I Love the Mountains: October 2020

Recently, we have pondered

and painted doors.

Jesus taught: I am the door.

      So, doors must matter!

     Our neighbor, Bertie, told us to paint
the door of our heart

with the blood of the Lamb--

 as Moses invited his people

to do in Egypt

by making choices

to invite the things

that do not lift and edify us

(the destroying angel)

to pass by,

or pass over

ourselves and our homes.

We are presently in process of painting

the "lintels" (or the trim) of our garage,

     our front door,

and now the shed--

our current "high mountain"

 where we value engineering

and knot-tying skills

which connect and secure us to

our highest objectives.   
Along with this, we love the
(often blind) courage of a spouse, 
to reach, prepare and help to complete them.

Sometimes doors fail to open and close as we wish,

(This is a photo of our east bedroom window shutters,

barred closed to protect against the raging Labor Day winds)

so we are learning patience

that effectual doors

might be opened.

We are learning that the Lord

stands at the door

and knocks.

That He is the Keeper

of our most important gates.

And we join Him

as we open doors for others.

Some treasured doors have opened for

our daughter Maria,

and her best friend, Jacob.

Last year, as we wished goodbye

to a friend,

Ashley Christensen

in our Fresno, California mission,

Sister Christensen exclaimed

she knew our Maria.

(“Maria is your daughter!? I love Maria!)

I mentioned a challenge

of not knowing an individual

that this daughter seemed to be interested in.

“Jacob Peterson? I love Jacob Peterson!”

Apparently, Ashley’s missionary preparation

instructor was Jacob—

“Jacob knows so much

[about the gospel and more]

and he is kind!”

We finally met Jacob,

over very hot soup at a restaurant,

(Jacob likes spicy!)

Then at family gatherings,

we learned to play

a favorite family game of Jacob’s,

Queendomino.

During a January journey to visit Amber

in New Mexico,

of course, I was all ears.

(Any news?)

No decisions.

When Maria

(or any other unnamed Starkey)

makes up a mind, it is not to be rushed.

Mid Spring, before our

Sunday home worship service,

Maria waltzed through

the front door,

sat on the music chair

and declared:

“I am determined

to marry Jacob.”

There it was!

Corona virus or no.

Prior to announcing this decision,

on the final Saturday

that the Bountiful temple was open,

in March,

Maria secured an appointment 
and attended, 
receiving her “temple endowment,”
which filled the necessary instruction requirement

to allow Maria and Jacob

to enter in July to be sealed--

a wish that others have desired and still await.

“And that they may grow up...

and receive a fulness...

and be organized... and be

prepared[!]...”

Above is my happy reminder

of the blessings of beginnings.

Note from Val:

"We, the parents of Maria,

report with joy

the comings and goings

around Maria and Jacob's wedding:

The preparations were good--

lots of man hours.

The temple sealing was very spiritual and lovely.

The open air, masks-required reception

was beautiful and enjoyable,

with way more people

than we ever imagined!

Special thanks to so many who helped,

who traveled from far.

We know that many couldn't come

but sent their kindness and

best regards."

          
(Photo credit above: Thank you to Flying Gull Photography)
A bubbling brook

at the bottom of Grandma's hill

on Mutton Hollow

was carefully carved


with fingers that decide daily,
“I can create beauty out of anything!” 

Just over twenty-seven years ago, 
a reception was held here
for Maria’s parents.

Only, this year,  it was coupled
with fresh, candid creativity, carrying 
fabric banners, 
(Photo credit above: Thank you to Flying Gull Photography)

photographs,

(Photo credits above: Thank you to Flying Gull Photography)

fabric lanterns

(discovered in a favorite weekend tradition of frequenting garage sales)

(Photo credit above:  Thank you to  Flying Gull Photography)

 antique soda bottles

(and other "paraphernalia" Maria’s family members

 have scratched heads about, over the years--

(Photo credits above:  Thank you to  Flying Gull Photography)

prove there is a time

to every purpose under heaven!)

We hope to express joy, gratitude and thanks

to friends, extended family,

sisters, brothers, children,
 grandchildren.  All gathered (in masked marvel) 
in a peaceful
setting of tree-canopied outdoors.  
It was the bubbling brook 
that attracted Maria’s niecesand nephews, 
glad for any reason to be together—
but what can top a wedding?

Like our bubbling brook,

we overflow

with ripples of appreciation--

first, to a grandmother

who in January, with her twin,

marked a 91^st year.

Cherished

are mornings

we toiled together

side by side replanting lilies.

Grateful we are,

to Val's sister Marlene

for her tireless weeding

and artistic hand

in creating landscape beauty;

to his brother Paul and wife Gloria

(sister Sherryl and her grandchildren)

for mornings hauling and dumping mulch

from truck to garden path.

Thanks to Jacob's

supportive family network,

who lent house

and home, making signs,

(Photo credit above: Thank you to

Flying Gull Photography)

cutting fabric

collecting heritage frames

of marriages past and present,

-- detailing the story of two unique,

commendable children, growing up,

chasing dreams and in the process,

finding one another.

(Photo credit above: Thank you to

Flying Gull Photography)

As preliminaries were stirring,

I bent my brother’s ear to ask,

"If you were preparing to meet

your child's new in-laws-to-be,

what questions would you ask?"

His questions opened the door

for delightful memories,

shared over delicious fruit bowls

and Tammy's (Jacob's mother's) homemade

cookies at a lovely bridal shower

held at dusk in her sister's

back yard, near another babbling brook.

One story of a boy growing up is a

revealing portrait of the young man our Maria

chose to marry--

Jacob has always loved rocks.

In his Puerto Rico kindergarten, Jacob noticed they

were NOT studying rocks.

"Why are we NOT studying rocks?"

the five-year-old took his teacher aside to ask,

"It is not in the curriculum,"

she kindly replied.

"But Jacob, you can study rocks and teach us.

Will you?"

Jacob agreed.

Four months later, after meeting

weekly with the kindergarten teacher,

Jacob was ready.

"How much time do you think you will need?"

the teacher queried,

thinking he would maybe want five minutes.

"Three days," was Jacob's answer.

Three days came and went.

Jacob presented his prepared material,

and as his presentation drew to an end,

Jacob passed out an exam to

test his classmates.

Both parents shared this story with a smile.

Fast forward to another memory,

this time with a partner at his side.

a rock on her finger

was presented in the mountains

near a waterfall.

Later vows would be offered

between sacred granite walls.

Something there reminded us of a day 
nearly twenty-seven years earlier, 
as her parents exited
 doorways of a Logan, then later Seattle temple.  
It was another place of quarried rock
from which Maria's mom and dad embarked 
as a couple sealed in holy covenant, prepared

 to celebrate the arrival of Maria nearly a year later

amidst seven doting siblings.


Both Maria and Jacob's individual choices
 in choosing trustworthy friends,
drawing support from family and others
in paths of goodness,
that pointed them toward promises 
they would make
 within stone-cut  holy walls.
The officiator, Brother Richard Adams,  
offered unrushed time, 
helping us each visualize
the magnitude and grandeur of 
participating in a bond
that connects families
(Photo credits above: Thank you to Flying Gull Photograph)

for more than this life. 

Mirrors of eternity 
walled an altar 
where the couple knelt 
in a sacred covenant (or three-way promise)
between Maria, Jacob, and their Heavenly Father,
binding them to each other
and to future 
children and generations.
 The experience was gratifying--
exalting, joyful, blessed.
After this lovely 
sacred hour, 
siblings
(Photo credit above:  Thank you to Flying Gull Photography)


grandmothers,
(Photo credit above:  Thank you to Flying Gull Photography)
cousins, 
(Photo credits above:  Thank you to Flying Gull Photography)
friends, and family 
(Photo credit: Thank you to Flying Gull Photography)
gathered 
in the welcome shade 
of Grandma Starkey's back yard patio.


Jacob and Maria's former bishop, 
Brother Page Bennett performed 
the ring ceremony, 
(Photo credit above: Thank you to Flying Gull Photography)
commending both 
for being "anxiously engaged" 
in good causes, 
declaring--
"If you want something done, 
ask a busy person!"
He invited the couple forward 
to a new great cause--
 beginning a brand-newfamily--their own!

Special caution

was exerted

to honor

distance guidelines

and sanitary suggestions.

(Photo credit: Thank you to

Flying Gull Photography)

Siblings

with children, came from

as near as Grammy's house

to as far as traveling from

California,

(Photo credit above: Thank you to

Flying Gull Photography)

others from Arizona,

(Photo credit above: Thank you to

Flying Gull Photography)

Washington State,

(Photo credits above: Thank you to

Flying Gull Photography)

and New Mexico,

(Photo credit above: Thank you to

Flying Gull Photography)

offering greetings, well wishes,

appreciation of flowers

(Photo credits above: Thank you to

Flying Gull Photography)

and for Maria's simple, unique decorations.

Jacob’s family remained

after the Starkey vehicles

rumbled away,

carrying yawning grandchildren

preparing for an early morning

road trip to Arizona,

to honor our grandson

Riley's

high school graduation.

After sending off Starkey grandchildren,

we scoured Grandma's hollow

for a ribbon, or bottle, or strand of lights

to recollect and stow.

But everything had been collected and stowed!

Thanks to a family that "just DOES that."

(Photo credits above: Thank you to

Flying Gull Photography)

Maria and Jacob finally landed

(Photo credit above: Thank you to Flying Gull Photography)

at their Kaysville Main Street cottage

following a respite picnicking and zip lining.

Jacob has now passed

his graduate record exam

(they are both hoping to be outstanding in their field!)

(Photo credit above: Thank you to

Flying Gull Photography)

and has begun working again

with a former geology professor

analyzing development of concrete.

Maria continued

"at home" engineering

for Hill Air Force Base,

until recently,

where she has returned in person,

newly assigned to manage a project

from which a fellow colleague just retired.

We relish prospects

of a year of close connection with them

before they seek further

adventures elsewhere.

Celebrating, this time in Manti,

with Maria’s cousin

Daniel in his response to a mission call

we ran across a description

adding detail to why

marriage is “ordained of God,”

explaining that a change in...heart will come

as [you serve and] feel your faith

in eternal families.

It will change your feelings

about what it means

to be a [family member.]

(Photo credits above: Thank you to

Flying Gull Photography)

That change in your heart

will come as you feel your faith grow

and the promise of eternal life

... becomes real to you.

“That happened

to Parley P. Pratt

when the Prophet Joseph Smith

first taught him the doctrine

of eternal families.

(Photo credits above: Thank you to

Flying Gull Photography)

Parley P. Pratt wrote:

“It was at this time

that I received from him

the first idea of eternal family

organization,

and the eternal union of the sexes

in those inexpressibly

endearing relationships
which none but the highly intellectual,
the refined and
pure in heart,
(Photo credits above: Thank you to
Flying Gull Photography)
know how to prize,
and which are at the very
foundation of everything
worthy to be called happiness…
(Photo credits above: Thank you to
Flying Gull Photography)

“It was from him

that I learned

that the wife of my bosom

(Photo credits above: Thank you to Flying Gull Photography)

might be secured to me

for time and all eternity;

and that the refined

sympathies and affections
(Photo credits above: Thank you to Flying Gull Photography)
which endeared us to each other
emanated from the
fountain of divine eternal love.
(Photo credits above: Thank you to Flying Gull Photography)
It was from him that I learned
that we might cultivate these affections,
and grow and increase in the same to
all eternity...

(Photo credits above: Thank you to Flying Gull Photography)

“I had loved before,

but I knew not why.

But now

I loved—with a pureness—