Monday, November 20th, 2017

Brisbane, Australia

115th operating temple

Dedicated: 15 June 2003

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ Atonement through

1 Timothy 2:6

Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

Book of Mormon

Mormon 2:17-29

What happens when the strength of the Lord is not with us and we are left unto ourselves as it says in verse 26? 

We may not recognize and appreciate how much Heavenly Father helps us in our daily lives as we try to live faithfully. Mormon wrote that when his people became wicked they lost the strength of the Lord that had previously protected them. While serving as a member of the Seventy, Elder Ray H. Wood explained: 

"When a person violates any of God's commandments, if  there is no repentance the Lord withdraws His protective and sustaining influence. When we lose power with God, we know of a certainty that the problem lies within us and not within God! I, the Lord, am bound when ye do what I say; but when ye do not what I say, ye have no promise' (DC 82:10). Our misdeeds bring despair. They sadden and extinguish the 'perfect brightness of hope' offered by Christ (2 Ne. 31:20). Without God's help, we are left to ourselves" (Ensign, May 1999, 40-41). I am personally amazed and grateful to Mormon for his righteousness amidst such wickedness. It must have been difficult to stand as a witness of Christ against such odds!

I listened to Elder Bednar's book "One by One" while walking today. Nothing like killing two birds with one stone.

I got out my Thanksgiving recipes and planned the menu for our dinner. It will go something like this: Turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, sausage and herb stuffing, fresh green beans, Ruth Chris sweet potatoes casserole, cranberries with pineapple and nuts, rolls, and homemade apple pie with ice cream. Kim and Brian are bringing pumpkin delight and a pecan pie.

I made cookies this afternoon for the Wilhelm's and the Hunsaker's.

James went to the Wilhelm's FHE and talked about President Nelson's talk on the Book of Mormon and what our lives would be like without it. For our FHE we listened to Elder Bednar's talk "Exceeding Great and Precious Promises." Here are two phrases that I picked up while reading this talk: "Look to God and Live," and "We need to be Partakers of the Divine Nature."

Today's Christmas movies: "A Very Country Christmas," (Up)

"The Christmas Calendar," (UP) "The Tree that Saved Christmas," (UP). We also watched an episode of Heartland, "Ring of Fire."

It was night one of the DWTS finale. Emma and Drew were eliminated. The final three are Jordan and Lindsay, Mark and Lindsey, Witney and Frankie.

I got a call from Stacy today. I did not know that they broke her foot when they did the surgery and that is why it is taking so long to heal.

My hard working hubby.

A basket of puppies.

Our friends Pam and Ricky

Pam and her dad

Last years tree.

This year we are still waiting for the lights to be fixed.

Alex helped Rowan catch a fish

Switzerland

I wish we had some of that green

Thursday, July 14, 2016

I like love and money too.

Alma 32: 21-43

21 - Faith is not a perfect knowledge of things.  If ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seen, which are true.

22 - God is merciful unto all who believe on His name.

23 - He imparteth His word by angels unto men, women, and children.

26 - Ye cannot know of my words surety at first, unto perfection, any more than faith is a perfect knowledge.

27 - Awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words.

28 - The word is compared to a seed.  If ye don't cast it out, but nurture it, if it is a good see it will begin to swell within your breast and it will begin to enlighten your understanding.

29 - This would increase your faith even though it is not a perfect knowledge.

30 - As the seed grows ye must say it is good.  Will not this strengthen your faith?

32 - If a seed groweth it is good, but if it doesn't grow it is not good and ye must cast it out.

34 - Is your knowledge perfect?  You knowledge is perfect in that thing.  You know that the word has swelled your soul and your mind doth begin to expand.

35 - After ye have tasted of this light is your knowledge perfect?

36 - No, it is not.  Ye must not lay aside your faith.  There is so much more to believe in!

37 - If ye nourish it with great care ii will get root, and grow up, and bring forth fruit.

38 - If ye neglect the tree it will not get any root.

39 - It's not because the seed wasn't good.  It's because your ground is barren, and ye will not nourish the tree, therefore ye cannot have the fruit thereof.

40 - If you won't nourish the word, looking forward with an eye of faith to the fruit thereof, ye can never pluck of the fruit of the tree of life.

41 - If ye nourish the tree as it beginneth to grow, by your faith with great diligence, and with patience, looking forward to the fruit thereof, it shall take root; and behold it shall be a tree springing up unto everlasting life.

42 - . . . by and by ye shall pluck the fruit thereof, which is most precious, which is sweet above all that is sweet, and which is white above all that is white, and pure above all that is pure; and ye shall feast upon this fruit even until ye are filled, that ye hunger not, neither shall ye thirst.

43 - Then ye shall reap the rewards of your faith, diligence, patience and long-suffering waiting for the tree to bring forth fruit unto you.

GC: Always Retain a Remission of Your Sins by Elder David A. Bednar.

News: "Condoleezza Rice Calls Americans to 'Race Toward God' in Moving Prayer After Dallas Ambush."

"A Truck in France Deliberately Runs Over 75 People"

The world seems to be at war.

This sweet little face should make you smile.

I listened to several articles in this month's Ensign and I must say I am excited about the new Church history museum in Salt Lake.  I mentioned it to James and he says: "Let's start saving our money to go to conference." I talked to Kim.  She and Kim are going to conference and she suggested I reserve a hotel room and then if we don't go we can cancel it.  Brian actually did it for me.  We will be staying at the Marriott with them if we go.  I am so excited!

This is Dallin and his band getting ready to go our tour.

Pretty exciting!

I got this quote from an article in this month's Ensign:

"Saints are to become focal points of light and power." - Elder Marion D. Hanks.

I dusted and polished the wood floor in the living/family room today.  I also clean the deck and patio.  Dennis and Jenifer are coming tomorrow and then Sheri and Ian the next day.

There were rain clouds and a little thunder today, but no rain.

I love this picture that I found on the internet.

Baby hedgehog?

James's "work in progress."

I worked on my Primary lesson today.  I also waited for James and Evan, Joshua and Max to get here, but I was just too tired.  They didn't get here until after 11.

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

"I love to see the temple,

I'm going there someday,

To feel the Holy Spirit,

To listen and to pray.

For the temple is a house of God,

A place of love and beauty

I'll prepare myself while I am young;

This is my sacred duty.

Alma 31:24-38

24 - Alma was grieved because of the wickedness of the people and that their hearts were set upon gold, silver and all manner of fine goods.

25- Also their hearts were lifted up unto great boasting, in their pride.

26 - He prayed: O, how long, O Lord, wilt thou suffer that they servants shall dwell here below in the flesh, to behold such gross wickedness?

27 - They cry unto thee, but their hearts are swallowed up in their pride.

28 - O God, their hearts are set upon the voice things of the world, and their costly apparel, 

29 - They say thou hast made it known unto them that there shall be no Christ.

30 - O Lord, wilt thou give me strength, that I may bear with mine infirmities. For such wickedness among this people doth pain my soul.

31- O Lord, my heart is exceedingly sorrowful; wilt thou comfort my soul in Christ.  Grant unto me that I may have strength, that I may suffer with patience these afflictions which shall come upon me, because of the iniquity of my people.

32 - Wilt thou give us success and comfort our souls in Christ.

33 - Give them (us) strength to bear our afflictions because of the iniquity of this people.

34 - O Lord grant us success in bringing them again unto thee in Christ. 

36 - Alma clapped his hands and those with him were filled with the Spirit.

37 - They separated themselves from one another.

38 - The Lord provided for them that they should not be hungry nor thirst.  He also gave them strength in their afflictions and they were swallowed up in the joy of Christ.  This was Alma's prayer and he prayed in faith.

GC: "To The Rescue: We Can Do It" Elder Mervyn Arnold

When James was the bishop of the Del Rio 2nd ward in Chandler we had a young married couple move into our ward in about 2006, Justin and Kate Gunther.  They were excited to become parents and they were hopeful for many years.  Finally, just this last month they had a baby boy.  His name is Evander.  There were complications at his birth.  Let me share with you a post Kate put on Facebook today:

Evander update: Evander is continuing to progress at the

Phoenix Children's NICU.  We're hopeful to be home by the beginning of August!  We have seen/been a part of many

miracles over the past three weeks and are so grateful for the love,

support and prayers on our family's behalf.

More details: Evander was born with a diaphragmatic hernia.

His intestines/spleen, etc. were all up inside his chest cavity, squishing his left lung, due to a hole in his diaphragm.

He underwent surgery to have this hole repaired and to diagnose the remainder of his condition.  He was blessed that his left lung had developed 50% (most kids with the condition are considered

in a good place with just 30%).  He's gone from a respirator

to oxygen. to now room air with just some flow to help keep his lungs open.  Due to the nature of his condition, he's been on

a feeding tube for the past few weeks, but yesterday the staff started working with hi on bottle feedings.  To give some perspective,

most kids with his condition do not survive, and when they do they usually have complications with their heart, lungs, and intestines

that require several surgeries and a lengthy stay in the NICU.

So far, this is not the case with Evander.  We have been told

that our son is phenomenal by the medical staff.  

Of course, we understand that he is a miracle.

Thank you again for everything!

Kate has red hair and it looks like Evander does too.

For lunch today I made the garden vegetable soup recipe I got from Weight Watchers years ago.  This is a zero points food so you can eat as much as you want on the Weight Watcher's diet and it is delicious!

I added some potatoes so mine isn't

zero points.  It was yummy.  James and I both loved it!

James ordered some abc for his concrete pour on Monday and now we have a big pile of it in the back.  Also, he was digging trenches today and he broke a gasline for the hot water heater and furnace on our bedroom side of the house.

It looks like a mess right now but it is going to be nice!

We left for the temple at 5:45 this evening. We don't have to be there until 7 but James wants to do some initiatories and I have some baptisms I want to see if I can get someone to do.  James did two initiatories and I got one brothers baptism done.  I was too late for the sisters I have.

We are so grateful for our ward and the support they give us in our new calling as temple cleaning coordinators.  We had 21 people come to help: Jim and Linda Diewald, Darla and Ronnie Freeman, Owen and Donna Peeler, Chuck and Kathy Crane, Jerry and Millie Scott, Bishop Miller and his dad, Ed, Wes Smith, Tamara Applegate, John and Linda Price, Sister Thompson, the Klugs, and Mel and Ruth Wilhelm.  When we got home and said our prayers our hearts were filled with love and gratitude.  Love for our ward family, and gratitude to Heavenly Father for providing us with this opportunity.

Millie Scott told me about a good deal on blueberries so we stopped at the Taylor Walmart on the way home to get some.  Basha's has a pint of blueberries for .75 cents.  Walmart does ad match so they sold their pints which normally go for $2.64, to us for seventy five cents!  Thanks Millie for the heads up!

For the first time in months we parked our car, Lexy, in the garage!

I love this quote by Mother Teresa.