This week was busy and beautiful, from a lot of dimensions. First of all, we drove to San Luis Obispo for a zone conference there. We loved seeing young missionaries there, singing with them, eating lunch, and learning how to plan more efficient days. Our zone conferences are pretty cool. They are spiritual of course, with messages about Christ, but also useful. We learn about planning, organizing, using maps, saving gas, keeping apartments clean, using smoke alarms, eating healthy, talking kindly with people, listening, all sorts of life skills that are useful for lifelong habits. For some of our missionaries, this practical training is life-changing.
Because San Luis Obispo is such a long drive, Dad and I decided to sleep overnight. We got a small hotel on the ocean and we spent the afternoon looking at seals, sea otters, and California sea lions. The sun was shining on the ocean, and the views were so beautiful. We loved this little break and chance to enjoy this incredible planet. Once we got home, we were busy again. I now have two piano students, so I taught lessons. We are helping a family get passports, so we filled out a lot of paperwork and took pictures that we hope will be accepted by the passport people.
On Friday, we went to the temple with some missionaries who are going home next week. The temple is in Los Angeles, so on the way home, we stopped at the Getty Villa. It was pretty with views of the ocean and amazing art. On Friday night, we were asked to bring the enchiladas to a party of our friends in the Spanish group. So we went to the store. Then we volunteered to bring the cake to a wedding of our friends on Saturday, so we went to the store again. Then, our prescription came in so we went to the store again. In the meantime, we needed a ruler for the passport pictures, so we went to the store for the fourth time. So much for the "saving gas" and "planning your day" lessons we heard at zone conference!
On Saturday, the women in our Spanish ward brought flowers from their yards, used tablecloths and decorations from the church closets, and spent their own money to buy sandwich supplies. They put together a beautiful wedding for our friends from Mexico who have two children but are not married. A young woman from the ward sang a love song, and the wedding was really beautiful. We loved it! It was a really special day. Then on Sunday, we brought our enchiladas to a good-bye party for one of the sister missionaries who we have been working with, and they were a hit. The people at the party, mostly from Mexico, looked at me with doubt and said, "YOU made these enchiladas?" I think they liked my enchiladas, and they didn't think a gringo could make them. So I was proud.
On Sunday, we always go to two hours of church in Oxnard from 9:00 to 11:00. Then, after a 30-minute drive, we attend a two hour church in Camarillo from 11:30 to 1:30. And yesterday, we added a sacrament meeting for those who are required to work on Sundays from 7:00 to 8:00 PM. It was beautiful because our bishop decided to stand and sing "I Stand All Amazed" a capella. This means that Elder Weatherford and I attended 5 hours of church and took the sacrament 3 times. We think that might be a record. So yes, we are keeping busy, and we love the opportunities to serve and to learn more about our neighbors from Mexico, and to meet and love new people.
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