Thursday, October 3rd, 2019

Paris, France

156th operating temple

Dedicated: 21 May 2017

By: Henry B. Eyring

Jesus Christ, Glory of

DC 93:36

The glory of God is intelligence, or, in other words, light and truth.

Book of Mormon

Helaman 14:1-19

New Testament: Ephesians: "For the Perfecting of the Saints"

Ephesians 4

General Conference

Be Faith, Not Faithless
Stephen W. Owen
"We must deliberately take time each day to disconnect from the world and connect with heaven."

"Rescuing Wayward Children": The Cosmic War - "God never bestows upon His people, or upon an individual, superior blessings without a severe trial to prove them,... to see whether they will keep their covenants with Him, and keep in remembrance what He has shown them. Then the greater the ... blessings, the greater the display of the power of the enemy." -Brigham Young

James and I left Vernon at 7:10 this morning. My appointment at Dr. Douglas's, in Chandler,  is at 10:30. I made it in plenty of time. James drove a little fast and we had no stops. They were ready for me when I got there.

First on the agenda, a shot to numb my mouth on the left side where they are doing the drilling. Jackie gave me the shots. She did okay except for the fact that she shook my face incessantly. Nothing I couldn't handle.

Next came the two faces with goggles on looking at me and the drilling to get the old crown off. This is the part that I like the least because I have to keep my mouth open so long and my mouth gets so dry. Finally the old crown was off and then the assistant, a hispanic girl from Globe-Miami, made the mold for the new crown and installed the temporary crown. We had a nice chat about where to find the best Mexican food in Globe-Miami. She said Guayo's El Rey in Miami by the old swimming pool in downtown Miami was by far the best. I have heard good things about this place but have yet to try it. 

While I was in Dr. D's Chamber of Torture, (my next appointment is on Halloween), James was getting the oil changed in the car, picking up his new glasses at Chandler Eyecare, and mailing my book shipment at UPS. He also went to Culver's and got two fish sandwiches, one for himself and one for me. He ended up eating both because my mouth was too numb to eat mine. Besides, I was waiting for lunch at Olive Garden.

We had lunch at the Olive Garden on Gilbert Rd. just north of Germann. By the time I got my food I was ready to eat, most of the numbness in my mouth was gone. I had zuppa tuscana soup, salad and breadsticks, and their strawberry ricotta cheesecake with shortbread crust, which is my very favorite cheesecake anywhere.
James was tired and wanted to go to Trina and Darrel's for a nap, but Trina wasn't home and their door was locked so we went to Coscto to spend the Reward's cash of $99.95 I had from using their credit card. We bought toilet paper, walnuts, cinnamon-sugar covered almonds, and a pumpkin pecan baking mix, some Christmas wrapping paper, and two spools of Christmas ribbon. It came to around $76 and they gave me back $24 in cash. It's nice to have some cash!

We went down the street to Barnes and Noble and I bought three adult coloring books for Lois and Dawn and to sets of ultra fine markers. One of the coloring books was a Disney Princesses one I would have loved to have for myself. I usually by things for other people that I would like and this is certainly true today.

After Barnes and Noble we went to Trina's and took naps. Ruby, Rowan and Addy were at home when I woke up but Trina was gone to pick up Lola at dance. When they returned Lola's friends Ivy and Scarlett were with them. Trina had been decorating for Halloween and Lola had to show me the giant spiders and witches hats. There was a whoopee cushion on the floor and Lola proceeded to show her friends how if you sit on the cushion it makes a sound like you tooted. They took turns sitting on the cushion and laughing their heads off. I mentioned that it was a whoopee cushion and Lola says, "No, it's a fart pillow." I said something about Lola being rater R and Rowan says, "Oh yeah, she really is."

James and I got our gifts together for Lois and Dawn and headed over to Tempe. They liked the gifts and I think Lois especially loved the Disney Princess coloring book. She said she hoped she could color the pictures as good as the photographs that were also in the coloring book. Dawn really liked the coconut hibiscus body lotion. It was a good evening. We had some of Aunt Faye's coconut cream pie before leaving. 

When we got back to Darrel and Trina's there were several bicycles parked by the house. Rowan and friends were playing capture the flag in the greenbelt. It was late so we went right to bed.

 Kaitlin's sister's baby and family

 Zuppa Tuscana

 Sweet Charlie

The Whoopee girls

 Drawing the whoopee cushion and writing

whoopee on it.

 Lola and Ruby watching TV while Addy does

her homework.

Welcome to the Lambson's

Rebecca painted this pictures for her Mom:

Cathi and Laura made this fairy village

for Lois and Dawn

I need this, Christmas movies

start October 25th.

Wednesday, August 7th, 2019

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

99th operating temple

Dedicated: 17 Sept 2000

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Foreordained

Revelations 13:8

And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Book of Mormon

Alma 46:29-41

New Testament "The Power of God unto Salvation"

Romans 3

General Conference

The True, Pure, and Simple Gospel of Jesus Christ

President M. Russell Ballard

"Loving God and loving our neighbors is the doctrinal foundation of ministering; home-centered, Church-supported learning; Sabbath-day spiritual worship; and the work of salvation on both sides of the veil supported in the Relief Societies and the elders quorums All of these things are based on the divine commandments to love God and to love our neighbors. Can there be anything more basic, more fundamental, and more simple that that?"

There is a picture in the book, "Insights from a Prophet's Life," of President Nelson's daily journals. They are small notebooks like my small notebooks that I write in daily,  only his are leather bound and mine are spiral bound. I can identify with him because he is a journal writer. In every other way he surpasses me but in this one aspect of his life I can identify with him! I keep notes in my journals and then I transfer them to my blog.

 Look how tiny that writing is!

The notebook I am using right now

My leather bound notebooks I use

for other things than my daily journal.
I have 24 of them all together.

James and I took my shipment of books into town today and dropped it off at UPS. On the way in to town we stopped at Aliberto's and James ordered me a breakfast burrito with bacon. It was really good but not as good as Tony's Special at Burger House.

I did some shopping at Walmart while James was on the phone in the car. He came in and I told him he was in charge of buying the fruits and vegetables for the week. He was in and out before I was finished. We got gas on the way home and I read from our books, "Insights from a Prophet's Life" and "Aunt Dimity and the Heart of God." 

I spent most of the afternoon walking, trying to get at least 10,000 steps before 5 pm when I had to get ready to go to a stake Relief Society meeting. I also worked on proposed ministering changes that Tamara authorized me to make. 

We met at the church at six and Kerri drove our presidency to the stake center in Lakeside. This is a meeting called by the stake presidency and they presided, for Relief Society and Elders Quorum presidencies. We sat on the back row with Brother Curtis and President Grapp. Kerri passed them on the way and Brother Curtis mentioned how slow President Grapp drives.

All of our stake presidency are doctors; President Beeler is a dentist, President Miles an opthamologist, and President Wright a medical doctor. At one point in the meeting President Wright was conducting the discussion and he got a phone call. He said it was important and he had to take it. Up to that point I had not known he was a medical doctor but Sister Thompson, our secretary who was sitting next to me told me. He was the one that treated Sister Barton in our ward when she got bit by a dog. Sister Barton is 92 years old and was very sick because of this dog bite.

The theme of this meeting was: "Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ" 2 Nephi 31:20. It was a meeting about ministering and how to handle certain problems and situations. 

The following scriptures were used on the agenda:

DC 43:8-9 

8 And now, behold, I give unto you a commandment, that when ye are assembled together ye shall instruct and edify each other, that ye may know how to act and direct my church, how to act upon the points of my law and commandments, which I have given. 

9 And thus ye shall become instructed in the law of my church, and be sanctified by that which ye have received, and ye shall bind yourselves to act in all holiness before me - 

Each member of the stake presidency spoke to us. We also read from the handbook. At one point President Grapp, our ward elder's quorum president told about how when he ministers he tries to make it a family affair because family time is so precious to him. He also said that his 5 year old looking up at someone and saying "I love you." Is better ministering than he could ever do. President Beeler, our stake president, loved this idea and he says that he tries to do it too with his children who are teenagers.
President Beeler told us to go back and look at the talk Elder Holland gave in April 2018, "To Be With and Strengthen Them."
He said the principles mentioned in this talk will help us to understand ministering better. 
President Beeler also talked about "Dispensational Priorities" and he said they are: 1) To catch the vision and be inspired ministers, 2) Missionary work, 3) Family History and Temple work, and 4) Teaching. 

President Miles talked about the importance of the ministering quarterly interviews and how they cannot be delegated to anyone else.

It was a great meeting. Kerri drove the back roads to get home. It was after 9:30 when I arrived home and James was worried. We weren't that tired so we stayed up and watched another episode of Jane Doe.

 The fence our neighbor put up along one side

of our property. 

 James's photo of the sunset

 Ian took these pictures. I love that 

the sunflower is bigger than the house!

Back to reality

 Crushing the chips

 I love this!

My friend Amy took this picture

from her deck.

Friday, May 24th, 2019

Santiago, Chile

24th operating temple

Dedicated: 15-17 Sept 1983

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Divine Sonship

1 Nephi 13:40

And the angel spake unto me, saying: These last records, which thou hast seen among the Gentiles, shall establish the truth of the first, which are of the twelve apostles of the Lamb, and shall make known the plain and precious things which have been taken away from them; and shall make known to all kindreds, tongues, and people, that the Lamb of God is the Son of the Eternal Father, and the Savior of the world; and that all men must come unto him, or they cannot be saved.

Book of Mormon

Alma 5:26-42

New Testament "Come Follow Me"

Matthew 22:15-46; Luke 20:19-44

General Conference

"Come Follow Me"

President Russell M. Nelson

"We miss our daughter greatly. However, because of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ, we do not worry about her. As we continue to honor our covenants with God, we live in anticipation of our being with her again. Meanwhile, we're serving the Lord here and she is serving Him there - in paradise."

I spent the entire morning getting a book shipment ready, 13 books in all. Twelve went to California and the last one went to Staten Island, New York.

We left for town a little after noon. Our first stop was at Auto Zone where James had the battery for the Cat checked. The guy said it was good so back to the drawing board. When James got home he tightened all the connections and blew out the fuel lines and it now works fine.

After Auto Zone we stopped at Taco Bell for lunch. There was a solid line of traffic for about two miles this side of Taco Bell and then on to Walmart and UPS. It looks like half the valley is up here. While James mailed our books I walked over to Walmart. 

I got stuff to make Chinese chicken salad for the temple tomorrow. I also picked up a package of frozen rolls in case my salad doesn't turn out. I made my way around the store and James came in to help me finish up. After checking out we drove to McDonald's to get an ice cream cone for me. The Walmart McDonald's was out of ice cream. 

After putting the groceries away at home I was walking and watching a Hallmark Christmas movie when Kim and Brian arrived. Kim seemed really happy to be here. 

As Kim and Brian put their stuff away I made the Chinese chicken salad and rolls for tomorrow. It's great to have them here. We really do enjoy their company.

This girl!

Clouds in the Netherlands

 Cheryl Burke, another "Dancing 

 White Mountains