What I will miss most

As our anticipation to leave Sun City and go on to the next chapter of our life heightens, I have been reflecting on what I will miss about having lived here. We came here to Arizona primarily to care for my parents. I don't know that we would ever have chosen this area on our own. It is simply too hot and dry for our taste. We understand that the winter has been torturous in much of the nation so we feel like we really shouldn't complain. The daytime temperature here in March is already reaching 90 degrees and going outside any time from mid-morning to sundown is bordering on uncomfortable for us. There are plenty of people who love the weather here and lots of people who come just for the break from cold winters up north. As for what I will miss here- people I have gotten to know. We have become acquainted with some very nice people but I am convinced there are nice people everywhere. I must say that our relationship with members of the LDS Church is generally deeper than that with other people. It's not that non-members are in any way not as "good". There are people inside and outside the church who are good and not so good. But among those who are diligently striving to follow Jesus Christ, there is a genuine spirit of love, compassion, and desire to serve others that simply isn't a part of the make-up of the general population of the world. And among those who are active in the LDS Church, there is a higher percentage of people following that description than anywhere else. There is something about having made a covenant to always remember Jesus and keep His commandments that says something about a person. It's not simply an expression of belief in the existence of God and Jesus Christ. There is a level of commitment among active Latter Day Saints that is meaningful in determining what kind of character that person will have. There are businesses and government departments who actually seek out active Latter Day Saints because it is recognized even outside the Church that there is something "different" about Mormons.
As I looked around the congregation at church today, I realized that, along with getting antsy to get on down the road, I will miss these good people. At a casual glance, you might just see a group of grey-haired people who move slowly and stiffly, many with walkers, hearing aids, glasses, and bandages covering spots where possible melanomas have been removed. But when you get to know them, these are wonderful people all with stories worth listening to. There are simple people who have just worked hard all their lives and now take joy in a phone call or visit from posterity. There are people who seem fairly confident who have done amazing things in their lives, if you take the time to find out about them. There are so many who will lend a hand to do just about anything they can for others despite having fixed low incomes and crippled bodies. These are saintly people who are determined to endure to the end of their lives in keeping their covenants with God to serve Him and His children. They are genuine in their love and concern for others. They are what I will miss most when we leave here.