Saturday, February 23rd, 2019

Houston, Texas

97th operating temple

Dedicated: 26 Aug 2000

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Divine Sonship

3 Nephi 9:15

Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. I was with the Father from the beginning. I am in the Father, and the Father in me; and in me hath the Father glorified his name.

Book of Mormon

2 Nephi 15:1-30

*In a world virtually overflowing with knowledge how is there a famine of spiritual knowledge?

-With the easiness of a remote or mouse we can turn on our computers, internet and the TV and there is nothing we can't search. Talk about an information revolution. We can even llli up religion. How then are we becoming a people drowning in ignorance? Are we ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth? (2Timothy). People understand famine and how it feels to go hungry, but when it comes to spiritual hunger and a famine of hearing the words of the Lord, we often look for a quick fix, and substitute half truths and only hear and feel what we want the truth to be. We need more than a snack, casual interest in spiritual truths, we need to feast on the words of the Lord. We need more than a nibble of things that nourish the spirit, we need our daily supplement of vitamin "S" (scriptures). sue_heugly, bofm365

New Testament "Come Follow Me"

Ideas for Family Scripture Study and Family Home Evening

Matthew 5:1-9; 21-25, 38-44; Help you family be peacemakers Matthew 5:14-16; DC 103:9-10; How can we be a light to others?

43-44 How can we pray for those who have been unkind to us?

"Blessed are the Peacemakers" Russell M. Nelson, 10/02

New Era

"In the Lord's Hands," "We Don't Always Know Why," "Will You God?" "I Sang My Testimony," "You MTC Experience"

General Conference

Wounded

Elder Neil L. Andersen

"Remember, repentance is powerful spiritual medicine. Keep the commandments and be worthy of the Comforter, remembering that the Savior promised, 'I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.' The peace of the temple is a soothing balm to the wounded soul. Return to the Lord's house with your wounded heart and your family names as frequently as possible. The temple projects our brief moment in mortality onto the wide screen of eternity."

Today was a beautiful sunny day with a high of 33. Our neighbor Chuck came over and bladed our driveway and road with his tractor. We are so grateful to him.We were beginning to wonder if we would make it to church tomorrow.

James took the car in to the Vernon post office to see if he got the two books he ordered to trade. No such luck. I stayed home and fixed lunch. We had my favorite green beans with new potatoes, garlic, onions, ham and butter and a little chicken stock. They were delicious!

This time I used ham instead of bacon and we

liked it better.

My main chore for the day was getting our 17 FBA books ready to ship. It is so frustrating that Amazon now divides up the shipment. I had three books going to Maryland, 13 to California, and 1 to Wisconsin. Not only is it annoying to have to prepare three boxes but the cost is more. $6.64 to the ones going to Maryland, $8.42 to the ones to California, and $4.52 for the one book. If I could have sent them all in one box my shipping would have been under ten dollars. 

I carried in wood today while James shoveled snow. 

This evening James and I watched a movie together. A new Hallmark starring Autumn Reeser, my favorite, and Kavan Smith.

I don't like Autumn's look here but she

changes about half way through the

movie to more casual.

 The Hallmark movies I watched while blogging,
preparing the books to be shipped, and
walking.

 Stacy said she looks like Rowan in this picture,
I said, more like Annie Oakley.

I love this picture of Ruby even if

it's blurry because it looks like she is

dancing!

Vickie:

 Snowmageddon

Trina sent this picture of the Superstition Mountain
Gorgeous!

Not so gorgeous.

 Baby nightie?

Carrot face

A new record for me.

Sunday, September 16th, 2018

Houston, Texas

97th operating temple

Dedicated: 26 Aug 2000

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Crucifixion

Luke 23:33

And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.

Book of Mormon

*Helaman instructed his sons to la up a treasure in heaven instead of on this earth What does this mean to you?

- "To seek after those things on this earth that will benefit me i heaven. If I spend my time on this earth laying up things that will benefit me here then I get exactly that - those things here. But if I spend my time laying up things that are a treasure in heaven, then I get those blessings here and in heaven."

Old Testament

Isaiah 1-3

General Conference

Ministering with the Power and Authority of God

President Russell M. Nelson

"My beloved brethren, thank you for your devotion to the Lord and His holy work. It is truly a joy to be with you. As a new First Presidency, we thank you for your prayers and for your sustaining efforts. We are grateful for your lives and for your service to the Lord Your devotion to duty and your selfless service are just as important in your callings as ours are in our callings. Through a lifetime of service in this Church, I have learned that it really doesn't matter where one serves. What the Lord cares about is how one serves."

Jackson's farewell. The overflow is full. He is going to the Philippines where a typhoon is headed. His mom is a wreck but he says he wants to be there because those are "his people" and he wants to help them. He will be an awesome missionary because he loves the Lord and he is humble. He says he offers a crumb compared to a loaf given by Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

The family supporting Jackson

Parents Steve and Tina, five sisters, a brother and

lots of nieces and nephews!

Brother Charlie G. gave his first talk in sacrament meeting today since joining the Church. He spoke about his favorite event in the Book of Mormon, the Savior's visit to the Nephites. It was a great talk!

Bishop Miller spoke after Jackson and bore his testimony.

After setting up the circle in the Relief Society room, I attended Brother Scott's Sunday School class on the first six chapters of the Book of Isaiah. It was a good class. Brother and Sister DeWitt made these comments about the gathering of Israel:

Brother DeWitt: "The Church is growing at the rate of 800 members a day. We must slow it down a little"

Sister DeWitt: "We have four grandchildren on a mission. The people joining the Church in the areas where they are serving are mostly refugees from other countries."

Cammy did a great job teaching from President Ballard's talk, "Precious Gifts from God." He talks about the Sabbath, the Sacrament and service as being special gifts but he says that our most precious gift from God is the Savior, Jesus Christ.

Ruby didn't bring any Sunday clothes, although she did bring a dozen stuffed animals. Funny how kids are. Trina stayed home with her and they went for a walk.

I got up early and made rolls and hamburger soup so lunch was ready when we got home. Before eating we said goodbye to Kim and Brian who like to get home early on Sunday evening.

 Photo bomber Darrel

 Ruby and Lola photo bomb

 One more photo bomber.

Can you find him?

One more bomber, between Kim and

Brian's shoulders.

James took a nap this afternoon while the rest of us just relaxed. Kathy Crane brought over some ice cream at my request and the kids and I had some ice cream.

Trina and Lola playing Hedbanz

Trina checking her fan mail, and the My

Little Ponies on parade.

Lola showing off her Sunday best, 

except for the shoes of course.

At one point Darrel had the Cardinal's game on. When he fell asleep in the recliner I turned it to Beauty and the Beast, the cartoon version. 

Soon it was time to say goodbye. Lola did not want to go home. She said, "hide, Dad's packing the car."

 Grandpa trying to comfort Lola

 I sure do love this family.

 Nice hairdo Darrel. Must have been from 

sleeping on the couch.

Finally she feels a little better.

Even though we didn't get to go horseback riding because Brother Howard fell off his four wheeler chasing cows, we had a good time.

James went out to visit Anthony this afternoon and I went with him. He delivered a loaf of homemade bread from President Grapp, and some bottled vegetables and fruit from the Grapp's and the Hunsaker's years supply. 

Anthony lives alone except for his cat Pinky. Pinky has been sick and Anthony has been spending his money buying medicine for her, hence the food from ward members. While James went in and visited, I stayed in the truck and worked on my weekly planner and then I went for a walk.

Anthony's place

My walk:

 A windmill in the distance

A lone tree

 Charlie with her mom and dad

Her first time at church

Scarlett and Autumn

I wonder if they are morning people?

 

Tuesday, April 10th, 2018

Houston, Texas

97th operating temple

Dedicated: 26-27 Aug 2000

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

(The Houston temple was damaged during the recent hurricane in Texas. It is scheduled for rededication on Sunday, April 22, 2018).

Jesus Christ Baptism of

2 Nephi 31:5

And now, if the Lamb of God, he being holy. should have need to be baptized by water, to fulfill all righteousness, O then, how much more need have we, being unholy, to be baptized, yea, even by water!

Book of Mormon

Mosiah 4:16-30

* How are we all "beggars?"

- "Ye have been calling on His name, and begging for a remission of your sins. And has He suffered that ye have begged in vain? Nay; He has poured out His Spirit upon you, and has caused that your hearts should be filled with joy, and has caused that your mouths should be stopped that ye could not find utterance, so exceedingly great was your joy." I truly have been filled with this kind of joy! Everything that we have comes from God! God does answer our prayers. He delights in blessing us. Elder Holland said: "For one thing, we can, as King Benjamin taught, cease withholding our means because we see the poor as having brought their misery upon themselves. Perhaps some have created their own difficulties, but don't the rest of us do exactly the same thing?"

Old Testament

Joshua 17-18

17 Manasseh and Ephraim both receive an additional inheritance - Ephraim is to drive out the Canaanites from the hill country.

18 The tabernacle of the congregation is set up at Shiloh - Benjamin receives an inheritance by lot.

General Conference

Family History and Temple Work: Sealing and Healing

Elder Dale G. Renlund

"When we gather our family histories and go to the temple on behalf of our ancestors, God fulfills promised blessings simultaneously on both sides of the veil."

What should I pray for?

Alma 37:36-37

36 Yea, and cry unto God for all thy support; yea, let all thy doings be unto the Lord, and whithersoever thou goest let it be in the Lord; yea, let all thy thoughts be directed unto the Lord; yea, let the affections of thy heart be placed upon the Lord forever.

37 Counsel with the Lord in all thy doings, and He will direct thee for good; yea, when thou liest down at night lie down unto the Lord, that he may watch over you in your sleep; and when thou risest in the morning let thy heart be full of thanks unto God; and if ye do these things, ye shall be lifted up at the last day.

This from "Rescuing Wayward Children:" Patience and faith go hand in hand. The law of the harvest is this: whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye also reap. Between sowing and reaping lies enduring with patience. Eventual triumph depends on what we do once the seed is sown.

I got excited when I looked at my weather app this morning and it said 10% chance of rain for both Friday and Saturday next week. I will cling to any small chance.

President Nelson and his wife Wendy, and Elder Holland and his wife Pat left today for their Global Ministry Tour. A meeting will be held in London Thursday evening, April 12, which will be broadcast to Church meetinghouses in the United Kingdom and Ireland. The Church has about 186,000 members in the UK and nearly 4,000 members in Ireland.

Do my actions align with my prayers and goals? I hope so. Has the Atonement changed my heart? Absolutely! Preach My Gospel:

" If Christ had not made His Atonement, the penalties for mistakes would be added one on the other. Life would be hopeless. But He willingly sacrificed that we may be redeemed." - President Boyd K. Packer. 

Relief from torment and guilt is available through repentance. 

Elder Maxwell gave the following quote by Anne Morrow Lindbergh:

"My life cannot implement in action the demands of all the people to whom my heart responds."

From President Russell M. Nelson's talk in the April 1990 GC:

#12. "Thus Shall My Church Be Called" 

* A Saint is a believer in Christ and knows of His perfect love. 

Latter-day: The divine promise is being fulfilled that this restored gospel shall be preached unto every nation, kindred, tongue and people.

Jesus Christ: "Ye shall call the Church in my name...and how be it my Church save it be called in my name?" (3 Nephi 27:7-8)

I performed somewhat of a triathalon today. I was stripping the polish off the wood floor when I realized it was time to fix lunch. I put the remover on the floor and set my timer for 5 minutes and skipped to the kitchen to start lunch. Once lunch was started I went into the laundry room to fold clothes when the timer for the polish remover went off. I repeated this several times until all the polish remover was gone. That's a good way to get some exercise.

After lunch, reading and naps, James and I headed for Show Low. Today is the day I do my grocery shopping and he had some errands he wanted to run. It was a beautiful day today and there was very little wind. 

There must be some bad weather somewhere because Walmart had a sign up in their produce section apologizing for the meager amount of produce. Not only was there not much to pick from but the prices were very high. I was going to buy some blueberries when I notice a container cost $5.98. I spent enough money as it is.

After I finished putting groceries away I planned tomorrow and noticed that it was 6:45 and I only have 10,580 steps. 

James and I spent the evening working on family records. He is trying to get all the kids and grandkids entered on his familysearch page. I paid tithing, helped him and checked on some family names. 

Christina posted on Facebook that mango trees cross-pollinate with flies instead of bees. She hung a poopy diaper in her mango tree and this is the result: 

If you look hard enough you can see quite a

few little mangoes.

National Sibling Day

James gave me the sweater for Christmas.

He loves this picture but I think I look

a little dorky.

The Bogle siblings are their mom.

The Allen kids

Jackson is the small one in front. He was 12 here.

He is now 18 and getting ready for his mission.