Friday, October 20th, 2017

Nashville, Tennessee

84th operating temple

Dedicated: 21 May 2000

By: James E. Faust

Jesus Christ, Appearances, Postmortal

Matthew 28:9

And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.

Book of Mormon

3 Nephi 9:1-22

*What do you think it means to offer a sacrifice of a broken heart and a contrite spirit? What blessings does the Savior promise to those who come unto Him with a broken heart and a contrite spirit?

-Elder D. Todd Christofferson: "You can offer the Lord the gift of your broken, or repentant, heart and your contrite, or obedient, spirit. In reality, it is the gift of yourself - what you are and what you are becoming. Is there something in you or in your life that is impure or unworthy? When you get rid of it, that is a gift to the Savior. Is there a good habit or quality that is lacking in your life? When you adopt it and make it part of your character, you are giving a gift to the Lord" (GC April 2004, or Ensign, May 2004, 12).

Doctrine Covenants Scripture Mastery

DC 121:34-36

34 Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen?

35 Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men, that they do not learn this one lesson - 

36 That the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven, and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of righteousness.

General Conference

Turn to the Lord

Bishop W. Christopher Waddell

"How do we respond when events, often out of our control, alter the life we had planned or hoped for? Hyrum Shumway lost his sight in World War II, but he never doubted his divine nature and eternal potential. Like him, we are spirit sons and daughters of God, and we accepted His plan by which we could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize our divine destiny as heirs of eternal life.'

No amount of change, trial, or opposition can alter that eternal course - only our choices, as we exercise our agency."

I felt the Spirit today reading about Hyrum Shumway in Bishop Waddell's.  I also felt the Spirit when I read "Jesus Christ: Our Sure Foundation" in the month's Ensign. The article is by Elder W. Craig Zwick. He lists four ways to build our lives upon the sure foundation of Jesus Christ: 1) Listen to the Holy Ghost, 2) Nurture your faith, 3) Keep the commandments, and 4) Follow the Prophets.

From my book,"Prophetic Events of the Last Days," this quote by President Hinckley: "From the day of Cain to the present, the adversary has been the great mastermind of the terrible conflicts that have brought so much suffering. Treachery and terrorism began with him And they will continue until the Son of God returns to rule and reign with peace and righteousness. . . . Our safety lies in repentance. Our strength comes of obedience to the commandments of God" ("The Times in Which We Live," Ensign, Nov. 2001, 72).

We read a chapter from "Miss Leslie's Secret," and then James went to town. He wanted me to go with him but I told him I would stay home and fix him a nice meal instead. I fixed an Italian Beef Soup from a recipe I got off of Facebook. The only problem is I didn't get it into the crockpot until 12 and it is supposed to cook nine hours. 

I actually caught up on my blog today which made me very happy. I worked on family history by getting the names I got off the "Take a Name" app, the ones that need baptism, so we can take them with us to the temple tomorrow. 

It was windy today. James moved the tractor and the trailer up on  the hill but he is still having problems with the CAT. He set some traps to see if he could catch the rats that are chewing the wires in two.

Oh, by the way, the Italian Beef Soup is delicious!

We watched an episode of Heartland, "Full Circle."

Elk season started today. Gail's friend Paul

got his elk this morning. I think the young guy

with him was his guide.

James has a love/hate relationship with ladders.

He loves to climb them but hates to fall off.

Here he is cleaning the pine needles out of the gutters.

Sheri, humiliating her friend Rachel.

The herd is back.

Fall

Temple names found on 

"Take a Name"

More temple names

Vernon ward Young Women on their temple tour.

The Vernon Young Women have a lot of fun!

Thursday, September 7th, 2017

Frankfurt, Germany
41st operating temple
Dedicated: 28 Aug 1987 by Ezra Taft Benson

Alma 62:34-52

What are some challenges that individuals and families might face after a time of war?

Just lie the Nephites, we are continually marching to battle. How does Sunday help you regain spiritual strength and courage to continue on?

*bofm365-maryagalli: "The Sabbath is our day to renew our spiritual strength through the Sacrament and reflect on what is truly important. The Sabbath also offers opportunities to serve and be strengthened by the friendship and service of others."

DC 130:1-23

What verses stood out to me today?

1 The Savior shall appear...as a man...resurrected and glorified.

2 We shall enjoy sociality coupled with eternal glory.

8 The place where God resides is a great Urim and Thummim.

10 Revelations 2:17. All in the celestial kingdom will receive a white stone.

12 Bloodshed will begin in South Carolina.

13 It will arise because of the slavery question.

18 Our intelligence will rise with us in the resurrection.

General Conference

Our Good Shepherd

Elder Dale G. Renlund

"A repenting sinner draws closer to God than does the self-righteous person who condemns that sinner. We must not be guilty of persecuting anyone inside or outside the Church.

As His disciples, let us fully mirror He love and love one another so openly and completely that no one feels abandoned, alone, or hopeless."

Elder Scott is deep

DC 130:4-7 says:

4 In answer to the question - Is not the reckoning of God's time, angel's time, prophet's time, and man's time, according to the planet on which they reside?

5 I answer, Yes (JS). But there are no angels who minister to this earth but those who do belong or have belonged to it.

6 The angels do not reside on a planet like this earth;

7 But they reside in the presence of God, on a globe like a sea of glass and fire, where all things for their glory are manifest, past, present, and future, and are continually before the Lord.

The Doctrine and Covenants Student Manual had plenty to say about the relativity of time, mentioning Albert Einstein's theory of relativity. Just a few notes from this section because I find it fascinating: "Men are victims of their own limited perceptions."

Lael Woodbury, dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communications at Brigham Young University: ..."Equally complete now is each of our lives before the Lord We explore them sequentially because we are time-blind. But the Lord, perceiving time as space, sees us as we are, not as we are becoming. We are, for Him, beings without time. We are continually before Him - the totality of our psyches, personalities, bodies, choices, and behaviors."

I went to visit Rachel, Evie and Dennis today. I got to hold Evie and enjoyed visiting with Rachel, and of course Dennis too. Rachel seems to be doing much better and will be going home on Monday.

Evie slept the entire time of my visit.

Rachel took this picture and 

sent it to me.

I guess she got tired from all

of the laughing.

This is Dennis's weeping willow 

tree in his back yard. This is 

where Racel and Thor got married.

It is only 10 years old and it is beautiful!

Plenty of branches to sit on.

And lots of shade for sitting under.

James and I want one!

It rained for harder than it has for a long time while we were outside reading from our book. 

We love the rain!

This evening James and I watched an episode of Heartland: Born to Run. We love this series!

Photos:

Before Aaron married Kari he came up to 

the cabin to celebrate his birthday and

Darrel's birthday which are a day apart.

This is the crew that celebrated with them

Looks like the wicked queen's castle to me.

Thursday, May 25th, 2017

Ogden, Utah

14th operating temple

Dedicated: 18-20 January 1972 by

Joseph Fielding Smith

Rededicated: 21 September 2014 by

Thomas S. Monson

Alma 5:43-52

*Is there a way to know or learn something without using your five senses?

*According to Alma 5:48, what did Alma know?

*What did Alma say was the source of his testimony? (See verse 46)

*Elder M. Russell Ballard: "Individual, personal testimony of gospel truth, particularly the divine life and mission of the Lord Jesus Christ, is essential to our eternal life....In other words, life eternal is predicated upon our own individual, personal knowledge of our Father in Heaven and His Holy Son.  Simply knowing about them is not enough.  We must have personal, spiritual experiences to anchor us.  These come through seeking them in the same intense, singleminded way that a hungry person seeks food" (Feasting at the Lord's Table," Ensign, May 1996, 80).

Ether 15-Moroni 5

Ether 15  Millions of the Jaredites are slain in battle; Shiz and Coriantumr assemble all the people to mortal combat; The Spirit of the Lord ceases to strive with them; The Jaredite nation is utterly destroyed; Only Coriantumr remains.

Moroni 1 Moroni writes for the benefit of the Lamanites; The Nephites who will not deny Christ are put to death. A.D. 401-21,

Moroni 2 Jesus gave the twelve Nephite disciples power to confer the gift of the Holy Ghost.

Moroni 3 Elders ordain priests and teachers by the laying on of hands.

Moroni 4 How elders and priests administer the sacramental bread is explained.

Moroni 5 The mode of administering the sacramental wine is set forth.

DC 78:1-22

1-4, The Saints should organize and establish a storehouse; 5-12, Wise use of their properties will lead to salvation; 13-14, The Church should be independent of earthly powers; 15-16, Michael (Adam) serves under the direction of the Holy One (Christ); 17-22, Blessed are the faithful, for they will inherit all things.

How will the Lord bless His faithful servants?

*With Eternal Life.

General Conference

The Voice of Warning

Elder D. Todd Christofferson

"Far from being anxious to condemn, our Heavenly Father and our Savior seek our happiness and plead with us to repent, knowing full well that 'wickedness never was and never will be happiness.'

So Ezekiel and every prophet before and since, speaking the word of God out of a full heart, have warned all who will to turn away from Satan, the enemy of their souls, and 'choose liberty and eternal life, through the great Mediator of all men."

From "Dads Who Stay and Fight" at the beginning of the chapter 'Dads Who Build Forts': "In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson

And from page 145 of the same book: "I believe that there is a direct correlation between a man who was firm in the faith of Christ as Moroni was, and a man who builds physical and spiritual forts for his family."

I downloaded the book "Christ and the New Covenant" on my phone and have started to listen to it.  I read it when it first came out but that was awhile ago.  

James and I had lunch at Persnikkity's today.  He had his favorite sandwich, the twisted Philly cheesesteak, and I had my favorite salad, the Chinese chicken.  They were both yummy.  You ask me how I know?  Because I tasted them both!

While I was at Walmart James went shopping for fence posts for our new fence.  When we came home and he unloaded them he scared the elk away.

Before being scared away.

Just minding their own business before their rude interruption.

Sheri and Shayna loving the same glasses at work.

At first I thought this was real, and then I realized

after seeing the signature at the bottom, that it was a painting.

I left to go see Vickie before Rachel opened her gifts.

Elder Robert D. Hales and his wife Mary.
I loved his last conference talk on being a 
Disciple of Christ.

Me when I'm late for Church.

I love these three!