OUR FAMILY: Sunday, June 2, 2024: Fast & Testimony meeting, Teacher council, Kristy Ellsworth, R&R, Tom catches a baby hare/jackrabbit, Beautiful evenings,

Manaus, Brazil

138th operating temple

Dedicated: 10 June 2012

By: Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Book of Mormon

Mosiah 29:1-27

Come Follow Me

Review

April General Conference

"Put Ye On the Lord Jesus Christ" Sister J. Annette Dennis

'We have the privilege and blessing of being invited into a covenant relationship with God, in which our own lives can become a symbol of that covenant.'

D&C 109:25-28

25 That no weapon formed against them shall prosper; that he who diggeth a pit for them shall fall into the same himself;

26 That no combination of wickedness shall have power to rise up and prevail over thy people upon whom thy name shall be put in this house;

27 And if any people shall rise against this people, that thine anger be kindled against them;

28 And if they shall smite this people thou wilt smite them; thou wilt fight for thy people as thou didst in the day of battle, that they may be delivered from the hands of all their enemies.

Believe big. Ask big. We believe in the King of Kings.

The degree of our relationship with Jesus Christ will increase His power and privilege in our lives. I love this!

An Affirmation: I am moving forward on the covenant path as I make sacred promises and receive sacred ordinances. I have faith that the miracles I need in my life, will come according to God's will, timing, and plan for me.

We had a wonderful fast and testimony meeting today beginning with Brother Steve Allen who was conducting the meeting. He told of a time when he was a young boy and visiting at his grandfather's house. He did something wrong and his grandfather took him by the and and led him into the house and sat him on the piano bench, then his grandfather sat down beside him and began playing and singing the hymn, "I Stand All Amazed." Steve looked up and saw tears rolling down his grandfather's cheeks. This simple event has affected Steve's life since then, until now. Nothing else his grandfather could have done would have had a more profound affect upon Steve's life. This is the reason that "I Stand All Amazed" is his favorite hymn.

James bore his testimony. It was sweet and touching. He mentioned that we had just celebrated our 56th wedding anniversary. He said that he was grateful for two events in his life. The first was the fact that Warren Peterson listened to the Spirit and ran into that burning house, picked him up and ran with him, holding him like a football until he jumped through the window and was safely outside. James was about 18 months old. Brother Peterson saved his life.

The second was being sealed for time and all eternity in the temple 56 years ago. He mentioned that both of our families were inactive but that I insisted that we be worthy to be married in the temple.

I too am grateful that we made that choice to be married in the temple and to raise our children in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

LeeAnn Hunsaker Snyder bore her testimony and said she was grateful for her Savior and for her trials because her trials brought her to Him. She talked about a picture of the Savior that her sister gave her and how she would sleep on her sisters couch holding that picture and sobbing. LeeAnn is one of my former young women. She married a non-member who got baptized and they have been to the temple. They have not been able to have children. They moved to the valley a couple of years ago and are now separated with LeeAnn living here part of the week. I don't know all of the details but I know how sweet LeeAnn is and that she has a strong testimony of Jesus Christ. She is the daughter of our sweet bishop. I pray for her and that she will find joy and happiness in this life.

Others who bore their testimonies: Brother Peralta, Theresa Smith, Tina Allen, Mel Wilhelm, Greg Anderson, and both sister missionaries, Sister Johnson and Sister Ruggiere.

James and I both attended the teacher council meeting taught by John Wilhelm the second hour. Others who attended:

Jarod Golly, Marci Westbrook, Becky Skousen, Natalie Robles, myself, James, Rosie Lauritzen, Wendy & Collin DeWitt, Jerry Scott, and the sister missionaries, Sister Johnson and Sister Ruggiere.

At the end of our discussion we decided that our next discussion would be on personal evaluation as teachers.

James had a ministering interview with Brother Ellsworth today. As he result he came home and said he was going to finish his fast for Sister Kristy Ellsworth. Brother Ellsworth is very concerned about his wife because she feels like she has no friends in our ward.

We took our naps with Tom and then James got up and went outside to water trees. Tom went out too. We've been talking about our trip to the time share next week and how we hate to leave Tom. I'm almost tempted to come back early.

James and I were sitting out on the front porch watching the sunset this evening when Tom came up with a baby jack rabbit in his mouth. He dropped it at James's feet. James picked him up and said the bunny's heart was beating 90 miles an hour. He asked me tot ake Tom into the house. I called him but he ignored me, so I picked him up and carried him inside. As soon as we got into the entry he jumped out of my arms. The door was shut so he couldn't go back outside. He went into the bedroom and laid down.

I think Tom thought we would be proud of him, but instead

James pushed him away.

I think his feelings are hurt.

Trying to circle around to the other side.

Poor little guy. He wasn't hurt, just scared

out of his mind.

James took him out in the field and set him under a tree. He went and checked on him a little later, and he was gone, which means he is okay.

Jared Ammon is staying upstairs in Sheri & Ian's room. He got an extension cord and setup his video camera outside during the night to record the movement of the stars. This is the second time he has done this and it looks so awesome to see the stars with trails behind them as they move across the star around the North star.

I read from my book, "Teaching with Power" today. I read Chapter 9, Focus on Doctrinal Principles, Not Rules. Here are some notes:

A principle is a general or basic law.

Why principles are more productive than rules: Principles have a broader application.

"Principles are concentrated truth, packaged for application to a wide variety of circumstances." - Elder Richard G. Scott

Law of Moses - Rule driven

Law of Christ - Principle driven