What's not to love?

So I'm going to try to post things here more regularly. I figure I'm fine with all of the people who would read this pretty much knowing whatever I might write in my journal, so I might as well just keep you all updated simultaneously. Bueno.
My first piece of good news is that I did get the message on what my topic for speaking in church should be-talents and service to fellow men.

The last 24 hours have been hard in some ways, but just so great, too. Last night at 9:13pm I was still sitting in my instructor's room in class (which was supposed to end by 9), deciding that I would only stay for 2 more minutes. I was more worried at that moment about standing up my good mission friend, Yuri Delgado, who I thought was waiting in the lobby. We had decided it was the one time she could come due to her work schedule and I'd spoken to my teacher about it beforehand. However, Yuri was not downstairs when I ran away from class. Disappointed, I returned upstairs. Then, just as I left my teacher's room after class, I was called back because Yuri was on the phone for me (she'd already tried my room) and had just arrived. I love how things work out sometimes! So, we had a great chance to catch up and visit for a good while. I think I finally sent her off in a taxi around midnight.

Today I was out in the community, but at a health subcenter in an hogar de Cristo area. We were supposed to have a guide that would take us out to recruit people to come form a hypertension/diabetes support group, but she never came. So we (just Marie and I) spent the day checking blood pressures and sugars of people waiting outside to see the doctor. As we saw need, we recruited those people to come back for a group meeting tomorrow. We also gathered up the mothers and children and asked them what they wanted to learn about. I loved that our lesson on nutrition really just became a time for discussion, sharing ideas, and asking and answering questions. I was very impressed with their knowledge and efforts to help their children actually consume vegetables and protein-rich foods. I love that in just a few hours people can become so attached, and that without really understanding our qualifications, they looked to us as great sources of knowledge. It's rewarding to realize we can give them educated answers, mostly. Some women came to me after visiting with the doctor, as if to get a second opinion. Unfortunately, I couldn't just provide easy answers, either. One woman was counseled to see a specialist, and after talking with her about her history, I really had to agree completely. Though I could teach her some basic general techniques to help with her bladder and kidney infections, I felt bad to not have a solution besides saving up money, since she admitted she cannot afford to see a specialist. It's just hard when you really can't do much.

Something about starting to have a siesta here is addicting. I decided to just lay down for a while to cool off and relax, thinking I'd be there 10 minutes, and woke up still wanting to nap hours later to go to the temple. However, I was nice and alert for the session once I was up.

For some reason, I then felt kindof out of sorts and grouchy. Maybe it was grogginess from the nap. Maybe I was just feeling stressed about not having my temple recommend (though I'd contacted people before and knew I'd get in just fine) or forgetting to bring money to rent clothing. (I promise I love going to the temple and usually arrive more prepared...renting clothes, eating food, and not having my normal stuff is just not part of my routine, but neither is being abroad.) Anyway, I just said a prayer as I walked around the temple before entering, and started to feel much better. Then, as we started the session I saw another great friend from my mission, Diana Baqui. She wasn't my companion either, but we served together in the same zone a couple times. (Mom and Dad, she was the smaller one who met us at the temple before, if you recall.) I think being surprised to see old friends in the temple is one of the greatest feelings ever. It's the perfect place to find them, because you know they're doing alright, at least in some ways. Also, something about listening in another language just makes the experience suddenly fresh and new for mental digestion. I loved it. Baqui and I then had a short chance to visit after the session. I was nicely surprised to see her, as I knew she'd gone to the temple yesterday. I'm excited about our plans to meet up at the same time and place next week.

I love how the temple brings peace and clarity to life. After, I just can't help smiling and hugging people. And that's okay with me.