The Livingstones.

I met Drew Livingstone the very first week of my freshman year at BYU.  We hung out for maybe a week or two and then he disappeared.  A year later he was back in my life and became one of my best friends as I watched him prepare and leave for a mission.  I never met Drew's parents before he left for Chile because they were serving as mission presidents in the Congo.

They came home not long after Drew left.  (I know this is a little confusing...I hope I am making sense) Of course, Drew gave us each other's numbers and before I knew it, I was going to Livingstone family dinners and absolutely loving it.  At that time, my family was still living in San Marcos and I would go to the Livingstone's as often as I could.

There is a reason I am talking about this amazing family.  Don and Marsha invited me, Drew's friends, one of their missionaries, and some sisters they met this summer to their house for dinner on Sunday.  There were about 15-20 people there.  We all chit chatted until dessert, when Don asked us to go around and share our favorite part of conference.  They ended with their testimonies and I was just overwhelmed with love and gratitude towards them.

They have been so wonderful and have given me so much.  (Once they gave me left over tortillas, dressing, and marinade so that all I had to do was buy pork and stick it in the crock pot for dinner group.)  They have the most wonderful kids, all of whom have been very kind and accepting of me.  They have talked me through so much.  Marsha has taken me to Magleby's with her BYU basketball tickets so that we could get chocolate cake.  More than that they have been such an example to me.  They love the gospel so much and the way they live shows it.  They are leaving for another mission, this time in Paris!  Lucky for me, they won't be leaving until we make it through football and basketball and, hopefully, a few more slices of chocolate cake!

I love you guys so much!

(Marsha, if you see this, we really need a picture together.  I just realized I don't have one with you guys and we have to fix that before you leave!)