Another Perfect Day

Maybe because I had been sick all week and was finally feeling better or maybe because the weather was so beautiful this weekend, but Friday and Saturday were two perfect days--back to back--a day at the temple and then a Saturday afternoon at ........

BYU WOMEN'S BASKETBALL GAME!!

One of the missionaries in our zone--Elder Mel Young, knows the BYU Women's basketball coach, Jeff Judkins and was able to get us tickets for the game on Saturday against Gonzaga.  The BYU Women's team is ranked 10th in the nation and are having a great year.  This was a big game and a great opportunity.  It was also senior day which meant extra emotions for many players and fans.

We got to go on to the court....it doesn't really look as big standing down there.  Our seats were on the front row off the court--perfect.

Pre-game warmups!

We then met the coach and actually were able to go into the locker room and hear the coach's talk to the team before the game as well as the assistants.  It was quite amazing for a basketball fan like me.  No pictures because it didn't seem like the right thing to do at the time.  Then the team walked out and high fived their coaches AND Jena!  She (and me) loved that.  I wished we had a video, but again didn't seem like something I should have done.  

This is a sign on the wall outside their locker room.

Waiting for the game to start

Young fans with their posters...

At the first there were not many fans, but in the end, they had over 6000 fans and

broke the record for the most fans for a women's sporting event in the Marriot Center.

So--if you are a BYU nut--you would want to know that the gray-haired man

in the picture below is BYU President Kevin Worthen.  He and his wife

sat courtside three rows in front of us.  Tom Holmoe, the athletics director at BYU, also

sat in the center of the courtside seats.  Both are big fans!  However, I would say that President 

Worthen is a little more reserved than Tom Holmoe, especially in regards to complaining about the referees. Sitting as close as we were, we could find a lot to complain about!  They were fun to watch.

Close up seats come with extra bonuses-----

And the BYU cheerleaders were there to cheer their team...

They did a cool thing at the beginning.  The color guard brought in three flags and they first displayed the flag from Brazil and played the national anthem for Brazil.  One of the seniors, Maria Albiero, is from there.

I loved  when the video showed her and she was singing along with her anthem.  I couldn't hear the words, but I could see her joy and emotion.  They also displayed the flag and played for the national anthem of New Zealand for another player and then did the United States...

Third period action from the student section----

Score at the end of the third period---

Goodbyes and farewells....

and good bye to the seniors....

We then went back to the Youngs' home in Little Cottonwood Canyon and had some delicious pie from St. George from a famous pie shop we have never heard of (but will look for next visit there.) and had great conversation with Mel and Joan Young.  What a blessing they are to us.  They served with us as assistant Zone leaders and we love them.  These friendships are some of the great blessings of serving a mission.  We are so lucky.

Oh, and the final score:   63-39!!   Go Cougs!