Short and Sweet

Elders Rasmussen and Aviles in Albacete.

Malaga 1 with Elders Mercado and Patterson, and Hermanas Ramsay, Israelsen and Birnbaumer.

Hermanas Noriega and Reed with a  homemade Christmas tree.

No caption needed!

Big goals and a memorable Christmas concert

Elders Bastian and Adams in Sevilla 2.



Hermanas Chavez and Blake in San Fernando 1.



Hermanas Chavez and Blake again in San Fernando 1.



 

Elders Merchan and Pardo in Sevilla 1.

Missionaries working in the Granada Stake (Malaga and Granada Zones) had the great opportunity to sing with the Granada Woodwind Orchestra on December 14.  It was amazing.  There were about 535 people in attendance, and we think about 85% were not members of the church.  A big thanks to Elder and Hermana Castillo (who stepped in directing music!) and all the missionaries who participated.   

 



Granada Christmas Concert, December 14, 2013

Hermana Roan was the star with a beautiful solo.

This talented small group sang "Winter Wonderland". Left to right, Hermanas Cameron, Reed, Roan, Camacho, Lyons, Noriega, Ramsay and Israelsen.  elders Flint, Mercado, Rodriguez, Crapo, Turley, Sharp and Norton. 

My view from the front row.  I wish you could hear it!
 



The Granada Stake Center, filled to capacity.

 

 

 

Mission Leadership Council, 2 December 2013. 
Back in the olden days, we used to make a giant table in this room and all the Zone Leaders were seated around it.  Now, with 9 zones and 4 sets of Sister Training Leaders, we don't have room for that anymore.

At the Mission Leadership Council meeting, the Council set these lofty goals!



We also snuck a peek at Hermana Nelson's beautiful wedding pictures. We miss her!

A few Elders got to see too. 

All the senior missionaries in our mission got together in Ronda for a brief visit.  From left to right: elder and Sister Wiscombe (Alcazar de San Juan), Elder and Sister Castillo (Fuengirola), Elder and Sister Wilson (Alcala), Sister Chantrill (Fuengirola), Sister and President Deere, and Sister and Elder Todd (Rota military base).

Look who showed up at the mission home this week! Remember this guy?  Elder Wright (batman), and his Dad Kelly Wright. 



Christmas cheer in Valdepenas.

 

Christmas cheer in Sevilla 1.

Bowling in Malaga on a p-day.

And Christmas cheer in Alicante.  Their apartment looks more festive than the mission home!






We said goodbye this week to Elder and Sister Todd, our Military Relations Couple based in Rota, Spain.  They accomplished wonderful things in their 18 months with us, and we will always be friends.  Goodbye Todds!  We miss you!

 

Six missionaries finish and getting the Christmas Spirit



Elder Evans, on the left, Elder Thia and Elder Smith, in the middle and Elder Bivens is on the left with a family being baptized in Cartagena 3.



Elder Webb and Elder Peroni with a baptism in Motril.  Yes, he was baptized in the ocean!  So the Elders had permission to be on the beach and to perform the ordinance in the ocean, because Motril doesn't have a  baptismal font. 

Elders Nunez and Allen in Nerja.

Hermanas Vazquez, Anderson and Fumero in Sevilla 1.

Hermana Guerrero and Hermana Muse, with Elder Adams in Sevilla 2.

And here's Hermana Bangerter with Hermana Muse right before the baptism.

Hermanas Heaton and Brown in Valdepenas.

Elders Pena and Mardones with Sister and Elder Wiscombe in Alcazar.

Hermanas Camacho, Lovell and Lyons getting into the Christmas spirit in Jaen.

And our Molina Elders are feeling Christmassy too.

Hermanas Lovell, Lyons and Camacho over looking Jaen.

We sent home 6 great missionaries this week:

We miss them already:  Elder Hooper, Crespo, Barbosa, Bird, and Hermanas Hodson and Lovell. 

The missionaries like to take pictures of when someone "dies", or goes home, and they love to show the companion killing the missionary about to go home.  I normally don't post these "kill" pictures, and the missionaries have stopped sending them to me because they never get published, but this one was just too good.  Enjoy:

Rest in peace Elder Bird.

Thanksgiving in Spain

 

Hermanas Johns and Brown in Jerez.

Elders Smith, Lindley, Caceres and Rojas in Crevillente.  

A baptism in Lorca with Elders Melgarejo, Flores, Navarro and Whetten.

Elders Pomazon and Flint in Badajoz.



 



The missionaries in Badajoz organized, directed and starred in a miniature version of the play "My Turn on Earth".  It was a huge success!  Pictured are Elder Pomazon in the front and Hermanas Rawle and Wilcox in the back.

Elder Harman and Briki in Caceres.



This is the inside of La Mesquita, one of the great sights within our mission.  Thanks Hermana Greenwood in Cordoba for the photo!

Many of our missionaries celebrated Thanksgiving in Spain. 

 Hermana Flanders made her first pumpkin pies.

 Hermanas Greenwood and Hendricks ate a bit too much..

 Sevilla celebrated.

Missionaries in Alicante celebrated a week too early but they still had fun!

Warning:  all the remaining photos are from our Malaga Thanksgiving.  We don't love our Malaga missionaries more, we just were there with the camera!  I hope you can find your missionary in these.  Enjoy!

We had an epic turkey bowl on a wide sidewalk next to the Babel capilla in Malaga.  Here's one team huddling up.

Here's President Deere's team making plans (with a goal in mind..)

During a break in the action, President Deere talked to a passerby. 

They all still loved each other after the game.