Siempre 29

Saturday September 26, 2015
The Capilla Abierta we had scheduled today canceled.  We took the opportunity to do a little Christmas shopping for our family before we head home.  You know time is creeping up on you when those things enter into your daily planning.

This evening we brought our projector and sound system and set up to watch Women's Conference
in the foyer of the temple apartment complex.  The Ness's provided dinner.  Also for dessert, we had a surprise birthday cake!

We so enjoyed watching conference with our husbands.  We had some gospel discussions afterwards, which put us home late again.  Conference started at 9 pm our time.

Sunday September 27, 2015
We did our Capacitacion in a great ward today. Salinas has a new building and they are anxious for this Capilla Abierta.  The chapel was packed full.  It was great!
The rest of the day was spent in visiting with all my family via facetime and receiving well wishes from the office elders over the phone.
Sunday night we participated in a stake youth fireside.  Their theme was "preparing for missions." The closing song was Called to Serve.  In spanish, there are four verses. The congregation stood to sing the first verse, then on the second verse the missionaries who are serving now came in from both sides of the chapel singing with the congregation the rest of the song.  The audience was surprised and the Spirit was so strong.  Tears were flowing from amongst the audience.  We filed to the front of the chapel and President and Hermana Cook, spontaneously joined us.  It was incredible and words won't describe what was felt in the Malvin chapel this night.
Afterwards they served cake and everyone in the audience sang Happy Birthday to me!  Kind of embarassing when really at my age, a quiet unknown birthday might be nice.  Actually if we could just enjoy everyone's love and not get older, that would be a great birthday!
We arrived back to our apartment around 8 pm and the Hermana's wanted to come and visit.  They brought with them a lucious lemon pie that was enjoyed by all.

LtoR: Hermana Bertuoli, Stewart, Arenas, Thorne

They only had 2 candles, thank goodness!

Hand drawn by Hermana Stewart

Some of my other birthday presents...

Mike bought these for me. An all leather hat and a Uruguayan pancho.

The Anderson's gave me this awesome leather notebook holder.
This will be my conference journal.

A gift of wonderful hand soap from the Cook's. 

Thank you to all the email's and facebook messages I received.  I love you all.