Sunday, May 19th, 2019

Seattle, Washington

19th operating temple

Dedicated: 17-21 Nov 1980

By: Spencer W. Kimball

Jesus Christ, Divine Sonship

1 John 5:12

He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.

Book of Mormon

Alma 2:19-38

New Testament "Come Follow Me"

Review Matt 19-20; Mark 10; Luke 18

General Conference

Abound with Blessings

Elder Dale G. Renlund
"Faith in the Savior is a principle of action and of power. First we act in faith; then the power comes - according to God's will and timing. The sequence is crucial. The required action, though, is always tiny when compared to the blessings we ultimately receive."

I saw some new people in sacrament meeting and Sunday School today. I wish we still introduced new people in Sunday School.

I felt the power of the Spirit so strongly today during Dave Platt's talk. He certainly has a powerful testimony and conveyed the Spirit during his talk.

Brother Reynolds was the first speaker in sacrament meeting today. His total talk was geared to the treatment of animals. I guess the topic was righteous stewardship. One thing I will say about Brother Reynolds is, he did a lot of research. You could tell this is a topic he feels strongly about. I know his wife Amy is a big animal rights advocate. One year while we were at girls camp there was a mouse found in the kitchen area. Someone killed it with a broom and Amy was very upset!

I like the story of Joseph Smith while traveling in Zion's Camp and three snakes were found, which were about to be killed by one of the brethren. Joseph made this statement: "How will the serpents ever lose their venom if the servants of God hold the same disposition."

Here are some of the notes I took from Brother Platt's talk:

I love doing the work of the Lord. Grateful for Jesus Christ. How can we increase our love for the Savior? Do I truly know my Savior? In college Brother Platt prayed to know if the Savior loved him...this continued for quite sometime, until he felt an overwhelming feeling of love. On his mission he learned to preach the gospel and to be on the Lord's errand Those on the Lord's errand are entitled to His help. Some missionaries were true servants of the Lord Jesus Christ, others just went through the motions. (Ben is a true servant!).

Have ye spiritually been born of God? Have you received His image in your countenance? We must humble ourselves daily to have experiences with God daily. Ask Him how He feels about you? You will experience an overwhelming feeling of love. Also we need to ask, where is my family? 

Brother Platt bore his testimony and made this statement: "I know Him." 

Brother Judd taught Sunday School. He gave next week's lesson so no one was really prepared but it turned out to be really good. 

He left us with this thought: This week remember the two great commandments, Love the Lord and love your neighbor. As you keep those two commandments all of the other commandments will fall into place.

This afternoon James grilled the last two steaks he bought at Costco. I made asparagus and baked potatoes to go with the steaks. For dessert we had Pillsbury croissants filled with cherries and cream cheese. Delicious but not as good as the apple in my opinion.

Jared thanked everyone for fasting. Tomorrow is the day he is talking to the new attorney.

James worked on family history, I worked on my blog. 

This evening we watched "When Calls the Heart." We decided that from now on we will wait until Monday to watch and spend out Sunday evenings reading or studying the gospel.

We did read from "Life Everlasting" and I read from President Nelson's biography "Insights."

Happy 1st Anniversary!

Brother Reynolds mentioned coyotes in his talk. If they are a danger to your livestock it was his opinion it would be all right to kill them, but never kill for sport.

This girl loves the camera!

Love these girls in their Sunday best!

This day will come soon enough

Lunch is served
Costco steaks are the best!

Clouds and snow

 Chili hummus? I have got to try this!

New York, New York

Friday, December 7th, 2018

Seattle, Washington

19th operating temple

Dedicated: 17-21 Nov 1980

By: Spencer W. Kimball

Jesus Christ, Death of

Romans 6:8
Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
Book of Mormon #1
Ether 5:1-6:ll
*The Lord Jesus Christ is the source of light for our world and for our lives. The Lord touched the stones the brother of Jared presented to Him "to give light unto men, women, and children" (6:3) as they crossed the ocean. The Lord also provides light to guide us through the darkness of mortality and toward the brightness of the celestial kingdom - our promised land. Our way is lit by the light of apostles and prophets, the standard works, and inspired leaders and teachers. We too can be a light - we can light the way for others when we hearken to the Lord's counsel and keep ourselves worthy of His Spirit. Sister Ardeth G. Kapp, former Young Women General President counseled: "You have the light within. You can shine in darkness. You can light up the world. You can help dispel darkness. You can make a difference." I was privileged to travel with Sister Kapp when I went to England. She invited my friend and I to have dinner with her and her sisters. She went out of her way to be kind to us, virtual strangers. She seemed genuinely interested in us and asked us questions about our lives. I have never met a kinder or sweeter person. She truly radiates the light of Christ!
Book of Mormon #2
Helaman 13-14
Old Testament
Nahum 1-2
General Conference

Truth and the Plan

President Dallin H. Oaks

"In the course of mortal life, we would all be soiled by sin as we yielded to the evil temptations of the adversary, and we would eventually die. We accepted those challenges in reliance upon the plan's assurance that God our Father would provide a Savior, His Only Begotten Son, who would rescue us by a universal resurrection to an embodied life after death. The Savior would also provide an atonement to pay the price for all to be cleansed from sin on the conditions He prescribed. Those conditions included faith in Christ, repentance, baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and other ordinances performed by priesthood authority."

Happy Birthday Paul!

I left the hospital at 8 a.m., went to Kim's showered, and washed my hair. Tiger loves Joe's room where I am staying and comes in to visit me and tries to get in my suitcase before I shoo him out. 

Kim and I left about the same time, around 10 a.m. I have an appointment at AARA for my infusion at 10:45. I wasn't in the waiting room too long when Frances came to get me. There was a different girl doing the infusions but it's always great to see Frances. They got me all hooked up and someone came to take me to a room for an appointment with Rana, Dr. Caldron's assistant. My appointment didn't take too long and I was back in the infusion room watching a show on the Discovery channel about repossessing small airplanes. I was done by noon and on my way.  I stopped for lunch at Culver's where I got a roast beef sandwich. I listened to "The Clockmaker's Daughter" on the way back to the airport.

James calls the respiratory therapist working with him a Nazi. She got very upset with him because he took his mask off without calling someone. She says he must be on oxygen at all times!  He can't do anything, including getting up to go to the bathroom, without calling someone. The only problem is that half the time when you call it takes forever for someone to answer and respond. 

James is now on an antibiotic to fight the pneumonia, plus he is on oxygen. 

I walked to Marshall's, Fry's, and Whataburger this evening after dark. I got the cutest mugs at Marshall's for Addy and Rowan. I also got one for me and one for James to use in the hospital.

 Addy gets Mama Bear because she's purple.

 Of course Rowan gets the dog.

 This one is for me to use at the hospital.

This one is for James because he is a silver fox.

I forgot how much I love Marshall's. I found the coolest pink and gray Paris blanket and couldn't resist buying it. 

I took James a Whataburger and he had to wait to eat it after getting back from a test. He didn't even finish eating it. He has really lost his appetite. His favorite thing to eat/drink is a Slimfast shake.

After eating the Whataburger the room smelled like onions and one of the nurses made a comment. 

I like the night nurse Haley. She reminds me of my friend Ashley Umphress. 

I spent the night at the hospital. James asked for drugs at 1 a.m. and then fell back asleep. At 2:30 he still hadn't got them. I complained and they were right on it.

 There is nothing more precious than a

sleeping baby.

This baby could be a model.

December 7, 2013

My Young Women:

LeeAnn, Trenda, Kilee, Maddie, Heaven, Jordyn,

Hope, Alice, Shelly.

Saturday, June 30th, 2018

Seattle, Washington

19th operating temple

Dedicated: 17-21 Nov 1980

By: Spencer W. Kimball

Jesus Christ, Creation

Mosiah 4:2

And they had viewed themselves in their own carnal state, even less than the dust of the earth. And they all cried aloud with one voice, saying: O have mercy, and apply the atoning blood of Christ that we may receive forgiveness of our sins, and our hearts may be purified; for we believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who created heaven and earth, and all things; who shall come down among the children of men.

Book of Mormon

Alma 24:19-30

*24:24-26: "Now when the Lamanites saw this they did forbear from slaying them; and there were many whose hearts had swollen..., for they repented of the things which they had done...The people were joined that day by more than the number who had been slain; and those who had been slain were righteous people, therefore we have no reason to doubt but what they were saved."

Elder L. Tom Perry: "While the message of this story is not to insist on universal pacifism, we do learn that by not returning aggressions from others we can have a profound effect on them. Literally, we can change their hearts when we follow Christ's example and turn the other cheek. Our examples as peaceable followers of Christ inspire others to follow Him."

Old Testament

1 Chronicles 21-22

21 David sins by numbering Israel - The Lord sends pestilence upon the people - David offers sacrifices and the plague is stayed.

22 David prepares gold, silver, brass, iron, stone, and cedar wood for the temple - He charges Solomon to do the work of building it.

General Conference

Let Us All Press On

President Russell M. Nelson

"This general conference marks the beginning of a new era of ministering. The Lord has made important adjustments in the way we care for each other. Sisters and brothers - old and young - will serve one another in a new, holier way. Elders quorums will be strengthened to bless the lives of men, women, and children throughout the world. Relief Society sisters will continue to minister in their unique and loving way, extending opportunities to younger sisters to join them as appropriately assigned."

Happy 29th Anniversary Paul & Stacy

The Messianic Expectation in the Book of Mormon

   Not all of the Old Testament people had misread the prophecies, however. All of the Old Testament prophets and the Book of Mormon prophets before Christ understood the true picture. In a great vision given some six hundred years before the Savior's advent in the flesh (1 Nephi 11:13-33), Nephi learned that Messiah would be born of a virgin "after the manner of the flesh," (v.18), would be baptized by a "prophet who should prepare the way before him" (v. 27), would go forth "ministering unto the people, in power and great glory" (v.28), and would heal the sick and infirm.

They knew that he would "suffer temptations, and pain of body, hunger, thirst, and fatigue, even more than man can suffer, except it be unto death; for behold, blood cometh from every pore, so great shall be his anguish for the wickedness and the abominations of his people" (Mosiah 3:7). Nephi and others foresaw that he would be treated as a thing of naught, rejected by his people, scourged, spit upon, and crucified (see 1 Nephi 19:9; Jacob 4:3-4).

It was a busy day for both James and I after scriptures and prayers this morning. This is what James did:

-Loaded his truck for the job on Monday.

-He washed the kitchen, dining room, and family room windows both inside and out, at my request. 

-He took the garbage to the dump.

-Swept, washed and sealed the patio.

-Made a cherry cobbler for tonight's dinner.

-He helped finish the mashed potatoes. I gave him the butter and a small container of cream failing to tell him to pour in the cream a little at a time until the potatoes were the right consistency.

-Prepared a pitcher of iced water.

Here is my list:

-Polished the newly stripped floor.

-Peeled, and cooked potatoes for mashing.

-Made stuffing, gravy and cooked the pork chops.

-Made a salad.

-Made broccoli.

-Set the table with china and a tablecloth. 

-Set applesauce and cranberry celebration on the table.

-Made rolls.

We are feeding the missionaries and our friends Pam and Chuck this evening.

Pam and Chuck arrived right on time at 5 p.m. Pam came right into the kitchen to help. It's like Chuck said, she considers everyone her friend and she's never known a stranger. She is very thoughtful and sweet and I love her. Chuck is very nice too and is not a member of the Church.

I finally called the missionaries and got no answer. A few minutes later I had James call again and he got no answer. After the second call we got a text saying they would be late. They ended up being 45 minutes late and Pam and I went in to put the pork chops back in the oven and heat up the potatoes in the microwave.

Elder Bernecker apologized when they got here and said they had been arguing with Pete Acton. I told him that I recognized that name as being on a prayer list I still have in my prayer journal from 2014 when it was given to me by the missionaries.

Elder Bernecker called us the 'Lamberts' and Elder Smith corrected him. 

Everyone seemed to love the dinner and Pam kept saying it felt like Thanksgiving. James cherry cobbler was a big hit. It was divine with some Bluebell homemade vanilla ice cream.

It was a very nice evening and everyone stayed until around 7. I sent rolls and chocolate chip cookies home with the missionaries.

James and I started right in on the dishes. It only took us an hour or so to get the kitchen back in order. 

I finished my steps and then we went to bed. I was too tired to study or do much of anything else this evening.

Colter, one of my former Primary students.

The Lamoreaux Family Reunion

Jean and Ralph are our friends 

from Chandler.