Hidden Roads

Feliz Nuevo Año a Todos,

After Christmas, things have finally slowed down a bit for us.   Christmas Day we hosted 11 people at the farmhouse for dinner.  I made a boatload Grandma Faye’s traditional sweet and sour pork with egg rolls as appetizers. I couldn’t bring myself to cook turkey again!  The missionaries came early to help with the preparation and stayed late to chat with their families.  We gathered up the family-less members of our branch that we knew would spend the day alone and had a wonderful afternoon of fellowship.

A preparing few platters of sweet treats in the farmhouse kitchen.

Elders Warr and Christensen 

Christmas Dinner with our sweet branch family.

Hi Mom!

Christmas Call!

For weeks we had been looking forward to the Pressebre Viviente (Live Nativity) that we attended last year at the village of Corbera de Llobregot, but this time we invited  the senior couples that wanted to join us, to tag along.  So the day after Christmas, we came together from three corners of the mission to enjoy an evening together.  It really is  a “must-see” experience. We enjoyed watching the awe and wonder of our friends, nearly as much as experiencing the actual Pressebre ourselves.  One of the sweet cultural twists of this particular nativity is the fact that all the pastores (shepherds) are dressed as authentic Catalonian shepherds with red/black wool hats and sheepskin vests.  When the shepherds hear of the new of the birth of Jesus Christ, they come pouring out of the hills removed their caps, and knelt before the infant Savior. Elder Fowers and President Dayton even bought the authentic hats.

"Pastores" preparing their evening meal.

Showing off new shepherds hats.

Sharing an evening at the Pressebre Viviente with dear friends.

Throughout our mission we have been required to travel a great deal to many of the same places, so to make things more interesting and educational we often take a side road that winds us through the mountains. We have found some of the most interesting hidden villages.  Enjoy the photos from the hidden back roads of Catalonia.

Isolated Mountain Village

Hidden Medieval Bridge

Misty Mountain Road

Jose Lluis Vasques has been employed with Juan our neighbor on his dairy for the past nine months. He had worked on the dairy previously for many years but left for other employment. When He returned in March, I met this long time member who has had a difficult past. I learned that he had served a mission, been a branch president, institute teacher and is a High Priest. Instantly we became brothers in the priesthood as he accepted any and every call to help out our struggling branch.  Every Monday morning I join him in the milking barn giving a hand milking Juan's 40 Holsteins. He helped plant our huge garden last summer and brought us freshly made cheese of his own making from time to time.  However, in the past several months both his parents passed and it was time for him to return home to his wife and family.  Two of his children have served missions.  This picture is at our departure.  

Sometimes senior couples are called to be stepping stone to help other along the path where the gaps are too wide.  I will miss his smile and his friendship.

Jose Luis: home to Ecuador after 14 years

 With the new year around the corner, we knew it was time to get serious about our departure preparations, mainly the farm house, branch records and a myriad of details. We want a seamless transition for the Southwicks, the senior couple that has been called replace us.  So we spent the rest of the week working our way down a long checklist.  I spent one day inserting pictures of all known members into the church records. We hope to uncover some of the hiding sheep in our branch.

As we look back on this year, we have seen a great deal of growth.  So many members have been touched by the spirit to rekindle their faith and return to church activity. Sadly, too many of them have not been able to hang onto the light that they once enjoyed. We often asked the question "What more can we do?"

 As we look back across the duration of our mission here in Spain, we have seen our own personal growth and conversion. We know that God knows the challenges that we faced. He has carried and guided us at many crossroads. We have tried to do our best.

We pray that you too will see God’s hand in your lives as you take a moment to reflect on his tender mercies during this past year.

Con Mucho Amor,

Los Fowers