Exchange Students

Nicole Luci

Most of you know that we have had exchange students live with us. It really has been an experience that I would not change. Each one has been different. Our first student was a big surprise. Andy came home from school one day and asked if Rodrigo could stay with us because he was having problems with the family he was staying with. Well, at this time we still had all the kids at home. Jason was just getting ready to go on his mission. I told Andy that if we had room there wouldn't be a problem but until Jason left we just didn't have a bed for him. Well the next day I got a phone call from the rep. for exchange students. She said it was very important that they get Rodrigo out of the home. So Rodrigo, or Larry as he liked to be called, came to live with us. He slept on the couch in the basement until Jason left. He was only with us for a couple of months. Larry was from Brazil. While he was here he wanted to listen to the missionaries. He couldn't get permission from his parents to be baptized. He was really disappointed. When we took him to the airport he came off the plane 2 times before he finally stayed on. He really didn't want to go home. Many years later, when Heather was a senior, the exchange student people called and asked if we would be willing to be a host family. After much thought and prayer we decided to try it. We were able to choose the girl or boy who we wanted to stay with us. Luci, just stuck out and we knew she was the one. Luciana was also from Brazil. She was a quiet girl at first but started to go to church with us and she made a lot of friends. As host families we can not make the students go to church with us, so it was a surprise when Luci said she wanted to go to church with us all the time. She later told me that she had met with the missionaries when she was at home in Brazil. She asked to have the missionaries come to our home. It was such a spiritual experience. She was baptized while she was here. We have tried to keep in touch over the years. I am so glad that she is still going to church. After Luci left to go home I just couldn't see myself with another student. A few years went by and all the kids where married and the house was feeling empty. I was going through a rough time and during church one sunday I had the feeling that we needed another student. This came from out of nowhere. During sunday school class Ardery whispered to me that we needed another exchange student. I couldn't believe he was saying this. I had not told him of my thought earlier. Well I guess I couldn't win this. Someone needed us. So that week I contacted the rep. and said we needed to meet. She was thrilled. We looked over so many pictures. Should we get a boy or a girl. Once again we decided on a girl. This time from Germany. Nicole, we fell in love with her right off. She on the other hand was ready to go back to Germany as soon as she got here. Yes, she knew English but was taught British english not American English. She couldn't understand us. Needless to say the first few weeks were hard. But it didn't take to long. We had many nights of her sitting on my bed and just talking. During her stay she had to stay at Dalan and Gina's because we had a cruise planned before we knew we were getting her and she cried, I felt so bad. Her family was able to come and get her at the end of her stay here. It was so fun to try and talk to them. We have so many memories. We stay in touch with her as well. Each christmas she sends us German Chocolate. YUMMMMM!!!!!! Luci and Nicole both want to come home and visit. I can't wait for when that happens. I would really love to go and see them in their countries. What a trip that would be.