T3W2 Lots of Rain Damage

Dear Family,

Sounds like everyone is keeping pretty busy this summer. I like reading the family newsletter because there is stuff in there about the family that I haven't heard yet. This Sunday is Mother's day!! That means that we can celebrate Mom but it also means that I can call home!! I am allowed to call home for 59 minutes and I think I'll call after everyone gets home from church and before Dad leaves for work. I'm way excited. Everyone else better be too!!

Monday after going to our P-day activity at Bear Creek Park (Katy Zone vs. Cypress Zone in capture the flag) we got home just in time before the big part of the storm hit. Our power was out for quite a bit and our parking lot was totally flooded. That night we woke up at 3:30am to thunder and lightening. It was going off every second for a couple hours. Our bedroom was like a strobe light. We had to call and wake up the elders because it was really bad where we lived. The storm flooded several members houses and schools were closed for a couple days. Lots of roads were closed and the park where we had played capture the flag flooded to the tops of soccer goal posts. It is still flooded but the road is open now so you can drive by and see the lake that was once a park.

We had zone meeting this week. Elder AhSue gave a very powerful talk. He spoke in a very loving manner about us in the pre-existance all waiting to come to earth after having chosen the plan. He reminded us that there we probably had hopes that we would do great things in this life, including making good choices and living a Christlike life. I imagined it so vividly. I'm sure each one us knew there would be hard times, but still have a hope that we would find the way through Christ to overcome them. He then related this to the mission. He reminded us of that time before we came out- perhaps as we waited for our mission call or before entering the MTC when we didn't know exactly what to expect but we hoped for baptisms, lessons filled with the spirit, coming to love the people, and working hard all day long. He said when we opened our call, the first thing we hoped/looked forward to out in the field probably wasn't sleeping in, spending lazy days in the apartment, goofing off and spending too much time at members' homes, amazing p-days, etc. He reminded us to be the obedient and perfect missionary we had hoped we would be in that pre-mission innocence. I think that first example is very powerful for non-mission life. We need to come through and actually be that obedient, honest, hard working, kind, charitable, humble person that we hoped we would be here on earth when we received our call to come to earth after choosing this plan. So be that person you wanted to be many years ago!

The Juarez family had their baptismal interviews yesterday. We were excited when everything turned out fine. They still have two weeks until the baptism and we know Satan is going to work at Hermano Juarez. His weakness is the word of wisdom and the kids are good about calling him out if he slipped and had a cup of coffee. The youngest, Gustavo- age 8, reminds me so much of you, Ben! I pick on him a lot but yesterday he had on his suit ready for his interview and he was giving me attitude and I felt like it was something Ben would have said! His primary class is him and 6 or 7 girls. They have fun pretending not to like him. We taught him and his sister Diana (age 9) Dippy Dippy Dip and another version of that game with Ninja sounds and movements. I am going to miss this family if I ever get transferred.

We are working hard and still trying to find more investigators. I am learning so much still. I have learned a lot of deep doctrinal stuff but I have also grown my testimony of the simple principles of the restored gospel such as I am a daughter of my Heavenly Father. I hope everyone knows and remembers that. I will talk to y'all Sunday.

Love, Camille