Grandpa & Grandma Larsen

Just preparing a couple of photos for Grandma's room.  The color and exposure are not accurate on the web but you get the idea.

Grateful!

I took this photo on February 14, Valentine's Day.  I'm grateful to know that Spring is just around the corner.  And, I'm grateful to be staying in our little winter casita in Santa Clara where I can enjoy spring for the first time here, and then in a few months I can enjoy it for the second time back in American Fork!!

Valentine Roses for Me!

Beautiful Valentine Roses from Jeff!

Celebrating Birthdays

Happy 70th birthday to Jeff, happy 15th birthday to Taylor, and happy birthday to Pat, Taylor's other grandmother.  We had a fun birthday party eating out at Famous Dave's.  This is where Tyler worked for upteen years putting himself through college.  He still knew some of the employees.

Father Dickey

We had a delightful time hosting Father Dickey for a few days.  We kept him busy in Provo, touring BYU, the MTC, and seeing the temples in Provo and American Fork.  On another day he went into 'work' with Jeff, (at the Public Affairs Department at the JSMB).  He was wearing his collar, (I'm not sure that is the proper term),  so it was obvious he was not of our faith!  Jeff introduced him to our boss and said, "Michael, you're always asking us how we are doing 'recruiting' new senior missionaries, I want to introduce you to Father Dickey!"  Jeff said it was the first time he has ever seen Michael speechless.  He is usually very witty and has a humorous comment or comeback about every situation.  I wish I would have been there.  (Jeff asked Father Dickey ahead of time if he could do that, so he was not offended.)  He then spent the day touring Temple Square, but was fascinated with the Family History Center and spent most of his time there, while Jeff was doing PA missionary work.

I need to mention about the previous Friday when we went to dinner with Father Dickey, Russ & Kay Lynn and Elder and Sister Hamula.  Russ & Kay Lynn met Elder Hamula when he was in Washington on church assignment, and he was our Area President in New Zealand.  It was wonderful to reconnect with them. 

Part of our conversation with Elder Hamula that night was very special to us.  First a little background.  One of the most memorable and spiritual assignments on our mission was when Elder Hamula sent us to an island country where the members of the church were having a freedom of religion problem.  Even though our membership is around 35% of the entire population, our church is not acknowledged and we are not allowed to be a member of the National Council of Churches.  Even more troublesome is that a significant number of the village chiefs have banned the church, and/or banned our members from worshiping, or declared their villages to be a certain religion and all who lived there have to conform.  There were approximately 33 villages with this problem.

Under Elder Hamula's inspiration to help resolve this problem, we completed what appeared to us to be an impossible task in an impossible period of time.  We knew we had divine help when the assignment was completed and was successful.  We were so pleased and thankful.  But the icing on the cake came a short time later when we learned that Elder Hamula had been granted permission to address the Chairman of the Council of Churches for the first time.  We came home from our mission shortly thereafter, and a year later we received an email for our Public Affairs Director in New Zealand.  He said he thought we'd like to know that the Church had just be admitted into the Council of Churches with full rights of membership and the number of villages still of concern had dropped to only 6.  He then said something to us that we will always remember.  Paraphrasing, he said, "The footsteps of Elder and Sister Larsen will be felt in _______ for many years to come."  For us, that was the cherry on top of the icing on top of the cake!

Back to the present, since the events that lead up to the wonderful news came after we left New Zealand, we didn't know any of the details.  While we were at dinner that night, Elder Hamula filled us in on everything that happened, especially what happened when he met with the Council, what softened their hearts, the humanitarian efforts he offered on behalf of the Church that were accepted, and the events that lead up to our being admitted to the Council.  Elder Hamula told us that this situation and the amazing progress made toward freedom of religion on this island, were some of the main highlights of his time in the Pacific Area.  He also told me how beautiful my photography of the Pacific is and how much they continue to enjoy looking at my photos as memories of their time there.  What a wonderful evening we had!  (Speaking of photography, I think I am the worse photographer in the family when it comes to documenting the every day family events that make up life, that are truly the most important.   I didn't even think to take a picture at our lovely dinner that night!)