Gran Sorpresa!

Querida Familia y Amigos,

Happy belated Thanksgiving to all! 

We are so blessed, we are especially thankful to welcome PENNY PAIGE into this world!  So here is the back story…I noticed that Brad had tried to call our Vontage number but we were in Andorra and we couldn’t respond, so I sent him a quick note to arrange for Skype later on.  Finally, we got home late and signed in on Skype, excited to have a Thanksgiving visit with Brad and family.  Seconds after saying hello, Brad says, “Wait a second Mom..." then he disappears off the camera.   He returns with a tiny, newborn baby in his arms.  “I want you to meet Penny Paige, your newest granddaughter.”  WHAT!? We didn't even know that they were expecting. It took a full 3 minutes before I would even believe him.  I thought he had borrowed a friend’s baby and was just teasing with me.  Once I knew it was for real, you couldn’t wipe the smile off of my face.  What a wonderful surprise—grandchild #15.  We are so very happy for Becky and Brad and can’t wait to meet Penny Paige in person.

Skype-What a way to meet our new grandbaby!

Happy Grandparents!

Meet Penny Paige!

Happy Fowers Family!

During the past two weeks I spent a lot of time in the kitchen.  I truly have been called on a cooking mission.  Last week I prepared enchilada bowls for 110 missionaries, which included 14 kilos of hamburger, beans, corn and sauce layered between tortillas that filled 8 crock-pots to the top!  There was not a lick left.  After just a one day reprieve from kitchen duty, I spent another day preparing a traditional Thanksgiving feast with all the trimmings which were blessed to share  with Cecilia, Aitor, Emily and the missionaries. Today I prepared lunch for the Stake President Hernandez and his wife to eat between our meetings.  I know that I whine a bit about preparing so much food, but I have come to understand that food is a very concrete way to show my love when I can’t find the Spanish words to express my true feelings.  It is a sweet joy to serve in this way.

Loading up the plates!

Best part of Zone Conference.
(Far left is Hermana Nelson, grand daughter to Russell M.)

Giving Thanks.

It warmed up a bit this week so we decided we had better get out to the garden to do some Fall cleanup.  We spend that morning pulling up all the old dead plants, raking of the weeds and chopping down the rows of corn.  Our method of corn chopping was a bit old school since we used a shovel and a hatchet, but we thoroughly enjoyed the brisk morning sunshine and the outlet of physical work.

Elder chopping corn!

At our last Zone Conferences, our missionaries were issued smartphones.  During the training session, President Dayton invited Elder Fowers to share his experience with technology while serving his mission 48 years ago.  He talked about using flannel boards and film projectors (look those up kids) but the most telling story was when he shared the story of receiving his transfer information through telegram, using morse code!  We have really come a long ways since then and we are excited about the impact that proselyting through technology will have on our mission.

Zaragoza Zone Celebrating Smartphones

Hermana Fowers and I are constantly striving to strengthen families. Jose Luis left his family in Ecuador 14 years ago and came to Spain with the hope of better life for his wife and three children who remained in Ecuador.  It has been difficult and long journey. He has been injured, paralyzed and without work while here in Spain.  Every extra penny he has sent home to his family.  Through all their trials his family has remained faithful.  His wife is a temple worker, two of his children have served missions.  Jose Luis also served a mission and has been a branch president twice.  Today we surprised him with a one way airplane ticket home to his family for Christmas. His father is gravely ill from a stroke some 4 weeks ago.  He lost his mother last summer and his family desperately needs him to come home.  He has an opportunity to farm on land inherited from his mother's family and raise pigs.  We will help him purchase a chain saw to clear the land and sell the firewood.  Jose Luis will start a new chapter in his life and will be a strength to his family and the church in Ecuador.

Going home after 14 years

Sadly, we said goodbye to Elder Jones today.  He will be transferred on Tuesday after just 3 months here.  We wish him well in his new area.

Goodbye Elder Jones

Elder Wolfgang Pilz and his wife was the visiting Authority Seventy at our Stake Conference last Sunday.  We had a chance to chat with them a bit before the meeting, what a dear couple they are.  His message was so timely.  As a surgeon he talked about the moment they take before every surgical procedure called “time out”,  just to make sure to take a moment to confirm that they cut in the right place.  He talked about how vital it is for us to take “time out” in our own lives to ground ourselves in the things of the spirit—to take time to draw our minds heavenward as we read, prayer and sincerely ponder our direction in life.

 

Elder and Sister Pilz at Stake Conference

Sometimes it is difficult to quantify success in the Lord's work.  We see and feel the spirit poured out on different individuals from time to time.  We rejoice to see progress and the growth of our little Zion outpost Andorra.  However, at the same time and even in the same day ,we feel sad when seemingly good people pull away and choose a worldly path.  We continue to testify, love and pray for them but ultimately each has his own agency.  Deception, distraction and worldly cares are like strong magnetic forces for those with shallow roots. This is the bitter-sweet of missionary and member work. This is the challenge we wrestle every day, and we have come to love it.