November 11, 2013
Today I was shown an example of Christ like love by a woman I never knew.
This morning Vance and I got up extra early in order to get to a church building in Twin Falls so I could register for classes and so that Vance wouldn't be late for work because of it. After getting registered for all the classes I needed we drove over to Vance's work and he headed in. Well because I am still getting used to driving and I knew that the church building by the temple was open I headed that way. While driving up I saw an old woman go in the building, so I decided I would make sure she knew I was there (I didn't want to scare her) and to see if it was ok for me to stay there. I got to the building and tried the doors, they were locked but that wasn't the side we went in before so I walked around and went in. I heard the organ playing and headed for it. I was expecting her to turn when I came in but nothing, not even when I got right up on the stand. When the music got a little quieter I made a little noise trying to get her attention. I told her my plans and she said it should be fine but how long was I going to stay and replied till about 3:00, it was only 7:30am at the time and I told her my reason. She just sat there for a little bit and then asked if I wanted to go home with her, the church building didn't have any heating on yet and her house was a warm 76 degrees. I kindly declinded and said how I had brought stuff to do and I dont mind the cold. Well that wasn't good enough for her she told me that she was going to practice the organ for a little but more then we were going to head back to her place.
Well we left and headed to her place, which was just across the street. We got in and she showed me her house and how she came to live there.
She used to live in Logan taking care of her mother who has Alzheimer's. Because the temple was so close on Logan she was able to go there and back before her mother woke up. Soon her children told her she needed to move close to at least one of them, she thought about it when one day one of her daughter's called her and told her that Gordon B. Hinckly had been to Twin Falls and announced that there was to be a temple. She was going to move now. At first she lived on the other side of town in an apartment. But she layer got a call from her other daughter who is in releastate and told her to see if there was any property near the temple and if so to buy it. She found a lot right across from the temple and bought it with the promise that her daughter was going to build a house there for her. Now she lives literally facing the temple.
Anyways... so after the tour I sat down at the table (I was too shy to sit anywhere else) She would talk to me know and then about her kids and what not. While I wrote in my little blue journal. Once I was done with it we talked a little while she cleaned her kitchen. Soon I got a call from Vance just asking if I wanted to eat lunch with him, since I was actually in town. I told him a little about my situation and declined the offer because that would mean more driving by myself... which I didn't think I could handle. He understood and we said goodbye and hung up. The woman asked me if that was my husband unsaid yes and told her what was going on. Well she surprised me yet again. She told me that she going and feeds her mom lunch at that time (her mom and her husband are both in a nursing home now) and if I wanted she could take me over to have lunch with Vance and pick me up I was done. I immediately said yes, thank you and I called Vance back.
We still had a while till then and when she was done with what she was doing she asked me what I was working on (my little blue book) I told her that it was a journal I was keeping off all the "adventures" my husband and I had had and I asked her if she wanted to look through it. She was so excited. She needed to go visit a friend who just got out of the hospital but she couldnt wait to go through the book.
While she was away I got a little more comfortable and moved to a comfier seat and called my mom to tell her all how I got kidnapped by an old lady in a church building.
Once she got back she commented on how she was happy I moved to a softer chair :) I asked her about the pictures she had in her house (her kitchen had a little outside counter thing full of them) and she proceeded to introduce me to everyone, to her children, grandchildren and even great grandchildren! Her family was huge full of blood relatives and people who just adopted her as their grandmother. her house was also covered in pig things, she told mw how's she collected them and then proceeded to show me some of the funnier once that her son had given her, like a beanie baby kosher pig that he had a butcher do for him, it had the stamp and all.
Pretty soon it was lunch time, she had some coconut covered marshmallows and gave some to me to share with Vance for dessert. We left and ended up stopping at Kmart because she needed to pick up something's. After that she dropped me off to where I was going to meet Vance and then headed off to the nursing home. I told Vance the whole story and we laughed about how crazy it was.
Vance headed back to work and I only had to wait a little bit till she came back. Once back at her place we were about to get started on my journal when her daughter called her. Earlier we had picked up some donut holes for this daughter. I guess this is something that she does everyday. She helps her daughter out in her class (she's a teacher) and brings her donut holes everyday. So we headed out to where her daughter worked, she wanted her to meet me so her daughter wouldnt get on her for bringing a stranger home.
Once back we started on the book. I told her how I was the one to chase Vance not him chase me and she laughed because that as kinda how her and her first husband had met. (I say first because she had been married before he current husband. He died when his truck was blown over by the wind. The amazing thing is how he would usually take their son with him but this time he decided not to. But anyways her first husband is the one she is and always will be sealed to, she said she is never giving it up) anyways she told me how when she was registering for classes, back when you do it all in person, she had seen him across the room and their eyes met. She went home and told her mom that she foo d a guy she wanted to go on a date with, and later she learned that he went home ans told his mom that he and found the girl he was going to marry. Well everyday for weeks she would walk ( she said stomp) past all the class rooms hoping he would see her and ask her out. Until finally one day he did. I guess he was expremely shy on the date and ended by said that he had a question he wanted to ask her but he was afraid she was going to say no, she just said it never hurts to ask and so he said, "will you go steady with me?" She was so excited, finally! Haha
So we continued on with my book she would ask about every picture and comment on them. saying how cute we were together and how handsome Vance was. When we got to the section on Skype I told her how for a period of time we were apart and had to Skype. This lead to her telling me another story about how only after going steady for a few months her husband had to go to Korea of training, he was going into the marines. The first letter she got from his was different than she thought it was going to be instead of the dry, hi how are you I am fine... it was Hi Honey!!!
We talked and talked and I just learned and learned we kept going through the nook and told each other stories of our loves.
Finally the time came for me to leave and go get Vance so she drove me back to my car and before I got out I just told her thank you and hugged her. Then she did something very unexpected, from a pocket in her car she pulled out a 20 dollar bill and said do something fun with you husband. We said I love you too each other and I left.
Earlier she told me how miraculous is was that we met. She usually practices earleier because she helps her daughter with class but since there was no class she decided to be a little lazy and wait, which I guess is very rare for her. And then she said how the doors shouldnt had been open for me to get in.
Spending my day with her taught me so much I loved hearing all the stories she had and how our lives were so similar. All throughout the day she was giving me advice that I hope I never forget And the funny thing is its stuff that I have been trying to learn and had been struggling with. She didn't know, she had barely just met me and was following what she thought her Heavenly Father wanted from her. When I was telling Vance about her he told me how she reminds him of me. I hope that one day i can be as kind and loving as her, that I can have the courage to invite someone in need into my home.
When we were first talking about my book she told me to cherish every moment I have with my husband and to cherish the little blue book. I barely even know this woman but I can truley and honestly say I love her... Eloise Shirley Bringhurst.
