A couple of Saturdays ago as my sister Lisa and I were bustling around the kitchen baking bread (her first foray into the wonderful world of YEAST), the door bell rang. A Hispanic gentleman with a sweet smile stood on my doorstep and, in broken English, asked if I needed my yard mowed. I was grateful that he phrased the question as . . . well . . . a question. Frankly, he could have said, “LADY, you’d better mow your lawn before the HOA sends you a nasty-gram.”

BT had already come to the conclusion that we needed to hire out the yardwork this season. He didn’t have time to do it. And although I had been saving the fliers that the landscaping companies had stuck to my door over the last several weeks, I hadn’t made any calls. Part of me was still holding out hope that I could somehow find the time and energy to get out there and do the work myself.  And yet, as I stood on the doorstep and negotiated with Mario, I felt strongly that I should hire him to help us.

We shook hands, and he went to work, transforming our yard in a way that neither BT nor I ever could have. I was thoroughly impressed with Mario and his son’s attention to detail. And when their plans to come and trim our shrubs the following Saturday were preempted by rain, Mario Jr. showed admirable professionalism when he called to reschedule. I couldn’t be more pleased with the job that they did and will happily recommend them to anyone needing yard service.

Mario Mejia’s knock at the door came the Saturday afternoon that BT was at the church interviewing with visiting General Authorities . . . hours before BT was called as the 2nd Counselor in the Stake Presidency . . . a calling that will result in less time at home on Saturdays.  

A happy coincidence?  I think not.  I KNOW not!