Love California Nights

     We had a beautiful sunset the other day and Sister Pew captured it on camera.  To say the least, it is enjoyable waking up and ending each day with these ocean views.  So what else have we been up to?  

   At the suggestion of Bishop Wing, the La Jolla YSA Ward Bishop, We launched, a family history class.  Wesley Baugh, the ward family history consultant assists us.  He knows his stuff! YSA bring their computers and work together to understand their family trees. 

   We are teaching an institute class this spring quarter on the teachings (Gen Conference talks) of President Russell M. Nelson.  This is a lunch time class so we hold it in our "flat" and Sister Pew serves a small lunch for everyone while Elder Pew teaches the class.  We have between 6 and 8 YSA show up each Monday and Wednesday. 

   We've also had great success with our Sunday afternoon "Come Follow Me" group study in our flat.  These hour long discussions have great insight from the YSA about the Savior and his life.  

   On Saturday, April, 28, we along with Sister Missionaries Babb and Haipari plus Collin Shannon and Matthew Schwendinger, assisted a greater San Diego service project that was cleaning up the city. Matthew and Collin worked at a mulching pit while us 4 missionaries picked up trash.  Nice weather and not too hard of work.  

   We are also now teaching the institute class on Thursday night for the Pathway students - Foundations of the Restoration (new church history curriculum).  Very nice group of 8 dedicated people in their 3rd semester of Pathway and will graduate in August.  

   We have spent a few hours the past month or so trying to chase down a few less active YSA's but at little success.  We learned a couple of people on the ward list have moved (so the membership clerk was happy to learn of that) but the timing has to be just right for that change of heart to get them to meet with us.  We keep trying.  

    We continue our Tuesday afternoon service in the San Diego temple information booth where we talk to and take pictures of visitors that come by to see the magnificent building.  Many want to go inside but we have photo's of the interior to show them and we talk about the purpose of temples.  During the spring break weeks in April, we had lots of visitors - 80 to 100 each Tuesday with about 70% LDS and 30% non members - but in May it has slowed down.  We expect it to pick back up in the summer.  

     The photo of the LA Dodger fan is our Elders Quorum President, David Yang.  President Yang is doing a great job and is close to graduation. He hopes to go onto medical school.  He is from China but came to LA as an exchange student where he joined the church and became a Dodger fan.  He served a mission in Virginia.  The couple hugging and now dating are Luke McComb (from Alpine, UT) and Monique Mendoza, from Gilbert, AZ (and Chandler High School).  Will something happen here?  We shall see.  

   Sister Pew has had a few girl outings with the YSA girls. It's nice to socialize with these fabulous and accomplished young women and young men and they become our friends while we're here serving and I am sure when we go home. We loved our British YSA and continue to keep in touch with them and I am certain it will be the same with these great La Jolla YSA

   We seem to mix in plenty of fun. We drove to Coronado Island for an afternoon Stroll and Gelato. We also went to a Padres game and had dinner in the Gaslamp District. Petco Park is a beautiful ballpark and we had a great time. Our YSA include us in their outings and we drove to Mission Beach for a Bonfire and S'more night. 

   It's always nice to have visitors from home. Jake Kissell, one of our England Manchester Missionaries was in town and it was great to see him. He recently graduated from BYU and came down for a wedding. So nice for him to contact us. He was a great AP in Manchester.  Also, longtime friend, Chris Gailey was in LaJolla and we were able to spend a few hours with a walk on the La Jolla Cliffs and visit over a cookie and Diet Coke. It was great to see her. 

Family History Workshop. The class is talking about their memories
and learning to use the Memory APP. 

Teachings and President Nelson Lunch Class. The photos shows:  Ellison Takihashi, Alex Zhao, Jaz Welker
and Lashton Papworth. Lashton is a RM from Nashville Tennessee and served there with a fellow
Kaysville 17th Warder, Tyler Hinds.  Not shown is Monique Mendoza, David Yang, Bradley Day,
Eden Ines and Sadie Mecham. All are really smart kids!     

Sunday Night Come Follow Me Discussion hanging out in
our flat. Always refreshments.

Post Come Follow Me Group Photo  

Matthew Schwendinger and Collin Shannon
participating in the mulching project.

Creek to Bay San Diego Cleanup ...Collin stands out in a crowd

Sister Hepara from Tahiti, Elder Pew and Sister Babb from Orem
pick up trash

Bad Selfie

Tim Howell and AJ Wagner

Monique is the Social Coordinator

Schaum Torte for the Munch and Mingle

Aly Larsen, John Martinez, Jenalee Howland and Amy Crockett

John is an Architect and Amy is a Defense
Contractor.

Collin Shannon in his Sunday Best

Jenalee and Alecia Bena

David Yang and Elder Pew after the
Dodgers/Padres Game

Sister Pew, Aly Larsen and Monique Mendoza enjoying
the view at the Glider Park

Luke McColm and Monique

Madeleine Brown (Relief Society President from Sandy), Sis Pew
Wendy Anae (from La Jolla),Amy Crockett (from Colorado)
and Jenalee Howland (from Texas) having a goodbye breakfast
for Wendy. 

  Elder Pew discussing something
gospel related (or maybe volleyball?) with Collin. 
What a great young man Collin is; nicest guy around. 

Dorian Cowles, a navy boy from Las Vegas. 
Dorian loves to be around people and comes by to check in on us often. 
He just started in the virtual Pathway program as a way to eventually
get a college degree from BYU-I while serving our country.  

Morning Beach Walk with the Sisters. (Sister Whitaker and
Sister Babb) We meet on Wednesdays at 6:20!!!

Sister Whitaker (right) left for home. She is missed.

Gelato on Coronado Island

Padres Game...Dodgers vs Padres

Petco Park is a fabulous venue

Gaslamp District

Wall of Fame

We had a great Hot Fudge Sundae before the game

We even rode public transport to the ballpark.

Jake Kissell, one of our England Manchester Missionaries and recent
BYU Grad came for a visit. We love keeping touch with friends from home.

So fun to have Chris Gailey, a long time friend come to La Jolla
and we were able to spend some time. We took a beach walk
and visited over cookies and a Diet Coke.

The perfect S'moreo.  Thank You, John Martinez!!

Bonfire Night at Mission Beach

Lunch with the other YSA Couples in our Mission. We love getting
together with the Roach's and the
Johnson's. The Johnson's are from Bountiful and
will be heading home in July. We were in the MTC with
the Roach's from Spanish Fork.  Great Couples! 

One of our favorite new foods is Poki..basically Sushi
in a bowl.  We like this little Poki spot in the La Jolla Village
shopping center but the view of the temple is a bit blocked.
This is the new fast train that will run from San Diego up the California Coast
It is supposed to be completed in 2020. 

Here are all the new Ward Members this week. The Bishop
calls them the Bug Boys. They are actually the Pest Control workers
 and Solar Sales coming in for the summer. There is one girl
in the bunch and I guess there will be more to come.
There were about 30 last week.

View from our deck today.