A Visit From the Land Down Under-The Back Story

28 years ago, Elder Kent Barlow entered the mission field.  He left the cold, snowy Salt Lake City International Airport, and after an almost 30 hour flight arrived in hot, balmy Australia.  After only being in the Perth Australia mission for a few short weeks, Elder Barlow and his companion, Elder Smith, tracted out Tony Morganti.  Elder Barlow's journal records, "We tracted out a guy last Saturday named Tony.  He's about 24, into accounting, and seems very bright.  We taught him a 1st and got a return appointment.  We think he could be promising."  Tony Morganti turned out to be much more than "promising."  Tony was baptized, served a mission in Canada, returned, married in the temple, raised a beautiful family, and continues to serve faithfully in the church.  Tony has kept in touch with Kent over the years, visiting the states on several occasions and calling us every year at Christmas time.  His friendship has been a bright light in Kent's and our family's lives. 

Elder Smith, Tony, Elder Barlow on Tony's baptism day. 1985 (Tony gave Elder Smith and Elder Barlow the carnations-Elder Barlow's is still taped inside his missionary journal.)

Fast forward to just a few short months ago, when Elder Ty Askeroth from Logandale was called to serve in the Australia, Perth Mission.  Ty is friends with our daughters and came over to visit with Kent about Perth prior to entering the mission field.  In passing, we mentioned that maybe he would run into Tony Morganti while serving in Perth, but Perth is a large area, and the chances were slim.  Imagine our surprise, when Tony (at that time "Bishop Morganti" serving as his ward's Bishop) called us to report that he had a new missionary assigned to his ward.  Tony had asked this new missionary where he was from, and the missionary replied, "Las Vegas."  Later, Tony felt impressed to ask again, and this time the missionary answered, "Well, really I'm from a small town outside of Las Vegas called Logandale."  Tony got a big grin on his face and asked this new Elder Askeroth if he knew Kent Barlow.  And wa-la, an instant connection, friendship, and tender mercy for Elder Askeroth on his very first Sunday in Australia!

Bishop Morganti and Elder Askeroth 2012

Last week, Tony and his son Caleb came to visit us.  We had fun... constant, unrelenting fun, but we also renewed a friendship; a friendship that both Kent and Tony feel very well may have been formed prior to their lives here on earth.   It was great to spend time with Tony and get to know him and his son Caleb a bit better. 

July 2013 visit from Tony and Caleb:  Left to right: Kay, Kent, Luke, Tony, Caleb (in front), Trent, Lynae

A post regarding their visit will follow.  But for now that's the "back story" regarding our visitors from "The Land Down Under."