Andorra Group to begin

Amado Familia y Amigos,

We are excited to announce that next week we are opening a new dependent group of the Andorra Branch in Andorra la Vella, the capital city of the country of Andorra.  We will be meeting at 10:30 am in Le Seu with our branch here and then travel into Andorra, to hold a dependent group meeting at 3:00.  Elder Fowers will preside at both.  It will make for really busy Sundays.  I know it sounds very confusing, because now we have the Andorra Branch (Le Seu d’Urgell) and the dependent Andorra Group (Andorra la Vella).  We are planning to publish our blogs on Saturdays if possible.

Elder Fowers’ chickens are enjoying the warmer weather.  For weeks now, we have been getting only two eggs per day, so Elder Fowers was plotted to try to figure out which one of his hens was shirking her duty because she was destined for the soup pot.  The other morning while out feeding, he spied the smallest hen coming around the corner of the building and went to investigate.  He found a nest hidden in some plastic tarps tucked in the corner of their yard by the coop. He found 7 eggs.  So, as Elder Fowers puts it,  “They are firing on all cylinders now!”

Elder Fowers counting his chickens...

We were on the road again this week traveling to a zone meeting in Zaragoza.  It is a 3½ drive and I volunteered to make the lunch to give them a break from their normal pizza lunch.  So we loaded the back of our little red Yaris with 10 lbs. of pulled pork, rice, coleslaw and 10 dozen cookies and headed out at 6 am on Wednesday morning.  Even though we spent much of our time in the kitchen, it is a great blessing to be in the mist of the young Elders and Hermanas.  They truly are His valiant warriors that he saved for the latter days and we love being with them.  We were able to sneak into the afternoon sessions and testimony meeting.  We also were blessed to have an interview with our beloved mission President Dayton.  He never fails to lift and encourage us in the work.

Home cooking...

Not a crumb leftover.

Happy Missionaries

I try to walk as much as I can now that the weather is getting warmer.  In fact, Europe in general has much more of a walking culture than the United States.  Often when Elder Fowers needs to stay at the church for some Branch President business, I will just walk home to the farmhouse, which is just a kilometer away.  I love the quiet walk in the countryside it calms my mind and spirit.

Winter sycamore trees in central plaza.

St. Antoni's Chapel on distant hill.

We have spoken often of our dear friends Cecilia and Aitor.  Cecilia joined the church as a child, but fell away during her teen years.  Her testimony was recently awakened when her younger sister made a decision to be baptized.  Even though her and Aitor have been together for 17 years, she had to great desire to be married in order to more fully keep her baptismal covenants.  So after months of paperwork and waiting, they were married yesterday by the local mayor of Canilo , Andorra in his chamber room.  After the ceremony we gathered in a mountain top hotel for a private celebration.  What a joyful occasion and a blessing to be included with their families to celebrate their wedding. Amid all the celebrating Elder Bromley with input from Elder Bown were able to teach one of Cecilia's co workers most of the first lesson.  Meanwhile Elder Fowers and I conversed the older folks trying to establish a friendship.  It is especially difficult for me to follow a fast paced conversation with my limited Spanish.  However we found many things in common with these seniors beyond our grey hair. At the end of the gathering, we were invited to their home to continue the conversation. We have learned that senior couples have an advantage over the younger missionaries when it come to the older generation.

Married!

Celebrating Happy Day

View from Mountaintop Restaurant

Top of the World

 We often hear it said of a younger missionary, that his first convert is himself.  As seniors, though we have long been converted, our testimonies deepen and ripen in knowledge and gratitude. It is a joy that is hard to contain.  My prayers are often expressions of gratitude…counting my blessings one by one.  Though the work is often challenging, my heart is full everyday with awareness of the amazing blessing of having known these truths since my childhood.   How blessed am I to understand God's plan for me and my family!  We send our love and gratitude for your love and support. 

Elder y Hermana Fowers