The Terrones are an amazing family! Back in the summer of 2007 when I was in my last area of Richmond we knocked on their door and first met Enrique (the father) and he chatted with us and invited us back when we could meet with his wife as well. We went back a few days later and met Evelyn (the mother) who was just as kind as can be and an amazing cook. We taught them the first lesson and then wanted us to come back to teach their 2 teenage daughters and their younger children (Lizbeth, Nohely, Lil' Ricky (Enrique), Eve (Evelyn)). And so we taught them again and again and within a few short months they were attending church & mutual, having family prayer and scripture study and preparing for baptism. They were the perfect little family and I just felt so blessed to even know and work with them. This family though before they were baptized has several little problems. Not really anything big, but they seemed to always be arguing with one another, had lots of financial difficulties, and were struggling to keep their family going. Since they have joined the church they still have these difficulties, but they are able to work through them with the principles of the gospel, paying their tithing and receiving the blessings that Heavenly Father has for them. The gospel has blessed their life. The gospel blesses all of our lives.
So, we fast forward almost 3 years later when I hear that December 11 they are going baptize their youngest daughter who turned 8 and then walk over to the temple to be sealed. I was so excited! This was the family that I had seen come to church for the first time, pray for the first time, read scriptures, develop their testimony and become active and faithful members of the church and know they were going to be sealed! This is what every missionary of the church wants for everyone they talk to. They want for all people to return back to Heavenly Father and take the necessary steps and ordinances to do so.. and that's what they did. It was nothing that I ever did or said that made them join the church or get sealed. It was all the work of Heavenly Father and I was lucky enough to be a part of it. I can't really even express the feelings and the joy that I felt sitting there in the sealing room with their family, watching them take the next step in their eternal progression.
After the baptism and temple and in traditional Mexican style there was a fiesta at the church that afternoon/evening. The Terrones celebrated this sealing almost like it was another wedding...a renewing of vows of sorts and so there was a wedding dress, cake, food, dj, dancing and all that fun wedding stuff. I loved Eve's description of the day, she said, "I'm getting married to my parents!" and really that was the newly baptized 8 year old's understanding of the day. They all wore matching dresses and danced the night away. Jake and I only stayed for a little bit because we went to San Francisco that night.
Anyways, it was a great weekend. I am so glad I was able to make it back for this event and to introduce Jake to all these people that I always talk about. The weather cooperated nicely and we enjoyed ourselves. Let's all remember the joy we feel when we do missionary work and really renew ourselves to sharing the gospel with others. We have the knowledge and blessing of the gospel that we should be sharing with others and I hope we can all make those efforts to do so. Here are some pictures of the day.
What a lovely family! What an awesome temple experience. What a wonderful missionary daughter!
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