Scottie during our Mother's Day FaceTime call! Love that smile SO much!

Hola!!! It was so good to hear y'alls voices yesterday (he got to call home for Mother’s Day using FaceTime and we were able to hook the iPad up the television to see him “live, large and in color”!!) , I can't even accurately describe how excited I was. My cheeks hurt from smiling so much during the call, thank you, thank you, thank  you :):) It was awesome, and so cool to see Grandma and Papa. I feel like there's a billion things I wish I could have said, but I hope y'all know how much you mean to me and how thankful I am to have y'all as my family. I love you so much!! I said most of the details via the FaceTime chat, but here's some highlights from the past week for the blog (I'll send pictures too):

Monday 5/5/14:

Pretty normal P-Day today...up until we witnessed a drive by shooting at the park where we were  playing Frisbee. Thankfully, nobody got hit and the shooter car drove away. Kind of crazy, first time I've called 911 on my mission, but hey, that's life right?? No worries though, I'm safe, and things are all good with us :)

Tuesday 5/6/14:

We had our zone conference today for the 3 Granger zones. It was a spiritual tsunami of training and powerful messages on faith and missionary work, and we loved it! And I met someone with family ties to the Humphrey family back in Georgia, it's a small world! (my dear friend, Jennifer Humphrey sent me some photos that her Aunt sent her after meeting Scottie!!)

Scottie at Zone Conference (sent by Jennifer)

Scottie and his old companion, Elder Balino (sent by Jennifer)

Wednesday and Thursday

Pretty normal days, not too much to report, good lessons though. I'm loving this area!!

Friday 5/9/14:

Today was awesome! Alfonso Acosta got baptized this afternoon/evening, and it was an amazing ceremony. I'll send pics. The spirit was so strong and we just were so happy, it was hard to stop smiling. I know that Alfonso just made one of the best choices of his life!!

Alfonso's baptism, Alfonso on right, Hermano de Alba on the left

Saturday 5/10/14:

Today was Día de las Madres (when they celebrate Mother's Day in most Spanish-speaking countries). So we got to go to the branch (his local Spanish-speaking congregation) Mother's Day activity, and sing and perform in front of everyone, kind of nerve-wracking but it went well. (he told us that he actually sang a solo in Spanish!) We also had an amazing lesson with Olga and Edir. She's super pumped for baptism and they're getting married next Saturday if everything goes according to plans!!

Me, Howe, Baliño, Martinez, and the Gomez family

Funny baby with a Stache!

Sunday 5/11/14:

Happy Mother's Day!!! To my mom and my grandma, my aunts and great aunts, and all the amazing examples of mothers I've seen amongst our ward and stake back home as well as with my friends' parents. It truly is a special day today! (Please link the mormon.org/motherhood video, it's awesome). We had some meetings, then church, then we rushed home and got to FaceTime home. That was the coolest thing to be able to see and talk to my family. I miss y'all like crazy, and I know that what I'm out here doing is the Lord's Work, but I can't wait to see y'all again and be able to give you all big hugs! It'll be sweet :) I loved seeing Grandma and Papa (they were here visiting) and Aunt Tammy and Tess (they live  in Iowa, but we FaceTimed them also!) too, that was a cool surprise. I hope that y'all are having a great time. You all look great and seem happy, and that's what's important :) Thank you, for being the best family ever!!!!!!

Love always,

Scottie

Scottie with my Mother's Day Rose!!