Leeds YSA Convention November 8, 2019
Overview
Every other year the young adults from Leeds host a convention for all the single adults in England. We were lucky enough to be part of this great event. Leeds has a tradition of hosting some great YSA conventions. President Kitsell, the 1st counselor in the stake presidency, reminded us at each meeting how important it was for the tradition to continue on as a good one. Ours did not disappoint! Crowds arrived anxious to participate. The first person at the door was from London. He had taken a long bus ride and arrived two hours early. The registered kids who paid and attended all of the events were 155 young adults. Some only came for the dance. There was a total of 215 at the dance.
Preparation
The preparation for this huge event began soon after we arrived at the institute 6 months ago. Crunch time began about a month before the event. The conference included three days of activities. Members of the stake opened their homes for the young adults to stay. Friday night dinner, Saturday lunch, and Saturday dinner were all catered. The breakfasts and Sunday lunches were done by the stake food committee, three older ladies. We were in charge of the carnival which was held Friday night. The dance DJ was from our ward, a young married adult. He was really good. The senior missionaries from the office helped manage the prize booths. We asked the married young adults to manage the carnival booths. They made it really fun. I felt like I was at Lagoon once again as a teenager while watching the carnival blossom.
The preparation for the carnival was very involved. Pete did a ton of work making all the booths. It was a huge undertaking. Together we both shopped and bought prizes and treats for the carnival. Our secretary Marian made all the signs and stuffed bags with candy treats. We started setting up Thursday morning and stayed all day. Then, we worked all day Friday finishing the set-up and stayed until it was all cleaned up, midnight! Saturday we came in the afternoon to help with the workshops and the service projects in the afternoon. I helped with the quilt tying. We also helped with preparation and clean-up for all the meals. Saturday night was the dance and we didn't get home until 1:00 a.m. (not missionary hours!) Then it was the sabbath.
Sunday Sacrament & Devotional
Sunday was a wonderful sacrament meeting with an area authority, Elder Carl Hirst, speaking. Megan, one of our sweet young adults, bore her testimony The stake relief society president spoke and President Kitsell conducted and bore his testimony.
After sacrament meeting, we tuned into the BBC broadcast of the Remembrance Memorial Day Service. This tradition started 100 years ago on November 11 at 11:00 a.m. when the peace treaty was signed to end WWI.
When Big Ben struck 11:00 am, the nation paused in silence for two minutes to remember those who had died during war time. We all participated in the two minutes of silence. Then, there was a 21 gun salute. Our group then left the broadcast to begin a testimony meeting ending at noon. We left the chapel to eat lunch in the gym. After lunch, the kids were rushed out of the building so that we could clean up from lunch and have the building ready for the next meeting at 2:00 pm. It was an emotional and wonderful way to end the Leeds 2019 YSA Convention. The English are a proud people who honor traditions.
I couldn't help but think of my father who was cared for by the English after he was wounded during WWII. He waited in England to heal for a bit before being shipped to the VA Bushnell hospital in Brigham City, Utah.
Pete and I were both very touched by the sacrament meeting, memorial day service, and the touching testimonies of the great young adults. and........we're so grateful it's over!!!!
Here's the picture diary of the event:
Ponecraft has a huge Haribo factory that's where we bought some of the treats
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| Outside Haribo Factory |
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| Ticket booth before the crowds arrived |
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| Prize & Treat Cemter |
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| Elder Boyce & Sister Wassmer having fun |
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| After set-up and before the crowds |
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| Tic Tac Toe |
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| Other booths |
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| Basketball shoot was the favored booth |
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| More booths |
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| Two of our young adults taking a rest. Ellie (left) is the YSA president |
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| Mini Golf before the cardboard was decorated |
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| Ladder Score |
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| Everyone having fun |
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| Paella for dinner (such a sweet family preparing the meal) |
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| Sister Wassmer making cotton candy |
The pictures don't show the crowds that attended. We were too busy during that time to take pictures.
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| Military Display outside the Church |
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| Salsa Dancing, a workshop |
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| Quilt Making Service Project |
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| Lunch |
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| Writing Letters to give to the Nursing Homes |
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| Choir group preparing to sing at the shopping center near-by. Another group also sold paper poppy's for the memorial day |
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| Hog Roast for Saturday Evening Dinner |
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| Saturday Evening Dinner |
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| The Dance was fantastic! Elder Carrier and I jumped in the dance to do a swing dance during one of the songs. The kids all separated back and let us dance. They cheered and said, "Way to go Elder and Sister C." We love you! It was so fun. |
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| Just after the Sunday Meeting |
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Just before the Sunday Meeting
Sometimes things are very hard when we're going through them. The reward is after it's all done and remembering and feeling a sense of satisfaction that comes from working hard towards something that touches the lives of many. We love being missionaries in the England, Leeds Mission and especially love working with the young single adults.
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