Boa Tarde de Lisbon

Hi everyone,

We feel like world travelers this week.  I think that our flight from Paris to Lisbon was the only one that was on time.  We have spent hours waiting in airports this week.  I guess we need to learn patience.  We thought that we would be traveling home from Madrid on the train, but Francisco, who made all the reservations for our trip, decided to keep us in Madrid one more night and fly us back since the air strike didn't happen.  

Francisco and his wife, Suzie, entertained and fed us in their home in Alcala de Henares on Thursday night, showed us many beautiful areas of Madrid on Friday night where we had tapas, sodas and frozen yogurt, and then took us to see an old university and the home of Cervantes, who wrote Don Quijote on Saturday morning before they took us back to the airport.

The photo where we are sitting with the statues is of Sancho Panza and Don Quijote in front of Miguel Cervantes' home.  

Our meetings were held on Friday in a building owned by the Church next door to the Madrid Temple.  We didn't go inside, but were able to walk around it and take pictures before the meetings began.  I included a picture of the temple with this e-mail.

The other picture is of us in one of the plazas we visited.  I couldn't believe all of the activities that were going on in the plazas.  They had people dressed up in various costumes, including Micky and Minnie, clowns, musicians, bubble blowers,balancing acts, people painted up in all sorts of fashions, etc.  Lots of people gather there to visit, to eat and to enjoy time together.  We ate tapas, which are small "fast food" creations, in an old market where you could get all sorts of items.  The only negative was that my feet were killing me by then and we stood to eat.  Otherwise we enjoyed our evening immensely.

We attended our ward today and enjoyed it very much.  The people were nice, but they do talk and read quite rapidly.  I need much practice to keep up with them.

This week we need to settle down to business with our PEF responsibilities.   We are working in the same office building with about a dozen Church employees.  We have met most of them.  I think they all speak English, along with Portuguese. Our ward meets on the other side of the same building.  When we enter the building it is by finger recognition.

Miguel, our PEF supervisor, loaned us a gadget from which we are receiving the internet for now.  We will have to find another solution soon.

It was hot when we arrived, but has cooled off considerably and we do not need our fan today.  It is very pleasant.  The nights seem also to cool off pretty nicely.

We love you and are happy to be here,

Elder and Sister Henry