For my friends

I've been called to be the Beehives Advisor in our new ward.  When we moved in we speculated about what kind of callings we would have...I was secretly hoping it wouldn't be Nursery or Primary President.   I was also secretly hoping that I would have a calling in YW so that I would have full and immediate access to all sorts of babysitters.  I was thrilled when the Bishop asked me to help with the Beehives.  So far it has been great and I really do have wonderful girls in my class.  There are 10 of them, and they seem to be pretty friendly with each other.  I haven't noticed any bad relationships yet or seen any girls left behind.  I am really excited to spend my Sundays and Wednesdays with them. 

Tonight we had a stake fireside introducing the new theme, "We Believe."  It is centered around the 13th Article of Faith, and each speaker tonight spoke of searching after things which are virtuous, lovely, of good report, or praiseworthy.  Most of them mentioned making good choices and choosing good friends.  It made me think of the friends I had while in junior high and high school.  I had some really, really, really good friends.  They all went to church.  They all went to church activities.  They all had high standards.  They all made good choices.  They all stood up for what was right.  They all had strong testimonies and shared them with each other.  They all believed in our Savior.  They all had a goal of a temple marriage in mind.  And they all helped me be a better person.  I never had to worry about what we would be doing when we hung out after school or on Friday nights.  I never had to worry that they would force me to compromise my standards.  I'd like to think that I was very, very blessed and extremely lucky for the friends I had.  So for all of those friends who grew up with me in the Grovecreek 1st, and 8th wards, and for those friends who ate lunch with me in high school, thank you so much for being awesome friends.  You all hold a dear place in my heart and I have so many fond memories of you.  Growing up with you was fun, exciting, and relatively easy.  You accepted me for who I was, accepted others for who they were, and always made people feel loved and welcomed.  I sincerely hope that as my girls grow up that they have friends as strong and as remarkable as you are.