Furlough 2009

On Saturday, our family arrived back in Autlan from our first furlough after going on the mission field. We spent three months in Salem, Oregon; our home in the United States.
As always, our time in Salem went by all too fast. But we had SO much fun while we were there! We got to catch up and spend time with friends and family that we hadn't seen very much at all in the past two years, and it was great! We had so many good times and memories from the past three months. I was able to spend lots of time with my friends, and do lots of my favorite things in Salem, which was amazing! I missed our church tremendously, and going to youth group was so refreshing. I hadn't had a good, strong, Christian group of peers that I was able to grow in my walk with God in over two years. My youth Pastor, Joe Castaneda, is an amazing man of God that continually challenges me to be the person God wants me to be, and to tell others about God's love. Thank you PJ for all the encouragement you gave me these past three months, it means so much.
Some of my favorite things that I did in the time that we were in Salem were: New Moon Premiere with friends, going to the cabin, youth group, Skillet Concert, Corban Experience, Movie Premiere night, TLC, Meeting Brett from Survivor! Shawn McDonald Concert, going to "the secret place", playing Settlers of Catan, visiting Jack at George Fox, sleepovers with friends, hanging out at Jack's house with friends, TobyMac concert, Eating at Adam's ribs, sleepovers at Corban with Hannah, hanging out with my family over Christmas...I have so many good memories from furlough!
It was crazy because we were back in the States for three months. We were back in the town where I grew up and called home for over 15 years. I quickly fell back into my way of life in Salem, and so it is hard for me to return to Mexico once again. I don't have the same friendships, youth group, or way of living in any sort in the US, as I do in Mexico.
However, I know that I am only going to be in Mexico eight short months before I return back to Salem to begin college. I want to fufill the purpose that God has for me in Mexico these next few months. I know that when I come back to Salem next fall I will miss Mexico a lot, and the thought of being away from my family already makes me sad.

On our way back to Autan, we stopped in Thousand Oaks, California to visit some friends for a few days. And boy did we have a blast!! We went to youth group at their awesome Church, went to Hollywood, Hung out at the beach in Malibu one afternoon, and went to Disneyland! Spending time with the Wise family, the Gallardo's, the De La Rosa's and the Judges was so much fun. I can't wait for the group from their church to come to Autlan again this summer. :)