Derek and Danielle Update ~ Cars and Last Names, Braces and Games

Thursday, September 30, 2021

Cars and Last Names, Braces and Games

Hey Family! 

Hope all is well with you. We were so sorry to hear that baby Evan has Covid! We are praying for him and for the family!

We've been doing well! I hate to say that we are so incredibly busy because I know that many of you are likely even busier, but wow, life is a little crazy right now! Here are a couple little updates: 

• Car Story 1: Danielle and I wanted to get a newer family car and have been looking for a couple months. We've met with dealers and private parties and we've been doing our research. Two funny things happened during this process. On a lunch break, I drove from the Church Office Building to Mike Hale Acura and met with the sales guy there. I told him our budget and he basically told us there was not a lot in that range (at that dealership). I told him I'd still like to test-drive a newer MDX to get a feel for the different years, but I could tell that he didn't see me as a good use of his time. :) He took my Driver's License to make a copy so I could test drive the car. He came back and said, "I see your name is Westra - any relation to Scott Westra?" I told him I was Scott's younger brother. That changed everything. All of a sudden, I was a VIP customer! "Wow - Scott has bought so many cars from us - he is just the best!  Let's see what we can do for you Derek!" He has followed up via text several times and has treated me VERY different since he saw my last name. ;)

• Car Story 2: We ended up buying a 2016 MDX with low miles. We love it. It's the first time ever that we have had a car payment so we're hoping (and planning) to pay it off quickly. We decided to sell my Lexus IS250 and for me to keep the other Acura MDX (so now we have two - a Black 2007 that we got from Scott and Amy, and a Silver 2016). It will be nice to have an SUV to do all of our home projects and haul wood and tools, without having to move car seats and use the nice car to haul stuff around. :) I listed my Lexus for too low (I know, because I sold it in 45 minutes). :) I really liked the couple who bought it. They loved it and we talked for a while during the transaction. They asked me to write up a little bill of sale, and when they were signing, the lady said "your last name is Westra - do you know an Adria Westra?" I said that I sure did. :) She said, "Oh we just love Adria. She has made such a difference for us as we moved from Cedar City and our kids started at a new school. Our daughter Kennedy was so scared to start at a new school, but soccer, and specifically Adria have been SUCH a huge help! They hiked the Y as a soccer team and Adria just put her arm around Kennedy and made her feel so loved and welcome - she is the absolute BEST!" It was so fun to hear that and I was proud (on both occassions) to be a Westra. :)

• Teeth: Aniston got her Phase 2 braces yesterday and they were so painful for her. We know that they will feel better soon, but we can't wait for her to adjust and to get used to them! Pretty soon Layla will be in her Phase 1 and we'll have another monthly payment for ortho! A couple nights ago I was putting Noelle down and I said "hey - how's your wiggly tooth?" She replied calmly, "It's good. Want to pull it out right now?" She then opened her mouth and I calmly pulled it out. She was SO anxious with the first tooth that this little exchange is miraculous! She then proceeded to tell Danielle and me "I know that you are the tooth faires." We wouldn't confirm or deny, and finally she said "I need you to tell me the truth! It's you guys isn't it?!" She's a smarty. :)

• Games: We went to the RSL game last night and it was cold, but really fun. I've been helping to coach Layla's soccer team this Fall. They lose every game. By a lot. But they are still having fun. :) Danielle and I have been playing lots of Pickleball separately, and finally played some mixed doubles this morning and it was so fun. I'm sure loving this game and playing a few times a week. I'm even building a "Picklewall" in the garage this weekend. 

Reply from Mom/Margie ...

Just read your fun letter, Derek!  Thanks for sharing your experiences.  I hope all the family will share them with their kids and church classes.  Last time we all shared our experiences about being kind or unkind, Wendy told me she shared all 3 experiences in her RS lesson.  Here are some more examples that came to my mind, sparked by Derek's letter.

• I remember another one that happened to Derek many years ago when he worked for Zion's bank.  He had to go to a main Zion's office downtown for some reason.  He said that as he walked in, the gal at the desk just ignored him and kept doing what she was doing.  When she finally acknowledged him and he gave his name and she learned of his connection to Scott, she was suddenly ever so helpful and attentive as Scott's work company was an important client.

• I remember when Don Mantyla (in our ward) was our stake president and he owned his own Tax Firm, he said that when he went to some businesses, he purposely dressed "down" like the most ordinary person because he wanted to see if a business treated him any differently, not just dependent on whether they considered him important enough to be treated well.  That example has always stuck with me.

• When my friend Joen Humpreys  (they are quite wealthy) moved here from California, she said she and Ray went to a bank to switch their banking over.  It was close to the bank's closing time.  The banker said it would take too long and they should come back when it wasn't so close to their closing time.  Then Ray mentioned how much money they wanted to switch to this bank----suddenly they were treated so differently and the banker was willing to stay as long as necessary in order to accommodate them.
  

• When Scott was 16 and bought his first car and worked at the Wood Connection, he was having some car problems and took his car into GT Automotive because it was close to his work.  He came home and told us he was amazed at how well he had been treated there, "Just like I was an adult, not just some kid!"  As a result of that experience, we took all of our cars there for repairs for many many years.  In fact, a number of years later, I even took the time to write a short letter to GT Automotive telling them of this experience and the resulting business it had brought them.  I believe in the practice that if you have a good thought about anyone, you should tell that person and "make their day" rather than keeping the thought to yourself; plus tell others about what this person or company did that impressed you.  And it helps a person or business try even harder to live up to that good reputation.  And the good that was said about them often comes back to them many times from other sources, which is an added bonus.