Thursday, May 30th, 2019

Dallas, Texas

30th operating temple

Dedicated: 19-24 Oct 1984

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Divine Sonship

Helaman 8:14

Yea did he not bear record that the Son of God should come? And as he lifted up the brazen serpent in the wilderness, even so shall he be lifted up who should come.

Book of Mormon

Alma 8:18-9:6

New Testament "Come Follow Me"

Mark 12:18-27

General Conference

Build a Fortress of Spirituality and Protection

Elder Ronald A. Rasband

"Go ye unto your homes, and ponder" is the next step in taking to heart the words of prophets and Church leaders spoken in this sacred setting. Christ-centered hoes are fortresses for the kingdom of God on earth in a day when, as prophesied, the devil "rages in the hearts of the children of men, and stirs them up to anger against that which is good."

As I opened the blinds this morning I noticed LaVerne walking across the back field by herself. You of course remember our two antelopes, LaVerne and Shirley who came a few days to stay last year. James says it is their time to be alone to have their babies. I couldn't tell for sure if LaVerne was pregnant but she was walking pretty slowly. I'm not sure which direction she went. She was probably headed somewhere for a little privacy, away from my prying eyes.

I heard this quote today: "Where much is given, much is expected." It's a good reminder of how much I have been given and how grateful I am and how much I owe to my Savior and Heavenly Father.

I paid down my credit card today and also paid my tithing. I am grateful we have the funds to do both of those things. We got back over $600 from our book business this month. I know it doesn't sound like much, but it's a start. We have now sold 88 books. In the webinar this morning Jim reminded us that: "We spend money to make money." Buying books is expensive but well worth it when they sell.

I had 15,000 steps by 5 this afternoon. This is my new goal. I finished watching the Iron Chef Challenge between Iron Chef Mike Symon and cake baker, Duff. It was close but Mike won. Jane Seymour was one of the judges. I wonder what qualifications she has?

I prepared shipments of books to be sent out tomorrow. Fourteen books total in three different shipments. I wish Amazon would just let them all go to one place.

He just got back from a tour,

I hope he takes a break before going again!

Wish I lived here. Reminds me of 

the book "Heidi" from when I was a girl.

 Glad my days at camp are over.

The Ray family. Adam graduated 

from Chandler high, the 4th generation to do so.

 Clouds

 Six years ago at Dallin's graduation party at

our home in Chandler. 

Ben in the back, Michael, Alex, Dallin, Joe, Jared Ammon.

 It's official, he's got the diploma

Scarlett enjoying her tacos!

 Wow!

 Jen Lilley of Hallmark movie fame. She is holding a baby that

she fosters. She also fosters his older brother and wants to adopt them both. She is pregnant with her own child, a girl.

She is an amazing woman!

 In honor of our anniversary I am sure!

 Brian and Cher. Colby posted this and said:

"My parents are cooler than your parents."

Three years ago.

Saturday, May 25th, 2019

Papeete, Tahiti

25th operating temple

Dedicated: 27-29 Oct 1983

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Divine Sonship

1 Nephi 11:24

And after he had said these words, he said unto me: Look! And I looked, and I beheld the Son of God going forth among the children of men; and I saw many fall down at his feet and worship him.

Book of Mormon

Alma 5:43-52

New Testament "Come Follow Me"

Matt 23:1-12; John 12:20-50

General Conference

Cleansed by Repentance

President Dallin H. Oaks

"One purpose of God's plan for this mortal experience is to 'prove' us 'to see if we will do all things whatsoever the Lord our God shall command us' (Abraham 3:25). As part of this plan, we are accountable to God and to His chosen servants, and that accountability involves both mortal and divine judgments."

Today we left for the temple around 5:40 a.m. We listened to scriptures and conference talks all the way. It was a beautiful morning!

This was the first day for our new coordinator's, the Elmer's from Eager. My main assignment is working with Sister Reidhead at the veil for all three sessions during our shift. I love Sister Reidhead and enjoy working with her. 

The Palmer's did our training during preparation meeting. We talked about the new veil. Our temple is one of the first temples to have the new veil. Personally, I did not notice the difference. 

Since this is a holiday weekend I wasn't surprised that several of our workers had gotten subs. One of the subs was a girl I went to high school with. Her nephew married one of the girls from our ward in Chandler, and we made that connection. Her name was Luanna Geiger in high school. Now her last name is Solomon.

Brother Toronto, our stake patriarch, worked today along with his wife. Elwanda, (Sister Reidhead) and I wanted to ask one of them if they knew Jimmy Toronto, someone we went to high school with, but we did not do it.

Every single session was packed and had someone getting their own endowment. An older couple from our ward who have been engaged for awhile, were sealed today, Brother Gordon and Sister White. Brother Gordon came up to me and said, "Your husband didn't call me to help clean the temple tonight like he normally does." I said, "Sam, we decided to give you a break since you are getting married today." He just smiled.

Amy, Sam's new wife is very shy and doesn't smile very often. I went up to her after the ceremony and congratulated her. She gave me a hug and a big smile.

We had some leftover Chinese chicken salad to take home. James actually liked it and said he was going to go home and add a few more seasonings and finish it off. There were no rolls left, but I only brought half and the other half are still at home. James had bought some croissants at Costco when he was in the valley and we had several of them left. 

When we returned home after our shift, I did a little walking and then both James and I laid down for a nap. Kim and Brian said they had had a great day so far, including a Razr ride. Kim was working on a puzzle and Brian was watching a cooking show on TV.

We left to clean the temple this evening around 5:40, just 12 hours from when we left this morning. 

We clean with the Show Low Creek ward. I gave the opening prayer in prayer meeting and James gave the spiritual thought. I was asked by Brother Patterson to give the spiritual thought but I told him I required a little more preparation time. James did really well. He talked about the King who had the dinner from the scriptures and invited guests and many of them made excuses why they couldn't come. 

James and I were assigned to clean the women's dressing room. At first James was a little hesitant, but soon he realized it was an okay job.

These are the people who attended from our ward:

Teresa Smith, Holly and Charlie Gordon, Brother Peeler, Brothers Scott, Cooper, Romyak, and Curtis. Kerri, Anne, and Cammy. Tamara and Jimmy Applegate, the Lauritzen's, Dave and Rosa, the Allens, Stefani and Sean, the Klug's, and us. 25 in all. The Show Low Creek ward had 10 people which included President Beeler and his wife. Kerri was happy because she cleaned the oxen with the Beeler's and had a good time.

When we got home Kim, Brian and I watched the new Hallmark movie, From Friend to Fiance. James went in the bedroom and worked on his Primary lesson for tomorrow. 

Kim felt a little dizzy before going to bed.

 Clouds in Wisconsin

 Jill Wagner, of Hallmark fame, and her husband

on their farm in Tennessee. Kim says they

raise Highland cattle.

 The ever adorable Charlie!

Kim finished her donut puzzle

Sunday, April 28th, 2019

Barranquilla, Colombia

161st operating temple

Dedicated: 9 Dec 2018

By: Dallin H. Oaks

Jesus Christ, Divine Sonship

Acts 3:13

The God Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.

Book of Mormon

Mosiah 18:17-35

New Testament "Come Follow Me"

Review Matthew 18 and Luke 10

General Conference

Prepared to Obtain Every Needful Thing

David A. Bednar

"Blessings will come as we strive to fulfill our individual responsibility to learn and love the restored gospel of Jesus Christ."

I missed seeing Shelly this morning at church. She didn't want to cause a disruption in the chapel so she sat in the foyer and I missed her. Afterward sacrament meeting she went to the singles ward.

We sat by Kim and Brian during sacrament on the back row. Several youth spoke on conference talks and it was difficult to hear them. Elder Irish was the last speaker and we could hear him fine. He bore his testimony and shared some messages from the prophet, President Nelson. Kim and Brian went home after sacrament meeting. 

Cammy was nervous about teaching in Relief Society. She is teaching from Elder Holland's conference address, "Behold the Lamb of God."  The sisters came through for Cammy and we had a good discussion about reverence in the chapel and during the sacrament. I noticed that Holly G. wasn't there and I texted her after church to make sure she was okay. 

We had a family history meeting after the block. I forgot about it and was visiting in the RS room with Tamara, Kailee, and Kerri. I was a little embarrassed coming in late. Everyone was there except our teenager Ty. I texted him afterwards and told him we wanted him to visit Charlie G. and that James would go with him. Tamara his mom said he would do it but it would be after May 4th because he is preparing for the state track tournament.

James and I fixed biscuits and gravy for Kim and Brian before they left. James did all the work. I got the biscuits out of the freezer and warmed them up in the oven. The venison gravy was delicious!

Kim, Brian and I played a game of Five Crowns before they left. Brian whipped us each by over a 100 points. Maybe he was getting even with us for eating Rocky Road ice cream in front of him. (He's lactose intolerant).

After Kim and Brian left James went to the Howard's to help Tom with family history. While I was home alone I listened to a podcast interview with Sheri Dew about her association with prophets. She has written three books about prophets, Ezra Taft Benson, Gordon B. Hinckley, and now Russell M. Nelson. She told the story of the circumstances surrounding the meeting of Wendy Watson and President Nelson. She was a part of them getting together. I want this book that she has written for mother's day. I have told James and posted an advertisement for it on my white board. No jewlery honey, just a book.

I caught up on my blog this evening and watched a Mormon Message video, "The Passover Lamb." Tamara told us about this video in Relief Society today. This is something I will watch every Easter.

Happy Sabbath from these two sweet girls!

 Anxiously awaiting!

Dear sweet Ruby

Thursday, January 3rd, 2019

Orlando, Florida

46th operating temple

Dedicated: 9 Oct 1994

By: Howard W. Hunter

Jesus Christ, Death of

DC 18:11

For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him.

Book of Mormon

1 Nephi 2:16-3:8

New Testament

Lesson #1 - Quote by Elder Bednar:

"As learners, you and I are to act and be doers of the word and not simply hearers who are only acted upon. Are you and I agents who act and seek learning by faith, or are we waiting to be taught and acted upon? ... A learner exercising agency by acting in accordance with correct principles opens his or her heart to the Holy Ghost and invites His teaching, testifying power, and confirming witness. Learning by faith requires spiritual, mental and physical exertion and not just passive reception" ("Seek Learning by Faith," Ensign, Sept. 2007, 64).

General Conference

Lift Up Your Head and Rejoice

M. Joseph Brough

" To help us travel and triumph over our hard times with glimpses of eternity, may I suggest two things. We must face hard things, first, by forgiving others and, second, by giving ourselves to Heavenly Father."

I have a book box ready to mail to Amazon's fulfillment center. Sheri and Ian are leaving this morning with the boys and I want to be here to take a picture but James has a doctor's appointment with Dr. Moffat about his laringitis, plus I want to mail our box of books, so I go to town with James.

Kim took a picture for me but I guess there had been a bit of a misunderstanding and Max shoved Evan down. Sheri and Ian both yelled and Max so none of them were happy in this picture. 

Sheri looks happy.

James and I stopped at Taco Bell for my taco craving. We also went to CVS to get James's prescriptions.

We got stuck going up our hill at home. I walked the rest of the way and Brian came in the Razr to rescue James and the car. I guess the car got stuck 2 more times.  

Brian and Kim have taken down our Christmas tree, and the grandkids stockings. Brian has carried everything downstairs. I am so grateful for their help! I love looking at my Christmas tree when it's up but I hate taking it down and putting it up.

Sheri and company got home safely. They pick up Ollie at Cathi's and he is happy to see them. Later Cathi comes down and he is so excited to see her that he stands by the door blocking her so she can't get out. She picks him up and he licks her all over the face. This dog is in love with his aunt Cathi.

Brian made breakfast for dinner. Scrambled eggs with sausage and hashbrowns. I didn't eat too much because I had been snacking on lemon cake all day. 

We had several deer, Kim counted 8, and some elk in our yard this evening. Kim and James both took pictures. One of the cow elk herd Kim and I talking and ran back up the hill. The rest of the herd stayed around for awhile.

This evening the four of us, Kim, Brian, James, and I watched one of my favorite Christmas movies. It's called "Christmas Around the Corner" about a girl who visits a bookstore in Vermont and changes the entire town. Love it.

We have some friends who came home from the valley after Christmas, Pam and Chuck, to find that their waterline had broken. There is also a single sister in our ward with broken pipes. The elders quorum is going to put skirting around her manufactured home to keep them from freezing again.

A Charlie picture a day keeps the 

blues away.

Phillipians 4:13

Brian and James enjoying dinner together.

 Kim's latest M&M craze