Journal, Thanksgiving morning

We have had unusually bad weather the last week or so, with a series of storms one after another bringing wind and snow, first to the mountains and benches and then all over. We missed a Temple workers fireside in Provo Sunday evening because it was storming. A serious blizzard (“the storm of the decade”) was forecast starting Tuesday afternoon which caused an unusual number of cancellations of schools, office closures, in anticipation of the storm. You would have almost thought that we back in NC with these kinds of anticipatory closures. It turned out to be mostly a dud of a storm (we got about 2 inches of snow), but it had record Arctic cold behind it. This Thanksgiving morning as the sun rises, our thermometer is reading 3 degrees and there is our usual wind from the Spanish Fork canyon. I wonder what the chill factor might be, minus 10 or 15 perhaps. I am grateful for our warm house.

We had a pre-Thanksgiving family get-to-gether at Matthew and Kims last night (Wednesday) and all of our Utah families came, even those families who are doing something else for Thanksgiving dinner, Soderquists, Stanfords, and Nathan and Gloria. We counted 38 people.

We filled up on pizzas-to-bake from Papa Murphys, played games, and visited.

Matthew and Kim have nearly completed their basement project and their house can absorb at lot of people. They have added some 2400 square feet of finished space in their basement including a large open area. There were people in the one corner watching a movie and in another corner two sets of tables with people playing games at one and putting together a jigsaw puzzle at another, along with Krysta in the new downstairs kitchen making Rice Krispy-marshmallow squares. Upstairs there were people in the kitchen, a group playing a game at the dining table, another movie being watched in the family room, boys playing hide-and-seek throughout the house.

One of my goals for this fall was to get to the point where we could park the Ranger in out if the weather by eliminating the section of furniture and boxes that had been stored in the east side of our garage since mostly before our mission. We are making progress. We were able to pass on some of the things to help Andrew and Britain furnish their apartment in August, and this week we gave the oak dining table and some small furniture that had come from our Taylorsville house to Matthew and Kim to help populate their basement.

This oak table was JoAnn’s pride and joy. She used to joke with family members and say that if they did not do so and so, she would take them out of her will and they would not be in the running to inherit her dining table. Wendy remarked that JoAnn must have been very pleased this night to see a number of her family members again gathered happily around this table.

We left reluctantly while the party was still going strong, because our day had been very long and we were exhausted. Wendy for some reason was not able to sleep on Tuesday night and had spent most of the day in Thanksgiving Day dinner preparations. My face was sore from having a root canal first thing in the morning (Wednesday) at a Provo Dentist, Steve Osmond. (It turned out that my tooth problem over the last several weeks was from an abscess.)

Because of Thanksgiving, we are not having our usual Thursday at the Provo temple this week. We were able to slip in a session on Tuesday early afternoon, between storms.

Monday evening, we attended a production of the musical, Scarlet Pimpernel, at Maple Mountain HS with Matthew’s family. It was lot of fun to see Alyssa in the chorus and cast, especially seeing how much fun she seemed to be having. I sat by Brianna and charged her to tell me every time Alyssa appear on stage (she had a variety of costumes in various scenes and wasn’t always recognizable by me.)

Missionary support, Pt 3

I consider it a great blessing to have been able to provide much of the support for our six children who served missions. (To give credit where credit is due, Aunt Lois generously sent money to help with mission support for some of you.)

It is also a joy to help with the support of grandchild missions.

The debt I incurred on my own mission has been wonderful to try to repay.

Missionary support, Pt 2

Here is way that I have tried to repay a part of the "debt" for my mission support. This is a letter we have used for many years when we give some money to an outgoing missionary:

MICHAEL R. LEWIS MEMORIAL FUND
(February 20, 1975-August 24, 1988)
When Michael Lewis was born, doctors gave little hope for his survival because of a serious heart defect. However, as a small baby he was blessed by the priesthood to "live to fulfill the purposes of his creation," and he did survive heart surgery at two weeks of age, numerous bouts with pneumonia during his first two years, and several other major surgeries and illnesses as he grew older.

Michael loved life! He built a life for himself within the bounds his physical limitations set which was happy and fulfilling for him. He never felt sorry for himself or complained about his health, but accepted each new problem with courage and a maturity beyond his years.

From the time he was four years old he had a great love for scouting, which continued through Cubs and the Boy Scout program. When he became a scout he set a goal to become an Eagle at twelve years of age. If he had a hospital stay coming up, he made sure his requirements were done ahead so he could advance in the least amount of time. He achieved the rank of Eagle in February 1988, just a few days after his 13th birthday, and six month before he passed away. At his Eagle Court of Honor, a friend, a scout leader, a school teacher, and his cardiologist all paid tribute to him for his courage, determination, patience, and persistence.

Michael served in his Deacon's Presidency and as Senior Patrol Leader for Troop 791. As Senior Patrol Leader, he was responsible to conduct Boards of Review for other scouts as they advanced in rank. He would ask each scout the direct question, "Are you planning to go on a mission?" When the scout answered affirmatively, Michael would compliment him on having made that decision. He encouraged the other scouts to commit to serving missions. Michael felt that for an LDS scout to be doing his "duty to God" he should be planning and preparing to be a missionary.

When Michael submitted his application for the Eagle award to the Boy Scouts of America, he stated his own determination to serve a mission for the Church.

Michael was very conscientious in his school work and was on the Honor Roll at Eisenhower Junior High School. One of his favorite classes was Spanish. He wondered whether he would be called on a mission where Spanish was spoken, and was excited about developing skills in that language.

At an early age, Michael learned the usefulness of having money. He always found a way to be earning some. Before he was six years of age, he began selling greeting cards and later had several jobs mowing lawns.

In keeping with a practice we began with Michael's older brothers and sisters, we started a savings account for Michael when he was born. This account was for a mission or perhaps for college expenses. We put a small amount of money into the account each payday; Michael also contributed money to this account from his own earnings. Because of Michael's commitment to missionary work and because of his own contributions to this account, we have consecrated this money as a missionary fund, in his honor, to be used to help others take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all the world as Michael had hoped to do. Please accept this contribution toward your mission expenses in the name of Michael R. Lewis.

May the Lord's blessings be with you as you go about your missionary labors.

Robert and JoAnn Lewis and Family

Missionary support

I was a sophomore at BYU when I decided that I should go on a mission. My parents had very little money and I didn’t think my dad should or would want to provide support. But I worked up a plan. From my talks with other young men who had calls, I figured that I would need about $2000 in the bank to pay for the mission. (Notice how inflation since 1957 has increased that amount 5x.) I had the promise of returning to a job for J. Neils in the logging industry at home, and living at home I could save at least $300 each month, so I calculated that by the first of 1958 I would have enough money.

My plan began to work out as I returned home from school. I was working and saving on schedule. In early August the Branch President (Moz Burles) pulled me aside and said he thought it was time we got started on the call. He (and the branch) had never sent a missionary out before and he wanted to make we got it right. He had read in the Church News (I guess he had a subscription that came in the mail each week, the same as we had in NC) that an apostle, Adams S. Bennion, was going to be at a stake conference in Portland in the next week or so. He had obtained a copy of the mission application forms, which he would fill out. Then on that Saturday, I first would need to drive to The Dalles and get the District President’s signature and then to Portland to the stakehouse to find Elder Bennion. (In those days, a prospective missionary needed an interview with a General Authority as the final step in submitting the papers.)

So, I left Glenwood early on Saturday morning and drove to Lyle, WA where President Burles lived, and picked up the papers. Then I drove to The Dalles and found the District President (I don’t remember whether I had an appointment), got his signature, and then set out for Portland. It was a long drive before the freeway system was completed. It was late afternoon, when I found the Stakehouse in Sellwood (a Portland Suburb). I went there without an appointment or any notice, just trusting in the direction of President Burles to go to the Stake building and try to find Elder Bennion. The building was open, apparently for leadership meetings later in the evening, but only a custodian was present putting the finishing touches on his cleaning. I went back to my car and waited. After some time, a big, black Cadillac pulled into the parking lot near me, and I recognized Elder Bennion in the passenger seat. (He was quite distinguished looking with full head of silver hair and I had seen him in pictures and at a BYU devotional.) I walked over to the car and he rolled down the window and asked how he could help me. I replied that I wanted to go on a mission. He seemed to start with an explanation of all the steps that a person would need to go through, when I showed him the envelope and told him I had all the application papers, but needed an interview with a general authority. He said, “OK, let’s do it now,” and shooed the Stake President out of the car, slid over under the wheel, and invited me to sit in the seat where he had been.

I don’t recall much about the interview except that when he asked me how I would be supported, I went through my plan to have enough money saved to support myself by the end of the year. He said, “Would you be willing to start sooner, if when I get back to Salt Lake, I can find some ways to help?” I agreed, and so he kept the papers, I went back to my car and headed home to Glenwood, where I got home late in the evening.

In about a week and half here came the letter calling me to the North Central States Mission. I reported, as requested, to the Mission Home in Salt Lake (MTC predecessor, located on State Street north of the Beehive House) early in October, still wondering what arrangements Elder Bennion had made for the rest of my support. I had been able to bank about half of the amount needed. When I had some free moments, I walked over to the Church Administration Building to try to find Elder Bennion, but was informed that he was touring the European mission this month. When I explained my dilemma, I was referred to the missionary department and interviewed by the young head of that department, Gordon B. Hinckley. He was very kind. He knew nothing of what Elder Bennion had arranged, but instructed me to meet with my mission president shortly before my own funds were exhausted who would make whatever arrangements that were needed for my continuing support.

So off I went to Minnesota the following week. Along in the Spring of 1958, I had the chance to visit with President Paul Child about the matter of finances. We looked together at the mission application, and, unknown to me, President Burles had completed the section on finances, saying that support would come from the missionary and his family. We then supposed that Elder Bennion and the missionary committee, upon seeing this, had not worried more about my support.

President Child was able to make arrangements for the money I needed. (We were expected to live on $70 a month, which included rent and all other expenses, even purchasing Book of Mormons to give away.) He started by having me sent from the mission a $25 check each month from an anonymous donor. (I always suspected that the donor was President Child himself, but never knew for sure.) A little later, he also made arrangements for the Elders Quorum in the Mid-Columbia District at home to send $45 a month. Most of the strength of the quorum was in The Dalles branch. I learned later that my Uncle Rodney was the quorum secretary at the time and was responsible for collecting the money.

While I appreciated the generosity of whoever was helping provide money for my mission over the last year or so, I always felt a little embarrassed and even maybe a little cheated that I was not able to fully implement my plan to entirely support myself. I resolved in my mind to repay this “debt” by providing support for other missionaries.

Picture: missionary plaque which we had created to hang with our childrens' plaques from the TG1 ward after they started returning from missions.

Late fall color at home and journal

It is surprising how long the fall colors have lasted in spite of some storms and cooler weather. Pictured are one of our flowering Pears, the last Peace and Love roses, and our Hawthorn tree.

We put in our normal double shift at the Provo temple on Thursday and did our usual other temple session on Wednesday afternoon. Wendy also substituted on the early morning shift Friday and did an endowment session after.

I spent quite a lot of time continuing work on the index for the Guy Lewis records that we scanned while still in NC. As I index, I also take a close look at the materials. There is an overwhelming amount of information, occasionally something new of considerable interest, and more often puzzles as to where he got the information, why he interpreted it as he did, what is based on fact and what is based on supposition, etc. I am listing and describing unresolved contradictions as I find them. It sure reminds me of the importance for researchers to leave a clear trail for those who follow about how they reached their conclusions.

This week we started exploring the purchase of a new or newer car to replace our faithful old Town & Country (which is approaching 185,00 miles). We went to some dealers, saw several nice cars, and are finding ourselves still not quite knowing what we really want or need.

I volunteered for a Scouting Committee assignment in the ward yesterday , to be over advancement for the ward programs. I think I will enjoy having a meaningful scouting role again that puts me in contact with the young men with something that comes easy and that I can handle physically. I also attended yesterday the monthly stake Aaronic Priesthood/Unit Commissioners meeting and am still not quite sure what they are up to or what they want of me other than to carry messages to the 12th ward.

We have enjoyed watching (parts of ) five Utah Jazz games this past week in which they have won each won each with big come-backs, the last four while on the road with against tough teams in the Eastern Conference. The most improbable and exciting was the game with Miami Heat in which Millsap, in the last 37 seconds of th game, hit 3 3-pointers plus had a rebound put-back that sent the game into overtime (with 46 points total). We also followed the ups-and-downs of the football Cougars and Utes. BYU is finally rolling and blew out CSU to improve their record to 5-5, while the Utes couldn’t find any offense at Notre Dame and lost their second in a row after starting the season at 8-0.

We had the BYU grandchildren for dinner last night–Andrew and Britain, Staci, Heidi along with cousin Ellyn Soderquist. It sure is wonderful to associate with such nice people and to see them growing and progressing in their lives. We are also on the forwarding list for e-mails from Daniel and Paul, and have received the first two weeks’ worth, which are providing cute insights into their experiences at the MTC and their development at missionaries and as twin-less personalities.

I overdid with some exercises on Friday, that left me with an aching and stiff back. I also have been having a tooth ache, that seems to be the result of lost of gum material that exposes a nerve that is quite heat and cold sensitive. Thank goodness for Ibuprofen that helped me get a good sleep last night.

KIngs Peak

I came across this wonderful picture of Kings Peak, and it brought back some delicious memories. Because of its positioning between other high mountains, it is hard to get a good picture. Kings Peak, in the Uintas, at 13,528 feet above sea level, is Utah's highest point.

I climbed it twice, both on scout 50 milers. The first was with Denton Haueter as scoutmaster. Matthew was a young scout on that trip, and I best remember him taking a nap on a flat rock at the top to recover from the effects of altitude. We slid off the top on a snowfield using our rain slickers.

The second was when I was Varsity Coach with Dave Ricketts and Larry Knowlden as assistants. I am trying to remember if David was on that trip or not--help me David. A highlight of the second trip was Dave Ricketts having the Llama, Nebraska, to carry his pack.

In the picture Kings Peak is the snowy, pointed mountain peaking through a sort of pass between the two closest ridges toward the far right of the picture. The picture appears to have been taken from a little ridge, and has a southward view across Henry's Basin. The route to the top generally starts in Painter Basin which is across the Ridge to the left of Kings Peak through Gunsight pass, which is not shown in the picture but is just out of view to the left (I think). The route continues to Anderson Pass which can be seen at the top of the snowy talus slope up from Henry's Fork immediately in front of Kings Peak. Some brave souls take a short cut to Anderson Pass by scrambling of this slope. The final 1500 feet of the climb is bolder-hopping along the north ridge of Kings Peak. This ridge is clearly shown on the photo.

Happy birthday to Wendy

We spent Friday doing things to help Wendy celebrate her birthday. We went to Salt Lake, where she had lunch with her girl friends, had dessert with all of her sons (also John’s girl friend, Mia), did an endowment session at the Jordan River Temple, and dropped in to see Hilary and her family. On Sunday, she had a nice birthday visit from Emilie and Scott and kids, and dinner at Matthew and Kimberly’s to help celebrate. There were also many calls and birthday cards. The picture shows Wendy with a pumpkin flower arrangement, created by Megan. Very nice.

On a very personal note, the thought came to us that Wendy is now older than JoAnn was, when she passed away. I feel grateful for every moment I had with JoAnn, and am also very grateful for the four and a half years of marriage to Wendy, who is a wonderful companion.

Fenway Park tour

In 1946 when I turned 9 years old, I began to follow major league baseball. The Boston Red Sox won the American league championship that year and became my team. I remember well the stars that year, including Ted Williams (lf), Johnny Pesky (ss), Bobby Doerr (2b, Dom Dimaggio (cf). They famously lost the seventh game of the World Series with the Cardinals, when in the 8th inning the Card’s Enos Slaughter came all the way around to score from first base on a single. According to lore, Pesky double-clutched on the relay throw to allow the score. We had a really fun time touring Fenway Park with David on Tuesday morning. We heard all sorts of trivia and lore about the place:

• It’s the oldest park in MLB (built in 1912 and soon to be on the National Historic Register)
• The name Fenway came from a street that ran through a fen (swampy area)--much of Boston city is land reclaimed from Boston Bay or the Charles River.
  
• The Curse of the Bambino, where the owner sold off (and didn't replace) his star players to New York of all places, including the great Babe Ruth, so that he could finance a production of No, No, Nanette. (His first love was Broadway.)
• Pesky pole (RF foul line marker) supposedly memorializing a home run by the light-hitting shortstop that curled around the pole into the short right field porch and won a game.
• Fisk’s Pole (LF foul line marker) memorializing a 1975 world series walk-off home run by the catcher Carlton Fisk in the 12th inning of the 6th game, in which he was caught on- camera jumping and trying to wave the ball fair on his way to first base. The ball appeared to be going foul but hit the foul pole for a home run. According to legend, a cameraman kept the camera on Fisk rather than the ball as he was assigned to do, because he was distracted by a rat in the camera booth, thus changing the practice of TV to focus on the players rather than the play.
• The Green Monster (short distance–310 feet from home plate– but 37 foot tall left field wall, with antiquated hand-kept scoreboard.) A little man with a step ladder comes out a door in the wall to make changes between innings. Also has the Ladder to Nowhere, which according to the tour guide when a batted ball gets caught in the ladder it’s a ground rule triple–the only ground rule triple in baseball. (It has never happened, by the way.)
• The Lone Red Seat (high in the right field bleachers) commemorating the longest home run ever hit in the park (502 feet), by Ted Williams in 1946. Oddly, it struck a Yankee fan named Mr. Boucher, who was dozing under a straw hat in the warm afternoon sun. Red Sox fans compounded the problem by cheering when they learned that the victim was for the Yankees.
  

Isn't baseball wonderful!

The shot heard ‘round the world

On Monday, we drove with David and Ben to the explore the Lexington-Concord historical sites. We started at the Lexington Green (about 15 minutes away by car) where the first shots of the Revolutionary War were fired and the first colonist deaths occurred. Then along the road toward Concord (Isaac had made sure we said it right, “CON-crd”) we stopped at a new Visitors Center, with a new well-done video about the conflict starting with the ride of Paul Revere, etc., the march of the British first to Lexington, then on to Concord, and then returning to Boston under fire all the way.

(By the way, Paul Revere had a compatriot, William Dawes, who left at the same time from Boston over a land route–Revere was rowed across the Charles River and took a shorter route–they both arrived in Lexington about midnight, to warn Samuel Adams and John Hancock to leave. Revere did not say “The British are coming”, but rather, and quietly, “The regulars are coming,” since there were British patrols about At Lexington, Revere and Dawes were joined by Dr. Prescott, of Concord, who had been making a visit in Lexington to a lady friend. Just out of Lexington, they were stopped by a British patrol. Dr. Prescott leaped his horse over a fence and escaped to carry the word to Concord. The patrol took Revere’s horse so he couldn't go further.)

Next we visited a portion of the old Concord Road, restored to look much like it was in 1775, near at existing tavern (Hartwell) that still stands. As we walked, we enjoyed a giggly Ben teasing his dad by jumping on his shadow. Finally, we visited the Old North Bridge and visitor’s center at Concord, where the first colonist shots were fired. Crossing the reconstructed bridge, Ben paused to happily throw sticks in the water.

To me, the visit to the Lexington-Concord area was compelling and gave me a kind of spiritual feeling, both because of the battle deaths that occurred there and because the events were so significant in leading to our nation’s independence and freedom.

Pictured: MInuteman statue on Lexington Green, Lexington-Concord Road, Hartwell tavern, Ben at the Concord Bridge monument, Concord Bridge

Mt. Auburn cemetery

Sunday afternoon, we drove to an interesting old cemetery called Mt. Auburn, with thousands of elaborate headstones and monuments and with a tower on the highest point that gave us a 360 degree view of the the whole area from Belmont into the Boston skyline to the east. And in something of the opposite direction, we could see the spire of the temple on the ridge to the NW.

The autumn colors were especially beautiful from the top of the tower, bright with yellows, golds and bronzes.

Belmont ward

The building is contiguous with the temple, which is on an elevated ridge just NE of the chapel. A trail makes the connection up to the temple grounds. The chapel is modern and has an unusual 2-level design with classrooms on the lower level, due probably to the slope of the land. A cultural hall is not connected to the main building. There are two smallish parking areas, each surrounded by trees. The whole area is wooded and quite pretty.

It was stake conference, and the leaders had arranged to have a video transmission from the stakehouse in Cambridge to all the chapels in the stake including the Belmont building and that is where we attended. Bishop McMullen of the Presiding Bishopric was the visiting authority and spoke on our basic responsibilities of members and urged continual study of the Book of Mormon, etc.

Pictures: Temple spire from Belmont chapel; stairs at the end of the trail from the chapel up to the temple--David with Henry and Isaac and Ben running ahead; one of Isaac's favorite activities--kicking leaves

Apple farm

We learned that Massachusetts is a major apple-growing state, and we tasted a number of varieties from there. On Saturday afternoon we went with the whole family to Honey Pot Hill Orchards in Stow, MA, possibly a 20-30 minute drive NW of Belmont. This is a working apple orchard (u-pick earlier in the season) with its own store and also a farm animal petting zoo, pigs, goats, sheep, rabbits, chickens. Ben seemed especially thrilled with the animals and bravely fed pellets to sheep and petted rabbits through the mesh in their cages.

In the evening, Wendy and I tended the boys so that David and Rebecca could do some shopping, have dinner, and attend the evening session of Stake conference. We fed them macaroni and cheese, played with them and read stories, and bathed them and put them to bed. It was a great time.

Trunk or Treat

The three wards that attend the Belmont chapel had their Halloween on Friday evening with a madhouse Trunk or Treat in the church parking lots.

Here are the Lewis guys in costume.

Boston Temple

On Friday morning, Rebecca was volunteering at school, David tending the kids, and we had the opportunity to do a couple of endowment sessions at the Boston Temple. We ended the visit by eating codfish bisque for lunch at the temple cafeteria.

This temple is very pretty and in an attractive setting on the highest point on a prominent ridge. It is mid-sized, reminding me of the Oquirrh Mountain temple in its internal layout and functionality, with a grand staircase and two double ordinance rooms. Like the DC temple, it sits on a major expressway, and appears suddenly and grandly as you drive along.

We also helped Isaac celebrate his 6th birthday this day.

In the afternoon, we took a drive with the whole family going along both sides of the Charles River to and from Boston. We passed Harvard, MIT, and Boston U. The river scene was quite pretty, and the fall leaves were still colorful even though, perhaps, were a few days past their prime. The weather was much cooler starting with this day.

Pictures taken on Sunday.

Futbol player Isaac

On Thursday in the early evening we went a soccer practice for Isaac’s team and saw them play their final game on Saturday. David has been an assistant coach.

I will say that, in common with other players of his age that I know, he occasionally showed signs that he was into the game and that he was beginning to acquire some basic knowledge and skills for the game of soccer. His parents reported that he was improved over last year in Springville.

Picture: Isaac doing a practice exercise, kicking the one ball to hit and knock the second ball off its pedestal.

Boston Freedom Trail walk

Thursday gave us a beautiful warm sunny fall morning. Rebecca dropped David, Wendy and me off at the subway station (the “T” or MBTA) not too far from their apartment, and we rode the Red Line into downtown Boston and then did a walking tour of historic sites (Faneuil Hall, Old State House, Boston Massacre site, Old South Church, Kings Chapel and burial ground) and saw the Old North Church (of the famous “two if by sea” lanterns). It was very interesting to hear of the politics of the days just prior to the Revolutionary War and how public support for independence came about.

For lunch we had NE clam chowder at the historic Quincy Market.

Pictures: Old State House (Declaration of Independence first read here, Boston Massacre nearby); Samuel Adams statue; Benjamin Franklin statue (he was born in Boston); Spire of Old South Church (organizing point for Boston Tea Party); Paul Revere statue; Old North Church interior

Visit to Boston

Wendy and I have been in Boston this past week, visiting with David and Rebecca and family. We so appreciate how good they were to us and the sacrifices they made to have us there with them (like making us use their bed while they slept on cots in the older boys’ room). And David took the days off from work, and he and the family spent much time in squiring us around to show us the Boston area.

We left our home on Tuesday evening, October 26th, and drove to Wendy’s sister’ place (Bonnie and husband Steve) in Bennion (near 6200 S. and Redwood Road). We stayed the night and Steve drove us out early to the airport to catch a 9 am Southwest Airlines flight Wednesday morning. We changed planes at Chicago Midway and arrived in Boston about 5:30 pm. We were thankful to barely miss a huge blizzard and wind storm that was centered in Minnesota but aided the jet stream in giving us an extra push eastward at nearly 200 mph (so said the pilots) and we got to both destinations early. Wendy was a little disconcerted?? to discover that we were flying over water (Lakes Michigan and Erie and also in our approach into Boston where we circled way out into the Atlantic and then landed on a runway that extends out into Boston Bay so that we couldn’t see land until we touched down), but thankfully we got back to on firm dry land for our landing.

David and Isaac met us and we were soon at their apartment in Belmont. We found Belmont to be a suburb about 10-15 miles west of Boston city center, in a wooded, slightly hilly area, with rivers and lakes (called “ponds” in MA) nearby. It has a population of about 25,000, mostly residential, appears to have been built out by the 1950s, has a wealthy high end area and all real estate pricey, and quite a few academics and business leaders living there due to its proximity to Harvard, MIT, other colleges, and various business headquarters. It also is a sort of LDS gathering place, having the Boston Temple and enjoying at least two wards, including some prominent members, including Mitt Romney and his family.

We stayed for a week and left for home on an 8 am flight that went through Denver and got to Salt Lake about 1 pm Mountain time. Steve picked us up in our Town & Country, we dropped him off back at his work, and we got home about 3 pm to beautiful fall weather.

We came away from the visit being most appreciative of two things:
1) seeing for ourselves how hard David and Rebecca are working to be good parents and to try to teach their guys the Gospel, our being a part of their family prayers, teaching the scriptures, going to church together, etc., and
2) it was a wonderful time to get much better acquainted with their boys and they with us:
Isaac–serious, precocious, fascinated with science and other learning, reading very well aloud (the scriptures), grasped the concept of and helped me work 4-star Sudokus
Ben–active and loved physical play, liked to hide and chase, laughed and giggled a lot, smart, happy, active, always kind to Henry
Henry–robust, solidly built, walking confidently, friendly, always smiling, always exploring, reminds me of a junior Holden.