Tuesday, October 25, 2016

3 Nephi 12:25-48
We are told three times in these verses to "love our enemies."
What does it mean to you to be perfect?
Answer:  Moroni 10:32 says: "Come unto Christ, and be perfected in Him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind and strength, then is His grace sufficient for you, that by His grace ye may be perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God."
President James E. Faust explained that we must seek for perfection now so as to be able to attain it in the next life: "Perfection is an eternal goal.  While we cannot be perfect in mortality, striving for it is a commandment which ultimately, through the Atonement, we can keep."  We have the perfect example in Jesus Christ.

GC: 'Gratitude on the Sabbath Day' by President Henry B. Eyring

"For Latter-day Saints, the Sabbath is a day of 

gratitude and love."

2014 Phoenix temple open house.

Our temple touring group.

Afterwards we went to Frost's for ice cream.

I had a bad spell of dizziness and nausea this morning as I was trying to get ready to visit Hailey to deliver her cake and gifts for her birthday.  I finally had to end up calling her to ask if she could meet James at the Stanford store.  He delivered the cake, gifts for Hailey and her daughter Taylor whose birthday is on the same day, a jack-o-lantern with a quote from the visiting teaching message.

Visiting teaching message and a fun electric pumpkin.

What would I do without James?  I lay on the couch and shuffle to the bathroom once in awhile.  I watched the rest of Dancing with the Stars and then a Hallmark movie, "Pumpkin Pie Wars."  

James brought me a 7up and a Firehouse sub.  I felt better so I ate half the sub.  We then watched "Autumn Vineyard" together and then I went with him to go to the Reynold's to pick up our solar oven.  I read from The Ascension.  

James has caught 9-10 mice in the garage storage room and  two rats and several squirrels in the live trap.  Maybe this explains:

Saturday, September 26, 2015

Sheri's quote:

I love the words of President Ezra Taft Benson

concerning prayer.  He said:

"All through my life the counsel to depend

on prayer has been prized above almost

any other advice I have received.

It has become an integral part of me ---

an anchor, a constant source of strength, 

and the basis of my knowledge of things divine. ...

Though reverses come, in prayer we can find

reassurance, for God will speak peace

to the soul.  That peace, that spirit of serenity, is life's

greatest blessing."

Payson, Utah temple

I went to bed with my right knee hurting, and it is still hurting this morning.  I was going to stay for the kids ballgames but decided it was just too hot and if I left this afternoon I might be too tired to drive, so I began packing up my car this morning.  Stacy was up and helped me pack the car.  Thanks Stacy.  

Just as I was leaving, James decides once again that he would rather come with me than drive the truck and trailer.  I help him finish sweeping leaves on the front sidewalks and then go to Sonic to get a drink while he puts in a GFI plug in Dallin's bathroom.  

We finally left around 11:30 am.  Goodbye Holly.

The princess is asleep.

Our first stop is Burger House.  We each got a burro to eat today and one for lunch tomorrow.  We sat outside on the patio of Burger House because of our new rule not to eat in my car.  It's a good thing we did because James's burro was extra messy.

Our next stop was the Walmart in Globe for Fix-a-Flat for the Razr, almond M&M's (James's idea), and a planning calendar for me. 

I read some more from "The Baron's Honourable Daughter", and then I took a nap - it's the best way to do Salt River Canyon.

Salt River

James says he was caught in the current under these 

falls when he was in high school and thought

he was going to drown.

It was a little warm when we arrived in Vernon but it cooled down rather quickly.  James discovered something exciting...we have pinions on our pinion trees.  They only produce about every 7 years and it's usually after a rainy year or two.

My tree

The pinions

I missed probably the best soccer game of the season.  They boys team won 14-2.  Rowan made five goals and Evan made one.  Joshua stopped some balls.  They all three had a great game!

 Go Revolution!

James fixed dinner while I watched and listened to the General Women's session of conference.

 A burger on a ciabatta bun

with a side of broccoli
Women's Session of General Conference.

1.  "Discovering the Divinity Within" - Rosemary M. Wixom

2.  "Worthy of Our Promised Blessings" - Linda S. Reeves

3.  "Here to Serve a Righteous Cause" - Carol F. McConkie

4.  "A Summer with Great-Aunt Rose" - Pres. Uchtdorf

Back in Chandler Stacy says she can't bear to tell these boys about us selling our house because they spend almost every waking moment together.

Two boys and a dog.

 

Tuesday, August 18, 2015

Gilbert Temple

President Ezra Taft Benson taught that those who strive to become like Jesus Christ achieve true greatness:

"That man is greatest and most blessed and joyful whose life most closely approaches the pattern of the Christ.  This has nothing to do with earthly wealth, power, or prestige.  The only true test of greatness, blessedness, joyfulness, is how close a life can come to being like the Master, Jesus Christ.  He is the right way, the full truth, and the abundant life."

Thanks Sheri and your work friend Rachel!

I am obsessed with tiny houses

right now!

 

We left around 6am for Chandler this morning, reluctant to go.  We have no spare, only a prayer.

James stopped at McDonald's for me so I could get a bacon, egg, and cheese biscuit so I could take my pain meds.  It was dried out and I didn't end up eating all of it.  James is my "cleanup" man.

Just before Hagan Hill there was a big rock in the road.  James stopped and moved it so no one would have the problem we had Saturday night.

My cold and cough are still with me and now James is getting sick too.  I warned him, but he didn't listen.  After stopping at Burger House for Tony's Special, I called Dr. Douglas and told Chris I had a cold.  We both thought it was a good idea for me to reschedule my appointment.  I rescheduled for 1pm on September 9th, the same day I have an infusion. 

According to Discount Tire we are lucky we made it here on our spare.  They said it's the original spare, which is now ten years old, and it's not even legal to drive on because of the chance of delamination.  Thank goodness we said a prayer!  Two new tires and a new wheel are going to cost us between $500 and $600!

We started my birthday celebration a little early. 

For dinner we went to Oreganos and then afterwards we went to see the new Meryl Streep movie, "Rikki and the Flash."  It isn't a movie I would recommend but it ended up having a pretty good message.

We read our scriptures and a chapter from "The Silent Governess" before going to bed.

 

Saturday, August 9, 2014

"When we put God first, all

other things fall into their proper

place or drop out of our lives."

-President Ezra Taft Benson

Jared and his friend Richie got in very late last night.  Jared home teaches Richie who was just baptized in March.  He has been wanting to do baptisms for the dead but he can't go to the Juarez temple because he doesn't have a passport so Jared asked if they could come here and do baptisms.  It just so happens that our youth were scheduled to go today so Jared, James, Anna, Richie and I all left the house a little after 5am to meet our group at the church by 5:30. It was a neat experience for me to get to go to the temple with James, Anna, and Jared. Jared had several family names for Anna and James to do.  Richie was baptized for his great grandfather. Here are some pictures I took afterwards:

 Anna, James, and Richie

Richie is a very nice young man.  He is 22 and the only member of the church in his family.  I hope he decides that he wants to go on a mission.

Jordyn, Shelly and Trenda were the young women

who came from our ward.  Shelly disappeared so

Westin was happy to take her place

in this picture.

 Anna and Trenda had two things in common:

Their outfits and their love for Hunter Hayes.

 Vernon ward young men:

Ty Applegate, Lane Hall, Westin Hall,

Jackson Allen and Talon Wilhelm.

Jace Applegate was here too but he isn't in

this picture.

 James, Jared, and Anna

After the temple, as is our wards tradition, we went to El Cupido's for breakfast.  Jared, James and I had burros and Anna and Richie had burgers.  It was all good.

 This picture is a little blurry.

Molly didn't really lose a leg.  She and Emmy

stayed home with grandpa while we were at the temple.

I guess they had ice cream for breakfast.  Molly insists that

she had some cereal too.

Grandpa James was doing upkeep on the Razr when we got home.  James went out to help him. I told James I would take over so he could go on a family outing with his dad and sisters, and of course Richie. They went to Greer where James did a little fishing and the girls played in the water.

Anna looks like she might be cold.

Of course, no trip to Greer is complete without stopping for ice cream.

During the summer Sunrise ski run has all sorts of fun activities.   They all rode the tram and played on the slide.  It was fun but costly for dad.

 James and Emmy riding the tram.

 Anna and Emmy going down the slide.

 James on the slide.

 Molly's turn!

 Making faces.

 From the smiles on their faces I 

would say they had a good time.

Back at the cabin grandpa James and I read and relaxed.  When everyone arrived home they wanted to go on Razr rides.  James Hayden and I started cooking dinner.  James cooked chicken with lots of tasty seasonings while I made chicken, bacon, cheese and Ranch panini sandwiches.  They were quite good.  Some people preferred not to have the Ranch dressing but come up with their own sauces.  

This sunset was the perfecting ending to a great day.