Oaktown

I thought I better finish writing about my visit to Oakland last week. Here I am in front of the mission home. It was gorgeous with all the flowers blooming and green grass. My stomach got butterflies as I recalled standing in this very spot on my first day in the mission field. I am glad that I served a mission but I am especially glad that this time around I was only there for a visit.

Here is Smith walking to our old apartments. Notice the sign that says Luxury Apartments. I guess if you consider ant invasions, cockroaches, old carpet and furniture, drug dealings under you windows and muggings in the parking lot, luxury, then I don't want to know the flip side.





Here we are eating our Super Burritos at Taqueria San Jose. It was a favorite place to go as missionaries because it was like going to another country. Not only that, for five dollars you can't beat the price for the amount of yummy food you get.

While we were there, two Hispanic men came up and sang to us while playing their guitars. We were quite flattered until they asked for money (I guess we are getting old).

After lunch we visited a Latin tienda to buy fun candy and treats to take back to our kids. Roger wasn't a big fan of the stuff, but my kids thought they were pretty neat.

Here is the wonderful Padilla family at the reception. There is Mariana and Luis, Angeles and David, Smith, and Ariela and Mario. We sure love those guys and feel thankful they have kept us involved in their lives.

Here is the stake center all gussied up for the reception. They were expecting over 500 people and sure enough that many came and stayed. They sure now how to have a party. I enjoyed helping decorate with the Padillas and David's family.

Here is Pepe Cid, a guy that I taught and was baptized with his family. He came to the reception and it was great to see him. He graduate from BYU Hawaii (he remembered me talking about it and decided to go there himself). He also served a mission to New York and is now an accountant. I am so proud of him.

This is beautiful Flor and her family. Flor was just 14 when we taught her and she was baptized. Later she taught her future husband and he ended up baptizing his whole family. She has 2 beautiful girls and is expecting another baby. I haven't seen her in 15 years and it made my heart swell to know that she is still so strong and faithful in the gospel. In fact she was a YW president at 22 and is now the Primary president. I am sure I could learn a lot from her.

Yolanda and Evelio. Yolanda is Flor's Aunt and they are from Honduras. We taught them together. She also was baptized. Later, the rest of her family, Evelio her husband and her four kids were also baptized. They have a beautiful home now in San Leandro and are doing well. In fact they insisted we come by for breakfast the morning after the reception.

So here I am the next morning at Yolanda's house. I had forgotten what it meant to be invited to eat with my dear Hispanic friends. She made us steak, eggs, frijoles, pan (bread), taquitos, plantain fritadas (fried bananas), queso, juice, and hot chocolate. Wow. Everything was so good and I was bien llena (very full) after that.

It was great fun to be in her home and catch up after all these years. We were also reminded of the many cultural things we learned during the mission and my Spanish got a good work out.

Smith and I searched out an investigator family that we taught.

They never got baptized but we also never forgot them. They were so neat and the circumstances just weren't right. Brenda, was a 14 year old girl that was extra special. Well, we found them and they were shocked. Here is Graciela, Brenda and her cute 6 month old daughter Maria Estrella. They have never forgotten us or the church so we will see if our new found contact will lead anywhere.

Here is part of the dear Soberanis Family. They were an important part of my mission and many miracles surrounded them and their conversion story. I loved them so much. Unfortunately, they eventually left the church and I don't know why. We lost contact and this trip a good member helped us find them. They were quite surprised to see us and kept saying it was a miracle. I still don't know what happened but I hope to get to the bottom of it now that I have their contact information.

This is Lorena Soberanis all grown up. She came to my wedding and was one of my bridesmaids. She was so special to me. She is now married and has 3 children of her own. I hope and pray that she will return to the church and receive all the blessings that are just waiting for her. I will do my best to do my part.

Isn't her little boy cute? He has such a head of hair on him. It was unbelievable.