This has been another wonderful week in Madrid! The saints from Hospitalet (north east part of country) were in town and kept the sessions steady in numbers. School has started here in Spain so there were not as many youth as usual during the week although on Friday a bus left their area (5.5 hour trip) very early in the morning loaded with almost 70 young people and they arrived here and performed baptisms the entire day. They then got back on the bus that night and returned home; now that is a lot of traveling for the opportunity and privilege of performing ordinances in the House of the Lord. Again, we had many dear friends come and go; tears were shed and hugs sent them/us on our way.
On a historical note, the first stake in the Bilbao area (northern Spain) of the church was created last Sunday; they had been a district but are now a stake. People from the area seem ecstatic and grateful for the growth that has taken place over the last few years that enabled this change.
On Monday, we went downtown with the Ford’s (Rodney & Marcia) to show them around Plaza Sol and the adjoining area. We had a fun time, ate at Burger King and while we were there, Marcia had her purse stolen. We were all sitting around a table (two of us on a bench); she put her purse next to her husband on the bench and we were eating, talking, and obviously not paying attention. We had all noticed a weird guy at the door and had seen a “different” guy sit down a few feet from us on the bench. We surmise they were working together and the one outside drew our attention away while the other one grabbed the purse. It is really frustrating to think that you must have a firm hold on everything at all times and that you can’t relax for one minute. We checked all of the dumpsters nearby to see if it had been thrown there after looking for cash, but found nothing. It was a good, yet bad reminder to all of us to be on the lookout as there are some people out there looking to take advantage of others.
Later that night we were invited to the Ford’s for dinner along with the Sproul’s (Bob & Susan). We had a fun night eating, talking and getting to know each other a little bit better.
The Sproul’s will soon be busy most every night of the week with Institute classes, socials, etc so it was good to spend some time with them. They have invited us to come to their apartment (3 bedrooms) when we return from our cruise for a couple of nights before we head home.
Paul and Kellie were kind enough to send us a few mementos to give to some special people that we have served with here and we began giving some of them out this week. We also had some pictures made up of us in front of the Temple with our address on the back that we are giving to a few people (probably use them for a dart board)! It has been really neat to see some the reactions on their faces as they open up the little gift and see what they received. Brother Barranco (all 4’ 10” of him) has been on cloud nine and today as we were leaving the chapel we saw the Madrid Mission President, he had been in Brother Barranco’s ward today and he said he was wandering around showing everyone the picture. Also, we gave Brother Quirce a glass engraved image of the Salt Lake Temple….now this is a “tough guy” who has never shown his emotions in public. He has worked here every day since the Temple opened, 10 years ago, he is a sealer and comes every afternoon. He is always willing to do whatever is asked of him even though he is one of the veterans and knows how to do everything better than 99% of the people that work here. Anyway, as we gave him this token of our appreciation, his eyes quickly filled with tears and he just grabbed me and gave me a big hug. When we composed ourselves we took some pictures in front of the Temple and they departed, after another hug (I have never been able to give him one before in the year and half we have been here). This made everything worth it, to see him brought to tears by a simple act. He is one of the people that we will never forget. In the ten years he has worked here he has performed more than 100,000 sealings of parents or children to parents…what a record!
We were also able to get some other couples together today to take some photographs: 
Brother Angel Barranco, 
Brother Emilio & Sister Quirce, 
Brother Jose Luis & Sister Oliveras (this guy is a clown, very nervous type and is really fun to be around),
Brother Jamie & Sister de la Torre, 
Felix & Jennifer. These are just a few of favorite friends with whom we have worked.
Friday night we invited Aderson & Dolores (Lolita) Santos to dinner before they left. 
We went to a favorite Chinese restaurant. 
We had a meal fit for a king and the company made things that much better. It has been fun to watch them get ready for their trip home to Sau Paulo, Brazil. They had purchased so many things (clothing, bread making machines, waffle irons, etc) because they are so much cheaper here than in Brazil. Well, to make a long story short, some of their children were coming over to travel with them (they were bringing empty suitcases to take stuff home)….well, they didn’t come-you can imagine the mess. 
They shipped home six large boxes of “stuff”…needless to say all of the savings and then some was taken by the shipping costs. They were flying Iberia airlines from Madrid directly to Sau Paulo and they were only allowed one suitcase between them (23 kilos=50 lbs) and carry on of no more than 10 kilos. They had seven suitcases, including carry on, and as I lifted them this morning I know that at least three of them weighed probably 50 kilos! I hope they found a very generous ticket person at the desk. They are great people and everyone will miss them, they were really fun “tranquilo” people and she could imitate anyone in any circumstance.
Saturday night we had a knock at the door and opened it to find a short, little guy (Brother Acma) from the Philippines (now lives in Barcelona) standing there. He had been in the Temple this week and wanted to take a picture with us.
He had a BYU hat on-said the Mission President had given it to him and it wears it everywhere! We laughed with him, not really understanding his English nor his Spanish but he left happy. He’s returning home to the Philippines in a few months.
We hosted the Saturday night movie and watched The Black Stallion. The movie was good but the company much better…it is fun to just get together and spend some time. With two shifts at the Temple we don’t always have an opportunity to get to know one another.
Later that night we listened (KSL radio) to the BYU versus Tulane football game. It was fun to again hear the action of the game…we had not listened the week before versus Oklahoma because it came on at 2:00 am. It’s hard to believe that we will actually be home to see the last three games this year.
Not being trunky, but wanting all family and friends to know we will work our final Temple shift the morning of 3 October. 
Lee & Colleen Haas will have arrived on the 29th of September and we will leave for a Mediterranean Cruise on 4 October out of Barcelona. We will return to Madrid the night of 11 October, have a day to finish up any loose ends then leave the Madrid airport the morning of 13 October, arriving in Salt Lake City at about 8:30pm. We look forward to seeing our families and friends, but are not anxious to leave our friends and family here in Madrid. We have been invited to give our mission report on Sunday, 25 October at 9:00am in the Taylorsville 27th Ward-we have forgotten the address, but it is within a half a block of our home in West Valley. You are all invited to the meeting and to the house afterwards for some snacks.
We know the gospel of Jesus Christ is TRUE. God lives and Jesus is our Savior and Redeemer! The Book of Mormon is TRUE and was written for our time. Thomas S. Monson is a Prophet of God on the earth today. We appreciate all of the prayers that have been offered in our behalf, they have truly been heartfelt. We love and appreciate each and every one of you. God be with you till we meet again. Love Mom & Dad / Nana & Papa / Elder y Hermana Shaw
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