I’m thinking this evening about my good friends.  I have so many good friends surrounding me who are engaged in good causes.  This morning early I went to a Young Women’s Event in Salt Lake organized by a dear friend, Cathy Duffin, who inspires girls to be happy and virtuous.  The guest Speaker was a lady named Kitty de Ruyter Bon who was born in Indonesia and who survived the Japanese Concentration Camps there during WWII.  Her story was moving and reminded me of Corrie ten Boon’s.  I was grateful as I listened to her, grateful for Cathy who makes good things happen.

Then I spent several hours working with Rick Turley as we are preparing to publish The Theodore Turley Papers this year.  We’ve been working on this project for some time now, and this is the year we hope to finish it.  I love reading and transcribing old documents and I love working with Rick.  He’s a brilliant historian and a dear friend.  This week he received a huge national award for his work: http://www.ldschurchnews.com/articles/64308/Assistant-Church-Historian-honored-by-national-group.html

Then I came home and found 80 new pair of underwear dropped off at my door by a kind and generous neighbor, LaDawn, who loves everyone, even girls she doesn’t know in Mali.  And my friend, Lorri texted to tell me we now have 2,256 feminine hygiene pads (liners) completed by women all over the valley we’ve met in the last few weeks.  That’s almost enough for 300 more girls who will be able to stay in school every day, all month.

Then this evening we had an Open House for Aaron, who will be leaving on his mission Tuesday.  Tomorrow he’ll be speaking in church, his Farewell Talk.  Tonight the house was filled with neighbors and friends and family who came to wish him well and who asked me how I can bear to send a son off to another country for 2 years.  I love my friends.  They know these are tender times.

So tonight, I’m just sitting here, thinking about my dear friends, reading some kind emails and feeling grateful to be on this earth, surrounded by good people who I love very much.