In the summer of 2009, a family moved to our ward from Florida. This family was like our family because they had 8 children in the family. The parents in the family were relatively new members of the church. I think they joined the church 2-3 years before they moved to Texas. Their oldest child was the same age as Jason.
The family did not have much money. The dad struggled to find a job. They had an old Dodge 15-passenger van that did not always run. Because we also had a 15-passenger van, on some Sundays, I would drive our family to church early. Then, I would go and pick the family up and bring them to church. After church, I would take them home and then go back to the church to get our family to bring them home.
We also invited this family to our house for Thanksgiving that year.
On the Sunday after Christmas that year, I learned in Ward Council that the dad had been in a car accident the previous week. He was shaken up but not injured enough for a hospital stay. Unfortunately, their family van was totaled and not repairable.
After the ward council meeting, I told the bishop that our family was interested in helping this family with their transportation situation.
At the time, our Ford E-350 van was 8 years old. It had over 100,000 miles. Mom and I discussed our situation and the situation of the other family. We were in a much better financial position. We agreed that we would give the van to the family. I called Bishop England to let him know. I told the bishop that we would give the van to the family if the family could pay the title transfer fee.
The bishop contacted the family to let them know. On Monday, we cleaned and vacuumed the white van, drove the van to the family's apartment, and gave them the keys to the van. The kids in the family were so excited about a new van for their family.
I searched the internet for a suitable replacement for our white van. I always felt that the Ford van looked kind of odd because the wheelbase was shorter than the van's body and frame. This made the backend of the van hang out. Mom did not like the two side doors that opened outward because the kids were always pushing them open into the side of any car parked on that side of us. So, while we were searching for any 15-passenger vans, we were more interested in the GMC Savana or Chevrolet Express vans.
I found two new vans that seemed like they might work. One was a blue GMC Savana at a dealership in Fort Worth, TX. The other was a tan GMC Savana at a dealership in Waco, TX. On Tuesday morning, Mom and I drove to the GMC dealership in College Station. There was only one car salesperson on the floor when we walked in the door. I explained what we were looking for. He took us to his office, searched his computer for a few minutes, and told us there were no vans available anywhere that would meet our needs. So, Mom and I left. I think we were at the dealership for about 30 minutes (or maybe less).
After we got home, I called the dealership in Waco (Richard Karr GMC) and asked about the van. The salesperson told us that a local church had custom ordered the van but then decided they did not want to purchase the van after all. I verbally agreed to purchase the van and told the salesperson we would come to Waco to see the van.
Mom and I drove to Waco.
For Christmas that year, Grandma Tueller had given us a copy of a book titled "Total Money Makeover" by Dave Ramsey. Mom read that book to me while we drove to Waco.
We met the salesperson at the dealership. We drove the van around the block. We told him we would buy it. We signed all the paperwork and came back home to College Station.
Mom and I stopped at Olive Garden in College Station and went to dinner before we came home.
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