Sunday, July 3, 2016

The First Presidency

President Eyring, President Monson and

President Uchtdorf

Alma 26:17-37

17 - God was merciful to us and snatched us from our awful, sinful, and polluted state.

18 - We threatened to destroy His Church.

19 - Why didn't He allow the sword of justice fall upon us and doom us to eternal despair.

20 - . . . He did not exercise His justice upon us, but in His great mercy hath brought us over that everlasting gulf of death and misery, even to the salvation of our souls.

21 - What natural man is there that knoweth these things?  None, save it be the penitent.

22 - He that repenteth and exerciseth faith and bringeth forth good works, and prayeth continually without ceasing - unto such it is given to reveal things which never have been revealed, to bring thousands to repentance . . .

23 - We were laughed to scorn when we said we were going among the Lamanites.

25 - The Nephites wanted to destroy the Lamanites.

26 - Our desire was to save some few of their souls.

27 - When we were depressed, the Lord comforted us and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thine afflictions, and I will give you success.

28 - We have suffered every privation but relied upon the mercies of God.

29 - We taught them everywhere and have been cast out, mocked, spit upon, and smote upon our cheeks, stoned, bound with strong cords and cast into prison.  Through the power and wisdom of God we have been delivered.

30 - We did it that perhaps we might save some soul.

31 - We can witness the fruits of our labors.

33 - They have such great love, even greater than the Nephites toward their brethren.

35 - We have great reason to rejoice!God has all power, all wisdom and understanding, knowledge, and mercy.

36 - This is my life, my joy and my salvation, and my redemption from everlasting wo.  Blessed be the name of my God who has been mindful of us, wanderers in a strange land.

37 - God is mindful of every people.  I will give thanks unto my God forever!

GC: "I Was An Hungered" by Sister Linda K. Burton.

We  attended the Galveston 3rd ward meetings today.  Cathi and Terry rode with us to the church but we sat by Sheri's family.  

Mike Ellsworth conducted the meeting and bore his testimony.  It was wonderful and really got the ball rolling.  Cathi and I both bore our testimonies.  I loved Brother Arington's testimony.  He is a new convert.  Brian Ross who leaves for his mission this week, and his dad Mike Ross both bore their testimonies.  The Ross's are also moving this week.  Brooklyn Lieb sat by us and drew this picture for us:

Brooklyn just turned six and had on the cutest

Little Mermaid dress.

I got to sit in Primary with Sheri's class while she met with the bishop and here one of my favorite songs: "I Can Follow God's Plan for Me." After opening I went to Sunday School because Ian was there to teach the class. 

Julio Careces was the teacher and always does a great job and has lots of power point presentations.

Debbie Lieb taught Relief Society.  The lesson was based on Elder Cook's talk, "See Yourself in the Temple."  We had lots of good discussion.

We broke out fast when we got home from lunch and ate leftovers for our meal.  I had the rest of my food from Cheesecake Factory and James had the rest of some chicken he had from El Pollo Asado.

We visited with Terry & Cathi and then went to see James's mom and Dawn.  At first Dawn was gone helping Aunt June who has alzheimers.  Lois talked about how much she didn't like the Lambson's until I got her started on her life history.  We got as far as her first year of high school and stopped.  I told her we would continue again next month.  Dawn said she was amazed that she would tell me anything because she and Rebecca were trying to talk to her for months.

We had two invitations for dinner, first from Sheri, and then from Cathi & Terry.  We went to Sheri's and had steak, potatoes, asparagus, and rolls.  Yummy.  When we got back we tasted the potato salad and sirloin steak Cathi & Terry got at Sam's Club yesterday.  Very tasty.  

Jared, James, and Molly came by on their way to Darrel and Trina's.  Molly got along great with Cathi, and Indy.

Showing Cathi something on her arm.

Such cute little faces!

Who do you think is taller?

I think Ian by a very slim margin.

Sunday, June 5, 2016

"We must all learn to be true shepherds.  We must

manifest the same love to others that the Good Shepherd

has for all of us.  Each soul is precious to Him."

Alma 11:21-46

What does it mean to be saved?

Amulek teaches to be saved is to inherit the kingdom of God, cleansed from our sins through the Atonement of Christ.

We attended the Galveston 3rd ward today with Sheri and Ian and their boys, Cathi and Terry, and Dave and Laura.  I got hugs from Alex, Paula Casto, and Laurie Jensen.

Ben blessed the sacrament and Max passed.  I love to see my grandsons exercise their priesthood.

Evan gave a talk in Primary.  It was about reading the Book of Mormon and the challenge I issued last year to read it before Easter.  He wrote it himself and it was very good.  Cathi, Sheri, Ian, and I all were there to hear it. 

Cathi and I returned to Sunday School to hear the lesson, "Alma Did Judge Righteous Judgments.  Julio was the teacher and does a great job.  James didn't come to hear Evan's talk because he wanted to hear all of Julio's lesson since it is the one he will be giving next week.  

Lynette Braddock gave the lesson in Relief Society on missionary work.  Vickie Garrison told about her neighbor helping her carry in a keg of beer to a Halloween party she was giving and then asking her if she knew about the Mormon's.  She said she lived in Mesa for several years and this was the first time anyone had ever asked her about the Church.  The rest is history.

After Church I came home and looked up a talk Sheri Dew gave at a BYU Idaho devotional on May 17th.  Gerry Price mentioned it in her testimony today and recommended that everyone should go home and read it.  It is entitled, "Will You Engage in the Wrestle?"
Her premise is: How do we strengthen our faith so that we can defend the faith?  It is such an excellent article.  I recommend it to everyone who has a desire to strengthen their testimonies.

I took a long nap this afternoon and woke up about 4:30.  James and I broke our fast and went down to Sheri's for dinner.  We had meatball subs, veggies, and chocolate chip cookies.  Thank you Sheri for your delicious meals.  
Max and I made condo plans for this week.  I will pick up him, Joshua, and Evan after my dentist appointment on Tuesday and they will spend the night Tuesday and Wednesday.  
Sheri told me something that made me feel like maybe I made some good decisions as a mother.  She said when she and Ian lived in Mesa she would go to church by herself with Alex and Ben when they were little and be upset that Ian wasn't going with her.  She said I told her: "The gospel isn't about contention, it's about love."  She said she has never forgotten that statement.  

We took some of Sheri's homemade salsa back to Cathi and said our goodbye's to Cathi, Terry, Lady, and Indy and headed to Sheraton Desert Oasis in Scottsdale to spend the week in our timeshare.

 The front entrance

Inside the lobby

The fountain in Palm Court outside

of our suite.

Inside our suite

Our family loves this place.

We have lots of memories here.  For two or

three years we had Ruby's birthday party here.

James and I enjoyed the peace and quiet of our first night here.  It might be the only one when we are alone.  I could not go to sleep.  Maybe it's because of the long nap I had this afternoon.

Sunday, December 20, 2015

We attended the Galveston 3rd Ward today with the Trezise's

James forgot his white shirt so he had to borrow one from Terry.  
We enjoyed the Galveston 3rd Ward Christmas Program in Sacrament meeting today.  I especially enjoyed Brother Turvey's narration.  He is from England and I love his accent.

We sat with Cathi and Terry during Sunday School.  Cathi and I were both a little warm, and we were fanning ourselves with the fans that Cathi brought.  After all the men got up to go to priesthood Cathi said: "Whew! I am glad all those 'hot guys' left."  It was pretty funny!

Hillary Jiminez was teaching Relief Society and I was really enjoying her lesson when Sheri came in to get Cathi and I to go to Ben's ordination.  He is being ordained to the office of a Priest in the Aaronic priesthood.  James ordained Ben a priest and Terry and Bishop Wanlass were in the circle.  Ian was not able to be here today because he had to work.
After the blessing Evan told grandpa James that he gave a good blessing.  I agree Evan.  
Instead of going back to Relief Society and Priesthood Cathi, Terry, James and I went home.  I wanted to go back but I was out voted.

Sheri invited James and I to her house for lunch.  We had roast with veggies and rolls.  It was quite delicious.  

Back and Cathi and Terry's we watch a Christmas movie called, "The Heart of Christmas."  It's about a little boy dying of cancer so his family and friends celebrate Christmas with him at Halloween.  It is based on a true story.  He passed away before Christmas.  It was good, but very sad.