EASTER~

“After all that Jesus Christ did for you, I invite you to do something this week to follow His teachings. … “This Easter, I encourage you to focus on the Savior.” ~ President Nelson

It is true that I am behind by a week. But I’m ready to share our Easter adventures! It's been so interesting learning about how things are celebrated here in Spain, and it really varies by region. We love the people and being out in the community and learning all about them. We live in Catalonia, which, according to some AI intel, is this autonomous community in northeastern Spain with a rich history, cool landscapes, and a strong Catalan identity – including their own language and a bit of a separatist vibe in the past.

Speaking of language, if I haven't mentioned it before, the locals here speak Catalan. It's pretty different from Spanish, and honestly, it's a bit of a challenge for us to understand. (did I tell you why? - another day). Thankfully, almost everyone also knows Spanish and is kind enough to speak to us in Spanish.

Alright, back to Easter! It turns out that in Catalonia, they don't have the huge Easter celebrations I remember from my mission in Seville. There, Semana Santa (Holy Week) meant processions many nights down the local streets. We actually happened upon one one evening in Barcelona, which was an interesting cultural experience. However, I did find myself missing the emphasis on the joyous reality of the living Christ amidst the somber reflections on the Savior's crucifixion.

We made a point to intentionally commemorate each night of Holy Week, focusing on those final steps of the Savior's life. It's such an incredible blessing to know the reality of the resurrection and that the Savior lives and is actively guiding His work and Church right here on earth. We really tried to share those tender mercies we've felt with the people around us.

Here are some snapshots of our week. We truly loved focusing every day on the Savior’s life.

A Seder meal for 2

Dave and I made a quick Seder meal, but the highlight was the script that Heather provided for us to go with the meal. Thank you Heather!

Caroling in Terrassa

There is dancing and caroling through the streets making their way to the community church. They put out a basket for the house they carol to and a treat is placed in the basket for the carolers. It's like the best parts of Easter, Christmas, and Halloween all bundled together in one wonderful celebration! It is wonderful!

Le Seu

The drive to Le Seu felt like we were winding through Switzerland in some parts. We met with the Young adults with most of the branch to enjoy a wonderful activity together. They are beautiful and loving people, who we hope to be able to support more often.

Terrassa Institute

We love Terrassa Institute! They are faithful, kind and trying hard to stay on the Lord’s covenant path while helping others do the same! We celebrated an easter breakfast for dinner. As you will see food is a highlight for all our activities. The philosophy is: if you feed them, they will come. IT’S TRUE!!

Missionary concerts

Across the mission of Barcelona, the missionaries sang out the joy of the Savior’s resurrection. It was a traveling road show to the stakes, including a couple who are professional violin players, that have retired here in Segovia, because it is “more beautiful than LaJolla”.