I just love watching BYUTV’s Relative Race! We watch it almost every Sunday night. Last night was Episode 9 of Season 14. A woman named Precious got to meet her birth mom for the first time! Oh the feels!!! The picture above shows them hugging. Then another woman, Laura Jean, met her sister for the first time. See below. A man named Daniel met two aunts, sisters of his mom. I just love it! Next week is the last episode of Season 14, where we find out the winner for the whole season. Watch the show here so you can binge and get all caught up for Season 14 before the Finale on Sunday. This is a show where I feel the Holy Ghost witness to me of the divine origin of the family, that family relations are sacred because they come from God. It makes me treasure my family more and do things to show my gratitude to God for my family, that I know who my family is and that I am member of infinitely different family groups that keep building through the eternities. It’s so mind-boggling and beautiful all at the same time!

I always feel a letdown after the season is over, because I have to wait for a new season, which takes months. In the meantime, I just watch old seasons while I wait. We watch them on Sundays and I work a jigsaw puzzle while I listen/watch. I always catch tidbits of information I missed the first time I watched. Those moments when they find their relatives are pure, golden tearjerkers. I also comfort myself with the fact that at any moment I can have a Relative Race sighting of contestants out in public. About two years ago I found Layton and Kyle of Team Black at Costco, and another time I found Ashley of Team Black at a summer parade. I got to hug them all and get selfies and tell them how much I enjoyed watching their story.

At this time of year, I start wondering which Teams from Relative Race are meeting with their newly found relatives for holiday gatherings. May they all spend the holidays with who they really want to spend it with. I wish that for all of you as well!

Speaking of relatives, here’s an organic, unofficial “Relative Race” story that involves so-called coincidences to bring about some people finding relatives. This story happens without any DNA testing, race, or TV cameras. It was all orchestrated purely by God! It is sure to warm your hearts this Thanksgiving season, especially if you love Relative Race. It involves some mixed-up mail, a common surname, long-lost twins, and reunited cousins and siblings. It all happened in November time, culminating in a joyous family reunion on Thanksgiving Day! All from a catalog sent to the “wrong” address! God definitely works through mysterious ways, even with catalogs and the postal system! The story is called “A Catalog of Events”, by Janet Kruckenberg. It appeared in the June 1994 Ensign. Here’s the beginning of the story (copied from the June 1994 Ensign):

When I answered the phone, a man’s voice on the other end of the line asked my name and told me his, saying that a mail order catalog with my name on it had arrived in his mail. He asked if I had ordered the catalog or if I wanted it. I told him I didn’t and that I had no idea why my name was on it. We would have hung up then if the caller hadn’t said something else.

There’s so much more to the story! Please see the rest of the article here. I have more posts about Relative Race listed here. The awesome feels of Relative Race never have to end!

You can watch some short videos of Relative Race reunions here.