Ya Hace Diez Anos! Zaragoza, La Zona de Milagros!

Zaragoza was my next area after Huesca, just an hour down the road. Each missionary companionship in our mission was part of a district of 4 to 6 missionaries, and each district was part of a zone of 8 to 12 missionaries. Huesca was part of the Zaragoza II district and Zaragoza zone, so I stayed in the same district when I got transferred. Zaragoza is the 4th largest city in Spain, so there were 10 missionaries serving there. It was the largest city I served in on my mission.
The best thing about Zaragoza was the bocadillos de tortilla de patata. My mouth is having withdrawls as I type. There was a little sandwhich shop where we could get them for a real good price and they had a special sauce, oh they were delicious! Tortilla de patata is potatoes and eggs cooked together just right and you can eat it alone or on bread. I am not doing it justice in my description, it was heavenly.

Elder Hermen was my companion when I first arrived in Zaragoza. He was baptized shortly before he became a missionary. He loved meeting atheists on the street because he used to be one. He loved telling them how he had come to know there is a God and that He loves us. Shortly before I arrived in Zaragoza, Elder Hermen and Elder Hunter had baptized Orlando and Victoria who had 3 little children. Seeing a whole family join the church is a missionary's dream come true, especially in Spain! I enjoyed going with Elder Hermen to visit them and it was very hard a month later when Elder Hermen was transferred to another city. Orlando and Victoria loved Elder Hermen so much, they named their new baby after him, Mark.

Elder Crowell was my companion after Elder Hermen. He was a runner in high school. Remember, I didn't start running until after my mission, or maybe it was during my time in Zaragoza, he would run to catch a bus and I would huff and puff behind him and hope he didn't board and leave me behind. Together we taught David Chaux Maldonado and he was baptized. We loved singing "Somos los soldados que combatan error" (We are all enlisted 'til the conflict is over) with David, "Que dicha es!"

Zaragoza was the only time I served in the same city as Sister missionaries. There are fewer of them than Elders, so they usually only serve in the larger cities. The Sisters baptized a family whose Grandpa was in charge of the bullring of the city, so we got to go down on the floor of the bullring and practice with the torreros. We also watched a bullfight while I was there.

Shortly before I was transferred, Elder Crowell told me he needed to buy a new tie. We went to a store and looked at some nice ties, he asked me which one I liked and to my surprise actually bought the one I recommended. My surprise was even greater when I arrived in my new area a few days later and opened my bag and found the tie stuffed inside. On the back was written, "I love you, Elder Crowell". He was always very thoughtful and considerate of my feelings.