A weekend of fun

Pictures from this last weekend which share a little of the fun to be had in good ol' Portland Oregon. It all started with my companion in the PCC bathrooms which I got to admit brought me a chuckle. Then as paraded downtown looking for a bus home I got held up by a Trimet transit emergency initiated by the kind fellow seated in the wheelchair. As the story goes while the number 12 was making it's way over westbound over the Burnside Bridge he was acting funny and when the driver asked him if he was ok only to have him a few minutes later pee on the bus and pass out. From the spot where I took the picture I could smell the alcohol that may have contributed to the situation. After that an extra bus was dispatched in order to whisk away the mob that lined the street only to turn us into the bus from Speed, because if we went anywhere under 50 miles per hour we could probably see clearly the obscene gestures and foul language directed our way as the bus sped along without stopping (we were filled to the gills and I am thankful I got out from that sardine can alive). One of the highlights of the weekend was testing my mettle in the game of futsal. More like the outdoor version of the "Beautiful Game" where there are out of bounds lines it is however played on a tiny field (even compared to an indoor arena). Fast paced and you're always running trying to exploit the other's team weakness in order to press the advantage the team I played for (which is Brynn's cousin's husband's Brian team) were able to lay to rest the team that had the previous week defeated them. Well we were able to get off to a fast start and pretty much control the game throughout and I think it ended up 9-4 with two assists and goal from yours truly. What's more that served as a precursor to the following day's indoor game where I notched my first goal of the season (albeit in the motif of Henry) which helped soften the blow of another loss by the Cougars (at least we didn't get goos egg'd) and kept me searching for my first indoor soccer victory (28 games and counting).

Finally a blast from the recent past, I dug up this picture from my phone on the day of my aunt's baptism. Just me and Mr. Mikey hanging out before the service and Frances looking very coyly at the camera.

Eternal

"You will be my little sister forever". That was my mom to Titi today as we celebrated her baptism and confirmation into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The gospel magnificent as it has the power to unite families for all eternity. Nothing like it here on this earth.

Sleepy time.

Here I am 12 and half hours into my 16 and half hour shift all the while i've been operating on a total three hours of sleep. Yummy. The bed will be so nice to me. But watching the games all day have started to bring my excitement to a fever pitch as my team will take the field for the first time next week, predictions? Champions. What else would we be? Though this division may shake out weird because we've got a number of teams but we won't be playing everyone in the division because there are a few Saturday only and a few Sunday only teams. Which means we need many goals. But talking to the team there quite a few who love playing up and hanging around that net so I have faith in their boots putting that ball in the net.
Next week my aunt is getting baptized and she has asked me to baptize her. I am so happy and this will be the first time that I will be able to do the actual baptism myself. It is a sweet experience and I am so grateful for the opportunity. The the blessing of having the Holy Ghost in her home will be such a boon to her family I can only feel good things to come.

Eye on Portland

I love missionaries. They're the most fantastic bunch of young men and young women (and retired couples) who given up their time to devote it serving the Lord. I am sure each of us met different sets who missionaries who bring a remarkable spirit into your home despite their individual talents and personalities. We missed out tonight having them over because we both ended up being scheduled to work which was real bummer for both Brynn and I because we hadn't fed the missionaries since we had moved here.
My Titi Amalia is getting baptized and joining the Spanish branch down in Salem which is a culminating blessing of many hours of praying and hoping that she would be another part of the family that accepted the fullness of the gospel. Briefly her story started while I was on my mission and she and the kids were still in Puerto Rico. Every once in the while she would notice the missionaries going around and they looked starved as the prostelyted so she invited them in for food. Eventually she had sat through all the lessons but still was hesitant to give up the faith of her childhood. It is a hard decision to move away in part from something that is so familiar but the gospel requires a lot of us including the willingness to change and shed the comfortable for what is right. Ultimately as she attended the branch here she found what she had been searching for but there are trials awaiting. Already things are happening to her and the kids as the opposition presses upon her. So if you can keep them in your prayers I would appreciate it.