Baby Blues...

It's a teary day for us. Rosalyn's daughter...Susan...who will turn 19 in March...delivered her baby boy shortly after midnight this morning. [22 weeks...preterm labor since Sunday]

He lived only a few minutes, but Susan held him in her arms and has now entered into the fearless legion of mothers that will raise children in the millennium.

So, I am officially a great-grandmother today!

Why then does my heart hurt so badly?

Susan very recently had made her selection and chose the adoptive family
for her baby. So now, they too, are mourning the loss of their dream. It was a
couple somewhere in Utah....the dad a lawyer and the mom an architect.

Both infertile...and they were so excited to get Sue's baby.

This is a very tender story.

Natalie, the adoptive Mom, is traveling to Mesa to be with the family at the burial service.

I hear the Relief Society has gone into Rosalyn's home today and cleaned,
painted and rearranged Sue's bedroom so that when she comes home from the
hospital she will have something fresh and comforting to greet her.

There will be a burial...I don't know when yet. Susan just last week
picked out some fabric to make a quilt for her boy, to wrap him in when he was
placed into the adoptive family. Now the quilt is being made by family members and
will snuggle the little guy for burial.

I am feeling so far away...

Snow Play

Children in our neighborhood left a snow dish behind...

it's different than the one we used in Arizona. This one is metal and slides really well.

It was tons of fun sliding down the hill, in my snow boots and wool skirt!

So much fun, we invited the young missionaries over to join in, and Karl ran for the camera!

We have wonderful hills outside our apartment door,

so when the Bluefield Sisters arrived for P-Day, we played in the snow.

It wasn't long until our Richlands Elders also joined in!

This is Sister Alicia Walton, from Texas. She's become a good friend.

Elder Nate Stoven, our new District Leader from Sandy, UT.

Prior to his mission, Elder Stoven played goalie for the BYU men's soccor team.

Standard of Truth

Some have asked us... "What do you do, and why do you do it?"

This quote from Prophet Joseph Smith hangs in the Parley P. Pratt education building

in the MTC [Mission Training Center] and explains it all.

"The Standard of Truth has been erected;

No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing;

Persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble,

calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly,

nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent,

visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear;

till the purposes of God shall be accomplished

and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done."

Forgive more...

Our home back in Arizona was burglarized last night. However, we feel Heavenly Father's watchful care in the quick response of the police, and the fact the intruder was interrupted in process and we don’t think much was stolen. Of course we won’t be able to know for sure until we get back to Arizona in another year and a half. Not that any earthly thing really matters to us, and we certainly didn’t have the theft desirables of jewels, drugs or cash.

It’s quite funny really, because he found four matching jewelry boxes…all tied with ribbons…and three of them he opened. Each box contained a charm purchased for a previous Laurel lesson…left over because not all the girls came to church that day. The charm said “Forgive More”….I wonder if he got the message?

Goodby, Elder Butler

Elder Butler welcomed us to Richlands Branch when we arrived almost four months ago.

He was our District leader and became a good friend that will always be a part of us.

I think it was his humility and personal connection to the scriptures that made him so special.

(Or was it that he loved to play Scrabble with us on P-Day?!?)

Either way, he is gone now...transferred to Clarksburg, WV to be a zone leader.

Elder Butler will not be forgotten in Richlands Branch.

This is Andrew...who lives on top of Keen mountain.

In the center of his living room is his coal burning stove.

Needless to say, our visits with him are warm and friendly.

On our way to Andy's house on Keen Mountain.

I am in awe of all the log cabins...and old barns...and try to listen for the stories they could tell.
Guess I'm still a country girl at heart.