Family...So Blessed

Familia

Querida Familia y Amigos,

Knowing that Tim and family would be visiting later in the week, we packed some critical visits and preparations into the first couple of days.  We have several active investigators that we needed to teach and give spiritual support.  Tuesday afternoon, spent a couple of hours with Betty answering many doctrinal questions as she prepares for baptism in a couple of weeks.  We zeroed in on preparations for our Primary, Seminary, Temple Prep and Sunday School lessons.  We are preparing four sisters from our branch to receive their endownments in the Madrid temple on December 15.  This will take some logistical planning because the stake president is two hours away from us and the Madrid temple is six hours away from us. 

Elder Fowers Teaching Seminary

 

Amongst all of those activities, we were able to welcome Elder Christensen from Oklahoma, as our newest Elder. He comes from a 4,000 acre cattle ranch and he with Elder Fowers could talk cows all day long.  He is right at home in the farmhouse.

New Elder Christensen and Fowers Gang at Church

One of the challenges we face with such a small branch is finding speakers every week for church.  Elder Fowers took advantage of their visit and asked both Tim and Nikki to speak in church. As most of you must know, Nikki served in this mission about 20 years ago. We had record attendance today with 51! (Of course, that counts the Fowers Clan twice because they attended both meeting ;)

Nikki speaking in La Seu Branch Meeting

After having been on a mission for more than a year, there is nothing sweeter than having family visit from home.  We met Tim, Nikki and kids in Barcelona on Thursday morning in order to spend a couple of days exploring the beauties of Barcelona and surrounds.  After weeks of amazingly beautiful weather, it rained buckets all day long.  Trying to figure out how to manage the rain and still enjoy the sights was part of the adventure.  We were undaunted as we marched through the puddles covered in cheap ponchos we all bought at the China market.  I was not quite up to full health, so I fizzled out in the afternoon and had to back to the hotel to rest, while the Fowers clam partied into the night.

Fowers Family making the best of the Rain

Exploring the Gothic Quarter with the Nietos

The next day turn out bright and sunny so after another morning of exploring we headed to home to the farmhouse. 

View of Barcelona

Güell Park by Gaudi...Amazing

 

Saturday started at the local farmers market then off to the go-cart track.  Tim and family raced around the longest track in Catalonia.  Later in the day we explored the pueblo of ARFA  which has an old Ice Well dating back to the 1300's.  In the afternoon we saw some amazing vistas in Andorra. 

Speed Demons on the Go-Cart Track

Chilin' in the 800-year-old Ice Well

Grandpa clowning around in the old Ice Well

Fowers Enjoying the Antiquities

View of Medieval Engineering

 Pyrenees dressed in Fall Colors

 It is impossible to really grasp the beauty of these vistas through photos.  They are always more beautiful to us when we are able to share them with the ones we love.  Nearly everyday one or the other of us will say, "I wish the kids were here to..." share this amazing experience, so for just a couple of days we did so and rejoiced in the blessing of family.

Con Mucho Amor,

Elder and HerMama Fower