Continuing to Gather His Chicks...

Amado Familia y Amigos,

Last night at 11:00 pm we attended a very special baptism.  Our sweet granddaughter, Joy turned eight years old on Friday and was baptized yesterday in Lemon Grove, California by her father and WE WERE THERE…(by the miracle of technology)!  It was a wonderful blessing to participate and rejoice with her as she starts on the “covenant path” to begin her journey back to her Heavenly Father.  Joy we are so proud of you! 

Joy and her daddy, Mark on Baptism Day

We just returned from our very long Sunday of double meetings. Though our gathering of our group in Andorra is very small, the spirit was enormous in our testimony meeting today. It filled the room and our hearts to overflowing. They have been without the opportunity to worship for so long, so it become a cherished priviledge and we felt that today.  We are determined to help it to grow.

Elder Fowers presides over Andorra group.

Powerful missionary, Elder Browley

Andorra Group...small in numbers, enormous in spirit!

We have finalized the contract with the new piso (apartment) in Andorra, so the young Elders will be officially moving to Andorra April 1.  They will be the first missionaries to be in that country from nearly 10 years.  We pray everyday that the angels will go before us to prepare the hearts of the people.  Keep in mind, that the country of Andorra is right in the heart of the Pyrenees Mountains with towering cliffs on every side.  It is considered a micro-country that can be transversed by car in under an hour.  The population is about 80,000 residents with 11 million visitors a year.  Our Elders are beyond excited to open a new country, determined to fill our fledgling group those that are really seeking to find truth.

Since last Sunday was pretty hectic, so we decided to take some time on Monday to celebrate my birthday.  We didn’t do anything spectacular, just took some quiet down time as we went for a walk and had a lovely lunch at a quiet local restaurant.  Just before we were about to call it day, we got a ring at the door.  It was our dear friends Cecilia and Aitor from Andorra (the ones who got married a couple of weeks ago) to dropped by with a late birthday present…4 fluffy little baby chicks.  They are adorable and I have become totally enamored with their care.  When I reach into the box with a handful of feed, they run and eat right out of my hand.  What a sweet gift and Elder Fowers is excited to expand the flock!

Unusual Birthday Surprise...

During one of our trips to Andorra we took a quick side trip to visit the beautiful old bridge.  It wasn’t really very old…built in the1785 to replace the old one that was washed away in a spring flood.

Pont d'Endorgany Bridge 1785

Sometime during this past week, mix in with our studies and our visits, we participated in a cattle drive with Juan, our neighbor.  He needed to ear tag and vaccinate his spring calves and drive them to a new pasture.  He recruited us missionaries to become the roadblocks to keep those ornery, old Aubrac mamas  cattle from taking off down the road.

 

Hermana Fowers pushing the Aubracs with stick in hand.

Juan and his Aubracs

 Our work here is much like herding chickens, you get a couple of them headed in the right direction, and while you are focusing on those two, five others scatter in five directions and disappear from sight.  So it seems that we are encouraging and guiding the same chicks over and over again, much like the Savior who never gives up on any of us!

Mucha Amor,

Elder and Hermana Fowers