Dia de la Famlia

Food tent

Brett Performing

Our cookies

Erika Singing

Welcome to the Primary!

Cindy, Sara and me!

Jared and Steven

The 3-D paper tree was made by Eryka, she is an amazing artist!

Relief Society Room

1. Dia de Familia, Day of the Family...
   
   I have no idea how to even begin to describe this event. All I knew at the time I accepted is that Elder Costa from the quorum of the Seventies was the one directing this big missionary project here in Nampa Id. The event is supposed to draw at least three thousand people to our church.
   
   I am chair of the Primary committee on this event. I have a team of six people from my stake, they are all Spanish speaking return missionaries. With their help I was able to present the Primary.
   The event was held on May 2nd, 2009, last weekend, in Nampa Idaho.
   May 2nd started up to be a rainy day. I cried when I woke up. The rain will not help draw people to our event. I knelt down on my knees to asked my Father in Heaven if he would help out a bit with the weather. I knew that I wasn't the only one praying. As I said my prayers I knew there were lots, and lots of other people praying at the same time I was. I loaded my car with all I needed for the event, including hundreds of homemade cookies made by my Stake Relief Society sisters. My dear husband was sick, but still managed to help. My nest stop was my sister's house to pick up a great big picture and more decorations for the Primary room. The rain continued.
   I arrived at the Stake center around 11:00 AM, starting setting up with every one's help, and we were done making that gloomy room look fantastic. Brett arrived around 11:30 and started the video. VI P's made their rounds around 11:35 or so. We were ready to go, all we needed now was people to come.
   The rain stopped around 12:15. People were arriving by carloads. There was tons of people. They all wanted to hang outside the building because there were free burgers, hot dogs, drinks, french fries, cotton candy, snow cones, ice cream, free horse rides, inflatables... so many things to keep a family entertained, so much fun!
   Brett and Erica performed guitar solos. I told my team I needed to go see them play and left then alone for about 30 minutes. Brett, my poor, poor ill husband even sang, with whatever little voice he had left. Erika did an amazing job. My daughter is so beautiful! every time I see her sing and play guitar it makes me fuzzy all inside, she is such a delight to watch. I wonder if that's the reason heavenly Father created daughters, because they are such beautiful creatures, lol.
   After the performance I went back inside the Primary exhibit, and my helpers wanted to go out to look around and eat. I told them all to go because it was slow, and the multitude was outside. I was left to tend the Primary exhibit all on my own, thinking no one will come by till later.
   Then, it started raining... people entered the Stake center and I was overwhelmed by the amount of people coming to my primary exhibit. I put on my missionary hat and started welcoming everyone that came through the door. My Primary room was full. I thank God for the rain. God knew to make it rain right then. I collected so many names from so many people that came in. They were interested on Activity Days for the girls and Cub scouting for the boys, they wanted to sign up, lol. I was a missionary that day, and loved every minute of it. I didn't want that day to end.
   I learned a few things about myself that day:

1. I am not afraid to share the Gospel.
2. People loved my personality and loved talking to me.
3. I know enough to be a great missionary.

After that people kept coming non stop. It was amazing. My testimony increased immensely that day.

A few days before the event, I couldn't wait till it was over, all the work I had put into the planning, the video, posters, pictures, delegating, holding meeting, etc. It was very exhausting for a mother of five who holds a full time job. Now that it's over, I wish I could be a missionary for a living, I wished I could do this all over again, I wish it never ended.
My sister was there helping me. I wish you could have seen how excited she was. My sister is an angel, she is truly inspiring. She was so involved in talking to each person that come by, and her sweet spirit left a huge impression on many people.

The following is a list of the wonderful people from my stake that helped me carry out this amazing event:

Cindy Castro - Primary presenter

Deanna Colgrove - idea person, script writing, materials

Steven Hunter - video presenter and greeter
Thompsen - Primary presenter

Sara Richards - Activity girls / Faith in God for girls

Jarred McKenzie - Cub Scouting / Faith in God for boys

Patricio Alvares - Picture enlargement

Connie Buckley - Script writing

Silvia Hope - Presenter