Introducing 15 long-awaited missionaries from the U.S.

Por fin!  This has been the week we've been waiting for!  We received 7 missionaries on Wednesday, 6 on Thursday and 2 on Saturday.  We also had District Leader training last week, and lots of baptisms.  

Elder Jackson and Elder Rodriguez in Sevilla

 

 

 

Hermana Yardley and Hermana Lovell in Dos Hermanas with a new Hermano

 

 

 

 

District Leader Training (Dignified)

 

January 2013

 

 

 

 Ok parents, this is for you:  from left to right:  Elders Wright, Gibson, Gomez, Walton, Hunt, Berrett, Peterson, Brown, Hafen, Berrett, Hermana and President Deere, Elders Triana, Mockler, Tudela, Aviles, Mambo, Valenzuela, Keller, Mendoza Romo, Roa, Crespo and Bird

District Leader Training (Undignified)  January 2013





 I don't know any of these people.

 

Now for our new missionaries! 

Trip to Airport #1

Meet the Castillos, who will be serving in Fuengirola.  We are so happy to finally have them here!

 

 



 Elder Tirrell will serve in Utrera with Elder Barbosa

 

 

 

 Elder Walker will serve with Elder Geest in Sevilla

 

 

 Elder Warburton will serve in Alcala with Elder Mendoza

 

 

 Hermana Stark will serve with Hermana Roderick in Cadiz.

 

 Elder Flint will serve in Valdepenas with Elder Butler.

 

The whole group:  back row, left to right:  Elders Tirrell, Barbosa, Mendoza, Warburton, Walker, Geest, Butler and Flint. 
Front row:  President and Hermana Deere, Hermana Stark, Roderick and Vasquez.

 Trip to the Airport #2

Elder Crapo is in the back.  Front row:  Hermanas Ramsey, Poulton, Wilcox, Greenwood and Johns. 

 Elder Crapo is off to serve in Torrevieja with Elder Neira

 

 Hermana Greenwood will serve with Hermana Lovell in....

Fuengirola!  Yep, that's right--we have Hermanas in Fuengirola.

 

 Hermana Poulton will serve with Hermana Leon in Badajoz

 

 Hermana Johns will serve in Granada with Hermana Cano

 

 

 Hermana Ramsay will serve with Hermana Yardley in Dos Hermanas

 

 

 Hermana Wilcox will serve in Malaga with Hermana Moreno

 

 

Trip to the Airport #3

 

No announcements yet because they haven't been assigned, but Elder Oldroyd and Elder Lish are ready to go as soon as they get their residency paperwork done in Fuengirola on Tuesday.   

 



 Whew!  We are so thrilled to have these new missionaries here with us.  Some have been waiting to get to Spain for more than 4 months.  We still have 11 awaiting their visas, but we hope that all of them will be here soon.   Elders and Sisters, love them and welcome them into our mission.  

We will see you this week or next with Elder Teixeira!  Have a great week!  Love, Hermana Deere

Our first Visa Waiter Arrived!

Big news!  The dam has broken, so to speak, and Hermana Hodson, who we met in the MTC in Provo in June, is finally here.  We have 15 more missionaries coming this week from the United States, and we expect Visa issues to be less troublesome in the future.  President Deere and I are excited, and trying to figure out who goes where and when.  It's a complicated puzzle!
 

As always, baptisms first:

Elder Berrett and Elder Chumbipuma

 

 

Elder Hafen and Elder Peroni in Malaga 2

 

 

Elder Gochez and Elder Jones in Sevilla

 

 

Elder Peroni and Elder Hafen again in Malaga 2

 

 

Elder Salmeron and Elder Dangerfield

 

Zone Training Meeting in Sevilla.  From left to right, Elder Rodriguez, Elder Leon, Elder Tudela, Elder Mendoza (standing), Elder Tenney, Elder Gomez, Hermana Lovell, Hermana Yardley, Elder Jackson (standing), and Elder Barbosa. 

 



Elder Dangerfield and Elder Salmeron at work in the kitchen...

 

 

 

Another fun preparation day in Murcia

 

 

 

Introducing Hermana Hodson!  She comes to us from Utah, and we met her along with Hermana Lovell and Elder Butler in the MTC in Provo in June.   She has been serving in a Salt Lake mission while awaiting her visa, and we couldn't be happier to have her finally with us.  She has been assigned to serve in Malaga 3 with Hermana Petru and Hermana Nelson.  Welcome Hermana Hodson!

 

 

 

 Elders and Sisters, this week will be crazy.  But it's a good crazy, right?  We have missionaries arriving on 3 separate days, and they are traveling directly here from the U.S. without stopping in Madrid.  As our new missionaries arrive in their areas, love them, get to know them, and welcome them to the best mission in the world.    They have waited a long time to get here, and may be a little shell-shocked from jet lag and a new culture.  Many of you will be in groups of 3 for a short time, and you may not have a lot of notice before you need to move to a new area. 

Watch for your travel plans to arrive from Elder Mockler, and be patient! Love, Hermana Deere

 

 

 

Many baptisms and an Awkward Birthday Party

 

 Elder Estrada and Elder Hooper (not pictured) in Granada

 Elder Geest and Barahona with a mother and her two sons

 

 

 

Elder Geest and Barahona in Malaga 1

 

 Elder Hooper and Elder Estrada in Granada again

 

 

 

 

Elder Jackson and Elder Rodriguez in Sevilla

 



Hermanas Nelson and Petru in Malaga 3

 

 Elders Rojas and Jones in Alcazar

 

 

 

Elder Seeley and Elder McGarry in San Fernando

 

Here are Hermanas Martin and Brimhall, and Elders Berrett and Chumbipuma demonstrating one of our goals for 2013:  Bautizamos y Rescatamos!  

Concilio

8 January 2012 (Dignified)

From left to right:  Elders Peterson, Jones, Gochez, Jackson, Barahona, Geest, Hooper, Estrada, Seely, Rodriguez, Mora, Berrett, McGarry, Mockler, Salmeron, Dangerfield, Valenzuela, Rodriguez and President Deere

 

 

Concilio

8 January 2012 (Undignified)

 

 

Annie's 17th Birthday was the same night as Zone Leader Council, so we had an Awkward Birthday Party with 18 appropriately uncomfortable handshakes!  

 

Elders and Hermanas, the holidays are finally over, and here we go on 2013.  We are excited for what this year will bring:  miracles, baptisms, real growth, and many more missionaries.  Get ready Spain Malaga Mission--the wave is coming!  Have a great week--Love, Hermana Deere

 

Fasting for Matthew Peters

Saturday, 5 January 2013

Friends and Family of the Spain Malaga Mission:

Today and tomorrow we are fasting and praying for Matthew Peters, the little brother of our own Elder Chad Peters.  He was diagnosed with cancer in September, and as of a few days ago is back in the hospital with severe pain.  He is 16 years old.   Below is a sweet picture from the blog his sister is writing about his difficult journey.  It's Matthew, or "T" as they call him, holding onto Elder Peter's nametag with a note on the back.

It says this, in part:

APRIL 2014  I love you...

...hold onto me tight :)

Please join us in praying for Matthew and his family.


More recent baptisms:

 Elder Tudela and Elder Leon in  Cordoba

 

 

 

Hermanas Nelson and Petru in Malaga 3

 

 

 

In Malaga, with Hermanas Petru and Nelson pictured with Elders Geest and Barahona

 

 

Remember this guy?  Elder Peterson and his family were back in Spain in late December.  They are from our home stake in Alpine, Utah.  It was great to see our friends the Petersons!

 

 

One of the things Hermana Stevens fills her time with is teaching local youth how to play the piano.  Here she is pictured with her piano students after their recital.  In front are Cesar and Emily.  In back, next to Hermana Stevens is Jesus, Luis and Andy.  These kids play for Sacrament Meeting in the Fuengirola Ward and they are great! 

 

 

 

Hermana Castillo and Hermana Leon with their Mexican friend!

 

 

Hermanas Meldrum and Torres at Christmas

 

 

 

 

Another p-day in Murcia!

 

 

And last but not least, Elders Escribir and Leer.  We love them even if they do have a map of South America on their wall. 

 

 

Elders and Hermanas, 2012 was a wonderful year for our mission.  Thank you for your diligence and hard work.    Thank you for helping us make this huge transition in our personal lives, and helping the transition in the mission go so smoothly.  We loved you and felt loved by you right away, and that grows every week.  We love our missionaries!  I just wish I could see you as often as President Deere does.  Have a wonderful week! 

Love, Hermana Deere