It was such a blessing to be in Stockton, California because we got to go to two of our teammates’ hometowns where we met Jessica Jordan’s parents and David Sandler’s family. We first were at David’s home where we all ate dinner with his good family friends. They shared great stories about David as a kid and we all laughed together. We also had the pleasure of serving at David’s Parish, Saint Anne’s, which was really cool because we got to encounter his beautiful parish community who were very loving. It was very life-giving to be there. While we were there for our team day we went to San Francisco where we got to see the crazy life of the city while walking down the Golden Gate Bridge and Pier 39. After great retreats at Saint Stanislaus in Modesto and Presentation in Stockton, we ended the diocese in Turlock where we served a 10 hour retreat at Jessica Jordan’s parish, Our Lady of Assumption. It was awesome to be there because we got to put faces to all the stories that Jessica tells as well as meet people that she loves and who love her. For our team day we got to attend ARMEE (which stands for Adoration, Reconciliation, Mass, Eucharist, and Evangelization) where there is Eucharistic adoration and worship everyday Monday night at Our Lady of Assumption. Every ARMEE session starts off with a talk which Jessica gave while we were there. She talked about her beautiful experience with NET Ministries and the conversion that has happened in her life from it. It was a gift to be there. It was a blessing to be at both of our teammates’ parishes and it was pleasure to meet their families and to love people whom our teammates love.

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He Has Brought Us to New Life! Happy Easter! Alleluia! Alleluia! He is risen!

We have been experiencing many glorious things throughout these past few weeks. We finished up our retreats in Baldwin Park, La Puente, Tujundra, and we even stayed with the Carmelite Sisters in LA and spent Holy Week in Rancho Cucamonga.

Before the excitement of Holy Week and we shared great times with NET alumni in Baldwin Park as we did retreats there, and as a team we stayed with the beautiful Carmelite Sisters while we did retreats for the local Catholic schools for three days. On a team day, some of us went to Six Flags and we also went ice skating. Our retreats are still so fruitful and awesome; some of the “Share Your NET Experience” forms that I collect blow me away as young people share about how they were affected by our testimonies, talks, small group discussion, our example and the way we love each other as a team, or when they truly feel God’s presence in prayer. Some even share how their time on retreat was so powerful that it inspires them to pray MORE or to be nicer to their parents or to just BE GOOD because they know that is what God wants and that is what will give them peace. These things are very encouraging for us as a team to keep persevering, yet we have been getting very tired. We went on an Oasis Retreat given by Maegan Frazier in Rancho Cucamonga, CA, and it was really refreshing. It was nice to reflect on what the Lord has been doing in our lives, and to be able to just be still and see the conversion that has changed us. Through deep discussion and rest, it truly brought our team closer together. After that day we still had about a week and a half more of retreats left before our days off during the Triduum and we were still tired.

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God is doing great things here in Los Angeles. We have gone to many places: Venice, Pacoima, Northridge, Sierra Madre, Tujunda, Whittier, and Baldwin Park.

Our supervisors, Chris and Anna, came out to visit us recently. We were in Venice where we had some long retreats and it was really nice that they were there because they could observe how we are doing as a team and how well we minister on retreat. It was cool to have them give constructive criticism yet really affirm us on our hard work. Of course during this time of the year all of us individually are getting weary and tired from many things – ministry, traveling, investing, and getting little sleep. From this tiredness I think it is easy for us to take out our frustrations on the people who love us or who are around us (our teammates). It is not like we struggle a lot in team life, but we are human and have weaknesses. It is really beautiful to have our supervisors visit and inspire us to grow and cling to the Lord.

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This semester has been very busy for us but I hope you enjoy the large amount of updating information about NET Team 3!

Our team is still enjoying California and has finished serving the Diocese of Orange, traveled through San Diego and is now serving the Diocese of Los Angeles in Pasadena and Downey! We have been working hard and the retreats have been challenging but so beautiful.

In San Diego we went to a Catholic School, St. Michael’s in Poway. It was such a joy to put on a retreat for the middle school students there because they were very rambunctious, yet very fun. We then went to Pasadena in LA where we served two retreats at St. Andrew’s. This parish had a wonderful Hispanic community who were so amazing and loving. We were challenged to relate with the young people on retreat because of some culture differences, but it was cool to see our team grow in that part of our ministry.

That next week we then went to Downey in LA where we served three retreats at St. Mathias Catholic High School, an all-girl school. These retreats were really different because there were only lady retreatants, so talks, dramas and even mingling with them had to be adjusted. It brought a different environment with no young men around except for the men on our team. It was a very beautiful challenge because the men on our team learned a little bit more on how to relate with young women. By the men on our team caring for the young women in a holy way, that was such a great message for the ladies to be reminded that there are good men out there and that they do deserve to be loved in a respectful and honoring way. We had the opportunity to do a drama called “Pieces,” which is a Women’s Session drama that really speaks to a woman’s heart. It ends with Jesus changing the lies that the main character believes to truth by turning over signs that show “MY PRECIOUS DAUGHTER, YOU ARE LOVED!” It was beautiful to watch some of those girls realize how loved they are and finally be open to that love. Through all of this, it was a great reminder how many people don’t know the truth of how they are loved by God. It is incredible to see how people are truly changed by love when they realize how loved they are.

In team life everything has been going well and has only gotten better. We are truly becoming a very close family. There has been a lot of honoring going on with us and it has been so life giving. March 7th was International Women Appreciation Day and our Female Team Leader, Anney Brandt, honored all the women on the team that day. She enjoyed the surprised looks on their faces when they found out that they were doing a women’s praise and worship session instead of team prayer. During that time Anney led them straight to Jesus’ heart by giving them time to be loved by Him through worship, being prayed over, two yellow roses, a scripture verse and a formal sisterhood prayer, all done together. It was extremely healing and put all of the sister’s hearts at rest because they were confident in knowing that they were loved by God and by Anney.

The sisterhood later honored the brotherhood by surprising them with an awesome obstacle course which included obstacles that were related to the manly virtues that they had been praying with all semester. Each station was a little comical as well; they had to do things like help an “old lady” (Nichole) cross the street, beat a piñata, and even got foam swords and proceeded to “battle” each other by stabbing each other with them. The obstacle course ended with them going to a chapel where the sisters gave them a little medal for being amazing warriors for them and for God. After that was an awesome prayer time where the sisters related the brothers to Saint Joseph because he led Mary and Jesus, and the brothers are helping lead the sisters to Heaven. The sisters told the brothers to take a peaceful time of prayer and allow God to tell them that He is proud of them, and they prayed over them. It was amazing!

So even though retreats may be challenging – through different age groups, different culture or different gender, and even though team life may be challenging – disagreements, tiredness or not easily relating to one another…no matter what age or circumstance we all need love. By all of this love, from being honored by our brothers and sisters or by us coming and making a difference in someone else’s community, through this genuine Christ-like love, it truly unifies us as the body of Christ and inspires us to be the best version of ourselves. What amazing things can happen when you love, are changed by love, and by knowing Love Himself. Praise the Lord!

Keep praying for us as we assure you we are praying for you! YOU ARE LOVED! Thank you for everything!
-Team 3

Our Lady of Guadalupe…PRAY FOR US!

We have finally made it to California, where the weather is warm and IN-N-OUT is delicious! We have finished serving in Las Vegas, and we went out of Nevada with a bang by doing a great retreat in Ely, NV! We are currently in Diocese of Orange, California and it has been so beautiful, from the Pacific Ocean to the palm trees to seeing God changing the lives of young people.

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