Found, but not lost #2

Duli Garcia Chaparro, Pedro, y Peruchito

Also 40+ years

Many tender mercies happened so I could reunite with Duli! OH wow, I am sooooo grateful! The Lord is so Merciful! Though I didn’t know where they were the Lord always knew and brought us back together.

Hard to tell the miracle in few words….

Of all the people I knew during my mission forty years ago, Duli and her family—her husband, Pedro, and their little boy, "Peruchito"—are the ones I remember most vividly. I still have a picture of them fixed in my mind, and I can't wait to find the physical photo when I get home to add it here.

When Dave and I set off on our Christmas tour of my "old mission" (Granada, Cádiz, and Seville), I honestly didn’t expect the miracles we encountered. Truth be told, my memory has faded; I’ve forgotten so many names and streets that it makes me a bit sad. But Duli’s family was engraved on my heart. I think I remember them so well because they were a family who joined the church together. I hadn't had any contact with them for forty years, and I had no idea where they would be or if I could even find them.

The Christensens (whom I mentioned in my previous post) were heaven-sent yet again. They helped this miracle unfold as they took us to their ward and church building. When I served in Cádiz, the members met in a "bajo"—a small converted garage. Today, they have a beautiful, proper chapel. As it happened, the only other church building in Cádiz was undergoing repairs, so all three wards were meeting in the one building we visited. This meant that almost every long-time member in the city was in the same place on the same Sunday!

We spent hours at church as the 3 meetings met. The Christensens were meeting with the Relief Societies and Bishoprics and doing amazing missionary work. Meanwhile I was trying to connect to my missionary work of 40 years ago. I kept asking after Duli, Pedro, and Peruchito. It was a whirlwind of activity. I met "pioneer" members who had been there since the beginning; they were so kind, sure they must have had me over for dinner decades ago because they always had the missionaries over. We had many dinner appointment offers for that day, but we were returning to Seville that afternoon. Some people thought they knew Duli but couldn't find her number. Others overheard us in the foyer and mentioned she wasn't currently active but still lived nearby. Finally, a Bishop walking down the hall said, "Oh, I think I have Duli’s number."

My phone wouldn't connect, so he handed me his phone and said, "Here, call her."

With a racing heart, I dialed. When she answered, I said, "This is Hermana Livingston. Are you the Duli I used to know, with Pedro and Peruchito?" There was a long silence. Then, she whispered, "My missionary?" It was the sweetest sound. I told her I was at the church, and she said she would be right over.

When she walked in, I was stunned—she looked exactly the same! I would have recognized her anywhere. Her gestures, her voice, and her spirit were unchanged. ¡Qué alegría! It was absolutely amazing to realize that while a lifetime had passed, that bond remained. One of the sweetest thing was to see many of the members greet her with so much love. Like a sheep returning to the flock! It was beautiful.

I learned that, sadly, Pedro has passed away. Duli is now remarried to a "wonderful man," and they live in the campo (countryside) outside of Cádiz. Her son, Pedro, is now over forty years old and lives close by. It was a marvelous tender mercy to reconnect, and I hope to see her son one day soon. The Lord’s hand is truly in the details.

Duli’s Story

Duli helped me fill in the details of how her journey began back in 1983. At the time, we were living in the same apartment building; we were on the 3rd floor, and Duli’s family was on the 15th. I believe we first met Pedro while he was working outside the building. When we asked if he would like to learn more about the Gospel, he said "yes" immediately.

For Duli, the transition wasn't quite as easy. She struggled with a smoking habit and found it difficult to imagine leaving her Catholic roots. One memory that still brings a smile to her face is how we tried to support her in quitting; we would bring her all sorts of different flavors of gum to help her through the cravings. It was a long, difficult road, but her desire to join the Church eventually gave her the strength to stop smoking.

Looking back, I realize just how young the Church was in Spain during my first mission. On this second mission, I am learning more and more about how challenging it was for those newly baptized members to remain strong. The leadership was young, and the members were all first-generation; they were incredibly faithful and full of love for one another, even when they didn't fully understand the policies, doctrine, or culture of the Church.

Although it has been a struggle for Duli to attend church over the years, the bonds of friendship remained. Her family became dear friends with that small group of early members, and that lifelong connection was unmistakable the moment she walked through the chapel doors.