Missionary Payday

Querido Familia y Amigos,

We had a busy, wonderful week.  We find that when our very busy we are much happier and the time just flies by…in fact, we were so busy this week that we did not take preparation day, therefore, no pictures of churches or mountains this week! 

Monday evening we held an “open-invitation” Family Home Evening for the branch.  Anyone who desired to attend was invited and it gave us an opportunity to model what a family home evening should be like.  Everyone who was able to attend was edified by both the companionship and the instruction.  Rolls, hot out of the oven, topped off the evening!

Family Home Evening at the Farmhouse

Panitas Americana!  A big hit.

Meet Betty, our new friend who is studying with missionaries.

We also launched seminary this week.  We hosted Hermana Sonia and Hermano Jose, our stellar seminary teachers at the farmhouse for a couple of hours of training on Tuesday afternoon.  It is such a complex endeavor, because we have youth in both countries.  So we have two teachers, one in Spain and one in Andorra, that give a seminary lesson every Sunday after our regular meeting block and then Elder Fowers and I give a second weekly lesson on Wednesday evening with all of them together.  The rest of the week our students do home study.  Another interesting twist is that I, (Hermana Fowers) give a part of the Wednesday lesson in English.  Since they all are required to take English in their schools, but has little opportunity to listen to good models we thought it would be a nice addition.  Beyond that, English is the official language of the church and we believe it will really help their future engagement in the church.

Jose Luis with Le Seu Seminary

Our little red Prius Yaris is just not sufficient for our transportation requirements between Spain and Andorra. So this week we were able to make a long-term rental agreement with a member of a branch to rent his 7-passenger van so we can get our youth back and forth to seminary and other activities.  Furthermore, we were able to get permission from the Mission President for our missionaries to drive our little Prius, so we won’t need to be their taxi quite so often.  The extra car will be a great blessing for the work. 

Thursday morning, Elder and I were chatting about our upcoming day, listing the many things that we needed to accomplish.  A few minutes later, Elder Fowers got a call from our neighbor Juan who invited him to join in the fall cattle drive in Bescaran, which is tucked in the tops of the Pyrenees.  So much for the list, 10 minutes later he was dressed in his farm clothes and out the door.  He spent the day sorting cattle and driving them off the mountains. Sorry no horses used here!  Missionary service comes in different packages and Juan appreciated the help.  Needless to say, I managed to cover that list!

Fall Round-up

Sorting Juan's Aubrac Cattle

That evening we were able to feed Aitor and Cecilia, but let me tell you it is pretty intimidating to cook for a professional chef.  The only thing I mastered as a cook is quantity, but he was generous with the compliments.  Even though Aitor is not a member, he is so respectful of Cecilia’s membership and her desire to attend the temple, so he has attended every temple preparation class with her. He is such a dear, sweet man…maybe someday he will get the confirmation he is seeking.

Friday was back-to-back visits. By the time we finished out our afternoon of visits, we had shared a message with five different families.  First we dropped in on Irma, an 83-year-old Hermana who is home-bound because of a leg amputation. She joined the church as a youth and has fond memories, but hasn’t attend for decades.  She explained to us that she had lost her scriptures…well we fixed her right up and gave her a new copy of the Book of Mormon which she promised to read every night.  She also loves the “himnos” of the church so we share a hymn with her and her daughter Veronica as her eyes welled with tears.  What a sweet visit.  Then we rushed  to drop in on Maria Luisa, a single Peruvian sister who lives alone, to discuss her talk for sacrament meeting.  When we arrived, she surprised us with a beautiful lunch of roasted rabbit and lamb.  Maria Luisa has the most generous spirit and her eyes just sparkle when she speaks of her faith and testimony. 

Irma with her new Book of Mormon

Maria Luisa

Rabbit cooked to perfection!

Saturday, Elder Fowers was off to Lleida for stake bishopric training and the Elders  needed a ride to their district meeting.  He returned in time to prepare a talk for church and review the temple prep class that we present together.  Saturday is a critical day for us to prepare for all of the responsibilities of Sunday.  It is always a long day, starting at 10:00 am and ending around 7:00 pm after we have completed all of our critical meetings. 

However, another pay day came today.  We were leaving the group meeting when a good sister came up and thank us both for all we have done to help her change her life.  After 20 plus years of inactivity in the church she is back attending every week and paying tithing. She also determined to stop smoking 2+ packs a day. She is teaching Sunday School, and is preparing to receive her temple endowment. The blessings of service.  I wish all senior couples in the church would experience the same.

Andorra Group Meeting today...blessed.

Thank you for joining us again this week with our sweet work as missionaries.  You are in our hearts and prayers.  We feel your love and support.

Con Mucho Amor,

Elder and Hermana Fowers

Our Real Purpose

Querida Familia y Amigos,

I’m afraid this blog post will be really short, not because we were not busy in the work, but somehow we didn’t take many photos this week.  Besides, how can we photograph a meeting with a young sister encouraging her not to move in with her boyfriend?... Or the tender moment when Elder issues a call to a newly reactivated member and he accepts?...  Or even the scheduled times we had to work with members to help them prepare their sacrament meeting talks?  Each one of these events, any many more like them, fill our days and weeks but there are no snapshots of our real work here.  

Our real work as missionaries consists of sitting knee to knee with a member in a tiny living room, on the fourth floor of an apartment building, trying to figure out how we can lift and encourage, counsel and console or try to figure how “to lift the hands (or spirits) that hang down”.  The pictures of the majestic mountains and ancient churches do not represent our purpose, though we enjoy these adventures very much.  Rather, our purpose it to guide our lost members that are wandering in the darkness, back to the light of Christ. Most of the time, is really hard work!

With that said, how about a few pictures of mountains and churches?

View of the Pyrenees on our drive to Cava

On our preparation day we slipped out for a few hours to drive to some mountaintop village that we had not yet explored.  We pinned one on Google earth and headed out for a bit of rest and relaxation.  Our first stop was a century old woolen mill that was powered by water.  They had an old water turbine that powered each machine with old leather belts…so interesting. 

Turn of the Century Wool Washer

Leather belts which drive the carding machines

Intricate Spinning Machine

Check this out!
They used real thistles heads in this century-old carding machine.

Finely spun woolen yarn.

We finally made our way to the village of Arséguel and explored their old church and then on to Cava to yet another old Romanesque Church.  Cava seemed to be completely devoid of residents, the only living creatures were a few old cows that were wandering around the center of town. Even their little church graveyard was complete covered with weeds. It must be a winter retreat that they use during the ski season.  We came back a few hours later energized and ready to go again.

Arséguel Church

Fascinating iron work.

Cava Church

Abandoned Church Graveyard

The weather turned very cold and rainy this week so we woke to a dusting of snow on the mountains.  We had to build our first fire the year and stoke up the furnace to take the chill off of the farmhouse.  We could be in for a long winter!  It only got down to 36, so the garden survived…but not for much longer.

Snow-capped mountains in mid-September!

We took a trip out to Puigcerda this week because we had an appointment to teach Jenny, a sweet young mother of two little girls.  Her partner Miguel, (soon to be husband) is a long time member who has been trying to rebuild his faith.  When we arrived we found out that she was in the hospital and had a miscarriage at four mouths.  We are all so very sad for her.  We were so surprised when they came to church today, so at least the Elders were able to give her a blessing of health and comfort.

Miguel, Jenny and sweet daughters.

During our wanderings this week we stopped with the Elders to show them the “pill boxes” or machine gun nests that were built during the Spanish Civil War in the 1930’s. 

Elder Squires and Jones peeking out of the pill box.

We serve in one of the most beautiful places on God’s earth.  The beauty that surrounds us helps us remember how blessed we are to be having this earthly experience.  Even with all the challenges we face in the work here in the Andorra Branch, it is a blessing to live each new day and try to be a little bit more like Him.  Jesus is the way, the only way, back to the light.  That is why we are here.

(Frame donated by Pere Grau, a disabled member.)

Con Much Amor,

Los Fowers

 

Two Countries

Querida Familia y Amigos,

One of our great challenges here is supporting two different church groups in two different countries-Spain and Andorra. The complexity of it continues to increase.  For example, our Elders now live in Andorra and we live in Spain, which necessitates an increase in transportation support.  Often there is not a late bus running, so off Elder Fowers goes for a late night run to transport the Elders back to their piso.  They also need to stay with us in farmhouse in Le Seu a couple of nights a week in order be able to attend the Branch on Sunday or catch their bus for District meetings since there is no direct bus from Andorra.  Today, after our morning block of meetings, we (including the Elders) rushed home and inhaled a quick lunch and then off to our afternoon meetings in Andorra.  Just as we were pulling onto the freeway, traffic came to a complete stop and we had 16 kilometers to go!  We pressed through a never-ending line of traffic and somehow made it to church on time.  Every day presents another challenge to try to unify one branch with units in two countries.

Andorra Border Crossing

Transfers were this week so we got a new Elder Jones.  Elders Jones and Squires were in the same MTC group and knew each other well. They were delighted to be able to work together.  Elder Jone's family moved a great deal and has lived in many different states, but he now hails from Idaho. His energy and positive attitude will be a great blessing to the work here.

Elders Squires and Jones...old buddies.

In missionary terms, the Elder who trains you when you first arrive in the field is called your “Dad”.  Well, our Dad, Elder Cullimore finished his mission this transfer and he brought his parents back for a visit.  We spent a day with them visiting members and seeing the sights. But mostly we were reminiscing about those first few weeks when he guided us through the maze of getting to know the inner workings of the branch when we were jet-lagged and overwhelmed. Go Well, Elder Cullimore!

Shay, Casey and Elder Cullimore touring Andorra

 

Exploring Andorra's Antiquities

Seminary is starting up again so we headed for Barcelona for our annual Seminary training meeting.  We are thrilled to be studying the Book of Mormon this year, especially since four of our students have been members for less than a year so the study of the Book of Mormon will give them a great foundation.  We spent the entire drive trying to figure how, when and where to hold class with students in two countries!  Whooeee, we spend our lives in the car going or coming between countries with our backseat full of our missionaries or our youth!

Seminary Training in Español

 

Future Seminary Teachers

Believe it or not, our tiny village of Le Seu d’ Urgell made it on the map this week.  They held the World Cup Canoe Whitewater Slalom at the Segre Olympica Parque, just a kilometer from the house.  We snuck away from our duties for a couple of hours on Friday to catch some of the preliminary runs.  Lots of fun!

Parque all decked out for competition.

One of our American Competitors

Our Lleida Stake President visited our branch in La Seu today.  We had 33 in attendance for sacrament meeting and most arrived on time.  President Hernandez congratulated our little branch for stepping up. However, there is still much to be done. He spoke about obedience and how we only progress as a results of our obedience. I think some of the old time members are gradually changing their  habits.  We continue to encourage callings, service and obedience. 

Outstanding in his Field…Elder Fowers continues his bounteous harvest! Elder really is an outstanding leader of our little branch.  He knows his flock and counsels with them frequently, lending support in so many different ways. What a great man...and I am blessed to be his companion!

Outstanding in his field.

Con Mucho Amor,

Los Fowers

Observations...

Querida Familia y Amigos,

Gabe's Baptism
We want to send our love and congratulations to Gabe, our sweet grandson who was baptized yesterday by his Daddy. Being away from these special events is the hardest part of serving a mission.  How we wish we could have been there to share his special day, but we know that the Lord is blessing and watching over our family in our absence.  

Tim and Gabe after Baptism

Roc del Quer

Our preparation day adventures this week included exploring the Roc Del Quer located in Canillo, Andorra.  This man-made steel platform is an overlook that resembles a diving platform placed on top a rock mountain.  The views of the valleys below are endless and pretty intimidating.  The majesty of the Pyrenees Mountains was breathtaking from that vantage point.

 

Standing off the Edge

Stunning Views

Top of the World

Elder Squires suspended in air.

Moto Museum

Canillo Andorra is also the site of a motorcycle museum.  The missionaries and I checked it out while Hermana Fowers read a book outside under a shaddy tree. There were some very interesting motorcycles both old and new.  The oldest was a steam motorcycle dating to 1896.  There was a German BMW with a sidecar mounted with a machine gun.  Old vehicles and cars have always fascinated me.

First Steam-driven Motorcycle

German motorcycle and sidecar with mounted machine gun.

Festa Major

One year ago this week, we arrived in Le Seu to begin our mission.  Our hotel window faced the main town plaza where drums beat, and music played while everyone danced in the “Festa Major” till 4:00 am.  It is a five-day local Catalan holiday, rich with traditions of yesteryear and many cultural experiences for us while we were recovering from jet lag. So this year we decided to visit Le Seu’s annual festival again, but this time we ran into members and individuals in the community that we have come to know.  It felt a bit more like “our” celebration this year as we wondered among the town folk.  There traditional dance was very interesting but most of the people were over 60, which leads me to wonder if this traditional Catalonian dance will survive in future years.

 

One Year after our Arrival

Traditional Catalonian Dance with Live Band

Lluivia

The geographical area of our little branch reaches for hundreds miles in both directions from Le Seu.  Our branch also includes a tiny enclave of Spain which sits five kilometers within the borders of France named Lluvia.  The history of Lluvia goes back to the Bronze Age, about 1200 A.D.   While chauffeuring the missionaries to a lesson in Puigcerda, we crossed over into France in search of a long lost member.   We hit a dead end.  While there, however, we checked out the local castles, prison and churches.

Nostra Senyora del Angeles Church built in 1617

Lluvia Prison Tower

Impressive Entryway

Elder Care

One of the unforeseen outcomes of moving our missionaries to Andorra has been an increase in Elder support.  Not only do we provide a great deal more transportation for them, but we also house them in the farmhouse at least once a week.  At times it is impossible to make their travel connections from Andorra in addition to needing to stay with us on Saturday night so they can make it to church in Le Seu on Sunday morning.  It kind of feels like home, with a few extra plates at the table a a couple of times a week.  Our Missionaries are so respectful and kind to us, that we delight in offering our support and hosting them in our home. We are losing our dear Elder Domingues this transfer, who has been called to serve as a zone leader in Hospitalet.

Our Missionary Sons, Elders Squires and Domingues

Member Care

We visited Mari Antezana in the local hospital yesterday to give her a blessing .  She Hermana Fowers’ counselor in the Primary and was diagnosed with the very painful condition of diverticulitis, but is slowly improving. Poor Hermana Fowers was on her own today with the children in Primary today.

Mari...Recovering in Hospital

Hermana Fowers and I continue to press forward trying to help the members to be spiritually self-sufficient.  Today in testimony meeting we saw a few packets of light as formally less-active members bore testimony of returning, paying tithing and honoring the Sabbath.  I am amazed at the changes that come into people lives as they turn back to the Christ by exercising faith and obedience to His commands. In particular, I noted five people, who bore strong testimonies today that have returned to the church in this past last year.  Some had been absent for more than 20 years.  Missionary work and rescue work are one and the same in the eyes of the Lord.

Con Mucho Amor,

Elder and Hermana Fowers