Saturday, January 18th, 2020

Houston, Texas

97th operating temple

Dedicated: 26 Aug 2000

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Jehovah

Abraham 2:8

My name is Jehovah, and I know the end from the beginning: therefore my hand shall be over thee.

Book of Mormon, "Come Follow Me"

Iron Rod, Tree of Life discussion

 "The Two Great Commandments"

President Dallin H. Oaks

"The gospel of Jesus Christ teaches us to love and treat all people with kindness and civility - even when we disagree. We affirm that those who avail themselves of laws or court rulings authorizing same-sex marriage should not be treated disrespectfully."

Today was a beautiful day in Vernon, Arizona. The high was around 45 with lots of sunshine. I didn't leave my room until I finished blogging January 6th. It was 10 a.m. at which time I headed for the kitchen. I made a pot of chicken noodle soup and heated up some individual french rolls that Sheri left here. I took the rolls to the Relief Society service activity. Kerri called them "butt" rolls. 'Oh Kerri, I see what you mean.'

Trina, Addy, and I left for the church around 11:40 just a head of Darrel and the other kids who were planning on going to the pit to go sledding. We saw the herd of elk as we were leaving and Trina pointed to them for Darrel but he didn't see them. 

The Relief Society service project is making headache bags for the cancer center and baby blankets for the hospital. It runs from 11-2. We dropped my rolls off in the Relief Society room and decided we would eat before going in to help with the project. 

There were ten different types of soups to choose from and just as many types of bread. Addy had five types of bread. I had the pasta fagoili soup. It was delicious, like Olive Gardens except it had corn. Addy bumped in to me and I spilled my soup all over the front of my white blouse. She felt so bad. I told her it was okay. We sat down and ate and visited with Kerri and Michelle Tesarek. I was glad Michelle was there because I wanted Trina to meet her. Virgil Cooper and Anthony were the priesthood. Because there was honey being served he began to tell us about raising bees. He also said that mesquite honey was the most healthy type of honey.

When we were finished eating we went to help Maxine tie quilts. Addy and Trina finished their quilts before I did so Addy helped me finish. 

Addy and Maxine. In the background Catherine is

hemming Anthony's jeans.

Amy Gordon came over and visited with us. She talked about herself and said more than I have ever heard her say before. Her maiden name is Hatch and she grew up in Taylor.

After finishing our quilts we left and went to Dollar General. I needed to get a gift card for MaKenzi Forrester's baby shower. We had almost as much fun at Dollar General as we did when we went to Western Drug last summer. Addy and Trina are just fun to shop with. Trina ended up getting Lola and Ruby coloring books. 

When we returned home we found out that the road to the Pit had been closed and Darrel got his car stuck. James had to go rescue them. Not much fun for the kids. James saw a herd of deer like we saw a herd of elk.

I'm late, I'm late, for a very important date

Addy made brownies this afternoon and saved a couple for Maxine who told us she can't make brownies in her toaster oven. We will give them to her at church tomorrow.

Darrel has been marinating chicken thighs all day and this evening he grilled them for us. They were delicious. We also had asparagus, salad, and beans. We could not find Ruby and Rowan when it was time to eat. They had taken the sled up the hill by the side of our house to sled. I guess there were too many rocks for it to work very well. 

After dinner Trina said she had to go upstairs to go shopping for jewelry (Lola) and donate to the "Help save the animals organization." The kids love to play store in my office. Trina came down to talk to Addy who needed  some counseling from her mom so I went upstairs with the girls. Ruby was looking at things through the microscope and Lola was coloring. As a side note here Trina told me of a condition that she, Addy and Ruby all have. It is called trytophobia or fear of circle clusters in nature. Ruby looked at a slide with a cluster of cells on it and said that freaked her out. Addy had told me earlier that she didn't like the word cluster. I guess that's why. Trina showed me some people online who have the phobia also. I have never heard of it and am sorry to say I don't completely understand it. 

Lola wanted me to play some music on my phone, which I did. I played Dancing Queen and then I played the music from Phantom of the Opera. She liked it and when I told her it was from a movie she wanted to watch the movie. Darrel came into our bedroom and connected the DVD player to the TV and Ruby, Lola, and Rowan and I watched half of "Phantom of the Opera" before grandpa came in to go to bed. I told them we would finish watching it tomorrow although I really didn't want to watch it on Sunday.

 Emily's new book

 Ruby and Lola

 Cope is a friend and member of our ward.

Happy 70th Birthday!

Wednesday, October 25th, 2017

Adelaide, Australia

89th operating temple

Dedicated: 15 June 2000

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Appearances, Postmortal

Luke 24:39

Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.

Book of Mormon

3 Nephi 12:25-48

*How hard is it to love our enemies?

I think it requires lots of prayer, forgiveness, and humility, and the Holy Ghost filling us with pure love.

*What does it mean to you to be perfect?

President Russell M. Nelson: "We need not be dismayed if our earnest efforts toward perfection now seem so difficult and endless. Perfection is pending. It can come in full only after the Resurrection and only through the Lord. It awaits all who love Him and keep His commandments" ("Perfection Pending," Ensign, Nov. 1995, 88).

Doctrine Covenants Scripture Mastery

DC 130:22-23

22 The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man's; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit. Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us.

23 A man may receive the Holy Ghost, and it may descend upon him and not tarry with him.
General Conference

Do We Trust Him? Hard Is Good

Elder Stanley G. Ellis

"The Lord does trust us in so many ways. He has given us the gospel of Jesus Christ. He entrusts us with His priesthood authority, complete with the keys for its proper use. With that power we can bless, serve, receive ordinances, and make covenants. He trusts us with His restored Church, including the holy temple. He trusts His servants with the sealing power - to bind on earth and have it bound in heaven. He even trusts us to be the earthly parents, teachers, and caregivers of His children."

Paul and Janell are here shooting. I took a walk up to the broken down CAT with James to do some "observing," while he tries to start it. It started but now he's having problems draining the old oil so he can put in some new. 

James had a shirt on today that I have not seen him wear for a long, long time. When I told him I liked it he told me the following story. "You bought me this shirt when we took Darrel to the MTC for his mission. (That was in 1998). We took Amy Bush to dinner at Tony Roma's in Provo and she told me my shirt was a "chick magnet."

This chick is attracted.

We have smoke again today! Yikes! I guess we didn't do enough complaining!

Let the complainings begin!

James went to town today because he had an appointment with Dr. Reagan who was supposed to help him with the pain in his shoulder. He was going to do some other errands including picking up rice and beans at La Casita for our dinner we are taking to the Curtis's. Luckily I texted him his driver's license and credit card and they accepted it. He did not see the doctor because he was an hour and a half behind on his appointments. He is on call at the hospital for up to 14 days. The other doctor fills in for him but that means he is double booked. 

While James was gone I made a batch of chicken enchiladas. He took awhile because I cut the meat off a roasted chicken and shredded it and then put everything else together. When James returned I asked him to deliver the dinner and while he was gone I would make him so enchiladas. I really wanted to see my friend Dianne but I was not in any condition to see anyone. The dinner consisted of chicken enchiladas, a salad, and the delicious rice and beans from LaCasita. They have the best refried beans, rivaling Paul's mom's.

While he was making the delivery I made another batch of chicken enchiladas. I could not make them for someone else and not make some for James. He loves them!

When James returned we ate our enchiladas and watched an old movie we had taped "The Apple Mortgage Cake" which is based on a true story. It is a great movie and we enjoyed watching it again.

We also watched an episode from season two of Heartland: "Miracle Girl."

I also made time to do this today:

Shayna and the guys carving pumpkins

at Kim and Brian's.

Thanks for carrying on the tradition!

Evan did his free hand!

Addy wanted to know why poodle dogs so I sent her this:

So big he can't even stand up.

Some photos Carmen took of Sarah and Sydney on

their tour of Arizona.

Fall

Golden Oldie

Thursday, April 13, 2017

Houston, Texas
97th operating temple

Mosiah 6:1-7

Mosiah begins his reign as king.

* Why do you think it was important to record the names of all the people who had entered into the covenant?

Helaman 9-10

9 Messengers find the chief judge dead at the judgment seat - They are imprisoned and later released - By inspiration Nephi identifies Seantum as the murderer - Nephi is accepted by some as a prophet.

About 23-21 B.C.

10 The Lord gives Nephi the sealing power - He is empowered to bind and loose on earth and in heaven - He commands the people to repent or perish - The Spirit carries him from multitude to multitude. About 21-20 B.C.

DC 57:1-16

Independence, Missouri, is the place for the City of Zion and the temple; The Saints are to purchase lands and receive inheritances in that area; Sidney Gilbert is to establish a store, William W. Phelps is to be a printer, and Oliver Cowdery is to edit material for publication.

What great things have happened when people magnify their callings?

General Conference

Stand Up Inside and Be All In

Elder Gary B. Sabin

"May we recalculate our route if need be and look forward with great hope and faith.  My we 'stand up inside' by being valiant and 'all in.'"

Evan got contacts today.  He even put them in all by himself.

Such a handsome boy, with or without,

glasses.

Max had a first today too.  His first track meet.  

Go Max!! Our of 20 people he got 7th.

Pretty good for his first meet.

Happy 21st Anniversary

Cathi and Terry!

We gave them gift cards to

Outback because we know they

love steak.

James had an appointment this morning at the dentist's office to get some fillings fixed.  When he got home we went to lunch at Chili's because we had a couple of gift cards.  This was my lunch:

It was quite delicious only I would have preferred

to have the steak and shrimp without the sauce.

This afternoon while James was working at Sal's I made these little critters:

Bunny's made out of safety pops!

James is really complaining about his tooth hurting.  Cathi gave him some oil of cloves but he is still in alot of pain.  He left a message with Dr. Douglas but I told him she is not in her office on Friday.  

We went to visit our friend Zaki this afternoon.  He and his wife had twins, a boy and a girl 15 months ago and we have never seen them.

They are quite shy because they just aren't

around other people very much.

Zakia, the little girl

Zachariah, the little boy

I don't think Zakia like me very well.

Our friends from Chandler, Mike and Adrienne just became

grandparents on April 8th.

Meet baby Elliott

As part of my gospel study today I read about the last week of the Savior's life.  Here is a picture of His Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem painted by LDS artist Minerva Teichart.

We are friends with Minerva's granddaughter

Trudy.

According to Brother Eric D. Huntsman the final week of the Savior's life went something like this:

1.  The Anointing at Bethany by Mary.

2.  The Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem.

3.  The Cleansing of the Temple and the Cursing of the Fig Tree.

4.  Teaching in the Temple.

5.  The Olivet Discourse.

6.  The Last Supper.

7.  Gethsemane

8.  The Death of the Lamb of God.

9.  The Empty Tomb and the Risen Lord.

Wednesday, November 23, 2016

Houston temple.

Mormon 5:1-12

What lessons can we learn and apply to our lives from the writings of Mormon?  Why do you think he documented all of the wars and sorrows of the Nephites for us to read?

* We can learn from Mormon's writings that wickedness never was happiness!w  Mormon's accounts of events during his days has been full of sorrow and despair and unfortunately, because of their wickedness, life did not improve for the Nephites.  Mormon takes time in this chapter to explain what he thinks we should learn from this tragic account.  The Book of Mormon came forth in our day to persuade us that Jesus is the Christ.  Mormon sorrowed that his people did not repent so they could be clasped in the arms of Jesus.  Mormon increasingly looked beyond the tragedy before him to a people he hoped would profit from their mistakes.

GC:     "To Whom Shall We Go?" by Elder M. Russell Ballard

'Our precious relationships with families, friends, the Lord and His restored Church are among the things that matter most in life.

Because these relationships are so important, they should

be cherished, protected and nurtured."

I can do this!

I made a trip to town by myself this morning.  I picked up James's three month supply of Nefediprin and then went on to Walmart to do more shopping for Thanksgiving.  I also stopped at the post office to mail a temple name to Jared, and some bills.  The last stop was at the gas station to get gas and wash the mud off of my car.

I carried in and put away all the groceries.  James was grouting the stone outside and couldn't stop to help me.  When he finished he came in and ask me to read him a chapter from "The Justice of Alliction."  Afterwards James went back to work and I sat down on the couch to "rest" and watch the last part of the "DWTS" finale.  I knew Laurie had won, but I wanted to see it anyway.

Laurie and Val

I worked on my blog, watched "A Princess for Christmas," and ate my bean burro from Burger House.  

Monument Valley

James came in and made a fire and I read from "Justice of Affiction."  After reading we watched a new Christmas movie starring Daniel Lissing called "December Bride."  Daniel plays Mountie Jack in "When Calls the Heart."

Super moon tight rope walking.

I love these pictures: