Visitor from the past

This crazy Dominican was the last baptism from my mission to the Dominican Republic.  It almost didn't happen, but Heavenly Father knew better.

Hermana Hernandez, Paula Tineo Tejada (Soraya's Mom) and Me.  1990

I was teaching her Mother (a doctor) and she would come and sit in the corner to make sure we weren't leading her Mother astray.  She would challenge me often about what we were teaching.  I knew she believed the Book of Mormon was true, but she said that she didn't need to be baptized.

Every morning while my companion and I were having scripture study, we would hear a knock on the door.  Soraya would join us every day without fail.  I knew she needed to be baptized before I left.  So...

I prepared her baptism and we invited her to the church.  We left out the part about it being hers.  She wasn't happy at first, but I told her that she knew the church was true, but that it was her choice.  She went to talk to the Elders and decided that she was ready and the rest is history.

She came home with me from my mission.

Pay no attention to the wardrobe or hairstyles.  Remember this is 1990.
Soraya, ME and my high school friend, Leisel.

 We then went to California to see my "now" husband Mr. Finn.  It took me ten years more to marry him.  He was a great tour guide.

Those are Mr. Finn's pants.  I still have that sweater of his as well.  He wondered for years what happened to it.
 I stole it!

Over the years she came to visit me and we always had a blast.

We even started to dress alike.  Yikes!

She married.

In a much nicer dress, but we sure had fun making one at her bridal shower in Utah.  She married a Hawaiian in 1996 and had a baby a year later.

She prayed for snow and got it the day before she left.

She isn't a baby anymore.  Almost 6 feet tall and full of life at 13 years old.

We went about 9 years without being in contact, but I am so glad we have reconnected.  This was a fabulous visit.  We cooked up a storm.  With both of us in the kitchen we produced a lot of food.  Great food.  She came with a list of all the things she wanted me to cook and well, I have my favorites of hers.

Can I just say Yum!

Just kidding!  Another mission picture.  I am feeling brave.  Why else would I post this?

 Not sure why I was trying to convince myself I could sing, but why not in a country where most people are tone deaf.  Look at that tan!

I just had to throw this one in because I still have that annoyed look.  This judge was the only one in La Fe that could marry all the people we taught.  (no one was married there)  So, the short story is that we were there every other week or so and he was a huge flirt with me.  He irritated me so much but I had to be nice to him or he wouldn't give us the mormon discount and marry our investigators.

It sounds so messed up, but it was the way things were at that time.  Part of the teaching process.  I can't even begin to tell you how many wedding cakes we bought.

The mission was a great experience but the best thing that came out of it was my dear friend and sister.