Saturday, December 3, 2016

Ether 2:13-25

The Lord wants us to grow and learn as we make our own decisions.  He also wants us to take our conclusions to Him frequently for His confirmation.  When the brother of Jared asked the Lord about the matter of light for the vessels, the Lord answered with a question of His own: "What will ye that I should do that ye may have light in your vessels?"  According to President Harold B. Lee, the Lord's question was similar to saying the following: 'Well, have you any good ideas?  What would you suggest that we should do in order to have light?'  Then the Lord went away and left him alone.  It was as though the Lord were saying to him, 'Look, I gave you a mind to think with and I gave you agency to use it.  Now you do all you can to help yourself with this problem; and then, after you've done all you can, I'll step in to help you.'"  After considering the possibilities, the brother of Jared demonstrated his great faith by asking the Lord to touch 16 stones and supply lights.  The Lord answered this plea and not only provided light for the vessels but gave this faithful man a vision unlike any other.  President Lee concluded: "This is the principle in action.  If you want the blessing, don't just kneel down and pray about it.  Prepare yourselves in every conceivable way you can in order to make yourselves worthy to receive the blessing you seek" (Stand Ye in Holy Places (1974), 243-44).

GC:    Rise Up in Strength, Sisters in Zion by Bonnie L. Oscarson

" If current trends are an indication, we need to be prepared for the storms that lie ahead.  It would be easy to throw our hands up in despair but as covenant people we need never despair.  As Elder Gary E. Stevenson has said, "Heavenly Father's generous compensation for living in perilous times is that we also live in the fulness of times."  I love the comfort of that statement."

Jared and Kacey are in San Diego this weekend for 

a convention for Jared's work.  

James went to the Gilbert temple this morning without me.  I forgot my temple clothes.  I really can't believe I did!  He did 5-6 initiatories while I stayed at Cathi's and read my scriptures and read a conference talk.  Oh yes, and I also ate the last piece of cheesecake for breakfast.  James was home a little after 8 and wanted to go to breakfast at IHop.  How could I say no even though I had just consumed over 600 calories.  

I had decided I was just going to have hash browns but I ended up getting an egg and a couple of pieces of bacon too.  Their hash browns were mushy, not nearly as good as the ones I make at home in my new oil-free skillet.  James had a piece of sausage with a chunk out of it and I complained about it.  Our waitress immediately brought two more pieces of sausage.   Because I appreciated her doing this and because I was trying to think of what to do in the way of service today to 'light the world', I left her a $10 tip and a note thanking her for her good service and wishing her a Merry Christmas.

When I got back to Cathi's, Cathi was waiting for me.  We had a date to go to Deseret Book, my favorite store.  What a fun time with one of my favorite people.

More pictures from San Diego:

Kacey's first time in San Diego

I bet the water is cold!

Toes in the sand.

One of the traditions in the city of Chandler on the first Saturday in December is the lighting of the tumbleweed Christmas tree.

When completed the tree is 35 feet tall.

James had a flat tire on the trailer he is bringing back to Vernon.  He took it in to Discount to get it fixed.  I began packing up but didn't actually pack my car until we got back from our family lunch at Serrano's.  This is a tradition that Kim and Brian started.  Serrano's on the first Saturday of December and then go look at Christmas lights.  Of course we did not stick around for the Christmas lights but went home after picking up James's tire.  He went through Globe and I went through Payson.

Candid shots at Serranos.

It takes James awhile to decide what he wants to eat.

There was quite a large group of us:
Sheri, Ian, Alex, Ben, Max, Evan, Kim, Brian, 
Joe, Amanda, Adam, Michael, Joshua,
James and me. 

I tried to get a shot from each corner of the table.

Amanda and Joe came in late and sat right 
across from me.

Of course we missed Jared and his family and Darrel and his family.  They were both off doing fun things today though:

The cutest Rudolph's I've ever seen!

When the elf ask Darrel what he does for a living

he said: "I sell drugs." I'm glad he didn't get arrested!

After a session in the temple.

After packing up and getting ready to go home I stopped at Charlotte's to bring her the conference Ensign and to help her set up the Gospel Library on her Ipad.  To my surprise she wasn't home.  I tried to call her later, but there was no answer.  I hope she is all right.

One more family outing I forgot to mention.  Sheri took her boys, along with Alex and Shana to the hot air balloon festival at the San Tan Village Mall.

Cute picture!

I got home about 30 minutes after James did.  It was around 7:30.  I unloaded and put everything away.  We forgot it was fast Sunday.  We usually like to start our fast around noon on Saturday, but tonight it was more like 8 pm.  We went to bed early.