We have always loved Conference weekend and even feel an excitement as it approaches. We love hearing from prophets and apostles and feeling their love and concern, we love the break from regular church meetings, and we love feeling apart of something great throughout the world. Once again, this past weekend we felt inspired and rejuvenated.
For the last six years, April Conference has brought a different excitement. Since Byron's Dad was called to the 2nd Quorum of the Seventy he has received his assignment for the upcoming year the Wednesday after conference. Each year we anxiously await word of what they will be doing when July rolls around. He served in SLC for a year, and they have been serving in Hong Kong for 5 years now and have loved it immensely. Byron and I had the amazing opportunity to go visit without kids in 2003, and then again with the boys for a month in 2005 while Byron did a medical rotation in a hospital there. It was wonderful to see his parents embracing life there and working hard to serve the Lord. They have been so far away from their now 27 grandkids, and even though the world is a smaller place with the incredible technology we enjoy, they have missed knowing them close at hand. There are so many other things they could be missing, but they don't focus on those things either. Never do they complain or wallow in pity. They have been wonderful examples to us and we have felt so blessed for their desire to serve.
This weekend was likely to bring big changes for them. It was looking like they would probably be leaving Hong Kong, and, getting released all together or reassigned back in the states (UT). Since a call to the second quorum is typically 5 years and he had already served 6, they were thinking it quite possible they would be settling back in AZ for some grandkid/golf time. Surprise, surprise: they received their assignment to serve in Salt Lake. They once again have aligned their will with God's and are ready to serve with a good attitude. They are amazing and we love them dearly!
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
True Heros
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5 comments:
Oh, Me Me ME -Let me be the first to comment!!!!
I couldn't agree more! They are true heros! I remember when I first met Byron's parents we were all living in the good ol' Kee! What kind and lovely people whom I felt priviledged to have in my home. I remember calling Elder Garn on one of your visits to put my crazy mother mind to rest because I was worried that my JJ babies tooth that fell OUT at 11 months would never grow back and he talked to me on the phone in his pre-General Authority voice and made me feel like life was okay and his tooth would grow in at the right age (IT DID!!!) and I felt like I was a good mother again because of the time he took to just talk to me.
Again I had some one on one time with them in good ol' LV in Dana's house. They came to relieve me from babysitting and we sat and chatted in the living room and again, they listened and I chatted (imagine that), and I came away loved and uplifted just from being with them.
I love when I stumble across something that Elder Garn has done - like seeing him on the Conference report fulfilling his assignments after the tsunami or reading the wonderful article about the temple compared to our lives that was in the Ensign. I love that article - it is one of my favorites - not just because I know the author but because it was inspiring and, just like the man, wise and simple.
This humility is what makes them both heros through and through! It is a blessing to know ALL of the GARNS - young and old (er, at least the ones I do know because there are a whole lot of you I don't know). I love y'all so much I would even blog about your parents and you on my own blog because I love you all so much but that would be weird, since your not my family and all, and then other people would think I am crazier than I am.
Once again, I am blogger - here me roar - with the longest comment in history of blogging. Welcome to my blog.
Geez, after that last comment I feel like I should leave a much longer, more philisophical, more spiritual comment than what I was thinking of writing: Kuddos to them! They really are amazing!
Wow...true heroes indeed! This conference was wonderful and I LOVE Elder Garn...what a great example he is for your family, for us all! AWESOME!
Such a great post. Congrats to them and their new calling and what an awesome opportunity!!
Oh, I LOVE the Garns!!!! I was so lucky to have them as neighbors, and you probably feel even luckier to have them as in-laws! :) Can't wait to see what your new blog design will be!
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