Santiago District

For those not familiar with terms out in the mission field, a District is similar to a Stake, but is under the direction of the Mission President.  Each of the units is governed, ecclesiastically, by a branch president and one, or two, counselors, depending on the size of the branch, or the availability of worthy Melchizedek  Priesthood holders to fill the positions.  Santiago has one counselor, and he has to work a lot on  Sunday.  It can get pretty lonely for our branch president when the counselor is not there to help take some of the load.

In the six Sundays that we have been here, we have experienced two baptisms in the branch--the first two of the entire year!  Because Hna. Bake and I helped to teach the second person, a young 40-year old woman, we also got to help in the baptism.  Her name is Susi. She has two younger girls.  She was first introduced to the Gospel by an inactive member who she had worked with.  As he began to teach and tell about the Church, he also has had a rekindling  of his faith, and is beginning to come.  He came with her this Sunday, to her confirmation.  I was able to participate in that also.

Tyler Haws and his wife Summer, live in our branch.  He plays
for the local pro basketball team.  He is one of our branch missionaries.

Sister Baxter and Sister DeWaal make good bookends.
Susi and Elder Bake in the middle.
Sis. Baxter has grandparents in Nyssa, Oregon.
Sister DeWaal finishes her mission on the 10th of November!

You may or may not recognize that blue thing in the background.  It is a portable baptismal font!!

It is, in the picture, sitting in the front of the chapel.  It is made of a heavy, vinyl-like fabric, and has to be filled with a garden hose. It takes several hours to fill.  It is supported by a metal pipe frame that can be quickly and easily set up, and taken down.  The baptizer and the baptizee both enter the font by climbing up a small ladder, and entering on the other side, by the same means.  The water is not very deep, but it was not cold!  A lot of branch members came out to show their support.  

The other units in the District are, beginning in the south of Galicia: Vigo, Pontevedra, and Vilagarcia de Arousa, all situated along the western seashore.  Directly east of them is Orense.  Straight north of Orense is Lugo.  East of Lugo is our town, Santiago de Compostela.  The last two units are located on the northern coastline.  They are A Coruna and Ferrol.  We have been in Vigo, but not enough to be able to share a lot of information about it.  We have been in A Coruna several times and have seen some of the sights there, which we will share with you.

A Coruna has about 90 members who are active in the Church.  They are also just finishing up the construction of their very own brand new chapel.  It should be ready to be dedicated this coming spring.

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There are some beautiful places to see in A Coruna, so. . . . here goes:

No picture of it, but there is a huge port here.  Even the huge
cruise ships can dock here, and they do!

This is the Tower of Hercules!!  (the big thing in
the background--not the dude in the white shirt)
It was originally built by the Romans in the first century, and is the only, original ancient light house that is still in operation.
It has had a couple of upgrades, but is essentially the same as it was many years ago.  For a fee, you may enter and walk up the 234 steps required to get to the top.

Typical Roman keystone!!

24

Interior support columns.

Some of the 234 steps!!  Makes me dizzy!!

A few of the views from the top of the tower.

Not a great picture, but I wanted you to see that we did the "cafe
by the seashore" thing.  This is Hna. Bake and her sister, who came
to visit a few weeks back.

She had had a 'hankerin' to be doing this, for a long time!!
You would understand, if you had grown up in southern California, too!

Steve and Karen, and Hna. Bake.

Located on the 'coast of death' A Coruna gets some nasty storms.
The sea wall that used to be here, has been destroyed by waves from past storms.
This CAT is 'grooming' the beach to try to lesson the effects of the waves by building up
a bank of sand, and then. . . . (next picture)

The second one comes along behind, and creates a canal for the
water to fall into, so that it doesn't carry so far into the street
and the businesses on the waterfront.

A Coruna in the background.

One of the weird things about this area is that there is not just one language that is spoken here!!  A small percentage only speaks Portuguese (9-12 %).  Another small percentage only speaks Gallego, a mix between Portuguese and Spanish, but leaning heavier on the  Portuguese end.  Most can speak both Gallego and Spanish.  They don't really call is Spanish here--they prefer to call it Castellano.  That's the pure form of the Spanish, as they call it!!  Businesses have the signs out in both languages, and then some only have the signs in Gallego, and some only in Castellano. Some of the street signs are only in Gallego.  We are learning to read and understand both.  We don't (or won't) speak Gallego, but it is fun to able to at least read what is out there.  

Well, I should save a little for the next round.  We are having a wonderful time, helping the Elders and the Sisters do their work, and they like having a place to call 'home' when they can come to our piso and use the internet and just to relax.

See you in a week or so.

Elder and Sister Bake