What we do for fun..

We Baptize:

Elder Bird and Elder Scheible in Sevilla 1.

Hermanas Cano and Johnson in Malaga 3.

Elders Mambo and Peters in Malaga 1.

Elders Mora and Gomez with 4 new converts in San Fernando 2.

Elder Pascua and Elder Jackson in Cartagena 3.

 

Elder Triana and Elder Woodford in Granada.

 

Hermanas Wilcox and Brimhall in Malaga 1.

 

We do fun p-days together: 

Hermanas Thompson, Martin, Johns and Israelsen on top of the Alicante castle on pday.

Alicante Zone P-day activity.  Back row from left to right:  Elders Dansie, Moran, Kiffe, Favero, Hermanas Israelsen, Thompson, Martin and Johns, Elders Roberts, Brewer, Vosters and Wiley.  Front row, Elders Lish, Ericson, Nunez, Mendoza, Gochez and Keller. 

 

 

We teach the gospel to all:

Elder Mora sharing the gospel with every creature on his p-day.  What a missionary!!!

And we look out for each other!

On Sunday, one of the Granada Hermanas was sick and they missed church. These thoughtful Elders delivered the Sacrament to the Hermanas' piso. Here are angelic Granada Elders Smith, Triana, Woodford and Nunez.   

One new sister and p-day fun

 Elders Lish and Moran in Elche 1

 

Elders Tenney and Crespo in Alcazar de San Juan

 



Elders Gomes and Olsen in Murcia 2.

 A new sister in Torrevieja with Elders Berry and Crapo and Hermanas Leon and Nelson.

 

 

Elder Adams and Ellsworth in Molina.

 

Elder Estrada and Elder Valenzuela in Fuengirola.

 



Hermana Reed arrived this week after waiting for her visa for a few weeks in Utah. 

 

Hermana Reed and Hermana Stark are headed to Cadiz.  When we were dropping them off at the train station, we realized that we had forgotten to take the traditional picture pointing to their city on the map.  No problem--they just pointed to Cadiz.  Welcome Hermana Reed!

 

 

Some of the fun things we get to do on p-days in our mission:

 

Hermanas Nielsen and Poulton at the Patio Festival in Cordoba.

 

 

Granada and Jaen missionaries at the gardens of the Alhambra in Granada.

 

 

Our son Justin and some friends from the ward went to a racetrack in Fuengirola to celebrate his 14th birthday.  From left to right are Jesus, Luismi, Seth, Andy, Danny, Michael, Justin, Andy and Danny.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Matthew Peters

Dear Missionaries, Friends and Families of the Spain Malaga Mission: 

Our Elder Peters lost his little brother to cancer on Saturday, 18 May, 2013.  Here is an excerpt from a blog his sister has published:

"Matthew left us today at 11:30. We took all of the tubes out of his throat so he was comfortable, and the doctors gave him a lot of Morphine and Atavan so he didn't feel any pain. After he was unplugged from everything, it only took him about ten minutes to let go. It was so peaceful, and he wasn't alone. He had my parents right there by his head whispering loving words, and he had me and Sakeri to hold his hand. I know that he went with the knowledge that his family loves him, and I know that there were angels in that room with us to take him to his eternal home. I also know that he'll always be with us in spirit, and that he'll be with Chad in Spain helping him with his mission. Watching him pass was the hardest thing I've ever had to do in my life, and I know it was probably a million times harder for my parents than it was for me. After he was gone though, I had such a feeling of peace. I know where he went, and knowing that is what gave me that warm feeling after he left. I can't even explain how that felt, but I can picture him with his Father in Heaven and all of the angels up there doing amazing things. I know he is happier than any of us can even imagine. After he left, Sakeri told me that now he can be with me constantly to torment me. Knowing Matthew, that is probably exactly what he'll be doing, and I welcome that. I also know that he'll be there when it is my parent's time, my time, Chad's and Hannah's time to bring us home.

Throughout this whole cancer experience, especially in this last week, we have been praying and praying for a miracle. I've been thinking a lot about how this miracle never came, but now I realize that Matthew was the miracle. His life was the biggest miracle I have ever witnessed. He constantly lived a righteous life, and he was so strong in his last months. It was amazing to watch him fit so much fun into the months since he was diagnosed. Even when he was really sick, he still made it to parties, volleyball games and the movie theatre. Every Sunday he was healthy enough to come to church, he would bless the Sacrament and carry out his other priesthood duties. He is our miracle.

I've also been thinking a lot about my mom today. I know this is the hardest thing she has ever had to go through, and I know it will take a long time to heal, but she got to spend really good quality time with him. She got to spend hours and hours with him ever day in the clinic during chemo therapy, she got to spend time with him when he was neutropenic, and in his last days she got to spend hours whispering her love into his ear. I know this is hard as a mother, but at least she got that. It amazes me about what an eternal perspective her and my dad are having on this as well. My dad tells me all the time that Matthew leaving us is going to make him work 100 times harder to live worthy so he can be with his son again. He knows that we will be with Matthew again, and that we will be so happy. So this is now our perspective. When Matthew first started fighting I made wristbands that said, "Fight for Matthew." That's what we always said, and wearing those bands gave us strength. Now that the fighting is over though, we need to live for Matthew. We need to live for him to honor his amazing memory and to be able to remember that families are eternal and we are sealed to him.

There will be a funeral this coming Friday for Matthew. We don't have details like place or time yet, but I will post that when it's finalized. If you decide to come to the funeral, I just ask you to wear bright colors. It's a sad time because he has left us, but we're celebrating his life, not mourning his death. As his sister, I know he would want this too.

Our family thanks everyone who has, and continues to love, support and pray for us.

Chad, be strong while you serve the Lord. We love you so much, and Matthew does too. He carried your tag with him everywhere he went, and I know he's going to tag along with you in Spain like he tagged along with you while you were home. I know you understand as well as all of us where he is now. Hold on to that. We love you.

 

As a mission, our hearts are heavy as we "mourn with those that mourn, and comfort those that stand in need of comfort."  Please keep our Elder Peters and his dear family in your prayers in the coming days. 

A little bit of everything

Hermanas Yardley and Johns in Granada.

Elders Pascua and Jackson in Cartagena 3.

 

 

 

 

Hermanas Yardley and Flake in Granada.

Hermanas Johnson and Cano in Malaga 3 with a little help from Elder Fowkes.

Elders Martinez and Hooper in Puerto Santa Maria.



Elder Warburton and Elder Mendoza at a wedding on Friday, which means...

 



A baptism on Saturday!  Wondering why Elders Warburton and Mendoza didn't dress up just a bit for the baptism?  At a service activity that afternoon, Elder Mendoza broke his hand, and after many hours getting treatment, they made it to the church just in time to see their investigators get baptized. 

 

Here's a really sweet photo from Elder Peters.  It's his little brother Matthew in the hospital in a brave fight with cancer, surrounded by his family and our own Elder Banbury. 

 

 

Elders Keller, Valenzuela, Mora and Mambo.  I think they love each other. 

 

 



Hermana Yardley (bottom) talking with her little brother serving in Nicaragua and her family at home.  I hope you all had a wonderful time seeing family on Mother's Day!

 

 

 

Zone Training Meeting in Cartagena. 

 

"This may was just laying there, taking a nap on the street.  Nice."  --Elder Bird.



Baptisms, Epic Concilio

Elder Bird and Gochez in Sevilla 1

Elder Dangerfield (sniff, sniff) and Elder Roberts in Alicante 1

Elders Easton and Johnson in Albacete.

Elders Flores and Webb in Jaen.

Elders Pardo and Bivens in Jerez.

Elders Richardson and Lucero in Algeciras.

Elders Adams and Roa in Molina.

Elders Ordonez, Rojas and Neira in San Lucar.

Elders Brown and Jackson in Cartagena 3.

Concilio, May 6-7, 2013

 We had an "epic" Concilio to mark the first Mission Leadership Council with our new Hermana Training Leaders, and to talk about lifting our mission to new heights. We hiked to the top of El Juanar, a mountain overlooking Marbella. 

Concilio, May 6-7

From left to right: Elder Pascua, Jackson, Keller, Mora, Triana, Peters, Mambo, Góchez, Scheible, Bird.  Starting over on front row from left to right: Hermanas Wilcox, Brimhall, Torres, Petru, Leon, Nelson, Hermana and Presidente Deere, Elder Woodford, Salmerón, Tenney, Valenzuela, Berrett, Butler, Gomez, Cortés, Crespo and Estrada.

 Welcome to Concilio Hermanas!!

Even though President Deere is one of the busiest guys around, if someone starts throwing a football, he´s IN!  Next to President Deere are Elders Jackson and Scheible, Woodford, Cortés, and I think that is Elder Bird smiling while shoving Elder Keller away by the neck. 

 Hail in Algeciras!

Hermanas in Jaen!  Hermana Hodson, Elder Webb, Hermana Anderson and Elder Flores.

Our missionaries are spiritual GIANTS!

They come in all shapes and sizes too..  Elder Brown, Nunez and Jackson.