11 Departing and a near disaster

Baptisms first:

Wow!  5 new members in Chiclana! Four of them are in the same family. Elders Tudela and Lignell pictured with them.

 

 

 

 

 

Elder Gochez and Elder Scheible in San Lucar

 

 

 

 

Hermanas Nelson and Letendre are at it again in Malaga 3.  Elder Lucero helping out.

 

 

 

 

Elders Mendoza and Thomas in Puertollano

 

 

 

 

Elders Pascua and Barahona

 

 

 

 

Elder Peters and Elder Hatch (remember him??)

 

 

We had trainer follow-up at the Mission Home last week.  From left to right:  Hnas Chavez, Woodward, Moreno, Cano, Torres, Deere, President Deere, Elders Peterson, Manning, Lucero, Forrest, Hales, Merchan, Sandelin, Berrett, Scheible, Gochez, Hafen, Adams, Pardo in front, Jones, Hooper, Leon in front, Kirkham with Rodgriguez in front, Elder Gomes with Elder Pena in front, and Elder Bird with Elder Chumpibuma in front.  Whew!  What a great group!

 

 

We got really excited about all the things we learned.  But way to go Hermana Chavez!  She's the newest missionary here but she's the only one off the ground!  (Elder Hafen is cheating).

 

 

 

Lunchtime in Cartegena.  Close table:  Hermana Torres, Elder Gibson, Hermana Moreno, Hna Chavez, Hna Woodward and Elder Merchan.

 

 

 

 

 

 Looks like p-day in Murcia.  Hermana Martin, Elder Rodriguez, Hna Torres, Elders Valenzuela, Lopez and the giant in front is Elder Brown. 

 

Fun p-day with Hnas Moreno and Chavez, and Elders Merchan, Long, Gibson and Elder Hales. 

 

 

 

 

So this is what happens when you're scheduled to go home the day after a Spain-wide transportation strike.  You come to the Mission Home a day early, and have to kill time.  Starting on the closer couch, Elder Lignell, Elder Velasco, Elder Barney, Elder Shrewsbury, Elder Hatch, Elder Bradley, Elder Crawford, Elder Pallas, Elder Biamont, Elder Taylor and Hermana Woodward.  It took Elder Pallas forever to guess he was Marie Osmond. 

 

 

 

 

 I even got into the action.  And no, this isn't normally what we do on your last day!

 

 

 

 

Elder Lignell tossed the football around.

 

 

 

Elder Hatch changed a few lightbulbs for me with the aid of Elder Bradley.  Thank you Elders!!

 

 

 

 

 

Finally the reunions happened:  Here's Elder Hatch at the airport with his parents. 

Hermana Woodward talked to her family through a glass wall for 30 minutes before they finally got to hug.  It wasn't how she imagined it would be, but...

 it all worked out in the end.  Pictured here with her Aunt, Mom and Sister.

 

 

 

 

Elder Crawford's parents finally found the Mission Home

 

 

Elder Barney's parents and sister tracked us down at the Malaga capilla

 

Goodbye Elders and Sister!  (sniff sniff)  We will miss you! 

 

Now about that near disaster...six Elders were flying home, and the office Elders were planning to pick them up at the Mission Home at 3:50 am to get them to the airport.  The morning of November 15 (Happy Birthday Elder Bradley), they were up and dressed and ready.  4 am came and no Elders.  President started calling all four phones in that piso.  No answer. 

 

At 4:10 am he woke me up, and with him in his basketball shorts and me in my pajamas, we packed up the Elders and drove down to the Elder's piso in Fuengirola to try to wake them up.  While we were driving down, Elder Manning miraculously woke up, and seeing he had 5 missed calls from President Deere, he called, thinking there must be some emergency.  This is how that conversation went:

 

"Hi President.  Did you call?"

 

"Hi Elder Manning. "  (Pause...)

 

"OH CR*P!!!!   OH MY GOODNESS!!!  OH NO!!!  OH MY GOSH OH MY GOSH OH MY GOSH...." 

 

 Here are the 6 Elders waiting in the streets of Fuengirola at 4:15 am:  Elder Taylor, Elder Biamont, Elder Pallas, Elder Lignell, Elder Shrewsbury and Elder Bradley. 

 

 

 



 

 And here are Elders Mockler and Elder Berrett.  Elder Nally was there too, and a moment later Elders Peterson and Manning came speeding around the corner in the van with all the Elder's belongings packed in it.  Everything worked out just fine--they made it to the airport in plenty of time. 

 



404!!!!

Elders and Sisters:

You did it!  404++ in 2012!  And it's only November 11th!   Your diligence, obedience and faith in the Lord have brought this great success.  We love you and are grateful to work alongside you.  There's never been a better time to serve in Spain!

 Here are a few "404" pictures, but we need many more! Missionaries, both past and present, families and friends of Spain Malaga Missionaries, send in your pictures!  Elders and Sisters, please identify your friends and family when you send them in.

 

Remember these guys???  Elder and Hermana Massaro's daughter Dorothy and grandson Sabatino are in the first 4.  Elder and Hermana Massaro and Max the dog are in the 0, and grandson Giovanni is in the second 4.  Thank you so much Elder and Sister Massaro for all you have done for the Spain Malaga Mission--we love you!

 

 

More celebrating from afar:  Hermana Woodward and Hermana Ross celebrating 404.  Thank you Hermanas--we love you!

 



Remember these people? Hermana Carter, Elder Hall and Hermana Woffinden celebrating our 2012 Goal with a candy house.  Congratulations to you three also!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear President  and Sister Deere and Malaga Mission,

Congratulations to the best mission in the world!!! A couple of years ago there is nobody that would have believed that this was possible. Through faith in the Lord and a lot of hard work the impossible was accomplished. What a milestone for the mission and for those great missionaries. How fun it has been to be a part of all of this!!! What a great time to be a missionary in Spain!! Never has there been a better one and never has there been more of an outpouring of the Spirit of the Lord on that wonderful nation. We live in great times, and there is no better time to be in the Lord's service than right now. Sister Clegg and I have celebrated in our own way by going to opening day up to Brighton. If there is anything that our picture says it is that we are honored to be a part of this great accomplishment and that we could not be more proud of each and every missionary.

We love you all,

President and Sister Clegg

P.S. The skiing was incredible. It was so good to be back on the boards!!!! YAHOO!!!

 

 

 

Meetings, Halloween and 2 Birthdays

Elders Long and Gibson in Cartegena 1.

 

 

 

 

Hermanas Woodward and Moreno in Cartegena 2 with a new sister.

 

 

 

 

Elder Pascua in front and Elder Barahona in the back, with a huge support group for a new young member in Huercal Overa.

 

 

 

 

Elders Mendoza and Thomas in Puertollano.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elders Rodriguez and Kirkham in Malaga 1.  This is Elder Rodriguez' first transfer! 

 

 

 

 

 

 





Elders Bird and Chumbipuma in Almeria.  This is also Elder Chumbipuma's first transfer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Zone Training Meeting in Murcia.  Elder Valenzuela, a visiting mini-missionary, Hermanas Woodward and Moreno, Elder Merchan, Rodriguez, Hales and Gibson. 

In front, Hermana Chavez and Elder Long. 

 

 

 

 Happy Halloween/District Meeting--Elders Mardones and Crawford, and Hermanas Vasquez and Leon.



 And here they are again:  Hermanas Leon and Vasquez, and Elders Crawford and Mardones.  Looks just like them!

 

 

 

Chicken foot on Halloween, by Elder Hafen

 

 

 

 

 

 

November Concilio was held on November 5th-6th.  Here's what that looks like:

 Elder Nally accompanying us for the Mission Hymn.  It's sooo much better with the piano!  Thanks for sticking with piano lessons Elder Nally!

 

 

Here we are singing the best Mission Hymn in the world.  I've taken videos of this several times but I can't upload it--so you'll just have to hum along in your head. 

 

 

Two of our missionaries had birthdays on November 5th:

 

Happy 49th Birthday President Deere!

 

And Elder Rencher turned 21--a real adult!

 

 

 

 

 

 

There is a LOT of grafitti in Spain, but this was just too perfect to walk by without taking a picture. Hermana Woodward (la rubia) y Hermana Moreno (la morena).  Perfect!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here's a beautiful picture taken in Malaga by Elder Nunez--we live in such a beautiful place. 

Remember Elders and Sisters, it's transfer week, and whether you're being transfered or not, it's time to clean your piso--Clean 'em up!!

 



Granada and a food reminder

 

Hermanas Cano and Torres in Granada.  This new sister was baptized by her son!

 

 

 

Elders Pallas and Mockler, along with Elders Jones and Pardo

 

 

 

 

Elders Keller and Thornley in Sevilla

 

 

Hermanas Letendre and Nelson in Malaga

 

 

 

 

 

This is canned bread. I don't know where they got it, and it doesn't look very good.  But it's a great reminder that it's time to eat/drink your emergency stash and replace it.  Please do this today if you haven't already!  

 

Por favor, beban y coman su agua y comestibles para las emergencias, y compren mas. Haganlo hoy si ya no lo han hecho. 

 

 

 

The sunrise from the Malaga 2 piso.  We live in such a beautiful place!

 

 

 

Elder Norton says, "Every door will be knocked". 

 

 

 

 

On our way back from attending church in Lorca, we got to spend some time with the missionaries in Granada.   Here are a few pictures from our preparation day adventures together.  We loved spending time with you seeing Granada for a few hours--thanks for sharing your day with us!

 

 

In the main Cathedral in Granada.  It is huge and beautiful!

 

 

That is the Alhambra in the background.  Back row:  Hermanas Cano and Torres, Annie, Hermana Deere, Elders Card and Banbury.  Front row:  Elder Pearce, President Deere, Justin and Elder Estrada.

 

 

It is so hard to get a picture of the Alhambra that does it justice, but here it is again, as seen from the Arab Quarter. 

 

 

Have a great week Elders y Hermanas!  Love, Hermana Deere

 

 

 

 

One new Hermana and a little explanation

 

Happy Preparation day Elders y Hermanas! Baptisms first, as always:

 

 

 

In Jerez, Elders Cooper, Bradley, Biamont and Woodford

 

 



 

Elder Geest helping out Hermanas Letendre and Nelson in Malaga

 

 

 



 

And here they are again!



 

This new brother was taught by Elders Barahona and Pascua, and moved to Almeria just before he was baptized.  Pictured with the very happy Hermanas Petru and Brimhall. 

 

 

Have you ever wondered why I never put the names of our investigators in the blog?  There is a reason!  In our training at the Mission President Seminar in June 2012 , we were told that if we do a blog, to be very careful not to put too much information on it.  They specifically told that we can include names of missionaries (since they send the pictures in the first place), but we shouldn't identify new converts or other members by name.

 

So, parents and friends at home, please know that we know their names, and we love them and care for them, but for privacy reasons, we never refer to our new brothers and sisters by name in the blog.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

Welcome to our newest missionary!  Hermana Chavez arrived in Cartagena this week.  She will be trained by Hermana Moreno, with a little help from Hermana Woodward before she passes on...    Pictured from left to right, Hermanas Woodward, Chavez, Moreno, Presidente Deere (and two guys on the train). 

Welcome Hermana Chavez!

 

 

 

 

 

 Our lovely lunching Granada Hermanas:  Hermana Petru, Brimhall, Leon, Cano, Vasquez and Torres. 

 

 

 

 

 



 A 3-generation family picture:  Hermana Vasquez trained Hermana Torres, who is training Hermana Cano. 

Elders Long and Hales enjoying the beauty of the earth! 



Murcia Zone Conference

 

 

 

 

And here they are again having lunch after the meeting.

 

We love you Elders and Hermanas.  Have a great week!