May 6th-19th, 2013

Hello to All: 

We have been very unsuccessful getting the YSAs to attend the CES Fireside broadcasts.  The first Fireside we had after arriving here in the mission field was back in September last year.  Maybe seven young adults attended.  A very poor showing when conservatively speaking there are over 250 YSAs who could have attended.  Since that September 2012 Fireside, attendance has dropped lower and lower.  We always provide refreshments - that doesn't seem to make a difference.  We offered to transport anyone who needed a ride - didn't have any takes on that.  January's attendance was:  Elder and Sister Barlow, the Institute Administrative Assistant and her son.  In March we finally decided to change the venue from the Anderson Stake Center (about 8 miles from Redding) to the Institute building here in Redding hoping to attract members of the Young Single Adult Branch.  We thought we had the perfect solution: not only did we change the place we changed the day.  We would show the Fireside for FHE the Monday after the live airing.  Great Idea!  Not!!  A few YSAs showed up for FHE but were not thrilled that the activity for the evening was to watch the broadcast.  When the word got out that FHE for the first Monday in May was going to be a viewing of the CES Fireside only two YSAs showed.  It is frustrating to see the effort and expense the Church puts into these broadcasts go to waste.  The YSAs just aren't interested in hearing from their leaders.   There will not be any more Firesides until September so hopefully we can come up with a better "solution" than this one. 

We taught our last classes on the 6th-9th and had final reviews and exams the 13th-16th.  We are done with daytime Institute classes until mid August.  I (Nan) admit I'm ready for the break.  The last school-year class for our evening Institute was the 15th.  We'll start the summer evening classes - "Missionary Preparation" and "Teachings of the Living Prophets" - Tuesday the 11th and Wednesday the 12th.  Teaching once a week will be a breeze. 

As you all know (because you have been reading our Blog) on Fridays we prepare and/or help prepare a full meal for any YSAs who want to come.  We feed anywhere from 15-25 each week.  We take turns with Brook (our AA) either being the helpers or the chefs.  Friday the 10th was our turn to be the chefs.  Brook wasn't even going to be there.  She went on a field trip with her son.  So, we had Little Caesar's Pizza.  It was great.  We ordered 10 pepperoni pizzas, opened two bags of salad greens, bought 5 bottles of pop and had chocolate covered ice cream bars for dessert.  The kids loved it and clean up was super easy.  We even stayed within our budget. 

On the 17th we had our last Friday Forum until fall.  We had dogs on the grill, fresh fruit, potato salad and potato chips.  We had about 30 YSA there and they ate 48 hot dogs.  Most stuck around to play volleyball.  A great closing Forum.

We plan to attend the Seminary Graduations in both the Redding and Anderson Stakes and hand out a packet to all graduates.  We will follow up by contacting all of them and inviting them to Institute.  We also plan to contact all returned missionaries and invite them to Instituteand branch activities.  The change in age for going on a mission will hit all the Institutes - loosing 45,000 to 50,000 to missionaries is a good thing though.

We were asked again, by the Mission Housing Director, to find an apartment for a new set of sister missionaries coming to Redding.  Kent enjoys doing this and he is really good at it.  We also were asked to find furniture - preferably used.  Members in the area have been great to donate their unwanted kitchen tables and chairs and couches.  The sisters arrived on the 15th to an apartment ready and waiting for them. 

Mother's Day was different this year because Nan wasn't surrounded by all her children for the first time since she became a mother in 1982.  All the children did contact her however one way or another: cards in the mail, phone, email, IM, and gifts.  We wanted to make our presence known to the wards and post fliers advertising the upcoming summer evening Institute classes in each church building so we went to the Palo Cedro Ward for their 9 a.m. sacrament.  Mothers were given a beautiful long-stem rose at the close of the meeting.  Then we went to the 2nd Ward to post the fliers in that building and attend their sacrament meeting.  Mothers were given See's candy bars there.  When we got home, Kent prepared steaks (purchased at R&R meats, the awesome meat market where we shop) and fresh green beans for dinner.  Nan says it was definitely a great day! 

The 13th-18th was Rodeo Week in Redding.  There were activities all week.  The most fun was the Kiddie Parade through the Shasta Mall.  Wagons, pets, children, moms, dads.  We didn't attend but we heard from some who did that everyone had a good time.  Friday morning, the 17th, the city had its annual rodeo pancake breakfast.  It was chilly Friday morning but that didn't seem to dampen any one's spirit. 

Today, the 19th, we attended the missionary farewell of Eric Espinoza a young man in Kent's Doctrine and Covenants class.  It was a nice meeting.  Eric's family attends the Antelope Ward in Red Bluff.  Before the meeting we put up our summer Institute fliers. 

We still walk and read scriptures together every morning.  By the time we get home in 2014 those two things should be well-established habits. 

Not much excitement these past two weeks but that's all right.  These "oldsters" don't need a lot of excitement.  Love and smiles to all,