Are We There Yet?

When I opened the blinds this morning, the sunshine flooded through every window.  The sky was a clear crisp blue that Gilbert would be proud to own.  Spring must be almost here.  As I sat studying, it seemed that more people than usual paraded along the path around the lake.  I think winter's seige is mostly over....although I have heard that it can snow in April....but of course it wouldn't stay on the ground long.

I am coming down with a cold....drat.  I got through all of Fall and Winter, and now I am sniveling and sneezing and sniffling.  The good news is that it didn't hit until yesterday...Friday.  So by the time we have to cook again it should be mostly gone....such an unwelcome guest.

We have quite a week ahead of us so I am hoping it doesn't get worse and that my nose doesn't become a bulbous red thing sitting on my face.  You know how colds are....

We came to the center at 4.  The YSA have been entertaining the YM/YW of the stake.  It is an annual tradition.  We had a large group of YSAs come to host.  There was food and dancing and music.  A group came early to decorate, hanging large paper flowers from the ceiling and stringing small white lights around the room.  They set up speakers and a refreshment table.

I think a good time was had by all.  They are cleaning up now....vacuuming and packing away and talking and laughing.  There was a bachelor party tonight for most of the YSA men.  One young man will be getting married a week from today in the Copenhagen Temple, and they threw him a party.  I don't know what went on during the party, but at 9, they all showed up here to do the clean-up.  I am thoroughly impressed.  Would you cut a party short to clean up a large center where a party had just been held?

We spent a fair amount of time visiting with one of them...Daniel.  He has been back from his mission for nearly 2 years.  He is a great young man.  He served in England and Wales, and his faith comes through in everything he says.  He told us some of the experiences he had on his mission.  It is another testament to me of what an amazing thing it is for a young person (or an old one for that matter) to serve a mission.  It builds them in ways they often don't fully realize for years to come.  

I can see and understand that the difficulties, the disappointments, the heartaches, and the challenges are all part of something that ultimately makes these young people bigger and better than they could have been otherwise.  If they are humble enough to accept them with faith, they grow in beautiful ways.

I hope that SK and I will look back on these times as periods of great growth in our lives....and I am not talking about our waistlines.  These past 5 months have been so good, but I hope I am learning and growing and stretching to be better.  This is a choice experience, and I want to make it count in so many ways.  

The young missionaries grow....I hope we will too.