Jade and her four siblings live too far away.  It should be against the law. Instead of flying to Oklahoma for her high school graduation we decided her gift from us would be a flight here for a one-on-one with Grandma and Grandpa.  She was delighted— a chance to get away and be spoiled. With a number of fun-loving cousins here to enjoy from time to time (thank you, Rebecca, for coming just in time), she has had a ton of fun. As for me, I have cherished every moment with her since she lives so far away.

She loves the musicals and wanted to watch “Newsies” with me one afternoon.  So, of course, we watched it. Now I know what heaven is—it’s Jade snuggled up next to me on the couch watching the DVD as she sings along with every, and I mean every, song. She knows them all. I loved every minute.  When that’s over she has another idea. Grandpa walks in and she says, “Grandpa have you seen ‘The Princess and the Frog’?  We hadn’t. “Oh, you just have to see it with me!” So off we go to Red Box, come home with the DVD, fix popcorn and the fun begins again. This time both grandparents enjoyed the fun of hearing her sing and wiggle in rhythm throughout this jazz-filled adorable movie. She’s right, it’s a good one. But would it be as good without her to watch as we watch it?

Another day she helps me with dinner and shares her testimony of Christ, and expresses her thanks for a great senior year of seminary. Could there be anyone more wonderful that her teacher Brother Torrie?  I’ve never met him, but from all she says I  think he must walk on water. He reached into her heart and wound the gospel firmly around it. And I love him for it.

Among the many activities we arranged, we gave her a fun party with Lundberg cousins, took walks around the Provo Temple, time at Perrys’ where Janice taught her the new song “He Loves Me” I wrote with Janice for our granddaughters, a shopping trip to Park City outlets with cousin EmmaLee,  husband Brandon and baby Jaymz, baptisms with cousin Brooke at her favorite Oquirrh Temple, a trip to Tami’s horse ranch, a piano concert with the Saunders clan to hear Aunt Delma play, a visit to 89-year-old Aunt Fern, a couple of over-nighters here with Rebecca, and a fun double date arranged with and by yet another cousin, Melissa, who knew the prefect “righteous hottie” for her blind date.  She said, “I like these Utah boys, they are so respectful and good, and they know how to have a fun time the right way, and they’re so cute. I think I want to marry one of them some day.”  At this age, the grass is always greener away from home. She hopes to come to school out here after a year or two of college there.  I’m in favor!

Just thinking about her flying back home brings tears to my eyes. I will miss her terribly. This gift for her has been a treasured gift for me.  Thank you, Heavenly Father, for blessing us with grandchildren like Jade, and the 14 others that we also adore and look forward to a spoiling on some special occasion for them.  But for now I’m content to bask in the happy light of Jade’s incredibly fun visit.

We were so young then.  Gary was having the time of his life piloting the F-100 while I was being a homemaker and a stay-at-home writer. I couldn’t get much of a real job because the Air Force moved us every few months during training. Mostly, we were busy learning how to be married people, waiting and wishing for babies to come along.

For those of you who know us, it took us awhile, five long years.  And then it happened through adoption. I could tell you many stories about the miracles of adopting our children—they each came to us by divine guidance. We knew they were ours! We just had to find them, fill out the papers, sign off in the courts, and make it everlasting at the temple.

Today I’ll share just one of those sacred experiences with you. This is the story of our fifth child, our son Paul. We moved to Utah from California, not knowing why, just knew we were supposed to move there. Gary quit his job, we sold our house, and came, settling in Salt Lake City (we now live in Provo).  The search for a house and a job began.  Why are we here, we wondered, but felt at peace.

About four months after our move, we found out the reason. We were walking in the mall and ran on to the former mission president, a lawyer, Gary served with while we were stationed in Germany. We had a feeling there was another baby for us somewhere and had been praying about it, so we asked if he knew of any that would be available for adoption. He said, no but would ask his partner. I’ll cut this short, and will simply say that his partner was a praying man and soon knew we should be the parents of a soon-to-be-born baby. Other couples were ahead of us, but he said he knew we were the ones. We were thrilled and so excited.

Several weeks later the phone rang and it was him, announcing the birth of our baby boy.  He was a month premature, so they wouldn’t release him to us until he gained more weight.  We couldn’t even see him. In those days the adoptive parents weren’t allowed in the hospital. A nurse would meet them, with the lawyer, outside the hospital and hand the baby over to the adoptive parents. A week went by and it wasn’t happening.

The problem was that our baby boy wouldn’t eat  He refused to take the bottle from everyone who tried. No doctor or nurse had any success.  The lawyer kept us updated on this.  After putting us off day after day, not letting us in, I finally called our lawyer and said, “This is my baby and he needs his mother there to feed him. You find a way for me into that hospital or I will break the law and find a way myself!”

That did it, he made it happen.  Dressed in white hospital gowns, we were ushered in to our baby’s isolation area.  My heart was pounding. The nurse placed him in my arms—he was so cute, and so bald. I adored him right off. She handed me the bottle. I looked into his precious face and softly said, “Hi, baby, I’m your mother and I love you.” Then I put the bottle nipple in his mouth and said, “Now, drink for Mommy.”  He immediately began sucking, and kept sucking.  The doctor and nurse were astonished.  Gary took a turn and he drank for him, too. But he wouldn’t drink for them  After that I came in for his feedings every few hours.  He did so well the doctor said, “You’re the only ones he’ll eat for.  You can take him home.”

He has been a light and a joy to us ever since. Now he has a great wife, is a school principal and the father of six of our cherished grandchildren. These five wonderful children of ours were definitely worth the wait.

This picture shows us all at the Salt Lake Temple when Paul was sealed to us there.  A glorious day!

Falling in love with the Old Testament first happened to me many years ago when my husband Gary was a student pilot in the United States Air Force.  We were stationed for six months near McAllen, Texas at the time.  His life was filled with excitement and learning, while I was experiencing one more season of sorrow over not being able to get pregnant, feeling pretty sorry for myself. I served as a Young Women teacher, enjoyed mid-week Relief Society (that’s when it was held in those days), and did a little writing for the base newspaper—parodies on pilot training. It was fun, but none of it filled up my days. Wanting to be a mother is what occupied my mind.

One day I had an awakening and realized that this could be the ideal time in my life to actually read the four standard works from beginning to end.  I had never read even one from start to finish.  It was time for me to gain my own testimony of these sacred books.  I never doubted them, and had certainly read from them, but now I needed to dig in and learn at a deeper level and have my own spiritual experience with them.

I began with the Old Testament, you know, get the hard, boring one out of the way first. I knew that wasn’t the right attitude, so I prayed before every reading that I would discover the meaning and understand this ancient record of the Lord’s work.  That made a huge difference.  Still not everything made sense, by any means, and sometimes I felt like I was plowing through hard-packed ground.  I needed some rain to soften the soil so I could really dig in.  Prayer helps bring the rain, and in my case the rain came in the form of tears as the Spirit helped me understand, at least more than I ever had before.

Adam and Eve

It started in Genesis.  Of course!  The stories I’d grown up with began to come to life.  So many of them were right there in Genesis.  Adam and Eve became real people, and, thanks to our many trips to the Manti temple when we were first married attending BYU (no Provo Temple then) my interest in our first earthly parents was piqued. The hard parts of their lives began to be filled in as I read.  Their trials brought tears to my eyes.  I cried when Cain killed his brother Abel, and realized that when children would come into our lives it might not be the bed of roses I had imagined.  I mourned with Eve.  Adam, too, but Eve was me.  I was so thrilled when Seth was born and lived righteously, bringing them so much happiness.  I wanted to one day to have a Seth-like child.  The faithfulness of Adam and Eve had finally paid off and I knew we needed to follow their example. Maybe by doing so our prayers would be answered, too.

The story of Noah and the ark was compelling. I knew it well, every Primary (Junior Sunday School then) kid does.  I felt so sad for the wicked, many of whom had to be closely related to Noah and his wife and three worthy sons.  How hard to know your disobedient loved ones and friends were being drowned in the flood and not be able to do anything more about it. They had rejected the word of the Lord and had this terrible price to pay. So much about that story jerked at my heart, reminding me how important it is to keep the commandments and be ready for perils that may come. Another witness of how vital it is to follow the prophet. Oh, if they had only listened to Noah.

Abraham and Sarah

Reading about Abraham and Sarah opened my eyes, wide.  I was no longer Eve, I was Sarah.  Oh, was I Sarah, barren and brooding about it.  But then the words came, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Gen 18:14)  And lo and behold, Isaac was conceived. What a miracle! What a marriage! What a child!  Okay, so now I wanted an Isaac-like son.  But could I do as Abraham and be willing, after praying for him for so long, to sacrifice him as the Lord commanded?

Abraham’s faith stirred something deep within me. It helped me understand the sacrifice of our Heavenly Father who was willing to let His Only Begotten Son suffer and die that we might live. For Him there would be no ram in the thicket. He was the sacrificial lamb. It taught me that the Lord will help us through whatever is required of us, since that ultimate price has already been paid. Further study since that first-time experience has taught me so much more about the Atonement of Christ, but at least it was a beginning-type of understanding.

Then Isaac grew up (I call 40 definitely grown up) and the Lord gave him Rebekah for a wife.  She is sweet, faithful, and lovely in every way. And she must have been fun, too, because he was caught “sporting with Rebekah his wife” (Gen 26:8), and I don’t think they were playing miniature golf.  Oh, no. I think a little kissing might have been involved because it gave away the secret that she wasn’t his sister. Maybe this serves as a little hint to keep spice in our own marriages. Now I wanted our future sons to marry a Rebekah-like woman.  The lives of these chosen people were so inspiring to me.  Not only did I want children like them, I wanted to be like them.  Their very lives were a pattern for living.

Moses

After a time along came Moses.  Oh, the lessons to be learned from Moses could fill pages.  So many times since reading his story I have wished to put the blood of the lamb (figuratively speaking) on our doorpost  “. . . and not let the force of destruction enter “ (Exodus12:23) or strike my family.  Now we have a painting of Christ inside above our door for the same purpose, or at least as a reminder that He is watching over us and that by keeping His commandments we can keep harm and evil away.

The miracles performed by Moses captured my interest and set my mind to wondering about the power of God on earth and how men of the priesthood can call down that power when directed by the Spirit. I had seen it done in the home I grew up in.  I knew miracles happened. Now I wanted a miracle in my life. Just one little miracle I could hold tenderly in my arms and rock to sleep at night.

Ruth and Naomi

Oh, how I loved the Book of Ruth. So much is taught in this book about these good women of the Old Testament.  I wanted to someday be a mother-in-law like Naomi whose daughters-in-law adored her.  What did she do, I wondered to be so loved.  If I could learn that, maybe I would deserve the devotion of a Ruth.  It was a moving story of faith and love, and the blessings of God being bestowed on His faithful daughters.  Naomi was blessed in her old age with Ruth and Boaz’s child, Ruth saying, “And he shall be unto thee a restorer of thy life, and a nourisher of thine old age; for thy daughter in law, which loveth thee . . . hath born him.”   That very scripture would be an inspiration tome many years later when I wrote a short article for the Ensign magazine article contest. [To read the article  http://www.lds.org/ldsorg/v/index.jsp?hideNav=1&locale=0&sourceId=3a63b850e318b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD]

David and Joseph

One if my vivid memories is about David.  I was enchanted with his faith and courage. Killing Goliath was a monumental exhibit of both.  And his devotion to his friend Jonathan taught me about true friendship.  While I was reading this part of David’s life we took a trip to Oregon to visit my family. Grandma Saunders lived nearby and I could hardly wait to tell her about my experience with the Old Testament. Grandma, after all, had told many of these stories during my growing up years.

On that visit I told her of my admiration for David. I remember saying, “Grandma, I want to be like David.”  She smiled, took my hand and said, “Oh, my dear, don’t want to be like David.  Want to be like Joseph.  He never fell away.”  When I went back I reread Joseph’s story with even more interest.  Yes, I wanted to be like Joseph.  (Thank you, Grandma.)  It made me mourn for David, who had been so righteous as a youth.  Enduring to the end took on new meaning.

Job

The story of Job fascinated me.  At that young age I hadn’t really heard too much about him, a little, but not much.  When you’re feeling sorry for yourself, I learned, it’s a good idea to get acquainted with Job.  Oh, my goodness, now that’s a story of real trial.  Mine suddenly seemed like nothing by comparison. The faith of Job was remarkable to me.  I remember laughing right out loud when I read about his friends who came to comfort him, but instead spoke words to diminish his faith.  His reply to them, “. . . miserable comforters are ye all.” (Job 16:2)   I can remember thinking, “Way to go, Job!”

Job became my hero.  As his trials grew more severe his faith only increased.  He said, “. . . when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.” (Job 23:10)  I rejoiced when all he had suffered and lost was restored and much more.  His faith was rewarded, and I knew then that if I stayed faithful, no matter what trials may come, the reward will be there, eventually.

I would share these thoughts with my husband when he came home from the base each evening, and between my grilling him on emergency procedures, he listened. We talked about Job when my over-worked, and stressed husband broke out with boils (somewhat hard to bear when manipulating his body into a small cockpit). We both grew in our faith and determination.  Like Job, he overcame, and his goal to become a pilot became a reality.

Other Prophets and Esther

I enjoyed learning more from the stories of Joshua entering the promised land, Daniel in the lions den, Jonah and the whale, and so many more.  All great examples of overcoming hardships and staying faithful. What a rich heritage we have in these incredible prophets.

Esther, whose obedience and faith saved a nation, captivated me. She is clearly a great example to all young women and women of all ages. Many years later her story inspired words to a song I wrote with Janice Kapp Perry on the Young Women values. Esther was the example we needed for the song In Perfect faith, for Value #1: Faith.  [Newly released, the songbook now includes songs for all eight Young Women values and updated I Walk By Faith lyrics. See link at end of this article.]

Isaiah

Of course, Isaiah has to be mentioned.  It was not easy reading these chapters, still his prophecies of the coming of Christ were significantly moving. Since then I have been touched to tears by his words put to music in Handel’s Messiah, especially, “ For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” (Isa. 9: 6). I get chills every time I hear it sung.

Isaiah’s promises from the Lord were profound.  One I particularly remember, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee; be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” (Isa 41:10) These became a life-giving source of comfort for me as a young wife living far away from family, facing my own challenges. I had barely touched the surface of Isaiah’s messages, and still stumble in trying to grasp them, but the more I read the more I find to cherish, thanks to that simple beginning in our little apartment.

Conclusion

Much has happened since that first experience of reading the Old Testament. It was an excellent foundation to build on through the years as trials intensified and blessings were bestowed.  As parents of five wonderful children (they finally came to us through adoption) we have enjoyed sharing the stories of the Old Testament with them through the years, and continue to quote from it as parents of adult children and grandparents of fifteen treasured grandchildren.

Through the years Gary and I have learned so much from others whose insights and knowledge of the Old Testament far exceeded ours. How grateful we are for these humble, inspiring teachers of the scriptures and what we’ve learned from their love of the Old Testament.

Now as we study it in depth in Sunday School once again, my heart skips a beat as I get excited all over again thinking about that special time in McAllen, Texas when I first fell in love with the Old Testament. This much I know for certain, our lives would be deeply deprived without this rich spiritually-loaded volume of scripture. I will forever be grateful for it and hope to continue to learn from it throughout the remainder of my life. It and the other three sacred volumes of scripture have served as an inspirational foundation for the writing my husband and I do now in our effort to help strengthen marriages and families.

It was my wonderful blessing to get to know Lloyd a few years ago when I was one of the writers of the scripts for the Tabernacle Choir broadcast.  Now he writes most of them himself.  We did some reminiscing about those days.

David Christensen, former mission president and institute teacher at University of Utah, sat next to Gary at the lunch.  He spoke on the same program. We thoroughly enjoyed his insights on God’s love for all of us even though we make mistakes.  He has a wonderful sense of humor and we recommend him to you all.

In Lloyd’s talk he told about his experiences with the world famous  Mormon Tabernacle Choir, and about working directly with President Hinckley and now with President Monson.  He has high praise for both and shared a few personal insights about them.  One was the recent experience his daughter and two nieces had when Lloyd took them with him to one of the Sunday broadcasts.  President Monson came that day. When Lloyd introduced the girls to him, President Monson was not only cordial, but very warm and friendly and deeply interested in them.  He said he spent 45 minutes visiting with the girls. Lloyd  was amazed at the attention he gave to them.  He said he looked at Sister Monson and Sister Dibb who where with him and mouthed an apology for taking so much time.  He said they gave a knowing smile that said,”It’s okay.  This is what he does, we’re used to it.”   What a loving prophet he is, surrounded by a patient, loving wife and daughter.

Lloyd said sometimes people tell him what a cushy job he has, working 30 minutes a week and getting paid so well.  He said, “I just smile and say: first of all it’s much longer than 30 minutes of work and second I don’t get paid.  This is my Church calling and I love it.”  Then he said I add: and see all these wonderful choir members? They’re not paid either. It’s their Church calling and they love it.”

He shared many more things about the Choir. It was a choice experience and we came away feeling so blessed to have this incredible Mormon Tabernacle Choir representing the Church to all the world, and for the sweet opportunity we had that day to rub shoulders with these two terrific speakers and their wives.

Meeting Amazing Grace I loved it!

March 14, 2009

From jenny
Dear Gary & Joy,

It was quite by chance that I happened to be home and even crazier that I had the TV on the day you were on Good Things Utah. Your book caught my attention then I thought that it was even crazier when I had an appointment cancel which gave me the opportunity to run to Costco during your book signing! I read the book in one sitting. It is so precious and how sweetly you deliver the tools for life. I went back to Costco needing 6 books…..they had only 6 left! I love those “holy” coincidences J. I gave one to each of my employees and asked them to read then pass the book on to someone else and ask that person to do the same. We want to see how far we can keep them going. We have asked them to send us an email as well as to you too.

Thank you so much I dearly loved Meeting Amazing Grace!

Sincerely,  Jenny