you are in good hands.

Poor Elder Ashby, he was in a lot of pain. It was determined to be an abscessed tooth and off the Presidente and the ayudantes went to get a dentist to open up the tooth. They found a good dentist real close to the office and he let Presidente Clegg sit in on the procedure. All was fixed and they returned to the office, numbed up, but feeling better.