Sunday, March 9, 2014

Wish I could say this picture was taken in Vernon

It does remind me of all the wildflowers we

had last summer after the rains.

Gospel Study

Sunday School Lesson: "Living Righteously in a Wicked World"

The story of Abraham and Lot

Young Women

"Why Do the Choices I Make Matter?"

Heavenly Father has given us moral agency, the ability to choose and act for ourselves.  While we are free to make our own choices, we cannot chose the consequences of those choices.  Good choices lead to lasting happiness and eternal life.  If we ask Him, Heavenly Father will help us make wise choices.

I was up at 4am.  I ironed James's shirt first thing because he leaves for high council meeting in Show Low around 5:15.  I should have ironed it last night so I wouldn't have to do it on Sunday.  Must do better!

I showered and dried my hair and then laid down on the couch for a short rest  Well, I slept too long and we were almost late for church.

We sat by the Curtis's towards the middle of the middle section.  We normally like to sit on the side but all of those seats were taken.  We had lots of visitors today because of spring break in the valley.  It was our fast and testimony meeting.  Brother Jimmy Applegate conducted and bore his testimony.  Little Curtis Wilhelm, the 5 year old with leukemia (it's in remission right now), was next.  My favorite testimony was that of Sister Winna Ulmer, the grandmother who is raising her three granddaughters who are in Young Women's. (Hope, Hailey, and Heaven).  Winna is one of my heroes.  She and her husband rescued these girls from a deplorable situation literally saved their lives.  Ellen Kostusiak, a non-member got up because she went to see the movie "The Son of God" and was so touched by it that she wanted to encourage all of us to go see it.  We also heard from Wendy Dewitt and Audrey Guerrero for the first time bearing their testimonies.  It was a good meeting.

Although Randa Covert was suppose to teach, she asked Kaeli Nicoll if she would teach for her.  Kaeli gave a wonderful lesson about the Atonement and how we can apply it in our lives.  

After the block I had a temple recommend interview with Bishop Hall.  I came home and had some lunch and took a nap.  James is still trying to finish the audit for our ward finances.  There is a problem that no one can seem to solve.

After my nap I got up and began preparing for my brother Harold's birthday dinner.  James cooked the steaks.  We had to have smaller portions because Colby is coming too.  That's okay because we were so glad to see him.  He seems like such a nice young man, and he's very handsome too.  He is Brian and Cher's youngest and will graduate from high school this year.

Our menu:  Steak, baked potatoes, corn, green beans with bacon, salad, and croissants.  For dessert we had chocolate cake, whipped cream and strawberries.  We had a nice visit but missed Dennis and Denise who are in Texas visiting Jenifer and her kids.

 

Sunday, January 26, 2014

James left at 5:20 for his high council meeting in Show Low.  He was back by 7:40.  His meeting let out early because the stake presidency had to be at our ward council meeting at 7:30.  I was resting on the couch when James got home, planing on getting up and getting ready for church at 8am.  When 8am arrived I felt so miserable that the thought of getting ready for church just overwhelmed me so I went to bed instead.  I slept until after noon when James got home.  He gave me a brief report of ward conference and said it was one of the best he's ever attended.  I asked him to take notes for me and he did, of all three meetings!

We had lunch and took a nap.  I was feeling a little better after my second nap of the day. 
James had asked his home teaching companion, Westin Hall, to make appointment with the Hunsaker's and Peeler's this afternoon but Westin forgot so James went by himself after the Book of Mormon class. 

I finally made James's Eagle Brand birthday pie.  We had it for dessert after our grilled honey-lime chicken with rice and corn. 

Facebook finds:

Cousin's, Kreed and Ruby

Gilbert temple

Gilbert temple

The Whalen's at the Gilbert temple

open house.

Sunday, January 12, 2014

We had prayer before James left for high council this morning at 5:15.  We are fasting for missionary work and reactivation of family members.  

There was a beautiful sunrise this morning a little after 7.  I really need a new camera that would caputure the colors a little better.

For part of my gospel study I read Elder Holland's conference talk on mental illness and depression.  I am so grateful for the Savior and how He helps people with ailments and gives them hope.

James made it back in time from high council to take me to church.  I wore my new black sweater and blue blouse.  I love them!  We had fast and testimony meeting today because last Sunday was Sadie Westbrook's farewell.  I bore my testimony.  I talked about how strong the youth are in our ward and said that I knew that Jesus Christ was the Only Begotten Son of the Father, that he atoned for our sins, and that someday we will be resurrected because of Him.  

When we got home from the block meetings we broke our fast with our burros from Burger House.  I kept my Sunday clothes on because Kilee Hunsaker is coming over to index and then we are going to the Book of Mormon scripture class.  

James went home teaching with Westin Hall to the Wilhelm's today.  He took them some grapefruit and oranges.  He said Trenda answered all the questions he asked and I told him that sounded about right, just like she does in Young Women's.  

Kilee went with us to the Book of Mormon class which is being taught by her dad.  When I helped her get a username and password for indexing her password was daddysgirl45.  Brother Hunsaker is such a nice man!

There was a good turn out to the class and James and I really enjoyed it.  The elders were there because this is part of the ward's effort to do missionary work.  After the class was over James set apart Stefani Hunsaker as the Stake Primary secretary.

This is what the sky looked like when we came out of the church around 5:30:

.Beautiful!

It was a very enjoyable sabbath day.  To top it off we watched "Ultimate Treehouse Masters."  Pete, the treehouse master, builds an adventure treehouse in the Pocana mountains of Pennsylvaion.  It was so awesome, I saved the show!

Facebook finds:

James says this was true of the raven he had, although he 

never held a grudge against James.

 I want to make these bubbles

when the grandkids are here next time.

Sunday, September 22, 2013

I get up a little after 4 this morning.  I ironed James's shirt and fix his breakfast and have prayer with him before he leaves for his high council meet at 5:20am.  I attended ward council today at 7am for Diana who is in the valley this week.  The focus was on missionary work.  The focus in sacrament meeting was also on missionary work.  The two fulltime Elders, Elder Bond and Elder Boyer, who are both coincidentally from the Houston area, and Sean Hunsaker, the ward mission leader, were the speakers.  Elder Boyer had to overcome many obstacles and handicaps to be here on his mission.  He had spinal meningitis and a speech impediment.  His faith in overcoming those obstacles was inspirational.

In Sunday School we discuss the Martin & Willie Handcart companies.  We sat by Stan and Chris Palmer.  Stan's family was in my ward when I was growing up in Show Low.  I was friends with his sister Darlene.  He says that Darlene still lives in the house that they grew up in.  She has lived in the same house for over 50 years.

In Young Women Jordyn, Shelly, and Maddie reported on value experiences they were working on.  I had given them this assignment last week.  They did a great job.  Afterwards they got to chose a candy bar from my personal progress candy stash.  Sister Wilhelm gave a lesson on keeping the sabbath day holy.  I also gave candy bars to Talon Wilhelm and Holly Hunsaker for helping us yesterday at our fund raiser.

It was raining when church was over, and it was cold and windy.  I couldn't even see Mt. Vernon on the way home.  Of course our road was very muddy and slippery.

When I got home I took my Sunday clothes off and put my comfy clothes and then I realized I did not have my phone with me and that I must have left it at the church.  I put my Sunday clothes back on and went to get it.  I found the phone on a chair in the young women's room just where I had left it.

I had some roast for lunch.  James had already eaten.  We both took a nap then I dropped him off at the Peeler's where he was meeting Kendall Hall for home teaching.  They also went to the Hunsaker's and then to Lynda Tanner's.  James forgot to meet with Sister Vaught after church but Kendall said he took care of it.  It's nice to see Kendall being so responsible.  He leaves for his mission on November 20th.

James was supposed to attend a high priest group meeting in Show Low at six but he missed it because he was at Lynda Tanner's so long.  Her husband is a non-member and Kendall ask if he could baptize him before he left on his mission.  His response was: "Oh, there's no hurry."  Well there is a hurry because John, Lynda's husbands name, is dying of cancer.  Apparently Lynda has not told him how serious his condition is.
James had two things in common with Lynda and John.  They have a talking bird, and Lynda knows Uncle Delbert.  James was so grateful to finally be able to visit with this family.

This evening James made me my favorite treat, chocolate covered strawberries.  He certainly knows the way to my heart!  We had scriptures together and then watched at episode of The Walton's.

I missed Max, Evan, and Joshua's Primary program today.  Here are the kids gathered around the Primary chorister, whom they love and a picture of Ian with some of his Primary class.