Harry Potters Birthplace....sort of.

The last time we were in Porto attending a self reliance devotional and also teaching the departing missionary seminar...we finally found the famous bookstore where the author of Harry Potter supposedly conceived the idea for the series.  As we walked through it (it is very small) there is much of the decor that looks like a place right out of Hogwarts.  Professor Dumbledor would be right at home!

Our Favorite Group of People!!

These are last 4 groups of missionaries we  have in training.  Never get tired of being with the Missionaries!!!  If I didn't already have a testimony of the gospel I would know of it's truthfulness by feeling the 'spirit' of these young people.  They may be young but they are POWERFUL!  So grateful for my own testimony, for the experiences we are having that add depth and strength to what I already know. 

Home...So close, we can ALMOST touch it!

This is Ponta da Roca... this is the closest point to the United States in all of Portugal.  We tried yelling really loud to see if you could hear us??....guess not. 

Yes, we do look pretty haggard...but we have been in the wind and rain all day!  We are pointing right at you (:

Enchanted Forest?

Not far from the castles of Sintra, there is an ancient Monastery.  It was inhabited by Monks who chose to live out and away from everyone in a life of seclusion.  Their home was literally made from and around the huge stones in the earth. 

This is the entryway

They survived by what they could grow and produce (being "self reliant"!) and only had room for 8 Monks to live there at one time.  If one passed away, they would then fill the space with a Monk from another sect. 

It was misty, rainy day in the woods which only added to the mystical feel of the forest and our surroundings!

Inside the living quarters it was crafted around existing stone walls  and they used local cork for ceilings, window and door frames

This is the size of their rooms...wall to wall!  This one is more like a suite, because it has a window!!  You can see by the size of the doors...they were either very short men or stooping was part of the way they showed humility.

Elder Anderton was able to touch the ceiling...he was thrilled!

 

We ran into a Monk who was left behind!  Oops, that's Antonio Paulo!  (Notice the cork around the window)

 

Cork ceilings, windows and doors!  

 

This slab of rock is the dining room table!  It was such an interesting contrast to the Castle we visited earlier in the day!

Sintra

One of my favorite things about going to Disneyland is that if you let yourself, you can enter the world of make believe for just a little while.  Well, that is exactly how I felt when we went to Sintra.  It is a little city about 40 minutes from us here in Lisbon but truly a magical place.  There are 2 castles in Sintra...on two different hill tops.  One is made of rock & stone and looks like something from the 'knights of the round table' and the other truly looks like it belongs in Disneyland.  It is called the 'colorful' castle.  It's 'core' dates back to the 16th century and was then 'added' on and improved by various kings who moved into it, with the last King to live there in the early 1900's.  It was a fun day trip with the 'newbies' Elder & Sister Neiswender who are now working here with us.  

That is the castle on the 'other hill'  it's called the Moorish Castle

This is sweet little Diana....who is now sweet 'Sister Paulo"  Diana is Antonio Paulo's daughter and became a very good friend of ours.  She has left to serve a mission.  She is a beautiful girl with a strong testimony and will be an awesome missionary.  She speaks English very well and also Spanish...if she had a hope, it was to serve somwhere away from home.  So.....when she opened her call to find that she would be serving in Porto Portugal (3 hours to the north) at first there was some disappointment- but true to her nature and faith she quickly recovered and determined to be the best missionary she could be.  We will miss her smiling face and fun personality...they have been a blessing to us as we adjusted to life here in Lisbon.

This is our boss...um, I wonder where Diana gets her funny personality from??

Another missionary has answered the call of 'hastening the work' and she will be a wonderful addition!