P-DAY in VIGO!!!

From the top of the mountain.

As you may well imagine, P-day is a welcome "rest" from the normal rigors of the missionary work-week.  Not long ago, the Zone Leaders arranged, for those who wanted, for us to travel to Vigo and hike up a rocky knob outside the city limits.  It was a "festivo" day (some sort of day "off" and "fiesta" all rolled into one) and  the buses were not running their full routes, so  . . . .our little car got put to good use 'ferrying' a bunch of the missionaries to the actual point of beginning for the hike.  Thank heaven that not all the Zone came that day, or we would still be transporting missionaries to the point of beginning!!  We did have 14 of the 28 participate, so we had a good number to work with.

The first group, 'ferried' to the starting point.  You can see
the rocky knob in the background.  We had a pretty good
hike, just to get to the bottom of the knob!!

Ahh. . . a mountain stream--but, alas, no fish!
It felt really good to be back in the mountains again!

A view of Vigo, part way up the knob.  Vigo sits right on  one
of the large bays that lead out into the ocean.

She wasn't sure she really wanted to do this!!  She was pretty
tired already, just from the hike to this point.

We had already gone a long way, and Hna. Bake was ready to
sit down and wait for us to climb, and to return, but the
young missionaries kept encouraging, so . . .she took a chance,
and started up, again.

"I think I can!  I think I can!

Maybe.  We'll see!!

Yeh!!  It was worth it!!

View down the other side.

Vigo, in the distance, from the top.

Hna. DeWaal, who just went home on Sunday!!
She will be sorely missed!
And YES< the wind was howling!!!!

Hna. Baxter, who gets a new companion this week.
Photobombers in the background!!

Hna. Spencer, from Parma, Idaho!!!

Left--Elder Jones, from Rigby, Idaho
Right--Elder Muller, from Argentina, who provided most of
the encouragement for Hna. Bake to make it to the top!!

I have said before that in the Santiago District there are 8 units.  Our Mission President Pack, has a vision to try to have a stake established here by the time he goes home in 2 1/2 years.  It will take some doing, but it is within the realm of possibility.  To have a stake, you need to have at least 5 wards functioning, with at least 90 members per ward.  Vigo, right now, has around 120 active members.  If they can get to 180 and then split, there are two of the required 5 wards.   They also, just recently,  received permits to build a grand, new building of worship that will be able to house 420 people!!  That could easily be the new Stake Center.   A Coruna has enough right now for a ward.  (there's your third ward).  Ferrol sits at about 70 active members.  If they can improve just 20 more, there is your 4th ward for the new stake.  They biggest hurdle will be finding that fifth ward.  We believe it will be our little branch--Santiago.  Right now we have anywhere from 25 to 35 attending on any given Sunday.  There are many who have to work on Sundays, so it is a constant struggle to always have the same ones attend from week to.  We have set a goal, for the coming year, to arrive at the number 60, regularly attending meetings.  That is a lofty one, for sure, but we feel it can be done, especially if the members get excited about bringing their friends and neighbors.  Within the 2 1/2 years remaining for President Pack to be here, we feel like we can get Santiago up to the 90 required to become the 5th ward for the new stake.  There is already a piece of ground purchased where they could construct their very own chapel.  Still, there is a lot of work to be done here, before that happens, but we are up to it.

If I wrote down this logo--USC-- what would you think?  (University of Southern California, right?)  That's what I thought the first time I saw someone here wearing a sweatshirt with that logo on it.  I should have been a little more "up on things", I guess.  It stands for the University of Santiago de Compostela.  There is a very famous university here, and people come from all over Spain, and parts of Europe too, to attend the university.  I had wondered, during the first week-end we were here, why we were seeing so many young men and girls, towing suitcases down the streets.  They were students, heading home for the weekend, to get their clothes washed (I assume), and to see the family, and to rest from the week of being students.  Then, again on Sunday evenings, and Monday mornings, you can see the same students, arriving back in town, to resume their studies. Our piso is located not too far from the train station, and several of the major bus routes, so . . . we see them almost all the time, suitcases in tow, on their way too and from. those locations.   The street below our piso, fills up with college-aged students, almost every evening, as they meet up with their friends and sit down at the sidewalk cafes to enjoy an hour or two, drinking, dining, chatting, and having a good time. 

Even though we are well into Nevember. we are still seeing a few 'hikers', either on their way to Sangiago, or passing through, and on out to "Finnisterre" (the end of the world), where some of the 'pilgrims' (hikers) go to finish their march.  It is located on the far western shore of Spain, straight west of Santiago, and in the real old days, they considered it to be the 'end of the world'.  That little jaunt is on the bucket list for us before we leave this region.  I have never been to the end of the world before, but I remember people talking about it, when I was little, and living in Parma!!  Not sure what they meant by that!!  I thought Parma was a pretty good place to grow up in.

Hna.Bake, being the good cook that she is, has made a lot of new friends!  A goodly number of them are the local, and district, and Zone missionaries.

Elder Hale, brand new missionary, from Logan, Utah, had his
birthday on the 28th of October.  His mother was happy to know
that someone took care of him on that day!!

These last two photos are for any and all electricians out there, who may sometimes grumble about the codes you get to deal with (I'm thinking of you, Jason).  We had a couple of young 'technicians' come to our piso a few weeks ago, to install the needed items for internet service.  It was an eye-opener to watch them work!  I'll leave it at that!

When they were 'done' with the install, this is how it ended up.
These little 'patches' (I call them) are all over in the piso.

Would you dare call this a 'junction box'?
This was inside one of those 'patches'!

Well, I had better finish up.  Thanks for all who are thinking of us and praying for us.  We are doing very well and feeling like we are making a difference.  All of you, who are in condition to do it, ought to be thinking about how you can get out here in the mission field, and enjoy this great work.

Love to you all,

Elder and Hermana Bake