Greetings from Jerusalem...

Dear Friends... It's amazing to see how we are spread all across this old world...what a remarkable life is ours to enjoy. As bored as Ray and I have occasionally been, we are not unappreciative of this once in a lifetime experience to live in the holyland...in many ways, it's been like coming home.

Thank you, dear Kaye, for keeping us close with this latest technology. Ray and I so enjoyed reading about your missionary adventures ...you're right...it's a dream assignment but the members in Europe couldn't be more blessed than to have you there.

Where does time go? This past week we celebrated our 47th anniversary ...poof...it's over...just like that...where have those 47 years gone? Is it as hard for you to comprehend as it is for me? As children of God, time is supposed to last forever...

We're excited to be returning home in June. With the slow tourist activity here at the Center, they are combining assignments, which means that we'll be home for our granddaughter's wedding. They'll have one couple doing humanitarian and hosting...since our replacement will be here in May, we'll be returning home after Egypt and training the new folks.

Since I wrote last, we've had some great adventures, including going with our students to Jordan. Thanks to the excellent leadership of the king and queen for generations back, that country is progressive, clean and so inviting...the people are happy there...they are quite westernized and democratic; it gives hope for the whole middle east. We visited the branch---the church is still not recognized but Christian people are able to be taught and baptized by our senior couples. We also have, on average, 50 students studying there from the BYU in their Arabic language program.

We visited a huge mall one night...6 stories that went on forever. While there, we enjoyed the company of these men as they sat talking at a local Starbucks...


Kent and Gayle Brown are the new directors of the Center here...my, have we enjoyed getting to know them...they are such fine people...magnanimous, stimulating and lots of fun. Here we are in the ancient city of Jerash, the largest Roman city outside of Rome...a stunning place.


Here at the Center we meet such interesting people. Last Friday two middle age couples visited who live in Israel. They were warm, friendly and spoke English. After the concert, one of the women profusely thanked Norm, our organist, and started to cry. Later, she explained to me that she was born in Poland. As a little girl, her nanny had taken her to church on Christmas where she had heard the organ played. When I didn't look as responsive as she thought I should, she said, "You don't understand. I am Jewish and she was Christian. I went home and told my mother that I had seen a little baby (in a manger) and that he was cold, that I needed to take some clothes for him (to be warm). Years later, she said, I went to Europe and listened to the organs, but I have never heard (that sound) until now, today."

I said, "You have felt the Spirit," and she agreed. This is what happens in this building when people feel the warmth of the Spirit...they just melt.

Norm shared another time when a group of tourists came...he felt impressed to change what he had planned to play and chose a Bach piece instead. After the concert, one of a woman started to cry, explaining to Norm that two weeks earlier her son had died...the music Norm played for them was her son's favorite piece.

I call these experiences, "pre-1st contacts." Someday, when the scriptures are being fulfilled.... perhaps we'll have a better understanding of our contribution here.

---"the time cometh, when the fulness of my gospel shall be preached unto (the Jews),----I would give unto them again the land of their fathers for their inheritance, which is the land of Jerusalem...3rd Nephi 20.

We see this happening now. Twenty-five years ago when we were here as tourists, Church was held in the basement of the Swiss Embassy with a total of 40 members in all of Israel. Now we have three branches with our own buildings and the probability of a group in Haifa being started this summer. A senior couple has just been called to serve there in June. Exciting times.

We love you all...hope all is well...we love to hear from you!!
Carol and Ray

Bucharest, Romania

Greetings from Romania. Don't you love this picture? I imagine all the tellers inside having Dracula teeth and wearing black capes. The castle, Bran, where the story of Dracula is set is about 50 miles north of here and that area of the country is really called Transylvania.

This is a country still lagging behind other European countries, but at least beginning to join the race. These four days have been most interesting being in the big city of Bucharest with its traffic, pollution, square Communist-era buildings yet nestled on a tiny island of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at a district conference where the Holy Ghost was strongly present. District Conference is like Stake Conference for us. Wonderful members, many of them the young people I worked with when I did the Young Single Adult Conference last May. They were all very glad to greet me again. They have a marvelous light in their eyes.

Garth and Sheila and I arrived Friday midday. Joyce and Steve, my brother-in-law and sister-in-law and an assistant to the president Elder who drives the city picked us up. We went to the mission home and met the president and let Garth and Sheila renew their memories of the world they were in for three years when they were mission presidents here. They had built the home that is the mission home now and President and Sister Lundberg were most gracious in greeting us and letting us look around. Then on to the mission office where we met wonderful missionaries and looked at the city from another view.

That night we trained Steve and Joyce and a couple that had come down from Moldova on how to run the Young Adult Centers that are being developed. Saturday morning we attended a Young Adult Council meeting with the young people who are serving in the leadership of the district, the mission president, the senior couples, and our wonderul Elder Wondra. Remember, Rolf and Gretchen, when we did Jedermann in the law school not long after we moved to Provo? I reminded Elder Wondra of that experience. He remembered it very well.

Sunday after conference Joyce and Steve had Elder Wondra come here for dinner because we had a fireside that night. They live close to the Church. So we spent a wonderful three hours visiting with Elder Wondra. He is a remarkable man with a merry heart. He tells wonderful stories of joining the Church as a young adult, marrying in the temple, and raising a family in the Church. His wife is third generation member from Germany. He is from Austria. He remembers the Anschluss in 1938 when Hitler took over Austria. He remembers seeing Hitler. Someone gave him a little flag to wave. His parents saw that the Nazis were not good and moved to Czechoslovakia for about 10 years until the war was well overand the Russians took over there. To escape that they moved back to Austria where when he was a college student two missionaries knocked on Elder Wondra's door.

He talks about going to Salt Lake City for the first time years later. A friend drove him around and showed him Elder Maxwell's house, then President Kimball's house. The house next door to President Kimball was for sale. Elder Wondra thought he might buy it. But he remembered that the Prophet had said that people ought to remain in their own countries and build up the Church there. He said he went home to Austria and lived feeling perfectly safe right near where the Russians threatened danger because he knew he was following the Prophet. He said he realized he would rather be threatened by the Russians and follow the Prophet than live next door to the Prophet and NOT follow him.

So today we'll fly home to Frankfurt and prepare for the next trip to Copenhagen and Oslo day after tomorrow.

I've had occasion this weekend to think about the time Gretchen went with me and the EMBAs to China and we visited a factory that was filled with 15-18 year-old young women making Sony Walkmans. Gretchen saw that difficult life and said she wouldn't do it. The Chinese woman who was leading the group said, "It is this or the rice paddies, which would you prefer?" Gretchen and I had several conversations about what it means to be raised in a country where you are privileged to have opportunity, many choices. Where you can decide what you'd like to do and even change your mind. The scriptures tell us that where much is given, much is required. Our wonderful family has been given so much, so many choices, so many opportunities. Be sure to choose well. Choose to work hard to be smart, happy, obedient. Remember, as long as you choose to keep the promises you've made to Heavenly Father, all the other choices will work out. Zach, Olle, Sadie, Leif, you have all made a promise when you were baptized, that you would be a worthy, obedient child of God. McKay, your choice to make that promise is coming so very soon. Lucy, Elsa, Liesel, your promises will be offered before we know it. Your mommies and daddys have made other promises in the temple. So have I. Let's all promise to keep those promises.

Some quick observations:
-Spring is coming to Romania
-Tiny green shoots on bushes hold great promise
-Stray dogs are everywhere in the streets. Big ones.
-I think the dogs are neurotic from not getting a good night's sleep. Always some dog is barking.
-Tall buildings have a ground floor, then a first, second, third floor up. So Steve and Joyce live on the 7th floor, but in the tiny elevator you push 6 because they live on the 6th floor above the ground floor
-The Gospel makes people light from inside and very beautiful
-The Gospel is true

This building is called the People's Palace. It was built by Ciaoucescu, a wicked despot who caused many problems in Romania after the Iron Curtain came down. The people hate this place because of how they remember he was so awful to them. The Gospel of Jesus Christ will make all the difference.

Love you all,

Kaye

Report from the Front

My bed.

My front door, second from left

Liebe Freunde,

Well, it's 11:00 p.m. and it looks like I've had most of my night's sleep since I came home and fell into bed at 6:30 p.m. I got up from my bed to check the clock in the kitchen and laughed out loud to see it was only 11:00 p.m.

But I did get the wireless connected by chance in the night last night, so here we are. Doing work.

Yesterday morning I went to German church in town by the area offices. Two wards meet there, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. They were very nice to me. The two sisters who live next door to me here go there, so it worked out perfectly to ride in with them. Lots of other people go to the international ward out in Offenbach but I want the German. It was wonderful to see them field a reasonable choir, have some regular sized deacons at the sacrament table, and a fairly young bishop who is really terrific. He gave a good talk (his German was a bit fast for me) and he taught the Gospel Doctrine lesson which was not too fast for me. The stake president's wife translated for everyone who wanted the English. But I toughed it out. I'll never get the German again unless I work at it.

In that ward, and the director of the choir is a woman whom I knew 43 years ago as a 10-year-old girl in Ravensburg, Germany. Gisela Klein. I had alerted her that I was coming, but she was so happy to see me it was amazing.

A senior couple had me over for Swedish salmon, meatballs, and the equivalent of cranberry sauce. It tasted terrific for Sunday dinner. They are missing Sweden. All of this a bit daunting just as they were getting comfortable with their temple recorder job at the Swedish Temple. Now the language is all different as well as the job.

I've met about 25 other senior people who work here in the offices, the test will be trying to remember their names. Real work starts this morning, Monday. We have a devotional at 9:00 a.m. at the church, then everyone goes to the office building next door to work. My office---makeshift at best---is in the basement of the church where they may expand to another ward someday. I get the clerk's office next to what would be the bishop's office. We'll see how long this works. My colleague works outof his apartment in the high rise building next door. But my apartment is 15 minutes away in a village called Bad Vilbel, so I can't work from here, though it's charming.

I already burned out my little converter trying to dry my hair yesterday morning. But someone found some hair dryers and curling irons in their apartment that fit the plugs normally. They have another set that also fits the plugs in England. Phew!

Last night I prayed in German. Out loud. That's the first time I felt like doing that in about 35 years. Something about struggling to use the right word makes each word and its meaning so valuable.

I love being here. Rainy, chilly, red-roofed Germany. I keep wishing I could show my grandchildren.

The Gospel is true. Seid brav! Ich liebe Euch!

Schwester Hanson

Dear Friends:
My first blog entry! February has been a busy and rewarding month for me. Here are three highlights:

February 5th, the fourth anniversary of Gaylord’s death, The Sutherland Institute which he founded, hosted a civic gathering at Thanksgiving Point focused on the Common Ground Initiative before the legislature. I was asked to conclude the evening by telling about Sutherland, explaining why civic responsibility is important, and presenting Sutherland’s counter initiative, The Sacred Ground Initiative. Not only was this a tender evening personally, but also very rewarding as over 600 people gathered and I was able to see another of Gaylord’s legacies bless others.

February 11th I left for Disneyland with five grandchildren. It is still the Magic Kingdom! Wholesome recreation and family time was such fun.

The Philanthropy Roundtable, a national organization spotlighted our family foundation this month. I have attached a link if some of you would be interested. http://www.philanthropyroundtable.org/article.asp?article=1570&cat=141

[If you click on the adobe pdf file on the right, there are pictures]

Construction on the school is well under way and will be completed for fall. We have a contract for additional property which is a great blessing. I spent Friday at a Family Forum and Family Ball hosted by the Family Education Center at the school. It was truly wonderful!

I give thanks daily for your friendship and the influence you have had on my life.

Much love,
Laurie

Bamma's Mission Call

The grandchildren were delighted to gather to watch me open my mission call last Wednesday night. I was delighted to have them here, parents and all in tow. Aren't they a beautiful bunch? I will miss them, but pray this mission will bless their lives as it blesses mine.

The Lord has Better Ideas for Us!!

Dear Loved Ones!
What fun it is to read what everyone is doing/thinking. I loved to read Kayes' 'streams of consciousness'! Can't wait to read her book about Beaver. Lucky she has finished it or she couldn't leave for her mission yet!
Don't you all agree that the Lord has better ideas for us than we could ever think up? Maybe Julie and Elaine and Silvia don't think the ideas are so great, but the rest of us do-- for them!!
Bruce and Elaine in San Diego
Kaye in Frankfurt
Carol and Raye in Israel, Egypt
Janet and Wayne in South Jordan
Ralph and I in the Church Office Building

Elaine has us doing stuff we never dreamed we would be doing! We are trying to learn all about the EFY program so we can go to Frankfurt the end of the month and teach 60+ people from 8 different countries. They expect to have 3400 young people involved in the program this summer! Ralph is trying to resurrect his German and I am trying to learn more French than conjugating verbs from high school daze!!
We will blaze the trail for Kaye. I wish we could stay and welcome her but 3 days after we get home we will fly to Auckland, New Zealand to train people from Perth, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland and Tahiti. Elder Callister, our contact person in the area presidency, said, "You can't come all this way and not visit Sydney and the islands." So we are taking the long way home by way of Tahiti. Shelly, our daughter, served a mission in Auckland. She wants to be our escort, but she has to drive boys to soccer, and piano lessons and mutual instead!
Speaking of good books: Gerald Lund's book, "Hearing the Voice of the Lord" is The Best book on Personal Revelation. The focus for EFY for the leaders this year is, "Creating a climate for Revelation". Every page is so specific, detailed and AHA!!Experiences.
A dear friend from college days (Kaye, you remember Judy Cochran Starley-- we talked about this and I gave Matt your greetings. He said he and Gretchen were in Kindergarten on up through school together!) asked if her son could stay with us while he studies for the bar exam. Wouldn't you know, this boy was a counselor and coordinator for EFY for 5 years so he is helping us understand the 'inner workings' of EFY. The Lord knew we needed extra tutoring. Matt also served a mission in Sydney, so he is helping us get around the city and see what we should see.

I occured to me when I give instructions to the Lord, I am limiting His willingness to bless me-- more than I have any idea to ask for! Would Kaye have prayed that she could go to Germany and teach young people the Gospel? (Maybe she did!) but I think when He knows we are available for whatever, and we trust Him, His ideas for us are The Best ideas! Just a little thing like letting a boy come and live at your house for 6 weeks has turned out to be a very personal, helpful blessing!
Another thought: As you all know- Sharon has no 'landing gear'! I fly up in cyber space somewhere without knowing how to land but Ralph has the 'landing gear'. We are having the MOST FUN working together! He has the brains and thinks through every detail after I have flown around a while. Together, we make a good team. We will get important emails that we need to respond to and I will put the 'nice to hear from you, thank you for your counsel etc. etc. and Ralph will pinpoint exactly what needs to be said, and I will 'say' it. I think it is called symbiosis-- or Marriage!!

Kaye could see that we would be scattered all over the world and this blog will keep us connected. Thank you Kaye.

Love to all of you dear, precious friends who are making our world so good! The world itself may be going down the tube, but the Kingdom of God is rolling forth to cover the World! Isn't it fabulous to be on This Team Together?!!

sharon

Dear Ones

Just to let you know we are thinking of you. Yesterday was amazing. We video taped sister Winder and sister Jack. Two wonderful women. I was struck by how much things stay the same. Same worries, same desires, same testimony, same difficulties.

We have Gerilyn and Seth coming this next ten days with 6 children to buy a house in Utah-I will believe it when I see the moving van pull up. They have sworn never to live in Utah, but here they come. She is expecting child number 7. Remember when Hope was born? Seems like yesterday. Gerilyn says that she loves the babies it is the three year olds that are wearing her down. The last two have been doozies-ruining ten dollars worth of stuff a day. Ramon has Federal auditors coming next week-we will see if he survives. They are on the war path. ( he thinks he will come out fine)

We love you all and were sorry to miss St George. It was great to talk to Christine for a minute while they were in Utah. Oh, and we had an absolutely fabulous three day party for my mothers 85th birthday. Everyone came, even Cory from New York. We had a portrait taken and just reveled in having us all there. Daddy was so upbeat-he has had a difficult winter.

Love to all,

Julie

Goin' to Egypt

Dear Friends....

Congratulations, Kaye...we'll be thinking of you on February 23rd and can't wait to hear "where!" Your leaving is a doubly good reason for this blog.



Ray and I just returned last week from taking 80 students, including our own granddaughter, to Egypt. We went last summer so it was more interesting to return, knowing what we would be seeing--the pyramids, temples and museums. Going through border control was a 3 hr experience--- they even checked the students scriptures.

Our group hiked up to the top of Mt. Sinai at 2 am in the morning to see the sunrise. Of course we went with them---it was a 4 mile, killer hike for us but I'm so glad we did it. It was terribly cold, we nearly froze to death---even the girls were getting adema in their fingers and frozen tear ducts. It was so cold they had to forego the planned testimony meeting.

But it was everything you imagine---the mountains, I mean----rugged, dramatic, austere and elegant---7,000 ft high---worthy of the sacred experiences that happened there. The stars were incredible. The last part of the hike is 900+ stairs straight up, built by a catholic priest 700 years ago. We didn't make it that far but we went to the summit and saw the sunrise from there. We arrived there an hour before sunrise. It was so cold that we rented heavy woolen sheep blankets ($4.) and waited in a Bedouin store (large stone room), visiting with a few other tourists and Bedouins---fascinating. Our own guide who helped us up the mountain was the kindest man, a 27 yr old who spoke 5 languages. His wife was from Cairo and they have two children----they've chosen the Bedouin lifestyle because it's so peaceful and quiet.

Our guide explained that in the old days there were eight tribes in the Sinai area---now they're all one tribe with about 50,000 people. Bedouins originate from Romania---maybe cousins to the gypsys? Many of them don't live in tents anymore. Now they live in "four rooms and a kitchen" (cinderblock houses). As he gave that description of their house, I could tell he was disappointed and missed the romance of living in tents---even though they now have "hot water too."

The whole week was so wonderful, sharing it with Whitney, who will be getting married this summer. She's never lived near us so it's been doubly fun to see her almost every day.

Two more pictures to share...it's amazing to see the arrogance of these three pharaohs.

"Perception is everything. Don't trust your eyes if your nose is as big as a Sphinx."

In all it was an amazing experience. I hope you get there before you die---you'd love it too.

p.s. I noticed when I post pictures that they always get put at the top of the blog. It's easy to put them where you want them in your entry. Put the cursor on your picture, then right click---when the list comes up, click "cut". Then put your cursor to where you want the picture to go and under "Edit"---top left, click "paste". You can then type around the picture and work it into your story.

Kaye , we are excited for you--even the second time around with 2 feet on the ground. We'll be with you Monday the 16th.

Carol & Ray, the pics of egypt are breathtaking. Thank you for letting us share in the experience vicariously
Love, Nina

The Second Time is Very Different

On Thursday morning I received a phone call from the Missionary Department. The caller happened to be someone serving there who used to live in our ward. So we chatted a minute and then he said, "I need to ask you when you can be ready to go."

I replied, "I can go tomorrow."

"Well then," he said, "I can tell you you'll enter the MTC on February 23. And your name goes before the Twelve tomorrow."

So I know WHEN I'm going, just not WHERE. Luckily, that is not much of a problem.

So you and I will have FHE together here at my house on February 16. Won't that be fun?

Book of the Week

by Kaye Hanson

Bruce and Christine suggested reading Andrew Skinner's book, Temple Worship, 20 Truths to Bless Your Lives, so I've been working on it this week. It's amazing. First, Andy Skinner is a friend of mine from Jerusalem days and I not only admire his work I admire his character. His grounding in the Middle East is superb and his scholarship excellent. But the best part about this book is his depth and ability to look at something very familiar to us all and make it clearer, fuller, richer, more complete.

Huzzahs for both Margaret and Nina for getting entries onto this blog this week. Now, both of you, hurry, get back on the horse (or camel) before you forget what you did. The ease comes in the doing and there's plenty more still to learn. Anybody else? Let me know if I can answer any questions.

Rendezvous in beautiful St. George

I am quaking in my boots as I attempt this totally new (to me) proceedure. I will now attempt to add photos from our St George rendezvous.

I love the title of this blog "Miles to go before I sleep." Hasn't that been the motto of everyone in our group for a lifetime and the reason that each one has accomplished so much? I just hope that in the coming miles, though we may not go at the same high rate of speed as in previous days, that there will still be many wonderful miles and milestones ahead. Each one of you has so much to give still and it's a thrill to be a witness to that happening.
It was a blessing to be together with those who could come to St.George last week-end. It wasn't supposed to be snowy on the way home...but what can we expect in January in Utah?! I'm glad you made it safely and that you used wisdom in getting off the road in Fillmore. I've been getting more comments about the outstanding group of people that were in church with us Sunday. You all gave more than one teacher heart papitations but it resulted in their very best efforts and we were all thereby blessed.
Last night Dixie State College unveiled their new nickname and mascot which you were privately privy to on Saturday. I'd say the Red Storm was a roaring success and what a show they put on the announce it. The mascot is a friendly bull named Raging Red! (I think he'll fierce up a bit as time goes on and he's not so scared.) So that's the fun part of this assignment, followed by the trip to Hawaii to support the basketball team in four games there this next week.
Our family has been blessed with a new grandson born yesterday to Taylor and AnnDee. We are so grateful that he is healthy in every way. He'll be named Samuel Heaton Nadauld and has two darling brothers. So he is our 23rd. (Wish I knew how to add a picture of him. That's my next project to learn about.)
Thanks to Kaye for creating this blog and to you all for sharing. Love you all. Thanks for the continuing inspiration you are to me.
Margaret

St. George "Marathon"?

St. George was wonderful. Good food, good conversation, good study time, good view, good questions, good friends. In fact we who came home to the north ended with a good storm. More about that later.

Thank you, Steve and Margaret, for your terrific hospitality on our wonderful weekend. We loved being in your house and in your church. Your college is fascinating and you are obviously making it even better. We cheer for you and the good work you do every day.

Bruce and Christine, hearing about the temple was heaven itself. We appreciate much more the challenges that come with being temple president and matron. But we are also newly impressed with your preparation to meet those challenges. There's a spirit about you both that is comforting and warm. Thank you for letting us see you while you are still new little chicks in this specific work.

Sharon and Ralph, with your energy and enthusiasm, we think you will be setting the youth on fire. What interesting inroads you are quickly making into the young people of the Church all over the world. We cheer you on with loud huzzahs! We're also sure your creativity will continue to bring new ideas to this project.

Julie, Elaine, Silvia, Carol, and Janet, we missed you, talked about you, gave greetings from you, and want you to know that we love you. You'll be back one day, we know. We hope.

Now, for the last part of the marathon.

Russ and Nina, patient backseat riders with Kaye and Laurie, enjoyed a white-knuckle ride from Beaver to Fillmore, clouds ever-blackening in the west and a few flurries quickly growing up to full blown driving snow. We crept along to Fillmore, noting with irony the new 80 mph speed sign covered with snow while we were barely touching 40. We couldn't help but think of our ancestors driving this same route with horse and wagon and sleeping under the wagon box to keep dry. Instead we chose the Comfort Inn in Fillmore which quickly filled up behind us. Perhaps it was the two cars on their tops with the police lights blazing through the falling snow, or perhaps it was the ambulance, lights whirling, sirens blaring, hurrying to Beaver, or perhaps it was the whisper of the spirit after driving that road thousands of times in my life that made it clear this was not good.

Props to Laurie, Nina, and Russ when I suggested we stop. Good sports all. We had a rousing game of "Up and Down the River" while we talked. We had good beds to sleep in out of the snow---no wagon boxes here---and though the roads were snowpacked and deserted and slow, we got home in a couple of hours this morning, glad on all sides that we had made the right decision.

Blessings.

Kaye

Amazing Women

Today I spent a couple of hours in the Relief Society Building training the new YW General Board in presentation skills. They are an amazing group of women, working so hard to be the best they can be as instruments in our Father in Heaven's hands. They will be wonderful. But the two women I want to report on are our own Elaine Dalton and Julie Beck. I was able to chat with each of them and they both send greetings to the rest of our board. They both wish they could be with us in St. George this weekend, and send greetings to all. They are both working hard on the assignments they've been given.

Seeing them makes me think about what I bring to the altar. What each of us brings to the altar, I suppose. Is it possible to know if our offering is enough? Is it possible to offer enough? Is it possible to offer too much? I think of President Kimball's wanting to wear out his shoes in the service of the Lord. I think of Silvia and her energy and ability to wear shoes out in service better than anybody I've ever seen.

A week ago I spent an hour with Virginia Pearce and her husband, Jim, recently diagnosed with ALS, Lou Gehrig's disease. They were called to England on a mission until this intervened and now everything has changed for them. Ready to wear out shoes and everything else in the service of the Lord and now doing a very different very private service of truth and courage for any privileged to see them. What is the value of our gifts? Some gifts we give to many, some gifts we give to one. I, for one, felt greatly the gift they gave me in an hour of visiting, though it is awash with tears shed then and since.

This mortality thing is not for the faint of heart, is it? Surely that's part of the plan. Can a broken heart on the altar be enough of a gift? When I'm willing, I think, to clamber up there and place my whole self?

Weighty thoughts for a midweek, isn't it?

Kaye

thanks!

Dear Kaye and all!

You may not realize what a miracle you are witnessing. Thanks to about 4 of Kaye's emails to me patiently giving me instructions on how to get into this blog, here I am! This is a first for this very 'old dog' trying this very new 'trick'!

Speaking of, Ralph and I are experiencing steep learning curves these days, as many of us are: Bruce and Christine in the temple, Kaye in retirement, Janet and Wayne in the temple, Julie, Silvia, Elaine--speaking of steep learning curves!!

We love it that we are to report to President Dalton. She is a Great One to report to because we really love her!

We are looking forward to our visit to Sunny St. George this weekend when we can get caught up with the lives of at least those who are there.

The pictures Kaye has published bring back unique, beautiful memories when a 'quorum' of Margaret's board were all together in the Holy Land last fall! It was probably a similar trip Kaye took with Elaine, Julie and Silvia that qualified them for the tasks they have now! Kaye is an inspiring, articulate, sensitive, spiritual, scriptorial teacher!!

I hope those who can't make it to the study group in St. George realize that they will be given the assignments to lead the discussions for the coming months!
Love to all and thanks for creating this blog, Kaye. You really are a genius!!
sharon

Dear Friends...

I love the darling pictures of our friends! It reminds me how wonderful it was to see a few of you last fall---thanks again for bringing me goodies from home.

I'm excited to be a part of our new Young Women blog---a great way to keep track of our comings and goings. Right now, Ray and I are not coming or going anywhere. We're still serving here at the BYU Center with our 80 new students who arrived last week, including our very own granddaughter, Whitney. We're loving sharing this experience with her.


So...this is our news for the month. She got a diamond for Christmas and will be getting married on June 27th---hopefully, we'll be home by then. It's hard to believe that we are really this old! Great grandparents? It takes my breath away.











Our other news is that we have a precious, new baby boy in our family. Our Spence and Sarah gave birth to Jacob Spencer Thomas on January 2nd, their third baby. I don't tell people in this country because it blows them away, but Baby Jacob is our 36th grandchild. What a blessing for our family.

This next week we'll be going to Egypt again with our students in a medical capacity. Although the war is just 60 miles away, it is business as usual in this city. War seems to be a way of life here and no one even talks about it much. Ray just mentioned that the cease fire looks like a strong possibility---we pray it will be so. We've been reading from Beirut to Jerusalem, by Tom Friedman, if you want good background for the conflicts in this part of the world.

Ray and I are doing well....we will miss your wonderful overnight retreat but look forward to future get togethers when we return home. We love you all!!!

Beginning

I've been threatening to set up a blog for us all. So here's one threat that has materialized.

It seems to me we are in such interesting places, hoping to stay in touch to continue to learn from each other, that maybe this is a way. It's easier than email and useful for thoughts and ideas as well as pictures. It also follows Elder Ballard's admonition to use current media for teaching and proselytizing, and developing a new skill is a good challenge for us all, I think.

Have I convinced anybody?

We can talk more about "Miles to Go" when we gather at Steve and Margaret's on Saturday. Until then. . . . .