A Small World

Thursday, October 24, 2013

Tonight was the Suitland Stake Auxiliary Training meeting.  Bro. Volk from the Stake Presidency asked us if we were going to attend.  We told him we had not heard about it.  It wasn't really for missionaries, but since it was for Ward Relief Society Presidencies, he thought it might give us the opportunity to meet more of the women who serve in the Stake.  But, Sister. Boone's daughter and granddaughter came for a visit this weekend and Sister Boone said she would not be attending.  Sister Ramon, the Stake RS President called and invited me to go to the meeting with her and her Secretary.  She said she would like to introduce me to the rest of the RS leaders in the Stake, and I would be able to listen to them discuss their concerns regarding Family History, Visiting Teaching, and the Stake activation plan called Focus Fifteen, all of which are a part of our focus as well.  I thought it was worthwhile to attend, and enjoyed the interaction with some of the sisters in the Stake. 

There was an added bonus after the meeting (besides the refreshments).  While we were driving to the meeting the topic came up that I had grown up in Montana.  Sister Ramon told me that there is a sister in her ward who is from Montana.  I mused how kids at college when I was attending Ricks College would say, "You're from Montana?  Do you know so-and-so?  They are from Montana."  I would say there is a fat chance of that happening since Montana is the 4th largest state.  And they were usually from clear across the state.

After the meeting was over, the sister that we were talking about introduced herself to me as Sister Edward.  She said, 'What part of Montana are you from?"  I told her the Billings Stake.  

She said, "We used to be in the Billings Stake."  

I said, "We lived about 80 miles east in the Musselshell Valley."  

She said "Lavina, Rygate…"

I said, "Those are towns in my school district [that we played ball against].  I went to Musselshell." 

She said, "I know Musselshell."  

I said, "We went to school in Musselshell and church in Melstone."  

She said, "I know Melstone."  

Then she asked if I knew Barr Edward or John and Donna Edward.  I told her I remembered them but was quite young when they moved away from our branch.  (It is coming back now.  I vaguely remember Barr and Darla but not the other kids, Brent, Annette, and Ross—names sound familiar.)  Then she asked me if I knew the Savages.  I said "My mom is Rose Savage, sister to Ven, and Bert, and Gil (and the rest)."  Then we made the connection.  Her husband is Ross Edward, the youngest son of John and Donna, the family that used to be in my home branch.  It was a fun discovery for me.  She wrote down my name and email address and my dad and mom's names so that she can tell Ross about us.  It is interesting how often people in this worldwide church make connections with others and especially here in the DC area where so many people from all over the country are brought together because of some connection with the military or federal government.  It really is a small world.

A quick search on the internet produced the obituary of John and Donna's oldest son, Barr who died in May 2011.  His dad died in 1989 and his mom in 1995—(they are buried in Ogden, Utah.)