Greeting from New Orleans!! Today was the first official start of the ELCA National Youth Gathering. Our day started off with a nice big and nutritious breakfast that was delicious! This hearty breakfast was one of Brad’s best part of the day! We travel back and forth from the convention center using the trolley which gets easier day by day which is another high for Brad. Our assignment for the day was interactive learning day which is where participants can learn more about the ELCA. We walked through setups showing how people struggle to survive with no money and food, prayer booths, game booths, photo booths, etc! After we we had a delicious dinner and made perfect timing as a thunderstorm came rolling through the city. Staying dry was another highlight of Brad’s day. The food was delicious and offered many dietary restriction safe foods which was the main highlight of Lexi’s day! Next we were on route to the second mass gathering of the event! Our group lucked out on the trolley as we had seats but were also on the shuttle. As we passed by each trolley stop the trolley filled up stop by stop. A few groups pushed through to get on the trolley which have Brad a low for the day. We arrived at the Smoothie King Center to begin the second night of the gathering! Carter’s low was that everyone was so exhausted from the taxing day we all had, but it changed after mass gathering as he got his energy back!
The theme for tonight’s mass gathering was authentic. We all believe to be an authentic Christian you have to live a life that is pleasing to God, following His commands, and becoming more like Christ every day. It involves trusting in Him and His plan for our lives, even when we don’t understand or agree with it. It is a journey of growth and transformation that leads to a deep and meaningful relationship with God. Overall we had an amazing day and met new people and ran into some old friends sitting our area back home. We’re all excited for the next couple of days to see what it has in store for us!
