Yesterday something pretty exciting happened.  Thirty-three years ago I met Alan and Leigh Chazen in South Africa when I was a missionary there.  For 33 years we have been best friends.  This week they sent their daughter, Baili, off on an 18-month mission.  She was assigned to serve at the Historic Temple Square in Salt Lake City.  After a 25 hour trip, her plane landed yesterday at 4:07 p.m.  As she came down the escalator, I felt like I was seeing the face of a soul I’ve known and loved a long time.  What a thrill to welcome Baili to Utah and to her mission here.  I’m so happy for her and was so very happy to see Alan and Leigh in her smile and hear their voices in hers.  I love them each with all my heart.

We drove around Temple Square and showed Baili the Conference Center below, where some of the best people on this earth congregate.  It was so fun to watch her take it all in.  It’s beautiful and inspiring.

Then we walked through Temple Square, which will be her home base in the coming months as she welcomes visitors and guests to this historic and sacred spot.

We met two other Sister Missionaries who are currently serving in this place.  They will become good friends after Baili completes her 3 weeks of training at the Missionary Training Center in Provo.

I am grateful for the blessings I’ve enjoyed because many years ago I answered a call to serve far away in Africa.  Every part of my life is better because of who I met and what I learned when I was there.  Today was just one more evidence of that.

Below–Alan and Leigh Chazen 26 Dec 1982:Alan and Leigh today: