Thursday, July 12th, 2018

Taipei, Taiwan

31st operating temple

Dedicated: 17 Nov 1984

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Creator

1 Nephi 17:36

Behold, the Lord hath created the earth that it should be inhabited; and he hath created his children that they should possess it.

Book of Mormon

Alma31:24-38

*How has the Lord given you strength to bear your infirmities?

- The scripture, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me? (Philippians 4:13), gave me strength when I couldn't get out of bed because of rheumatoid arthritis. 

When my mother passed away unexpectedly I was strengthened knowing that there is a resurrection and that I will see her again.

Old Testament

2 Chronicles 16-18

16 Asa employs Syria to defeat Israel - Hanani the seer reproves Asa for lack of faith - Asa suffers from disease and dies.
17 Jehoshaphat reigns well and prospers in Judah - Priests travel and teach out of the book of the law of the Lord.
18 Jehoshaphat of Judah joins Ahab of Israel to fight Syria -Ahab's false prophets foretell victory - Micaiah prophesies the fall and death of Ahab - The Syrians slay Ahab.
General Conference

Introductory Remarks

President Russell M. Nelson

"Tonight we announce a significant restructuring of our Melchizedek Priesthood quorums to accomplish the work of the Lord more effectively. In each ward, the high priests and the elders will now be combined into one elders quorum. This adjustment will greatly enhance the capacity and the ability of men who bear the priesthood to serve others. Prospective elders will be welcomed in and fellowshipped by that quorum. In each stake, the stake presidency will continue to preside over the stake high priests quorum. But the composition of that quorum will be based on current priesthood callings, as will be explained later." 

I sent a dispute claim to the bank to get a refund for the watch I ordered from Brobrogadgets. It cost $69:95 and we've already spent $15 sending it back to China.

Today was a gorgeous cloud-filled rainy day. I paid bills and asked James to drop them in the mail. It's a good thing he checked before he mailed them because one was a blank envelope. 

At 3:15 we left for the 4:30 session at the temple. James says, "You know, if we get there too early they will ask us to be the witness couple." I told him that was fine. Sure enough at the top of the stairs right where James waits where he is officiating a session, was a brother who came over and asked if we would be the witness couple. We told him that of course we would.  

The first person I saw in the women's dressing room was my next door neighbor, Kathy. Our friends the Wilhelm's sat next to us in the session. John shaved off his beard and looks so great! I guess he just grew it for trek. Their son Talon is returning from Washington state where he has been a bee keeper for his uncle on Tuesday and at 9:30 p.m. he is opeing his mission call at President Beeler's in Show Low. Next Friday he is going through the 6 pm session to get his endowments. Sandra also told me their daughter Ruthie is being baptized next Saturday, the 21st, at 11 a.m. We don't work on the first and third Saturday's but we traded with the Nelson's and working next week. We really want to go to the baptism because we love the Wilhelm's and James is one of their ministering brothers. Somehow we will make it there.

Arrived 2 1/2 weeks ago.

The session was small, 7 couples and we were of course the first ones through the veil. We sat in the celestial room for awhile, each of us saying a prayer. I went back in the dressing room and put two more names on the prayer roll after receiving a prompting. 

The officator who offered the prayer in the prayer circle thanked the Lord for the moisture and asked for more. 

On the way home we stopped at Walmart for snacks, fruit, Benadryl, toothpaste, and some more frozen dinners. 

I had put Slimfast in my thermos, drinking my smoothie before I left, so I had my dinner on my way home. 

I didn't have a name for James to do, as all of my male names need initiatory first, so he got a name from one of the sisters in our ward.

I did the name of Ida Baxter, who I believe is one of my grandpa Strickland's relatives.

I home I change my clothes and get ready to do some walking. I went over to close the blinds by the fireplace and the thought came to me that I should turn on the light. Then I thought, no, I don't need too. As I walked past the ottoman, I tripped and face planted right on the wood floor. I yelled to James, Help! I've fallen and I can't get up. He helped me up and when I looked in the mirror I looked like Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer. I also had a cut on my upper lip and it hurt on the left side of my tush and my right knee. I sat down and took it easy for a few minutes. I did manage to get my 10,000 steps in spite of my injury. 

I slept on the recliner this evening.

New York

 This is what you do in New York City

 911 Memorial

Lady Liberty

Although Kim, Brian and Joe are home

Kim posted photos of when they were 

in London:

 Joe and the Beatles

France:

Newport Beach:

How's this for a cute family!

Our friends the Hatch family

Vernon Ward Girl's Camp

Nice setup

Thursday, June 19, 2014

 Happy Birthday to our beautiful
daughter-in-law Tricia!

Let Your Light

So Shine Before Men, That

They May See Your

Good Works, And Glorify

Your Father

Which Is In Heaven.

-Matthew 5:16

The theme for this year's camp is "See the Light, He is the Light."  Each day there is a morning devotional and the YCL's handed out card with quotations or scriptures about light.  The above one was today's handout.  The girls could clip these on a necklace they were given with a clip on it.  I loved this aspect of camp.

Everyone was just finishing up breakfast when I arrived back at camp.  These was an unfortunate incident with a mouse.  One of the stake leaders, Linda Pearce, squished the mouse with her foot which was very upsetting to many girls including some of ours, and our assistant camp director Amy Reynolds.  Our girls were assigned to clean the eating area after breakfast.

Hope sweeping and Kelly trying to get out of the picture.

Kyah was a good worker.

Next the girls broke up into groups for certification classes.  Amy, Diana, and I attended Julie's class on clouds and trees and vegetation.  Julie also taught compassing and water purification.  She is really an asset at camp.  She was also the hike leader for the stake as well as our ward camp director.  She works for the forest service and loves the outdoors so she is a great resource person.

I especially loved the tree boring class where she bored into the tree to count the rings to determine the age of the tree.  The girls loved it too.

Julie counting the rings of the tree she bored.

Amy, Diana and I had to leave class a little early for kitchen duty.  The cooks, Sister Crandell and Sister Jackson had left on a hike and were late getting back.  Our job was to cook the noodles for the macaroni and cheese but we couldn't find them.  We told Sister Crookston, a counselor in the YW's stake presidency and finally after about ten minutes she found them in a box hidden away under the counter.  We already had several large pots boiling water on the stove.

Diana stiffing the pot.

At one point while adding the noodles to the water I spilled noodles all over the floor.  Also, the pilot light had gone out on the oven and there were several people trying to light the pilot so we could cook the garlic bread but no one was successful.  Somehow we managed to get those noodles cooked and our kitchen leaders made it back from hike and lunch for 150 people was brought about.  We had macaroni and cheese, ham, salad, bread, and fresh fruit.  Sister Crandell was so grateful that we had started without her.  

Back in our camp Julie and some of the other girls took Hope's stuffed bear and hung him from a tree.  We had a memorial service for Teddy and Jordyn even played taps on the harmonica.

 Teddy handing from the tree.

Hope was a good sport.

Jordyn playing taps and Julie

bowing her head.

Rescuing Teddy.

Alice during journal and scripture study.

Heaven

Amy, Kilee, and Diana taking a break.

Enjoying some down time.

LeeAnn painting Kelly's nails.

We were assigned to help with dinner.  I was proud of how most of our girls responded and came to help.  Dinner was green chili chicken burros that were absolutely delicious.  It was bishop's night but since our bishop is working out of town Brother Wilhelm and Sandra came.  They had dinner with us and then afterwards we gathered at camp for our testimony meeting. Afterward Sister Wilhelm handed out cookies.  It was a nice evening.  I was tired again when I went home.  I was surprised to find James had come home so I was not alone.

Earlier in the day James attended Aaron and Kari's sealing.  Gail and all of his kids were there and so were Darrel, Trina, and Jared.

 

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

 Happy Birthday Miss Ruby!

5 yr. old cutie.

Up at 5am.  I overslept!  I scramble to get ready, bake the cinnamon rolls and get to the church by 6am.  I am there by 6:10.  Most of the girls are already there.  I guess Maddie isn't coming.  She is still in Payson.  Her cousin Kyah is especially disappointed.  
I went back home to get some ice and met the rest of our group up at the camp. Before the girls go on their hike we raise the flags over camp.   

 Brother Curtis stayed to set up our two tents.  Diana and I try to help.

We can't have fires but we wanted some light so we strung solar lights in our firepit.

 Diana Curtis, Amy Reynolds, and Shelly Applegate.

This is the stake's fire.

 

 I want James to make us some of these benches.

Our girls: 

Jordyn and Shelly Applegate who were both YCL's.

Kelly Reynolds, Hope and Heaven Lootans,

Alice Wilhelm, Kilee and LeeAnn Hunsaker 

and Kyah Westbrook.

We are missing Maddie Carroll, Trenda Wilhelm

and Coty Iannoli.

This is our service tree.  Whenever someone sees someone else perform an act of service they write it on a paper flashlight and hand it on the tree.  At the end of camp this tree was full of flashlights.

These three girls, Heaven, Hope, and Kelly, along with Kyah Westbrook gathered pinecones.  Julie Wilhelm, our camp leader gave them the idea of dumping pinecones in the entrance of people's tents while they were sleeping.  

 Kelly and Hope

 Here is their stash.

Our first meal here at camp was delicious.  Thanks to LaShell Crandell and Victoria Jackson and all their helpers.  For lunch today we had taco salad, fruit and cinnamon rolls.  The girls were especially hungry after their hike.  After lunch I had a nice visit with Heidi Hastings who is the stake young women's first counselor over the Mia Maids.  She and her husband who is a doctor along with their family are moving to Frisco, Texas.  She seems a little sad to go but feels like it is what the Lord wants them to do.  

This afternoon the girls divided into groups and rotated to different activities.  There was first aid, archery, games, and journal and scriptures.  Here are some pictures of our girls at archery.

 

That's Hope in the foreground.

Kelly was the best shot.

I think she got two bullseyes.

Kelly, LeeAnn, and Kilee

This was one of the games.  Someone walks on the

poles and those with the strings try to balance her.

For dinner we had grilled pineapple, rice and teriyaki chicken.  Afterwards we had kitchen cleanup.  I helped and then headed home.  Sister Boone, the stake YW's secretary used a laser pointer and talked about the stars and constellations.  I guess she was excellent.

I'm glad I went home.  I stopped a cow elk from attacking one of the trees James planted.  I took a whirlpool bath and went to bed.  My feet really hurt.  

 Kim and Brian in San Diego

Joe, Brian, Kim, Chelsea, and Michael

Sheri and Ian's family at Disneyland