Thursday, March 21st, 2019

Sacramento, California

123rd operating temple

Dedicated: 3 Sept 2006

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Divine Sonship

DC 52:44

Behold, I am Jesus Christ, the So of God, and I will lift them up at the last day. Even so. Amen.

Book of Mormon

Jacob 5:1-18

New Testament "Come Follow Me"

Matthew 13:44-58

"Lord, I Believe"

Jeffrey R. Holland

April 2013

General Conference

The Role of the Book of Mormon in Conversion

Elder Shayne M. Bowen

"The Book of Mormon contains the fulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It leads us to the covenants of the Father, which if kept will assure us of His greatest gift - eternal life. The Book of Mormon is the keystone to the conversion of all of Heavenly Father's sons and daughters."

I got a call from the sister who is supposed to teach the Relief Society lesson this week. Since I work directly with the teachers she called me. She was coughing so much she could barely speak. She has pneumonia and will not be able to teach on Sunday. I told her no to worry about the lesson, I would take care of it. Becky is a faithful and dedicated sister. I served in the Primary when she was the Primary president and I learned to love her for her positive attitude and her faith in the Lord. At first I was just going to teach the lesson myself but then I decided I needed to talk to our Relief Society President, Tamara. She said she would think about it and try to come up with a name of someone that we could call at the last minute and ask to teach.

I took my friend Catherine to Snowflake today. She has recently gone to the Compass Medical Center in Snowflake for the neuropathy she has as a result of her diabetes. She recently had to have two toenails removed because her toes were turning black. 

The Compass Center uses natural methods and herbs for much of their treatment. Catherine had to pick up her herbs, etc. and needed a ride. I was happy to take her. She is a delightful 85 year old who was born in Oklahoma and calls herself an "Oakie." I told her about James's mom and that she was born in Oklahoma,  and told her what she said about why the devil she needed a babysitter and Catherine responded, "Sounds just like an Oakie." 

After picking up Catherine's supplies she wanted to go to lunch. She said it was the least she could do for me being her chauffeur. I suggested Eva's because she said she liked Mexican food and she said she wanted to sit down somewhere and eat. 

Catherine was good and ordered a taco salad. I ordered my favorite, chicken enchilada with red sauce with rice and beans. I wasn't good, but my food sure was!

 We had a nice visit. She has a daughter who has left the Church that she is sad about. All of Catherine's children are adopted except one. I couldn't help but mention the nature vs. nurture theory I picked up from watching "Jane Doe, The Ties That Bind." What has the greatest affect on a person; nature,  their biological background, or nurture, the environment in which they grow up. I told her a little about Tricia. Tricia sounds a lot like her daughter Kathy. We did not come to any conclusions but I can think of examples where nature overcomes nurture. I am sure there are examples of nurture overcoming nature so the jury is still out on this one. As we everything else in life we just have to wait and see, and trust in the Lord.

I finally learned the value of setting Keepa alerts and how to do it for our book business. One of our successful mentors says he has 20,000 Keepa alerts set. When you set a price alert on a book you want to buy at a lower price Keepa will send you an email alert and then you can go back and purchase the book. I am determined that we are going to be successful in this book business!

James arrived home at 9:30 this evening. I was so happy to have him home! For some reason I missed him more than usual. I guess maybe because it's been awhile since we have been apart. 

Darrel and Trina made the big move today. Sheri said she took off work to help them today and tomorrow. I guess Darrel and Trina's brothers and dad did most of the heavy stuff and Sheri helped with the rest. I am grateful to Sheri and her desire to give service. She loves Trina and Darrel. Rowan spent the night with Max and Evan.

Hallmark movies to keep me company while James is gone:

"Perfect on Paper," "My Favorite Wedding," "Love, Once and Always."

I walked 13,562 steps today.

 Jared, is this good news for the Suns?

 So pretty!

 Fiona, Elizabeth and Abigail

from "When Calls the Heart", the

best show on TV.

Pictures of the best missionary ever:

Love that infectious smile Elder Trezise!

 Missionaries "on the ball"

 Little Miss Sunshine

 This picture was taken a year ago, I think

Darrel has changed the most.

James's job. He says this is an optical illusion

because that paved area was perfectly straight.

 These two have a special bond. Maybe it's because

she saved his life a couple of times.

 Hallmark movies make me happy.

Wednesday, March 20th, 2019

Newport Beach, California

122nd operating temple

Dedicated: 28 Aug 2005

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Divine Sonship

DC 50:27

Wherefore, he is possessor of all things; for all things are subject unto him, both in heaven and on the earth, the life and the light, the Spirit and the power, sent forth by the will of the Father through Jesus Christ, his Son.

Book of Mormon

Jacob 4:1-18

New Testament "Come Follow Me"

Matthew 13:24-43; BD: Kingdom of Heaven

"What Will a Man Give"?

Mark E. Peterson

October 2018 General Conference

"The Ministry of Reconciliation"

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

"My beloved brothers and sisters, I testify that forgiving and forsaking offenses, old or new, is central to the grandeur of the Atonement of Jesus Christ. I testify that ultimately such spiritual repair can come only from our divine Redeemer, He who rushes to our aid 'with healing in his wings.' We thank Him, and our Heavenly Father who sent Him, that renewal and rebirth a future free from old sorrows and past mistakes, are not only possible, but they have already been purchased, paid for, at an excruciating cost symbolized by the blood of the Lamb who shed it."

I cancelled my Audible membership today. I have Deseret Book Plus instead. The last couple of book club books I have tried to listen to on Audible have used bad language and I stopped listening.

I'm having another knee flareup so I took some tramadol and sat down on the recliner to watch a movie, "Marrying Mr. Darcy.

Right now James and I have 11 books ordered for our business. Kathy, my mentor, orders 10-30 books a day. I guess I need to pick up my pace. I spent several hours looking for books and only bought two today. 

Laura has been arranging for people to go sit with Lois so she isn't alone. Kim went today. This was Lois's comment: "Why the devil do I have to be babysat"? Kim told her she wanted to come and visit anyway so she was glad that Laura called her. 

When James isn't here I watch more movies than normal. Here are some I watched today. Of course I did blog, or source books or walk while I was watching. "Jane Doe: Ties that Bind," starring Lea Thompson. An oldie from 2007. "Dater's Handbook" starring Megan Markle, "Like Cats and Dogs," "The Art of Us," and "June in January."

By the way, today is the first day of spring. It is not necessarily the same day every year. Next year, 2020 it will be on March 19th.

 Happy Anniversary!

The cutest little flower around!

And now she is a widow with a little baby

and her best friend is off the show.

Thursday, March 14th, 2019

Redlands, California
116th operating temple
Dedicated: 14 Sept 2003
By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Divine Sonship

Helaman 3:28

Yea, thus we see that the gate of heaven is open unto all, even to those who will believe on the name of Jesus Christ, who is the Son of God.

Book of Mormon

2 Nephi 32:1-9

New Testament "Come Follow Me"

Matthew 12:1-37; Luke 11:14-28

"Take the Holy Spirit As Your Guide" Larry Y. Wilson, April 2018

General Conference

The Joy of Unselfish Service

Cristina B. Franco

"I testify that that love is made sacred through sacrifice - the sacrifice of a teacher and even more through the ultimate and eternal sacrifice of the Son of God. I bear witness that He lives! I love Him and desire to put away selfish desires in order to love and minister as He does."

I left Darrel and Trina's this morning before 9 a.m. James stayed for the walk-thru at the new house with Trina and Darrel. I stopped on the way out of town at Walmart to get a soccer ball for Johnny Wilhelm. Today is his 7th birthday. 

When I was finished shopping I hit the 202 loop north to the 87 and headed for Payson. 

I zipped right through Payson and headed for Heber where I stopped at the Circle K for a drink and to check my tires. Everything seemed to be okay so I headed for Show Low. 

I stopped at Safeway for DP10 and some fresh strawberries. My next stop was the Vernon post office. It was 34 degrees in Vernon but there was no wind and plenty of sunshine so it felt quite good. 

My next stop was the Wilhelm home to deliver Johnny's soccer ball. One of the dogs jumped on me and got mud on my pants, the ball, and the envelope to the birthday card. Curtis took the ball because Johnny wasn't home.

If felt good to be back home even though I was only gone 24 hours. As soon as I walked in the house my phone rang. It was Johnny in his cute little "grownup" voice thanking me for the soccer ball. 

The only not great thing about being home is all of the mud that I had to go through to get her. Poor Lexy is a mess.

James called me an hour or so after I got home and said he was on his way home. 

We spent a relaxing evening at home together watching the new Hallmark movies, "Love Under the Rainbow."

We both liked this cheesy Hallmark movie.

Just before going to be James checked his phone and he had a text from Dawn about his mother. Lois went in this morning for a procedure on her heart. It was supposed to be an outpatient procedure but her blood pressure went very low and so did her heart rate. We were both quite stressed as we went to bed and offered a prayer for Lois. We both felt guilty. I had been telling James he needed to call his mom for the past week. When he didn't do it, I felt prompted to call, but I never did. Thank goodness she is going to be all right and we have another chance.

These pictures bring me so much joy!

Saturday, December 1st, 2018

Oakland, California

13th operating temple

Dedicated: 17-19 Nov 1964

By: David O. McKay

Jesus Christ, Death of

Mark 14:55

And the chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none.

Book of Mormon #1

Ether 1:1-43

*The Lord explained to the brother of Jared that blessings had come to his people as a result of prayers offered over a long time. President Spencer W. Kimball taught that we must put great effort into our prayers and that we must pray frequently: "Do you get answers to your prayers? If not, perhaps you did not pay the price. Do you offer a few trite words and worn-out phrases, or do you talk intimately to the Lord? Do you pray occasionally when you should be praying regularly, often, constantly? Do you offer pennies to pay heavy debts when you should give dollars to erase that obligation? When you pray, do you just speak, or do you also listen? Your Savior said, 'Behold, I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.' (Rev 3:20) Should we ever fail to get an answer to our prayers, we must look into our own lives for a reason."

Book of Mormon #2

Alma 60-62

Old Testament

Obadiah 1

General Conference

Opening Remarks

President Russell M. Nelson

"For many years, Church leaders have been working on an integrated curriculum to strengthen families and individuals through a home-centered and Church-supported plan to learn doctrine, strengthen faith, and foster greater personal worship. Our efforts over these recent years to hallow the Sabbath - to make it a delight and a personal sign to God of our love for Him - will be augmented by the adjustments we will now introduce."

"Christmas Spirit is more powerful than you could ever imagine. People need Christmas to remind themselves of how good they can be." - St. Nicholas from "The Christmas Chronicles"

James was a man afire today. He went to the dump, got firewood and started a fire and worked on Christmas lights and decorating.

We drove up to the UPS in Show Low to mail our Arkansas and Texas packages at 4:50. I had checked online for store hours and thought they were open until 6 but that was not the case. The woman said they normally close at 4 on Saturday but because it is the holidays she is staying open until 5. It took us awhile to pack the two packages so she ended up locking us in. We got our packages ready and sent early this year!

We went to Walmart and bought some gifts for Curtis Wilhelm. We actually shopped together. James picked out the jacket and I did the rest.

Hat, gloves, Christmas blanket,

football and jacket.

Curtis's birthday is not until the 7th but since we will be gone

next week we gave his gifts to him early.

Curtis is a survivor of leukemia. He was in the Phoenix Children's Hospital when we first moved into the ward here in Vernon.

He has been in remission the past few years. He is also in James's Primary lesson and I taught him for two years.

We had a difficult time getting out of Show Low because of the Christmas light parade. We took all the back roads and finally found our way. James was a little frustrated but I thought it was fun and we got to see part of the parade. I saw little native American boys in costume covered in Christmas lights and a float. 

When we got home from town James went over to the Howard's to load up his Bobcat. He is taking it to the valley for the job he has in Mesa and didn't want to wait until Monday morning. He waited until after dark and I think he hurt his back. He also forgot to get gas in his truck and can't even make it into Stanford. We will worry about that on Monday.

 Christmas movies: "Christmas Perfection," "Mingle All the Way," "A Twist of Christmas," and "Christmas Wonderland."

Charlie and her giraffe.

I wonder if he has a name?

Making one for someone else.