"SECRET LOVE(S)": AN UPDATE

Down three from this is an article entitled: "Secret Loves." This is now four weeks hence and there is some progress to report.

Firstly, the "Joseph/Jenny" Update: Last Monday after Family Home Evening those two "beamers" (note: when together, those two glow!) came up and showed Ranelle and me her brand, new, shiny-bright "engagement string." They are now officially engaged! Celestial Day! (Note: that term "string" is not a typo, it is correct. You see, when they two placed their order with the jewelry store, they ordered their ring via a catalog. Shortly they were notified the ring manufacturer no longer produces the design they requested. So not wanting to delay their announcement, Joseph tied her new ring around the finger of his bride-to-be!) Resourceful, no? As yet they have made no announcement of a wedding date.

Secondly, the "Mitchell/Kelly" Update: As an attorney who daily "tries" legal cases in court rooms across the land, there are times when Kelly's employment is near-by enough that she can drive home before departure again the next day. And since the "Olsens-to-be" savor the Everlasting Things, last night they honored our classroom with their presence. After the lesson, Ranelle and I visited with them awhile. Among the small talk the speculation drifted to: "What will you look like in fifty years?" "Where will you have lived in fifty years?" "What will you have experienced?" "How many children?" etc. etc. Finally, after wearing out that nonsense, our conclusion: we'll all four just get together then and compare notes! I only regret not saying: "Now that you've found each other and get to face life together it'll all be just fine."

Contemplating Richard L. Evans' phrase, "I am impressed with the endlessness of it all," I am reminded of the poem that President Spencer W. Kimball wrote to his wife:

As I look back across our mingled years
I know it is not just the joys we shared
That made our lives one pattern,
But the tears we shed together,
And the rough, wild seas we fared.

Through all the disappointments we have faced.
Through this world's faults and failings,
We have come to heights of understanding that are based
More on the sorrows than the joys of home.

Young love is beautiful to contemplate.
But old love is the finished tapestry--
Stretched from oaken floor to Heaven's gate--
We wove on earth for all eternity,
With threads made stronger by the steady beat
Of hearts that suffered--
Yet knew no defeat.


Addendum: Being sensitive to how dinner guests must feel when their hostess serves chili beans for dessert let me add this:

In April, 1959, I Greyhound-bussed-it into Salt Lake City friendless, and homeless. All I had along was a twenty dollar bill, a change of clothing, a razor, a comb, and my dictionary. I also had within a burning testimony of the truthfulness of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Somehow before nightfall, I managed to pay for one weeks' room-and-board (fifteen dollars, can you imagine it, paid for one-week's bed and meals!). Within a couple of days I located some menial employment and before the week was out had earned enough to pay my keep for the week following. Thus gaining a toe-hold, I attended church at the old Seventeenth ward, and in a few weeks was baptized a member of the Lord's Church. Shortly, Bishop Val J. Sheffield ordained me to the priesthood, and called me to work in the Mutual Improvement Association (called then the "M.I.A."). I also became a ward teacher.


Because of my presidency position that year in the "MIA," I met and associated with Doctor Lynn M. Hilton, who was then the Stake MIA president. And my first ''ward teaching" (note: that was the correct term in those days) companion was a Church architect named "Brother Gould." I know it is uncanny, but here it is fifty years later, and since coming to East Lansing Michigan, I have met grandchildren of both of those men! Would you like to know who those grandchildren are? One of them is Jenny, the girl I mentioned above; her grandpa is Lynn Hilton (still living); the other is the grandson of Brother Gould the architect (now deceased). The grandson's name: Joseph Gould, and Joe is Jenny's fiancee! (Can you fathom that????)

AUTUMN LEAVES--THEY ARE LEAVING!

Just now Ranelle and I got back from our "beauty walk" (Note: it doesn't work that way anymore). Along the way we admired the many, many colors in the trees and fallen leaves that were strewn along the pathway on the ground. At one place I exclaimed, "Just think! Had we not come on our mission everything at home would be just fine, and we would be plenty happy there. But just look at all we would've missed!" I was gesturing just then to the glorious woods we were walking through. To this she added: "Yes, and there is also Mitch, and Kelly, and Kate, and Joseph, and Jenny, and...." What we were adding up was the vast wealth we have garnered for our lives--just by using one word that is already in our vocabulary; the word "yes." And all of this has happened so far in just a short ten months. We still have until the end of April before we leave, so imagine what great experiences--and acquaintances--yet lay before us!

What we are tacitly saying is that we have absolutely fallen in love with Michigan! With but few exceptions we love everything we have seen about the place. And here around our "house" we have grown to love River Terrace Drive (that is our "walking street"), our "forest" ("woods" is what "those in the know" call it), our apartment, and our neighbors. And our "work!" For the present, we would like to be absolutely no place else. I suggested once that we could sell our house and purchase one of the homes on River Terrace Drive. Abruptly I was rebuffed. One word once again: "Grandchildren!"

October 10, 1964

Just 45 years ago this very evening, we looked like this. Can you even recognize these skinny kids? I've always looked at the pictures at Golden Anniversary celebrations and tried to make the old people fit into the pictures of the bride and groom. Well, here we are at our wedding reception the day after we were married on October 9, 1964. I can't see that we look that much different--can you? Be honest now. Actually, don't tell us--we don't want to know.











We'll keep pushing toward that 50th -- wonder what we'll look like then?

Ranelle

SECRET LOVE(S)

Back in the days when radios played music and not noise there was a lovely tune, the lyrics of which said, "Once I had a secret love...and now my secret love's no secret any more."

I've thought of that song this morning ever since I met Joseph as he was skipping like a six-year-old (really!), and beaming all over. I said something like, "feeling good this morning?" His reply: a big smile and an uninhibited, "Do I EVER feel good!" as he skipped on past.

Then I took another ten steps and met Chelsie, and she had a happy look on her face. (We live here, you see, in a church-owned apartment complex that houses perhaps seventy single LDS students--men and women segregated, yet somewhat evenly mixed.)

I'll return to Chelsie in a moment, but let me first tell you the rest of the "Joseph" story: I got in the house and Ranelle told me that Jenny (Joseph's girlfriend) had just driven away, so that means he had just said goodbye to her before I saw him. (And she is so pretty her very presence would make any young man want to skip and smile.) But I just have a suspicion there's more to the story because last night as we were headed out, they two were sitting shoulder-to-shoulder in the back yard. As we walked past we told them how good they look together. They smiled knowingly as we turned the corner and left.

Returning now to the "Chelsie" encounter, I suggested that maybe she was headed off to work. "Nope!" was her quick reply: "to Krogers--to buy a ticket. Nathan and I are going to the renaissance (whatever that is) and I can get them cheaper there!" There was a happy light on her face too.

And then last night we saw Kelly stepping briskly to meet Mitch as he drove in from his day at school. Happy, happy greeting between the two. Watching her from far away her every body movement reflected her intense joy at greeting her man. (Those two are a very happy story--she's a 29-year-old, six-year convert to the church, and just as beautiful as can be, plus she's a highly-successful practicing attorney who is "on the road" all week long. Mitch is four years younger but he is perhaps the most promising attorney-to-be that the near-by MSU Law School has produced in many years. Mitch and Kellie will marry next November.)

And Elder and Sister O'Dell get to sit on the front row of the grand stands, cheering as this happy, everlasting drama unfolds before them!

September 23, 2009 - TEMPORARY EXTRA RESPONSIBILITIES

Last week our institute director was away all week with responsibilities with a family death. Consequently, we picked up all his classes--which was a bit of a stretch for us. It takes all week for us to be prepared to teach our classes, conduct the BYU devotional/discussion, do the meal for Friday forum class, and have a presence in the institute building. Age has definitely put limits on how much we can handle. Yes, there is a big difference even, comparing ourselves as we were in the last mission, 5 1/2 years ago. I taught his Book of Mormon class on Wednesday and Friday, and we ordered pizza for the Friday lunch. John taught Church History on both Mondays that Brother Draut was out of town.



The Wednesday class required traveling south about 1 1/2 hours to Hillsdale, Michigan--almost to the Indiana border. Hillsdale is a college established in the 1850's. It has never accepted any government funding. The campus is beautiful and well maintained. Newer buildings have been built in the same flavor as the older ones. Everything was well maintained and extremely attractive--even the students were neatly dressed, friendly, and impressive in every way. There are only four LDS students on this campus and once a week they attend a class with Brother Draut. The drive to and from was beautiful--much of the trip was on secondary roads through wooded countryside.

Wednesday was a full day with Missionary District meeting before we left for Hillsdale. We arrived back in East Lansing to find our CES supervisor from Virginia waiting to visit with us, after which John had his class to teach. Whew!



Actually, the entire week was busy with a Welcome Back BBQ for the Living Center residents on Friday evening, a huge University Ward luau on Saturday night, and Ward Conference on Sunday. We feasted both physically and spiritually all week long.

We've enjoyed our patio garden and are reaping the rewards of our tomato plants. We have raised green beans, cucumbers, peppers, chard, lettuce, onions, and tomatoes. It isn't as successful as in-ground gardening, but it certainly is nice to step out and pick a ripe tomato.

Ranelle

Autumn Leaves

Today, our "beauty walk" together (Note: it doesn't work that way any more) brought a nostalgic/sad sensation. Reason: the leaves. Looking old, they are, the leaves--kinda ragged. Most look stressed; many are coloring; some falling. Oh it was warm, the weather was, but there's no mistaking: Autumn's here--it just is!

Want to know what rankled me? The sense we're are on the home-bound slope. Wasn't long back and we had the whole mission ahead--months and months of it still to go. Like young kids, we had time yet--for everything! With the end lurking now, we've got to shift thinking!

Only "yesterday" and it was all so new. And fresh. And we were savoring and exploring new neighborhoods; new friends; new quarters; new towns--one vast, rich treasure. Now? it's all still wonderful, and what's best it all now "belongs" to us. We'd just like to keep it that way--forever.

Don't cry for us, there's still months ahead; we're just assessing that wells aren't full forever. And the leaves verify that.

Thank Heaven for the massive adventure of Mormon missions!