Valentine's week was LOVE-ly.  Tuesday night was our first non-weekend Game Night (planned by the Branch Mission Leader).  We had a ton of kids show up - on a school night! -  including 2 non-member friends and 1 less active. 

They all had a great time playing games and singing (practicing for a church special musical number) and having a rousing ping pong tournament. They ate lots of the popcorn that Elder Mumford prepared - while Sister Mumford was working on her lesson.  Love was in the air.

 

On Valentine's Day we were out the door at 8:30 and drove to Fishers (near Indianapolis) for a two-zone conference - 60 people. Elder & Sister Ulrich came with us. We received great instruction from President Collins, a good lunch, watched some funny videos about safe driving and about table manners - for those dinner appointments, had great training from the mission assistants, and felt the spirit

in abundance.  In fact we felt kind of spiritually exhausted by the time we got home - but Institute started an hour later.  Brenda taught about the first groups of Latter-day Saints who headed west - The Brooklyn Saints, the Mormon Battalion, the Mississippi Saints, and Brigham Young's Vanguard Pioneer Company.  We did easy refreshments that night - didn't have time to make heart cookies!  Fresh strawberries, chocolate hearts and little cups of Jelly Bellys seemed the satisfy the students - whom we love!          

One of our girls got engaged on Valentine's Day!  They are planning an August wedding.  She met her fiance' at a regional YSA activity - the Halloween hayride and barn dance.  She came to M&M and showed off her ring.  Gary taught both Munch & Mingle lessons this week.  He built his lessons around two of the new Bible videos that depict events (The Triumphal Entry & The Last Supper) leading up to the crucifiction and resurrection of Christ - in preparation for Easter.  Others will follow as we continue to teach about the last week of the Savior's life.  Brenda spent some time Friday afternoon figuring out what to serve for M&M lunches, District Meeting lunches, Institute refreshments, and CES Firesides from now until we finish our mission - so we can use what we have already purchased and budget properly for the rest.  Friday evening we had a lovely dinner at the home of the sister who teaches the Book of Mormon Institute class on Thursday nights, Nancy Ellis.  Three of the other five dinner guests were friends of ours. It was fun. 

Saturday - after going to a morning wedding shower for one of the girls in the Branch (a medical resident), we had a mission call opening here at the Institute! Family and friends came to participate. Sarah will be going to the Philippines this summer. We didn't realize that they have an MTC there that serves the 17 missions in the Philippines, as well as other Asian Countries (10 languages taught). She will be the last of 5 kids in her family to serve a mission.  Her younger brother is in the MTC.

Saturday afternoon we drove to Kevin & Dacia's home and attended a Children's Theater production that our granddaughter was in.  She loves to sing and dance and be on stage.  She did a great job.  We spent the night and got to celebrate Dacia's birthday the next morning - complete with Kevin's marvelous crepe brunch and present opening - before we headed back to Muncie for church.  It was a quick but fun trip.  At church we found out that one of our first Elders, who finished his mission a month after we arrived, just got engaged to a girl he met here!  She has been at BYU-I since August.  A love-filled ending to a happy week.