ARIZONA

We were so blessed to be able to go to Arizona for 5 days in April and visit our favorite friends Tim and Shelbie Claybaugh. Shelbie is a sister that I served with in the Visitors Center and we became great friends on the mission and even better friends after. Luckily our husbands have become good friends as well!! Tim and Shelbie moved about a year ago and although we were sad to see them leave Utah we knew that them living in AZ would give us a great excuse to go there. Mesa is where I served my mission. I loved having the opportunity to visit the areas where I served and being able to show the visitors center to Nate.

I didn't take a whole lot of pictures. I think that we were too busy enjoying the nice weather and playing. We left cold and snowy Wyoming and headed to 80 degree weather! Each day was filled with fun, laughter, food, shopping and sun!! We went to the pool everyday to catch a few rays. We went to the Vistors Center on Sunday afternoon. (Pics to follow of that) We got to do a session in the temple and that was a treat for me. I absolutely love the Mesa temple; it will always be one of my favorite temples. We went to the Easter Pageant which is such an amazing production. I'm really mad that I didn't take pictures becaues if you've never been to it, its hard to imagine how awesome it is. We drove through my areas I reminissed and told Nate about things that happened in certain places. We also visited a few of the families that I taught. I miss them and I loved being able to see them and speak Spanish with them.

Gotta love the cactus of Arizona!!

Alma Lizarraga...One of my favorites from the mission. I was able to be

her escort when she went through the temple for the first time.

Shelbie and I in front of the Cristus

We are listening to a short narration of the Cristus that is played. As I listened to this presentations I was hard not to get a little choked up. It brought back many memories of my time in the Visitors Center.

Here we are going through 'God's Plan for His Family' This is one of my favorite presentations at the Visotors Center. I can't count how many times I showed this presentation but going through it this time with Nate was extra special. The focus of this presentation is on families and how Jesus Christ has prepared a way for us to be eternally together.

I love this temple!! This is the view that I got to see for many months as I looked out the windows of the Visitors Center.


What can I say, I love Arizona and could live there the rest of my life. Shelbie and I had a great time shopping and talking. Maybe the 2 things that we do best. We are sad that the Claybaugh's live so far away but are grateful they live in a warm place where we can escape the long Wyoming winters and enjoy some heat. Thanks for letting us come and visit you and introducing us to Orange Leaf (most amazing yogurt place) we hope to come back soon!!