Saturday, September 2nd, 2017

Johannesburg, South Africa
36th operating temple
Dedicated: 24 Aug 1985 by Gordon B. Hinckley

Alma 60:14-28

How do you retain your freedom and resist temptation?

*Instagram-bofm365 says: "I think I lose my freedom when my eye is off God. Sometimes I rush through my day and don't take the time to be still and seek the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Freedom and peace return when I remember that I truly need Him every hour and lay my weaknesses before His feet."

DC 127:1-12

Why do we need witnesses for the ordinances we perform?

*To fulfill the law of witnesses. The Lord said: "all the records are to be had in order" DC 127:9
General Conference

The Beauty of Holiness

Carol F. McConkie

"Do we see our utter dependence on the grace and mercy of Christ, our Lord? Do we recognize that every good gift, temporal and spiritual, comes to us through Christ? Do we remember that according to the Fathers eternal plan, peace in this life and the glories of eternity are ours only in and through His Holy Son?"

I think I made Darrel's kids happy by making cinnamon rolls for breakfast. James set the live trap this morning and then he took Lola, Ruby, Addy,  and Rowan on a Razr ride. 

Later in the day we couldn't find Lola. Finally someone went outside and checked in the Razr. She was sitting in the backseat waiting for someone to give her a ride.

This afternoon James caught a squirrel in the live trap and the kids were so excited. Lola warned James to not touch the squirrel. When he did, she said: "Grampa, I told you not to touch it, he could bite your." Grama and the kids left the squirrel at Chocolate Lake with his brothers. 

Wild thing

When it came time for Kim and Brian to go on a Razr ride, Lola was sitting in the seat waiting for them. Soon Brian came back holding her on his shoulder. She had fallen asleep. When Trina tried to take Lola from Brian he said: "Let me hold her for awhile, I don't very often get to hold a little girl like this."

Some fun things that happened today:

 Molly kept calling, she talked to Ruby for a very long time. 

Darrel went shopping and forgot to buy milk.

We played Five Crowns, Apples to Apples, and Darrel, Trina, and Addy played Settlers. Of course we let Darrel win most of the games because it was his birthday.

Addy did a card trick. I thought it was a darn good one. 

I studied and prepared for my Primary lesson.

I made a three layer vanilla cake for Darrel for his birthday. Trina helped me. When the cake first came out of the oven it tasted like a warm sugar cookie. Addy and Kim loved it. I had to borrow a cake pan from Kathy Crane. It was a spring form and now I am convinced that I need to get this kind of pan because it was so easy to get the cake out. 

The frosting on the cake was whipped cream with cream cheese and strawberries. Very tasty. 

Trina frosting the cake while Darrel looks on.

Trina is doing a fine job!

39 candles

Trina might have a bit of a shadow on her face from her 

recent Razr ride.

I made chili for dinner and Trina made a salad. We had chips, chili and cheese and salad before Darrel's party.

Darrel helps Trina light the candles

Posing

39 in one blow!

A football and an electronic dartboard

Enjoying the cake

Well-wishers

Other Photos:

James cutting up the meat for tomorrows green

chili pork stew while I make tonight's chili.

Rowan, Addy, and I looked at some of our favorite

clubhouses.

Rowan's favorite

We want grandpa to build us one of these!

Watching the hummingbirds is a

favorite activity.

Ruby helping Lola jump over the

spring at Chocolate Lake.

Rowan and Addy were inspired by Grandpa's

living trap so they decided to make their own.

They borrowed scissors and string from me

and Ruby helped them gather the sticks.

I think it is quite ingenious!

Sunday, March 12, 2017

Colonia Juarez Chihuahua

55th operating temple

2 Nephi 30:1-18

Converted Gentiles will be numbered with the covenant people - Many Lamanites and Jews will believe the word and become delightsome - Israel will be restored and the wicked destroyed. About 559-545 B.C.

Alma 30

Korihor, the anit-Christ ridicules Christ, the Atonement, and the spirit of prophecy - He teaches that there is no God, no fall of man, no penalty for sin, and no Christ - Alma testifies that Christ will come and that all things denote there is a God - Korihor demands a sign and is struck dumb - The devil had appeared to Korihor as an angel and taught him what to say - Korihor is trodden down and dies.  About 76-74 B.C.

DC 42:30-39

30-39, Laws governing the consecration of properties are set forth;

How has paying tithing blessed my life?

General Conference

Abide in My Love

D. Todd Christofferson

"And he went a little further and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.  Then, as I imagine, the distress grew even more severe, He pleaded a second time for relief and, finally, perhaps at the peak of His suffering, a third time. He endured the agony until justice was satisfied to the very last drop.  This He did to redeem you and me."

Sheri, Ben, Max, Evan, and Rowan came to sacrament meeting and sat with us.  Jackson Allen, Tom Howard and Sean Bowman were the speakers in sacrament meeting.  James helped pass the sacrament.  Sheri and the boys all left after sacrament meeting.  

My lesson in Primary was on the organization of the Church.  These are the children in my class today: Colter, Curtis, Jace, Lianna, Sister Kuffer the new teacher for the class just older than mine, Talena, Zemira, Norma, a visitor, and Braxton who has never attended before.  Braxton kept asking if he could go home but he ended up staying the entire three hours.  

My friend Diana was released today as the Young Women's President.  She was a great president but she has been in about three years so it was time.  Sister Allen was called as the new president.

Sheri finished the puzzle today:

I love it.

For lunch we fired up the grill and James cooked some hotdogs and hamburgers.  The hamburgers were delicious!

After lunch James, Sheri, Max and I played Five Crowns.  We also watched some Hallmark movies: The Lost Valentine, The Locket, and Love and Duty.  We had pork chops and applesauce for dinner.  Yummy.  

Sheri walked to Chocolate Lake this afternoon:

This is the best Chocolate Lake has looked in years!

This is a picture of Sheri and the boys reading scriptures this evening:

Ian came in and surprised us with this outfit:

He would fit right in living in Vernon.

Fun Photos:

Ruby when she was three.

I love this picture!

Evan looks like he's asleep but believe me

this kid can eat.

My favorite Lola picture.

Which do you prefer:

Big Horn sheep as seen by Kim and Brian

on Christmas Tree Trail.

Angie when she came to visit last year.

Big Buck

Angie is my favorite.

The Falls from the top.

Hailey and Huntleigh at a family reunion

in Van Horn, Texas.