Friday, May 29th, 2020

Bismarck, North Dakota

61st operating temple

Dedicated: 19 Sept 1999

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, King

Luke 19:38

Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.

Book of Mormon/"Come Follow Me"

Alma 3; James, Sunday journal, Study Guide; "CWIC" podcast

Inklings

Studied the Restoration Proclamation

Restoration

"Church History in the Fulness of Times":Chapter 18 "The Mission of the Twelve"

Individual Study

"Secret Combinations" by Ezra Taft Benson, October 1961

April General Conference

"Sharing the Message of the Restoration and the Resurrection"

Elder D. Todd Christofferson

"The Restoration is not only for those of us who rejoice in it today. The revelations of the First Vision were not for Joseph Smith alone but are offered as light and truth for any who "lack wisdom." The Book of Mormon is the possession of mankind. The priesthood ordinances of salvation and exaltation were prepared for every individual, including those who no longer dwell in mortality. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and its blessings are intended for all who want them. The gift of the Holy Ghost is meant for everyone. The Restoration belongs to the world, and its message is especially urgent today."

"But the Laborers Are Few"

Elder L. Tom Perry

April 1992

Here are two things I look forward to:  Postings of Charlie on social media, and Trina's weekly fieldtrip. I got both today.

After breakfast and prayers in the morning I post my blog for the day before. While I am posting I watch "Lark Rise to Candleford" on my phone. I just started season one again this week.

I love hearing Luna whinny when James goes out to feed her. When he gets up he comes over to the dining room table and gives me a kiss, then he goes outside to feed his baby.

 James came back in from feeding Luna quite distressed. It seems that he left the water on all night. He was so frustrated with himself. I told him it could happen to anyone and he said, "Yes, but it always happens to me."

The diesel repairmen came this morning to  fix the chain on the Cat we are selling to Pierce. He was here a few hours and charged James over $700. He also says there is a leak in the oil chamber but James thinks he is mistaken. He thinks he just over filled it.

James went to Pinetop this morning with Chuck, our neighbor, and Chuck was saying he was so forgetful that he ordered a supplement supposed to help with memory. James told Chuck about leaving the water on all night. Chuck looked and him and said, "Oh no, I left my water running." 

While James was gone we had a small rainstorm. Poor Luna. The sky light began to leak so I got out a towel. I'm glad I was walking around the table so I saw it before the floor got too wet.

When James returned we got in the car to go to town. Our first stop was at the Halcomb's. Catherine made me a copy of her banana bread recipe the last time I was there and now she can't find her copy. I made her three copies and we delivered them. Kerri was jealous that we got rain and they didn't. Catherine was waiting to get a perm from Cammy Grapp. I spoke with Cammy today to see if they wanted to come over when we get back from the valley to watch "When Calls the Heart." She said they purchased it online and had watched the rest of this season. They love it so much and they are big Elizabeth and Nathan supporters so they were happy when the last episode Elizabeth gave Nathan a big hug with Lucas looking on.

James dropped me off at Walmart while he went across the street to Circle K to get gas and wash the car. He also made a stop at Home Depot but decided against making any purchases because the line at the registers was so long.

I really do hate shopping at Walmart in the afternoon, but if I wanted James to come with me, I had to wait until he returned from his errand with Chuck. The shelves are more bare and it is more crowded in the afternoons. Still no hand sanitizer and I am running low. James made it back in time to pick up my methotrexate refill, which cost $65, and to help me checkout.

Back in the car he said, "I thought we were going to lunch." I said, "Well, I thought if you wanted lunch you would have ordered take out at LaCasita." He said he wished he had thought of that but now we would just go home. We stopped at the post office but for the first time in a long time, we had no mail.

I ordered my three books and then remembered I needed to tell the post office that I was going to be gone next week so I gave them a call. I got the voice mail and left a message. 

I read to James from "Aunt Dimity and the Wishing Well" and we watched two episodes of "Lark Rise to Candleford" before bed. We are trying to finish up season 3 before we leave on Sunday.

I started an audio book on Deseret Book Plus. It is a proper romance called, "A Proper Charade." The author is Esther Hatch someone new to me.

James took Luna over to the Elkins for his ride today. He asked if she could stay in their field while we are gone and he wanted to show her where the pond of water is. I guess she got scared of the big rocks around the pond and started to buck and refuse to go in that direction. Again, James had to show her who is boss for her to overcome her fears. He is a little worried about leaving her.

 Dallin's graduation

ahhhh, so sad but still adorable

 Camrie's  ring

 Sneak peak at my dream pantry

 Today's Sunset

Trina's fieldtrip:

 Sweet Ruby

Wednesday, April 29th, 2020

Taipei, Taiwan

31st operating temple

Dedicated: 17 Nov 1984

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Judge

Matthew 25:32

And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

Book of Mormon/"Come Follow Me"

Mosiah 8; Sunday Journal - What were the 24 plates found by Limhi's people? Mosiah 8:5-12; Book of Mormon Study Guide

April General Conference

"Sharing the Message of the Restoration and the Resurrection"

Elder D. Todd Christofferson

"The Restoration belongs to the world, and its message is especially urgent today. When you share the Book of Mormon, you share the Restoration."

"The Blessing of Continuing Revelation to Prophets and Personal Revelation"

Elder Quentin L. Cook

April 2020

I called James this morning before I went out to feed Luna to make sure I was feeding her the right amounts. He said oats was a treat and only give her a little if any at all. Of course I gave her oats, that's her favorite! When I went out at noon to feed her she whinnied and started pawing the ground, first with her left foot and then with her right. James said he has never seen her use both feet before. I gave her an apple and was going to give her a second until I saw one on the ground in her corral. She does not like apples as well as she likes carrots.

When I called James I asked where he was. He said he was at the jobsite laying out the houses for the framers. He said after 8 o'clock it is pretty unbearable to work so he went at six.

I finally finished chapter 13 of Church History in the Fulness of Times. The last part was the best, the building and dedication of the Kirtland temple. The men would work all day in the temple and then stay at night to guard it. 

The work on the temple was not without difficulty. Mobs threatened to destroy the temple, and those who worked on it by day guarded it at night. Night after night for weeks, Heber C. Kimball said, we "were not permitted to take off our clothes, and were obliged to lay with our fire locks in our arms."

Heber C. Kimball: "Our wives were all the time knitting, spinning and sewing ..; they were just as busy as any of us."

The sisters also made the carpets and draperies for the temple and broke up their china to put in the outside plaster walls so the temple would glisten.

Because they were so willing to sacrifice in building the temple, the Lord poured out great blessings upon them. From 21 January to 1 May 1836 probably more Latter-day Saints beheld visions and witnessed other unusual spiritual manifestations than during any other era in the history of the Church. 

There was so much of grief and persecution during this period of Church history that it was so wonderful to read about the dedication of the Kirtland temple and all the blessings that attended it.

As temple workers James and I both received a letter from the Snowflake temple president, President Palmer. 

Here are my book stats for the day: My account balance is $415.68. I don't know when it has ever been that high. They will be sending me the balance on Friday. In 7 days I have sold 21 books and done $584.66 in sales. I still have over a dozen book sales which are pending and I don't believe these numbers reflect that. I now have over 518 listings of which 158 are active.

I watched some "Lark Rise to Candleford" today and would like to share a couple of quotes.

Robert to Queenie, whose real name is Victoria. Queenie has run away from home and is camping at the creek until her husband  Twister decides to grow up. She enjoys being alone and getting to know herself.

"Queenie, believe me, you can only listen to your own voice for so long before it loses its fascination. Twister is pining for you."

Laura reading from her journal:

"My ma (pronounced mar) says that of all the bonds that exist between people, perhaps the sweetest is the bond of friendship. For it is not born out of duty or blood ties, but out of sheer delight in another."

Dorcas Lane who is known for her wisdom and advice. I guess we could call her the advice diva but really, her advice is the best:

"I hope I do not pry, but I fear you are in distress."

James arrived home somewhere around 5 pm. He went in to take a nap and then got up and went for a ride on Luna. When he returned he had something to eat, took a shower, and then we watched the latest installment of "Matchmaker Mysteries."

Victor Webster and Danica McKellar

I spent an hour or so studying "Come Follow Me" and Inklings. I also ran off the talks Kim asked us to study this week. 

It was a beautiful day here in Vernon with the high somewhere in the lower 80's.

Trina's remodel

Ross Perot and Cowboy Joe

 Yes, she is the real thing!

Trina's fieldtrip to wet Beaver Creek

on Bell Trail

This looks like so much fun!

 Chicks in a row by Huntleigh