New Beginnings

Jordan was set apart as an Elder today. It seems that something happens almost weekly to remind me that he is perched to fly away. He asked Pres. Walker (the 2nd couselor in our stake presidency and the man who we "followed" to Middleton) to stand in, which was special as he was released from our stake presidency today to prepare to leave on a mission with his wife. They announced it at the Saturday session and I cried. He has a very special place in the hearts of every single member of my family. Our entire stake will feel the void as the "tornado of love", which he has been so appropriately nicknamed by the stake president, leaves us. We also just found out that our Bishop will be leaving next Monday to start a new job in Oklahoma, while his family stays and tries to sell their house. We are so sad for us; we are losing two men who have had a profound impact in our lives, but know that somewhere in the world the people will be blessed in abundant ways that they can't even imagine because of both of them.

What fun that Spring has emerged in all it's splendor this weekend. It was a garage cleaning, yard working, windows flung wide open kind of Saturday and it was wonderful! Mikayla spent an hour transplanting tiny seedlings whose roots had grown together and wondering about the spirits of plants when the wind broke one of the tiny sunflower stems. I don't think it's possible for her to think on a shallow level. She yearns for deep knowledge and learns from every experience. Watching her thoughtfulness and patience teaches me to be a better mother every day.

Camp money was due for all of the girls in the stake today, and our camp planning is gearing up. I can't believe that summer is so suddenly in the side wings. Mikayla will be a youth leader this year and will be in charge of the 1st year girls; she's so excited. First year's are so much fun--they are like baby ducks, imprinting and following you around and just soaking it all in. It will be a fantastic mentoring experience for her and also for those tiny girls who are trying to maneuver the transition from children to young women. It is also the year that Eden will get to participate in the "Faith Walk" and I'm looking forward to her reaction to that. I love girls camp; it's such a challenge to have that many hormones all together in an unfamiliar environment without some major eruptions, but the spiritual experiences are worth all of the "Interventions". I'm looking forward to it.

I had one of those "ah-hah" moments this last week, where a light goes on too late and you realize that you have missed out on neat experiences because of stubborn hardheartedness and you realize through disappointment in yourself that you have to change something so obvious that hasn't been obvious before. I was driving home from doing errands all afternoon and as I entered my subdivision it became obvious, from all of the "sharp looking" young adults roaming around with black backpacks that we were going to be canvased with salespeople. I don't like salesmen. I don't like them on the phone--I don't like them in stores--and I especially don't like them bothering me on my doorstep. I'm not a big "consumer" and I've always felt that if I want something I will go find it; if someone has to bring it to my attention I probably don't need it and if I do I will research it for a month before purchasing it not be pressured into something spontaneous. Jordan has a best friend who is a born salesman (he made ($15,000 last summer by only working a few hours each day) but I frustrate him. Jordan once gave him a challenge and told him, "if you can sell it to my mom, you can sell it to anyone!" I am kind to missionaries of other faiths, because I can relate, and I admire them for what they are trying to do, but I figure I am just wasting any other solicitor's time and they are wasting mine, so it is in the mutual good interest to get rid of them quickly. If they are persistent this often means being short and blunt. As blind as I am, I have never thought of it as being unkind or unfriendly or unchristian--I've never thought of it as being "personal, it's business". I am wary of "friendly" salesmen, I figure they are being insincere and have ulterior motives and I am the one, by my behavior, who is being honest. (Okay that was a very long segway) Well, on Wednesday, as I was driving to my house, I was desperately wishing that I had a "no soliciting" sign on my door. So, when a knock came on my door, I was annoyed and geared up to dismiss quickly whoever was on the other side. I opened it up to a smiling salesman and despite every persistent attempt he made, I finally convinced him to leave. I went back to my busy tasks, and didn't think another thing of it until I heard Fred drive up that evening while I was getting dinner on the table. I wondered out loud at why it took him so long to come inside and he told me he had been talking to a salesman in our front yard. I asked what he looked like and he described the same young man that I had shooed away four hours before and commented on how good natured and funny he was. His positive assessment and willingness to visit with an individual caught me off guard and made me feel instantly guilty, something I have never felt in a similar circumstance before. I asked him what they were talking about so long and he said the salesman was sharing an experience he had that day. That night my good friend reiterated to me the same story in much more detail. This salesman knocked on her door that afternoon and when she opened it he immediately asked if she was a Mormon. She acknowledged that she was and asked him how he knew that. He mentioned the picture of Christ which was on her wall facing him. Trying to make small talk, he said, "don't you have a Mormon bible or something?" She told him that Mormon's didn't have a different bible but we did have another book that was scripture that we read with the bible and she happened to have an extra copy if he would like one. He, still trying to make a sale, accepted the book and talked to her about people having to have an open mind about things (like the cleaner he was selling). She talked to him for a little while and kindly declined to buy anything and then he left. This same salesmen told Fred all about the nice lady who had offered him a Book of Mormon and he said to Fred, "and I'm going to read it too!" Who knows if he really will, but the important thing is that he had a personal experience with a very kind lady who was a member of the church and acted like a Christian and I missed out on an opportunity, which was so far out of my mind, that the story shocked me so hard into reality that I haven't been able to stop thinking about it since, and I will never be able to face another salesman with the same attitude again. I think some days, Heavenly Father must just shake his head in disappointment at my blind, intolerant behaviors. I do.

"Tomorrow is a new day, with no mistakes in it."