A Historic California YSA Conference

On August 8th and 9th, 10,000 YSA's from all over the state of California will gather at each of the 7 temples for a historic state wide conference. They are expecting 1,800 YSA to be at the Newport Beach Temple. Last night we had a Conference kick-off fireside to explain what will happen in the next 12 weeks leading up to the conference and the actual conference. In two weeks, we all will be divided into companionships and be set apart for a 10 week mini mission. We will spend the next 10 weeks focusing on finding, activating and inviting the less-active to this conference. We also be focusing on missionary work. All the YSA state wide are encouraged to do temple ordinances at least 3 times before August 8th.

We have State goals, Ward goals and Personal goals that we will be focusing on also. These goals are designed to improve us physically as well as spiritually. The State goals include: To have 80% of all YSA's attend the Conference. Have 30% of all YSA's bring a friend or a less active to the Conference. Have 10,000 Ordinances performed by August 8th. The Ward Goals include: Identify and visit every less active YSA in the ward. Challenge every less active to attend the Conference. Be Temple Worthy and perform at least 3 ordinances by August 8th.

On Saturday August 8th, we will all gather at the nearest temple (for us it is the Newport Beach Temple) at 5 in the morning to do sessions, sealings, inititories, baptisms and confirmations. After spending several hours in the temple, we will have several workshops to attend. In the afternoon, we will have a service project where we will be making 1,000 quilts (yes even the guys will be doing it too) state wide in 2 1/2 hours. The quilts will be donated to families in need. In the evening, we will have a dance.

On Sunday August 9th, we will gather for a special fireside where we will take the sacrament and have Elder L. Tom Perry as a special speaker. Robin and I are SO EXCITED for this conference. It will be an AMAZING experience!!!!

Fun with the Meyersons!!!! Now with pictures

On Monday Grandpa, Jason and I had the amazing privilege of watching Ashlin and Tayley!!!!!! Chad, Meagan and the girls flew down from Salt Lake to Los Angeles to watch the Lakers eliminate the Jazz . When we got to the hotel Chad and Meagan were staying in, we walked in the room and Tayley was crawling all over the room. I went to pick her up and she smiled at me. She had no problem with me holding her. I took her over to Grandpa so he could see her, but she began to cry (poor Grandpa). Ashlin came running up to Grandpa Jason and I and gave us lots of hugs and kisses!!!!!

Everyone but Grandpa got ready to swim in the hotel pool before Chad and Meagan had to leave for the game. We spent about an hour swimming and having a goodtime. Tayley was just chilling in her float ring while Ashlin was a real fish swimming all around the pool. Ashlin and I had fun racing each other and playing tag. Tayley was mesmerized by me. She just stared at me and when I swam by her she smiled. I think she liked me.

After we got out, Grandpa and Chad went across the street to Taco Bell to get dinner. As we were eating and Chad and Meagan were getting ready for the game, Tayley was crawling all around the room again and had no desire to eat. I finally picked her up and fed her some rice. She enjoyed sitting on my lap and I got her to eat some dinner.

It was then time for Tayley to go to bed and Chad and Meagan to leave for the game. Grandpa and Jason watched TV while I played with Ashlin. I had a WONDERFUL time playing Princesses with Ashlin. I was Belle and she was Cinderella. We pretended that the evil queen was after us so we had to keep running from one side of the room to the other. When we were on one side of the room we would play with some magnetic cutouts and play sets of the Princesses at a ball. We had to dance with each other so we would be ready to dance with the princes. As we were dancing it reminded me of the chorus of a song by Steven Curtis Chapman called Cinderella. "I will dance with Cinderella while she is here in my arms. Cause I know something the prince never knew. I'll dance with Cinderella. I don't want to miss even one song. Cause all too soon the clock will strike midnight and she'll be gone."

When we were on the other side we watched the planes fly into LAX. As we were watching the planes, Ashlin and I had to call Wonder Pets to see if they could help us get away from the evil queen. The Wonder Pets would say they were too busy so we had to get help form the planes.

Ashlin had such a large imagination!!!! I was privileged to take part in it!!!!! I had so much fun playing with Ashlin and Tayley and enjoyed every moment I spent with them. I was so sad when I had to put Ashlin to bed. I can't wait to see them again.

Me with Ashlin and Tayley

Ashlin with Grandpa

Chad, Meagan, Ashlin and Tayley

Chad throwing Ashlin in the air

Meagan and Tayley enjoying the water

Ashlin and Tayley

Grandpa catching an Ashlin fish

Grandpa and Tayley

Jason with Ashlin

I thought Robin needed to have a picture too, so this is the bruise she got when she fell during one of the earthquakes last week.

EarthShake, Rattle and Roll!!!!!

Yorba Linda was really shaking, rattling and rolling yesterday!!!! Just before 5 PM 2 strong jolts hit Yorba Linda (about 8 months a go we also had a 5.8 jolt). Robin and I were out and about and was stopped at a red light when our car began shaking. I thought it was the car behind us bumping into us. After a few moments we realized it was an earthquake. We immediately called home and Grandpa answered with "WOW, that was a jolt!!!" He told us that it sounded like an entire army shot of rifles in the house. It was 2 extremely strong and loud bangs. Jason was walking when it hit and it knocked him off his feet. When Robin and I got home we looked it up on the computer and saw that the quake was 3.8, 3 miles deep (most quakes are at least 10 miles deep) and centered 2 miles from our house. We pin-pointed the spot where it happened and found out that Robin and I was 1 block away from the epicenter. Thank goodness only a few things fell down and nothing broke. The pets were sure scared the rest of the day, especially Ripley, Kodi and Koda. Cali didn't seem to be scared.

At 8:30 PM we were hit with an even bigger quake. Robin was taking a bath, Jason was upstairs watching t.v. and Grandpa and I were watching the Lakers and Jazz game. All of the sudden there was another HUGE jolt. Robin was stepping out of the tub when it hit and it made her fall down. She has a huge knot and bruise on her leg. 1 minute after the jolt there was another big jolt. The biggest of the jolts measured 4.0, was 1 FOOT (right on the surface) and was 1 mile from the house. The 2nd jolt was only 2.6 and was 2 miles deep. Once again just a few things fell but some of them broke.

Grandpa thought it would be safer for us to sleep in the motor home in case we got more quakes. We wouldn't have to worry about anything falling on us and the metal frame of the motor home wouldn't shake as bad as the wood frame of our house. We had 3 smaller quakes (measuring 2.5-1.8) though out the rest of the night but we barely felt them. I think Yorba Linda got its fill of earthquakes for quite awhile. Hopefully we won't have any more jolts.