Today has been kind of a slow lazy day with lots of rain. After our companion study Larry spent time writing his talk for Sunday since it is going to be "missionary Sunday". One member of each of the three companionships will speak as well as Andriv the young man recently called to serve a mission in Mexico. Larry was assigned to talk about "hastening the work as church members." The others are teaching principles out of "Preach My Gospel. It should be a good meeting. Larry is the last speaker so he thinks there won't be a lot of time left for him but we'll see. I have been doing laundry and whatever else needs doing. We went grocery shopping and tried a new supermarket and didn't like it at all so it's back to Carrefour for us. It is just such a nice store.
We have a repairman here right now to replace one of our blinds, that has been broken for a while, and the microwave. We haven't had the microwave for a month and at first I really missed it but I have gotten used to heating things up on the stove and hardly care if we get a new one. I'm sure after I start using it again I'll be glad and wondered how I lived without it.
We had a semi decent turnout at the the education/employment training seminar this past Saturday. Only one of the JAS came so we were pretty discouraged by that. However the Elder's Quorum pres. wants to do some workshops on a branch level and get these young adults committed to come so that may work out really well. Brother Serrano did an amazing job and those that were there learned very valuable skills for job search and how to access the PEF and much more. We helped him set up everything Friday night after choir practice then Larry went over at 9 in the morning to help with the final details of getting the computer up and running onto the screen and what not. I went over to help and ended up taking care of a little boy so his mother could take part in the seminar because he wasn't cooperating so well. He wasn't thrilled when I took him but we got used to one another. He finally fell asleep and his mom put him in the stroller. I then went and bought drinks and treats for everyone to have when the workshop finished up. After 4 hours I knew they would be starving. Brother Serrano took us and Amanda out for lunch afterwards and we all had a good chat. Amanda is over Employment on the district level and also is our branch Relief Society president. I don't know how she does it. She is also raising her two nephews since her sister passed away. Two of her kids are grown so she just has one at home but still she works and is the sole support of her family. I assume she is divorced since there is no husband around.
We had a great P-day outing this past Monday. We drove down the coast to Baiona and A Guarda with the hermanas. Again absolutely breathtaking scenery along the way. We went to see the Virgen de la Roca which is a statue of Mary on a hill near Baiona but it is being refurbished and was completely covered in scaffolding so we couldn't see it at all. The views from the hill though were worth the drive. We could see the islands and beaches-so gorgeous. The Celtic ruins at A Guarda were quite amazing. The settlement was built on the highest hill in the area so again stunning views all around. The Galician valleys below and Portugal to the south, Rio Mino that divides the two countries and the Atlantic Ocean. Santa Tecla is the name of the old Celtic settlement. You could see the stone fences that were animal pens and the outlines of their small huts they lived in. We have to go back because I would like to spend so much more time there. The museum was closed and we didn't get to see the reconstructed huts up close because our time was limited.
Our weekly JAS activity turned into a night of Karaoke and was such a lot of fun. One completely inactive young man, that has chosen a lifestyle completely outside the gospel teaching, came to the activity. We were happy to see him and hope he'll come again. He has been a couple of times but we rarely see him. It is sad to see someone that has been so active, from all we've been told, turn his back on truth for fleeting pleasure.
Yesterday Sandra invited me to her salon for a mani and pedi. She did the manicure and Catarina the pedicure at the same time. I felt really pampered. It took a couple of hours but during that time we had such a good talk about their lives, how they came to join the church, their families and whatever else came up. I enjoyed listening to them share their feelings about the gospel and the love they have for the Savior. They both have such great faith in the power of prayer and guidance of the Spirit. So much of what life long members have always been blessed with is something new and precious to them. Two very special ladies that want to get married and have children but with not a lot of prospects here in Vigo. Catarina is planning to move back to Brazil once her divorce is final and seems excited to be where the church is more well established and the membership is greater in number. While I was there Larry went with elder McCallister to administer to a young boy in our branch that is in the hospital with meningitis. There is another member of the branch recovering from the same malady. Apparently meningitis is a real problem here in Spain.
Nothing much new and exciting just routine stuff. We're trying to find some spanish visuals that we can set up outside the church and sit and talk to people as they walk by and maybe get some interest in that way.We'd probably do that a couple of hours a couple of days a week. There is a lot of foot traffic that goes by the chapel everyday so we want to take advantage of that.
Take care all of you and keep in touch. We love you all so much.
Mom and Dad
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