The Rain in Spain
What would you do if you were in southern France
and your appointment was postponed
so you had several hours to wait?
How would you spend the extra time?
and your appointment was postponed
so you had several hours to wait?
How would you spend the extra time?
If you were Jonathan Neville,
you would drive into northern Spain,
and tour the Guggenheim Museum.
you would drive into northern Spain,
and tour the Guggenheim Museum.
Which is why we found ourselves in Bilbao at this museum called
"one of the world's most spectacular buildings."
"one of the world's most spectacular buildings."
We found the outlandish architecture even more impressive
than the many modernistic art pieces displayed.
than the many modernistic art pieces displayed.
On a busy dowtown street, we found the local Bilbao Ward chapel,
which houses an impressive FamilySearch center,
welcoming the public.
welcoming the public.
Contrary to popular opinion,
the Rain in Spain did not stay mainly on the Plain,
but Bilbao was quite rainy.
the Rain in Spain did not stay mainly on the Plain,
but Bilbao was quite rainy.
And it was a relief when a few weeks later we had another project in Spain.
This time the plains were beautiful and we saw no rain there.
We presented Church History artifacts in the Manresa Branch near Barcelona,
and took a train to Madrid where we went to the temple.
Our colleagues from Germany were on a short trip to Spain,
and we took the opportunity to meet them in Sevilla.
and we took the opportunity to meet them in Sevilla.
Definitely a must-see if you ever go to Spain.
Don't miss the enormous Setas (mushrooms)
Or the Flamenco dancers
Church History Moments
How did the Church Start in Spain?
In 1874, Spanish army officer Melitón González Trejo visited Utah, was baptized, and helped translate the Book of Mormon into Spanish—planting the first seed for the gospel in Spanish-speaking lands.
The Church took root in Spain in the 1950s despite laws banning non-Catholic ceremonies. In 1948, Jordi Subirats Ventura of Barcelona wrote to Church headquarters seeking information. Materials arrived, followed by letters from Betty Gibbs.
Since non-Catholic religious ceremonies were illegal, most converts had to go to France to be baptized. In 1950, Jordi and his brother-in-law traveled to Nice, France, for baptism; Jordi’s brother Juan followed in 1952.
Juan returned to Barcelona, connecting with American Latter-day Saints stationed there. In 1953 he hosted a sacrament meeting at home, was arrested, beaten, and imprisoned for violating assembly laws. After his release, he married Betty in Paris in 1954 and they moved to the United States.
In 1966, José María Oliveira was baptized in France and began teaching Spanish investigators in Madrid. Spain’s 1967 religious freedom law opened the door. See this post describing how religious freedom began in Spain.
On February 4, 1968, the first independent Spanish-speaking branch met in Madrid. The Church could not be a legal entity while it had American leadership. After calling José as branch president, the Church gained legal recognition on October 22, 1968.
José and his wife Patricia—who introduced him to the gospel—served faithfully in mission leadership roles. In 1972, Juan Ventura returned to Spain and became the first local president of the Barcelona Branch.
On March 14, 1982, the Madrid Stake was organized, with José as its first stake president. Juan attended the milestone event, seeing how perseverance and divine timing had established a thriving Church in Spain from humble, often persecuted beginnings.
To read other posts in our Mission Blog,
click on the arrow or 3 lines to the left of NEVILLES IN FRANCE
then click on ARCHIVE to see a list of all posts.
