I was sitting next to an older woman. She turned and said, "You look familiar. I feel like I should know you". She didn't really look familiar to me (I'm terrible at recognizing people), but I told her my name.
She got an excited look on her face and said her name was Jeanette Matis. Her husband had been the bishop of our student ward at Texas A&M when I was there 30+ years ago!
When her husband turned to face us (he had been talking to the friend they brought), I immediately recognized him. He looks pretty much the same - just older.
It was so much fun to talk to them and catch up on their family. I told them about our family, and we talked about other students who had been there when Robert and I were there.
I have a special place in my heart for Bishop Matis. He made it a point to go to the weddings of any members of the ward who got married. Remember, this was when the closest temple was in Mesa, Arizona. So no wedding was close. That year at least 10 couples got married, and he made it to every wedding.
Our wedding was in Manti, Utah, so it wasn't easy for him to come to it. But he did. And I'm so grateful to him. My parents aren't members, so he was like a father figure for me there.
I told them both today how grateful I was that he had come to our wedding. I wanted them to know that the sacrifice he made, back when he had still had young children at home, was still remembered by someone - 30 years later.
I love how, in the church, you never know how or where you might run into someone from your past.
