Friday, April 29 2016

Kids guest house I want James to build.

I have decided I need more time to do family history work.  Instead of watching movies five or six nights a week, we are going to change our schedule to something like this: Mon - FHE and "The Good Witch."  T-W-Th- family history or visiting teaching.  Friday - Hallmark movie. Saturday - get ready for our Sunday lessons, and Sunday - lesson preparation or family history.  This book "Covenant Keepers" is really motivating me!

Scripture study today was Mosiah 19: 1-24.  Yesterday there was a verse in chapter 18 where Alma talked about the importance of keeping the Sabbath day holy.  As I read from The Book of Mormon Student Manual for this verse there were a couple of quotes from Elder Mark E. Petersen, a former apostle,  that I thought were important:

"We can readily see that observance of the Sabbath is an indication of the depth of our conversion."

and,

"Observance of the Sabbath day reflects our appreciation of the Atonement of Jesus Christ."

Chapter 18 of Mosiah is an awesome chapter.  Alma also talks about having charity and caring for each other and for the poor and needy.  President Marion G. Romney, formerly a counselor in the First Presidency, counseled us to develop charity by giving ourselves fully to the work of the Lord.  

I met with Vickie, my brother Harold's wife, this morning to get her registered on FamilySearch and to enter the information she has on her immediate family who have passes away.  Her mother, father, and two of her brothers are gone.  We got all their information entered and I went home and printed out all the temple cards.  Jeffrey, Harold & Vickie's grandson, is getting ready to go through the temple in about a month and he wants to help with the work so we will wait for him.  He will be doing Vickie's youngest brother Donnie's work and James will be doing Vickie's dad.  Her other brother Billy has already had his work done.  Sheri will be baptized and confirmed for Vickie's mom and I will do the initiatory and endowment.  James, Jeffrey and I will do the sealings.  I am so excited!

Adam left for town before I went to Vickie's and when I returned over two hours later he was still gone.  We got worried because he doesn't have a phone and went to look for him.  Just as we got passed Hunsaker's we saw him coming so we turned around and went home.

I went home and made a pot of chili for a late lunch or early dinner. 

At least this time when James was on the building, he had some company.

Adam and James.

We missed our ward temple night because James wanted to get as much work done as possible on the shed while Adam is here.  We are going to the temple in the morning to do family sealings.  I called the temple and made an appointment.  

This evening I worked on my blog, studied an Ezra Taft Benson lesson and pride and worked on my Primary lesson.  All of this instead of watching a movie.  James built a fire and Adam enjoyed sitting by it while reading his book.

It rained tonight but it was nice it didn't rain during the day not to interfere with the guys work schedule.

Sheri posted a picture of Evan and said he was student of the month.  Darrel responded with, so was Rowan!  Awesome kids!

 

 

 

 

Thursday, April 28, 2016

The temple where James and I and all of

our children were sealed.

I read the most wonderful story in the book "The Power of Everyday Missionaries" today about a man by the name of George McLaughlin who lives in Maine.  I quote the story from the book because it is so powerful: (beginning on p. 121). Clayton Christensen is the author of the book and he is sharing the story.
" In September 2002, I was assigned to assist Elder Glenn L. Pace of the North America Northeast Area presidency in reorganizing the presidency of the Augusta Maine Stake.  As we sought to learn whom the Lord would have us call as the new stake president, we asked the men we interviewed how they had come to belong to the Church.  A startling number gave the same answer: 'My parents were baptized into the Farmingdale Branch in 1963 when I was a boy.'  After hearing this several times, we inquired what had happened and were told that more than 450 people had joined the Church in that branch that year.

"Before the general session of stake conference the next day, I was introduced to an elderly man and his wife in the audience, George and Karline McLaughlin.  George had been president of the Farmingdale Branch at that time, and I subsequently returned to interview the McLaughlins in their home about their experience in leading the branch.  On my return, I found George in failing health, confined now to his bed in the attic bedroom of their humble home where they had raised eight children in Gardiner, Maine.  As I listened to their memories, it became clear to me that I was in the presence of two of the humblest but mightiest missionaries in the history of the Church, and that their story needed to be told.

"Brother and Sister McLaughlin joined the Church in 1951 due to a remarkable vision that Karline's mother had had.  Their marriage was sealedin 1955 in the Logan Temple.  At the time, there were five branches of the Church in Maine.  The McLaughlins attended a branch of ten active members in Litchfield, near Augusta.  The branch had grown to more than twenty active members by the early 1960's when George was called as branch president, and in 1962 the branch moved to a small building they had built in Farmingdale, another suburb of Augusta.  Shortly after the move, George, who drove a milk delivery truck by profession, decided to fast and pray for two days in order to learn from the Lord how he should go about building the Church in the vast area of central Maine that comprised the Farmingdale Branch.  On the second day, George pulled his milk truck to the side of a country road and found a secluded spot where he poured out to the Lord his desire to build the kingdom.  As he returned to his truck, he came to understand through the Spirit what he and the members of he branch needed to do.

"The following Sunday in a sacrament meeting address, George described his plan to the branch members - a talk that Sister McLaughlin recalled as one of the most inspiring and Spirit-filled she has ever heard.  Following the meeting, President McLaughlin called three of the families in the branch to serve as 'proselyting families.'  Each family had the assignment to bring another family to the church on the Wednesday evening ten days hence.  At that meeting, which George called 'U-Night,' he would show a movie about the Church and then give a brief talk that concluded with his testimony.  This was to be followed by the missionaries teaching a discussion to the family in their home later that week, and then by the missionaries teaching the next discussion to them at the church building during the next Wednesday's U-Night.  They were to continue meeting with these families twice each week, once at the church and once in their homes, until the families were baptized or decided not to continue their investigation, at which point the proselyting families would need to find another family to bring to the next U-Night.

"When the time of the first U-Night arrived, each of the proselyting families arrived with a family.  In the interview (Brother Clayton Christensen, author of the book, was sent to Maine to help Elder Glenn L. Pace in 2002, to reorganize the presidency of the Augusta Maine Stake). I expressed surprise that these families had so faithfully accepted and delivered on this intimidating assignment from their branch president.  Karline, George's wife, explained, 'It was because of the talk George gave in sacrament meeting.'  Remarkably, each of the families they brought to the U-Night was baptized, and on the next Sunday George called each of these new families to serve as proselyting families as well.

"When he met Brother and Sister McLaughlin shortly after arriving in 1963 to preside over the New England Mission, President Truman G. Madsen told George that if they ever baptized someone in the Farmingdale Branch, he would like to attend the service.  A few weeks after the U-Night process had started, George invited President Madsen to a baptismal service but was told that his schedule would not permit it. When George reminded President Madsen of his promise, he countered, 'How many are being baptized?' as if to test whether it was worth the three-hour drive from Boston.  'I'm not going to tell you.  Just come,' was George's reply.

"When President Madsen walked into the back of the Farmingdale chapel, he counted eighteen people sitting in white clothes waiting to be baptized.  Tears came to his eyes.  'George, I'll never see anything like this again in my life,' he said in a hushed voice.  'Yes, you will,' was George's reply.

"As more and more people were baptized and called to serve as proselyting families, the branch members had to alter their U-Night format.  While the introductory film was being shown in the chapel, each of the missionary discussions was taught in a different classroom in the building so that if a family had studied the second discussion the prior week in their home, on Wednesday night they went to the room where the third discussion was being taught at the church.  That year 451 people were baptized into the Farmingdale Branch; the next year, 191 people joined.  They had to divide the branch over and over, of course.  In each of the new units, they continued following the U-Night system.

"With so many people coming into what had been such a tiny branch, how did you keep them in the Church?"  I asked.
"We had to teach them how to be Mormons," was Karline's reply.  "You need to understand who these people were," she continued.  "Most of them were poor and had little schooling."  She and George reminisced about one family that literally lived in a log cabin with rags stuffed in the cracks to keep the wind out.  "They stayed faithful, and eventually all four of their children graduated from college."

"My job as branch president was to teach them how to give talks and teach lessons in church.  I had to teach them how to teach the gospel to their children.  My counselors ran the branch.  I trained the new members to become strong members,' George added.

"In the framework of retention that President Gordon B. Hinckley subsequently taught, these hundreds of new members had friends.  They were brought to the Church by friends, and then they brought friends.  They had responsibility.  The Sunday after they were baptized they were called as proselyting families - a simple, clear call to bring another family, and then another, to the next U-Night.  And they were nourished in the good word of God as they continued to learn and help teach these concepts again and again while helping their friends study the gospel with the missionaries.

Five years later, in 1968, Elder Harold B. Lee of the Quorum of the Twelve organized the Augusta Maine Stake.  Ten of the twelve members of that original high council had been baptized into the Farmingdale Branch in 1963-64.

"George McLaughlin, whose vision and faith had launched the Church in Maine on this trajectory, was not called to be the stake president or one of his counselors. 'Someone came up to us in the congregation and asked if we felt badly not to have been called to lead the stake,' Karline recalled.  George broke in, 'I tol her that I was quite happy to sit with the people we loved and let others take the lead.  That's why we did it, to bring others to Christ, not to bring any honor to us.'

"The contributions of many of the great missionaries in the early days of the restored Church have been broadly published.  I was struck that in contrast, two of the greatest missionaries of this dispensation were living the final portion of their noble lives unheralded, in that small home in Gardiner, Maine.  As we finished
our conversation, however, I could sense that the deep spirit of peace in that room came from angels who were there patiently waiting so that, whenever their times might come, they could escort George and Karline cLaughlin, milk truck driver and mother, respectively, to heroes' welcomes in heaven."

When I get to heaven these are two of the people that I want to meet.

Adam came in from working outside and said, "I need to use the bathroom grandma, can you watch grandpa.  Of course Adam.  
This is what I saw when I looked at the window:

 

What can I say?  Calling him to come down

does no good.  The man knows no fear.

I made a trip to town today to do my grocery shopping.  I got a boatload of groceries and then stopped at Panda to get food for lunch.  Crazy you say?  Yes, crazy.

  

 Brother Wayne Todd Mayfield posted this picture on Facebook.

This is a picture of this week's young men and young women's activity.  It almost looks like a factory, but it is actually the Hunsaker's shop.  Looks like they are making signs for a Boy Scout -Young Women's fundraiser. 

Fun times

Adam came in this afternooon and said it was snowing.  It must have been one of those five minute flurries because when I looked outside the sun was shining.

I packed two purses with hygiene supplies to give to Trina for the refugee project she is helping with.  I know it is small but I was glad to be doing something besides donating money on my tithing receipt.  

For dinner we had frozen pizza and cauliflower.  Later Adam made some chocolate chip cookies.

James and I watched, "Falling in Love with the Girl Next Door", starring Patty Duke and Shelley Long as competitive neighbors who don't like each other.  They are not too happy when their son and daughter announce that they are engaged to be married.

It was actually pretty good,
better than it sounds.

 

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

 James left for the valley around 5:30 this morning.  We had our prayer and a kiss before he left as is our tradition.  

Today while reading "Covenant Keepers" Sister Nelson shared how she became interested in doing family history.   She said it was when she listened to Elder Richard G. Scott's General Conference talk of October 2012 entitled, "The Joy of Redeeming the Dead."  She always says a prayer before she starts doing her family history.  She says: "Please lead me to those who are ready to make covenants with Thee and receive their ordinances."  I am going to try to do that too.  I also listened to Elder Scott's talk today too.  

He says one of the best ways to defend ourselves against the adversary is by doing temple and family history work.  

Today's scripture study:  Mosiah 18:1-16.  Alma preaches in private and baptizes in the waters of Mormon.  He organizes the Church and teaches the words of Abinadi about the redemption of Christ.  

He teaches faith, repentance, and baptism and being filled with the grace of God.  

While I was ironing I listened to Elder Oaks's conference talk, "Opposition in All Things" and Elder Kent F. Richards talk, "The Power of Godliness".  Both were great talks.  Elder Richards is the general director of the temples and of course his talk was about the temple.

I had a nice long nap this afternoon because I didn't sleep very well last night.  Afterwards I made a trip to the Taylor Walmart to get the things I need for the hygiene purses I am make for refugees in the valley.  Trina ask us to do this.  I wanted to go to Taylor because I was curious about their Walmart.  It is nice and clean and wasn't crowded but it is smaller than the Show Low Walmart.  It is quite a bit further too.  I traveled 80 miles roundtrip.  The Show one is about 55-60 roundtrip.  

I never heard back from Claire Mercado about coming by for visiting teaching, so on my way home from Taylor I dropped off her care basket on her porch.  I knocked, but no one answered.  Later she texted me and said that she works nights now and would not get home until after 6am.  I was glad to hear from her and hopefully her basket will be safe until she gets there.  

I came home and paid bills and watched the Chopped Teen Championship.  James is on his way home and Adam is with him.  Adam is coming up to help him work on the storage shed.  

I saw this post on Facebook today.

Marisa is the daughter of our Chandler friends,

Mike and Adrienne Ellsworth.  James was the bishop when she

was in Young Women's and wrote her a letter of recommendation to

get in to BYU.  (I actually wrote it because he was out of town.)  I was glad to do it because Marisa is awesome!

James and I attended Curtis and Marisa's wedding last

November.

This evening James and I watched "Along Came a Nanny".  We've seen it before but if I wait long enough I can watch a movie the second or third time and enjoy it as much as I did the first time.

 

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

A quote from The Covenant Keepers:

"We are connected to all covenant keepers through the ages."

Our scripture reading was from Mosiah 17:1-20.  Abinadi only had one convert.  How many converts came after Abinadi's one convert?  By small and simple things are great things brought to pass. (Alma 37:)  Read Elder Russell M. Ballard's April 1990 General Conference address, "Small and Simple Things."

A few more notes on Abinadi because he is amazing:

Abinadi's sacrifice: Alma 17:9-10, 13-19 - "O God receive my soul. Verse 20 - Put to death because he would not deny the commandments of God, having sealed the truth of his words by his death as did Joseph Smith, Stephen, and the Savior.

Facebook does this thing where they show you posts from years back.  In 2013 on this date it was 65 degrees and perfect weather with no wind.  In 2014 it was snowing.  As I looked up today, it was snowing!  It lasted maybe five minutes.  

This is a sunset from a couple of years ago.

James and I had frittata's for breakfast.  They are frozen Jimmy Dean brand, but they are very yummy and only 240 calories.  I guess they weren't enough for James because he went in the kitchen and concocted an egg, ham, cheese and onion mixture.

I got a text from Trina this morning that they won't be coming this weekend.  So sad.  Thank goodness we will be down next week and will be spending the day with their kids on Wednesday!

I listened to Elder Gerrit W. Gong's and Elder Patrick Kearon's conference talks today.  Elder Gong told of ways to always remember the Savior and Elder Kearon spoke about the 60 million refugees in the world today and what we can do to help them.

As a diversion, I have to post this picture that my friend posted on Facebook.  

Duct tape?  Really?

As I was cleaning this morning I did some rearranging and filled up the bookshelf I brought in from the garage today.  I think it looks pretty good.

New edition to the

entryway.

Tacos for lunch.  After all, it is Tuesday.  James was outside working and when I texted him that lunch was ready he texted back: "You are a sweet dream."  No wonder I love him.  

I worked this afternoon on my visiting teaching handouts.  I did a "care" basket for Claire and her daughter Marlie and a small basket for Jean.  I am still waiting for Jean to get back in town.  I texted Claire and ask if I could come over but she never answered me.  I am getting a little paranoid.  I will try again tomorrow.

Claire and Marlie's basket.  It didn't really cost

much because I mostly used things I had

around the house.  No food, except for some

Hershey's kisses. 

 Jean's basket and plant.

James and I are trying to eat our big meal at noon and then just eat something light for dinner.  Tonight I cut up some apples and put them in a skillet with butter and then sprinkled cinnamon and sugar over them.  They were delicious!

I watched the Chopped Championship and then James and I watched an old "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" episode where Carol Burnett played Norman's grandmother.  It was good, but we are anxious for some new movies.

Don't you just love this picture of Lola from last year.

Monday, April 25, 2016

I love this picture of

President Monson!

It is extremely windy today.  For this reason and because he had a bid to do, James worked inside.  

I am reading Wendy Watson Nelson's book "Covenant Keepers" and want to share a quote from this book:

Elder John A. Widtsoe said:

"In our preexistent state, in the day of the great council,

we made a certain agreement with the Almighty.

The Lord proposed a plan.  We accepted it.  Since the

plan is intended for all men, we became parties to the 

salvation of every person under that plan.  We agreed, right then and there, to be not only saviors for ourselves but measurably, saviors for the whole human family.  We went into a

partnership with the Lord.  The working out of the plan became then not merely the Father's work, and the Savior's work, but also our work.  The least of us, the humblest, is in partnership with the Almighty in achieving the purpose of the eternal plan of salvation." 

My new ponderize scripture for the week is Mosiah 3:19, one of my favorite scriptures.  

Our scriptures for the day: Mosiah 16:1-15

How are people in darkness today and how can we help them?

By reaching out to them and serving them and teaching them the gospel.  Sometimes the simplest things like speaking nicely, being kind and considerate are a great help.  Be an example to all, be a help to those in need and treat others how you wish to be treated.  Try to be more like the Savior.

I have two favorite versus today:

vs. 4 - Thus all mankind were lost; and behold, they would have been endlessly lost were it not that God redeemed His people from their lost and fallen state.

vs. 13 - And now, ought ye not to tremble and repent of your sins, and remember that only in and through Christ ye can be saved?

While I am ironing I listen to Church magazines or conference talks.  For FHE this evening we listened to Elder Robert D. Hales talk on The Holy Ghost.  He shared some personal experiences which I really enjoyed.

This afternoon we made a trip to the dump and then afterwards I talked James into going to town for a Sonic burger.  Yummy!

This evening James and I watched "The Good Witch", and then he left while I watched part of "DWTS."  He really doesn't like it.

Pictures from Thanksgiving 2014.  

Jared and Anna were supposed to be here but

they had to leave to help Tricia who fell asleep driving

to Chandler and totaled her car.

Thank goodness no one was hurt.

 

 

 

 

Sunday, April 24, 2016

I love this picture of the angel visiting Alma

the younger, and the sons of Mosiah.

Andy Wilhelm gave his first talk in sacrament meeting today.  He told the story of Nephi obtaining the Brass Plates. 

Kaeli Nicoll, our Relief Society president spoke on rescuing others and giving service.  Before sacrament meeting started she told me she got a call from Deana McNeil thanking her for her mom's visiting teacher, (that's me).  Her mom is Jean Howard.  I took her to lunch in Chandler last month and we had a great time.

John Wilhelm was the last speaker.  He spoke about saving our marriage.  He mentioned President Uchtdorf's talk in conference.

Curtis and Zemira and I had a nice lesson about Alma and Amulek preaching in Ammonihah.  Just before class was over Lannie brought Izabell Miller in.  She said she is moving in a little while.  Right now her mom is in Flagstaff and so she and her brother and sister are staying at the Wilhelms from Sunday to Wednesday.  

Becky Skousen did it all in sharing time.  Alicia wasn't here today so she did music time and sharing time.  Today is the last day that the Crane's grandchildren will be with us.  We will miss them.

James went home teaching after church.  I came home and warmed up some chicken tacos and then took a nap on the couch.  James came home, ate, took a short nap and then went out again to visit the Hunsaker's.  I gave him my phone sim card to give to LeeAnn.  

Our home teacher's, Dave Westbrook and his grandson Colton Carroll came by for a visit.  Brother Westbrook has a ranch in New Mexico.  He told about the wolves killing people's calves and also his neighbors stealing his cattle.  After seventeen years he is ready to sell and retire.

I spent most of the afternoon working on my Primary lesson for next week.  

We lost another friend today.  Steven Westerman, who was married to our friend Karin Gonda, passed away.  He had a brain tumor and has been suffering for quite some time.  He was valiant in his fight and was an inspiration to so many.  Last year he and Karin spoke in the Galveston Third ward when we were there, before they moved to Gilbert.  People were paying tribute to him on Facebook.  Someone quoted him as saying this: " Whatever it is that you may feel like you are lacking, rather it be love, friendship, happiness, go out and offer that exact need and watch it return to you."

Steve & Karin on their wedding day.

A short time later as he battled cancer.

Steve and Karin's dog, Sophie.

This evening we watched a movie on the Up channel called, "Love Finds You in Sugarcreek."  It's about a drifter and his five year old son who end up in Sugarcreek, Ohio working for three Amish women.  Their niece, the town sheriff is a little leary of him, and wonders what he is running from.  It was a good one.  I love the Amish people!

 This is Kelly McGillis who starred in 

Top Gun with Tom Cruise.

She made a good Amish aunt.

 

Saturday, April 23, 2016

This is the bouquet I would like to get

for Mother's Day

The are called Holland Rainbow roses.

Gorgeous!

In case you didn't believe they were real.

We went to the Snowflake temple again this morning.  It was so very windy it reminded us of when we were in high school and had to fight the wind to get to class.

The officiator in our session was Brother Elmer and the two sister ordinance workers were Sister Heaton and Sister DeWitt, all familiar names to us.  The video was the one with my favorite Adam & Eve!

Afterwards I drug James to El Cupido again.  I told him that next time he could choose where we ate after our temple session.

When we got home we were ready for a nap and some relaxation time.  Not for long though.  James got up to do some work and I went in to the kitchen to get the chicken taco meat into the crockpot.  I am anxious to see how this recipe turns out.

I worked on my blog and then went outside to clean off porches.  My first job was the front porch which has bird poop all over it.  Next I went to the back door by the pine tree.  I cleaned off the pine needles and collected pinecones to use later. 

I failed to mention that on the way to the temple we listened to our scriptures, Mosiah 14:1-15:9.  My question for the day: "Why do we do things our own way?"  Because we forget whey we are here.  Obedience is the whole duty of mankind.

We also listened to two conference talks.  The first was Elder Cook's, "See Yourself in the Temple."  How appropriate!  The second was President Uchtdorf's: "He Will Place You on His Shoulder and Carry You Home."  A beautiful talk!

On the way home we read a couple of chapters from our second Chronicles of Narnia book, "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe."

James ate a burrito for breakfast and a stuffed pork chop for lunch so he wanted to eat a light dinner.  I put the chicken meat in the frig for tomorrow and fixed him a nice salad.

No movie tonight, we are both busy getting ready for our lessons tomorrow.

Cathi texted me after their evening session of stake conference.  Randall Jones announced that his mother-in-law, June Bueler, had passed away.  June was the Relief Society president in the Chandler 2nd ward when we moved to Chandler.  When Cathi told me, I had to do a little reminiscing.  Her brother, Wilson Shill was my gynecologist and delivered all my babies.  James was her son Gordon's scout leader and he also built her son Franklin's home.  We have a long history with the Bueler's.  They are a wonderful family.

I love this pictures of Molly taken last soccer season.

I love the pink shoe laces.

 

Setting it up for the kick.

And there goes the kick!

Friday, April 22, 2016

This picture was taken Saturday,

April 16, 2016.

Scripture study: Mosiah 13:5-35

This is Abinadi teaching the wicked priests of king Noah.  Listen to him bear testimony in Mosiah 13:27-28:

27 - And now ye have said that salvation cometh by the law of Moses.  I say unto you that it is expedient that ye should keep the law of Moses as yet; but I say unto you, that the time shall come when it shall no more be expedient to keep the law of Moses.

28 - And moreover, I say unto you, that salvation doth not come by the law alone; and were it not for the atonement, which God himself shall make for the sins and iniquities of his people, that they must unavoidably perish, notwithstanding the law of Moses.

It always amazes me that these prophets bore testimony of Christ hundreds of years before he was born.  Someday I would like to speak to Abinadi and find out how he gained his testimony.

Abinadi seems to have a glow about him in this picture.

How might this story of Abinadi give you courage when you face difficult tasks?  Abinadi knew who he was and what God expected of him.  He was not afraid to die for his testimony.  Courage is a decision where fear is a reaction.  Courage is llike a muscle, the more we use it, the more it is strengthened.  Abinadi chose to stand as a witness of God at all times, and in all place.  Can we do the same?

Today I discovered while working on family history that my mother and her siblings were sealed to Nannie and Grandpa, but Nannie and Grandpa have not been sealed to each other.  I printed out sealing cards for them and for Nannie's grandparents.  I love that we can print out temple cards at home now!  James and I are going to the temple tomorrow to do another endowment session.  Next week we are going to do sealings.  I want this work done!

I listened to three conferences talks today.  One was by President Monson where he quoted the Cheshire cat speaking to Alice when she asked which path to take and said she didn't know where she was going.  "If you don't know where you want to go, it doesn't matter which path you take."

Russell M. Nelson told the youth in the New Era that personal revelation can lead to spiritual discernment.  

 James needed to buy more lumber so he and I made a trip to town.  While he was at Home Depot I went to Walmart.  Trina has ask us to help make hygeine kits for refugees and I bought some of the stuff today.  I also bought some things for Primary and my visiting teaching care basket for Claire Mercado.  We use our travel time to either read or listen to conference talks.  Today we read from "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe."  James isn't liking it as well as he does our romance novels, but I think we needed to branch out a little.  There are seven books in this series and we are only on book two.

For dinner tonight I made pork chops with stuffing and James absolutely loved them.  I got the recipe from The Food Nanny who has a show on the BYU channel.  Definitely putting this one in the favorite file.

Our Hallmark movie tonight was quite lame.  It was The Family Plan starring Tori Spelling and Jordan Bridges. The movie was made in 2005.  She starts out by telling her boss she is married  when she is not and the lie just snowballs.  Pretty silly and not much redeeming value.  We both were disappointed.  

Tomorrow is temple day.

I have to include in each days post some of the pictures of the past that I have come across.  Today's are pictures of Rowan, Joshua, and Evan has babies.

 November 2006 right after Evan was born.  

Early 2007.  Evan is catching up.

 A few months later.  Evan is Super Baby!

 This is when they are about two or three years old.

Best Buddies forever!

I can't wait for these three to go on missions all

at the same time.

 

Thursday, April 21, 2016

A stroll down memory lane.

This is the drugstore where I stopped everyday after school for a snack.  The school bus stopped across the street and we walked across highway 60 into the doors of Show Low Drug.  I would usually have a baked ham sandwich with barbequed potato chips, and a fresh limeade with plain water.  The cost: .75 cents.  Those were the days.  We sat in a booth next to the soda fountain.  The waitress never had to move out of her work station to wait on us.  Today the Dominoes pizza occupies this spot.

When I got home I would put on a record and relax.  Here was on of my favorite artists.

 Ooooh Ricky!

Today's scripture study: Mosiah 12:17-13:4

How do you apply your heart to understanding?

Through humility.  The condition of being meek and teachable.  Humility includes recognizing our dependence upon God and desiring to submit to His will.

James took me visiting teaching to Hailey Chaffin's.  Next time I am confident I can find it by myself.  I made her a basket.

The lesson was:

"Daughter of Our Eternal Father"

After Hailey's James and I went in to Show Low.  It is an absolutely gorgeous day here.  The high is around 73.  The first place we hit in Show Low is Sonic for my diet coke with regular cherry flavoring.  James picks up our Pappa John's thin crust veggie pizza while I do a little shopping at Walmart.  Walmart has a laminating machine for $20.  I am putting that on my wish list.  I had to pick up my folic acid at the pharmacy and then I was on my way.  On the way to Hailey's and Show Low we finished listening to the priesthood session of general conference.  On the way home we finished "The Magician's Nephew."  

At home we both took a nap and then James went out to go to work.  I went in to the computer to work on my Primary lesson and my blog.  I felt a little achy so I decided to take a whirlpool bath.

Just what the doctor ordered.  That is Nemo in

the corner with a striped hat.  Alexis made it.

I got it last year in our white elephant gift exchange.

 

For dinner I had a cheddar and jalapeno bagel with some of the salad I made on Tuesday.  

James is working until it's too dark to work so he doesn't get in much before seven.  He has to hurry to get ready for our movie which I like to start by 7:30.  Tonight's was a mystery, "Sandra Brown's White Hot."  It was okay but I like the romantic comedies or "feel good" movies better.

James's Pero was especially tasty tonight.  That's because he put more chocolate and sweetener than usual!

 

The moon was gorgeous tonight.  We tried to capture it, but never can do it justice.

 

Facebook find:

A purple house!  Have I died and

gone to Heaven?

 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday, April 20, 2016

So true.

From Howard W. Hunter lesson #8, "Taking the Gospel to all the World":  'A great indicator of one's personal conversion is the desire to share the gospel with others.'

As I was working on familysearch today I realized that my Nannie and Grandpa have never been sealed together  and my mom and her brother and sister have not been sealed to them, their parents.  I want to make this one of my top priorities. 

I listened to six conference talks today in an effort to listen to them all again before the end of the month.  

I made oven stew today.  James had it for lunch and dinner and he loved it.  We have plenty left for tomorrow too.

James seems discouraged because he is always in pain.  He worked outside on the building most of the day.

It's beginning to look like a building.

I love this old picture of Ben and Jared Ammon.  

 They look so sweet and innocent.

I was able to talk to Jean Howard and Claire Mercado today, two of the sisters I visit teach.  I have an appointment with Jean next week.  Claire is still not feeling well.  After I finished talking to her I decided I wanted to do a care basket for her and her daughter Marlie.  I offered to bring her dinner, but she has so many allergies she declined.

James and I look forward to our "date on the couch" every night.  Tonight we watched a movie called "Always and Forever."  The only thing I didn't like about it was Dean McDermott.

 

Tuesday, April 19, 2016

Happy 20th Anniversary

Sheri & Ian

 Our family has changed a bit since this picture

was taken.  Jared was serving a mission in Ecuador

and couldn't make it to the party.  It's great to see Ian's

grandparents and J.D. in this picture.

Mosiah 11:16-29.  What does it mean when the Lord says He's a jealous God?  We know that God has tender feelings for us...He weeps.  Jealousy in this context means He has fervent feelings for us...He wants so much to bless us and for us to trust Him.  Elder Holland spoke of how we should love God with all our heart, might, mind and strength, but that we should remember. ...God, our Father, loves us with all His heart, might, mind and strength too.  He is possessive, caring, and loving.

Both James and I are trying to be obedient to what President Williams ask us to do regarding memorizing The Living Christ and the Family Proclamation.  I got out my old study notebooks, because I tried before, and went to work on the first sentence in each document.

As I was getting ready to go to town with James, I had a feeling I should text Vickie and ask her if she would like to have her family's temple work done.  To my joyful surprise she said yes.  I had just been on Family Search's family tree and was thinking about Harold and Vickie when I sent this text.  I ask her if Jeffrey had been to the temple and could help with the ordinances.  She said she didn't know but would find out.  A few minutes later she texted me back and said he was planning on going in late May or early June and would love to help with the family ordinances.

I can tell you that this made my day!

Our first stop in town was at Licano's.  After all, today is Taco Tuesday.  I had two chicken tacos with a side of rice and beans.  Everything was yummy but I could only eat one taco.  Too many chips and salsa.

I've never had a steak at Licano's.

I liked the chicken better than the beef tacos.

Rice and beans for lunch tomorrow!

James dropped me off at Walmart after lunch while he went to Home Depot.  They only thing I really needed to get was some lemons for James hot lemon drinks that seem to help his laryngitis.

When I went to change from my sunglasses to my glasses, my glass case was not in my purse.  I assumed I had left it at Licano's so I called.  They had not found it.  Now I was worried.

After shopping in Walmart with my sunglasses on, I told James about my call.  He said we would go check when we were getting ready to go home.  He had come to Home Depot to buy apple trees and they didn't have any.  I suggested we go to Christopher's Nursery in Lakeside to see if they had any.  They did.  He got a two cherry trees, and two apple trees.  One of the apple trees has four varities of apples, including Honey Crisp.

 

Before going home we stopped in at Licano's but they still had not found my glasses.  As we were leaving we checked the parking lot, and there they were on the ground where we had parked.  They had been run over but the frames were not broke and neither were the lenses.  They are bent and I am going to wear my old glasses until Sheri can fix them for me.  She tried to tell me how to do it on the phone, but I am not confident enough to do it.  James says he can fix them, but I would rather wait for Sheri.

 

Back at home James planted his four trees.  He put some spray on them to keep the animals away.

 Is that snow on the ground?  

 

I made a big salad tonight for dinner.  James was still hungry so he had some more of my chicken and rice dish.  After dinner we read from "The Magician's Nephew" and then watched an episode of "Signed, Sealed, Delivered."