Saturday, April 29, 2017

Los Angeles, California

10th operating temple

Moroni 19:1-24

Rejecting the words of the Lord's servants brings suffering and sorrow.

* The Lord sent Abinadi to warn the Nephites the consequences of their sins.  What is the purpose of a warning?  Who wanrs you about things you should avoid or things that might be harmful to you?

* Prophecy about King Noah's people (Mosiah 12:1-2; 17:17)

Fulfillment (Mosiah 19:10, 14-15; 20:20; 21:2-4)

* Prophecy about King Noah (Mosiah 12:3; 17:18)

Fulfillment (Mosiah 19:18-20)

3 Nephi 16-17

16

1-3 The Lost Tribes of Israel

4-20 The Fulness of the Gentiles.  Gentiles know of Jesus Christ through the Holy Ghost.

 17

1-4 The Savior commands the people to prepare for additonal instruction.

5-12 Jesus heals the sick.

13-20 The prototype of a perfect prayer.

21-25 Jesus blesses the children and fire encircles and angels attend them.

DC 63:49-66

Blessings are assured the faithful at the Second Coming, in the Resurrection, and during the Millennium; This is a day of warning; the Lord's name is taken in vain by those who use it without authority.

Why should we always remember to keep the Lord's name sacred?

General Conference

And This Is Life Eternal

Elder C. Scott Grow

"God knows you and invites you to know Him."

I woke up to a winter wonderland.  It was so beautiful and it felt like December.

Trees outside our house this morning.

It was a weird weather day.  By noon all the snow had melted and the sun was shining.  By mid afternoon it was snowing again, but nothing white stayed on the ground.

James is still quite sick with allergies and a bronchial infection.  I read about this concoction on Facebook that is supposed to be 10x stronger than penicillin for getting rid of infections, so I made him a batch.  Here is the recipe: 1 cup of water, 1/4 cup of apple cider vineager, 8 tablespoons of honey and two teaspoons of garlic. 

I gave James the best haircut I have ever given him today.  He looks so handsome!  We watched "Country Wedding" together this afternoon and it was quite relaxing.  

This evening we went to the adult session of stake conference.  We had to stop and put air in one of our tires so we were relegated to the seats in the cultural hall.  We actually sat next to the Skousens from our ward.  The visiting authority was an area seventy from Oklahoma, Elder Southward.  His wife Victoria was here with him. He was amazing.  He spoke for 45 minutes and never looked at a note.  He has alot of good stories and quotes, and has many scriptures memorized.  Here are a few notes I took in my stake conference notebook:

I had a feeling of reverence and love as I listened to Elder Southward.  I guess you could say that I felt the Spirit.  He thanked everyone on the program.  He told so many good stories!  

"The teacher is always the Holy Ghost. 3 Nephi 11:3 - the voice did pierce them that heard to the center.  Alma 46 Moroni and the Title of Liberty.  Moroni rallied his people.  We are being attacked now and must rally around our covenants."

On the way home we stopped for a bite to eat at Taco Bell.  We wanted to go to Firehouse Subs, but it was closed.  It was around ten when we got home.  We went straight to bed because we have to be back at the stake center at 9 a.m.

Fun Photos

Love it!

Trina and Darrel's selfie.

A bike ride to the Handlebar Diner in severe wind.

Alex and Shana went to Water Wheel in Payson.

Alex said the water was freezing.

An elk growing new antlers.

Joshua at the fathers and sons outing

in Bear Creek.

The Thinker.

Where's my Eggo?

Exhausted.

Evan cracks me up!

Such a handsome guy!

No-Fear Ruby.  Alot like Emmy.

Molly and Indy.

I love the look on both of their faces.

Now that's a happy face!

Lola's second birthday.

Arizona sunset.

Tuesday, April 25, 2017

Lima, Peru

38th operating temple

Mosiah 17

Alma believes Abinadi and is cast out; Abinadi is burned.

* What lessons can we learn from Abinadi's example?

President Gordon B. Hinckley: "Be strong - in standing for the right.  We live in an age of compromise...In situations with which we are daily confronted, we know what is right....We must cultivate the strength to follow our convictions.

3 Nephi 11

Jesus Christ did show himself unto the people of Nephi, as the multitude were gathered together in the land Bountiful, and did minister unto them; and on this wise did he show himself unto them.

The Father testifies of His Beloved Son - Christ appears and proclaims His Atonement - The people feel the wound marks in His hands and feet and side - They cry Hosanna - He sets forth the mode and manner of baptism - The spirit of contention is of the devil - Christ's doctrine is that men should believe and be baptized and receive the Holy Ghost. About A.D. 34.

DC 63:1-12

A day of wrath will come upon the wicked; Signs come by faith;

What are my feelings on faith and how has it helped me in my trials?

When I first came down with rheumatoid arthritis, I was bedridden.  My children were 12, 10, 9,7, and 5.  I could here them running around the house but I could do nothing.  I could not even open a door.  The thing that gave me hope was reading the scriptures and a book by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale, "The Power of Positive Thinking."  One scripture in particular became my mantra: "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Phillipians 4:13.  This scripture and keeping my thoughts positive and hopeful,  got me through one of the most difficult times in my life.  It is my faith in Christ that keeps me going.

General Conference

The Voice of Warning

Elder D. Todd Christofferson

"While the duty to warn is felt especially keenly be prophets,

it is a duty shared by others as well."

My visiting teachers, Kailee and Deana came by for a visit at 9:30 this morning.  We had a good discussion about the priesthood and our responsibility to remind our husbands of their responsibilities in the priesthood.  We talked about memorizing DC 84:33-44 as Sister Burton asked us to.  She says if we memorize this oath and covenant of the priesthood the Holy Ghost will expand our understanding of the priesthood and inspire and uplift us in wonderful ways.  I have started to memorize it along with "The Living Christ" and "The Family Proclamation." (I started last year, and picked it up again this year after general conference.)

Right after Kailee and Deana left I loaded up the car and James drove me to Hailey's.  It takes about 45 minutes to get there.  Today was a very windy day and there were dark storm clouds behind Hailey's house. Hailey's husband is a rancher.  She told me they ordered some hay and when he fed it to his cattle the first four fell over dead.  They had nitrate poisoning.  The levels of nitrate in hay are suppose to be around 700.  The nitrates in this hay were 5,900.

They have the hay locked up in the barn away from the cows and are using it for their horses.  What a tragedy.  I have never heard of such a thing before.  Hailey loved the candle and Power Ade I gave her.

Use the priesthood power as an 'ade in

your life.

When we got home James and I had tuscany tomato bisque soup and grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch.  Delicious!  I got the soup at Safeway yesterday from their "soup bar."

I read two chapters to James from our book "To Kill a Mockingbird."  I think he is beginning to enjoy it.

After my nap this afternoon I watched DWTS.  Maks is back with Heather and they got a perfect score for their rumba and then Heather was voted off the show.  I guess it isn't always about who is the best dancer, because she was definitely better than three of the guys that are left.  I hate it when it becomes a popularity contest instead of about the talent.

James is leaving early tomorrow so he loaded up the back of his truck and the trailer tonight.

  He says there are still no brakes on the trailer.

Should I be worried?

While I was outside taking the above picture I happened to

catch this one of the sunset:

Beautiful!

James and I watched a movie on the Hallmark movies and mysteries channel called: McBride: Dogged.  It stars John Larroquette.  We both really liked it.

Some fun photos:

Alex and his girl Shana

Joe and the mountain.

A handsome picture of Adam when

he was in high school.

Michael teaching Joshua a song for Joshua's

school talent show.

Maddie giving her sister Brooklyn a kiss

on her wedding day.

Brooklyn's family

Thursday, February 9, 2017

Adelaide, Australia temple

2 Nephi 3:6-25

Compare with Genesis 49:10,22,26.

This chapter, coupled with Joseph of Egypt's Patriarchal blessing, are great confirmations to the truth behind the Book of Mormon and the gospel we believe.  What are my favorite witnesses I have found?

Mosiah 5-7:15

GC:          'A Witness of God' by Elder Neil L. Andersen

"To be a witness of God at all times and in all places reflects both how we live and how we speak.  Be open about your faith in Christ.  When the occasion presents itself, speak of His life, His teachings, and His incomparable gift to all mankind.  Share His powerful truths from the Book of Mormon.  He has given us this promise:

'Whosoever...shall confess me before men, him will I confess...before my Father...in heaven.  I promise you that as you pray often and sincerely for opportunities to stand as a witness of God, those opportunities will come, and those who seek more light and knowledge will be put before you.  As you respond to spiritual promptings, the Holy Ghost will carry your words to the heart of another, and one day the Savior will confess you before His Father."

DC 20:37-48

How has the priesthood bless your life?

Talk: The Ten Blessings of the Priesthood

By: Bruce R. McConkie

October 1977

1.  We are members of the only true and living Church upon the face of the whole earth, and we have received the fulness of the gospel.

2.  We have received the gift of the Holy Ghost, and we are entitled to receive the gifts of the Spirit - then wondrous spiritual endowments which set us apart from the world and raise us above carnal things.

3.  We can be sanctified by the Spirit, have dross and evil burned out of us as though by fire, become clean and spotless, and be fit to dwell with gods and angels.

4.  We can stand in the place and stead of the Lord Jesus Christ in administering salvation to the children of men.

5.  We have power to become the sons of God, to be adopted into the family of the Lord Jesus Christ, to have Him as our Father to be one with Him as He is one with the Father.

6.  We can enter into the patriarchal order, the order of eternal marriage, the order which enables the family unit to continue everlastingly in celestial glory.

7.  We have power to govern all things, both temporal and spiritual kingdoms of the world, and the elements and storms and powers of the earth.

8.  We have power, through the priesthood, to gain eternal life, the greatest of all the gifts of God.

9.  We have power to make our calling and election sure, so that while we yet dwell in mortality, having overcome the world and been true and faithful in all things, we shall be sealed up unto eternal life and have the unconditional promise of eternal life in the presence of Him whose we are.

10.  We have the power - and it is our privilege - so to live that becoming pure in heart, we shall see the face of God while we yet dwell as mortals in a world of sin and sorrow.

For lunch today we had pork chops, expertly cooked by James, hashbrowns, applesauce, cranberry celebration, and salad.  Everything was delicious.

I finished today's blogging, which was James's birthday entry.  While I was blogging my friend LeeAnn delivered some Protandim.  She was one of my young women and she reminded me of the time we made cake balls at my house and how much fun it was.  She said we should do it again and I agreed.  When she left I gave her a heart shaped box of chocolates.  

  Sedona

This isn't me.  It's a friend of mine who lives in Vernon.

Brian's wife Cher did several posts on Facebook about all of the water running in the area.  Fool's Hollow is running over the spillway, Woodland Lake and Show Low Lake are both running very high.  James took a ride down to Chocolate Lake and he said it is filling up with water.  He was going to go to Buckelieu Springs but it was getting dark.  James wore his jammies most of the day except when he went for this ride.

James and I watched one of my favorite Hallmark Valentine movies.  It is called Smooch and is the modern day story of the frog prince.  I love the part where Flynn comforts Zoe regarding her torn and discarded Valentine.  

Fun Photos

Darrel got Ruby a corsage and took her to a 

Daddy-Daughter dance this evening.

I love this picture.

Ruby and Grandpa snuggling at a soccer game.

Molly and Ruby

2015 Ice Cream

Joshua gets a haircut.

Alex and Shana hiking.

Monte was asked to be the head

football and track and field coach

at Show Low High School.

How exciting!

Congratulations Monte!

Saturday, January 7, 2017

Bountiful temple

1 Nephi 5:7-6:6

The Nephites understood the importance of their genealogy.  How has doing your family history made a difference in your life?

1 Nephi 13-14

Our bishop has ask us to read the Book of Mormon in five months. This is a record of that assignment.

DC 4:1-7

How can we become more committed to serve the Lord?

Talk: Conversion and Commitment

By: W. Mack Lawrence

April 1996

GC:    The Soul's Sincere Desire by Carol F. McConkie

President Eyring shared:

"I have had prayers answered.  Those answers were most clear when what I wanted was silenced by an overpowering need to

know what God wanted.  It is then that the answer from a loving Heavenly Father can be spoken to the mind by the still, small voice and be written on the heart."

GC:"A Choice Seer Will I Raise Up" by Elder Craig C. Christensen

"Because Joseph was a prophet, revelations and prophets are no longer a thing of the past.  The 'day of miracles' of visions, healings, and ministering of angels has not ceased.  Because Joseph was a prophet, each of us has access to the power and blessings of the holy priesthood, including baptism, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the sacrament."

I wonder about the direction and the speed

of these two.

A beautiful day for a balloon ride!

James and I missed going to the temple today because we are both sick.  We also missed cleaning the Church.  The Reidheads did it for us.  We traded with them because we thought we would be gone today.  So much to do seems so difficult when you don't feel well.

My upper right arm hurt last night until I finally got up and took some Tramadol.  Sometimes this happens the night after my infusion.

Should we fast when we are sick?

Cathedral Rock and Heart Rock

I started cleaning out leftovers in our refrigerator.  It is a daunting job.  I usually love January because it represents a new beginning. Right now my new beginning is off to a slow start.  Our Christmas decorations are still up.

Family Memories:

These photos are from three years ago.  Addy and Ruby performed at an MCC basketball game.  We arrived late and missed their performance but thank goodness we were able to get these photos afterwards:

This was supposed to be a picture of Addy by herself.

Notice the extra legs.

So cute!

So funny!

Love Rowan's eyes in this picture.