27 Years Ago

December 2nd is a special date for me. It is a date that was the end goal in my mind during the year 1998 when I was serving a mission for the Lord in Arizona. The Lord comes first in my life, and I stayed focused as I did the Lord's work, but I also counted down to December when my service would be complete and I would return home. December 2nd is the date I took a short flight from Phoenix Arizona to Salt Lake City, coming back from my mission and got to see Corey again after 3 1/2 years apart! Someone caught a photo for us that day - from my scrapbook (way back in the 1900's and the days before blogging)...

Together again, yay! That day was a dream come true and the beginning of our life together. A short 2 months later we were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple, eternally bound, never to be separated. So, yeah, that's what I think of every December 2nd. And I also think of Shannon. I love her too. Just realized she passed away when she was 50, and I'm almost 50! What would I do if I knew my time was drawing to a close? I will try to live like that today. One of my biking songs is "When I Die" by Kyle Hume, I like it. So far, I do think I'm proud of who I've become here on the ground. Also in that photo above is my Snow college roommate Diana who was so nice to come to see me, as well as our high school friend Dave.

So today is Tuesday, which is my temple day. On my way to the Jordan River Temple at 4:30 am, initiatories at 5, leaving a little before 6 am. I sent a polo to the Hibbert Gospel channel, then took a photo to send to my family for their "daily shot of the temple". 

Corey was on his way to the temple at 6, I went bouldering, and he shared a really nice message with the kids sharing his testimony of the temple. I'll come back and transcribe some of it later. 

Mel called me today and we went over some wedding stuff. She's picked out her color palate, pretty!

And she's also settled on a venue. We signed and paid for that today. Mel decided on The Activity Barn at Wheeler Farm. She and Abi went to see that on yesterday and they said it will be good. I didn't know how we would pay for the things we did for Ethan and Bella's Wedding, OR Joseph and Eliza's, but somehow we did and we are still alive almost two years later. How shall we pay for Mel's? Probably the same way - by going forward with faith. Similar to something I read today... The Liahona (LDS Church magazine) had a supplement with it's November issue: a memoriam of President Russell M. Nelson's life. He passed away on September 27, 2025 at the age of 101. I read some of it this morning and there was one part I really liked on page 5-6.

"When Elder Spencer W. Kimball called and set Dr. Nelson apart as a stake president in 1964, Elder Kimball joked “Everybody we’ve interviewed around here says you might be all right, but you don’t have the time. Do you have the time?" "I don’t know about that," Russell replied, "but I have the faith!"

Corey and I have never had money set aside for hospital bills when we've had another child, but somehow they've all been paid. So to steal President Nelson's response - Do we have the money to pay for a wedding? We don't know about that, but we have the faith. Wait... that quote didn't end with a period, but exclamation point! "I have the faith!"