The San Diego Temple!

To start things off, we got to go to the temple! Elder Doman went through for the first time on Wednesday. We had lunch together with his parents and then I dropped them off at the temple for his session. I wasn't allowed to go through with him for COVID reasons. 

In the meantime, I spent the day with Elder Buss and Elder Harvey and we kinda bounced around all of San Diego, since our apartment was still pretty far north. We went to our mission office (I got to see Elder Turner, a friend from Junior High) and we also went to Balboa park in San Diego. Then, we picked up Elder Doman from his parents and we all went home. Pretty crazy experience. I got to eat lunch with my companion's parents while serving with him. I'll add it to the rest of my crazy mission experiences list. 

Elder Turner at the mission office

Balboa Park!

The Spreckels Organ Pavilion in Balboa Park
(We attended an organ recital there when we were on vacation last year)

Some other miracles this week: Some members gave us Jamba Juice gift cards and it was insanely hot one day, so we got Jamba Juice! Earlier this week, I thought I only had one half gallon of my milk, but I found another gallon of it in the back of the fridge, so I have been CHUGGING it. Bob watched General Conference too! Also, literally while writing this, a member offered to bring us cinnamon rolls (they feed us like crazy here. I've actually starting gaining so much weight...)

For General Conference, WOW. We got to watch three of the sessions with members and have great meals with them as well. On Sunday morning, I felt cold, so I wore my sweater and we had breakfast with a member before conference and it literally felt like Christmas!!! For the last session, we just watched at the church with the Spanish Elders. 

Sweater Weather

Conference Treats in the Clerk's Office

For conference, I came with so many questions and literally everyone single one of them was answered. One question I had was all about how to be more charitable and love others. And Elder Renlunds talk was exactly what I needed about loving mercy. In our morning devotional yesterday, Sister Gimenez told us that now is really when the best part starts for General Conference. Are we going to apply what we have learned?

The church is true, the work goes on, and God speaks to us today!

Elder Brooks

PS - He got to go to Salt and Straw today!  It's an ice cream place we love with really good vegan flavors.  He got Salted Malted Cookie Dough.

Notes from our video call:

The members fed them very well for conference weekend.  They watched the Saturday afternoon session with some youth from their ward at a member's pool house.  On Sunday morning, a family made gluten free dairy free waffles for him.

All of the missionaries in their mission that were not endowed went to the temple this week.  Most of the parents were able to come to San Diego to attend with their sons and daughters.

Christopher Waddell, who is in the Presiding Bishopric and spoke in conference, was a stake president in Del Mar.  The members there know him well.