Then should we not endeavor each day some point to gain….

Misty, feels  like California on a June morning

August has ended, September is here! Wow, it already feels like autumn in so many ways. This past week was a very good YSA week!!

Last Thursday evening the activity for FHE was watching the movie Frozen. We had more come to participate than usual, I had no idea Disney had such a YSA draw! When the song “Let it Go” came on the entire room erupted into song, even the guys! One of the newly returned missionaries took a double take, he was completely taken back by the enthusiasm! Me too. My recording of the whole moment did not turn out however or you all could have enjoyed the merriment!

Friday we drove to the temple to stay overnight in the Accommodation Centre because Saturday was our Stake YSA Temple trip. Driving there and back in one day is not our first choice.

We got up Saturday morning and attended an endowment session for some family names. It was lovely. Elder and Sister Adams one of the office couples was on the same session. They are going home in a month so we were very glad of the opportunity to be with them in that sweet setting.

The baptismal session that we were all attending was at 3:00. The ‘fun bus’ and the other cars started arriving just before 2:00. Lisa brought lots of good food for lunch so we all marched to the picnic tables at the back of the grounds.

Carly and Grace had come to the temple on their own earlier because they had 3 kids in tow. Grace went to do a session first and Carly watched the kids, then they were going to switch. One of the boys in Grace’s care is special needs (Down Syndrome). Nathan bounded loose and bolted into the temple. Bill had to full on chase him through to the recorder’s desk. He wanted to know where the classes were, he knew that Grace was in there. When told he could not go in there he lay limp on the carpet and Bill and a couple of the sister temple workers had to carry him out. He is a big kid. Never a dull moment!

When everything settled down and we reported to the baptismal font we had a wonderful experience. There were about 25 of us including adult advisers and Travis and Ruth a married couple from Downend ward.

Most of the names for the baptisms were from our group and it was a very special feeling to see all of them in white in the House of the Lord serving those ancestors! The whole day will long be etched into my heart. There was such a sweet feeling! I am thankful for prayer, felt answers for personal needs and the miracle of personal service!

Bristol YSA, and Travis, Ruth & baby...

Sunday, still going strong with young single adult activities. We attend the Bath Ward with Lisa to encourage those YSA to reach out to others and to thank them for their faithfulness. Alice provided a nice munch and mingle after the meetings.

Sunday evening 15 attended YSA FHE. A very happy weekend!

Monday we were a little wiped out, lots of success can do that to you. We had a nice day and family home evening at our flat. Georgia taught us a great lesson about perfection using 'maths'.

Tuesday was Zone Training. We have been to several of these throughout our mission, this was probably one of the best! The missionaries were so sincere in their purpose and intent. The spirit was strong, everyone has the desire to do better. President Beale from our Stake Presidency gave a presentation about personal revelation and I just must share a quote he gave us:

“Get close to the scriptures. Do anything you can. God is there…Don’t just read the scriptures, eat them. Get them not only into your head but down into your gut…

Joseph Smith produced as God required translations of the scriptures we now share. But the work, open-ended all along, is unfinished. Now, the task is ours. When you read the scriptures, don’t just lay your eyes like stones on the page. Roll up your sleeves and translate them again. Every morning and every night we are each commanded to sit down at our kitchen tables, spread out our books and notes and papers and pens, and, with a prayer in hand, finish what Joseph started. It is not enough for Nephi to have translated Isaiah into reformed Egyptian or Joseph to have translated Nephi into King James English. You and I must translate these books again. Word by word, line by line, verse by verse, chapter by chapter, God wants the whole thing translated once more, and this time he wants it translated into your native tongue, inflected by your native concerns, and written in your native flesh. To be a Mormon is to do once more on your own small scale the same kind of work Joseph did.”

Adam Miller, Letters to a young Mormon, Neal A Maxwell Institute. 2014

I think this is brilliant, there is so much more that I need to get out of the scriptures when I study. I am thankful for the insight. I am thankful for the Spirit that always attends a gathering of the Lord’s missionaries. He truly loves them!

Meal Wednesday was fun, mostly the same group but everyone was in a good mood. A friendly football match between England and Norway was on TV so some watched that. A few people explored the building library which still contains materials as old as my childhood. It was fascinating and amusing going through them.

Now here we are back to Thursday. All in all a good week. We have had some good conversations with family, enjoyed pictures of grand-kids heading out to their first day of school and joy of joys we received a packet of letters from our home Desert Hills Ward Primary that made us smile!!

Thank you to all, thank you to those at home and those here who support our efforts and give us reason to rejoice! 

                                                               

Primary letters