From Val
Hello from the Golden state and two wanderers,
We hope and pray your year has been meaningful for each of you and your families. We have enjoyed serving the sick and afflicted and the poor in spirit. Last night it was running to the hospital to give a blessing to a man who has struggle for 3 days with his third stroke, combined with heart problem. He invited us to visit his brother, in the same hospital, struggling with the complications of diabetes. We count our blessings. We have so much to be thankful for--from little to big things, such as one more year to live.
A PS from earlier this month: On December 1 in our service of helping our friends, the Bustamante family, friends recently moving here from Colombia,
Val, upon finding our garage door open (finger nail polish remover has a pungent smell--his wife was working to spare health and outcry from the Starkey Environmental Agency after striving to remove fingernail polish from a light pink couch donated by next door neighbors) discovered one of the bikes missing. Two weeks later, preparing for the branch Christmas activity, delivering filtered water to our friend Sister Melendez. We all sometimes get to backtrack:
"Upon receiving the jugs, she asked: "When are you going to take your bike home?" " What? My bike?" I thought it was stolen. I reported it stolen. Ugh!
Now the repentance: 1. apologize and make up to Laurene for thinking she left the garage door open and the bike was stolen at 5:30 AM, 2. retract the police report, 3. tell my two neighbors I erred in saying my bike was stolen..........The only excuse: I am over 60 and I forget. It is a good thing my head is tied on, or I would forget that too!
Laurene's students did a good job providing music at the Branch Christmas Party Saturday. She and I played to little duets. But I count our greatest success was bringing a shut-in couple Angel and Guadalupe."
From Laurene: Heaven sent two Kaysville Spencer ward friends (and neighbors) to visit us over Christmas, helping us overcome a small amount of homesick paralysis (which has a tendency to strike at times when everyone else is gathering with their families.) "God does notice us, and he watches over us. But it is usually through another person that he meets our needs." (President Kimball, December 1974)
Pamela and Don Davies arrived with fruits and vegetables in their wings-- visited our branch president in his gingerbread lighted home
braided bread, 
sang carols, walked, played duets,
and clapped with ten students over keyboards during their (much too short) visit Monday afternoon (Christmas eve) thru Thursday morning. 
shared scriptures and mission stories, learning together about faith, repentance, total immersion, following the Spirit that leads us to do good, and then keeping on keeping on (enduring to the very very end.) Don gave us instructions in Qigong, Pamela, in what makes sacred music sacred--the text! (In the beginning was the Word!)
On the heels of their visit, both companions here are deciding our gift to the Savior this year will be loving each other more--true devotion is what we saw modeled...and learning more about our Father and our duty.
Inviting each of our friends to make a note--what little steps will lift you (and others) this year?
Here are words from President Hunter (and McCall's magazine, italics added) in celebrating our FOUND bicycle...(italics added) and marching forward.
“Mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend. Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust. … Give a soft answer. Encourage youth. Manifest your loyalty in word and deed. Keep a promise. Forgo a grudge. Forgive an enemy. Apologize. Try to understand. Examine your demands on others. Think first of someone else. Be kind. Be gentle. Laugh a little more. Express your gratitude. Welcome a stranger. Gladden the heart of a child. … Speak your love and then speak it again.”
We are speaking it again.
Friday, we were blessed to accompany Azucena, our sweet pre-missionary friend, who leaves Wednesday for the missionary training center to serve in the Layton, Utah mission to her endowment in the temple.
My message to Sister Gutierrez--love our family and friends and we will love and serve yours!
Sister Gutierrez talked yesterday of her love for the temple and the Lord. Upon completing the Book of Mormon in Spanish for the umpteenth time, we feel the same. We love going to (and remembering) the temple
And appreciate remembering Him--Who is merciful, kind, loving and just...Who likes us to treat each other the same way!
Happy New Year from the vineyards of the west.
We love you!!
We love you!!
The Starkeys
