Week 4 in Beautiful San Diego!

It's about time to post again! We thought we'd do it on Sunday's, but they're so busy that we haven't had time. We're so grateful though to be busy and feel like there is work that we can contribute to doing.
To start with, I found out that my dear friend and work associate, Dr. Nora Nyland Kerr, is retiring and she and her husband received their mission call - to Oklahoma City CES! This is despite the plans and arrangements they had made to go to Croatia. All I can say is that I know the Lord is wanting desperately to rescue the youth of the church, and our work with Institute and Young Single Adult wards is vital. So, in thinking of Nora, I have to post my one and only picture of us together (and yes, it's old!)

Thank you, Christine Krstic, for this picture. Hard to believe you were my student once!

Our week was spent mainly at the Institute.  We started preparation on our course that we will be teaching - the Pearl of Great Price.  We also have been planning an Open House for next week. School begins at SDSU, so we expect a lot of kids coming over to the Institute to check it out.  We're planning on having themes each day, with food and a chance to meet us and the institute director (and hopefully get signed up for classes!) 

This week we did apartment inspections for the young Elders.  Transfers are due this week, so each of the Senior Couples has a route with several apartments that they need to inspect for cleanliness and safety.  We visited 5 apartments, some in some pretty "sketchy" areas of town.  (The apartments were pretty sketchy also!)  But it was so much fun to meet some more of the young Elders.  We took a plate of cookies to "ease the pain", but Elder McGuire and I make it pretty painless for them - we just enjoy it!

We try to spend as much time as we can with the YSA Wards, so that means going to FHE's with them, or other activities they're involved in.  The YSA 1st Ward members were in a softball tournament this week on Thursday night, so we went to that.  Elder McGuire and I are naturally quite gregarious, so we have a lot of fun mingling with these "kids".

We fed the missionaries again this week - the ones for the 1st Ward (the AP's) on Thursday, and the ones for the 2nd Ward (the Zone Leaders) on Monday.  It's fun for me, I like to cook and I like to have people to cook for.  We enjoy getting to know each of them better, and feel very close to them. One of the AP's, Elder McChesney, is leaving for home today, and we're really going to miss him!

One of the Zone Leaders, Elder McCloy, is from Farmington.  He sang a solo in church Sunday and I accompanied him.  It was really beautiful, he sang one of Elder McGuire's favorite songs, "I Heard Him Come".  It brought many tears to the audience. And I felt so grateful to be able to play the piano again!  They have no one in the 2nd Ward that can play, so I played for Sacrament Meeting.  Elder McGuire helped them set up the Sacrament.  It's fun to just dive in and help where we can. 

They were painting in our Institute Building, so we went to the San Diego Zoo for a few hours.  What a beautiful zoo!  It was hot, and we only stayed about 4 hours, but we got season passes so that we can return anytime we want to.

Sunday was a very special day.  Lei Ma was baptized.  There was a huge attendance there, even the Mission President came.  She's a very special girl, and is so happy about the gospel. We've spent a lot of time with her, and have really learned to love her.

We are very busy on Sundays.  We began this Sunday with music practice at 9:00, Church from 10:00 - 1:00, Linger Longer at 1:00 - 2:00, Church at the other Ward from 2:00 - 4:00, Baptism at 4:30 - 5:00, and Linger Longer at 5:00 - 6:00.  We got home at 6:15 and kind of crashed.  Didn't make it to the Mission President's Fireside at 7:00, hopefully we'll be able to do it next time!