Wendy and I keep trying to put down roots wherever we move...it just hasn't happened yet. We lived in Layton, UT for the last three years. We loved it there and felt tremendously blessed that the Lord put us there for a short while. However, that while is now ended and we're in the process of moving again.
As usual, I move first due to work and Wendy is left behind to take care of all of the difficult challenges of moving a house. Fortunately, my employer has provided a moving company to pack and move our belongings.
I've been living in the Irving, TX area (between Dallas and Fort Worth) for the last month. I can testify to the truthfulness of Genesis 2:18, "It is not good that the man should be alone." I'm really looking forward to having my wife and son join me in a couple of weeks.
In the mean time, I have found great strength in attending church on Sunday. I find my time with the saints to be a refuge from the storm of life. Fortunately, I think that I may have found the friendliest ward in the church. That would be the Dallas 6th Ward. I attended a couple of wards in the area. Walking into this ward, I was greeted by several people that all went out of their way to introduce me to others. I was sitting on the back row and Alfred, (a very kindly gentleman), came back to me and said, "Why don't you come sit with me?" You need to read that last sentence with a Scottish accent to fully appreciate Alfred.
Alfred is also the class president for the Gospel Doctrine class. At the beginning of Sunday School he introduced me to everyone. After Sunday School, he assigned someone to take me to priesthood.
I was introduced again to the group in opening exercises. I mentioned in both of my introductions that I was looking for a house to rent. The next week when I came back a woman came up to me and said, "Have you found a place to live yet? I found a place in our ward boundaries but I didn't know how to get a hold of you." That is fellowshipping.
As I've been looking for a place to live I have tried to fashion my prayers along the lines of, "Lord send me where you want me to be." After attending the Dallas 6th ward my prayers were, "Lord send me where you want me to be, and if it happens that you want me in the Dallas 6th Ward, that's okay with me too."
I found a house in the ward for my family and me. I'm so grateful to the Lord that I have found such a friendly ward and I look forward to the opportunity to getting involved.
Good bye Layton, UT. I made a lot of great friends there. You were definitely the place I needed to live for the last few years. The Lord, Wendy, Colby and I all know why we lived there.
We're looking forward to new chalenges and making new friends in Dallas.