Here Comes Thanksgiving!

Well here we are two days from Thanksgiving and both Diana and I are wondering why it has been so long since we wrote on this blog.  I like to think that we are so busy that there is no time for blogging.  While we are busy, it doesn't take that much time to sit down and write something.
One of the highlights of our mission comes every six weeks when we go to the transfer meeting.  we get to see which missionaries have been moved around; feel bad for those in our area that move, but look forward to getting to know the new ones.  Elder Stecklein, an AP, was moved back to training a new missionary on the 11th.  We have enjoyed having him be a part of our area working with the YSA 1st Ward, but it is good for the APs to move back into the field before returning home.  He'll have until the first of February to close out his mission.  We were able to see him again on Sunday as he came back to see one of the people he had taught, Kevin Avina, get baptized.  It is nice that he was close enough to do that. 
It is great to watch these young missionaries take to heart the challenges their Mission President gives them.  I have gotten to appreciate President Schmitt and his wife over the few months we have been here.  He has a great missionary spirit and drive.  He challenged the missionaries to conquer their fear with the power of faith and then they fasted to increase their teaching pool.  Today he announced that the effort had increased investigators with baptismal dates from 121 to 210.  We are hearing wonderful stories about the increase that many missionaries are having.
Even here at the Institute we see some of the fruits of this push.  Last Thursday at our forum where we feed all who come lunch we had a young black women come with a friend.  She vowed to return and said she was looking for a church.  Hopefully it will be more than just lip service.  Then yesterday a young lady came into the Institute saying she wanted someone to "pray with".  She had been having some medical complications and her very good friend at home was a Mormon.  She had received a blessing some time ago for an accident she received at a Stake dance and so she came here looking for spiritual help.  Brother Mackay and I administered to her and invited her to come back for forum.  Again, the hope is that she will do so as she said she would. 
We just love working with the YSAs!  There is so much good there and so much progress to see in them.  However, one of the challenges is holding onto them and trying to bring many back.  We are focusing on identifying those who are active in the wards, but are not coming to Institute.  I firmly believe that if they are engaged in Institute it helps create a stronger member.  We have seen increased excitement about the Institute and hope that it will continue through next semester.  This semester is so close to being over; we only have three lessons to teach in our night class and then it is a month off of teaching.  It will give us time to prepare for next semester when our class load will be doubled. 
We had some fun times this last couple of weeks.  We went to support Lexy Thorderson (yes Winona's great-granddaughter) at her SDSU women's basketball game.  It was great to see about 20 of our youth from the ward go over to cheer her on.  Diana and I also went over to see Megan Blair compete with the SDSU ultimate frisby club team play.   That was fun to watch and Megan sent us a text thanking us for coming over.  It is important to support our students in their activities and what is more pleasing is that it is fun!

Lexy (22) showing her defense skills

Two of our YSAs enjoying themselves at Lexy's game

Megan catching a long pass

We also had a great fireside with Brother Mackay speaking to the YSAs about the importance of the doctrine of the family.  The purpose was to encourage them to get out and date, but they are tired of being hit over the head with that.  So Brother Mackay approached it from the doctrine that the family is the necessary eternal unit that enables us to progress to become like God.  It was very good.  We had a full house at the Institute of about 50 YSAs from all over the San Diego area.  The Bishop of the YSA 2nd Ward wants to continue to have firesides and has asked us to continue to arrange them, so we will be doing that. 
It's fun to watch these YSAs in their FHEs.  They have a great time together, whether it is playing hungry, hungry hippo, learning how to cook from Sister McGuire or just playing games, they enjoy being together.  Last Friday night we went on a campout with 2nd Ward to Agua Caliente camp ground.  It's not like going up in the mountains - it's going out into the dessert.  They had a great time, and Diana gave the fireside on her medical trials.  It was a great spiritual time.  And, no, we didn't stay overnight.  These old bones don't like sleeping on the hard ground (they have enough trouble in a soft bed). 
We love our assignment.  We miss our family and friends.  But we know that we are doing what the Lord wants us to do.  We will continue to work hard and will probably see you back home at the first of February when two grandchildren will be born.  (It's good to be a Sr. Missionary!).