Church History Tour

On Friday, 25 June 2012, Pte. and Hna. Hinckley had a meeting in Madrid with Elder Kopischke. There were two large conventions in the city as well as the Copa del Rey futbol game between Athletic Bilbao and FC Barcelona - and Pep Guardiola´s last game as coach of FC Barcelona. Result: no hotel rooms anywhere in the city. Thanks to the kindness of Pte. Sitterud we were able to stay at the Madrid CCM and take advantage of the trip to do a session at the Madrid Temple.

On the AVE traveling to Madrid at 302 km/h

The Madrid Temple

We met the Cleggs (Spain Malaga Mission) and attended the temple together

At the temple

In addition to attending the temple, we did a mini Church history tour on Saturday morning, visiting two sites from the early days of the Church in Spain. We visited Casa de Campo, a large park on the western edge of the city. On 20 May 1969, Elder Marion G. Romney of the Council of the Twelve offered the dedicatory prayer opening Spain for the preaching of the gospel in this dispensation.

The Hinckleys at Casa de Campo

The Cleggs at Casa de Campo

View of Casa de Campo with Madrid in the distance

We also visited the site of the first missionary apartment in Spain: Isaac Peral 2, near the Moncloa in Madrid

Pte. and Hna. Hinckley at Isaac Peral 2, Pte. Hinckley´s
old missionary apartment in June 1969!

Time did not permit visits to other Church history sites: the Cuatro Caminos Chapel (still in use) or the first meeting place in Madrid at Plaza República Argentina 23 (a nursery school which the Church rented on Sundays). But we had a great day together in the great city of Madrid before saying goodby to the Cleggs and returning to Barcelona!