By Their Fruit

I have such wonderful friends.  The very best.  I'm so grateful for all of them - the ones I see all the time, the ones I never (or very rarely) see, but love just the same.

My Michelle is about to have a baby!  I'm so excited!  Brooke was here from Africa and so we had a little reunion with CJ (plus husbands and many children!)!  Anne and Taylor were here last night. Janna sends me the sweetest little notes in the mail that always make me cry with love.  Heather and I had a great talk the other evening about her new job, etc, etc.  Kayla and I have a date to make caramel popcorn and watch The Sound of Music (doesn't that sound like the best?!).  Lisa and I are going to go to the temple together at the end of April.  I have pending phone conversations with Jeanine and Amy (soon, girls!  Can't wait!).  One of these days I'm going to take the kids to meet Rebecca's new parrot!  And the allegedly beautiful view from Lauren's new LV apartment is calling my name!!

Oh, friendship.  How wonderful.  I've always prayed and prayed for my kids to have good friends.  (And they do!  Whenever Spencer points out our location on his globe, he says, "Riiiiight here! Next to Josh and Maia!"  Not to mention the friends across the globe.  Someday I'm actually going to mail Lucy's return letter to cute little Miss Dockrill in England.  Smile.  And then, of course, there's her bff just a few doors down the street.  Those two are Anne and Diana in embryo.)

We always talk about how the family is ordained of God (it is).  I believe that about friendship, too.  What would I do without it right now in my life?  What would I do without the sweet comments you leave on this blog and the well wishes you send?  What would I do without the friends from my old ward who still visit and send e-mails and bring bags of homegrown berries for my freezer?  It is such a blessing!  The other night I dreamt about my friend Susan  and I woke up with such a warm, happy heart.  Even my old RAs send me little doses of love every now and then.  Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful. 

Yesterday morning I visited with a unique kind of friend - one I have loved for about five years now but had never, until yesterday, seen in person.  You've all heard of - and maybe experienced - blogging  stories like this, I'm sure.  "So'n so and So'n so became friends through their blogs," etc, etc.  That is, in fact, what happened with Emily and I.  But we also shared a little pen pal-ship for a few months after Wes passed away, which correspondence really meant a lot to me. 

In short:  we've been reading each other's writing for years now.  And so I wasn't really surprised by anything about Emily when she came.  She was warm.  I knew she would be.  She was funny, and intelligent, and sincere, and empathetic.  I knew she'd be all of those things, too.

And as I reflected on the whole thing after she left (hope your trip is safe, friend!), I couldn't help thinking, "By their fruits ye shall know them."

Maybe that seems silly or dramatic?  I certainly don't mean it to be sacrilegious.  That scripture is about prophets, of course.  But when I thought about my longtime love for Emily after all of our blog posts and e-mails, it just seemed to fit.

I have a similar strong love for some other people I don't know personally.

Remember the Special Witnesses of Christ video?

I referred to it in a lesson a few weeks ago and got a surprising number of blank stares.  But, you know, those wonderful little segments of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve giving brief testimonies from significant spots throughout the world???  

I love that film!  Wes loved that film!!  He used to pop it in on evenings when he had mindless homework or when he lifted weights or when I was too busy with work to be good company.  President Hinckley's message is perfect for Easter.  And...ok, I really won't list all my favorites, but did you know they've filmed new clips for the recently called apostles?  Like this one I l o v e from Elder Christofferson?

These little video clips aren't really the point of this (long! how did that happen?!) post.  The point is: these men.  When I listened to their testimonies in succession the other night, my tears and joy and love were overflowing.  I have only met one or two apostles personally in my life.  But personal acquaintance is irrelevant.  "By their fruits ye shall know them."  

One of the reasons I love that old Special Witnesses video is because of the clips from apostles who have passed away since it's filming.  President Faust.  Elder Maxwell.  Elder Haight.  Elder Wirthlin.  I love these men.  Their voices are like the voices of old friends.  Their recorded words are familiar (and beautiful! and true!).  But what is most familiar is the Spirit that floods my heart when I listen to them speak.

I remember a conversation I had with Wes several years ago when, after a miraculous stretch of stability, his cancer started to progress again.  We were in the car, talking about therapy options and feeling disheartened.  After a few minutes, he looked over at me and said, in his usual, sincere way, "Whatever happens, it'll be OK."  I remember feeling the Spirit strengthen my heart as I considered what could be included in "whatever happens."  I remember saying with a little laughter and a lot of tears, "At least there will be general conference every six months."  Wes laughed through his own tears and squeezed my hand.  He knew I was sincere.  I was.

I am.
So happy watching, friends.



"By their fruits ye shall know them."
What a blessing!