My Dad did not grow up a member of the Church. After he graduated from High School, his family moved to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, where some of their relatives lived. They lived there only a short time and then moved to Southern California, where he met my Mom and was introduced to the Church. He joined a year later. Mom and Dad went on to marry, be sealed in the temple, have 7 kids, and raise all of us in the Church. Although we had great relationships with my Dad’s immediately family (even though we lived far away from each other), none of them ever joined.
In late 1990, I was called on a mission to Mississippi. After several months there, I was transferred to a town on the Gulf Coast called Waveland. I was aware that my Dad’s Aunt Helen (and most of her children and grandchildren) lived in the area, and I was able to visit with her in her home on several occasions. Although they were great visits, nothing ever came of them, and we eventually lost contact with that side of the family.
This past year, Dad and Mom were called on their own mission to Mississippi and had begun serving there. A few years previous to this, my sister Wendie had started working on some of the family history, and had entered some information on Dad’s family in to the New Family Search website. One of the names she entered was that of Aunt Helen.
Shortly after Dad and Mom arrived in Mississippi, Wendie received an email from a woman identifying herself as Angela, Aunt Helen's granddaughter, and asking why we had a hold on her Grandmother’s information. She explained that she had joined the Church a couple of years ago, and wanted to do her Grandmother’s work. Wendie immediately replied back, explaining how we were related. This quickly opened the door to making Facebook connections with some long lost family members, most of whom still lived in Mississippi. Not only that, but Mom and Dad made multiple trips to the Gulf Coast so he could renew his acquaintance with his cousins.
Segue to a couple of weeks ago, when my new-found 2nd cousin, Angela, came for a visit to Utah. We got to meet and attend a session together at the Salt Lake temple, and she stayed with me at my house one night. We had a great time sharing family stories and getting to know each other.
I consider these events to be a miraculous blessing, that really only came about because of Wendie's efforts to participate in family history, so a big shout out to her for that, as well as my parent's willingness to serve a mission. Of all the places for them to be sent, they go the one place we had relatives. I've also a feeling that somehow my Grampa and Aunt Helen had a hand in it. I know they would both be thrilled to see us getting together.
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