Tuesday, June 11th, 2019

Portland, Oregon

42nd operating temple

Dedicated: 19 Aug 1989

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Exemplar

Mark 8:34
And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

Book of Mormon

Alma 14:6-22

New Testament "Not as I Will, but As Thou Wilt"

Mark 26:20-25 Mark 14:17-21 Luke 22:21-30

General Conference

Hearing His Voice

David P. Homer

"Mountain climbers commonly refer to altitudes above 8,000 meters as the 'death zone' because at those heights there is not enough oxygen to sustain life. There is a spiritual equivalent to the death zone. If we spend too much time in faithless places, seemingly well-intended voices deprive us of the spiritual oxygen we need."

Shipped the book "Room" which we sold merchant fulfilled and James picked up 12 books at the post office. We also sold a Prentice Hall Chemistry book for $27.00. 

We had breakfast and a "Come Follow Me" lesson with the kids. 

We showed a picture of and talked about "The Last Supper" and the sacrament.

We talked about always remembering the Savior and what he has done for us. 

It was all about the tea party this morning although Rowan kept checking the animal traps to see if they caught any bunnies or rats.

We got out the nice tablecloth, a beautiful table runner that Lois made on her machine which was covered with flowers and set the table with my nice china. I made pink baby cupcakes and Ruby helped me make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with the crust cut off. We had cherries and strawberries, granola bars and trail mix to put in the beautiful stacked food servers. 

We decorated our hats and wore our boas to the party. Grandpa and Rowan were the servers.

The servers joined in tasting the delicious food.

They did not want to have their picture taken though.

The pink cupcakes were a big favorite.

Ruby chose beautiful yellow flowers for her hat to match her yellow "scarf" as Lola calls them.

Grandpa took the kids on a Razr ride both this afternoon and this evening. This evening they saw 7 elk and Ruby spotted a porcupine.

The kids watched the movie "Zootopia" while gramma worked on her blog. 

After two Razr rides the kids were ready for showers and then we ate fried spaghetti for dinner. Instead of a movie this evening the kids played a game of Uno.

 Monument Valley

 Scarlett and her dad looking for airplanes

Charlie and her tongue

Ben's letter:

Sunday, June 17th, 2018

Cardston, Alberta

6th operating temple

Dedicated: 26-29 Aug 1923

By: Heber J. Grant

Jesus Christ, Condescension of

1 Nephi 19:10

And the God of our fathers, who were led out of Egypt, out of bondage, and also were preserved in the wilderness by him, yea, the God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, yieldeth himself, according to the words of the angel, as a man, into the hands of wicked men, to be lifted up, according to the words of Zenock, and to be crucified, according to the words of Neum, and to be buried in a sepulchre, according to the words of Zenos, which he spake concerning the three days of darkness, which should be a sign given of his death unto those who should inhabit the isles of the sea, more especially given unto those who are of the house of Israel.

Book of Mormon

Alma 18:1-11

*How was Ammon's reaction to adversity an act of faith?

- He went fearlessly to teach the gospel to the Lamanites. When he is faced with adversity he fearlessly fights them off. Ammon had confidence in the Lord and His work. Faith and fear cannot exist at the same time. When we have faith and confidence in the Lord we can be great missionaries like Ammon.

Old Testament

2 Kings 21-22

21 Manasseh turns Judah to idolatry, even sacrificing a son to a heathen god - Prophets foretell the destruction of Judah and Jerusalem - Wickedness continues under Amon

22 Josiah reigns in righteousness in Judah - Hilkiah repairs the temple and finds the book of the law - Josiah sorrows because of the wickedness of his fathers - Huldah prophesies wrath upon the people but blessings upon Josiah.

General Conference

With One Accord

Sister Reyna I. Aburto

"Jesus Christ is the ultimate example of unity with His Father. They are one in purpose in love, and in works, with 'the will of the Son being swallowed up in the will of the Father.'"

The last weigh-in for the Chunky Monkey Weight Loss Challenge.

I lost 1.8 lbs and James lost 3. He is at 137 and a woman never reveals her weight unless she is forced to. Darrel concedes that dad beat him but we still have to wait for Tristyn to report and she is five hours behind us so it will be this afternoon.

James and I made green chili stew using the beef stew meat I had in the refrigerator. We will have the stew after church. I also made some banana nut muffins for breakfast. 

I got James a new drinking container for Father's Day.

Prettier than the red one.

In sacrament meeting this morning several people gave reports on the Stake Youth Trek which was held this week in the hills near Vernon. 
Jace loved his family and had a great experience. They even had a family cheer as they gathered in a circle and put their families in the middle and shouted, "Go family!"

Ty was pioneer Peter McBride and told about his experiences. His said his family was chaotic. Peter McBride was a 6 year old when he crossed the plains and his father died. 

Macy was impressed with one of the girls on the trek who got run over by a cart and kept going and never complained. 

Brother Nichols was a pa. He said he was proud of the youth in this stake. Holly, from our ward, got blisters on her feet the first day and never complained. He said that the wagon master, Brother John W., was brutal. He called one of the more difficult hills, John's Revenge.

Brother Wilhelm said that this is indeed a choice generation.

Sister Nichols said they walked 30 miles and she loved when they sang, "Nearer My God to Thee."

Layne H. said he learned that working together makes work easier.

Finally it was time for the high councilman, Brother Wright to speak. He reminded us that the gospel does matter in our lives. He told the story of his parents who came from broken families and did not grow up with the gospel. When the missionaries taught them they embraced it. We need to strengthen and unify our families and all members. He said an indication of unity was seen on the trek this week among the 170 youth who participated. 

Brother Smith taught Sunday School. The lesson was Old Testament #23, "The Lord Be Between Thee and Me For Ever."
It was the story of Jonathan, David and Saul. Brother Smith focused on how the gospel helps us in our relationships. It was a great lesson.

Sister Grapp taught Relief Society. The lesson was based on Elder Cook's conference address, "Prepared to Meet God." I felt like the lesson went very well and we had a good discussion. Elder Cook says that the Church's three-fold mission is based on Moses, Elias, and Elijah visiting the Kirtland Temple.

First Moses appeared and committed the keys of the gathering of Israel from the four parts of the earth, which is missionary work.

Second, Elias appeared and committed the keys of the dispensation of the gospel of Abraham, which includes the restoration of the Abrahamic covenant. President Russell M. Nelson has taught that the purpose of the covenants keys is to prepare members for the kingdom of God. He said: "We know who we are and we know what God expects of us."

Third, Elijah appeared and committed the keys of the sealing power in this dispensation, which is family history and temple ordinances enabling salvation for the living and the dead.

There are, under the direction of the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve, three executive councils at Church headquarters that oversee these divinely appointed responsibilities based on the keys that were restored in the Kirtland Temple. They are the Missionary Executive Council, the Priesthood and Family Executive Council, and the Temple and Family History Executive Council.

After sacrament meeting we had the youth help us distribute the cookies to all of the men in the congregation. We had plenty so we let the young men have some too.

On the way home from church I went with James to take bless the sacrament for Sister Peeler. Brother and Sister Peeler and Brother and Sister Smith were waiting for us when we got there. Brother Smith blessed the bread and James blessed the water. It was a very sacred and spiritual experience. We all gave Sister Peeler a hug and she had tears in her eyes. She is in an extreme amount of pain from bulging disks in her back and a compression fracture in her back.
I miss seeing her at church so much.

Darrel, Trina and the kids only stayed for sacrament meeting. 

I love this family with all my heart!

After lunch and a couple of Razr rides, we went over to the Howard's to see their horses. Ruby wanted to say hello to Pepper, the pony she rode last year. Pepper was in a pen with his wife and one other Shetland pony. His wife is expecting.

There were two baby filly's, one two weeks old and one six days old. They were so cute. Another mare, Mirage, Moai's mom, is due any day.

Bull was walking around with us, Chocolate, and the twins, Solo and Eyore were in a pen next to Pepper and the girls. Moai was down at the other barn and a new mare was in a pen by herself. 

I think Rowan enjoyed the dogs, Molly and Mya, as much as he did the horses. Ruby spent most of her time with Pepper.

Ruby renewing her friendship with Pepper

while the girls look on.

Brother Howard and the gang visiting

Chocolate, Eyore, and Solo.

Rowan and Kreed felt bad that the dogs were

in cage. They liked Molly, the shaggy one

the best. Mya, the Alaskan Husky, was a

little more spirited and I think a little jealous

that the boys were giving Molly so much attention.

Bull and Lola saying hello to one of the babies.

I guess Molly renamed Bull, Oreo when she was

here last year. Brother Howard says the horses don't

get named right away. They have to earn their names.

The kids all wanted to know what the babies' names

were.

Grandpa and Lola visiting Mirage who is about

to deliver any day now.

Mirage loved all of the attention. When the girls

would stop petting her, she would stick her head

through the bars and look at them. She especially

liked Kayla.

So cute. I want one!

Is this an acceptible Sunday activity?

We had strawberry cake and brownies for dinner. Lola and I played bowling and some people watched TV or played games. Uno seems to be a favorite on this trip. 

James helped Rowan to set a trap to catch one of the bunnies.

We all had family prayer together.

Those are Darrel's feet you see on the back of

the couch. 

Lola wanted to make sure that grandpa knew that

grandma is the boss of the cabin.

I made cookies for Talon who

is going to Washington to work

for the summer.

The Allen family children at the 

Cardston, Alberta temple.

Jackson, who is in our ward and

getting ready to serve a mission in

the Philippines, got his endowments

on Saturday. His sister lives in Alberta.

Saturday, September 2nd, 2017

Johannesburg, South Africa
36th operating temple
Dedicated: 24 Aug 1985 by Gordon B. Hinckley

Alma 60:14-28

How do you retain your freedom and resist temptation?

*Instagram-bofm365 says: "I think I lose my freedom when my eye is off God. Sometimes I rush through my day and don't take the time to be still and seek the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Freedom and peace return when I remember that I truly need Him every hour and lay my weaknesses before His feet."

DC 127:1-12

Why do we need witnesses for the ordinances we perform?

*To fulfill the law of witnesses. The Lord said: "all the records are to be had in order" DC 127:9
General Conference

The Beauty of Holiness

Carol F. McConkie

"Do we see our utter dependence on the grace and mercy of Christ, our Lord? Do we recognize that every good gift, temporal and spiritual, comes to us through Christ? Do we remember that according to the Fathers eternal plan, peace in this life and the glories of eternity are ours only in and through His Holy Son?"

I think I made Darrel's kids happy by making cinnamon rolls for breakfast. James set the live trap this morning and then he took Lola, Ruby, Addy,  and Rowan on a Razr ride. 

Later in the day we couldn't find Lola. Finally someone went outside and checked in the Razr. She was sitting in the backseat waiting for someone to give her a ride.

This afternoon James caught a squirrel in the live trap and the kids were so excited. Lola warned James to not touch the squirrel. When he did, she said: "Grampa, I told you not to touch it, he could bite your." Grama and the kids left the squirrel at Chocolate Lake with his brothers. 

Wild thing

When it came time for Kim and Brian to go on a Razr ride, Lola was sitting in the seat waiting for them. Soon Brian came back holding her on his shoulder. She had fallen asleep. When Trina tried to take Lola from Brian he said: "Let me hold her for awhile, I don't very often get to hold a little girl like this."

Some fun things that happened today:

 Molly kept calling, she talked to Ruby for a very long time. 

Darrel went shopping and forgot to buy milk.

We played Five Crowns, Apples to Apples, and Darrel, Trina, and Addy played Settlers. Of course we let Darrel win most of the games because it was his birthday.

Addy did a card trick. I thought it was a darn good one. 

I studied and prepared for my Primary lesson.

I made a three layer vanilla cake for Darrel for his birthday. Trina helped me. When the cake first came out of the oven it tasted like a warm sugar cookie. Addy and Kim loved it. I had to borrow a cake pan from Kathy Crane. It was a spring form and now I am convinced that I need to get this kind of pan because it was so easy to get the cake out. 

The frosting on the cake was whipped cream with cream cheese and strawberries. Very tasty. 

Trina frosting the cake while Darrel looks on.

Trina is doing a fine job!

39 candles

Trina might have a bit of a shadow on her face from her 

recent Razr ride.

I made chili for dinner and Trina made a salad. We had chips, chili and cheese and salad before Darrel's party.

Darrel helps Trina light the candles

Posing

39 in one blow!

A football and an electronic dartboard

Enjoying the cake

Well-wishers

Other Photos:

James cutting up the meat for tomorrows green

chili pork stew while I make tonight's chili.

Rowan, Addy, and I looked at some of our favorite

clubhouses.

Rowan's favorite

We want grandpa to build us one of these!

Watching the hummingbirds is a

favorite activity.

Ruby helping Lola jump over the

spring at Chocolate Lake.

Rowan and Addy were inspired by Grandpa's

living trap so they decided to make their own.

They borrowed scissors and string from me

and Ruby helped them gather the sticks.

I think it is quite ingenious!