Dear Brother and Sister Standage,

Your love and friendship have been greatly felt and deeply appreciated these many years. It’s difficult to remember the exact circumstances of meeting you but there are several things I remember in a great way.

In a big way I remember the New Year’s Eve party at your home, December 31, 1980 (and just a little bit of January 1). What do missionaries do on New Year’s Eve!? Hard to have an appointment to teach or to look for the same, that’s for sure. Being at your home that evening was terrific for me. I think we had both steak and ham for dinner as well as many other dishes and fixings. I don’t remember what we had for desert and snacks but something tells me it must have had something to do with ice cream and homemade candy. It was fun, the company was wonderful, and it has been for me a lasting memory.

I think the greatest thing that I remember from that night and other time spent with you is the extreme concern you have, and care you give, to others. I know that you have been blessed with a wonderful son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren. An heritage of the Lord. Nobody could ask for more without some inkling of greed, but I’ve often thought that you should have been blessed with 12 more so that your influence could bless the lives of that many more and you could have joy in them. Perhaps that's why we missionaries were brought into your circle of influence. I love your influence and want to be more like you.

You’ve given me good advice when I was a missionary and afterwards. I remember it, and I thank you for it.

Del, you are a great and special man. No doubt you have proven your faith and devotion to the Lord and his gospel, I know of no one any more Christlike than you. Your nature is wonderfully child-like and pure. You must be great, you married an angel, and no one would argue against that. Kaye you are an angel and a pearl and I have never known anyone more dedicated to principal and covenant than you. You are both hero’s to me.

I thank you for the lives you have both lived. I thank you for the love given, bounty shared, the memories made. I thank you for your friendship and example. I thank you.

Ever your brother,

Dan Crites
dan@thecrites.com
1979-81

I don't remember the party but what I do remember is the under ground house, 20 years ago I thought it was pretty cool and you know I still think it's pretty cool. I see Dan bateman every so often and will call him to have a look at this site. I was in your area last winter and thought about you two, I couldn't remember your names but I could rememeber your hospitality.
Kindest Regards Gord Petrunik

I have very fond memories of both of you and the great love you showed to us as missionaries. We always felt at ease in your home (homes...the underground one also) I remember the New Years Eve party at your home. We played some great games and then we ate... Then we played some more games ...I think we even went to a movie. When we returned we played and ate again.
Thank you both for taking us in and making your home ours.
I Live up in Layton Ut, (20 min north of Salt Lake) I have been married for 22+ years and my wife and I have been blessed with 4 beautiful daughters. Morgan (20) Katie (18), Jenna(14) and Makall (11). Morgan has a missionary she is waiting for who just passed his 1 year mark. He is in Jacksonville Florida.
I hope all is well with both you and your family.
May the lord bless you both in all you do.
Thanks for the memories.
Tracy

Dear Dad and Mom,

This is a wonderful avenue that Dan has put together to help past Arizona missionaries express their love and appreciation to you for the many (and I mean MANY)things that you have done for us.

I remember the first time we met.... Elder Morrill and I had just moved to Mesa earlier that day to start residence at a new apartment. As we pulled our car to the apartment curb that evening, you were walking down the sidewalk toward us. It was your express intent to introduce yourselves, let us know that you were there to help and support us, and then invite us to your home for the first of many shakes (and for me it had to be chocolate!)

That was the beginning of a tie between us that will last forever! The past twenty-six years have had many experiences for each of us. It has been a pleasure and blessing to know you and be included in so many important things in your life.

It has also been an extreme blessing for me to have your love and concern these many years. I'm sure you have offered many prayers in my behalf. Know that the time on your knees has been well spent, and that part of my success and happines today is due to your faith and love in my behalf.

It was wonderful to see you in December even though our visit was brief. But, whenever we get a few moments to see each other, it is always great to feel like we start again from where we last ended. Your warmth and hospitality is an ever constant thing!

Thank you for being an important part of my life. I am blessed to have you as Mom and Dad #2.

All my love,
Brent

I'm not sure we deserve all these blessings. Our time has not been wasted if we have done some good along our path that brings honor and glory of our Father and His Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, helping to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of His children.

We would be surprised by the lives of others we touch because we do not realize we are making a difference. How many times have we met "kindred" spirits who we have loved, baptized and rejoiced with while watching a glorious change take place in their lives. The great reunion yet to come will be after we have subdued the earth and completed our work in mortality. We will have gained our glorified resurrected bodies and stand in the presence of "the noble and great ones" we knew in our preexistence. The veil of forgetfulness will have been taken from our eyes and we will know who we are in this great plan of our Father.

When I meet missionaries serving with full purpose of heart I know their spirit has been touched by the Master and they possess that divine spark of deity in order to serve Him. We need to do everything we can to lift the eternal spirit to a higher plateau. Our Savior would have us seek pearls of great price while Satan would have us become garbage collectors. I have learned that it is an ongoing diligence to rid ourselves of excess baggage as we go through our lives and this can only be accomplished by the renewal of our covenants each Sunday at the table of the Lord as we accept His gift, after bringing our gift of a broken heart and contrite spirit.

One of the great missionary actions that I retain in my memory was almost undetected as a group leader paused to answer the request for a priesthood blessing following a meeting in our home. We were grateful to serve as stake missionaries along with the full time missionaries. We loved being with them. Is it any wonder that we could hold an early morning meeting and serve breakfast or an afternoon meeting with lunch. We also had our own success as we held discussions with Michael, our son Mark's friend, in our home. We drove Michael to Salt Lake where we attended General Conference just before his baptism. Mark baptized Michael and a year later Michael was called to serve his mission in Japan, Mark to Holland, nephews Rodney and Steve to Japan. For Christmas, we made jerky and airmailed 8 ounces to each one. [Michael now serves in his ward as an assistant to his High Priest Group Leader. Mark is 2nd Counselor in his Bishopric.]

Thank you again for many pleasant memories. We are grateful to have met each one of you at these crossroads in our lives. We are all partakers of this promise: "And if it so be that you should labor all your days in crying repentance unto this people, and bring, save it be one soul unto me, how great shall be your joy with him in the kingdom of my Father! And now, if your joy will be great with one soul that you have brought unto me into the kingdom of my Father, how great will be your joy if you should bring many souls unto me! (D&C 18:15-16). Keep up the good work! We would love to hear from you.

Our love to you all,

Del & Kay
DStan0806@aol.com