A Wonderful Friday the 13th!

This morning I was able to take a dear friend of mine to the Columbia River Temple. My friend is Maxine Carlson from Ephrata. She is a beautiful, classy, and a sweet, sweet woman. Here is a picture of Maxine and I outside the doors of the Temple after we'd finished a session today. (Thanks for taking the picture, Brianne....she met us at the Temple and went through the session with us.) Let me tell you a little about Maxine....

Maxine is in her 80's. I've known Maxine for years...well, I knew who she was when I was growing up, lets say that! Her son, Doug is my age and we dated a little bit (a day or two!) in high school! I was going to "save" him or so I thought! Bad decision! Anyway, the Carlson's were a family that wasn't active in the church. There were 3 older girls born to Maxine and then quite a few years later she had 5 boys really close together so it's like she raised two families. She and her husband were both raised in Idaho Falls and Maxine's family was active, I believe, while she was growing up. She got married, had kids and all of her kids have been baptised but they were never active. She'd send the boys to Primary once in awhile but that was about all the church they had.

Many, many years went by and we moved back to Ephrata and into the same ward as Maxine. I then was assigned to be her visiting teacher and I was thrilled. I called her that first month to set up a time to go visit her, told her who I was and she was tickled, too, that I had been assigned to her. We instantly had a connection and enjoyed each others company. I always looked forward to my next visit. We always had great talks and lots to talk about!

During the time I was her visiting teacher, her husband died. I was glad and grateful that I was her visiting teacher at that time. Our visits continued and she had stressed to me on many occasions that she always had a desire to go to church. After her husband died, she stressed that desire even more but she was afraid she'd get asked to pray! I promised her that no one would ask her to pray...............was that all that was keeping her from church? The talks and visits continued...........

.....then we moved to Moses Lake. I told her even though I wouldn't be her visiting teacher anymore I'd still keep in touch. I did here and there but not on a regular basis like I should have! The next thing I knew......she was going back to church......and then the next thing I knew.....she was going to the Temple for the first time!! I was ecstatic! Maxine asked someone in the ward to call me and tell me she would be going through the Temple and wanted me to be there. I had a conflict and couldn't be there! Come to find out I was told the wrong date! I felt sooooo bad that I had missed it! But so happy for her!

A few weeks after, I got a call at work from her daughter, Linda. She called to ask if I could come over to her Mom's. Maxine's 58 year old (about that) daughter, Brenda who had Downs Syndrome had died and they needed some help. When I got there they were both really upset and they needed help with arrangements. I was so thrilled that they had thought to call me. It meant the world to me! I stayed until we had the funeral planned and phone calls made for who they wanted to take part in the service. I was honored to help!

Maxine has since been sealed for time and all eternity to her parents, her husband, Brenda and her oldest daughter who passed away a few years ago have both been sealed to Maxine and Vaughn. I am so proud of Maxine and the courage it has taken for her to be where she is now!

Thank you, Maxine, for being a dear friend and letting me be a part of your life! It's truly an honor and a blessing. May the Temple trips continue......

When I got home from the Temple these were sitting on my counter! Being the private detective I am I'm almost certain they're from Holli, my dear D-i-l! Thank you, Holli!

So you see, Friday the 13th isn't at all what it's cracked up to be!