Summer Thoughts...

It's been 2 months since Craig was layed off work.  Every day he spends hours on the internet looking for positions that he can apply for. You would think that would be easy, but not for someone who is looking for a C.O.O. Vice President or Senior Position.  We continue to fast and pray and attend the temple and do our part, having faith that the Lord will bless us with something soon.  Strangely enough we feel at peace.  Some days it's easier to be patient than others. 

Every week Craig and I have the opportunity of going to the temple.  We usually go to the Provo Temple because the sessions are every 20 minutes.  Today as we were walking up the sidewalk, we saw families all over the temple grounds.  They all looked different, but there was one common thing about each group....a young man in a suit with a missionary hair cut and a big grin!  Wednesdays are the days that the new missionaries are dropped off at the MTC (Missionary Training Center) which is right across the street from the Provo Temple.  We slowed down as we walked so we could watch these last precious moments these families were having with each other. 

There always was a camera involved, capturing fun group shots, and one on one shots with little brother and little sister.  It tugged at my heartstrings as I saw these emotional scenes unfold right before my eyes.  But the scene that made me choke back tears was seeing a group of three very tightly connected people walk by.  I quickly turned around to view a perfect kodack moment - oh how I wish I had had a camera with me! There walked a young missionary flanked by his mother and father - all three with arms tightly around the other, cherising the last few moments they had with each other for the next two years.  Oh what precious memories that brought back to me of when our sons left on their missions.  These young men leave being boys and come back as men.  What an incredible experience awaits all of those families!

After the session as I was preparing to leave, I walked by the counter where the prayer roll was.  This is a place where you can put names of your loved ones or friends that you know are struggling in one way or the other and they are prayed for in the temple.  I wanted to put a couple of our less active Sunday School students names on and of course my children and grandchildren's names.  I stopped and picked up a pen to begin writing.  There are small pieces of paper that you can use if you want it to be private or a big list that you can put people's name on.  I decided to use the big list this time, because I could finish up the paper with the names I was going to add.  Just as I was about to write, my eye saw the word Romney on the above line.  I didn't want to be noisy reading someone else's name that they had put on, but since that is my maiden name, my curiosity got the best of me.  I glanced up and read the name, "Mitt Romney and wife."  WOW!  That is so neat that someone put his name on the prayer roll.  Here he is my 2nd cousin and I haven't even thought of doing that.  I don't know him personally, but my father and his father were first cousins and knew and loved each other!  Then it started me thinking that I need to start praying for Mitt in my own prayers.  I'm ashamed to say that I haven't done that.  I then thought of his sweet family and all of the sacrifices that they are making so that we can have a man of integrity running for the President of the United States.  It was a sweet reminder that everyone needs our prayers!