Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.

2 Corinthians 2:14-15

Dear friends, family, and loved ones,

What a thrilling season! Celebrating the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus was glorious! There is something very special about this year’s Resurrection Sunday celebration. I have never had such a profound time seeking Jesus and His Word.

Dream of the Flower

Normally I never remember my dreams. But one night this month I specifically remember being in Alaska, on some kind of outreach in a town. I don’t remember most of the dream, but I remember the ending. I began taking photos at the end of the day of a beautiful Alaskan sunset for some kind of social media. The views were incredible and I can still remember one of the pictures I took, in the green of spring, with the orangey glow of the sun beaming over the horizon next to a slightly blurred hill and large tree just in view. As the glow was still covering the landscape, someone told me that the flowers here would let water out at night. So I went over to a small flower and saw a little bit of water pooled in the center with the glow of the sunset reflecting off, and the petals slightly wilted, as if the water had come out from them. I began crying as it reminded me of how Christ gave us living water, the Holy Spirit, only after He was crucified.

Right after this I woke up, and immediately I searched online about flowers in Alaska. Although I couldn’t find any that have water come out at night, I did find out about the Alaska state flower, Forget-Me-Nots. They are really beautiful blue little flowers that grow in bunches. There are a lot of stories and lore about how they got their name, but mainly they have become a symbol of eternal love and remembrance. A lesser-known fact I found was that they only give off a scent in the evening and night. During the day they are scentless. What an amazing way to end, and yet never end, this special season of celebrating Jesus’ death and resurrection! It is as if Jesus was saying, “Forget-Me-Not!” And although Jesus’ life on earth was amazing- it was His death that gives us salvation through forgiveness. It was for His death that Mary anointed Jesus with precious perfume. Remembering Jesus is not just a time for Christmas and Easter, it is our life, and He invites us everyday to remember His eternal love through His death and resurrection. The flower also reminded me of the thief on the cross, “Then he said to Jesus, ‘Lord, remember me when you come into Your kingdom.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.’” (Luke 23:24-43)

Once in a while, Saving Grace goes to our sister church, Hope Central Watts, an inner city church to help run their service for a Sunday in order to refresh the locals. This time I got the opportunity to join and teach the youth group! I was pretty nervous because I was told to teach in Spanish, and it would be the first time. Although I had everything ready for Spanish-even my notes were in Spanish- a few minutes before starting I was told they actually do it in English, and some of the youth don’t even speak Spanish! That made it much easier, and it was a very blessed time teaching, and afterwards playing spoons with them.

The week before Resurrection Sunday, some of the MTS students went to Biola University to share about Calvary School of Missions during their Missions Conference! It was a super blessed time to share with a bunch of young people who are excited for reaching the world for Christ in missions. We’re praying for many to signup at CSOM 2024 and learn more about God’s heart for the unreached and hear the call to “go”!

At Cal State University Fullerton there was a Christian event called the Godly Grind that me and a friend were invited to while we were out evangelizing one day. It was a great event and through the lady who invited us, we met another girl named Katia who she is friends with. We all went out to tea afterwards and talked about our testimonies for a long time. Katia was a non-practicing catholic, but recently started wanting to learn more about God and the Bible. She literally asked us, “how do I learn the Bible?” It felt like one of those people God just plops in our lap, ready to be discipled. She’s been coming for almost 2 months now and is being totally transformed by Jesus’ work in her life! She has been active in the church, and coming to Wednesday evening Spanish Study group.

God has been moving greatly in the Spanish Group at Saving Grace! We have begun doing outreaches by visiting people’s home to bring our community, and most importantly, God’s presence in worship, sharing testimony, and prayer. We are also planning days to go to public centers like the Circle in Fullerton to do worship and ministering in the public, to reach our community with the gospel!

God also answered my prayers for a job! I have been working with a friend from church in his steam cleaning business, cleaning carpets. I have also been doing a bunch of little jobs, helping do electrical, paint, etc. for friends. God has been providing in really unique ways.

At the end of April, as I am writing this, I am on a trip in Mexico to visit my parents who have been staying in Rosarito. I am also helping my friend Marcelo Ramos, and my friend Rob Douglass, who runs a ministry called Ends of the Earth Ministries, teaching at Calvary Chapel Rosarito about the unreached. I will be staying for a week, also going to Horizonte Ensenada church and Calvary Bible Institute Mexico with Marcelo as he shares about the unreached and Calvary School of Missions.

Costa Rica Trip

I have rough dates for my mission trip to Costa Rica to visit and learn from a children’s safe home there. It is planned for July 29 – August 2.

Please continue in prayer with me as this trip will be a very new and important part of the work we have been praying for, to start a safe home in Peru! Also, I want to invite all of you to pray for my brother in Christ, Andy. He has been praying about being a part of leading this work as well. He has a great heart for children.

Praise Reports:

• For Jesus coming, living, dying, and resurrecting for our salvation!
• For Katia coming to know Jesus personally
• For my new job of steam cleaning

Prayer Requests:

• For God’s provision and will to be done in planning and going to Costa Rica in July
• Jesus would touch hearts in Mexico for the Unreached as we are sharing and He would call them to lay their lives down for Jesus in this work!
• Protection, provision, and guidance for my sister and brother-in-law as they minister in the unstable environment in the Middle East!
• God would use the Spanish group to call more people to their first love!