Halloween cakes, seek & find, and Jail!

This week started with helping the Young Single Adults at their family home evening activity;  a Halloween cake decorating activity.  Debbie & I were assigned the role of the judges - it was strictly a visual judgement - no eating!  The YSA's were very proud of their creations and starting talking about bribes for the judges!  Ultimately, the black widow spider and the candy eating monster won dual 1st place!

Debbie cooked up a fabulous pasta al forno with some exquisite home make bread that was a big hit at the institute on Tuesday with both young and old - I think she is spoiling these YSA's!

The pickleball players we meet during the week at McKensie Creek Park are still a great place to have gospel conversations.  This week I was able to share a Book of Mormon via the app with one of the players that I got to play with - his name is Angel so I got to tell him about the several angels that appeared to the Prophet Joseph Smith including John the Baptist & Peter, James, and John.  He asked about differences in our Church, so it led a discussion about the restoration of Christ's new testament Church through the Prophet Joseph Smith, his first vision, angel Moroni, gold plates, and the coming forth of the Book of Mormon.  Hopefully, I will get to follow up with him next week! 😄

Debbie & I had the opportunity to go on a "seek & find" expedition several times this last week, looking up some of the YSA's that are on our roles, but not coming to Church.  It seems that about half of the addresses don't exist, so we have some interesting conversations with the people that answer the doors.  One I remember was a Hispanic young man who answered the door so I asked in English if he was "William" to which he responded in perfect English, "I don't speak any English".  I immediately reverted to Spanish to ask him the questions - it turned out that he wasn't William & he didn't know who William was.  I think that he thought he could be rid of us if he didn't have to speak English!  I had similar experiences on my younger Mission tracting in Cuban neighborhoods in Miami, Florida.  Ladies would answer the door, look at these English looking boys & wag their finger at us saying "No espeake English" even though we were speaking Spanish to them on our door approach!!  

Saturday night was a Mission wide Senior Missionary activity that we attended at the Marine Corps Recruiting Center on Base in San Diego.  We rode with one of the Military relations senior couple & got on base to enjoy the bowling center & a potluck dinner - we have a great time getting together with the other Senior Missionary couples even though our bowling skills were quite rusty!!

Sunday (today) we got an assignment from the Mission President to drive down near the border & go visit a recently baptized member who was in jail (Otay Mesa Detention Center - US Department of Homeland Security).  We drove down and entered the locked down facility, not knowing what to expect & asked to visit "name - & prison id #".  Apparently, someone else was visiting him before we got there & the guard explained that they are only allowed 1 visit on Sunday - so we will have to come back during the week to visit by phone (only at the prison) or next Sunday to see him in person.  We suspect that it is our time to come face to face with the illegal immigrant dilemma down here!  More info later!

The gospel is for everyone, even those who have made serious mistakes!  Jesus Christ came to the world not to condemn the world, but that through Him humanity might be saved!!  I am grateful for the principles of faith in Jesus Christ & His atonement, plus repentance that gives all of us hope for the future!  Everyone think Celestial!