Monday, July 29th, 2019

Melbourne, Australia

90th operating temple

Dedicated: 16 June 2000

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Firstborn

3 Nephi 20:26

The Father having raised me up unto you first, and sent me to bless you in turning away everyone of you from his iniquities; and this because ye are the children of the covenant - 

Book of Mormon

Alma 42:1-25

New Testament Acts 22-28 "A Minister and a Witness"

Acts 22

General Conference

The Immediate Goodness of God

Elder Kyle S. McKay

"Emiie's healing and ultimate deliverance took a long time - months of treatment, training, and counseling, during which she was sustained and sometimes carried by His goodness. And that goodness continued with her as she entered the temple with her husband and children to be sealed together forever. Like the eople of Zarahemla, Emilie now gives thanks as she reflects on the immediate goodness of God and His power in delivering her from bondage."

Letters from Ben came early today. This one is from me and then Ben's answer to me:

This one is from Sheri to Ben and then his answer:

I just had to post this picture of Ben's

happy face.

Monday is always a good day when we hear from our missionary!

James went to town today. Last week when he returned from the valley he noticed a bump on the driver's front tire. We need a new tire. Thank goodness we bought the warranty. The new tire cost us $35.

He also went to the bank for some important financial matters and then on to Walmart to pick up my prescriptions. The methotrexate was ready but there is an issue with the tramadol. When the AARA sent the refill they used a stamped signature and it has to be a "wet" signature because tramadol is an opiate. I called the AARA and told them the problem. It is just frustrating because it seems there is always an issue with this prescription.

Two things happened in the book biz today. We sold a book, and I got another 5-Star rating! Those ratings are few and far between because most people don't want to take the time but they are important to my account and my standing with Amazon.

The Grapp's were going to come over for FHE to watch "When Calls the Heart" but they had to cancel because of a sick baby. We rescheduled for next Monday.

It rained about 5 minutes today. We need more. The sunflowers are beginning to blossom though.

baby Lola

5 year old Lola

 Peek-a-boo with Scarlett

 What a beauty!

   Missing the Pinedale cabin

Love both of these home!

Another beautiful sunset

Sunday, July 28th, 2019

Adelaide, Australia

89th operating temple

Dedicated: 15 June 2000

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Firstborn

Revelations 3:14

And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write: These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

Book of Mormon

Alma 41:1-15

New Testament: Review: "The Lord Has Called for Us to Preach the Gospel"

General Conference

Prepared To Obtain Every Needful Thing

Elder David A. Bednar

"If all you or I know about Jesus Christ and His restored gospel is what other people teach or tell us, then the foundation of our testimony of Him and His glorious latter-day work is built upon sand. We cannot rely exclusively upon or borrow gospel light and knowledge from other people - even those whom we love and trust."

Sister Shealyn Smith reported on her mission to the Indianapolis, Indiana mission. She said there were 8 things she learned while serving her mission:

1. Sacrifice - Love God and be willing to sacrifice with a broken heart and a contrite spirit.

2. Count blessings - Be grateful for the blessings you enjoy in your life and thank Heavenly Father for those blessings. Look at your blessings instead of your burdens. Your burdens may become your blessings.

3. Always rely on faith - Alma 32, faith is like a growing seed planted in gospel soil. Matthew 17 - We must have faith as a grain of mustard seed.

4. Knowledge - Seek and continue to learn. Ether 12:27 - weak things may become strengths. Rely on the Spirit to learn.

5. Patience and God's timing - Trust in the Lord and have an eternal perspective. Sister Smith learned to get along with difficult companions through patience and God's timing

6. Loving and serving God's children - Being exactly obedient requires us to listen to the Spirit. The Lord puts missionaries exactly where they need to be.

7. Listening to the Spirit - Sister Smith learned to recognize when God was talking to her. See Galations 5 for a list of spiritual gifts.

8. Rely on the Savior - "I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me." (Phil. 4:13). This is the scripture I relied on when I came down with rheumatoid arthritis. I call it "My scripture." 

God loves us and wants to bless us.

Brother/Dr. Reagan of the high council was the next speaker. He said he brings a message of love from the stake presidency and then recognized that they are all with us today sitting on the stand.

He spoke on making our homes a place of spirituality and how we should not be lulled into carnal security. 

He talked about no contention in our homes and he quoted the Savior from 3 Nephi 17:3 when he told the people to go home and ponder the things that they had learned.

The Star Spangled Banner was the closing hymn and then Rosa Westbrook gave the closing prayer. She is a sister from Mexico and she speaks with a spanish accent. I thought it was appropriate for her to give the closing prayer after singing the Star Spangled Banner.

Sister Becky Skousen gave the lesson in Relief Society from Elder Bednar's latest conference address, "Prepared to Obtain Every Needful Thing." Elder Bednar emphasizes a home-centered, Church supported curriculum and the importance of making our homes missionary training centers, family history centers, and training centers for preparing our children for the temple. It was a great lesson and we had lots of participation and lots of visitors.

Thanks to Anthony for setting up the microphone.

I had a nice phone conversation with Sheri today. I love talking to my children and I am so grateful when they call. We are worried about Max who is refusing to go to Church. I gave her some counsel on what she might do to avoid a confrontation with him. 

Kacey posted this about Charlie:

We have thought a couple of times that Charlie was saying amen after prayer. Tonight Jared got halfway through his prayer and she started saying over and over again, very clearly, "Mamen." I think she was telling him to wrap it up. It was the cutest!!"

Charlie is growing up so fast and we would be missing these moments if Kacey wasn't sharing with us. I am grateful for all that she shares so that we feel like we are a part of Charlie's life.

 Love Scarlett's Sunday photos!

Finally fits in to the 6 month dress

I gave her.

Paul's post

 A Brazilian cloudburst

Tonight's sunset in Vernon

Saturday, July 27th, 2019

Fukuoka, Japan

88th operating temple

Dedicated: 11 June 2000

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Firstborn

DC 107:19

To have the privilege of receiving the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven to have the heavens opened unto them, to commune with the general assembly and church of the Firstborn, and to enjoy the communion and presence of God the Father, and Jesus the mediator of the new covenant.

Book of Mormon

Alma 40:15-26

New Testament"The Lord Has Called for Us To Preach the Gospel"

Acts 21

General Conference

Good Shepherd, Lamb of God

Elder Gerrit W. Gong

"Today our Savior desires that what we do and who we are becoming will invite others to come, follow Him. Come find love healing, connection, and covenant belonging in Him, including in God's holy temple, where sacred ordinances of salvation can bless all family members, thus gathering Israel on both sides of the veil."

James woke me up at 5. I wonder if I would have slept until 6 and missed going to the temple if he hadn't woke me up. I never set an alarm. Anyway, we left before 6 and made it to the temple around 6:30. We took both rolls and cookies for the potluck.

President and Sister Palmer did our training today. The downstairs greeter no longer has to keep track of how many are going to be in the next session. That makes it so much easier!

President Palmer said our theme for this month is "More Holiness Give Me." He talked about pioneer day and how there are pioneers all over the world as the Church grows in other countries. He told about serving their mission in India and meeting a nine year old girl who joined the Church with her family. He said she is now a medical doctor and a prominent leader in the Church in India. He called her a pioneer.

I am the veil director again and Sister Rubert is my assistant. We sat down together and filled out our clipboard paper for all of the sessions. We have one own endowment today for women and the men also have one. James is assigned to be his helper and Sister Reidhead is the sisters helper. It is a young couple who will be getting married next week.

James and I had our break together. We sat with Sister Rubert and Sister Mangisi. Sister Mangisi said, "I don't know who made these rolls but they are the best I've ever had." I told her I made them. Sister Rubert said, "I could eat these all day." Should I have told them they are the Rhodes Texas sized frozen rolls?

Sister Larsen was telling stories to Sister Palmer, the young one who is leaving to go to college, about growing up in Holland. I love to hear her stories! She told about coming across on the boat with her husband, two small children and her mother to America in 1956. She married a missionary who later became a soldier.

A little after ten,  Sister Elmer and I were waiting upstairs for the veil bell to ring.  Two sisters and a brother came walking up the stairs. They walked over and shook hands with Sister Brewer who was in the upstairs greeters chair. One of the sisters had blonde hair and she looked so familiar to me. I told Sister Elmer, "that sister looks so familiar, I know her but I can't think of her name."

About that time Brother Hunt walked over to us and said, "Do you know who that was?  It was Sister Bingham, the General Relief Society President." That explains why she looked so familiar. I guess she was here with her sister who lives in Joe City. They are related to the girl who is going through to get her own endowments. Wow! This is a special day for the Snowflake temple. As I watched Sister Bingham, I noticed she had a glow about her that set her apart. We treated her with the same love and respect we treat all of the patrons of the temple with. The sister workers were all in a buzz about her. Sister Palmer the temple matron, told us we couldn't ask for her autograph. 

I was the veil director and directed Sister Bingham to the veil. Sister Bradshaw got to assist her at the veil. Sister Bradshaw was glowing afterwards. I told her she was the chosen one.

As James and I were leaving the temple Sister Bingham was getting in to the vehicle waiting for her. We drove right passed her and we looked at each other and smiled. James was in the Celestial room when she was there and he said she was very gracious, going around and shaking hands with others in the room.  It was a neat experience for both of us. Sister Bingham is one of those people you are immediately attracted to. It is an attraction of the Spirit. She is more beautiful in real life than when you see her on TV or in a photo.

Her hair is longer now,  and although she is normal 

heighth, she seems tiny because she is so very thin.

 Waiting for Sister Bingham but

James came out first.

 The car waiting for Sister Bingham

Young Sister Palmer and Sister Mangisi

Today was their last day working at the Snowflake temple.

They are going to school at EA. President Palmer is Sister

Palmer's grandpa and his brother is in the temple presidency at

the Gila Valley temple and I am sure these two sisters will be 

called as temple workers at that temple.

On the way home we stopped at Sonic for chicken sandwiches. I also got a cherry limeade. I forgot how much I love them! 

We went through a cloud burst on the way home but we were not fortunate enough to have any rain in our area of Vernon.

Cloudburst. View from the temple grounds.

I got a call from my sister-in-law Denise when I got home. She was the bearer of sad news. Our cousins, Randy Tenney, has been diagnosed with brain cancer. He is in Barrows St. Joseph Hospital in Phoenix. Dennis was actually born in St. Joseph's hospital. 

Randy is Dennis's age and they were good friends growing up. They still get together with their wives and go out to eat. 

A sweet thing that Denise told me about Randy came from Aunt Gene. She says Randy is such a good son. He comes to see her every week and sits down and talks to her for at least an hour. Aunt Gene is 92 years old and as a mother I know how much she must appreciate this attention from her son. She is so worried about him and says this should be happening to her, not him.

Today is Deb, Randy's wife's birthday. Her kids joined her at the hospital and took her to lunch in the hospital cafeteria and then later out to dinner. We will be praying for Randy and his family.

Randy is the former mayor of Show Low and a former bishop.

This evening we watched the latest Hallmark summer movie, "Love in Rome." The leading actress is new and James and I both really liked her and we also really liked the movie.

 What is on my shirt?

 I like it mom!

 Ok, I'm ready to be done.