Last night Gary and JoAnne Waldie came over for dinner. Yeah!!!!
On my mission I spent 7 months in a little town called Peumo with two different companions (Hna Vaneps and Hna Lacey) and the Waldies. Our service every week consisted of helping them learn Spanish which was fun and entertaining to hear Gary speaking without any conjugation whatsoever - but the Chileans didn't mind in the least -- they just conjugated for him as he went so it really didn't matter much.
They helped us with our missionary work so much by always giving us referrals (all the Chileans loved them), giving us background information on the drama of the town/inactive members, hosting FHEs for investigators as well as members, taking us to zone and mission conferences, and many many other things. I must say that they made p-days fun getting permission to take us to the beach or other places and JoAnne's mexican food was always a treat when we were used to eating nasty food most of the time.
On my mission I spent 7 months in a little town called Peumo with two different companions (Hna Vaneps and Hna Lacey) and the Waldies. Our service every week consisted of helping them learn Spanish which was fun and entertaining to hear Gary speaking without any conjugation whatsoever - but the Chileans didn't mind in the least -- they just conjugated for him as he went so it really didn't matter much.
They helped us with our missionary work so much by always giving us referrals (all the Chileans loved them), giving us background information on the drama of the town/inactive members, hosting FHEs for investigators as well as members, taking us to zone and mission conferences, and many many other things. I must say that they made p-days fun getting permission to take us to the beach or other places and JoAnne's mexican food was always a treat when we were used to eating nasty food most of the time.
me, Gary, Joanne, Hermana Perez (from Argentina)left Peumo and was in Pichilemu (beach town)
They have to be two of the best people I have ever met in my life and I am lucky enough to live in the same city as them now! When I got home from Chile, they were already back and we made a little wager. They gave me a year to get married and I said "no way" as I was determined to go back to BYU and have fun. I guess they knew something I didn't because a couple months later, I met Nate.
Charming and persuasive.
I tried to resist by returning for winter semester to BYU, but got engaged in February and came home after finals to be married in May. So I lost my steak dinner bet, but the Waldies took me to dinner anyway to meet Nate and it was an instantaneous connection. I am beginning to wonder who they like better now - me or Nate -- that's how much they love him! Once Gary and Nate get together it's like two teenage boys and I love it.
I love that these two aspects of my life that I love so much fit together so well! My children even call Gary and JoAnne Grandpa and Grandma Jo.
Whenever Nate and I talk about our future and what we want to do in retirement we always return to the Waldies - we want to be like them! They are the funnest retired couple I know who constantly go and do. They travel all the time, have served a mission, have season tickets to the ASU football games, a beach house in Mexico, a cabin in the forest, and I'm sure there's even tons more that I don't know about. They just go go go and I love that!
In fact, they came over for dinner last night so we could hear about the trip they just took to Africa a week ago. Gary hunted and JoAnne visited villages, saw animals and stayed in a resort-type place. I love that they do everything together too -- I told Nate if he ever wants to hunt in Africa (yes, I married a hunter) then he can't go unless I go too!
It's always fun to have dinner guests - but especially fun when it's the Waldies!
5 comments:
with that title, I somehow expected to see my picture!
Yeah, me too. I will, however, admit that I felt much more comfortable when you were with the Waldies on your mission. They are great people, so I guess you can consider me to not be a guest!
Our family is so self-centered, I wanted this to be about me too! I'm glad you had them in Chile as well, and I love seeing your mission pics with those chubby cheeks!! Ha!
How fun to still have a connection with them -- they do sound wonderful!
I have told Jeremy all about the Waldies! You are soooo lucky to have them near you and have dinner w/ them! I just told Jeremy a story about them the other day. Tell them hello for them and that I think of them often!!!!
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