Let God Prevail, YSA Institute & party, Cactus flowers

 Greetings!  This week the storms have subsided and life has gotten pretty much back to normal - as we went through the storms of the past several weeks, we saw how the media blew up the impact!  For the most part, the rain had a fairly minimal effect on San Diego, with the exception of a few areas where the drains got plugged & caused some water damage.  So..... we were just fine!  Our week went through its fairly predictable cycles with preparing dinner for the institute, district council with the Missionaries, & Mission Prep class.  We did have a couple events where our help was requested by our Institute director, so Thursday night we helped with a Seminary & Institute night especially for the youth, where BYU & Utah CES people came to play some games with the kids enticing them to consider the value of taking Seminary & Institute.  Their objective was to help kids become "disciples of Christ" by taking advantage of Seminary & Institute.

Our Institute instructor, Brother McKay had an inciteful discussion about being accountable & having unity, asking "How does more accountability to God change our relationships with others and provide greater unity?"  As we become more accountable to God, we draw closer to Him, and become more "one" with Him - this process allows us to become more unified with our brothers & sisters in the Gospel as well. 

 He also reminded us of Russell M. Nelson's discussion of the meaning of "Israel" found in his Conference talk October 2020:

"With the help of two Hebrew scholars, I learned that one of the Hebraic meanings of the word Israel is “let God prevail.”⁴ Thus the very name of Israel refers to a person who is willing to let God prevail in his or her life. That concept stirs my soul!

The question for each of us, regardless of race, is the same. Are you willing to let God prevail in your life? Are you willing to let God be the most important influence in your life? Will you allow His words, His commandments, and His covenants to influence what you do each day? Will you allow His voice to take priority over any other? Are you willing to let whatever He needs you to do take precedence over every other ambition? Are you willing to have your will swallowed up in His?"

God is doing His work to gather each of His lost sheep.  In Sacrament meeting on Sunday, we heard from a returning YSA member who had a prompting that he was missing out on something important in his life.  While shopping on Sunday someone said something about the Lord's Sabbath day & it pricked his heart.  He googled the Church and found out that there was a Chapel  just 5 minutes from his location.  As he came to Church, the spirit confirmed that this is where he should be - he had an answer & his heart was softened.  Where ever we are in life, we must remember that it can be so much richer & better as we "let God prevail in our lives!"

Our Mission Prep class started up again and we actually had 8 people come (the students had voted to continue the class). We had a "Kahoot" (interactive game) on our review of last weeks lesson on the restoration that the youth seemed to have a lot of fun with!  We then brought together a panel of 5 full time Missionaries - 3 Sisters & 2 Elders so that the youth could ask them any questions that they had regarding full time Missionary service!  The Spirit was very strong during class, so we felt good about what we were teaching!  God is serious about His covenant to gather Israel again.   It turned out to be a successful night.

Saturday night was a big YSA institute party held at the San Diego Institute.  The directors went all out to invite all the High School Seniors and YSA's to enjoy Grilled cheese sandwiches with specialty cheeses, pulled pork, bacon, buffalo chicken, guacamole, pesto, etc and homemade churros.;  games featuring Mini-golf, ping pong, pool, stand up an empty coke bottle with a ring on the end of a string tied to a fishing pole, popping balloons by throwing darts, baseball throw to knock down stacked cups, dancing, basketball free throw game machine,

etc!!  Quite a shindig.

Signs that spring time is coming are happening already with some pretty flowers showing up on the cactus:

Lastly, Debbie had a birthday this past week!  HAPPY BIRTHDAY!  Debbie has been a great blessing to me & to all that know her - WE LOVE YOU!