Happy Valentine's Day--2011

Happy Valentine’s Day to you!

There has been a lot of sickness this week. John missed four days working at the Training Zone. Jason Burningham has been really sick all week. What a way for him to spend his birthday. Friday night we had tickets for Vocal Point, a male nine member, a capella group from BYU and were planning to take a couple in our ward. The couple was sick so we asked Julie and Jason to attend with us and we had a great time. I think Jason enjoyed it the most—“I knew every one of the songs!” It was an energetic, amazing show. Julie and Jason commented that it always sells out at BYU the first day. I still can’t figure out how they made some of those percussion effects but it was fascinating. It was a good way to celebrate his birthday. Saturday they attended the BYU-U of U basketball game in Provo. BYU won 72-59 and Jimmer Fredette made 23 points.

Eliasons gave us a wonderful family birthday calendar. It is so fun to have the Eliason family calendar in the kitchen and the one from Keith and Kim down by our computers. Kristilyn brought images from the ultrasounds this week. She said it is amazing to watch them move when she still can’t feel them yet. Grant and James had charming Valentine songs to sing to us. Kristilyn left them here for a little while so she could take her YW for baptisms for the dead then Mark came and picked up the boys. The boys were fascinated with the digger that was demolishing the house that was burned on our street a month ago. The stench of smoke again filled the air as workers brought down the walls.

John was delighted to get a telephone call from Talisa to tell him that she lost her first tooth and that the tooth fairy would come at night. Talisa called me later and told me her big news. I could hear Kira in the background and asked if Kira wanted to talk. Talisa put Kira on the telephone and Kira said “Hi.” Then Talisa told her to say “I love you” which she did. What a precious call. Kim, Talisa, and Kira have also been very ill for several days. Keith stayed home from work on Friday to care for them then worked on Saturday.

John also got a call from Carters. Neal has been invited to BYU-Idaho to be a guest lecturer on international relations on March 1, 2011. They will pay all his expenses. Their computer died so they have purchased a new one but don’t have it completely functioning yet.

This has been a week of changes. Jerry Sloan resigned as coach of Utah Jazz after 23 years. He’s about sixty-nine and said he didn’t have the energy anymore. Egypt’s president Hosni Mubarak resigned as president of Egypt after an 18 day uprising to protest his 29 year rule. There is much trepidation about what this will mean for the situation in the Middle East. Egypt has been one of the most stable countries.

Saturday we did sealings in the Jordan River Temple. We had enough people to do the work even though John and I were the only couple. What a blessing that we can be together to share special experiences. Many of Diane Finley’s family were sealed today. Last week John and Diane were talking and John gave her $20 for gas for so she could go to the temple but he commented a few minutes later, “I should have given her $40.” She has no money for gasoline this month because her utilities are so high and she doesn’t want them to be shut off. John saw her later in the week and gave her another $20. She went to the temple and noticed that her gas tank was low but on the return trip, noted that the gas gauge had dropped to the bottom of the red out-of-gas indicator so she prayed that she could make it to a gas station. She filled her gas tank and it cost $38.65 which she paid with the money John had given her. The next morning gas prices jumped at least $.10 a gallon. Another tender mercy from above.

Brent Whitlock and I attended the funeral of Neal Conrad Capel, a pioneer in orthopedic surgery on Salt Lake City. A letter of condolence from Elder Russell M Nelson, a friend and former colleague, was read at the funeral. I accompanied Brent as he sang “Danny Boy” and “Going Home.” It was a very powerful experience for me. As I was a freshman at BYU I was returning from Provo with some of my friends to play for the funeral of Patriarch David Thorne because the Lindon Ward choir was singing. As we gathered at the car we heard the news over the radio that President John Kennedy had been assassinated. The choir sang “Going Home.” The funeral for me was a jumble of thoughts of a righteous man’s life and wondering what would happen to the United States in time of crisis. Today as I played “Going Home” and listened to Brent’s magnificent voice, I felt such peace and a great longing to go home. I have no fear of death but I want to stay and enjoy this earth as long as He thinks I should. As Keith stated so tenderly, “Sometimes I get homesick for Heavenly Father.” I think the mission has made me much more aware of the other side and I am grateful for the daily help and inspiration I receive. I love so many good people on the other side and I long for their association again. I know the work we are doing is essential and eternal.

Sunday, February 13, 2011, I will be attending the Spanish branch to see Natalie Garcia receive her Young Women’s Medallion for her 15th birthday. This isn’t the typical Hispanic celebration and speaks volumes of her diligence and faithfulness. I’ll also be directing the music for Primary and learning the new song for the year as well as have experience with the new schedule. I’ll also be teaching the song “I Can Follow God’s Plan for Me” which was introduced 30 years ago. At that time there was a cute song, “When I go up I want to be a mother with one little, two little, three little children of my own….” I remember thinking that the church should come up with a better song that my personal favorite, “When grow up I want to be a mother,” for the older girls’ classes and “I will follow …” was the result. I had an immediate testimony that there was revelation in that song. “I will follow God’s plan” was a special favorite out at the prison when we were there. I’ve learned a lot since I knew it all and know that this song can be a theme song for all of our lives. We don’t all have the same experiences or environment but God does have a plan for us to be happy on earth.

Sunday afternoon we have choir practice for stake conference on Feb. 26-27. We’ll be singing with the Third Ward for the Saturday evening session. Two Seventies are coming to re-organize our stake presidency. John said that they have served 9+ years.

We love you!!!