Rejoice Exceedingly

Last night Brad and I attended a reunion for the Singles Ward that we attended. The reunion marked 20 years since the ward had been formed and we met with those who attended during the time that Bishop Draper served. It was a great time to come together and renew friendships and talk about some interesting experiences from the past. We held the reunion at the church house where we attended at the time. Brad had to take the kids around and show them all of the unique features of the church that he had been telling the kids about for so many years. Walking across the parking lot of the church reminded me that Brad would leave notes on my car for me to find after choir or welfare meetings. Fun stories were told about different activities we all participated in AND the big uproar in the Elders Quorum Presidency as they all were asking permission of Brad if they could ask me, the Relief Society President, on a date. (ha ha) (I didn't find out about this until much later.) More than anything else, I felt such a wonderful feeling as the night went on. This feeling is much like what Alma felt "...Alma did rejoice exceedingly to see his brethren; and what added more to his joy, they were still his brethren in the Lord...". There have been many times in just the past year when I have been reunited with old friends from school and such, and I have been very saddened because they are no longer active in the church. What a great feeling to know of so many of these people who have remained TRUE and many of them are current or past Bishops and in Stake Presidencies. What great people!!!!