Spotlight Sunday: Rozla

*Spotlight Sunday is a weekly blog post dedicated to one person that has inspired me to be a better person. This will include people I have known all my life, met recently, and/or know only through blogging. If you want to be a part of Spotlight Sunday, then just be patient! I'll get to you, I promise. :)

Who is Rozla?
Rozla is a wife, mother, grandmother, mother-in-law, sister, daughter, sewer, reader, and an amazing friend.

How do I know Rozla?
I was fortunate to have Rozla be a part of my life in many, many ways. Here is a list of how Rozla and I were intertwined:

• When my family moved into her ward, I was 14; she was the Young Women's President, and remained so until I became a Laurel (16).
• Her FIL was our Stake Patriarch, and she was the scribe. She typed up my Patriarchal blessing and I've always loved that she saw it.
• She threw me a bridal shower a few weeks before I got married and invited all the women in our ward. What I loved the most? She took me aside and said (more or less): "I have your gift, but I'm going to wait and give it to you when the shower is over, okay?" I looked at her quizzically, and she said: "There are a lot of women here who will think that your gift will look quite funny over your garments, if you know what I mean." I laughed and laughed (probably blushed), but I was so grateful that not only was she respectful to my grandmother and other older women that were present, but she was so much fun and totally with it. And the gift? Very well used, thank you. :)
• She made me the greatest baby blanket when #1 was born (all my kids have used it, too). It's one for the car seat, with slits in it so the car seat belts can slip through. It's the best!
• She babysat my #1 once or twice...
• She threw my sister a bridal shower also, and lucky for her, she got one of those blankets, too!
• Her husband served as Bishop for a time (I was gone by then), and for a while she served as my mother's counselor in the Relief Society
• We're now blogging buddies.

What is it about Rozla that inspires me?

1. She is so much fun, but also serious. I don't remember a lot of details about my teen years (sad, since it's only been 12 years or so. 12 years?! Holy heck!), but I do remember that all the young women loved Rozla. She had the best activities, and the best lessons. She cared about all of her girls; she tried to make everyone feel loved and important. Even after she was released, she still cared about her "girls." In fact, she's still in touch with several of us! Anyway, the serious side? We never doubted her testimony in Christ or of the Gospel. She was quick to point out when we needed reverence and wouldn't let our silly teen antics get out of hand. The balance was perfect.
2. She works hard. I've never seen her being idle. She was a farmer's wife (they've since moved onto a different profession), which brings about it's own kind of work. She was always doing something for somebody, and she raised three wonderful children, who, despite a bump or two along the way, have turned out to be amazing people. She was always reading something, or growing something, or sewing something. Hard work was shown in her callings, as she always put forth the greatest effort to fulfill them.
3. She is seemingly full of optimism. Even when her husband got a new job and they had to leave all their family and friends to move to Montana, she has stayed positive and tried to find the good in all of it. Read about it at her blog.
4. Her sincerity! Every time I came home from college, or to visit with my husband and children, etc., she always hugged me and asked me how I was doing and she was sincere. She really cared/cares about me! I just hope she knows how much I love her --and how awful it's going to be for me to visit home now without her there (sorry, Roz! I don't mean to make you sad when I say that...).
5. Her continuous desire to be more like our Savior. It reminds me that we will never get too "learned" or "mature" in our journey to seek perfection and be more Christ-like. It's a journey that will take a lifetime, and she embraces it! She knows and she learns and grows every day. I want to be like that; I really do.

I love you, Rozla! I'm so glad we've got blogs now to stay in touch. Hooray for blogging!