Tuesday, May 16th, 2017

Monticello, Utah

53rd operating temple

Dedicated: 26-27 July 1998

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Rededicated: 17 Nov 2002

By: Gordon B Hinckley

Alma 1:1-24

* Despite the spread of priest craft and persecution, many stand fast in the faith.

* What are some dangers of seeking popularity?  What are some dangers of following people just because they are popular?

* Why is Nehor's teaching in Alma 1:4 dangerous?

* What is priestcraft (See Alma 1:5)

Ether 2-3
2 The Jaredites prepare for their journey to a promised land; It is a choice land whereon men must serve Christ or be swept off; The Lord talks to the brother of Jared for three hours; The Jaredites build barges; The Lord asks the brother of Jared to propose how the barges will be lighted.
3 The brother of Jared sees the finger of the Lord as He touches sixteen stones; Christ shows His spirit body to the brother of Jared; Those who have a perfect knowledge cannot be kept from within the veil; Interpreters are provided to bring the Jaredite record to light.
DC 76:1-12
The Lord is God; The mysteries of the kingdom will be revealed to all the faithful;
What great things are promised if we honor and serve the Lord in righteousness?
* Mercy and grace, all mysteries pertaining to the kingdom. Verse 10 - By my Spirit will I enlighten them, by my power will I make known unto them the secrets of my will - even things eye has not seen, nor ear hears, nor yet entered into the heart of man.  Eternal glory.
General Conference

The Greatest Among You

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

'In God's kingdom, greatness and leadership means seeing others as they truly are - as God sees them - and then reaching out and ministering to them.  It means rejoicing with those who are happy, weeping with those who grieve, lifting up those in distress, and loving our neighbor as Christ loves us.  The Savior loves all of God's children regardless of their socioeconomic circumstance, race, religion, language, political orientation, nationality, or any other grouping.  And so should we!"

I also studied my Primary lesson on the law of consecration, the topical guide with reference to Jesus Christ and how to avoid deception in the Doctrine and Covenants Student Manual.

Anthony, the new convert in our ward, is without transportation for awhile and the priesthood brethren have been making assignments for people to take him on his errands.  The other day Brother Curtis took him and was gone for seven hours.  Yesterday they called Brother Freeman from the elder's quorum and he said: "I will take him whenever and wherever he wants to go."  Wouldn't it be wonderful if more people had that attitude.

My mom's best friend in high school, Veleda, fell and broke her arm.  This is the picture her son posted saying: "Her first cast, but not Tumbleina's first fall."

She wears alot of black so she ask for a black

cast.  She is 87 years old.

Today was another weird weather day.  There were lots of clouds and some moisture.  One minute you would look out and it was coming down hard and fast, sleet, rain, and hail.  The next minute the sun was shining and there was no moisture coming down.  On our way to the temple this afternoon there were some ominous black clouds and wind, but no rain, at least not on us.

I worked on family history today.  I am looking for Lilia Walker daughter of James and Mary Walker.  Sometimes it's hard to find a missing deceased person.  

James went in to town this morning to get some plants but he came back with none.  He went to Cal-Ranch and saw an old friend from Heber who was the president of one of the banks where James did business.  They had a good visit.  Kerry says some days he sells 7 guns.  James also went to Home Depot.  It was so cold and their plants looked all wilted.  He decided he would come back another day and go to Christopher's Gardens to get plants.  

Terry is still in the hospital waiting for the doctor's to decide if they are going to take out his gall bladder.

Tricia posted Anna singing a solo for her choir concert.  Anna has a beautiful voice!

James decides we need to go to the temple an hour earlier than we had planned because he can't finish his sales taxes until we get some ink for the printer.  Instead of leaving at 3:45, we leave at 2:45.  I am a little disappointed I didn't get to do all the things I wanted to do this afternoon.  We had to stop in town to get air for my tire.  We made it to the sealing room around 4 p.m.   We are sealing nine brothers and four sisters to their parents.  Bill Hancock is our sealer.  I remember him as a bank president.  He knew James's cousin Neil.  He said Neil was in the first temple presidency for the Snowflake temple.  

Another windy day in Snowflake

We stopped at Walmart to get the printer ink and then at Taco Bell for dinner.  I ordered what I always order, a taco and a toastado.  For some reason they put chipotle sauce on the toastado.  It was gross.  They had Mountain Dew and you could spike it with prickly pear cactus juice.  It sounds a little weird to me.  

On the way home I read to James from our book, "Go Set a Watchman."  Scout is all grown up and lives in New York City.  She comes back to Maycomb for a visit and discovers the segregation and prejudice in the south that was felt in the 1950's and 60's.

When we got home James wanted to watch a movie so we watched "Sweet Surrender."  The movie was made in 2013 but we had never seen it.  It is about a guy who inherits his grandma's bed and breakfast called: Cupid's.  It was cute. 

Fun Photos:

Back off Buddy.

Map and directions for the Tucson temple

open house.

Wyatt Earp and John McCain

Wyatt Earp is back.

Wyatt shaved his mustache.

James Hayden

Birthday date with these three.

I am not sure where Rowan was.

Awesome Globe photo off Instagram.

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Manaus, Brazil

138th operating temple

Dedicated: 10 June 2012 by

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

 Mosiah 21:23-22:16

31-32 The people make covenants with God.

35 The people of Limhi wanted to be baptized but no one had the authority.

Mosiah 22:1 - The people desire to be out of bondage.

3 Gideon has an idea!

9 The king likes Gideon's plan.

10 The people escape and return to Zarahemla.

T/S The temporal deliverance of the Lord's people is but a type, an illustration of the Holy One's role in delivering His chosen from the fiery darts of the evil one.

* What have you learned from Mosiah 21-22 that would give encouragement to anyone who needed to experience the Lord's power to deliver us from sin?

* Repentance is essential to your happiness in this life and throughout eternity.  Repentance is much more than just acknowledging wrongdoings.  It is a change of mind and heart... It includes turning away from sin and turning to God for forgiveness.  It is motivated by love for God and the sincere desire to obey His commandments.

* Elder Richard G. Scott: "The Lord will give relief with divine power when you seek deliverance in humility and faith in Jesus Christ.  Don't say, 'No one understands me; I can't sort it out or get the help I need.' Those comments are self-defeating.  No one can help you without faith and effort on your part.  Your personal growth requires that. Don't look for a life virtually free from discomfort, pain, pressure, challenge, or grief, for those are the tools a loving Father uses to stimulate our personal growth and understanding.  As the scriptures repeatedly affirm, you will be helped as you exercise faith in Jesus Christ....Faith in Christ means we trust Him; we trust His teachings.  That leads to hope, and hope bring charity, the pure love of Christ - that peaceful feeling that comes when we sense His concern, His love, and His capacity to cure us or to ease our burdens with His healing power."' ("To Be Healed," Ensign, May 1994, 8).

3 Nephi 21

1-7 The Coming Forth of the Book of Mormon is a Sign of the Father's Work.

8-11 Joseph Smith and the Great and Marvelous Work.

12-21 The unrepentant Gentiles to be destroyed.

22-29 The Establishment of the New Jerusalem.

3 Nephi 22

1-17 The Savior Quotes Isaiah on the Gathering of Israel.

DC 65-66

65 Revelation on prayer given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Hiram, Ohio, October 30, 1831.

The keys of the kingdom of God are committed to man on earth, and the gospel cause will triumph; The millennial kingdom of heaven will come and join the kingdom of God on earth.

66 Revelation given through Joseph Smith the Prophet, at Hiram, Ohio, October 29, 1831. William E. McLellin had petitioned the Lord in secret to make known through the Prophet the answer to five questions, which were unknown to Joseph Smith.  At McLellin's request, the Prophet inquired of the Lord and received this revelation.

The everlasting covenant is the fulness of the gospel; Elders are to preach, testify, and reason with the people; Faithful ministerial service ensures an inheritance of eternal life.

What is the difference between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Heaven?

The kingdom of God is Christ's Church on the earth.  We are preparing for the kingdom of Heaven when Christ will come down from Heaven and lead His Church upon earth.

General Conference

Gathering the Family of God

President Henry B. Eyring

"Our Father ordained a plan by which we would come to earth, in families, and have experiences that would prepare us to return to Him and live as He lives.  The cultural element of this plan was the promise that Jesus Christ would offer Himself as a sacrifice, to rescue us from sin and death.  Our task in that plan is to accept the Savior's sacrifice by obeying the laws and ordinances of the gospel."

Here are some gospel study notes I took: We are commanded to repent of all our sins.  The Lord will show us the things we need to repent of.  If we are faithful in doing the Lord's will, He will be with us and will bless us so we can accomplish what He requires of us.  The Lord wants us to forsake all things that cumber our spiritual progress.  The Lord knows our specific challenges and temptations.  If we continue faithfully to the end we will receive eternal life.  

After prayer and a few pages from "To Kill a Mockingbird," James left for the valley.  I won't be leaving until later this afternoon. He points out that the elk are here again this morning before he gives me a goodbye kiss.

Today after my gospel studies I paid bill, worked on my blog, Primary lesson, and family history.  I left for the valley around 3:30 and went through Salt River Canyon because of the sun and rush hour traffic.  After a couple of stops for gas and an ice cream, and a carwash at Sam's Club in Chandler to get the bugs off my grill and windshield, I arrived at Cathi's and Terry's around sundown.

They are having new tar paper put on their roof because of leaks, so all the tile pieces are taken off.  Cathi says they have been sick because they got the flu from James.  I feel so bad.  

James is hungry so we go to IHOP to get something to eat.  I got the Swedish crepes.  The were very good but I couldn't eat them all so now I have something to look forward to in the morning.

Yummy!

It is pretty late when we get back to Cathi and Terry's and since James will start early in the morning, we go straight to bed.

Fun Photos and Quotes:

A fun time while Addy and Trina were at

Science camp.

Hannigan Meadows

Molly in El Paso, playing in the snow.

Indy's lookalike getting her teeth brushed.

A 1,500 year old tree in South Carolina

A stalking leopard.

We have some real cowboys around here.

Havasupai

Havasupai

Tuesday, January 31, 2017

The Lord is My Shepherd

1 Nephi 20:1-22

How have I been refined by the Lord and what have I gained from the experience?

Mormon Message: "The Refiner's Fire:

Jacob 3-4

DC 18:11-20

Why is it important that we have faith, hope, and charity?

DC 18:20 - "Prayer is the key which unlocks the door and lets Christ into our lives."

GC:     'Repentance' by Elder Dale G. Renlund

"Blaming others, even if justified, allows us to excuse our behavior.

By so doing, we shift responsibility for our actions to others.

When the responsibility is shifted, we diminish both the need and our ability to act.  We turn ourselves into hapless victims

rather than agents capable of independent action.

Another choice that impedes repentance is minimizing our

mistakes which removes the motivation to change.

This thinking prevents us from seeing that our mistakes and sins

have eternal consequences."

I left for the temple at 7am.  James left for work at about the same time.  I made it to the 7:45 session in the Gilbert temple.  It was a big session.  I was grateful to be there because this is the first time, besides Jared and Kacey's sealing that I have been able to attend the temple this month because of sickness.  I spoke with Brother Price after the session in the elevator.  It was almost 10 o'clock when I got out.  I had to call Kim and tell her I wouldn't be picking her up until 10:30.  We are going shopping at Target and Hobby Lobby for valentines and puzzles.

No selfie

I really enjoyed my shopping trip with Kim.  We went to Target and found a few things but I really struck it rich at Hobby Lobby.  I found the cutest valentines and some great puzzles.  Here are a few of the puzzles we looked at.

I didn't buy this one, but I thought it was fun.

I almost bought this one for Sheri 

I got this one for Sheri instead.

I bought one of these for Kim and one for Stacy

only to find out that Stacy already has this one.

Later I got this one for Stacy and had it shipped to her house.

After my shopping trip I dropped Kim off at home and then went back to Cathi's for a long nap.  I needed it because of my sleepless night last night.

Day and night

James got home early from work and was upset with Dan.  The cabinet he built was backwards and when James called to tell him about it he blew up.  James said not to worry about it that he would take care of it.  Later James saw him at Home Depot and he tried to apologize, which was fine, but I don't think James will ever use him again.

I love it when there is snow on Four Peaks.

I went to Evan's flag football practice with Sheri.  She is worried about Evan's neck because it has been bothering him for awhile.  He was holding it funny while he practiced but in spite of it he made some good catches.  

I made a trip to Walmart this evening to get James some lemons, his sinus rinse, and dry mouth lozenges.  I also bought myself a new ironing board as my old one bit the dust.  When I get home James and I share a sub sandwich for dinner.  

Before going to bed we read from our book:

It was a good day for me but not so much for James.  He said during the night I sat up in bed and said: "There is a big ball coming towards us."  His response: "Then get out of the way."

Fun Photos

Ruby's Elk, October 2016

Joshua's amazing creation.

I think the trophy is for the Pinewood Derby.

When Lola was a baby she got alot of attention.

Elder Jensen