a few things on my mind

few things on my mind lately...

my short-term missions trip to Avondale, Arizona

there are many similarities between this little suburb and our little town of walnut
please pray for them

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UCLA Mock Trial Institute

I was so blessed to get to know a wonderful girl during my week at UCLA. she was from Idaho but recently moved to LA. She showed me pictures of the hundreds of horse and elk she used to have right by her house in Idaho. she told me that she didn't have parents and lived with a gay couple whom she called uncles. Her mom was into drugs and she'd lived on hardly any income with all her brothers and sisters. she'd been through abuse. she was baptized a Mormon but saved as a Christian. she'd been working since 14 and told me that people in Idaho got married right after high school because they had nowhere better to go. she told me stories of how her boyfriend's little nephew had died in a car accident and how her uncle also died 2 years ago. and instead of being overcome by grief she took it and learned from it. she told me never to take my friends or family for granted because any day might be your last. when i complained about school she told me to treasure my last year of high school. her dream in life is to help the poor and downtrodden, and especially kids who goes through what she's been through. she says she doesn't care all that much for money but that she'd be perfectly happy traveling and helping others her whole life. despite all of her past, she looks toward the future with optimism. she is sincere, down-to-earth, and wise beyond her years. She is real and not fake, one of the few i've met.
i just felt that her story needed to be shared. that's all.
please pray for her. she's been on my mind.

Summer has been good. these 2 experiences have in some way tweaked the subtle tint in which i view the world.