Sweet is the Work

This wonderful group of missionaries (pictured below) left us this week at the completion of their missions.  They have been dedicated, strong, and valiant in their missionary service for the Spain Barcelona Mission.  We wish them well and we will miss them dearly!
In this post we will share some of their thoughts at the conclusion of their missions.

Front: Elders Gardner, Crawford, Ferraz, Hamson, Hermanas Galli,  Anderson, Pres. Galli, Elders Peterson , Browning, Beasley, Pack and Woodfield

SUMMER IN SPAIN

Elche and Cartagena Zone Conference

Zone conferences are always a wonderful opportunity to gather together as missionaries and enjoy the wisdom and lessons taught by President and Hermana Galli, as well as other missionaries.  This month, Hermana Galli focused on the doctrine of the family.  She taught us that sins, joy, redemption, sorrow, disappointment, forgiveness  and love are all part of family life. She said that we learn the behaviors and habits of our parents and that we have to work to overcome some of them. We can have joy in our posterity.  "All individuals are part of God´s families, because families are ordained of God, they are the most important social unit in time and eternity." (Preach My Gospel
p. 32)

Elder Woodfifeld, President Galli, Elder Nielsen

Elders Baxter and Gomez

NEW BEGINNINGS AND FAREWELLS

We welcomed 16 new missionaries to the Spain Barcelona Mission on July 9th! We received 8 new elders and 8 new hermanas.  It is always good to get fresh energy and enthusiasm into the mission.  We are grateful for their preparation and their desire to serve. These missionries will be greatly blessed for their service!

New missionaries at the airport

On the bus to Montjuic, where the missionaries get to overlook the land they will serve in.

FIFTY YEARS IN SPAIN!

Our Jubilee Year!

"Fifty years ago, on May 20, 1969, President Marion G. Romney met with 34 members of the church early in the morning at Casa de Campo, a park outside Madrid, to dedicate this beautiful country to the preaching of the gospel and the gathering of Israel.  Six days later, President Richard G. Scott of the North Argentine Mission, sent four missionaries: Elders Clark B. Hinckley, Craig L. Ward, Robert J. Hernandez (now Haws), and Jose Luis Barco from that mission to Madrid.  They held their first baptismal service on June 28. 

Barcelona, Hospitalet and Zaragoza Zones

Elders Rodriguez and Melo

On October first of that year, a Saturday, eight missionaries arrived at Estació Franca in Barcelona at 8:30 in the morning. They had one day to find places to stay, and the next day held their first church services on the beach! 

Archie singing at zone conference

CONVERTIDOS AL SEÑOR!

The El Faro missionaries are converted to the Lord! A few of our seasoned missionaries finished their service here and will soon be embraced by their family members.  We have learned so much from them. We will definitely miss their smiles, hugs, presence and their strong spirits. To share some of what these missionaries have learned on their missions, we have included some quotes from them.

Elders Dransfield, Cheever, Lentz, Hermanas Walker, Donahey, Yurkiv, Tenorio and Moncayo

Elders May and Bateman

MAY HAPPENINGS

Zone Conferences (and some fun!)

BARCELONA/ HOSPITALET ZONES

Hermanas Rodriguez and Walker

COME AND SEE!

Sisters Anderson, Cotto, Holmgren, Glenn and Palmer

We had some wonderful and insightful experiences in a mission women´s conference, leadership training, and zone conferences this past month.  The sisters gathered together for the women´s conference to learn from each other.  A panel of senior sister missionaries answered questions that were written by the younger sister missionaries.

A MINISTERING MISSION

We welcomed a wonderful new group of missionaries in April! Several of these missionaries were stranded at the JFK Airport in New York and ended up spending the night in the airport!  They arrived one day late, and very weary, but they smiled and had a great attitude! We are so thrilled to have this outstanding group of missionaries arrive in our mission.  We also said good-bye to many missionaries who had finished their great service here in the Barcelona Mission.  We thank them for their valiant service.

New Missionaries

Luke 10 - The Good Samaritan


A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment; and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.



• 31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way; and when he saw him he passed by on the other side.

WE WORK HARD AND WE PLAY HARD!

President Galli´s motto is:  "Work hard, Play hard!"  We are here to enjoy our time in Spain, and also to find joy in the work!  The missionaries in the Spain Barcelona Mission are striving to be converted to the Lord, to be obedient, to work hard and to play hard.  We are in Spain!

At the zone conferences this month, we were taught by Sister Galli that conversion comes only by the Spirit. We are not converted by the Book of Mormon, the prophet, angels, missionaries, the temple, or even Jesus Christ.

EL FARO

The cycle of missionary life continues in March.  We said goodbye to 15 mature, seasoned missionaries.We thank them for their many sacrifices and great service!

Hermanas Grunbichler, Vance, Bashaw, Wright

It was hard to part with them because they were dearly loved. It is a bittersweet time for those who leave.

Elders Layton, Moore, Adcock, Jensen, Peterson, Newman

They are happy about going home, but sad about leaving the mission life in Spain.

New missionaries: Hermanas Lugo, Dimon, Nelson, Holmgren, Elders McNally Arévalo, Acosta and Power

WE HAVE BEEN TAUGHT

February Zone Conferences were spiritual feasts!  We enjoyed good food, great company, and inspiring messages.  We were taught well by President and Sister Galli, and by the missionaries. 

 A Couruña missionaries prepared empanadas for zone conference!

A NEW YEAR, A NEW FOCUS

A NEW YEAR, NEW FOCUS AND NEW THEME!


It is a new year and a new mission phase.  The first transfers of 2019 have been unusual because we have had six different arrival times for new missionaries!  We are so excited for these enthusiastic new missionaries.  They will be a great addition to the mission and will accomplish much.

 Hermanas Iongi, Brown, Galli, Howard, Hopkins, Larsen, Blakely, Pres. Galli

We are no longer El Faro Nuevo.  We are again El Faro, stronger than ever and still growing! We honor those who went before and we stand on their shoulders.