The other day, we went to the airport to pick up a Sr Sister who had gone to California for two weeks to help her daughter. Her flight arrived and we waited over an hour and a half but she never came through the gate.
I knew something was wrong, so I called airport immigration. Sure enough, they had her in the "blue chairs". You don't ever want to have to go to the blue chairs. That means they are detaining you and can even deny you entry. I asked what the problem was and they said that she didn't have a return ticket back to the US so they were going to make her stay overnight in the airport and send her back in the morning! I told them that I could help her buy a ticket back to the US if that would satisfy them and then would they let her in? They said, yes, they would allow that. They had to send a guard out front to get me. I had to go through security and sign my life away. I had to promise that I would not try to talk them out of buying a ticket. I was only allowed to buy the ticket, show them and then (maybe) we could all leave.
I went back there and saw Sister Goddard. She had been awake for 36 hours. She is the kindest, most non threatening person you could ever meet. And yet there she was, sitting on the blue chairs. We chatted for a moment and then they led us to a computer where I could purchase a ticket.
I quickly bought the cheapest ticket I could find and showed the officer. He kept asking me if I really paid for it. I kept pointing to the place that said it was confirmed, so, yes, I had. He finally wrote all the information down and let us go.
Since it was the Sr Confernece the next day, her husband was flying in from St Vincent in an hour so we just waited outside the airport for him to come. Sister Goddard had told the Airport immigration about this and they told her he would also have to have a ticket to the US. That worried us but we decided to just wait and see what would happen.
After a while, we see Elder Goddard walking through the gate! Happy Day! Sister Goddard jumped up and ran to him. It was the sweetest thing!
I thought of how I would react if put in the same situation and I would have done the same thing. I thought I knew what love was when I got married. I was not even close. Love grows and grows and grows as you share years and years and years. As you have hopes and dreams and even nightmares together. As you work together to raise a family, to stay faithful in the gospel, to grow old together. Love grows deep and strong.
I have been thinking about how lucky Reed and I are to have each other. The past 6 months have been especially difficult, but it has drawn the two of us together so much! At the end of a long day, we can still laugh and talk and enjoy each other's company. I am so grateful, not only for the love that Reed and I share, but the example of countless others who have stayed together through the good times and the bad.
Some days are hard. Some weeks and months are hard! But keeping the committment of being together forever is such a blessing and a joy. We pray that each of our family will be able to feel that same joy.
We love YOU!
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