Stephenson Family Ties

I've been pretty emphatic when I tell my kids that I NEVER want to return to my teenage years!! NEVER!! Other more well adjusted people may not have such adverse reactions to those adolescent years--but I certainly do!! I think the best words I could use to describe those tumultuous years would most definitely have to be: Conflict/conflicted.
Just how conflicted was I?? Let me try and draw you a picture.
On one hand you could have found me listening to Bread and James Taylor on my stereo. And then in the next moment, Pink Floyd or Led Zeplin would be spinning on my turn-table. One weekend I could be found standing in line for concert tickets for YES and a month later I could then be found enjoying John Denver at the Cow Palace in San Fransisco!
On Wednesday nights and some Sundays you might be able to catch me within the walls of an LDS church, but during the rest of the week you'd find me hanging our with the less than desirable crowds at the high school.
It was also during this same time that yet another battle was raging within me. It was not the typical struggles of teenage hood,that one expects. Like learning to deal with those pesky hormonal issues or how to carry out the healthy cutting of the ole apron strings. I was finding myself in a conflict of a spiritual nature. Instead of the oh so familiar rebellion against anything my folks wanted, (sorry mom and dad-so sorry) I was feeling an additional conflict in my heart and soul. A Light was attempting to cut through my dark cavernous soul. Was I going to stay firmly rooted in the discontent that I had been experiencing for years!! Or.. was I going to listen to the whisperings in my heart and get out of my comfort zone and do something VERY new!!?? Such as adding religion or MEANING to my life!!!!!! What was a shallow teenage girl to do?? Was I going to continue to cause as much pain and grief for my parents and continue clashing with them and the world?! Was I going to continue to risk my health and well being? Or... would I begin to embrace the obvious??
A life line had been thrown to me-by an obviously all caring, all knowing, all loving Father in Heaven. For months and even years I let that life line drift near by. I'd reach out on occasion and test its' security, its fastness to the Rock. But I'd then let go and try surviving on my own for a time. I found that every single time I tested that line it was always available for the taking and it was always firm, true, and secure. I guess I was an especially dense teenager. I wasnt necessarily looking for angels or even Divine manifestations. I believe I was simply searching for and developing some courage!! Its came ever so slowly, but with MUCH love and encouragement and a vast amount of patience, it did finally become obvious to even ?me that this life line was a FOR SURE THING!!!
You may be wondering who was at the other end of this life-line?
-beside a loving, generous God.
It was a great number of people and the omnipresent, omnipotent, Father in Heaven and a loving Savior. It was people like Bishop Leon Davies and Jeanne Bodily, President Hull, my mother and her prayers, plus Stake Leaders and Camp Directors. I can no longer remember ALL their names, but I would most assuredly attribute my finally 'latching' on to that 'lifeline' and not letting go, to the peers that willingly associated with me through all the trails and tests I put them through. I tested the validity of what they being professed as truth! I learned that these 'kids' and worthy adults, truly practiced what they preached!!! These friends were rocks and examples of our Saviors teaching throughout all that I dished out over my 2 years of "investigation." They loved me. They made sure I grabbed that line. They kept pointing the way out of conflict.
I'm going to try and attempt to name names--as a form of tribute to them. I shudder to think where I'd be without them in my life way back then. Bless you forever dear friends-for I will always call you that, even though I have fallen out of contact with almost all of you. (I think a Los Altos reunion should be organized!!)
Here it goes with the name dropping- Judy Taylor Cox, Kathy Young Kirkham, Craig Isrealsen (he baptized me) Matt Jamison, Jeff Brunken, Sherry Baugh ?, Linda Hill Harlos, Brent and Bryce Bassett, Craig Hall, Janna Roberts ?, Patti Porter Evans, Steve Evans, Laren Isrealsen, Ann Burnham Herd (my cousin), and many more that time and loss of brain matter has erased from my head!
What an amazing group of young people it was that my loving Heavenly Father set me down among as we landed in California. There truly are no Coincidence's!!! My family and I were gently guided to find the truth and to abate the conflict and to have peace and joy fill the voids of teenage hood.
So to end as I began-on a musical note. Even now, at 40 something- I still enjoy several Led Zeplin tunes and many of the other Classic Rockers. James Taylor will always sooth my soul as well. But nothing, no nothing, sooths me more than realizing the huge impact this group of friends played in my young life in days gone by!! I am no longer conflicted or have much conflict in my life. It is obvious that the Gospel of Jesus Christ eliminates a conflicted life.
I send my eternal gratitude out to the world for these great people- Bless them ALL!!!