District Council, FHE Art Project, Cheri & Rob, Institute, Anissa, Breakfast, Dinner with Mission Leaders, Olympic Training Center, Glow in the dark Capture the Flag

We attended our first District Council Meeting on Monday.  We will meet once a week with this group of Sisters and Elders.  Each week, the District Leader selects a section from Preach My Gospel to give instruction and have a discussion.  We are so impressed with the maturity of these young missionaries.  The are mature, responsible and filled with the spirit.  When I see young people like these young missionaries, I feel like the future of the Church and the world is in good hands.  The meeting ended with everyone sharing their testimony of Jesus Christ.  I brought homemade chocolate chip cookies for a treat; they were well accepted!

Every Monday evening we have a Family Home Evening with the young adults.  Just before the opening prayer, Elder Hardy was asked to give a spiritual thought.  He didn't bat an eye, and shared a message with the young adults reminding them that they are each a child of God, and how God knows and loves each one individually.  Then, we were off to painting with Bob Ross, a PBS phenomena.  We each had a canvas, paints and brushes and used our creativity to paint trees with a bridge and a waterfall.  It was a successful activity as there was much interaction among everyone.  I loved that they weren't glued to their phones, but were talking and laughing and having fun together.

Tuesday morning we were doing our morning exercise at our apartment complex gym, when we got a text from Cheri & Rob (Stan's sister and brother-in-law).  They were in Coronado.  We cut short our exercise, went home and showered, and put together spaghetti sauce in the crock pot (for Institute dinner tonight) and headed over to Coronado Island.  We picked them up and enjoyed lunch together and then drove over to Point Loma.  This is the best location to get great photos of Coronado Island and the ocean.  

The most impressive part of the drive is the Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery.  There are over 120,000 white markers signifying Veterans who have been buried there.  It is a peaceful thought provoking location.  We certainly owe much to all those who've served and died so we can enjoy our freedoms.

Tuesday evening is Institute night for the young adults.  It is tradition that dinner is provided for them before the lesson begins.  So I prepared a spaghetti dinner for about 20 (they never know how many attend).  Some arrived in time to eat before the lesson, but most ate afterwards.  I forgot to count how many were there, but we bagged up and gave away any leftovers.  They have a CES (Church Education System) instructor, Brother Mackay.  He was excellent.  He talked about justification and the atonement.  It was a great lesson along with the discussion; the spirit was present.  

Before the meeting, Stan got a text from one of the young men - he needed a ride.  Stan took off to pick him up while I finished the food preparation and set-up.  Well, come to find out, he lives off of the last exit before going into Mexico!  Stan was grateful he didn't miss the exit!  After cleaning up and then taking the young man home, we didn't get home until going on 10 pm!  The life of YSA Senior Missionaries!

Wednesday afternoon we joined the Elders for a lesson with a young lady named Anissa.  We were all to meet her at a park.  We arrived at the same time as the Elders, and she walked up and said she had a surprise for us.  She had walked to In & Out Burger, bought 4 large drinks, 4 burgers, and 4 massive containers of frys, and then carried them all to the park.  What a sweetheart.  I loved the lesson.  The Elders did such a good job teaching about receiving the Holy Ghost.  Stan and I shared our testimonies and experiences that we've had with the Holy Ghost.  I really felt the spirit, and asked Anissa if she did, too.  I know that she's learning to recognize the Spirit.  She's a sweet girl.  She has set a date for baptism, January 4!.  The Elders are hoping that as she progresses, she'll want to move it sooner, but this is a start.

On Thursday morning we invited the missionaries that live in our apartment complex over for breakfast.  Transfers are this week, and two of them are being transferred out of our Zone.  I made Breakfast Burritos and fruit.  Afterwards, Stan on his cello and Elder Poulson on the piano (an accomplished pianist) played a few numbers; The Mission, and As Now We Take the Sacrament.  Music sure brings the spirit into the room.

Thursday evening we drove over to the Mission Home and had dinner with our mission leaders, President and Sister Merritt.  It was great getting to know them better.  Stan brought his cello along, as Sister Merritt has a degree in music and is an excellent pianist.  Once again music brings the spirit.  I am so blessed.

We live just off a main road called Olympic Parkway.  We've wondered why the title, and found out that at the end of the Parkway is an Olympic Training Center.  We didn't have much going on on Friday, so we drove a few miles down the road to the training center.  It is a 155 acre complex with multiple sport training venues; beach volleyball, rowing (Otay Lake borders the property), archery, rugby, track events, BMX bike courses and extensive weight and conditioning facilities.  There is a mile long walkway down the center of the property.  We were pretty impressed.  This must be the off season though, because we hardly saw anyone.

Friday evening is activity night.  Glow in the Dark Capture the Flag was the event.  Stan was a good sport and joined in;  Team Hardy won, of course!

We feel truly blessed to be serving with these young people. They are a fun loving group!  As different as they all are, they seem to really love each other and get along well.  As we continue learning their names and about them individually, our hope and prayer is that we can make a difference in their lives.  I know they have already blessed our lives.