Kansas City youth trip

So saturday we took the youth down to Kansas City Missouri and went to the temple open house. we left at 2:30 am drove 6 hours to the open house,

This is me and the other two leaders from my branch (left) Renee Griffin and (Middle) Brooke Neilson (who her and her husband (who played on the football team with Zack) are going on a cruise with us in January and we are sooo excited!!)

The Temple was gorgeous that had a theme of olive tree throughout which was just breathtaking! i loved it and i really think the youth enjoyed going through and seeing what they will hopefully have the chance to go through and to be sealed to their future spouses.
Then we went to liberty Jail which was the spot that it took place but they rebuilt a lot of what it looked like while joseph smith and the other prisoners where incarcerated in.

it was really spiritual and cool to see what they had to go through while in that prison. I really think the youth enjoyed learning more about the history of our gospel.
After that we went to Independence Missouri where we went through the open house they have there, as well as going to the corner stones that are laid on the temple site of the Independence Missouri temple which will be built someday in the future which is a major turning point in our church.

When this temple is built it is a sign of the second coming of our lord and savior Jesus Christ and is a day that all saints should be preparing for continually.
After that we were on our way home. this was sortof a scary ride for me because there were some tornado warnings up the road ahead of us. we took our time and stopped off to eat where we waited even longer for the winds to die down a little bit. we were truely blessed because just 7 miles up the road there was some sort of a tornado, there were 6 semi's thrown off the road, a tree completely demolished, and a farming equipment broken and thrown all around a field. we really had the spirit guiding us throughout this trip because if we were to of left probably 30 minutes earlier we could have been affected by it.
This whole trip was a humbling experience and one that I am sure to never forget. I was grateful for the opportunity to be able to go, and I love being a leader for these awesome youth. they are truly inspiring and bless my life daily.
Other news with Zack and I, we had our first easter here without family which was a lot of fun! we went over to our friends the Scmidts house and ate with them and the Tripps and their families which was so enjoyable. the next day we did not have classes because of easter so we went with the Shcmidts and the Christiansons (his dad is the Mormon tablernacle choir's organist. ya i've met him. i'm cool) and their families to the zoo down in Omaha which was one of the coolest zoo's i've ever seen. definitly worth the trip.
Other than that we are just excited for finals to be over with and for summer to finally arrive. This semester has been pretty hard on both of us and we are really ready for a break.