Let It Pour!

Hi everyone!

It's officially the rainy season here in Oregon. For now, it's a nice change of pace. It's crazy to think that it'll be like this every day for the next six months or so. 

A lot of really cool things happened this week! First of all, I was soooo happy to be able to watch the General Women's Meeting on Saturday.  It was so incredibly inspiring.  My favorite was President Uchtdorf's talk, specifically the part where he was talking about how God isn't just sitting up in Heaven with all these blessings locked up in a cloud waiting for us to do the right thing before He gives them to us.  He is continually raining down blessings upon us and it is our own actions that "put up the umbrella" to shield us from them.  That is definitely a truth I've learned on my mission.  I used to have the perception that God was just sitting up there, waiting for us to pray the right thing or do the right thing before He was willing to help us but that's not the truth. He is continually present and working in our lives. Also, mom, that one lady looked just like you!  And, I liked the thought that we were both watching the same thing at the same time. I'm excited for General Conference next week. Sister Samuelian came down to Keizer to watch the broadcast.  Afterward she took us out to eat at her and President's favorite place, Panera Bread. They have that Autumn Soup now that I love so much!!

This past week, Hermana Perez and I were leaving the food bank where we volunteer and we were about to pull out of the parking lot. The road we pull out onto is kind of a big road but the food bank entrance is really small and I noticed there was a big truck that was turning left into the food bank so I kind of stayed back a little bit rather than going up to the exit so that they would have enough room to pull in. As this truck was making its turn, it got to the point where it was half in the road and half in the entrance. It was right then that another big truck came down the road.  I guess their brakes didn't work and they rammed right into the other truck, pushing it really far and ALMOST hitting our car.  It stopped about six inches short of hitting us.  It was terrifying.  Hermana Perez and I were really shaken up but what was even more terrifying was realizing how easily it could've been us that got hit. Everyone was okay, mostly because they were both big vehicles, even though the truck hit them fast and hard.  We drive a tiny Toyota Corolla and had that truck not been turning and we had been pulled up all the way to the exit, that other truck would've slammed directly into my side as the driver and done some serious damage.  It was a direct manifestation to me of the protection of the Lord.  I'm so grateful for everyone who prays for me and my safety, each and every one of those prayers is significant. 

I'm not sure if you've heard anything about that new movie the church is putting out, "Meet the Mormons".  I think it's premiering October 10th but they're showing it to every missionary before it comes out so I'll be seeing it this Friday.  I'm super excited!  It sounds like it'll be a great film. Will it be coming to any theaters near PA?  If not, I think they're putting it out on Netflix afterward. We also are going to the temple next Tuesday as a zone!  This week is going to be so exciting, we have the movie on Friday, General Conference Saturday and Sunday, and a temple trip the following Tuesday. And then we have interviews with President soon as well.  Really exciting stuff coming up really soon!

We had a really great Sunday yesterday.  M_________ (newly baptized Juan's granddaughter) came to church so we went with her to Sunday School and Young Women's which was so fun.  I miss Young Women's.  There's only around 10 girls in the branch but they're all awesome and so is the Young Women's President, Hermana Robledo. One of the members of the Bishopric came in and gave a lesson that went perfectly along with the Women's General Meeting broadcast.  He talked about how we are each known and loved by God and that he allows us to go through hard things because He knows we are strong enough to handle it and we will come out on the other side even stronger. It was a perfect message for M______ and I'm so happy she was there to hear it. 

Here's some pictures from the week...

Hermana Perez and I have matching glasses now

 Planner cover I made

Sister Manso gave me these sunflower seeds before I left Forest Grove and they're finally blooming!

 She also gave me this crazy jungle plant called a "maternity plant".  Isn't it cool?  Those little bumpy things on the end are the seeds.  They just fall off and go into the soil.

Note from mom:  So grateful for answered prayers of protection!