Spring into Spain or Spain into Spring?

It was a wonderful four days with Elder and Sister Bednar and Elder Robert C. Oaks and his wife visiting the Spain Madrid Mission and staying in the mission home. They were delightful to have around. The entire mission benefitted from the talks that we heard and the spirit that we felt. I know the missionaries will consider the "revelatory experience" we had with Elder Bednar a highlight of their entire lives. Who knew you could spend 3 hours discussing D & C 44:1-2? The Spirit was an amazing teacher. As Elder Bednar said, "It's not ME!"

The month of April brought a few opportunities and changes. We had 16 amazing missionaries leave for their homes. We miss them incredibly. But, that same day we had 10 more missionaries full of faith and enthusiasm take their places. (In reality, no one can take their place, but these 10 are doing their best and making their own place!)

Then came a wonderful zone leaders' meeting with 12 of the most wonderful missionaries serving as our zone leaders - with 2 amazing assistants, Elder Jacobs and Elder Jackson.

(L to R: E. Nicoll, E. Haynie, E. McBride, E. Smith, E. Miller, E. Meline, E. Jacobs, Hna., Pte., E. Jackson, E. Finlay, E. Zollinger, E. Coley, E. Goodrich, E. Vause, E. Blood) We expect great things this transfer!!

We also had time for a little fun. The Templo Zone came to the mission home for a preparation day and we all hiked up to the Summit....It was a beautiful day!!! Then we had a BBQ with chili dogs and chips. We had so much fun.

But, it's all about the people. This is a wonderful little family baptized in April. David, Carina, Sebastian and Dean Gordillo are from Ecuador. We were able to go to a lesson with the missionaries and teach them. They are sooooooo happy. Needless to say, so are we - as well as Elder Scoville and Elder Sewell!

The family is doing amazingly......at least from what we can tell. Jen is busy going to school and working at BYU. She is living at home with David and Crissi who are expecting our No. 2 granddaughter in May. David finished BYU this month and is working at the UCCU. Becca and Ryan are in school at BYU and enjoying the spring/summer activities. Melissa and Ryan are enjoying the sun in Arizona where Ryan is pursuing a summer internship and Melissa is working about 7 part-time jobs. Ryan and Shanna are in LA working and enjoying our beautiful little Kenna. Look at her latest trick! It's almost more fun listening to her mom and dad!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mgq0njPzUcY

So, Spring is trying to come to Spain. My next quest is a photo of all the red poppies. They are beauuuuuuutiful!! Stay tuned...............

Preparation Day!

What PREPARATION DAY would be complete without a visit to the legendary windmills of Consuegra?!

We spent the day with the elders and hermanas of Barrio 2 getting to know all about castles and windmills and each other. (L - R: Hermana Cortez, Hermana Wall, Elder Jackson, Elder Jensen, Presidente, Hermana Farnsworth, Elder Rodriguez, Elder Boyce) We are so glad we are prepared and educated in Windmills 101; you never know when Don Quixote might need help in fighting those giants!

On the way back to Madrid we spent a few minutes listening to Elder Bednar's last two general conference talks on Prayer. We are preparing ourselves for Elder Bednar's visit to the Spain Madrid Mission next week. We are all so excited to listen and learn at the feet of an apostle. We feel so blessed to be able to have this opportunity.

We also prepared the mission home for the week with a little cleaning up and laundry. Rosi (the housekeeper) has been sick so we are on our own in some of those little domestic duties. I think a batch of cookies is part of the cooking responsibilities for this evening.

We have a stake conference this weekend so we took some time to prepare our minds and thoughts in case we are asked to speak. I have really learned the great necessity of always being prepared with a scripture or something to say - just in case.

I wasn't a boy scout but I was a girl scout...........and I hope I can always BE PREPARED.

"Prepare ye, prepare ye for that which is to come, for the Lord is nigh." D & C 1:12.

No. 1 Granddaughter

Kenna Rae Farnsworth born December 9, 2008 at 11:40 a.m. in Los Angeles, CA. She weighed 6 lb. 15 oz. and was 20 1/2inches long with a dimple just like her mom's. Isn't she beautiful?! Proud parents are Ryan and Shanna Farnsworth, our first-born son. And even though we are entirely too young to be grandparents, we are so excited to welcome the newest addition to the Farnsworth Family. We can't wait to meet her!

Fall has fallen.....

Hola! We did attend the Mission Presidency Area Training in Germany in August. It was such a great experience to be with 36 other mission president couples plus Elder Perry, Elder Rasband and Bishop Burton. They are such inspired men and really are in tune with missionary work, espeically here in Europe.









Fall has come with a lot happening in the mission. September and October have been full of sick missionaries and little fires and emergencies to handle. Hopefully, we have shown the compassion and love these missionaries and our own family deserve.




We have had a little time to continue to see parts of this beautiful country. On a recent trip to Alcala we stopped to see the birthplace of Cervantes, the author of Don Quixote. Alcala is a lovely little city about 40 minutes east of Madrid. There is a beautiful plaza and lots of people. There is a university so there are lots of students-- that's where BYU's Study Abroad Program is located. Brad is the ultimate in making contacts, but I don't think Don was listening.

Another day sets in the beautiful country of Espana....................

Families are Forever

We have enjoyed a 3-week week visit from Jennifer, our lovely youngest daughter. We have had a lot of fun shopping, driving, piso checking (with an overnight in LaMancha and a windmill sighting), meeting with missionaries, and just "hanging out." One of the most fun activities was watching the movie, "Encantada" or "Enchanted" for you Americans. It's our new favorite movie -- really, you can't help but smile. We love it! I highly recommend it.

We have also been busy with missionaries, needless to say. Last week we had 11 amazing missionaries return home and we picked up 8 new excited missionaries, plus a Zone Leader's Meeting. It's a continuous 6-week cycle that just keeps going and going and going. We have learned that it's only through change that we grow -- no matter how hard that may be.

We are heading to Frankfurt, Germany this week for some Mission President training with the area presidency, plus Elder Perry and other General Authorities. We always love this opportunity to learn more about how we can encourage, lift and inspire the missionaries and help them be more successful. Of course, the bottom line is how we can better preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and bring people to Christ so that they can participate in the ordinances of the temple - so that families can truly be together forever. I highly recommend that! This is an amazing work! We are incredibly blessed.

Lions, and Tigers, and BEARS -- Oh MY!!!

I finally got a picture of the BEARS located on the A-1, highway into Madrid. I was so excited. Unfortunately, it took a traffic jam to accomplish this feat but I finally did it. There are actually 2 sets of these mama bears with 2 cubs on each side of the road. I love them! But there is also some significance to bears in Madrid as well.

As many visitors to Madrid know, there is statue of another bear and a Strawberry tree, "El Oso y el Madrono" at Puerta de Sol, the center and heart of Madrid. This statue is the symbol of the city of Madrid. It is on everything that belongs to the city. A visit to Madrid is not complete without a picture taken by this statue.

Bears were once very plentiful in the area which was once called "Ursania." This is the reason that the flag of Madrid is red with 7 white stars. Each star represents one of the administrative areas of the province of Madrid, which are the City of Madrid, Alcala de Hernares, Torrelaguna, San Martin de Valdeiglesias, El Escorial, Getafe, and Chinchon -- But, together the stars are said to represent the constellation in Ursa Major known as the Big Dipper or Big Bear.

So that's your history of Madrid lesson for today. We have learned to love this country and this city, but more importantly, the people. We consider it a great blessing to live here for a time. So next time you see a bear, pause for a moment, remember Madrid and think of us!

Summer has arrived!

This transfer we are doing something a little different. We are having every zone up to the Mission Home for Interviews where they also meet with the zone leaders and the assistants and then we have a Barbeque. So far we have had the Las Afueras Zone and the Alcala Zone. It has been a lot of fun and I think the missionaries have enjoyed it. We discovered we have some talented "chefs" and the food -- both spiritual and physical -- has been wonderful! The missionaries also have some study time and just "getting acquainted" time. We are watching the new Church DVD "Finding Happiness" and talk about how it can help us contact people about the Church by asking them Questions of the Soul. (For those former missionaries, we now have only seven zones. The two districts in Madrid Norte were put into other zones.)

We have also just completed Summer Slam '08. This is a basketball camp the missionaries put on for the church youth and their friends. We had 299 young people register this year. Only 176 attended but we now have 71 referrrals of non-members who attended the camp that will receive missionaries into their home to get their camp shirt and photo in front of the temple. We have already had one baptism and there are another 4 or 5 in the near future. Isn't the Gospel wonderful! This has been a great tool for the Spain Madrid Mission.

With Spain winning the Eurocup and Nadal winning Wimbledon, it's been a great time to be in Spain............even though we didn't watch it. Viva Espana!!!