Thursday, January 3rd, 2019

Orlando, Florida

46th operating temple

Dedicated: 9 Oct 1994

By: Howard W. Hunter

Jesus Christ, Death of

DC 18:11

For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him.

Book of Mormon

1 Nephi 2:16-3:8

New Testament

Lesson #1 - Quote by Elder Bednar:

"As learners, you and I are to act and be doers of the word and not simply hearers who are only acted upon. Are you and I agents who act and seek learning by faith, or are we waiting to be taught and acted upon? ... A learner exercising agency by acting in accordance with correct principles opens his or her heart to the Holy Ghost and invites His teaching, testifying power, and confirming witness. Learning by faith requires spiritual, mental and physical exertion and not just passive reception" ("Seek Learning by Faith," Ensign, Sept. 2007, 64).

General Conference

Lift Up Your Head and Rejoice

M. Joseph Brough

" To help us travel and triumph over our hard times with glimpses of eternity, may I suggest two things. We must face hard things, first, by forgiving others and, second, by giving ourselves to Heavenly Father."

I have a book box ready to mail to Amazon's fulfillment center. Sheri and Ian are leaving this morning with the boys and I want to be here to take a picture but James has a doctor's appointment with Dr. Moffat about his laringitis, plus I want to mail our box of books, so I go to town with James.

Kim took a picture for me but I guess there had been a bit of a misunderstanding and Max shoved Evan down. Sheri and Ian both yelled and Max so none of them were happy in this picture. 

Sheri looks happy.

James and I stopped at Taco Bell for my taco craving. We also went to CVS to get James's prescriptions.

We got stuck going up our hill at home. I walked the rest of the way and Brian came in the Razr to rescue James and the car. I guess the car got stuck 2 more times.  

Brian and Kim have taken down our Christmas tree, and the grandkids stockings. Brian has carried everything downstairs. I am so grateful for their help! I love looking at my Christmas tree when it's up but I hate taking it down and putting it up.

Sheri and company got home safely. They pick up Ollie at Cathi's and he is happy to see them. Later Cathi comes down and he is so excited to see her that he stands by the door blocking her so she can't get out. She picks him up and he licks her all over the face. This dog is in love with his aunt Cathi.

Brian made breakfast for dinner. Scrambled eggs with sausage and hashbrowns. I didn't eat too much because I had been snacking on lemon cake all day. 

We had several deer, Kim counted 8, and some elk in our yard this evening. Kim and James both took pictures. One of the cow elk herd Kim and I talking and ran back up the hill. The rest of the herd stayed around for awhile.

This evening the four of us, Kim, Brian, James, and I watched one of my favorite Christmas movies. It's called "Christmas Around the Corner" about a girl who visits a bookstore in Vermont and changes the entire town. Love it.

We have some friends who came home from the valley after Christmas, Pam and Chuck, to find that their waterline had broken. There is also a single sister in our ward with broken pipes. The elders quorum is going to put skirting around her manufactured home to keep them from freezing again.

A Charlie picture a day keeps the 

blues away.

Phillipians 4:13

Brian and James enjoying dinner together.

 Kim's latest M&M craze

Friday, July 27th, 2018

Orlando, Florida

46th operating temple

Dedicated: 9 Oct 1994

By: Howard W. Hunter

Jesus Christ, Creator

Hebrew 1:10

And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:

Book of Mormon

Alma 40:15-26

*What happens between death and the Resurrection?

- vs. 21...there is a space between death and the resurrection of the body, and a state of the soul in happiness or in misery until the time which is appointed of God that the dead shall come forth, and be reunited, body and spirit.

Old Testament

Esther 3-5

3 Mordecai, the Jew, refuses to bow to Haman - Haman arranges a decree to kill all the Jews in the kingdom.

4 Mordecai and the Jews mourn and fast because of the king's decree - Esther, at the peril of her life, prepares to go in unto the king.

5 The king receives Esther - She invites him and Haman to a banquet - Haman plans to have Mordecai hanged.

General Conference

Ministering as the Savior Does

Jean B. Bingham

"Another blessing of these inspired announcements is the opportunity for young women ages 14 to 18 to participate in ministering as companions to Relief Society sisters, just as young men their age serve as ministering companions to Melchizedek Priesthood brethren. Youth can share their unique gifts and grow spiritually as they serve alongside adults in the work of salvation. Involving youth in ministering assignments can also increase the reach of Relief Society and elders quorums' caring for others by increasing the number of members who participate."

James left this morning for the Howard's with dusters, a mop bucket and a mop, and a bottle of lavender scented Fabuloso.

Before he left we read from the Old Testament and the Book of Mormon and a chapter from our book, Abby's Crossing. 

Jared texted me this morning with a dilemma regarding Rutledge brothers born in 1775 and 1777. It looks like they were both married to the same woman. I got on Ancestry and started to do some research when I discovered someone who has the same family tree only her tree is private and not to be shared. I emailed her and explained our dilemma and what Rutledge we were related to and ask if she would be willing to share her research. I am still waiting to hear from her.

I talked to Kim about her helping me make my birthday cake on the 18th of August. She said she would love to so I sent her the link with the recipe of the cake Jared made. I am excited!

I forgot to mention yesterday something that Brother Peeler said about why they decided to move to this area. When he was the director of the canneries and storehouses in the southwest region he visited Snowflake quite a bit. He said he loved the people he met and their desire to serve the needs of the people in this area. I said that is one of the things I love about living here, the goodness of the people and their willingness to serve.

James came home at lunch time for the day. After eating and taking a nap we decided to take a ride up to Paradise Creek to see if that's where we want to go for our couples retreat. 

We went on the back road to McNary and came out on Highway 260 where we turned left. We had not gone too far when I saw something by the side of the road I have never seen before, six large bull elk with racks standing at attention. I was dumbfounded and speechless at first unable to believe that what I saw was real. By the time I told James and he saw them he did not have time to stop. We went down the road a little ways and turned around to go back. Two other vehicles had stopped and the elk were running through the trees back into the woods.

If there were six of these and they were all 

standing in a row with their heads up, that would be the

scene that I saw. Incredible!

Well if we don't do anything else on this drive, that scene made it worth coming. I have never seen that many bull elk all together. James said that this time of the year they are in bachelor herds. 

As we drove down the highway towards the Horseshoe Cienega turnoff the low tire light came on. Horseshoe Cienega is the way to Paradise Creek. We went down the road a little ways and discovered that the asphalt has not been maintained and it was full of potholes. We decided not to go any further but to drive in to Eagar and get some air in our tire. It's a good thing we did because the tire only had 5 lbs. of air. Before we left home I heard James using the air compressor in the garage and I thought he was putting air in my tires. Come to find out, he was putting air in the tires of his truck.

On our way back down the 260 we turned in to check out Southfork. It is not how I remembered it being years ago and is not somewhere we want to take the kids. Now James tells me that you have to have a permit to go to Paradise Creek and may Three Forks would be better. He says Three Forks is further and we don't have time to go there today so we go back to Eagar and Springerville to stop at Safeway and get ingredients for smoothies.

We got rained on and there were rain clouds around Vernon but no rain. On our next outing we will be going to Three Forks where we camped with Harold and Vickie when Kim was a baby.

Washed my temple dress and watched a Christmas movie before going to bed.

I love, love love this picture of Scarlett!!

The prettiest thing in the Springerville Safeway.

 Leaving the store

Cutest carry out available.

My sweet friend and former neighbor who I made strawberry freezer jam with and who always beat me in raquetball passed away this week:

Sunday, February 18th, 2018

Orlando, Florida

46th operating temple

Dedicated: 9-11 Oct 1994

By: Howard W. Hunter

Jesus Christ Authority of

3 Nephi 27:13

Behold I have given unto you my gospel, and this is the gospel which I have given unto you - that I came into the world to do the will of my Father, because my Father sent me.

Book of Mormon

2 Nephi 9:31-49

* S.M.I.L.E. - "To be spiritually-minded is life eternal."

* What does it mean to be spiritually minded?

- As we make Christ the center of our lives and our thoughts turn to Him we become spiritually minded.

Old Testament

Leviticus 14

Laws, rites, and sacrifices are revealed for cleansing lepers, their garments, and leprous houses.

Old Testament Favorite Scriptures

Exodus 16:4

Then said the Lord unto Moses, Behold, I will rain bread from heaven for you; and the people shall go out and gather a certain rate every day, that I may prove the, whether they will walk in my law, or no.

General Conference

The Lord Leads His Church

President Henry B. Eyring

" I try not to judge servants of the Lord or to speak of their apparent weaknesses. And I try to teach that be example to my children. President James E. Faust shared a credo that I am trying to make my own. I commend it to you:

'We...need to support and sustain our local leaders, because they ... have been called and chosen. Every member of this Church may receive counsel from a bishop or a branch president, a stake or a mission president, and the President of the Church and his associates. None of these brethren asked for his calling. None is perfect. Yet they are the servants of the Lord, called by Him through those entitled to inspiration. Those called, sustained, and set apart are entitled to our sustaining support.

...Disrespect for ecclesiastical leaders has caused man to suffer spiritual weakening and downfall. We should look past any perceived imperfections, warts, or spots of the men called to preside over us, and uphold the office which they hold."

I was up at 4 a.m. to finish preparing for Primary. My lesson is on "Enoch and the City of Zion." At the last minute I decided I wanted the kids to make the City of Zion going up to heaven.

I should have used something different than thread and I forgot to bring enough scissors. Thank goodness James was there to help me or it would have been a real disaster.

James also did the attention activity which involved a clean container of water inside a dirty one to demonstrate how even though we live in a dirty world we can be clean.

We picked up Kathy Crane this morning and I was embarrassed because our car was so muddy. 

I traded classrooms with the other Valiant class and I love it. It is bigger. I have more kids in my class than the older class so this just seems right. 

Grandma and grandpa Wilhelm spoke today in sacrament meeting. They spoke about the temple and the importance of uniting families. Addy Parker, a young woman I do not know, played a piano solo of "If you Could Hie to Kolob." It was beautiful.

My Primary class today: Liana and her friend Ashlin, Andyn and her cousin Maggie, Colter, Amaron, Gracie, Curtis, and Zemira. 

James was there to help but it was still pretty chaotic. 

This is the first Sunday that sharing time was divided and our class and the older class were the only ones in senior sharing time. It was a dream! 

We went home had some lunch, took a short nap, and then were back at the church before 2 for Benson's baptism. There were lots of people at the church and we noticed that everyone was moving from the back of the church to the front when we arrived.  I asked someone where the baptism was going to be and they said, "Maybe in the bishop's stock tank." What? I guess there are major plumbing problems and the font did not fill and the back of the church does not smell very good. 

We all gathered in the chapel where the bishop conducted the program. His daughter Andyn sat by us. Bishop said they called Concho, the downtown Show Low building and neither one of them had fonts so the called both stake centers where they were still having meetings so they decided that his stock tank was the closest body of water big enough for a baptism. 

After the program we all drove down ACR3144 following bishop to his property that he rents from John Bear. The stock tank was right by the fence. We were the second ones there after the bishop. Here are some photos I took:

Such a great smile!

He looks so sweet and innocent.

I love this song!

The stock tank turned baptismal font.

The crowd begins to gather while the horse

looks on. There were lots of people who came

from out of town.

Benson's dad testing the waters.

Talking about it. Benson's not sure.

But he is obedient to his dad and lies

flat in his arms so he only has to go

under once.

The horse thinks we were there for him.

He was very friendly.

Benson was immediately wrapped in several blankets and taken to the church where he was confirmed. Afterwards there were refreshments for everyone. James and I did not go back to the church, we went home. I can tell you that was the most memorable baptism that I have ever been to.

This evening I read from both of our books and fixed tuna sandwiches and baked apples for dinner. James made a fire. Since he is going to the Wilhelm's for FHE tomorrow, I helped him work on names he wanted to print from Take a Name. I showed him how to print them and he was happy. 

There is a storm coming tonight. The wind is blowing and we are expecting rain and snow tomorrow.