A Pioneer Day Weekend

I was walking up the stairs from the laundry room and I could hear the rain. It sounded so good, almost like music to my ears. I was also grateful that I could enjoy the sound. Because there was one Pioneer Day Weekend that I couldn't enjoy the rain. My first reminder of that Pioneer Day Weekend was Sunday as the congregation sang the closing hymn "Come, Come Ye Saints" in Sacrament Meeting. I remembered how I felt when I sung those words in a similar meeting 19 years ago. Two days before that meeting, my brothers and I had been evacuated from my apartment. The roofs of the buildings we being replaced. While the work was being done, Salt Lake County experienced a Seattle rain day. The supervisor made a decision of not allowing the exposed roof to cover with tarp. His reasoning was that the tarp would endanger the walls of the building. When I came home that Friday evening after spending a day at my friend's. There was fire truck in the parking lot. I couldn't smell smoke, but the firemen were checking out the structure of the building. Before long there was a knock at my door and a firefighter was informing me to evacuate. I'm not sure where John was or if he came home during the chaos. All I remember is that I called my friend, Jewel to inform her I was returning to house to spend the night. One does not think, you just do.  July 24th, Pioneer Day in Utah was sunny and so was the next day. I sat in church with John, attending a ward I had never attended before. (I attended a singles ward in the same area.). As we were sing "Come,Come Ye Saints" I thought of the Pioneers when they were evicted from their homes in Nauvoo, Illinois. I understood a bit better what they felt; what it was like for them. They didn't think, they just did. Six or seven months later in 1994 our stake had regional conference in the tabernacle. Again "Come,Come Ye Saints" was sung, but this time, I identified with gratitude of finding a place to live and a place to stay while Jay and I looked for a place. Jewel opened up her home to us for three weeks. Her husband, Chuck was in the remodeling the kitchen.  Although on Sunday when my current ward was singing "Come,Come Ye Saints" I had a hard identifying with eviction that the Pioneers faced, I was reminded of the kind acts that followed the evacuation of the Cherry Hill Apartments. People of the ward that I attended offered thier homes to those who suddenly homeless. The Red Cross looked after us. (Now you know why I don't mind donating to the Red Cross or the Road Home.) Because of Jewel's kindness I now find it necessary to supply food or money when the Utah Food Bank has a fund drive. It is my way of saying thanks. I appreciate the members from my singles ward helping Jay and I move. I think I knew that 24th of July that I wasn't coming back to Cherry Hills. I'm glad that my nephews, Kevin and Jared had the good sense to be born on the 23rd and 24th of July. I can celebrate on those days instead of lamenting. And I am glad that Crystal was born a year later; not only is she a reminder that prayers are answered, but that life goes on. And I enjoy the rain, even when it rains all day. My soul is refreshed. The smell of rain still reminds me of home and how blessed I have been throughout my life.