We started off the week with a devotional by Elder Rockwood who is the managing director of family search and a newly called area authority Seventy. It was a good way to start the week since he spent a lot of his time praising the missionaries for all they do for the church. Later in the week we had a district dinner where the speaker talked to us about how we are a calming influence in the areas we work, the wards we attend and everywhere we go. So, apparently, being old, with gray hair and on a mission is fantastic!
We've had a good number of interviews this week, enough to keep us plenty busy but not completely overwhelmed But, we have a rising number of students waiting in the continuing student portal for their yearly interview and we'll start those next week along with our normal number. So far there are over 500 students waiting so as long as we don't need sleep, we'll do great!
We had several Muslim students this week and one man that I (Sylvia) interviewed said that he was a "liberal Muslim". I had no idea what that meant and was a little concerned but it turns out he just meant that he thinks all churches have truth and he loves learning about other religions so he was loving Pathway institute classes. I like that definition of liberal!
We also experienced several this week who have already decided to join the Church since starting Pathway! One joined a couple of weeks ago, so we had to send him a to-do list to get him going down the right path since we cannot do his endorsement any more! He gets to go meet with his Stake President instead! Another was so excited about what he was learning that he now has a baptismal date on June 2nd! That one we were able to do since he is NOT YET a member of the Church! :)
We are seeing the work of the Gathering of Israel happening through BYU Pathway in unprecedented numbers! These people all over the world are coming to find an affordable education and most are excited that it is from a Church school like BYU! Then they come and are taught great life skills just preparing themselves to start going to college, along with the spiritual classes they take from the Institute. Then they find out more about Jesus Christ and want to become more like Him! They then, just somehow, find their way to Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints where they can make covenants with God and be sealed to their families forever! I hope all of us that already have these great blessings from our Heavenly Father will never take them for granted or forget how lucky we are!
We have really loved watching all the grounds crew people at work this week. They've been digging out all the spring flowers and putting in summer ones. It is so beautiful! We also took a walk up in the avenues this week and the poppies are coming out all over up there. It's just a beautiful time of year everywhere.
Yesterday we had a ward picnic and had fun trying all the great side dishes and getting to know ward members better. Then today we got to be ward greeters and talk to everyone as they came in. We're gradually getting to know at least the faces if not the names.
After the ward picnic yesterday we stopped at the First Encampment Park to visit Gary's great great grandfather John Pack's rock. It took a while to find it but they had a map so that helped. It's a fun little park in middle of town. It marks the spot where the main body of the Pioneers first camped when entering the valley after coming through Emigration Canyon.
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