Miss Strassburg

I attended the General Women's Conference in downtown Salt Lake on Saturday night and my experience was two fold.

First--that Julie Beck, is one amazing teacher and leader. How many times did she mention "faith based work"? Being reminded about that, and the calling I have to be a visiting teacher/friend to those in my ward, it was all I could do not to take bread, make running dates, and plan ambushes to see them. I'm shooting for 100% but of course I'm focusing on my people, not percentages.

Second--While leaving I rode the escalator with Miss Strassburg. She had been in my thoughts lately as a person I'd like to someday thank for making a lasting impression--but how?--she was my junior high choir teacher, long retired and originally from New York. And all of a sudden, there she was, hugging me, asking about marriage, kids, my family/siblings, my parents. What could I do but ride down and tell her that she should have had a party when she retired because I would have come.
She's still amazing. Since retirement she did a 5 year personal family history mission, worked as a personal assistant to an entrepreneur, and now does church service in various forms such as direct choirs for the church--all over. Vanessa, I told her you saw her at your regional conference. She was happy you were so happy to see her. She said West Lake (my junior high) kids are spread out all over the world! And that the Lord always sends one when she needs it, "I must have needed it tonight," she said.
She did some amazing things as my teacher. One She made me feel like I was her favorite, and she was counting on me to pull the choir through and make her day by doing my best. She made everyone feel this way...everyone. Two She directed musicals ever year that were HUGE. Three She let a group of us groupies eat lunch in her office/classroom every day of my ninth grade year. She called us "the lunch bunch". She threw a party at her apartment and invited the lunch bunch to eat ice cream and go to the MoTab Christmas concert with her--a short walk away, she's in the same ward as the prophet... Four She pretty much kept me singing and hopeful all through Jr. High!


Where can I find one of her for Addie, Ben, Paige, & Stuart when they're entering puberty?


I taught 6th grade for a year and lunch was my salvation.


Jr. High teachers like her are one in a million--no--in this world. So thank you Miss Jennifer Strassburg for seeing me (last night and 23 years ago). Saturday night I went and felt the spirit of Jesus Christ throughout the meeting and while leaving I meant one who has served and embodied Him her whole life and I felt whole.