OUR MISSION LIFE - in a nutshell

As we have reviewed our blog posts it occurs to us that we haven't described very well what it is we do here. We have been preparing to make a presentation to the missionaries at zone conference, and we can see there really is much we could describe for our history and journal. So here is a brief description:

Our mission is with the Institute Center For Young Adults in Bern, Switzerland, where our work is to bring people to Christ through reactivation and missionary work among young single adults, some of whom are pictured above.

Our goal has been to help the active young adults learn how to reach out to their friends and bring them into our Center where they can hear the gospel, have fun, and experience joy in a clean, wholesome, safe environment.

What we do: We --

• try to make the center inviting. We have painted, gently remodeled, added music and a current photo gallery of the young adults who come to the center. We provide refreshments after classes and an inexpensive dinner for those who come directly from school or work.
• love the young single adults. We greet each one who comes to the center and try to make them feel welcome. We describe ourselves as the center grandma and grandpa who listen to their joys and their woes! We heard this comment the other day, "Coming to institute is like coming home," so maybe it's working.
• attend a different ward in the stake each Sunday to meet with and encourage young adults, and to explain to bishops how we can help them with their young adults.
• speak in sacrament meetings, when invited, to promote institute, missionary work, and reactivation.
• conduct Family Home Evening . . .

. . .for those who wish to come on Monday. This is last week's FHE where we said goodby to Sister Longhurst. (Hi, Sister Longhurst. Was it good to get home?) "Flat Austin" attended too, hanging behind us!

• participate as "shadow leaders" in young adult councils, and Elder Grassli is a member of the stake high council.

• help with activities held in the center, such as waffle night, music evening, highlight evenings (special speakers and activities), missionary district meetings, and missionary lessons taught by the missionaries.

• send birthday and "missed you" cards, as well as "checking in" emails to young single adults.
• stay close to the missionary sisters assigned to the center and plan with them ways to enhance the reactivation and missionary activity here.

In addition to what we do, the missionaries teach investigators, and English classes and Stop Smoking workshops in the center. They are . . . . . . wonderful missionaries who never stop!

When they are not in the center they are out finding and teaching people everywhere.

This is too much fun!

Anybody reading this who would like to try doing what we are doing, let us know.

We can help!