Tuesday, January 7th, 2020

Dedicated: 4 June 2000

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Jehovah

Isaiah 45:17

But Israel shall be saved in the Lord with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.

Book of Mormon

1 Nephi 2

Oct 2019 General Conference

"Watchful Unto Prayer Continually"

Elder David A. Bednar

"Satan 'is the enemy of righteousness and of those who seek to do the will of God.' All day, every day, his only intent and sole purpose are to make the sons and daughters of God miserable like unto himself. The Father's plan of happiness is designed to provide direction for His children, to help them experience enduring joy, and to bring them safely home to Him with resurrected, exalted bodies. The devil labors to make the sons and daughters of God confused and unhappy and to hinder their eternal progression. The adversary works relentlessly to attack the elements of the Father's plan he hates the most."

I read an interesting article in Meridian magazine this morning. The title: "How the Lord Can Give Us Renewal Instead of Resolutions"

by Wallace Goddard

"We yearn to be better. If we are not careful, we map out our lives and form a resolve that makes us less available to God. What right do we have to take charge of our lives if we have previously given ourselves to Him?

Make God a partner in your planning. We belong to Him. Seek the renewal that comes from having God govern your life. Rather than focus on goals and timetables, we may turn our hearts to faith and submission. Seek guidance and power from Him. Renewal is less about setting goals than about submitting to His will."

At 9 a.m. I had an appointment to get four fillings in my front teeth filled at Dr. Douglas's in Chandler. Of course she starts out by giving a couple of shots to numb the areas. Then it's the drillin' and the fillin.' She found another tooth that needed a filling and did it too. It only cost me $425. Why is everything so expensive?

When James picked me up I asked him if he got the oil changed and he said no. It was too expensive. 

Our next stop was at Bill Valentic's yard on Arizona Avenue just south of Willis. James needed to count stakes. He said there were only 40 when there should have been 20. I guess he needs to check with Armando.

Next stop, Lucille's Smokehouse in Tempe Marketplace. We have not been there in years but Dawn gave us a gift card for Christmas so of course we went.

I got the brisket salad. James ordered deviled eggs as an appetizer and then the fried chicken and mashed potatoes. I forgot how good their food is plus they give you biscuits with honey butter. 

I especially loved the gravy for James's mashed potatoes. I'm sure I ate more of it than he did. 

 Look at that pile of chicken. 

Normally they would cover it in gravy

but James asked for the gravy on the side.

Here I am trying to be good with my half salad and

James sticks his gravy right in front of me.

It's a hopeless cause.

Next stop was Bass Pro Shop. Nice that it's very close to Lucille's. James got a gift certificate from Sheri and Ian for Christmas and he wants to get some new shoes. He came out with low top boots. They look nice though. I was going to wait in the car but I got bored so I went inside to get a drink. I ended up buying vitamin water. James was a little upset because he couldn't find me and I wasn't answering my phone. 

It would have been nice if we could have just headed out of town but we left our stuff at Darrel and Trina's plus James wants to go by Mario Chacon's tire shop to talk to him. He is the guy building the two houses and James is doing some of the work for him.

I waited in the car while James went to talk to Mario and I think I might have seen a drug deal go down. I'm just sayin. An African-American gentlemen got out of his car, grabbed his fat wallet out of the inside door of his car and went inside. When he came out he no longer had a fat wallet. He had a little blue package. Now you tell me, does that sound suspicious?

Here is James speaking to Mario. There is a language barrier so James uses his hands quite often when he is speaking.

I'm not sure what James said but he came back with a check for $3,400. $700 was for materials James already bought and the rest was for a down payment on the first house. It's nice to have some operating cash.

From Mario's we went back to Darrel and Trina's to nap and pack up to go home. Darrel is home installing ceiling fans. We got to say goodbye to Darrel, Ruby, Rowan, and Lola. Trina was at work and Addy wasn't home from school yet. 

We stopped at Burger House and picked up burros and when we got to Show Low we stopped at Walmart to get my prescriptions. While James was at the prescription counter I bought him a Yoda stuffed animal for his birthday. When Star Wars first came out Yoda was his favorite. I was pretty tricky sneaking it out to the car and into a big garbage bag I had. When I got home I put it on the shelf in the garage so James wouldn't see it when he unloaded the car.

We stopped at the Halcomb's to pick up Relief Society birthday cards for me to sign. 

After everything was put away I did some "Come Follow Me" studies, walked and then we went to bed.

 McKellk Miner's little boy as Batman

reminds me of how Michael used to be.

 Scarlett enjoying life in Arkansas

Former friends and neighbors Joe and LueDean

Andersen and their children. They ended up having one more.

The second little girl, the one on the front row is Treva. She

is Stacy's age.

Wednesday, May 30th, 2018

Trujillo, Peru

147th operating temple

Dedicated: 21 June 2015

By: Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Jesus Christ, Condescension of
Isaiah 50:6
I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
Book of Mormon
Alma 8:18-9:6
*Who was blessed because of Amulek's obedience?
Old Testament
No reading today
General Conference

Prepare to Meet God

Quentin L. Cook

" The divine manifestations that occurred in the Kirtland Temple were foundational to the purpose of the restored Church of Jesus Christ to bring to pass the salvation and exaltation of our Heavenly Father's children. As we prepare to meet God, we can know what our divinely appointed responsibilities are by reviewing the sacred keys restored in the Kirtland Temple."

I went to Fry's around 7 a.m. to get cereal and M&M's, etc. for the girls. Ruby asked for Fruit Loops, my least favorite cereal. 

I've decided that this Fry's caters to old rich people. I could not find No More Tangles for Lola's hair. I got her a detangler hair brush instead. I also bought Cheerios, Cracklin Oat Bran, strawberries whipped cream, popcorn, and apples, and rocky road ice cream.

I dropped off the groceries at the resort, James came down and took them in. I didn't even get out of the car. I had a dentist appointment in Chandler at 9 a.m. 

Jackie cleaned my teeth while a girl who wants to become a hygeneist looked on. We talked about Stacy's family. Jackie always asks about her. I showed them the video of Michael playing the ukelele and Joshua singing. Michael was in yesterday so Doctor Douglas met him and she knows Joshua too. When I told her about Joshua befriending the sad boy who has no friends her eyes teared up. I am a proud grandma.

I paid my bill, made my next appointment and headed back to Scottsdale. Everyone was still in the room. I thought James would take the girls swimming but no such luck. We all went to Peter Piper Pizza for lunch. James got upset with me because I ordered him a drink and the lunch buffet. As a result, he gave his drink to Lola and took several pieces of pizza home with him. 

The girls had a fun time playing games and getting their prizes. James said Lola was putting one coin in each machine, even if they needed two, and saying they were broken. He showed her how to play.

Back at the resort I took the girls down to go swimming. The girls swam, sat in the hot tub and played foozball. Lola played in the splash pad. Addy heard they were giving free ice cream if you had an owner's wristband so she went over to check it out. She came back with a strawberry cone. Of course Lola and Ruby wanted one too.

This boy came over and started playing 

with Ruby.

Ruby beat him 10-9!

Mint chocolate chip.

Mmmmmm Chocolate!

On our walk back to our room.

After showers and baths the girls turned on the Disney channel.

We mainly just "hung out" until it was time to go to Ben's graduation party. Sheri and Ian went to the graduation held at the ASU activity center at 230 this afternoon.

We are proud of you Ben!

When we arrived at the party Sheri said their air conditioner was broken. It really did not seem too warm in their house. It was just our family that came to congratulate Ben on his graduation. Those attending: Paul, Stacy, Michael, Joshua, Sheri, Ian, Max, Evan, and Ben. Alex had to work. Kim, Darrel, Addy, Rowan, Ruby, and Lola and James and I. Oh yes, and Ollie!

Ollie watching Sheri

He is obsessed!

Ben has had some glitches in filling out his mission papers but hopefully he will continue to move forward.

After telling Ben we loved him and were proud of him, (we gave him his card and money last week) we left to go visit James's mom and sister, Dawn.

Lois now has a hearing aid which she says helps a person from getting dementia or alzheimers. She also has new glasses that Sheri help her get.

She ,of course, fed us and she also had an anniversary gift for us.

It lights up 

Thursday, April 10, 2014

My quote for today comes from one of my favorite shows: 

"When Calls the Heart"

This is Elizabeth speaking:

"One has to be willing to lose everything in order to gain what God has shaped them for.  Because there's a cost to the things that matter most in life and it's that sacrifice where we find our true treasure.

When my father saw me off on my journey west he said he hoped I would find what God had shaped me for and then give my whole heart to it.

One often has to go against one's nature to dig deep into the trenches of life."

 Sunset at the Grand Canyon

I left a little late for my 11am appointment at Dr. Douglas's.  She's going to replace my crown.   I tried to hurry and was only 15 minutes late.  Dr. Douglas took an xray and felt like the root canal needed to be looked at by a specialist.  Consequently they only temporarily replaced the crown and while I was out to dinner at Olive Garden this evening with Adam I lost the crown, never to be found again.  Back to the dentist tomorrow.

 

These are the insulated suits Chandler Rogers'

Mom is making for all her family

in preparation for the "hard times."

  My brother Dennis and his granddaughter Lizzy.

Lizzy is home schooled by her

grandmother, (Chandler's Mom), Trisha Rogers.

Here Dennis is helping her with her homework

while she's here for a visit.

Some other things I did today while James was at work:

Bought a new air mattress at Walmart, came home unloaded my car and set up the bed.  I think I'm going to like it!  I got to visit with Stacy for awhile and pick up Ben from school.  I was invited to go to Olive Garden with Adam and loved visiting with him.  

When James got home he was tired and discouraged.  The chicken marsala I brought from Olive Garden cheered him up a little, but this job at Camden Foothills is wearing him down.  

Joshua ate our leftover breadsticks from Olive Garden.  James and I went to bed early.  I wish we could say that we slept like babies, but it's not true.  I had to give James a pep talk throughout the night.

I love this!