Day 2- Time to Commit

The morning was as crisp as a Seattle rain, but it was a new day and I couldnt wait to attack it.

We began the day with breakfast, which was spent with a few boys I met yesterday, but it was fairly quiet because we were still waking up. We began with an opening session, all dressed up in our Sunday best for mass and photos, as we introduced ourselves to the group and refocused on our mission and why we are here. Then Bishop Cozzens, the bishop of the St. Paul diocese and a NET alum, presided mass for us, where his main points were “His Mercy Endures Forever” and “Pray daily if you desire a growth through NET”.

After lunch we had our first small group, where I met some amazing men. One of them who stuck out is Tomas, a recent high school graduate out of Barcelona. Although English is not his main language, he spoke with amazing fluency and had the funniest stories about pet mice and his family, which truly left me in awe. He is continuously searching for convo, and I am excited to build a relationship with him the next few weeks!

We had an intro to training session, played tag outside, then had dinner. Dinner included a fun conversation about movies and family members, where I got to continue to build a relationship with Haley! The fellow high school grad from Houston brings alot of joy and energy to our convos, and I love being around her. Into the evening we went with an intense session called “Call to Mission”. Mark Bergham, the founder of NET, gave us the hard facts about our society, and how our yes will help turn the tables. He calls us to commit to our faith, to strive for holiness, and to spread joy and love the way Jesus did.

After another small group, we had a night prayer and free time. I was planning on hanging with Haley, whom I spent night prayer with too, but God had other plans for me.

One of my roommates, Brian Smith, asked if I had some time for a “Bro moment”. He was going through stuff at home, and asked for my advice. Although I didnt go through his situation, I fortunately went through something similar recently, and was able to give him some good advice that he truly appreciated. We walked around the block, and got to share our stories on our journey to NET. It was a beautiful moment, and I’m grateful for it. After more convo with Tomas and others (John Paul, Julianna, and Eliziano?), we went to bed with another rosary under our belt. Only one more full day until Wapo, and everyone is excited for what is to come!!