I Love the Mountains: Power to Navigate Challenging Paths

Dear family and dear friends 12 June 2022 (updated 27 June 2022)

My parents were exemplary role models in writing regularly.

I am one hundred percent not sure that I can fill my parents’ shoes in compiling a letter each week, but a desire in my heart this morning was to try. Today, we heard in a wonderful talk by a teacher and coach at Davis High, Bo Roundy, who taught us about his youth, hiking in the dark on a mountain in Montana.

This is not Montana, but my best week's capture of a mountain getting dark!

He does not remember a flashlight, only having his father tie each of the family members with a rope to himself to help them down the wooded trail. He invited us to find good role models (a sure foundation, our Rock, or Best Role Model) for when we are accosted by mighty storms

and shafts

in the whirlwinds of trouble, temptation, doubt, self-pity, error, to have power to navigate unknown, difficult and challenging paths (see Helaman 5:12).

One of my first enlightening, inviting moments for this past week was to be called into action as “chief seamstress and clothing mender” to the Starkey grandchildren in adding an inch to a granddaughter’s summer wardrobe. “This skort (skirt with shorts) is a bit short, Grandma, do you have some ideas?” Ideas, material, eyelet and lace from my Grandma Pearl’s inherited collection,

and Grandma Lolly arrived at the invited station, to interrupt origami making “special time with Mama” and watch a ten-year-old aptly choose a matching eyelet (not too wide, not too thin—just right!) and proceed to navigate sewing machine foot controller with ease and steady stitches to complete her masterful outcome—a shorts/skirt to add comfort and cool to summer heat, on her way to visit cousins in the Northwest.

Tuesday, upon rising to a very breezy, fan-peppered home, so cool in beginning every day with an amazing talent of a fluid, and air-flow trained power engineer, my first inclination came as an infringement on my sweetheart’s “right to remain cool” with my opposing idea to pepper the friends I minister to, with homemade bread. Mostly, it was a hope to find out what caused my unexpected less than leavened bread at Easter time. It worked, it worked, it worked! Husband helped (windows opened and pans oiled with a conceding smile!) The yeast did not fail. Our bread rose!

As heat rises at evening time, when steps have not happened around neighborhood sidewalks early enough during our day, we have been discovering cooler temperature on wooded hillsides.

A different discovery under a bookshelf, shared years ago by an 11-year-old daughter savoring “sacred space,” in oriental art of “Feng Shui,”

I read about clearing areas of living space to offer varying happy benefits and spent 10 minutes tidying the shed.

Peering to find a promised prosperity, I discovered change in the washer! (Is this money laundering?)

Now I expect creativity, helpful friends, and compassion with efforts in ordering family history space.

Thursday, our neighborhood youth and others brought family names to Ogden, to take part in temple baptisms.

The feeling there was joyous, sacred, lifting. Following the excursion, Val and I kept a Spanish speaking appointment at the Bountiful temple—relishing memories of moments with loved ones in Honduras.

Friday, the neighborhood was to host the life-sized model of the Old Testament tabernacle. I heard it was wonderful. In the middle of weeding, my alarm went off. When I read “Tabernacle” I thought “Tabernacle Choir-- Tabernacle choir on Friday? What?” and dismissed the alarm. Mom’s yard became a more weed-free.

But early, the next day that I realized my mistake.

At a happy barbecue hosted by our new neighbors we learned that the living tabernacle was filled, our youth and other volunteers were exemplary. New Mexico grandchildren will visit at June’s end, and we will visit again then. Meantime, hoorah to Spencer ward youth, as we celebrate creating and appreciating beauty in places of refuge. Our talented math teacher daughter marks her birthday with the peaceful prospect of the start of summer vacation. An eldest 14-year-old granddaughter celebrates her golden birthday on the 15^th. Another daughter lauds the feeling of holding babies in a children's hospital to commemorate her special day.

Update to my 12 June letter--two eventful weeks passed, wheeling in likely repercussion to an omicron variant in the wake of a glorious visit from friends wrapping up their home sale, leaving after finding out they were contagious.

I am deciding the best thing to spread (according to Verla) is sunshine and smiles. Compliments and compassion. Order and interest. Health and healing.

Anniversaries

(you may want to ask Maria and Jacob about Puerto Rico)

and avenues to cool "caminatas" (or walks).

Savoring and safeguarding study (ask Val about patenting his red pencil sharpening idea--use a knife, and save extra shavings that would otherwise end in a round file!)

Family history questions--Have you asked your mom or grandma to draw a picture of the stove they remember?--can you help them find a picture of what they remember on the internet?