Here Come The Brides!!!(Take 2)

Tuesday was by far the most fun day I have had in missions. All 5 of us(us 4 ladies and 1 of our Mexican missionaries) loaded up 23 wedding dresses, 2 dress racks, and a suitcase of veils and headed out to Cuchillo de Indio. On the way there, it started to pour down rain. Which normally would be no big deal, but scared us a bit as the chapel(where we "set up shop")is surrounded by dirt. We pulled in, and of course got the huge van stuck.We all jumped out, into the mud, and eventually got the van "unstuck". We carried everything through the mud and got all set up, miraculously without getting anything dirty!

We washed our feet in this small bucket before we entered the chapel. Haha!

As you can see, it was a little muddy 

At first the brides were nervous and quiet and really didn't want to try on dresses. But after we made them, they started to lighten up a bit and have fun. The first few dresses they tried were not fitting. We were so scared as we had brought only small sizes as these ladies are all pretty small. I prayed "Lord, PLEASE let these dresses start fitting". And just like that, they did. One by one, their faces began to light up as each found their "perfect" dress. That look, when you find "the one", is universal. I felt so blessed to be a part in giving these women a real wedding day.

I couldn't help but think of my wedding dress shopping. We were in a gigantic store with just about any dress I could dream of. I basically had a "personal attendant" attending to my every need. I tried my dress on in a huge private room(probably about the size of some of these women's homes) with air conditioning. I sipped on bottled water and walked out to view myself in 5 different mirrors showing every angle of my dress. And here we were in a 15'x40' chapel with dirty floors. We had 23 dresses to try between 3 brides. Their "fitting room" was behind the rack of dresses. We were all dripping sweat. The brides walked out to view themselves in 2 side by side full length mirrors. How different could it be?!?!  But none of that mattered. They were so blessed as they probably never even imagined they would have an opportunity like this. How selfish are we sometimes? How often to we take for granted all the "niceities" we have. I pray that the Lord will make my heart like those of the women here. Grateful, joyful, and beautiful. Wanting nothing more than to love and to serve. Please pray for them as they prepare for this blessed sacrament of marriage and thank you for all your generosity that has made this possible!!!!