The lighthouse at Formentor, Mallorca

The background shows sidewalk tiles - "rajoles" - that pave the sidewalks throughout Barcelona. They were designed by architect Puig i Cadafalch for the entryway of a home. Since 1915, they have been used by the city to pave sidewalks, and have become emblematic of the city. One of the city's most famous chocolatiers, Enric Rovira, produces chocolate bars in the shape and design of these tiles.

Monday, August 29, 2011

What We Do

On Sunday 20 new converts received the gift of the Holy Ghost and were confirmed members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Here are some of their stories.

A few weeks ago the Assistants were walking down the street in Barcelona and contacted a woman who, as it turned out, was a member of the Church but had not been to Church for several years. She had been baptized in South America but moved to Spain and had never found the Church here. She was so excited to find the missionaries and find out where meetings were held! She lives in the Barcelona 1st Ward, and came to church the following Sunday with her son, Ernesto. Ernesto is in his 30s and had never been baptized. She also invited her niece, Lina, and Lina's husband Juan Carlos.

On Saturday, Ernesto, Juan Carlos and Lina were all baptized by Bishop Lino in a beautiful baptismal service at the Barcelona Stake Center. Each of them bore their testimonies following the baptism. Juan Carlos described how he and his wife Lina had been looking for a church for a long time, but everytime they attended a church Lina would come home and say, "No me gusta" - I don't like it. He was so happy their first Sunday attending the Barcelona 1st Ward when they come home and Lina said, "Me encanta" - I love it!

Ernesto's mother, Hna. Roberts, Lina, Ernesto, Juan Carlos, Hna. Reed
A faithful sister who lives in Turin, Italy, was visiting her boyfriend in Cornella during the month of August and  invited him to attend Church with her each Sunday. She gave him a copy of the Book of Mormon, which he began reading, and she shared with him the story of the Restoration. Two weeks ago she cornered the missionaries after Sacrament meeting and introduced them to her boyfriend and asked that they meet with him.

They arranged an appointment for the following Thursday night and had a wonderful lesson. When the Spirit was strong, they invited him to prepare to be baptized on September 10th, just three weeks away. He hesitated for a moment and said, "Well, my girlfriend goes back to Italy on the 30th of August and I would really like her to be here for my baptism. Is there any way I could be baptized before she leaves?"

Juan Carlos was baptized on August 27th and confirmed on August 28th.

Elders Buchkovich and Manotas, Juan Carlos and his girlfiend,
and friends in the  Cornella Ward, following the baptism on Saturday night.
 "Neither have angels ceased to minister unto the children of men... And the office of their ministry is to call men unto repentance" (Moroni 7:29, 31)

We are grateful for the way in which angels are preparing to people to receive the message of the Restoration!

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