GRATITUDE...beyond compare...

Last Sunday we spoke in our Sacrament meeting in the Conestoga branch.  For the past 3 years, we have had the privilege to serve in an inner-city branch in north Omaha and have learned so much from that experience.  All along, we both felt this to be a grand preparation for our mission and leaving was one of the hardest things we have had to do.  It is amazing to me how the Lord molds our hearts to accept His will.  Our topic was 'gratitude' and it was so hard to deliver my message without blubbering.  We have been so blessed in this process but one of our greatest blessings was our time rubbing shoulders with and watching the growth in those great saints.
 

Randy, me, Claudia and Warren

Another great blessing was this wonderful couple.  Now you must understand, Claudia and I were supposed to be sisters but our mom's messed up-she is 6 weeks older than me and our experiences growing up in Nebraska are so similar.  Our friendship goes back to July of 1975 when we first moved into Omaha and upon attending Sacrament Meeting for the first time in our new ward, positioned ourselves in the row behind her family.  We became immediate friends and that relationship has just grown with age.  Upon the sale of our home, I called her and said..'you have a choice, my friend...you can either take over the 'chief' job at Girl's Camp in the kitchen or rent us a room for 2 weeks!'.   After lots of laughter, she opened her beautiful home to our family for 3 weeks-one week with all three of our adult boys as we finished the packing and loading process then the last two weeks with Randy, Emarrie and me.  She and Warren run the most marvelous B&B.  I have had the opportunity over the years to stay with many different people and this was one of the top 5 experiences...even if our Scrabble tourney was never resolved.  I am leaving with a tie!!  5 and 5!  Look our Claud...I WILL BE BACK!

This woman is in my heart...