Couples and Cathedrals

Hola Familia y Amigos,

Sorry we are late in publishing this week.  Our Sundays now are filled with meetings.  We meet in the morning in Le Seu with the branch for three hours then we go to Andorra in the afternoon and meet with the new group.  Sunday we left for our first meeting at 10:30 am and returned to the farmhouse after 6:30 p.m.  Yesterday I spoke twice and taught a seminary lesson. So our mission blog will likely get pushed to Monday most of the time.

I suppose this week could be called “Cathedrals and Churches”.  We saw some amazing ancient structures, which I will talk about later.   It has been decided to move the missionaries out of La Seu d’Urgell and relocate them in Andorra.  This is only a 15-mile move but it is into another country. So Monday and Tuesday was spent scouring Andorra for a new piso (apartment) for the missionaries. We visited 9 rental agencies, viewed 3 places and settled on a very nice apartment in Encamp, a small city just north of the capital city, Andorra La Vella.  Now the mission office and the area office in Germany will finish the contract.  However, Andorra is a unique little country about the size of Cache valley and has been in existence since 900 AD.  One might say they are very set in their ways and pass laws to their advantage.  They will not rent to a non-citizen without forming an Andorran non-profit corporation and the banks take huge commissions on out-of-country funds.  However, I believe we will get it worked out.  The Lords wants the church back in Andorra, so doors will be opened. That I know.

On the way home, after our search in Andorra, we crossed the river and took the winding switchback road 10 kilometers to the mountain-top to the little village of Fontenada.  At the top, we explored yet another old chapel build in the 1200’s . The view from the chapel is breathtaking overlooking miles of the Pyrenees Mountains all around.

Yesterday, was historic for our little branch.  We officially opened the group in Andorra and held our first sacrament meeting and Sunday School class in that country in 10 years.  The church can now add another country to the list of nations that have opened their borders to the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.  We only had three members, two missionaries and Sister Fowers and myself in attendance for the first meeting.  We met in a conference room in Hotel Centric located downtown Andorra la Vella, the capital city of Andorra.  The spirit was strong and members rejoiced in taking the sacrament after a 10 years absense.  I felt that this humble beginning will grow and grow as we move forward.  The missionaries are having much better reception.  Already this week they found three or four new investigators that are willing to listen to their message.

Amazing Mountain-top View

Sant Miguel de Fontenada Church

Up close and Personal with Antiquity

On Thursday we drove to the mission home in Barcelona for a Married Missionary Couples Conference. This mission only has 6 senior couples.  However there are 3 couples leaving and 3 joining us so we were all together this week for the conference.  Our gathering is much different from the missionary conferences.  We did have some instruction, then off touring the sights and getting to know everyone.  We had connections to two of the new couples. The Barretts have Hooper roots. Sister Barrett is the sister of Mike Venable that lives in the 3^rd Ward.  Our grandfathers served in the Hooper Ward Bishopric together for 25 years.  The Nelsons are from Visalia, California and we have many friends in common.  The church is a small world sometimes.

Married Missionary Couples with new aprons.

Enjoying Fellowship with Married Missionaries in Mission Home

We first toured the monastery of Montserret Abby/Monestary which is located on a steep rocky mountain-side.  Build over 1,000 years ago, it has endured the invasion and burning of Napoleon, Spanish civil war another among other invaders.  It was stunning inside and out.  Unfortunately clouds and fog blocked some of the view below.  It is difficult for me to understand just how these ancient architects and builders with primitive tools seemingly defy gravity constructing such immense buildings precariously “glued” to the side of  solid rock mountains .

Montserret clinging to the rock cliffs.

Montserret Cathedral

Magnificent Carvings of Twelve Apostles

Missionaries Standing in Awe

Couples awaiting the boys choir performance.

Central Nave in Montserret

Mountain Mist

Friday evening we dined at a notable Italian restaurant in Barcelona.  One of the seniors, Elder Rohde helped with his Italian.  He was one of the first 6 missionaries to open Italy in 1964.  He will have a front row seat to the Rome Italy Temple dedication next year.   He has some great mission stories.  After the meal we walked to the water show down on the promenade.  This was constructed for the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.  The big building background is a museum.  Water flows from the steps of the building downward to the main fountain then on to secondary fountains covering about 4 blocks.  The fountains rise and drop to synchronized music and a variety of colors.  The pictures do not capture the visual spectacle that happens every night.

Barcelona Water Show

Saturday morning we drove to Girona , an ancient city some distance from Barcelona where we toured the Cathedral de Girona and the Basilica de Sant Felix.  The ornate workmanship defies description and the pictures don’t do it justice.

Cathedral de Girona with other Seniors

Basilica de Sant Felix

Magnificent!

Girona Tranquility

We loved the city with a quiet river gliding down the center of the old city.  We continue to be in awe of the cultural history of Spain, but even more so, we delighted to rub shoulders with these remarkable Married Couples that have left their lives of ease behind, launching themselves out of the “lazy-boy” and into the unknown.  We returned to our little corner of Spain, lifted and revitalized ready to continue to do what we can to build the kingdom.

Elder and Hermana Fowers