Fires + 89th Birthdays + Pupusas

 This week we kept having power outages because of the fires. So we kept getting our hopes up that we could use our fridge and toaster and stove again, and then our power would go out haha. Things have gotten better, but the wind is going to be bad the next few days again so pray there aren't more fires!

Hermana McAllister and I made the craziest connection EVER this week! She was talking about how her grandpa lived in Lehi, and I had a flashback to my primary pianist all growing up, Brother McAllister. He was the cutest old man ever and all the kids in primary loved him. And we realized that he's her grandpa!!! Small world.

Santiago, who was baptized when I was in Oxnard, drove to Simi to visit us this week! We went out for Mexican food and it was so fun to see him again!

We had interviews on Wednesday. It's crazy that that was my last interview before my departing one with President Time is going by wayyy too fast and it's freaking me out.

The Samaniegos are a cute family we've been visiting since I got to Simo Valley. They're members of the church but haven't been in a while. We had a super good lesson with them this week and a bunch of their extended family was over visiting at the same time, so it was really cool to see them all there! They've been wanting to start coming back church recently, and it's been a really special experience to be a witness of that change.

I had an exchange with Hermana Wimmer and Hermana McAllister on Thursday!! We were finding outside of a Mexican Marketplace, so we decided to run in and buy some bread from the panadería. We taste-tested a bunch of different types of bread and it was so good :)

On Friday, I had an exchange with Sister Farnsworth and Hermana McAllister! We were in the YSA area, so we did a bunch of store finding again. We also got to go to the Moorpark college campus and walk around with a whiteboard, asking people to write down what brings them joy. It was SO FUN. It also made me miss college so bad!

That day, we visited a woman named Rose in an elderly home. It was her 89th birthday and she didn't have any plans, so our visit meant a lot. She was baptized a little less than a year ago and she is the sweetest old woman ever! Even though she's struggling with a lot of health issues, she absolutely loves to talk and be visited by missionaries. She has such a passionate faith in our Savior Jesus Christ, and she's said that even if she didn't get to find the church until the very end of her life, she's just so grateful she found it.

My comps and I made pupusas this week! We've never been more proud of a meal

We also had a movie night last night!!! Which means we watched "Meet the Mormons" on gospel library before bed & ate popcorn.

SPIRITUAL THOUGHT:

We had some pretty mean encounters this week. There were discouraging moments, but they're a small price to pay in comparison to the joy that this gospel has brought me.

In the Book of Mormon, I love the story of Alma and Amulek. They are called to preach to a group of people who don't want to hear their message, and they end up being thrown into prison. They're mistreated, mocked, and humiliated for days. I can only imagine what that would've felt like. It says that the people went forth one at a time to mock them, "saying the same words, even until the last" (Alma 14:25).

Alma and Amulek are patient and they trust in the Lord. That would take so much humility. And then when the LAST person has mocked them, God shows forth His power and delivers them. It's no coincidence that God waits. Sometimes the greatest miracles have to come after the most desperate experiences.

I haven't gotten even close to being treated the way Alma and Amulek were. But even when I feel a little disrespected or hurt, I can remember that so many servants of God have faced opposition. I'm so grateful to know I'm in good company.

My invitation to you all is to take courage!! Be willing to stand out, even if it means feeling a little discouraged or humiliated for a time. There are miracles ahead. And you're in good company!

I love all of you!

-Hermana DeMordaunt