Friends forever

 Today, I was reminded of how blessed I am to have amazing friends in my life. Mari and I got a few friends together to spend a few hours during lunch with a dozen friends to say good bye to Silvia Pena who has been a dear Uruguayan friend. The only Uruguayan I know in the Philippines besides my husband. 

“Life is partly what we make it, and partly what it is made by the friends whom we choose.”  – Chinese Proverb

Silvia and her family and I had so much in common, we had invited them to eat dinner with us several times and truly got to know them well. Silvia's husband Alejandro is from Chile and that is where they will be residing. He went through the Pathway Connect program and he later became our Bishop. They are much younger than us and have two darling little girls that reminded us of our granddaughters. I told Silvia that if we ever go to Chile, we should find a way to get together. 

I discovered that spending a few hours with someone is one of the best ways to form deep friendships with people.  You are totally free to say anything and laugh. One friend, Shanta even sang to Silvia a nice goodbye song form Casper the friendly ghost. 

“If you find yourself racing through life, slow down long enough to take along some good friends.”  – L. Tom Perry

 What I loved about this farewell party is that as we sat down to eat our lunch, We shared stories and heard about each other’s lives.  It is just a really rare circumstance where you truly get to know people at a level that doesn’t happen often.  It was a marvelous luncheon with great food and we just loved the group of sisters that came to support it. 

My only regret is that we couldn’t have invited everyone we know so we  asked Silvia to invite anyone whom she had ministered to. If we had invited more people, we would have never gotten to know the people as well, so instead we will just have to keep planning more and more small lunches together between 10 to 14 at a time. 

 I believe that the people we associate with as friends in life play a big part in determining the person we will become.  Our friends help form our character.  That is why it is so important to surround ourselves with people who have the qualities we want to emulate in our lives, and to teach our children to do the same. Qualities such as sincerity, selflessness, genuine listening, servicing them, graciously accepting their service to us, and always being positive and uplifting.

“You can make more friends in two months by becoming interested in other people than you can in two years by trying to get other people interested in you.”         – Dale Carnegie

 I know that I would not be the person I am today if I had not been surrounded by amazing friends like Silvia who taught me how to be a better person with her example. I have been incredibly blessed to have friends that are incredibly good people. My friend Silvia is kind and sincere and genuine. She put others needs above her own. She is an example of someone who is unselfish and positive and lifting others. I am glad I got to be friends with Silvia. I truly love my friends, no matter where I find them. 

“Blessed are they who have the gift of making friends, for it is one of God’s best gifts.  It involves many things, but above all, the power of getting out of oneself, and appreciating whatever is noble and loving in another.”  -Thomas Hughes

I have seen firsthand the impact good friends can have in our lives.  I need to evaluate the friendships I have in my life and seek to surround myself with those friends who build me up and help me be better person.  Then I need to reciprocate and make it my goal to be the best friend I can be. 

Con amor,

Vero