Monday, June 29th, 2020

Meridia, Mexico

92nd operating temple

Dedicated: 8 July 2000

By: Thomas S. Monson

Jesus Christ, Lamb of God

Revelation 19:7

Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.

Book of Mormon/"Come Follow Me"

Alma 23 with James
April General Conference

Opening Message

President Russell M. Nelson

"How can we endure such trials? The Lord has told us that 'if ye are prepared ye shall not fear.' Of course, we can store our own reserves of food, water, and savings. But equally crucial is our need to fill our personal spiritual storehouses with faith, truth, and testimony."

Day 1 of me trying inter-mitten fasting. I am supposed to fast 12 hours and then the other 12 hours I eat 300 calories every four hours. 

Around 10 o'clock this morning I drove to the Taylor Walmart. I stopped at the post office and picked up a pile of books. I wore my mask in Walmart because I thought it was required. All of the workers wore masks but some of the shoppers did not. I kept mine on except I pulled it away from my nose. 

When James and I were on the Chunky Monkey Diet Challenge we drank a lot of smoothies. These smoothies were made with spinach, sometimes some kale too, a banana, and a cup of frozen pineapple chunks. We have some pineapple chunks at home but I wanted more. I couldn't find them in the freezer so I asked someone. He said, oh we don't have any. We had some yesterday but it's all gone. There was no frozen fruit whatsoever. I got my spinach and bananas and then went to the canned fruit aisle and got 12 small cans of pineapple. I plan on putting it in baggies and then in the freezer. 

James and I are in a bit of argument over going to the valley tomorrow. I want to go down and get my infusion, have some lunch, and come home. He on the other hand has to go to Sheri's and work on her AC cabinet, and meet with four different people all over the valley. I am imagining myself sitting in the car waiting for him in 110 degree weather and it's not making me happy. Finally in frustration he said he would take his truck but his truck is still dying and he is having to hold the key down to make it stay on. I told him I wanted him to come with me. I would miss his company if he didn't. It's settled, we are going together in my car. I will just bite the bullet and leave the AC on while I'm in the car.

This evening I got Max and Jared Ammon's birthday cards ready and put Lola's gift in a bag and signed her card. I also put labels on my box of books and got the label put on the outside of the box so my load of books is ready to mail. James wanted to go to bed at 9:30 because he said we had to leave at 5:15 at the latest. Great. That's almost two hours before I intended to leave. It was 11:00 when we went to bed.

 We all heard from Ben today. I will post his letters tomorrow.

Thursday, October 27, 2016

Which temple is this?

3 Nephi 13:16-34

How can we make sure we are laying up treasures in heaven and not on earth?

Alex: "By living true to the gospel and following the commandments we can be assured that the kingdom of God will be opened to us."  

Kim: "By putting the things of eternal importance FIRST in our lives.  Make service and scriptures and prayer and family the most important."

Sheri: " I think it has to do with the desires of our hearts.  Are we striving every day to be better and to do His will?  We have to start with the desire."

GC: 'The Doctrine of Christ' by Brian K. Ashton

"The doctrine of Christ allows us to access the 

spiritual power that will lift us from our current

spiritual state to a state where we can 

become perfected."

James left this morning around 7 in the truck for the valley.  It was 9:45 when I left.  I stopped by Amy's house to see Claire but she was gone to Flagstaff to get Marlie a Halloween costume.  I left her glass pumpkin with the visiting teaching message on it and Amy told me that Claire and Marlie are moving on November 1st.  Claire is staying in California with her dad and Marlie is going on to Washington to stay with her dad.  Claire will be with Marlie when she gets her tax return in February.  Marlie is 8 years old and is going to be baptized on Sunday.  She is very excited.  Her mom gave her permission to be baptized but her dad would not.  Luckily it only takes one parent's permission.  

I stopped at Taco Bell in Payson for a burrito supreme and then it was on to Big 2 Toyota to get a key made.  James met me there.  We had two keys made.  I went on to shop at the Dollar Store in Chandler and ended up buying dishes, small plates, two sizes of bowls and stemware for 12 people.  I want to use it for my Christmas luncheon for the sisters I visit teach.  They had to open up another register just for me.  When I got to Terry and Cathi's they helped me unload.  James got all of us Burger House burros for dinner.  Yummy!

Valley of the Sun

James and I helped Sheri watch Trina's kids this evening.  The main attraction was watching Evan build his Minecraft city.  Lola was fascinated with Roxy, Alex's pet chinchilla, and she kept calling her "bunny."  Ruby had homework to do so we went upstairs to work at  the dining room table. Sheri got home from visiting teaching and asked who wanted to go to Target.  Of course I was in.  Ruby wanted to go but needed to finish her homework.  I told her I would bring her a surprise.  James came up and helped her finish her homework.  I enjoyed shopping with Addy.  She helped me pick out a bracelet with Ruby.  I got me some Biolage shampoo to use while I am at Cathi's.  

 I love these kids!

When Trina picked up her kids James loaded the shelf unit I got for Rowan to put his Legos in into the back of her car.  I was surprised that it fit.  While James was "loading" I took Ruby and Rowan in to Cathi's to see the dogs.  Rowan loves Indy and Ruby likes them both:

Indy loves anyone who will scratch his tummy.

Double treatment.  He thinks he's at a spa.

Lady was scared and hid under the table.

I visited with Cathi this evening and she told some funny story about making cowpie picture frames to sell when she was a teenager.  She said that after they get hard they don't smell.  She and her girlfriend ask for a corner of her grandpa's barn to start a business and without knowing what they were doing he said yes.  She said her mom didn't know about it until they took the picture frames to a bazaar and were very successful in selling them.  

The last time I was here she told me about piercing her own ears with her girlfriend and then running thread through them because they didn't have any earrings until they got to go to Woolworth's in the "big city."  When you live in the country you have to find creative ways to entertain yourself.

James and Adam went to get Jared Ammon's car.  He was already at work and asked if he could keep it one more night so he would have a ride home at 2 a.m.   Of course James let him.

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

James is doing amazingly well going up and do the stairs.  He does have his "boot" on and uses a cane.  So far he hasn't had much pain.  
 
I studied this morning until about 11 when I got ready to go somewhere with Kim.  

Conference Goals:

"Be Ye Converted"

Bonnie L. Oscarson

1.  Be true to my covenants.

2.  Be truly converted so I can experience a

mighty change of heart. (Msh 5:2)

3.  Make righteous efforts to follow the Savior.

4.  Live the gospel and make sacrifices for it.

5.  Live the law to gain a testimony of it.

6.  Feel the confirmation of the Holy Ghost

with decisions I make.

7.  Testify boldly to others.

"The Strength to Endure"

Elder Richard J. Maynes

1. Develop spiritual strength.

2.  Honestly and sincerely repent.

3.  Make Christ-centered choices inspired

by the Holy Ghost.

4.  Have dedication, perserverance, and self-discipline.

5.  Study, learn, and live the principles

of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

6.  Consistently Choose the Right.

It is still Chandler's spring break and that's why I was lucky enough to get to do something with Kim today.  The first thing we did was go through the drive-thru of Chik-fil-a to get some lunch, and then

we headed for the new Sweet Tooth Fairy on Baseline and Greenfield, right across the street from Hobby Lobby.  Kim was sweet enough to go into Hobby Lobby with me to look for my lightbulbs.  There were none but they were stocking the shelves and one of the workers told me to come back tomorrow morning.

At Sweet Tooth Fairy I got a vanilla cupcake with strawberry frosting and a frosted oatmeal cookie.  I ate the cupcake which was very delicious and took the cookie home to James.  I am so glad I got to spend some time with Kim.  When she dropped me off I decided to finish my quest for lightbulbs.  I stopped by Sweeties and got some more Lemonheads.  The last ones I got weren't Lemonheads they were Lemon Sours and they don't fit inside my lightbulbs.  On to Ahwatukee Hobby Lobby where I had no luck.  I also did a little shopping at Target.  I needed to get some M&M's because I am babysitting for Darrel and Trina's kids this afternoon and we are going to watch the movie Frozen.

At 3:45 Trina dropped Addy, Rowan, and Ruby off on her way to work at Gilbert Mercy.  Joshua had been waiting to see Rowan all day.

 Waiting for Rowan

Of course Max and Evan came down to join in the fun.  The boys ran off to play and Addy, Ruby and I sat down to watch "Frozen."

After the movie the girls wanted to go outside.  We spent about 20 minutes looking for one of Ruby's shoes but never found it.  She said she only needed one because she would put the other one on the scooter.

One shoe off and one shoe on.

Love that smile.

Addy on the "pump" scooter.

Ruby insisted that we go to the park across the street and of course the boys went with us.

Notice everyone is barefoot except Addy

and Ruby, who has one shoe.

I had so much fun with these kids and am so grateful I got to spend some time with them today.  

For dinner we got takeout from Pei Wei and so did Stacy's family.

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Alaska