What a wonderful Sunday we had in Lancaster, CA. We attended a combined church meeting of four Stakes worth of Young Single Adult branches. It was a pleasure to be with so many young members of the church on Sunday, especially being as far away from home as we are.
Two of our Young Ambassadors taught the lesson in a combined Priesthood and Relief Society meeting. We enjoyed a Sunday School lesson taught by a member of one of the YSA branches, and we had the wonderful opportunity to sing two songs in Sacrament Meeting. It was a wonderful meeting rivaled only by the delicious munch and mingle provided for us. We have never seen so many desserts on one table before.
This evening we were able to do a Fireside for the combined Stakes. It was truly a humbling and gracious experience. We were very excited to share our message with the members here, but it was the Spirit that they brought to our meeting that really made us feel so lucky to be here in Lancaster.
No pictures or video today, but stay tuned! Tomorrow we are off to Glendale, CA!
Our second day started early again! We were dropped off with our lunches packed by our wonderful host families. We are really grateful for our wonderful host families, who really made us feel at home in Henderson!
After several more hours on the road, we pulled into Lancaster High School. We had an incredible time with the students from LHS. The students were energetic, excited, and willing to try new things. We shared several of our numbers with them, and they were a great audience. It’s been a pleasure to meet so many new and exciting faces!
The YA's dance with the students from LHS
Our show tonight was in the Lancaster Performing Arts Center. It was a beautiful venue, and the crowd was fantastic! We tried out a few new changes to the show, and they went splendidly. After the show, we had a chance to meet with our audience, and they really enjoyed it! We then quickly stuck our show (we’re really getting in the groove of striking!).
Once we were all packed up and ready to go, we met our host families for our two days in Lancaster. Once again, we are truly blessed to have so many willing families to take us into our homes. Our tours would not be possible without them. Tomorrow, we spend the day in Lancaster, and we will have our first fireside on tour! Stay tuned!
Whitley Osborn mic checks while other YA's wait for their turn
Whitley Osborn and Oyoyo Bonner are excited for our tour!
Our first day on tour started before the sun even got up! We met and loaded on the bus at 6:30 am, shortly thereafter departed. We were happy to be leaving Utah, considered the several inches of fresh snow that had fallen during the night. We enjoyed a relatively uneventful drive to Henderson, however, we did enjoy a shout-out from an overpass in Cedar City from a sibling of one of the Young Ambassadors!
We arrived in Las Vegas and had the pleasure of visiting Las Vegas Academy. Their impeccable jazz choir and concert choir performed for us and, frankly, they left us speechless. We shared a few of our numbers with them, and we even had the opportunity to perform at a school assembly. The Young Ambassadors were well received, and I think all the performers enjoyed performing for one of their most energetic audiences they’ve ever had.
Ashley Haycock teaches a dance combination during the workshop
After our performance, we had a workshop with the kids from Las Vegas Academy. We had a great time singing and dancing, and parting ways at the end of the workshop was difficult. We really did have a wonderful experience with the students from Las Vegas Academy!
Shortly thereafter we enjoyed a delicious dinner prepared for us by our presenters at the Henderson Pavilion. We were blown away by the beauty of the theatre, and once we heard ourselves during mic checks, we couldn't wait to perform! It was an amazing feeling to sing out to a wide open, outdoor theatre! We had an incredible turn out. We are very grateful to all that attended. There was plenty of wind, but it was sort of nice for us sweating under the hot lights on stage. A few of us have already asked if we can get wind machines for our indoor performances!
Young Ambassadors got to sign the wall at the Henderson Pavilion
It's been a long, productive day. We are very grateful for our safety in traveling, the students at Las Vegas Academy, our presenters in Henderson, and our host families. Tomorrow is another big day! Next stop: Lancaster, CA!
