Today I give a talk in Sacrament meeting.  And tomorrow we will go to Lara's to celebrate "Pie Day" with her apple pie and some ice cream.  :o)  So things are good.

Dad and I have had colds but are getting better.

It's a beautiful day today with warm breezes and sunshine.  A perfect time of year.  Wish you were all here.

What I wanted to talk about was something that I experienced a few weeks ago.  We went to an Empty Nester's family home evening and met a couple that we didn't know before.  The sister was wearing just any old thing, hair askew, no attempt at makeup.  Obviously didn't care about her appearance at all.  You can tell I wasn't very impressed with her.  And then we started talking.  They as a couple have taken in several young people from other countries and helped them get a start here.  They are currently fostering a young woman from Vietnam and will keep her with them through high school and college.  (She is a dear young woman in our YW organization.)  And the sister herself has been a major influence in helping many others do the same thing.  She is a GIANT of a woman.  I was reminded of the movie Shallow Hal where he saw everyone as they really were inside.  I was so sorry to have judged her so quickly and so negatively just from her appearance.  I wish I could dislodge that tendency from my heart and mind and allow people to disclose their real selves as they wish, not prejudging.

I am remembering that experience as I prepare to talk today.  Please let me set aside judgement.  Please let me see people as they really are and care for them and about them as they deserve.  Everyone has a right to determine who they want to be and how they want to be as do we.  They have no responsibility to fit my expectation of what they should be.

And now, good news for me.  The ESL class is permanently disbanded.  We decided that it was no longer serving the students because most have other English classes and are very busy.  Also the new teacher that was going to take over can only teach 2 months so why start?  So this is a picture of the most faithful students.

Second from left is Igal Mozes from Israel who still wants to be connected to us.  We are willing because he is delightful.  But I don't enjoy teaching English so it will be social only.  I will start the reading class with Da this week.

Monday night Barneys came over for a s'mores party and visiting.  It was a pleasant night and we had a good time.  Sam wanted mostly to rest inside and Sarah spent most of her time playing.  

 And Tuesday was Lara's birthday with a nacho dinner and a carrot cake.  That was fun too!

Tomorrow is the birthday of two very special people (Alice and Atticus!) and Tuesday we have the missionaries to dinner, Wednesday the temple will be open and we will be back to work there, Thursday I have a mammogram appointment, Friday we will have dinner at the house of our ESL couple Moshan and Monsour with the rest of the ESL class, and Saturday looks like Jared Collins' birthday.  So a nice full week of good things is ahead.

We are looking forward to seeing everyone there in Utah soon since we already have our plane tickets!  We will arrive early Thursday April 7 and leave Tuesday April 12.  We love you every one!