Sunday Back Home

Hello everybody :) Long time, no see!

For those of you that are not from the west coast or were not at West Coast Conference, that is where we've been for the past couple of weeks. I was determined to get the first installment of the conference post up today. I downloaded all of my pictures and started writing, but it was really difficult! I am wondering if I'm the only one to have ever had this feeling... When you've had such a good time, great services and a wonderful time with friends, it is a little hard to relay it all with adequate feeling, all while sleepy and missing your friends. It is like a treasure I want to keep to myself a little while longer, to ponder and reflect on. I know I won't be able to relate each story, each message preached with the same amount of feeling as I actually have no matter how much time passes, but I'd like to give it a little more. I need the inspiration to hit me just right. I have full confidence that it will, but in the meantime --

Yesterday was Sunday!! It was a great Sunday! I hadn't seen these little kiddos for two weeks. We made little gingerbread houses for snack time in Sunday school. Everyone was thrilled for that. 

 The last Sunday I was in Mexico, Jael, (one of our Sunday school boys) stopped me during Sunday school to ask, "What is the name of that thing that you do when you go under the water and come up and worship God?" When I replied that it was called baptism he asked, "That is done so that we can praise God, right?" I explained that we are actually baptized to have all of our sins washed away! He took this all in, considering it carefully with a pensive look on his face. He informed me that he'd been baptized into the Catholic church when he was a baby, but that he had a desire to be baptized right, and had his parent's permission. (This kid is about 8 years old - he was killing me!) We discussed the normal procedure for children being baptized - that we normally don't baptize them until they receive the Holy Ghost so he really needed to be in the altars seeking! At the end I told him the final decision was up to Pastor and he could talk to him about it when he got back from the U.S. He was happy with this answer and seemed pretty confident and brave about the prospect. 

After Sunday school yesterday, I saw Jael outside waiting for his dad to come and pick him up. I asked him if he'd gotten a chance to talk to Pastor and he said no. I said, "Well, would you like to do it now?" He hesitated for a moment and barely shook his head, then changed his mind and said, "Okay". He marched right up to the platform where Dad was getting ready for the main service.

Pastor decided that he is going to talk to Jael's parents and try to get a Bible study going. If his parents see their need to be baptized, then Jael will be baptized with them! Pray for this family! Jael has been coming to Sunday school for a while now and his parents have actually come to several Sunday services. They were here a couple months ago when Bro. Mario preached for us - he went down the line talking about the terrible things that happen in the public schools among young people. He told of his own personal experiences as a young person. He was very straight forward about what a life dedicated to the Lord looks like. He hit on child-rearing, holiness, integrity, homosexuality, and it was right on! At dinner after church Nicole and I both said, "If they come back after this, it will be a very good sign!!" (You know how it is! It is truth being preached, but it's like - please don't be offended!)

After Sunday school, I took the kids home. On our way there, Ana started squealing about how she wanted to drive past her school. I drove a couple streets up and we drove past it all while she is hollering, "Bye, teacher! Bye school!" It was adorable. 

I think Paulina has finally overcome her deal with opening the door while driving down the road. She started this after establishing the seatbelt rule, thankfully so no one fell out or anything. There was just one instance of coming to a screeching halt, and after that she was banned from the front seat for a while. (Something is wrong with the door and it opens from the inside even if it is locked.)

She is still mischievous nonetheless, and managed to open the umbrella she found in the side of the door.

The drive to their house is only about five minutes long. I don't know how much stuff happens each ride. But there is one more thing. They asked me if they could call me mommy. Oh.my.word. I could've just melted right there in the driver's seat. I said sure so they started in with all kinds of questions. "Mami, can I carry your purse? Mamita, where's your cellphone? Ma...Ma...Ma! Mami, do you love us? We're going home, right, Ma?" I started recording about halfway through and it is something I will keep forever.

After church we went and visited our beloved taco place. We missed these :) 

~Bethany~