small small world

It is amazing how the Church brings everything and everyone together. Saturday after Tonala we had the adult session of stake conference. President Watkins (mission president) was of course there along with President Sorenson (temple president). Their wives bore their testimonies and I followed every little thing they said. That was great! Then President Watkins spoke. No joke - I thought of Jim Bird the entire time they spoke but I didn't think anything of it. He said something about how they had previously been serving in Argentina so of course I ran up to him and his wife after. I was mostly talking to his wife and she asked where I was from. When I said San Diego she got very excited and told me they were from Poway. President Watkins got whisked off somewhere talking to someone but then came back to our group and asked if any of us were from San Diego. I said that I was from San Marcos and he asked if I knew Jim Bird. I just smiled. I informed him that Jim was one of my favorite people in the world. I grew up best friends with his daughter and then President told me that him and Jim had worked together for more than 20 years and were good friends. I laughed and told him that he reminded me of Jim the entire time he was speaking. President said that he had just talked to Jim a few weeks earlier - then realized it was because Jim had a friend flying into Guadalajara without anyone to pick her up. That was me!
Then Sunday I met sweet Hermana Keller. When President Watkins heard about us he gave Jim the Keller's number because if we were stuck, we could call them and they would help us. We told her that when we met and she was shocked. She hadn't even heard about us. haha But then she asked if there was anyone in our group from California. I told her there were a few of us but I was from California. She then told me she had a daughter-in-law from Laguna Niguel. I couldn't help but laugh. What were the chances. I told her I grew up in Laguna Niguel. She asked if I knew the Rodriguez family. Of course I did! haha We talked about them for a while and she even got teary eyed. She really loves them. She then told me that she felt like she was talking to a Rodriguez just talking to me. What a sweet sweet lady.
After all of my connections we had a picnic with the group outside of the chapel. What a great, fun filled weekend!