The Two FFs

Everyone needs them.

They are such a great blessing in our lives.

And, you realize that more and more as you:

have a celebration for something in your life,
have a tragedy in your life,
have something you want to share with someone special,
need a listening ear,
get older.


So, today, I just want to tell my
FAMILY and FRIENDS

You rock my world.

Thank you.

The Twins

She was my visiting teaching companion 21 years ago. She was an inspiration to me.

Then, her husband retired, and she moved away. We kept in touch, minimally. One Sunday, RAH and I walked into a sacrament meeting in Lake Havasu, and she was sitting in the back row. We talked after church, it was fun to catch up, then we both went our separate ways.

RAH and I were serving a mission in St. George, Ut. After prayer meeting, in the first week, one of the volunteers said, "My twin sister used to live in Rexburg, you wouldn't happen to know PH, would you?" I started to laugh, "we were visiting teaching companions lots of years ago."

And, now PH lives here in the winter and TR lives here full-time. So, sometimes the six of us get together in this small world. And, it's always a good time.

The former friend with the new friend...how great is that?

The Friend

She gave the most compelling and unique talk I had ever heard on prayer.

It was not a traditional, "pray, and your prayers will be answered." It was insightful, thought-provoking, and powerful. It still resonates in my mind, and I have all the scripture references she used in the front of my scriptures labeled, "from Beverly's talk."

From that talk, shortly after she moved into the ward, we saw each other, spoke, and I certainly admired her from afar.

Then, one of the greastest blessings of my life occurred when she was hired to work in the media center where I also worked. Going to work every day was sheer joy because we worked, yes, but she made it so incredibly fun.

I'm thinking of the day we had to check the status of every student in the school and sync them with two computers. So, she - from the back office - read 300 plus names to me in the front office - all in French. Oh, we had some laughs that day and many, many days.

There was a humongous wall space in the library and she made the most amazing bulletin boards...they are legendary. She didn't just buy pre-made posters from the teacher's store and pin them up. No, she spent hours designing and creating masterpieces to put up on the large wall. (I don't even want to remember the day she fell from the ladder and lay sprawled across the kiva steps...that is a very dark day in my memory.)

(This is just a sample of her famous work...those little dots you see are Christmas lights...can you imagine the time to poke those little suckers through the paper...the kids LOVED this bulletin board. The yellow papers surrounding the picture are lists of kids who had read the first book when in came out.)

However, not only is she incredibly fun, but deeply spiritual. She helped me to understand the Atonement and its value in every day life. When she had a very significant trial in her life, she was humble, vigilant, even more prayerful, and grateful for the beauties of life.

Oh, she is a great one! And, I feel so blessed to have worked with her.

I no longer work in the library. I no longer live in her ward, but I will be forever grateful for those brief years we worked side-by-side; sharing laughter, heartache, jokes, and most of all chocolate.

Happy, Happy Birthday, dear friend Beverly!

Jean

She was wonderful to visit...always upbeat, cheerful, positive, even though she was now almost totally home-bound.

We had been in the same ward; had two boys the same ages. We saw each other at church, Scout meetings, ward activities. I enjoyed her friendship.

Then, even though neither of us moved, we were put in different wards and different stakes. Our lives went on. Our boys grew up..we had grandchildren. I rarely saw her.

A friend from her neighborhood told me she was homebound. I started going to see her. We talked about books, our children, our grandchildren, her husband - who had died much too young.

Sometimes I'd drive over during my 29 minute lunch break from school - not often - but sometimes. I'd take her a book and say, "See if you like this book." Then we'd talk about it.

I always left uplifted, encouraged, happy, brightened by Jean.

I retired. Winter set in. In Idaho winters, I turn into a different person. I hibernate. I went only to church, to the grocery store about every two weeks.

The little voice would tell me to "visit Jean."

"I will," I said, "when the ice melts, when the weather is warmer, when I don't have to drive on the icey roads, when spring comes."

We went away for the winter: we loved the sights, sounds, scenery of a warmer climate.

Returning in the spring, I thought of Jean, mentioned her one day to a friend.

"Didn't you know? She died."

And, then I remembered - the voice.

"I MUST do better," I say to myself. "I must listen to the VOICE."

Because, I don't like remembering that I didn't visit Jean.

What Was That Number Again?!?!?!

"Fifteen thousand," he repeated.

Even the other young people at the table were astounded.

"What can I say? I have a lot of friends," he added.

A lot of friends, a lot to say....

text messages per month.

Joy in the Morning

Joy in the Morning came twice:

First, the Kaaiakamanus met us for our church at 11: o'clock. It has been a few years since we had seen them...so it was a great reunion.

They spent the evening with us and the second joy in the morning came as

we fed them breakfast before they went on their way.

Oh, good friends are a rich, rich blessing.

Thank you, Vern and Betty for enriching our lives over many, many years.

How To Have a Great Sabbath

Take one grandson who is leaving to serve an LDS mission:




Add several family members from the Fisher family and Hackworth family: (wish the rest could have shared this day with us! There were lots more people than just shown here.)





Stir in heaps and heaps of food:




Sprinkle with a generous amount of warmth and fellowship that always exist at the Fisher home in Hurricane.




And you have yourself a mighty fine Sabbath.

Here's a further breakdown of the ingredients...

Inspiring talk by Sean on selfless service - filled with gentle humor, smiles, scriptures, examples, and testimony.

Musical number with Sean @ piano, Janessa and her friend, Celeste on violins playing, "Be Still My Soul."




Allen standing in the 100-plus heat cooking burgers for lots of people



And, of course, lots of picture taking, laughter, food, advice to the missionary, and fond farewells all around.

Thanks, Sean, for living such a great life and setting a marvelous example to all of us! See you in two years....

We'll be praying for you!

A Friend Named Lou!

She moved across the country to New York, knowing no one.

It came down to two places to live. She picked the smaller one, but the one with the incredible view.

The job was horrendous; killer hours: six days a week, almost every weekend, never two days off in a row, sometimes a very long drive early in the morning, arriving home very late at night. No time off for anything. Demanding bosses. Not a lot of support, little feeling of camaraderie; just slave labor.

It was horrific; not that she complained, that's just the way it was.

But, there was LOU. Lou lived in the apartment next door in the home with the view. He was single, a school teacher, a coach, an author of a semi-autobiograpical book about a young boy.

But, Lou was so much more than that.

Lou was thoughtful, generous, kind, always ready to help, supportive, fun, energetic, funny, interested in others, happy, good; a natural caregiver.

But, she was all those things to Lou also.

Both were busy, but both helped each other out when they could. When Lou was sick, she took him soup; when she needed a reliable car, Lou insisted she use his.

It was a symbiotic relationship; both were strengthened by the friendship.

Her killer job - which was for one year - was over, so she moved...

But, again, Lou was there to help. He drove with her from Long Island to her new home in Virginia. While she went to her first day at her new job, Lou hauled in EVERY box. He was there to encourage, support, help.

Good ole, wonderful, caring Lou. But, he had a life and a job, and returned to Long Island.

She went about her new life; he went on with his.

But, he wanted to see how she was doing.

So, Lou surprised her and flew to visit her. How could Lou know that - of all the weeks he could have picked to see her - she needed him the VERY MOST those few days. It would not be a fun trip for Lou; it would be long days and nights; it would be running errands, nursing her, getting her water, medicine, taking her to the doctor, and just being there, because she was very, very sick.

For, you see, she had just come down with H1N1 flu.

And, Lou - incredibly - was there for her. She says, "I think he truly saved my life!'

How does one ever find a friend like Lou?

Thank you, dear, dear Lou. We all appreciate and love you.

Friends: Life's Great Blessings

A lot of years ago, Allen said that he loved to see people having a good time; it is really fun to see people we love enjoying life.

Here are just a very few of the many friends who have helped me love and enjoy life; thank you dear, dear friends, for your great influence in my life!

Gratitude Attitude from Grandkids

Hey, Bridger, Oscar, and Sayre are visiting from San Diego, California with their awesome dad, Jeremy!

We have a tradition that the boys tell me a few things they are grateful for.

So, here's their list for June, 2009:

OSCAR (age 7): I'm thankful for family and friends, the world, people, God, Jesus, water, food, my life, games, house, clothes, cars, stores, books, my body, my cousins, my heart

SAYRE (age 3): toys, cars

BRIDGER (age 10): I'm thankful for books, video games, my family and friends, food, America, water, sports, cars, animals, plants, air

Well, I'm grateful for them!

St. George - gotta love it!

Driving home recently, I realized how much I love living in St. George. Yesterday afternoon, I washed windows! Besides having window washing weather in winter, I appreciate the many good friends we've made through our: 2 missions, 2 wards, 2 neighborhoods. I consider those friends, as well as dear ones in wintery Idaho, as one of life's greatest blessings!