CLELBRATION!

Querido familia y amigos,

Blog time again!  I can't believe how fast two weeks fly by and it is time to write the blog again. 

FIDELA IS "ON DATE":  Several weeks ago, we introduced you to Fidela.  A sweet hispanic sister who is exactly my age. She travels to Ensenada (2.5 hour drive) once or twice a month to help care for her grandchildren that live their.  The constant back and forth between here and Mexico has been really challenging in maintain progress in understanding gospel principles.  This summer she completely dropped off the radar for more than two months while visiting family in Oaxaca in Southern Mexico.  But about a month ago she called and wanted to meet with us. We were delighted and when we arrived at her house, she could hardly walk with knee pain.  We quickly got her connected with a physical therapist in our ward who works magic with massage and acupuncture.  So each week she gets two treatments and two lessons and she has made miraculous progress both physically and spiritually.  She is now "on date" with an Oct. 28 baptismal date set. Please pray for her.

Fidela with myself and our dear friend Anabel.

MESSAGES OF ENCOURAGEMENT TO JULIO: Our good friend Julio is still in the hospital, one month after the accident.  He still has many months of recovery.  The Lewis family (Sarah) generously donated a computer to him to help expedite his communication with family members in Mexico, along with the insurance companies and legal council.  We finally got a copy of the police report which puts the other driver 100% at fault for driving under the influence.  His positive attitude and tender testimony endears him to everyone he meets.

Julio and his new computer, donated by the Lewis Family.

NEW CONVERT NIGHT AT NEWPORT BEACH TEMPLE:  One of the most powerful tools our mission consistently employs is getting new converts to the temple within a few weeks after their baptisms. We set them up in Family Search to locate names of their antipasados (ancestors) and take them to the temple to do their baptisms and confirmations.  It never fails to be a powerful spiritual experience for all involved.  Below we have captured the moment of Laura and Arnolfo entered the Newport Beach Temple to do this work. with ourselves, the missionaries who taught them and our ward mission leader.  This is truly the pinnacle of our work!

New Converts at the Temple: Hermana Laura Guerrero and Aldolfo Sanchez in the center front.

Hermana Laura, baptized just two weeks prior.

Hermano Aldolfo at the entrance of the Newport Beach Temple

SENIORS AT CORONA DEL MAR BEACH:  Great food, happy conversations, our fellow missionary friends making memories at sunset on the beach.  Nothing better.  It is hard to express how dear these people of become to us.

 Senior missionaries relaxing at the beach!

Dear Senior Missionary Friends

MOBILE HOME PARK SERVICE:  We have been busy at the Vista manor mobile home park (a non-profit), but this time we are on our own.  We spent one morning stripping the "popcorn" off the ceiling as we helped Joshua, the maintenance man remodel his kitchen after a water leak.  (No pictures of that but we did included a picture of our badges cover with wet "popcorn.")  We also repaired a very damages and graffitied picnic table and repaired it.  We dismantled it, flipped the boards, sanded them and repainted.  It looked like a brand new table.  The park directors were a bit amazed!

Down and Dirty!

Good as new!

Luci in her element.

DINNER WITH PRESIDENT & SISTER CARTER: We were blessed with an evening meal,  conversation and  wise counsel from our mission president and his wife.  Both had spent a long day interviewing our Vista Zone missionaries.  They work so hard to lift and build our missionaries.  I think these dear people should be translated! 

Sweet evening with President and Sister Carter

ANOTHER BAPTISM:  Hermana Oliva Mendez Zavala was baptized this week and became the newest member of the Vista Spanish Ward.  We were not involved in teacher her but we celebrate every person who find their way to the waters of baptism.

Baptism for Hermana Oliva and our remarkable "misioneras."

LATINO FESTIVAL: Latino music, dance and food are a big part of the culture here in Vista.  You might say it is where they go for comfort when they are homesick.  So,  for the last couple of years the three Spanish wards in the area gather to celebrate Mexican independence (from France) with a big Latino Festival.  Preparations included building an outside stage for the dances, stringing decorations and preparing all the typical Mexican/Latino culinary delights.  The Relief Society sisters adorned in colorful costumed dress practiced weeks ahead for their traditional dances . The Elders Quorum entertained us with a vaquero ballad from the past.  The Fallbrook brothers performed the"Dance of the Old Men".  After the program, everyone started dancing because the music because you can't resist the energy of the music.  A couple of older sisters latched onto me and away we went.  I tried my best and prayed that no one was watching. A wonderful time was had by all.

Our misionersas joined in the traditional dance.

Relief Society Sisters

Elders Quorum

Elder Fowers dancing with the Senioras.

ISAAC ORDINATION/FAMILY ATTENDS:  During the time we have been serving in the Vista Spanish Ward, we have had eight priesthood ordinations.  This week we rejoiced with Isaac Molina who was ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood.  He was baptized as a child, but had learn nothing of the gospel as he was growing up.  We found him and started to prepare him to for FSY.  We taught him the missionary lesson  so that he would have some gospel knowledge before the FSY experience. This group of boys bonded and were strengthen in remarkable ways which continued long after they returned from FSY.  So this Sunday Isaac came to church with his entire family of seven to support him. They had never attended in the entire time we have been here.

Isaac (2nd to left) with others recently reactivated headed to FSY

 Con Much Amor,

Los Fowers