November Already?

Well we pass four months on our mission soon and the time seems to go by fast.  It was great having family over the past couple of weeks, but it requires some good organization to get all the work done.  Now we are back in the normal routine and there is still a lot to do. 
We sat down last week and planned out the next semester for teaching at the Institute.  This semester we are teaching one evening class and helping out when Brother Mackay needs it.  He has been teaching several courses in an attempt to get to know the YSAs, but he has realized that he can't do all of his duties and teach so much.  As a result he has asked us to teach an additional four classes a week next semester.  It will be fun to increase that teaching load, but will cause us to have a lot more preparation. 
This past Saturday we went with the other YSA/CES senior missionaries to the "Valley", which is the Imperial Valley where two of our senior missionaries are assigned.  We all climbed into a rented van and made the 100 minute journey to  the Valley and then spent the next five hours traveling around.  Let me tell you, an 8 passenger van with bench seats is not comfortable for that period of time.  I think we had more old, tired backs than you can imagine by the time we got home later that night.  But it was an interesting time visiting an area where it was the lowest spot in North America (183 feet below sea level) to a unique place called salvation mountain (more apt hill).  The creator seemed to think that creating an art piece on a mountain about Christ would bring more people to Him.  Right next to Salvation Mountain is Slab City, a place where people bring their trailers, motor  homes, etc., and park mainly for the winter.  They have no utilities and it doesn't cost to stay there, but the outskirts of the "city" looks like a dump.  The saddest part was seeing two children playing in the dirt next to an old school bus that was being used to "house" a family. 

Salvation Mountain

Slab City

183 below sea level

And then there was the border.  A wall exists and there are Border Patrol cars within sight of each other.  Nonetheless they apprehend 30 illegals climbing the fence on each shift. 

Along the wall with a Border Patrol vehicle 

Looking into Mexico

It was a fun time, but I am glad that I wasn't there during the summer months when temperatures reach 120 degrees.  It was only 90 the day we went there.
These YSAs have a lot of activities.  Church on Sunday, FHE on Monday, sports night on Thursday and then the weekends often have dances or other activities.  Where we are involved with two wards, it would be easy to overload with their activities.  We have to be selective and also realize that our calling is Institute centered and anything sponsored by that must take precedence.  So this Friday we have a tailgate for the soccer game.  That means that we prepare hot dogs and nachos for as many as come and then get to go watch two of our LDS students play for SDSU.  That is fun!  So missionary work is not always boring. 
Well I am sure that Diana will have better information to ad to the blog so I will end here.  I just close by saying that it is a privilege to serve a mission and to be dedicating this small portion of my life to the Lord.