Feliz Navidad

Feliz Navidad a Todos,

We had a blessed week of celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ with some the dear friends that we have come to love here in Spain. 

Monday morning we loaded up our little, red Prius to the very doors and headed to Barcelona. Tuesday and Wednesday we prepared turkey, dressing and all the trimmings for our beloved El Faro missionaries.  Our intent was to bring a taste of home to their Christmas Zone Conference feast.  It was tons of work…but such a sweet blessing for us to serve in this way.  However, things were complicated by a little hitch! 

Loaded with Christmas Cheer!

We arrived on Monday in order to decorate the cultural hall with a centerpiece being a beautiful nativity; thinking that we would get a jump on the preparation of the next morning.  All was set and so we planned to arrive early in order to get the turkey in the oven.  However, a short time after we began our food preparation, we found out that the cultural hall had been promised to the school next door for their annual Christmas program. 

Elder Fowers, went to the school to negotiate a solution to the conflict—we needed to feed 50 missionaries in the same space they were practicing for a 3:00 p.m. performance.  With throngs of kids coming and going all morning, somehow we managed to serve Christmas dinner to our missionaries about 1:30 and by 2:15 we had taken down the tables and every trimming.  A troop of parents came in and set up 350 chairs for their afternoon performance.  The hall was packed as the sweet little ones sang Christmas songs in Catalan.  Immediately after their performance, they took down all the chairs so that we could reset the tables and decorations for the Christmas meal for two more zones of missionaries the next day.  Again, we had to immediately break down our tables and decorations so that they could reset the chairs for their second performance the next day.  There was a sweet and happy attitude as we worked with the community and as Pres. Hinckley said, “Everything will work out,” and it did! 

Preschoolers coming for Rehearsal

Double Booked Cultural Hall

From restaurant...

to theater...
Parents attend "Bon Nadal" Program

On Thursday we took a few minutes to shop at the Christmas market in front of the Barcelona Cathedral.  They had dozens of different vendors with beautiful and elaborate “pressebres” (nativity scenes).  We purchased a couple of unique ones for our own collection as a reminder of  the real reason for the season.

Elaborate Nativity Scenes in the Market

We purchased this precious piece.

We arrived home late Thursday afternoon and began to prepare food for the Branch Christmas gathering on Friday.  After a few hours in the kitchen we were ready to gather with our dear members for a small little fiesta de Navidad.   For weeks we had announced the start time as 7:00 p.m. and we expected to serve food about 8:00.  Members started to arrive about 8:30 and food was finally served about 9:00.  I don’t think we will ever get used to “Spanish Mormon standard time!”  Nonetheless, all had a good time, even my sweet little primary niñas who gathered around the manger to see baby Jesus.

La Seu Branch Fiesta

Our little angels surrounding the Pressebre

We had a wonderful spirit in our meetings today as we celebrated with word and music the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.  Even with small numbers in our meetings, the “capilla” was filled with glorious music as we sang together the Christmas himnos.  We raised our voices with members throughout the world who sang praises to the babe in the manger, whom we have promised to follow.  We are so blessed to know the joy and hope His gospel brings to the world.

We pray that you will all be blessed with a peaceful and joyous Christmas and a prosperous New Year.

Con Mucho Amor,

Los Fowers