Blessed

Forgive me for neglecting you who read our blog.   When I get busy on a Sunday, I just don't get back to the blog like I should.  I think it is mind set more than anything.  Anyway here is the 'catch up'.  We have a member in Malaga that wants to learn to play the piano.  I have started teaching her which is kind of challenging because I am not only teaching in Spanish, I am using a whole set of new vocabulary.  Luckily, we got her a basic piano book and it has all the names I need.  Whew!  She invited us to visit her at her work so we  had dinner at Mata Hambre where she is a waitress.  It was yummy!



Our salad!

Cheese fritters with molasses (miel de Frigilliana)

A man was selling biznagas and she bought us one.  The flowers were drying up a day later (not unreasonable as they can't get any water) but even dry it smells lovely.

We took a missionary with us to get her teeth checked and got our teeth cleaned.  Rod fell in love with this Maserati.  It was in a very rich neighborhood if you couldn't guess.

We met this living statue during a trip down town. 

Our friends from the Fuengirola branch are back and their son missed 'his Castillos' so we went for a visit.  A few days later Sister Toolson called and told us that he had asked to talk to the Castillo's mom to see if we could come play again.  Love them!

Getting ready for her mission! I'm holding sister.

We had our last Zone Conference in Malaga. This is especially significant because departing missionaries are asked to bear their testimony before they leave.  We got asked to bear ours.  There were water works, just in case you had any doubts. This saying good bye is hard!!!!!

We also helped by transporting the 60 pizzas we ate for lunch. 

This sister missionary came back a week after going home so she could travel with her family.  We met up at their hotel for a hug or two and to meet her family. 

 Then this last week we traveled to Cartagena.  We had to have our last softball game and wanted to see this northern city.

This is the town hall.  There is a museum with their roman amphitheater just behind us but it was closed.

These lovely clouds turned to rain later in the night.

This group was performing during our supper.

 

It is a walled city.  The wall was started in 17 something

Another view of the wall with the invisible man standing there to the left.  Another street performer.

This is the 'sport port'

There were sculptures everywhere.....  Thinking about home?

I thought this play area in a shopping mall was inspired.

This building now holds a museum but there is still a university here.

I kept wondering whose this boat was.... couldn't read the name.

Okay, his photo looks better than mine...

A quote from Cervantes about Cartagena.

 



We had our softball game in spite of rain.  It was lots of fun!

The white leg contest!

Hot dogs and potato salad.  Hey!  They like it!

We had dinner at a restaurant on the wharf that evening.  Then decided to go into town for an ice cream.  That was when it started to pour!!! we got soaked but had lots of fun.

 

The next day was zone conference for the three zones in this northern area.

This brother always makes paella for 80 nor so missionaries.  pretty impressive and delicious too 

This is about 1/3 of the mission.  They are even more impressive in person.

Then there were farewell photos!

This Elder's family didn't want him to leave for his mission and cut up his passport trying to prevent it.  We have kind of adopted him.  What's one more?

We had a wonderful couple of weeks and pray that yours have been likewise.  We have thoroughly enjoyed conference.  What a blessing to hear from our inspired leaders.  Was ever a people so blessed as we?