Birthday was PERFECT

Shaun took the day off so we slept in...well Shaun slept in because I was too excited I guess. I woke up at 6:30 and just laid there. It was like the feeling Kristine and I got the night before we were waking up to drive to California when we were little.

Drove to my favorite doughnut place and had some fat for breakfast. Then drove to the DMV for Shaun to get his license renewed. We waited THREE hours and we were 3 numbers away from ours being called but we had to leave to get to our couples massage. It was so frustrating so of course the massage was what we needed. It was amazing.

IMPORTANT side note. So you have all read my amazing story with my maintenance man, Wally. The timing with these run ins with him has been so unbelievable. I have ran into him a few times since our big talk on the way to the mail, and going to get laundry. He just happens to be doing work where I am walking. So this didn't surprise me...But I left the DMV to go get my documents because we figured since we were there forever, I might as well get my name changed on my license. As I am walking up the stairs, I see Wally walking down and his face gets super happy. "I just knocked on your door. Do you have a blue book for me?" I WAS THRILLED. I hadn't seen him in a while so I wasn't able to get the spanish book of mormon to him. I invited him in and gave him the book and talked to him for a little bit. BEST BIRTHDAY PRESENT EVER. (considering that I have been surrounded by mormons in Utah all my life, I am basically a first timer on this and was so thrilled)

Then we got home from the massage and grabbed our stuff to head to the temple. We have been trying to go to the temple for a while now but it never works out so this was the PERFECT way to spend the birthday. We rushed to get to the temple clothes shop so SJ could buy a white tie. We buy it and then go back to the car because he forgot his recommend in there. He pops open the trunk to put his tie in the temple bag and then closes the trunk and walks to the front to open the car door. WHOOPS locked his keys in the trunk. I was so bummed because we wanted to get into the 6:00 session and it was currently 5:30! I HATE SATAN. Long story short, I went in to wait for him and I am waiting by the door to go into the room @ 5:59 and I hear the best noise I could hear: Shaun clearing his throat loudly like he usually does. HE MADE IT! WE MADE IT! It was a beautiful small session. And a great birthday event.

We ended the night with dinner and then came home to a surprise. My husband coordinated all of our friends and family in Utah to make me little birthday videos for me to watch. I loved it so much. It was such a great day. So spoiled by my wonderful husband. 

Tender Mercy: The Maintenance Man

I have seen Wally around the apartment grounds always waving to people with a happy face. I was glad when I opened my door this morning, that it was Wally who took our maintenance order to fix our lightbulbs. We started talking a little bit about his workday and the different people that he meets. I told him that we moved from Utah and he said his brother just moved there. He said that was where the Mormon's live. And I said I was one.

He said "I knew it! I knew because of how happy and educated you were."

He has had a few friends that were part of the church and always thought they were so pleasant. He kept using the term educated.

He began to share with me that when he lived in Guatemala as a teenager, missionaries came to try to "enroll" him in the church but he wasn't interested. He really enjoyed the "blue book" (book of mormon) though. He then shared with me a story that brought me to tears. He has a LDS friend that invited him and his wife to church. They arrived earlier than the friend but decided to just still go in. He said that nobody said a word to them. The only reason they looked at him was probably because what he was wearing "wasn't what they were wearing." He wasn't too offended he said, but was just mostly so embarrassed. I couldn't believe it. It made me think of how many times that I have seen visitors and I totally didn't even give them a second look. What if that could have been an amazing experience for him and his wife? I felt so sad for him.

Wally told me some of the things that he knew about our church. One of which was how my husband and I were "specially connected" when we got married. Of course he meant being sealed. I pointed to our picture of Shaun and I walking out of the temple doors and how that is where it happened with the right priesthood power. He seemed disappointed saying, "that looks like just a door. Where's the castle?" Then we looked up pictures of the temple on my computer to show him that castle-like look.

He said he had heard of "the smith boy" and asked me to tell him a little bit more. To be honest I was so overwhelmed with having such an amazing opportunity to share my testimony that I was so nervous. I began talking about who Joseph Smith was and the grove etc. We got out the bible (I admit, I suggested us to get it out because I TOTALLY FORGOT which exact scripture it was) and shared with him the scripture in James that Joseph Smith read. It made me so grateful for missionaries and jealous at the same time. Bearing my testimony to my new friend was so incredible. This is what missionaries feel daily. I'm so excited for my sister Kristine to experience that.

We started talking about his family and I learned that his other brother was murdered by a man in Guatemala 11 years ago. His brother left his young family behind and that just didn't make sense in his mind. Seeing him get so emotional when I told him that I believed he will see his brother again was so touching.

Wally: Even my Mom?!
Me: Yes!
Wally: What? I'll be like, hey mommy make me a hot meal!"

He was intrigued that we believed that the deceased get to still have a chance to accept the gospel and how we do baptisms for the dead. He was a bit confused thinking, "well how do I do it? Is he just sitting around waiting for me to do it??" I so enjoyed his innocence.

Wally has such a good spirit. He is so kind and respectful. He was excited to meet Shaun next time and speak spanish with him. Wally stood out to me ever since I moved here. I know it was for a reason that he came to fix my lightbulb and how the two appointments after me got canceled so he could talk to me for a couple hours. He left with a conference talk that I had laying around from one of my YW lessons I had taught that Sunday about the purpose of life on earth. And he asked for a "blue book." He told me that he would try to look passed his embarrassment and to let him know if there is a church near by that he could visit. We're going to see if we can find a spanish branch where SJ can go with him and his family.

I'm so very grateful for my testimony and knowing the things that I know for certain. I'm grateful for people like Wally who are forgiving of others actions, that have an open heart to simply listen, and people who are able to see the difference between me and the other neighbors that he helps. Even if nothing happens from this, it still will probably be one of the most incredible experiences of my life. I needed someone to testify to. And Wally helped me with that.