This blog is now (perhaps temporarily) inactive. I've been released, so I don't know whether there are plans to have someone else take it over.

However, I can promise that the Morgantown Institute program is still going strong!

Temple Trips

Here are some pictures from our last two institute temple trips!

This one is from March.

The rest of these are from Stake Temple Day in April.

Upcoming Events: The Deets!

Here are the details for some of our upcoming events! Please let me know if you need more information about anything. 

Stake Temple Day

Saturday, April 18th

We will be carpooling from the institute at 7:00 AM. (Please be at the institute and ready to go by 7!) There will be a chapel session for endowed members at 11:30, and our students are welcome to join in with the 12:00 baptistry session. If you plan to go to the baptistry, please bring family names! Assuming the chapel session ends in time for us to attend the 12:00 endowment session, we should be leaving the temple and on our way to Cafe Rio Frederick around 3:00. If you're carpooling from the institute, please let me know so we know who to expect!

Nursing Home Service Project

Saturday, April 25th

Alyssa, our Service Project Coordinator, has planned for us to spend the afternoon of April 25th volunteering at a local nursing home. We'll be meeting at the institute at 1:30 PM and spending around two hours visiting with and helping residents at the nursing home. Please RSVP if you're attending so we can tell them about how many people to expect!

Missionary Booth

Wednesday, April 29th

Our final missionary booth for the semester is tentatively set for Wednesday, April 29th. We will be going strong at the free speech circle from 11-3. A sign-up sheet will be passed around in institute classes as well as at church.

End of Semesta Fiesta

Friday, May 1st

The day you've all been waiting for -- the end of semester cook-out! This is a joint ward/institute activity, kindly hosted by Sister Lund of the Morgantown 1st Ward. The grill will be fired up at 6:30, and we're asking for students to sign up to bring side dishes and desserts. The sign-up sheet will be passed around in institute and at church, or you can contact me. You're also welcome to bring any outdoor games (e.g. Frisbees, basketballs). Here's a link to the pictures from a past activity at Sister Lund's, for those of you who want to know what the facility is like. 

Eva's Baptism

Eva was baptized on January 17th, 2015. We are so proud of the choices she's made and excited to have her fun personality as part of our congregation!

Tuesday Night Institute Class

Missionary Booth

Ping-Pong Tournament

Institute Classes

Here are some action shots of our institute classes!

Winter Opening Social

Upcoming Events: December & January!

The institute classes listed on the sidebar will be held as usual during the weeks of November 30th, January 18th, and January 25th. For the remaining weeks in December and January, ONLY the following classes will be held (subject to change, which will be announced on Facebook).

• December 9th - Institute Council, 6 PM; Doctrine & Covenants, 7 PM
• December 10th - Pearl of Great Price, 10:30 AM; The Book of Mormon, 7 PM
• January 14th - The Book of Mormon, 7 PM
• January 16th - Friday Forum, 12:30 PM

Other Institute and YSA Events:

• Fairmont FHE on Mondays at 6:30 PM - contact Evie
• December 7th - Christmas Musical Fireside, 6:30 PM (Clarksburg Stake Center) - desserts and First Presidency Broadcast to follow
• December 14th - University Ward Christmas Program, 11:45 AM - desserts to follow 
• December 31st - YSA Multi-Stake New Year's Eve Celebration, 9:00 PM (Winchester Stake Center)
• January 3rd - All Ohio YSA New Years' Event, 10:30 AM (Columbus, OH) (more info)
• January 13th - Institute Opening Social, 7 PM
• January 21st - LDSSA Missionary Booth, 10 AM - 2 PM
• January 24th - LDSSA Ping-Pong Tournament, Time TBD

Please let me know ASAP if there are any additions or revisions to this list!

Merry Christmas!! :) 

WVU Homecoming Parade

Farewell to the Bergaminis

The Bergaminis, the senior couple who've been serving in Morgantown these past ten months, went home in September. We threw them a quick West Virginia-themed farewell party, complete with blue and gold cookies, a book about Italians in West Virginia, and our West Virginia state flag. We're all so grateful to the Bergaminis for their brief but loving service to our institute program.

My car is not very good at taking iPhone pictures :)

Pan Pong

It's like ping pong, only better. Pan Pong is an important staple of the WVU Mormon culture. ;)

September Missionary Booth

So Brad reminded me that we have an institute blog... whoops! Not that this is my longest absence. Thanks, Brad!

We had our first LDSSA missionary booth in September. It was super fun! We didn't get a picture of everyone who attended, but here's a pic of the stragglers. :)

Our next booth is this Wednesday, October 8th!

Opening Activities

A few pictures from the institute opening social, ward welcome back activity, and the first Tuesday night institute class

Missionary Spotlight: Elder Rueda & Elder Espinosa

Since most of you've been gone for the summer, you may not have met our newest missionary, Elder Espinosa. He and Elder Rueda have been working hard these past six weeks, teaching several young adults who live in Morgantown during the summer and getting themselves prepared (and excited!) for the start of school. They've both done such a great job this transfer with finding, teaching, and fellowshipping investigators and members alike. Most of the pictures I'm going to show you are goofy, because they are 20-something boys, but I can honestly tell you that they're two of the most mature and hard-working missionaries this ward has had.

Elder Espinosa is a (newly) 20-year-old from Syracuse, Utah. He's been on his mission for a little over a year, and he's been in Morgantown for almost six weeks. Before beginning his mission, "Elder Nosa" (who loves that nickname) attended Weber State University and worked for a construction company. (Thank you, Facebook.) 

Elder Rueda is a 22-year-old from Keizer, Oregon. He began his mission here in Morgantown in March. Prior to his mission, Elder Rueda attended a community college near Portland Oregon, and worked in a few different restaurants. He was baptized a year and a half before beginning his mission, and he served as a temple worker for a few months while waiting to enter the MTC. 

While working on this post, I asked the Elders a few questions, hoping to come up with something deep and insightful to share. They sort of cooperated. It's my fault, mostly - they aren't exactly used to getting serious questions from me. Nonetheless, at least one of my questions got some good responses, so I'll share that here.

Me: "What's your favorite thing about being a missionary?"

Elder Rueda: "That's such a hard question! I think my answer would be too serious. I'm a softie!"

Me: "It's okay, take your time."

Elder Espinosa: "That is such a hard question... oh wait... I know... Elder Rueda!"

Elder Rueda: "My favorite part about being a missionary would have to be the bonds that are created by bringing the hope of the gospel to the members of the ward and people I teach."

Me: "Aww. That's going on the blog next to Elder Nosa's 'Elder Rueda'."

Elder Espinosa: "No, although that is a good response I'll get a little more serious. I would say my favorite part is the power of change. Change within others, myself, and even my family. That is evidence to me of the power of God, the Atonement, and his work." 

By decree of the (not) Mexican Elders, all future missionaries are required to find this mirror and take a selfie in it together.