Joy - Men are that they might have joy

 February 20, 2023

Dear Family:

This is my weekly letter a day late.  Happy Birthday to Megan tomorrow!   I wanted to make sure that Megan was mentioned in my letter.   I have such wonderful memories of Megan years before she married Brian; church programs, birthday parties, ward youth outings, and many more including a trip to Victoria where we stayed in a tent on the Washington side, work up in a puddle of rain; got rained out and ended up in a motel.   Amy got sick, but we managed to have fun anyway.

Happy Birthday Megs!

An explanation of why the letter is a day late; I had an emergency band rehearsal for my little band yesterday afternoon.   My band partner, Brad Davis arranged to have the rehearsal at Beacock’s Music store on 164 ^th in Vancouver  - way out highway 14.  I left at 1:15, got there at 2.  We rehearsed until 5:30. (We are preparing for a 3 hour dance in Keiser, OR) on March 4. We recently had to replace our tenor sax player and he bombed the last gig we had.   So we decided that we needed a rehearsal.   )  So then I had to drive home.  I got home at 6:30.  I was exhausted and wondered if I should still be doing this.   I was so tired that I couldn’t get to sleep until 2am.   That happens sometimes.   So I decided to write the letter today.

I have been in touch with Danny Lloyd (Nigeria).  He is home from the hospital and is back to work.   He is still having treatment for his T-Cells and is working on getting better.  

Nothing new for me; still teaching piano and I just finished a quilt that I’ve been working on for a few months.

I was impressed with a talk in Sacrament meeting yesterday having to do with the plan of happiness and what happiness is and what it isn’t.   To me there is a bit of difference between happiness as the world views it and joy.   I remember teaching Seminary and this scripture was a favorite. “Men are that they might have joy, 2 Ne. 2:25.  “   I look back on my life and the times that I experienced joy.   They seem to always involve family.  Yes, it was enjoyable to have good experiences when I was involved in my callings, teaching lessons, organizing events and road rallies.   But when I think of joy I think of the times when our family was together – in the temple – at family gatherings – at family dinners – even phone calls and text conversations like the one I had with Hayden last night. A week ago yesterday, we had a fast Sunday dinner at my house with Mike, Amy, Tanner, Haley, Claire, Taylor, Kelsy, Cooper and McKay.   We had a marvelous time.  The week before I had taken a video of Cooper and McKay hiding in the fort I had made for them.  

I played them the video and they stood beside me and we all laughed.   That is Joy.  Being with family.

 

“…. The purpose of mortal life is for all people to have joy (2 Ne. 2:22–25).”

 

Have a wonderful week.  I sure hope spring comes soon.  I understand we are in for another round of wintry weather Wednesday through Friday.   Surely spring will come after that!!

 

Love Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma, Sister, and Aunt Suzanne 

Quilt that I finished last week