!Más Diversión!

This is a baby shower I attended with my host family last night.  About 50 people came, all from family of both parents and included a disc jockey, table served comida for 3 hours then a full course buffet meal with tres leches for dessert.  Games were hysterical and hosted by this guy in the red shirt.  We arrived early with many others (2:15 for a 3pm event)to get a good table then didn't leave to come home until 8pm. The families are sweet and the cousins run free and behave.  I never saw the kids fighting or being ugly to anyone. I sat with Felsie and her daughter in law, her daughter and her 2 grown kids. Very sweet and loving family.  Mariela is one of Felsie's grandaughters and is a microbiologist, not married and can speak English. She loves to read so I gave her some suggestions. We exchanged emails so she can practice English and I can practice Español. More fun than Bingo!

 This morning I took the bus with the elders to church. It dropped us at the foot of this driveway and we walked almost straight up to the mansion where the branch meets in the mountains of Santa Ana.
Glad I brought flat, comfortable shoes!

This is Elder Black from Payson, Utah.  He is a twin, his mother just finished her education degree and has been teaching 3rd grade for 6 months, and he sings in a trio at home for events like Jazz games where they do the National Anthem. He has been out 6 months and speaks well, taught Gospel Principles and did a great job! This is the house where church meets. The upstairs porch on the left was the classroom for the combined 5th Sunday meeting. The view and breeze was wonderful! Elder Black usually plays the keyboard for meetings but doesn't really music so he asked me to play which I did. Then, in the 3rd hour, the Branch President asked me to give the opening prayer and let me do it in English (no comment Jeffrey Lynn, I'll pray in Spanish soon enough) and I immediately choked up and needed a kleenex when I sat down.  The Spirit was strong in all the meetings and I felt welcomed and loved by all. Sweet experience.

View from the church driveway where Elder Black is standing in the last picture.  Turns out my school, Conversa, is very close, on the same road to church! I will go to FHE with the elders tomorrow at the mission leaders home at 7pm.  His wife speaks English and he is a young man with a firm, strong testimony who served in Honduras I think, on his mission.  I will ask him tomorrow if he knows David. Wouldn't that be amazing? The gospel is true and wonderful in all the world - changes lives and blesses all who embrace its gifts. I love its message of joy, salvation, love and hope. So grateful to be here - growing pains and all!