Every time I check my email account at juno.com, a banner appears in the top lefthand corner: “Woman is 53 but looks 25!” I haven’t clicked the link to read about the woman’s (alleged) secret, since I would be happy if people thought I looked 53!
You have read the report of the aunts/uncles trip to Arizona in September, so I will not bore you by repeating the details of a fast-paced three days except to say we had a wonderful time from the minute we left our driveway until the minute we returned home. Susan and Curt and David and Megumi were fun traveling companions, and we enjoyed our adventures on the road as well as our time in Joseph City, Arizona.
We were driving home from Arizona on Sunday when, just south of Page, Arizona, we whizzed past a woman standing outside a black Suburban who was wildly waving her arms. We turned the car around to see if we could be of help, and met three couples from France who were on a several week trip to visit national parks and places of interest in the western United States. Their rental car had a flat tire and they couldn’t figure out how to release the spare. David leaped to the rescue, only to discover that the spare had a hole the size of Bryce Canyon in it. A Native American man stopped also and said he knew of a place to fix the tire. So the tire was wrapped in a garbage bag, the woman who had flagged us down was wedged with the tire into the second row of seats, and after handing water, granola bars and fruit to her five companions, we were off! It took about an hour to drive to the station, wake up the owner of the gas station in a mobile home across the highway (it was noon!), have him verify that the spare was unrepairable whereupon he produced a suitable used tire for twenty-five dollars CASH, call Hertz to report the problem, and return to the Suburban and install the “new” spare. In that time, we learned a little more about the three couples and their previous challenges on their vacation, exchanged email and physical addresses while the men changed the tire, and followed them to Page, where they were scheduled to pick up a houseboat on Lake Powell for the week. John managed to write his testimony in a copy of the Book of Mormon that Megumi kept in the van for just such an opportunity, and he gave it to them as we embraced and wished them a more pleasant rest of their trip.
I sent a short note to France expressing hope that the rest of their trip was enjoyable and trouble-free. A few weeks later, I received an email from Isabelle Peucheret thanking us for rescuing them that Sunday and sharing a few details of her and her husband’s lives in France. We have corresponded a few times; I was able to tell her about General Conference and why it is important to us, and she has expressed interest in our developing friendship. This past Tuesday, the postman rang the bell to have me sign for a registered package from France. In it was a lovely book of watercolor drawings of the Region of France she calls “home,” along with three small travel guides in English and a two page, very well-written letter. I will share these treasures with Dave/Megumi and Susan, Curt. I have a pen pal!
The rest of our news from the last couple of months is more mundane. We cleaned out the garden, T.J. helped me harvest the few apples, we’ve raked and mulched leaves, winterized the backyard, and are waiting for a good, wet winter.
John and I have had the opportunity to work at the Lindon Cannery processing pork, chicken and beef stew (John looks cute in a hairnet and apron!), I’ve been serving at the MTC every other Monday (when the senior missionaries arrive) as well as on Thursdays, and I have enjoyed spending more time in the temple. John has been his usual busy self saving lives.
Thanks to the miracles of technology, like you, we were able to have “front row” seats for all of the sessions of General Conference and to be able to drink in messages of hope, love and direction from those who truly KNOW. Reflecting on those messages has made this past week, with the outcome of our most recent presidential election, easier to bear.
How we love each of you! We thank you for the goodness of your lives and for your strength and determination to do what is right, regardless! We pray for you, and look forward to being together again.
Love,
Uncle John and Aunt Carole
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