Fortuna With the Marchbanks

We spent the week after Christmas with the Marchbanks....We had So. Much. Fun!

Stephanie, Cherie, and me (Bethany) stayed up until 4, 5, 6 every night...

(Nicole didn't because she was "too tired"...Ha!)

We had delicious homemade food everyday, Chai tea sweetened with brown sugar, and snow in the middle of the night! We got to experience what it is like to live in hippie land. Very interesting! 

I'm so happy we got to visit the Marchbanks; we love and appreciate them and their church so much!

Here they be ;)

Austin displaying his cat-carrying abilities. 

Austin

...and Justin playing guns. 

Austin and Stephanie

Bro. Marchbanks doing magic tricks. 

Dad doing his magic tricks...

Cherie and I doing something really important, I am sure. 

Shopping... :)) 

(I think we are hugging the plus sizes? Lol!)

The Marchbanks and the church in Fortuna treated us so special and were so generous.

Us girls

Treasures!

We are still eating from these baskets!

Dad preaching...

Aww...this was fun! 

Cramming into Sis. Marchbanks' little car. :)

Stephanie and Geneva. 

This lady came running across the aisle and randomly said "Hey! You ever heard of Louisiana?!" She told us she was from New Orleans and raised four kids there. Back in New Orleans they do all kinds of "weird" stuff like speak French (and she did a demonstration for us--HA!). Stephanie asked if she could have her picture taken with her and she agreed. She then asked to see it. When she saw it, she let out a wordy dirty and shouted, "I've got too much lipstick on!" She pulled out a tissue and did a jig while wiping her lips. 

Needless to say, that was a fun little shopping trip. ;)

Bro. Marchbanks...

The Wakefields: Missionaries to Mexico

Haha :))

Hahahhaah!! Nicole looks a little out of place...."where am I?"

Awww....I can't wait to see you guys again!!! We had so much fun spending time together...Thank you for your generosity and hospitality. Hopefully we'll get to see you all again soon!

**Special thanks to Cherie for helping my poor Alzheimer's brain extract all these memories.**

Highlights and Old Pictures :))

Here are the pictures of my Grampa and Gramma Wakefield. 

My Grampa and Gramma started the church in Anderson, CA in 1968. Bro. Green is the pastor there now. 

Awww :) Look at my dad!! And look at my Gramma's hair!! Heehee :))

Left to Right: Corena, Curtis, Shelly, Lisa, Esther, and Glenn Wakefield

My Grampa :) 

Bethany, Sis. Yeary, and Nicole. 

Elder and Sis. Wakefield won Sis. Yeary to God years ago and when we went to the Green's church a few weeks ago, she brought a bunch of pictures from when the Wakefields were pastoring. It was really neat to see!!

Bro. Green, Sis. Green, Sis. Yeary, Nicole, Sis. Wakefield, Bro. Wakefield, and Bethany

(This is when the button fell off my jacket, for everyone's information :)

On our way back down to Mexico on Thursday, we were all talking about which churches we liked the most.

We all had different responses, but I think my favorite service was the one in Anderson with the Greens.  

They have a beautiful church, and we had an awesome move of the Holy Ghost!! The people worshiped in a way that was so beautiful and the Spirit of God was moving. It just felt good!

After church Sis. Yeary told us stories about my dad (she used to babysit him and his sisters). 

Then they brought out this basket FULL of food. For a couple weeks, this is what went on when after we had been driving for hours:

Person #1: "I'm bored."

Person #2: "Let's eat!"

Then we'd dig into the Green's basket...or the Marchbanks' basket(s) [more on them later!;] and chow down!

We were with the Olivers in El Paso, Texas for our last few days in the US. 

We went over to their son and daughter-in-law's (Jeff and Nancy) house one evening and Nicole had me taste the coffee that Nancy made. At first I was pushed it away and said, "I hate coffee, you know I'm not going to like it!"

But Nicole said, "JUST TASTE IT!" So I did and....WOWSERZ! 

It was so good! Here's a picture of this momentous moment: 

**Please do not think that if your church doesn't make in onto the blog, I don't like you!! LOL!

Remember my camera got stolen WITH a lot of un-downloaded pictures.**

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggity Jig

We are back in Puebla and the narcos didn't get us! (What a shocker, huh?!)

HOWEVER! We passed through San Antonio and our car got broken into by desperados. He/she/they got our GPS and MY PURSE!!! I had just gotten a new camera and it was in there...PLUS like...THREE packs of UNOPENED GUM!!!! (That they don't sell here!) They also stole my iPhone charger...so I'm stuck mooching off of everyone else. 

(Mine was like this and even has the little green dot in the corner!)

Here I was worried about getting kidnapped in Mexico. 

I keep looking for stuff and then I realize, "Oh, that was in my purse." :(

I did find one pack of gum in my computer bag AND my iPhone ear buds. I thought they had gotten those. Whew!

Nicole had bought me this fancy schmancy little notepad...that's gone. Our blog address is written down on one of the pages so if our robber is reading this....Hi, and can I have my gum back? 

Thank GOD I had brought my phone in the store with me. I would have just shot myself if they would've gotten my phone. 

They got my 2 new boxes of contacts, new prescription. Bummer, dude. 

Those punks also got this really cool mace my dad had just bought me that looked like lipstick. Lotta good that did. 

I had just bought Nicole's birthday present that morning. It was in my purse. Hahaha! This is starting to sound funny...sorta. LOL! 

Of course a million other things that girls carry in their purses...

Oh yeah. Haha. They got my wallet. So I had to cancel my ATM card. That was a pain. Since I didn't have my ID, the gal at the bank grilled me so bad for my info and made ME feel like the crook. THEN as we walked out she had the audacity to call out, "Have a nice day!!" Yeah, whatever, lady. (She was a little ditsy).

On the positive side of things:

My dad's sax was in the back. That's worth a couple thousand. Also my laptop and my mom's was right behind the driver's seat. They didn't get that. Austin's iTouch was on the little shelf thingy below the car stereo. It had a black case on it so it was camouflaged, I guess. Austin's DS was in the glove box. They didn't get that. I had bought some new curtains for my room. They were in a Target bag right next to my purse. 

Thank goodness they didn't get those. They REALLY missed out there!!

And since they got my camera, they also got half of our trip worth of pictures. So unfortunately I'm a little short on visuals. However! I do have some really cool pictures of my Grampa and Gramma Wakefield from when they pastored in Anderson, CA. WOAH you guys have to see these!! 

(Speaking of Anderson, when when we were at the Green's church, a button fell off my jacket and I poked it in my purse. So those losers also got my button!!)

My tail bone is aching (see previous post about the snow) so I've got to get up get moving now. 

Stay tuned for more interesting updates! I know everyone is dying to know what else those bozos stole out of my purse so I'll keep trying to remember. 

Toodles :p

Sledding

Tuesday and Wednesday we got to touch SNOW. 

Tuesday and Wednesday we got to hang out with the DeAros. 

Sis. DeAro made some delicious enchildadas...She makes awesome Mexican food!

Then we sat around their living room and played Mafia. Basically the point of that game is to lie, lie, LIE!
We had lots of fun...we love the DeAros mucho!

Wednesday we went sledding with the young people from Bro. Gutierrez's church. 

I haven't had that much fun in a loooong time! 

I also haven't been this sore since I went horse back riding. 

I think I cracked the end of my tail bone right off. It hurts. Haha!

Alrighty...here a few pictures. :))

Thank You, Jesus

I've been sitting here thinking, staring at this blank page for who knows how long.

I'm not the most eloquent person and I usually try not to get too personal on here, but I want to say this...

This past year has been so amazing. I mean really...that is the only word for it.
I've witnessed more people get the Holy Ghost than I have ever in my life. I've seen people repent of their sins and watch as God turned their lives around. I've seen God provide for my family's needs and the needs of our church. I've seen people grow closer to God that I thought would never "get with the program".

God has been so good.

This year I want to see more people get the Holy Ghost...more people come in and be saved from Hell. I want to see our church in Puebla grow. I want to see more churches planted. I want to see more young people dedicate their lives to God. And I want to do my part in seeing all this happen. To be a soul winner...I want God to use me. What could be more important? There is nothing like living for God. You will never have a regret about giving God your all.

This year could be difficult. Because of the drug wars going on, Mexico has gotten a bit dangerous. It seems like the only solution for Mexico is intervention from the U.S. But imagine the danger that puts the Americans in Mexico in? But anyways...it doesn't matter. This is where God has put us. We will have to keep trusting God for protection. I'm going to be honest...this month some things have happened and I'm battling with fear. Honestly, I don't want to get kidnapped. I don't want anything to happen to my Grampa and Gramma...to my parents and Nicole and Austin.

I shouldn't be saying this...no one is ever going to visit us again! ;)

However, God is in control. I know this.

I want my life to give glory to God. I want to really trust him. I want to be a testimony of His faithfulness. As I write this I'm listening to this song "Because of Who You Are".

"I give you all the praise, I pledge to you each moment...For the length of all my days my Rock and my Redeemer, my Savior and my strength...I will ever praise you..."

I love Jesus and owe Him my life. When I think of all He's done for me this year my eyes fill with tears and my heart squeezes. Thank you, Jesus for your goodness.

This has been past year has been awesome! May the year 2011 be even greater...

Happy New Year!!