Life for me is much more fun and fulfilling with friends and great memories. I do love my alone time to reflect and listen to inspiration but I also enjoy meeting people and creating memorable times in my life. I have learned that every person has their own unique story and it’s fun for me to listen and learn about people’s lives.

One of my favorite things to do is watch and learn from other cultures. I enjoy seeing how and why people do the things they do in their day to day lives. The interesting thing is that, for the majority of us, we want the same things in life. We want a safe place to live, education for our children, happiness, security, health, peace of mind, relationships, a sense of belonging, having fun, knowing that your life has a purpose, continuous growth and financial stability. We may prioritize these things differently but we share a commonality in these needs. Where ever I have travelled in the world, I love to watch and learn.

My first foray into a Spanish speaking culture, I decided on day two that I would learn five Spanish words per day. We were in the Dominican Republic on a humanitarian trip. As we landed in a little airport in Santo Domingo, I was held back by one of the officials. He was asking me where I was from (in Spanish). I told him that I had just flown from Miami and he said, “No, no, no!” Ahhh, I realized he wanted to know where I was from. I replied, “Canada.” He was satisfied and let me go but in the meantime, he was holding onto my arm and looking at it. Of course, I thought that this was really strange. My travel partners, who were much more knowledgeable in the traditions and ways of travel, explained to me that the locals don’t often see someone who is so blonde and has no hair on their arms. They said that locals where ever we go will want to touch my hair. Once I understood that, I was okay with it. Sure enough, all along our journey through the country, I was approached by people.

Our eyes have been opened as we have journeyed through the southwest area of Vancouver Island. Seeing how people have a home perched on a rock or new friends of ours explaining that there was blasting on their home site for 33 days to create a spot to build a homestead. It is beautiful here and I have been loving the beaches and the hiking trails. It’s a grand thing to place your bare feet on the sand or rocks and ground yourself to the earth.

We don’t have enough time to do all the things that we would love to do here. Vancouver Island is a haven for outdoor enthusiasts. The vistas are amazing and the scenery takes your breath away. I enjoyed chatting with a few ladies at church on Sunday. The Victoria Stake was having a special fast for missionary work and world wide we were having a fast for religious freedom around the world. It was great to get to know these ladies a little better. I met some serious quilters!!!!

When we took the ferry from Tsawwassen terminal to Swartz Bay terminal, I met some short term exchange students from Japan. There was a little group of girls huddled together and I knew that they would love to practice some English. I approached them and said, “Hello, Girls!” They all turned around so quickly and started talking. They were so excited and one of the girls was braver than the rest, so she lead the pack. I asked them where they were from and other questions. Some of the girls had to use a translator on their phones to communicate but here’s what I learned.

1. It was only a 5 day exchange (homestay).
2. They were from Tokyo.
3. They were going to Butchart Gardens.
4. They were 16 years old.
5. Almost all of their parents both worked; only 1 mom was a homemaker.
6. They all had different favorite classes at school.
7. They had a least 1 other sibling. One girl had 3 other siblings.

They wanted to make a TikTok with Erik and I and I could see the unease in Erik’s face and so we settled for photos instead. They were so much fun and will be a memory that I cherish.

We have been to Weir beach twice and to Albert Head beach with the family. At Albert Head, we brought barbeques to the beach along with umbrellas, chairs and paddle boards. Leah and Cory have chairs for their paddle boards and they looked super comfortable. I met a couple who had really interesting boards that were really thin. Of course, I had to go talk to them and ask about their boards. It turns out that they are great training boards for surfing and are very popular in California and Hawaii. They are called Prone Boards. You lay on your stomach and paddle along with your arms. They zoomed along quite nicely. My grandson, Carter went out to a kelp bed on a paddle board and pulled up a Bull kelp and brought it back to the beach. Two little girls saw it and started dragging it away. The older sister kept stepping on the kelp and that brought upset from the little sister.

One day we went on a drive to get the lay of the land and happened upon a development that had an open house for one of the condos. It was a two bedroom unit with a great layout. The realtor offered to take our photo on the deck.

In B.C. there is a boat load of yard work to be done. Dallin invented his own ladder with the direction of his wife Meaghan to be able to reach the tall hedges. He also built a tripod to hold a cocoon swing. He’s a handy guy to have around!

Yes, we all walk different paths. We can help each other along the way.

This has been a hard one for me because of being the oldest in the family. I was always cognizant of trying to be an example for my sisters. Along the way, it is easy to get lost in perfection and forget that the Savior covered all our imperfections with His Atonement. It’s our intentions that lead us to do good and be good is more of what counts. May we all have joy in our journeys, where ever they take us. Make good memories, love where you are and love who you surround yourself with. As Elder Holland said, “Think the best and hope the best and have faith in the future.”