Misión de Fowers en Barcelona, España: Finding Ella!

Querida Familia y Amigos,

Perhaps you will recall the experience that we had way back in October of 2016, while we were searching for a lost member by the name of Igor Burceff.

Oct. 16, 2016: “The search was on. We drove every little lane and alleyway, talking to dozens of people for more than two hours. No one had heard of them or the address. Finally, we pulled over and offered a simple pray seeking God’s help. I started nudging Elder to give up and I know the Elders were over it. It was like trying to find a “needle in a haystack”. We determined that we would drive one last winding road up the mountainside and it led to a dead end. The hunt was over. Igor was not to be found. As we drove down the mountain Elder Fowers drove past a non-descript building with no nameplate. Then, suddenly stopped and backed up. The Elders got out of the car, yet again, to try to read the mailboxes. There he was “Igor Burceff” written on the mailbox!”

Finding Ella at last!

We have returned to that mailbox many times since then trying to find the Burceff family. All we ever found was an overstuffed mailbox and no one home. As part of our transition plan, we decided to take the Elders to every known member’s address so that they could pin the location on their maps app. Late last Thursday evening; we decided to wind our way up the dark mountain road to show the Elders where the Burceffs live. When we pulled up to the building, all of the windows were black and figured that we had struck out again! Nevertheless, we got out to show them the mailbox and ring the “timbre” (doorbell). No answer, as expected. As we were heading back to the car and chatting with a neighbor, we heard a tiny voice say, “Hola, Hello, Hola, Hello!” Elder Warr was the first to hear it and backed up to see who was speaking. It was Ella, Igor’s wife, calling out of her bedroom window. She invited us up to her apartment and we had a wonderful conversation with Ella, a middle-aged woman, about her early life in Russia and her baptism in Denmark. She has had no contact with the church for nearly 20 years. We found out that this location was a second home that she only visits during the holidays. Because she had broken her leg, she hadn’t been able to return home. Ella’s leg was in a cast from the knee down and she had some pain with difficulty walking. We asked if she would like a blessing. Certainly, was her quick reply. Elder Warr and Elder Fowers gave her a health blessing by the power of the Priesthood. Afterwards she exclaimed that she already felt better. As we departed we promised to keep in contact with her. The spirit was strong. We finally found Ella!

Ella Burceff

To celebrate this sweet little miracle, we took the Elders out to a late dinner to the only Mexican Restaurant in Andorra. We felt so happy to have finally found this lost sheep that we had been seeking for over a year! [Sadly, it ended up being a farewell dinner for Elder Christensen who just got notified that he would be transferred tomorrow.]

Celebrating with Elder Warr and Christensen

Much of our week, we have been trying to polish up the member records for the transition. We started a rescue program when we first arrived and took notes our search efforts, their responses to our visits and any other useful information that may serve future missionaries. It was a massive effort to pull all those details into a useful filing system, but we are certain that it will be a useful tool for missionaries going forward.

Organizing "Registros"

We enjoyed a winter wonderland as we drove north through the top end of Andorra and into France for our preparation day with the Elders. The Pyrenees Mountains are massive and provide some of the best ski resorts in Europe. Elder Christensen was an avid snowboarder before his mission and he could barely contain himself watching the numerous boarders race down the fluffy, white slopes. With permission from the President, we even drove into France and checked out some old crumbling castles. The road loops back around and into Spain at the border city of Puigcerda. So in two short hours we visited three countries—Spain, Andorra, France and then back into Spain.