Danielle's Sacrament Talk & Open House

November 13, 2011

Sunday began with rain, but here in Arizona despite the weather, we rejoice in any drop of moisture.

Danielle wore her black and white polka dot dress with a perfect bow at her waist and her graduation pearls.

She had a tearful beginning to a spiritual, well prepared talk. She quickly composed herself, delivering a beautiful message about how the spirit had taught her throughout her life and how the spirit can be used to teach others. She related the trials that Rose Kennedy endured—the tragic loss of 3 children. She explained the Rose Kennedy claimed in her later life that her faith in God allowed her to endure. While Danielle’s JFK colleague doubted Mrs. Kennedy’s claim, Danielle believed Rose Kennedy’s claim and wanted to bear testimony to the healing power of faith, yet the spirit constrained her from doing so.

She related that while she was in high school that she often claimed in family situations that “life wasn’t fair,” but that Von had told her in a great teaching moment that “if life were fair, horses would ride half the time.” The spirit taught her through this silly saying that life was not always fair, allowing her to better deal with life’s inequities.

She then related her wonderful relationship with a Chinese student that she met in Boston. Jamie Gu was sick. She met LDS missionaries and embraced the gospel of Jesus Christ. Danielle related that life wasn’t fair for Jamie, but as she embraced the gospel and Christ entered her life, He healed the inequities in her life. Danielle was articulate, used powerful examples, and spoke with the spirit

Sunday evening Danielle visited with many friends and neighbors in our home.

Our favorite visitor at the open house was the J.J. Lemoine’s clone lovingly crafted by Bro. and Sister Lemoine. We were flattered that even though Brother J.J. Lemoine is faithfully serving his mission in Finland that we could pretend for just a minute that he too sampled the great food at Danielle’s open house.

You had to be there to understand how lifelike cardboard Elder Lemoine looked. We were so glad that all the Lemoine family made it Danielle’s open house—if only in our dreams.