Saturday, May 11th, 2019

Hamilton, New Zealand

11th operating temple

Dedicated: 20-22 Apr 1958

By: David O. McKay

Jesus Christ, Divine Sonship

Hebrews 5:8

Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered;

Book of Mormon

Mosiah 27:18-37

New Testament "Come Follow Me"

John 11

General Conference

Hearing His Voice

David P. Homer

"We live in a world with many voices seeking our attention. With all the breaking news, tweets, blogs, podcasts, and compelling advice from Alexa, Siri, and others, we can find it difficult to know which voices to trust. Sometimes we crowdsource guidance in our lives, thinking the majority will provide the best source of truth. Other times we 'halt...between two opinions,' choosing to be 'neither cold nor hot.' Still other times we follow what is convenient, focus on a single voice or issue to guide us, or rely exclusively upon our own ability to think."

It was a beautiful morning for our trip to the temple as we read scriptures and listened to conference talks. 

The Reidhead's were in charge of our preparation meeting. President Reidhead sent the sisters downstairs and then upstairs again. It was a little confusing. 

We are getting new co-ordinators. The Reidhead's thanked Sister Cochran, Sister Humphries, Brother Coltrin, and Brother McHood for their service as co-ordinators. Brother and Sister Elmer will be our new co-ordinators. They are from Eagar.

I had a new assignment today, something I have never done before. 

I was the assistant veil director for all three sessions during our shift. Sister Reidhead from Heber is the veil director. She is one of the sisters that I feel closest to so it was fun to work with her. 

The 9:30 veil experience went great. The next one was to be at 11. From 10:30 - 11 I was assigned to help in the baptistry. I left right at 11 but did not hear the bell signalling it was time for veil workers to go to the veil. I went upstairs and sat in the common area waiting for the bell. I wasn't there very long when Sister Reidhead came in and said that I had missed the veil. I couldn't believe it and felt very embarrassed. She said there were not very many patrons so it went quickly. I guess I shouldn't have listened more carefully from the baptistry.

Sister Reidhead whose name is Elwanda, went to school with Dennis and Harold, and so did her husband Dean. She rode the bus from Heber with my sister-in-law Vickie. I love meeting people from high school who know my family or friends.

James was the 2nd follower in a session today. Something he hasn't done for a long time. He was glad to do it. 

On the way home from the temple we stopped at Sonic for some lunch. I got a burger and James a crispy chicken sandwich. 

My knee was bothering me most of the way home. We were supposed to go to a baptism at 3 pm but I was just not up for it so James went by himself. The baptism was for two of the 8 year old girls in our ward, Cathryn and Khloe.

Cathryn and her dad, 

Bishop Miller

 Khloe and her "Paka" Hunsaker

Khloe with her mom and two brothers,

Parker and Brooks

I told James to bring me some refreshments. When he got home he said there were no refreshments and there were over 100 people in attendance.

I was down for the count the rest of the evening with my right knee swollen and elevated on the recliner.

James watched the new Hallmark movie with me:

This Texas movie was actually filmed 

in Canada

Waiting to see Tanner

At first I'm a little shy with Tanner

Proud of Jace and Ty from Vernon

Good job Gracie!
Gracie is in James's Primary class
She's the one with the light green pillow

Our friends who have kindergartners:

Friday, June 22nd, 2018

Hamilton, New Zealand
11th operating temple
Dedicated: 20-22 April 1958
By: David O. McKay

Jesus Christ, Condescension of

DC 88:6

He that ascended up on high, as also he descended below all things, in that he comprehended all things, that he might be in all and through all things, the light of truth.

Book of Mormon

Alma 20:1-18

*How do you express love for your family members who are not members of the Church?

- The same way that you would for those that are. There's no difference. You love your family, no matter what. Love is unconditional. - Brian

Old Testament

1 Chronicles 5-6

5 The sons of Joseph received Reuben's birthright - Judah and his descendants became rulers in Israel - The line of Reuben down to the captivity is given - The Assyrians carry the Reubenites, Gadites, and half of Manasseh into captivity.

6 The sons of Levi, including David's singers, are listed - The responsibilities of Aaron and his descendants are given - Levite cities are designated in the areas of the various tribes.

General Conference

Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives

President Russell M. Nelson

"Without our Redeemer's infinite Atonement, not one of us would have hope of ever returning to our Heavenly Father. Without His Resurrection, death would be the end. Our Savior's Atonement made eternal life a possibility and immortality a reality for all."

New Era:"Page After Page Says We Believe," "Three Helps for Being Your Happiest and Best Self" - Elder Cornish

This was my first day back on Family Search for awhile. I have lots of suggested tasks but most of them are dead ends unless I take the time to do some research. 

I ironed two white shirts for James this morning, one for the temple tomorrow, and one for Church on Sunday. 

I swept and mopped the kitchen and dining room floor. I made 4 dozen rolls, 3 dozen for the temple, and a dozen for the Peeler's.

Brother Peeler told us that Donna likes my "buns." I call them rolls.

I contacted 23 people about the ward party tomorrow night, and I made Lois's enchiladas for the party tomorrow night and put them in the frig. James called her and got a history of the recipe. Lois said about 70 years ago right after she was first married her cousin who was married to someone from Tijuana, Mexico that owned a restaurant invited her to dinner. They served her enchiladas and they were the best she had ever tasted. She tweeked the recipe and made a casserole instead of individual servings and her family loved it. She still makes them today at 90 years of age and her children and grandchildren make them for their families too.

This evening I typed James's eight page talk for sacrament meeting. I am afraid he is going to have to cut it down a bit. The talk is on personal revelation.

I got my 13,000 steps today and also had my green smoothie for dinner.

I watched an older Hallmark movie today starring Alicia Witt, "Backyard Wedding." I watched while I was typing James's talk so I didn't feel like I was wasting my time.

This is one of the reasons I stay on Facebook

Here is another one. This was last year when

we went to Scottsdale for our weekend at the

time share. We always go to Peter Piper Pizza.

I bet these guys could make the jump.
Alpacas.

New restaurant in South Chandler.

Tuesday, August 8th, 2017

Hamilton, New Zealand

11th operating temple

Dedicated: 20-22 April 1958

By: David O. McKay

Alma 47:1-19

How can the interaction between Amalickiah and Lehonti be symbolic of our interaction with temptations?

*C.S. Lewis wrote, "The safest road to hell is a gradual one." Like Amalickiah, Satan is subtle and will try to gradually poison those who come, even a little way, to meet him. A spiritual fall generally does not happen in one fell swoop but by degrees. It's poison destroying little by little. Nephi said, "He leadeth them by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever...thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell." (2 Nephi 26:22; 28:21). And, Elder Carlos E. Asay wrote, "Those who become followers of the evil one do not generally reach their captive state with one misdeed; they lose their freedom one sin at a time - one error after another - until almost all is lost. Flaxen cords are transformed into awful chains of steel as they allow themselves to follow the downward course. Each easy step away from the line of goodness and truth makes it more and more difficult to recover."

DC 109:41-60

Which verses spoke to me today?

43 O Lord, we delight not in the destruction of our fellow men, their souls are precious before thee;

44 But thy word must be fulfilled. Help thy servants to say, with thy grace assisting them: Thy will be done, O Lord, and not ours.

46 Therefore, O Lord, deliver thy people from the calamity of the wicked; enable thy servants to seal up the law, and bind up the testimony, that they may be prepared against the day of burning.

47 We ask thee, Holy Father, to remember those who have been driven by the inhabitants of Jackson county, Missouri, from the lands of their inheritance, and break off, O Lord, this yoke of affliction that has been put upon them.

49 O Lord, how long wilt thou suffer this people to bear this affliction, and the cries of their innocent ones to ascend up in thine ears, and their blood come up in testimony before thee, and not make a display of thy testimony in their behalf?

53 But inasmuch as they will repent, thou art gracious and merciful, and wilt turn away thy wrath when thou lookest upon the face of thine Anointed.

54 Have mercy, O Lord, upon all the nations of the earth; have mercy upon the rulers of our land; may those principles, which were so honorably and nobly defended, namely, the Constitution of our land, by our fathers, be established forever.

55 Remember the kings, the princes, the nobles, and the great ones of the earth, and all people, and the churches, all the poor, the needy, and afflicted ones of the earth;

56 That their hearts may be softened when thy servants shall go out from thy house, O Jehovah, to bear testimony of thy name; that their prejudices may give way before the truth, and thy people may obtain favor in the sight of all;

58 That from among all these, thy servants, the sons of Jacob, may gather out the righteous to build a holy city to thy name, as thou hast commanded them.

General Conference

Confide in God Unwaveringly

Elder Ulisses Soares

"If we are not rooted by steadfast trust in God and the desire to serve Him, the painful experiences of mortality can lead us to feel as though we are burdened by a heavy yoke; and we can lose the motivation to live the gospel fully. Without faith, we will end up losing the capacity to appreciate those designs of our God regarding the things that will happen later in our life. (See DC 58:3)

Brighter and Brighter Until the Perfect Day

Elder Mark A. Bragg

" We are children of God. Receiving light, continuing in God, and receiving more light are what we are created to do. From the very beginning, we followed the light; we followed our Heavenly Father and His plan. Seeking the light is in our spiritual DNA.

Happy 8th Birthday Molly!

3 years ago

This year

Love that smile!

The hazards of riding the Razr

BFF

Things I read today from Elder Soares's conference talk on faith:

1.) Trust that God will provide for our needs.

2.) Turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart and He will deliver you out of bondage.

3.) God blesses us according to our faith.

4.) If we are steadfast in our faith, the Lord will increase our capacity to raise ourselves above the challenges of life.

Things I learned from reading Juliann Hough's post on Instagram:

"There s a battle of two wolves inside us, the one that wins is the one you feed."

Today is also Darrel and Trina's 14th wedding anniversary. I can honestly say they are two of my favorite people in the entire world!

Darrel says this is the last good picture of him.

I don't think so Darrel.

James finished the greenhouse today. I am praying that the wind doesn't blow it over. 

I mentioned I wanted tacos for lunch so James took me to Aliberto's when I know he would much rather go to Lacasita.

After shopping I came home and took a nap and then worked on my blog. I also made a bath of Doubletree "knock off" cookies. 

This evening we watched one of our favorite Hallmark movies, "Uncommon Grace."

Random Photos

Arizona Highways

The Westbrook's

A couple with true grit, as their daughter

says. They raised 9 children.

They are two of my favorite people in Vernon.

Sad news.

If I had a pet...

German castle.

Saturday, November 24, 2012

James and Alex went coyote hunting this morning.  Afterwards James came home and made venison steak and gravy with biscuits.  Brian got some venison from Dave.  Thanks Dave for contributing to our delicious breakfast.

 James and his helpers, Chelsea and Brian.

I made a trip to town this morning to get some gum for my handout for Young Women's tomorrow.  I ended up going to Safeway, Circle K and Walmart.  I needed wax for the floor and they didn't have what I needed at Safeway so I went to Walmart.  I did buy some steaks for our BBQ tonight at Safeway because they have better steaks than Walmart.  I found the gum I needed at Circle K.  

I talked to Vickie on the phone today.  She told me all about Show Low's loss to Seton Catholic (a Chandler School) last week.  They got beat 42-14.  She said the coach changed all the plays at the last minute and Harold was furious.  She said she almost got into a fight with one of the fans for Show Low who was bad-mouthing Colby.  It was a sad way to end such a great season for Show Low.  Seton ended up beating Blue Ridge in the championship game.

In other football news today Hamilton High won the state championship game and so did Queen Creek.

We grilled steaks this evening with Kim, Brian, Chelsea, and Cody.  Before dinner James took the Pace kids, Carter 8, and Cash 6, up to the swing and the pit.  Alex went too.  The boys were so excited to get to go on the Ranger.