Sunday, February 11, 2024
This morning I finally was able to sit down and write a letter to the bishops in Paris and London, explaining our project and looking for a place to stay while we are visiting their temples. I’ve already tried temple housing, but I’m afraid those options will not be available to us. So we will try to make this work.
After that, Alicia let me know that she and Anahi were ready to come home from the Smith’s house. She woke up in the middle of the night with a strong desire to attend church again in the Spanish ward. Those sisters have done such a masterful job of helping the girls especially to feel welcome.
So I went and got them, and we had a good visit in the car. And then we went to church in the Spanish ward.
River did better with the primary, and I got to play the piano in there because their regular pianist was out. I can’t think of a better way to spend a second hour than playing the piano for the primary.
In the evening we had dinner with Spence and Jeanine and Andy and Marybeth. Oh how I love spending time with my siblings. The #1 toughest thing for me about Michigan is just being so far from family, and the thing I love lost about Utah is being able to spend time with them.
After that, we went to Nan’s house to celebrate Grandma Neubert’s 93rd birthday. She is an amazing lady, and assures me she will live to 100. I believe her.
It was also really great to visit with people like James and Diana and my Uncles Bryce and Reed -- who have both traveled quite extensively in Europe. Reed and Lisa do tandem bike adventures, and they have a great YouTube channel. They gave me some good ideas about how to share video and Reed showed me how to use the Relive app to make 3D video of our hikes and other adventures. I really want to start a little YouTube channel -- mostly just to have a record for myself of this trip.
It was also Super-Bowl Sunday, and another opportunity to share a great tradition with the kids.
When I was in high school, my young men’s leader at church was Mark Andreason, and one year -- I’m sure in an attempt to teach us about keeping the Sabbath Day holy -- he decided to have an early-Monday-morning Super-Bowl party at his house. His wife, Amy, made an awesome breakfast of cinnamon rolls, and all of the young men were invited and promised we would be done with the party before school started. But you could only go to the party if you didn’t know the outcome of the game. We were encouraged to spend the Lord’s day resting and honoring Him.
Mark and Amy have been doing this tradition ever since.
Now they live in Ephraim, not far from Spencer, so after Grandma’s party we drove down there and slept at the Andreason’s house. Tomorrow morning we will watch the big game.