Each guest is important -- whether on tours or concerts. This post will remind us of some guests that stand out, in chron order. (Sorry to have missed some.)
Utah Sen. Mike Lee (wife Sharon, Dec. '10). Guests of the Am.- Isr. PAC. He was newly elected & the youngest serving U.S. Senator. Son of Rex & Janet.
Jamie Askar, Deseret News writer/JRCLS grad (March '11). He was on my JRCLS History Committee & wrote a nice news feature on the JC.
Browns & Pingrees (April 2011). Kent Brown (Academic Dir. 2009-10) & Gayle returned as tour guides. Elder John Pingree (Area 70, favorite missionary comp) & wife Carmen came with Michael Wilcox tour (after his wife's death).
Orange County Group: Thurstons (May '11). Dan Peterson's tour included our good traveling OC companions Dawn & Morris (my former L&W law partner).
Others from OC also included (L-Rt.) Switzlers, Thompsons, Ainsworths & Nielsons (Ralph with new wife Roseann -- on their honeymoon).
Co-hosts on this tour were Elder John H. Groberg and his wife Jean. He is the only living Gen. Auth. to have a big-screen movie about his mission: The Other Side of Heaven (Anne Hathaway, in a very early role, was his wife Jean).
The Huffs. Kay & Randy stayed after their tour for 4+ more days in Jerusalem. In June '11 they were announced as the new LA Temple Pres. & Matron.
Kofford Family. On 7/23/11 they all came to Sacr. Mtg. at the JC. In summer 1984, I married Greg Kofford to Cynthia Hanna in NB -- 27 yrs. ago. Now they have 7 children (all here except Adam, who tragically drowned in a family outing in 2009). Greg owns & publishes Kofford Books.
BYU Pres. Cecil Samuelson's Kin. His wife Sharon's brother John & wife Jan Giauques (center front) came with a small LDS tour group on Tues., 10/4/11.
Peter Jarman. Marianne's friend came on 10/27/11. He had been a JC student in 1988 and was here on business. Once he stayed in our home with a youth group. Also, his family was close to Marilyn's folks in Portland.
Dalton Sisters. On 10/29/11 Juana Mestres (former NB Stake) came with her 2nd husband, Hilton Terry. His grandson Izak Rock was a JC student.
In Elder John Madsen's same tour group were Gary & Karen Mordock. Gary was the Thurston's Villa Park bishop before being a mission pres. -- then Anah. East Stake DPA. Both Juana & Karen are John Dalton's sisters.
The Rusicks. On 11/1/11 they came on a brief cruise stopover. Mary Ann had been my RS Presid. and Bob later was Mark's singles bishop & my golfing pal.
Cousin Justin Birtcher. He was a Fall '11 student and grandson of my 1st cousin, Ida Birtcher from PHX. She recovered at our home from a train crash outside Safford, AZ when I was quite young. Here he stands on 11/26/11 with his mother's parents (Gale & Galenda Hakes) & the Chapmans.
The Udalls. Dr. Don & Lina (from our home ward) had a week's stay in Ein Kerem. On 12/5/11 we dined with them at Karma -- then at their time-share apt.
O.C. Cowans. Bob Cowan served on our NB Temple Tues. night shift and invited us to his nephew's Bar Mitzvah at the Western Wall on Christmas Day. We missed it due to my bad cold. But on 12/31/11, he taxi'd from Tel Aviv with his two daughters (Amanda & Sarah) and son in law for Sacr. Mtg.
After Sacr. Mtg., we gave our 1st outside fireside that night at the Olive Tree Hotel. We discussed our service assignment here and the JC history.
On 2/2/12 Talley Goodson was here on business -- Grant & Carolyn Goodson's nephew and brother of Jason (Marianne's 1st fiance).
Nancy Van Slooten, JR Clark Law Society Chair (Nov. '10). With family for father's birthday tour. Daughter Erica came to the JC during Winter Term 2011.
Utah Sen. Mike Lee (wife Sharon, Dec. '10). Guests of the Am.- Isr. PAC. He was newly elected & the youngest serving U.S. Senator. Son of Rex & Janet.
Other Christmas guests. Our Arab neighbor Sani toured the JC & brought family members to our concerts. Nuns from Ephpheta School for the Blind in Bethlehem also attended the annual student Christmas concert.
Pasadena Smiths (Feb. '11). Huffs' friends Steve & Janet. She really enjoyed playing the organ. We ate at the "Arab Cave," where we often take friends.
Jamie Askar, Deseret News writer/JRCLS grad (March '11). He was on my JRCLS History Committee & wrote a nice news feature on the JC.
Browns & Pingrees (April 2011). Kent Brown (Academic Dir. 2009-10) & Gayle returned as tour guides. Elder John Pingree (Area 70, favorite missionary comp) & wife Carmen came with Michael Wilcox tour (after his wife's death).
Melissa (& Dan Jennejohn, April '11). We spent one joyous week at Easter with our youngest daughter & her friend Dan in Jerusalem, Galilee & coastal Israel. She also returned for Christmas week, 12/22 to 12/30/11.
Orange County Group: Thurstons (May '11). Dan Peterson's tour included our good traveling OC companions Dawn & Morris (my former L&W law partner).
Others from OC also included (L-Rt.) Switzlers, Thompsons, Ainsworths & Nielsons (Ralph with new wife Roseann -- on their honeymoon).
Christensen Tour (May '11). Next, Roy & Carol brought many of their family and a large OC contingent, including (L-Rt.) the Christensen clan, our own NB Hills Bishop John Packer & Annette, ward members Rick & Kim Nicholson. Also Floyd & Karen Brown, Mr. & Mrs. Joe Keller.
Roy & Carol Christensen have led more tours than anyone I know -- even more than Cleon Skousen or Truman Madsen. They are still going strong.
Co-hosts on this tour were Elder John H. Groberg and his wife Jean. He is the only living Gen. Auth. to have a big-screen movie about his mission: The Other Side of Heaven (Anne Hathaway, in a very early role, was his wife Jean).
The Huffs. Kay & Randy stayed after their tour for 4+ more days in Jerusalem. In June '11 they were announced as the new LA Temple Pres. & Matron.
Norm & Mary Davis. NB Temple Friends (June '11), from our Tues. nite shift
Arab Charities. On 7/3/11, several friends from East Jerusalem societies attended the Arab-Jewish Youth concert, including Ansari family members (Beit al Maqdes), Nora Kort (AOS) with Betty Majaj & daughter Lina (Princess Basma) and Nureddin Amro & son (Nur al Ain for the Blind).
Kofford Family. On 7/23/11 they all came to Sacr. Mtg. at the JC. In summer 1984, I married Greg Kofford to Cynthia Hanna in NB -- 27 yrs. ago. Now they have 7 children (all here except Adam, who tragically drowned in a family outing in 2009). Greg owns & publishes Kofford Books.
Glenn Beck. On Sabbath 8/20/11 Bro. Beck attended a superb JC Sacrament Mtg. (Sahar Q. & both Chapmans spoke; Marilyn played Come Thou Font of Every Blessing.) I greeted him briefly, noting some mutual NY friends. He left early so as not to draw attn. to himself. His entourage left soon afterwards. He hosted Restore Courage rallies in Israel the next 3 days -- but JC had no role whatsoever with any of this effort. [See Sept. post, Political & Civil Events.]
Elder Max Caldwell. On Sabbath 8/27/11, with his 2nd wife & tour group, he shared some special insights in a testimony: (1) We are commanded to love only 2 persons with all our heart -- our God (Matt. 22:38) and our spouse (D&C 42:22). (2) "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son" (John 3:16), and Jesus "so loved the world that he gave his own life" (D&C 34:3).
Janine Wynn (9/19/11. While leaving lunch in Istanbul, during our BYU Turkey field trip, we ran into this dear friend from Newport Beach -- our stake's best singer & Melissa's voice teacher. What a nice surprise!
Former Bishop's Brother, Mark Nelson. On Thurs. 9/29/11 (starting Rosh Hashana), our former bishop Andrew Nelson's brother Mark toured the JC.
BYU Pres. Cecil Samuelson's Kin. His wife Sharon's brother John & wife Jan Giauques (center front) came with a small LDS tour group on Tues., 10/4/11.
More OC Friends. Two dear widows came with the Victor Ludlow / Maureen & Scott Proctor Cruise Lady tour group on 10/19/11. Nancy Whitaker was Cypress Stake P.A. Secretary. (Her husband Bob was Stake PA Dir. until his death in 2001.) Annette Rothman's husband Norm was my NB Stake Mission Leader in 1982-84. (He died the same time as Pres. Hinckley, in Jan. 2006.)
Madsens & Smiths. On 10/26/11, our friends Gordon & Carol Cornwall Madsen from SLC led a tour, incl. former OC colleagues Elizabeth & Gary Smith. (Gary is the eldest son of Patriarch Emeritus Eldred G. Smith -- age 105.)
Peter Jarman. Marianne's friend came on 10/27/11. He had been a JC student in 1988 and was here on business. Once he stayed in our home with a youth group. Also, his family was close to Marilyn's folks in Portland.
Dalton Sisters. On 10/29/11 Juana Mestres (former NB Stake) came with her 2nd husband, Hilton Terry. His grandson Izak Rock was a JC student.
In Elder John Madsen's same tour group were Gary & Karen Mordock. Gary was the Thurston's Villa Park bishop before being a mission pres. -- then Anah. East Stake DPA. Both Juana & Karen are John Dalton's sisters.
The Rusicks. On 11/1/11 they came on a brief cruise stopover. Mary Ann had been my RS Presid. and Bob later was Mark's singles bishop & my golfing pal.
Cousin Justin Birtcher. He was a Fall '11 student and grandson of my 1st cousin, Ida Birtcher from PHX. She recovered at our home from a train crash outside Safford, AZ when I was quite young. Here he stands on 11/26/11 with his mother's parents (Gale & Galenda Hakes) & the Chapmans.
The Udalls. Dr. Don & Lina (from our home ward) had a week's stay in Ein Kerem. On 12/5/11 we dined with them at Karma -- then at their time-share apt.
O.C. Cowans. Bob Cowan served on our NB Temple Tues. night shift and invited us to his nephew's Bar Mitzvah at the Western Wall on Christmas Day. We missed it due to my bad cold. But on 12/31/11, he taxi'd from Tel Aviv with his two daughters (Amanda & Sarah) and son in law for Sacr. Mtg.
Johnsons Group (1/7/12). Our 1st tour group (of 25) in 2012 came under Larry & Jynene Johnson -- about 1/2 from O.C. Cypress & HB Stakes.
After Sacr. Mtg., we gave our 1st outside fireside that night at the Olive Tree Hotel. We discussed our service assignment here and the JC history.
On 2/2/12 Talley Goodson was here on business -- Grant & Carolyn Goodson's nephew and brother of Jason (Marianne's 1st fiance).
Wish we could come be one of your visitors--looks so great. Thanks for the wonderful work you are doing. We do miss you, however.
ReplyDeleteLove, Joyce and Ron