Thursday, April 5th, 2018

Merida, Mexico

92nd operating temple

Dedicated: 8 July 2000

By: Thomas S. Monson

Jesus Christ Baptism of

Luke 3:21

Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,
Book of Mormon
Mosiah 2:9-27
* What ways are you going to "minister" to those around you?
Talk: Are We Not All Beggars?
By: Jeffrey R. Holland, October 2014
Old Testament
Joshua 7-8
7 Israel is defeated by the people of Ai - Joshua complains to the Lord - Achan and his household are destroyed because he disobeyed the Lord by taking the spoils of Jericho.
8 Joshua uses an ambush, takes Ai, and slays its inhabitants - He builds an altar in Mount Ebal - The words of the law, both blessings and cursings, are read to the people.
General Conference

The Prophet of God

Elder Neil L. Andersen

" A prophet does not stand between you and the Savior. Rather, he stands beside you and points the way to the Savior."

Notes from my Gospel Study:

Grace is an enabling and strengthening power. I can do all things in the strength of the Lord. This is such a comfort.

When Christ introduced the sacrament at the Last Supper He was replacing the Passover with the Sacrament. 

Mosiah 2:20-22

20 I say unto you, my brethren, that if you should render all the thanks and praise which your whole soul has power to possess, to that God who has created you, and has kept and preserved you, and has caused that ye should rejoice, and has granted that ye should live in peace one with another - 

21 I say unto you that if ye should serve him who has created you from the beginning, and is preserving you from day to day, by lending you breath, that ye may live and move and do according to your own will, and even supporting you from one moment to another - I say, if ye should serve him with all your whole souls yet ye would be unprofitable servants.

22 And behold, all that he requires of you is to keep his commandments; and he has promised you that if ye would keep his commandments ye should prosper in the land; and he never doth vary from that which he hath said; therefore, if ye do keep his commandments he doth bless you and prosper you.

Joshua 7:13 - Sanctify yourselves...conquering the land of Canaan by destroying all the people because the Lord commanded it.

Russell M. Nelson, conference talks:

 #2. "Protect the Spiritual Powerline", October 1984. 

#3. "Reverence for Life," April 1985.

#4. "Self-Mastery," October 1985.

Notes:

" To reach your highest destiny, emulate Christ. Christ was baptized in the lowest elevation of fresh water on the earth...He descended below all things."

Mr. Elkin, our wealthy neighbor, is back in town. He is going to buy James's water trailer which will give us $1,800. 

Chuck came over and James signed the letter he wrote to send to the attorney general. 

After fixing lunch and eating, I read to James. He took a nap in the bedroom and I took one on the couch where I tried to watch the 2nd episode of "Cranford" on my phone.

I also finished watching Russell M. Nelson, Brilliant Mind, Gentle Heart. I love when he and Wendy are talking about their life together. President Nelson values women. in 1985 he got a computer. When he showed Ardeth Kapp, who was the General Young Women's president, she said she would love to have a computer. The next morning she found one on her desk. I love Ardeth Kapp. I got to visit with her when I went to England. She is a very kind and friendly person and radiates the Spirit of Christ. I feel the same way about Wendy Watson Nelson whom I met at BYU women's conference one year. This is what President Nelson says about Wendy, whom he married in 2006 when his first wife, Dantzel died in 2005: "I love women. I wouldn't be here today without Wendy." Wendy says about Dantzel: "I love Dantzel. Because of her I have the new and improved Russell M. Nelson."

They are true sweethearts and you can just tell how much they love each other. 

On April 10-23rd, The Nelson's and the Holland's are touring Europe, Asia, and Africa. How exciting for those people whom they will visit!

I put away most of the Easter decorations today except for the dining room centerpiece. When I go to the valley tomorrow I will get something to replace it.

I took a quick trip with James to town to get a part for his tractor. Of course I read to him. This was not planned, but it was worth it.

This evening I worked on Primary and Children Learning Reading and then James and I watched Elizabeth and Jack get married on "When Calls the Heart."

Joey Andersen's Hobbit Hole

in Chandler.

Wednesday, April 4th, 2018

 Suva, Fiji

91st operating temple

Dedicated: 18 June 2000

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ Baptism of

Mark 1:9

And it came to pass n those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.

Book of Mormon

Mosiah 1:15-2:8

*What are some blessings promised to us if we watch and study General Conference?

- My favorite verse today is 6. it says they pitched their tents round about the temple, every man having his tent with the door thereof towards it. They were ready to listen. Do we have our ears, eyes and hearts turned to the messages we receive in General Conference?

One of the greatest blessings of watching conference that I see mentioned in this block of scripture is an increase in gratitude. I feel so grateful to my Heavenly Father for the sanctuary that General Conference provides. I feel peace, comfort and inspiration.

Old Testament

Joshua 5-6

5 The inhabitants of Canaan fear Israel - The males of Israel are circumcised - Israel keeps the Passover, eats the fruit of the land, and manna ceases - The captain of the Lord's host appears to Joshua.

6 Jericho is taken and destroyed - Only Rahab and her household are saved.

General Conference

"Until Seventy Times Seven"

Elder Lynn G. Robbins

" Amid a life full of stumbling blocks and imperfection, we all are grateful for second chances."

I listened to President Nelson's first conference talk after he was called as an apostle in April 1984. The title: "Call to the Holy Apostleship."  He had April 1984 circled on his calendar for months because it was going to be the first priesthood session of conference that his son would be old enough to attend with him. He was called by President Spencer W. Kimball. 

At 4:30 this afternoon I had 12,000 steps and by 6 I had 14,000. I seem to do better walking in the afternoon and evening. James is outside walking trying to catch up with me. He is not used to me being ahead of him. 

He has been working on income taxes and is almost finished. Next is the property tax letter to the state attorney general that he and Chuck and Owen are writing. When we first moved here our property taxes were around $1,200 a year. Now they are $2,900 and over 80% of that is for the Vernon school with it's 100 students.

I am worried about James and Stacy, they both say they hurt all the time. That is to be expected from Stacy who is recovering from surgery, but James shouldn't hurt all the time. 

Whew! I just finished April firsts blog post...it was a long one what with Easter, general conference, April Fools Day and Darrel's family. Now James and I are watching "When Calls the Heart."

We recorded a program entitled, "President Russell M. Nelson, Brilliant Mind, Gentle Heart" from BYU TV in between Sunday conference sessions. We started watching it this evening. Or rather I watched it while James listened and walked.

President Nelson and his wife Wendy were being interviewed. Wendy said that since he has been called as the prophet the nightly revelations have been more frequent. He said he keeps a notebook by his bed and writes them down. Wendy said they will go to a concert and the next morning while she is fixing breakfast he will sit down at the piano and play a song from the concert. He plays by ear and he has perfect pitch when he sings. 
They love to do jigsaw puzzles and play Scrabble. She says he is very romantic. He writes her love poems and then sets them to music. She says she wants him to know that he is loved, adored, wanted and needed which creates the acronymn, "lawn." Since it was close to bedtime I didn't finish watching it but I will finish tomorrow.

I got these cards just from going on

Family Search today and doing what

they suggested.

Cathedral Rock Trail, Sedona, AZ.

Yes he's real. He has not been out in

the wild but lives in a sanctuary.

Nice thoughts