September 2024 has been a fun and varied month 

I'm proud to announce that my daughter Anne de Schweinitz has just been named as leader of global brand and content at Takeda pharma company after a long career heading Fleischman Hillard's (Public Relations firm) healthcare and life sciences work.

I was filled with love and joyful memories as I followed the visit of our Apostle Elder David Bednar and his wife Susan through Peru and Ecuador (where I served for 18 months as a temple missionary in 2014-5). It was a life-changing experience for me to spend time with lovely and often struggling members of the Church in Guayaquil.

Granddaughter Kelly Taylor (right) is getting very proficient with Swahili, loves her African friends and fellow missionaries in Iowa, and even finds African fabric to make herself dresses! Hard to believe she will complete her mission in December and return to BYU.

Elder de Schweinitz (third from right) and his Spanish-speaking district, in the Baltimore mission. He finishes early January 2025.

                I love serving in the new Orem Utah Temple

The Paces are great neighbors. They assembled some patio chairs I had ordered and enthusiastically put them together. Holland (daughter) also waters my plants when I am away.

The Taylors' sweet dog Mister Darcy had to be put down after many episodes of epilepsy. Emily especially misses her little companion.

Our vibrant, wise, loving Prophet and president of the Church of Jesus Christ celebrates his 100th birthday September 9, 2024. He's amazing! Along with his spiritual callings and parenting of 9 daughters and one son, he was also a world-renowned heart surgeon.

Some of his most notable messages during his 6.5 years as Prophet are: "Hear Him (God)," Let God prevail in our lives," Be a peacemaker," Think celestial," Stay on the covenant path."

We had a family dinner celebration for our 3 September birthdays: Hannah (17, HS senior), George (19, BYU freshman), Simon (15, HS sophomore).

        Emily organized some fun, silly games

                    Of course the teenage boys refuse to be serious!

I am again enjoying the free BYU International Cinema: Io Capitano is the gripping, intense story of two heroic 16 year old Senegalese boys who make the long, treacherous journey from Senegal, through dangerous countries, across the Sahara Desert and one (Seydou, who is terrified but compassionate and smart) without any experience, pilots an old boat overloaded with refugees to the shores of Italy. 

Ally Condie, author of children's, Young Adult, and adult books reviewed her latest book The Unwedding (takes place at Big Sur) at our book club. She read her delightful children's picture book Here. 

       So nice to see so many folks participating in a local food drive.

My Hometown Provo, Pioneer Park neighborhood Fall Festival Sept.16 featured free pizza, chips, cookies, etc. for 200 + kids and adults, with carnival games, bounce house, face painting, Mariachi band, magic show.

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Sept. 17, I flew from SLC to Seattle over the Great Salt Lake Heidi (right) picked me up, then we picked up Madalyn in North Seattle and drove to the ferry to get to Whidbey Island Judith Cederblom's charming home on the island, even a Hobbit house with Judith, Helen and Joanne inside.

 

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We loved Langley, where Sally's (center) family have lived for 3                   generations. Lots of beach, driftwood, kelp, and boats

Julie and Carolyn       Eby's Landing beach and old Ebey Homestead on the bluff The Block House was a defense against Indians from the north The Jacob Ebey home still stands.. Unfortunately son Isaac, the first to arrive was killed by Indians, looking for the "chief." Coupeville, another charming old central Whidbey Island town          Spectacular sunsets from our house balcony in Clinton Our dear and fun Whitman College friends of class of 1965! Mt Rainier, spectacular out my window on the way home!