Monday, July 1st, 2019

Columbia, South Carolina

62nd operating temple

Dedicated: 16 Oct 1999

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Exemplar

DC 35:2

I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who was crucified for the sins of the world, even as many as will believe on my name, that they may become the sons of God, even one in me as I am one in the Father, as the Father is one in me, that we may be one.

Book of Mormon

Alma 25:1-17

New Testament:"Ye Shall Be Witnesses unto Me"

Acts 1-5

General Conference

How Can I Understand?

Elder Ulisses Soares

"Brothers and sisters, the warning of our beloved prophet is a further reminder of our individual responsibility to seek to learn and to teach our families that there is a Father in Heaven who loves us and who has developed a divine plan of happiness for His children; that Jesus Christ, His Son, is the redeemer of the world; and that salvation comes from faith in His name. Our lives need to be rooted upon the rock of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, which might help us individually and as families to have our own spiritual impressions engraved in our hearts, helping us to endure in our faith."

James went to work at the Howard's today. I was still in bed. We had scriptures in the evening along with reading Ben's letter.

I watched Christmas movies, paid bills, blogged, and walked. 

I made James a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup for lunch. I ate chicken nuggets. 

I got a call from my friend Jean. She was worried about me because Tom told her I wasn't feeling well. I told her we would get together once I felt better. Jean is always in pain and is dealing with a swollen knee.

James mailed the book we sold and picked up another 30 books. I didn't even open them. I will deal with them later.

It was a beautiful sunny day, so refreshing after the rain we had yesterday. It rained most of the day and everything smells so fresh and clean!

Happy 16th Birthday Max!

 Arizona Highways

 Dianne must be so proud!

Such a little cutie!

 Love this talk!

Saturday, February 23rd, 2019

Houston, Texas

97th operating temple

Dedicated: 26 Aug 2000

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Divine Sonship

3 Nephi 9:15

Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. I was with the Father from the beginning. I am in the Father, and the Father in me; and in me hath the Father glorified his name.

Book of Mormon

2 Nephi 15:1-30

*In a world virtually overflowing with knowledge how is there a famine of spiritual knowledge?

-With the easiness of a remote or mouse we can turn on our computers, internet and the TV and there is nothing we can't search. Talk about an information revolution. We can even llli up religion. How then are we becoming a people drowning in ignorance? Are we ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth? (2Timothy). People understand famine and how it feels to go hungry, but when it comes to spiritual hunger and a famine of hearing the words of the Lord, we often look for a quick fix, and substitute half truths and only hear and feel what we want the truth to be. We need more than a snack, casual interest in spiritual truths, we need to feast on the words of the Lord. We need more than a nibble of things that nourish the spirit, we need our daily supplement of vitamin "S" (scriptures). sue_heugly, bofm365

New Testament "Come Follow Me"

Ideas for Family Scripture Study and Family Home Evening

Matthew 5:1-9; 21-25, 38-44; Help you family be peacemakers Matthew 5:14-16; DC 103:9-10; How can we be a light to others?

43-44 How can we pray for those who have been unkind to us?

"Blessed are the Peacemakers" Russell M. Nelson, 10/02

New Era

"In the Lord's Hands," "We Don't Always Know Why," "Will You God?" "I Sang My Testimony," "You MTC Experience"

General Conference

Wounded

Elder Neil L. Andersen

"Remember, repentance is powerful spiritual medicine. Keep the commandments and be worthy of the Comforter, remembering that the Savior promised, 'I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.' The peace of the temple is a soothing balm to the wounded soul. Return to the Lord's house with your wounded heart and your family names as frequently as possible. The temple projects our brief moment in mortality onto the wide screen of eternity."

Today was a beautiful sunny day with a high of 33. Our neighbor Chuck came over and bladed our driveway and road with his tractor. We are so grateful to him.We were beginning to wonder if we would make it to church tomorrow.

James took the car in to the Vernon post office to see if he got the two books he ordered to trade. No such luck. I stayed home and fixed lunch. We had my favorite green beans with new potatoes, garlic, onions, ham and butter and a little chicken stock. They were delicious!

This time I used ham instead of bacon and we

liked it better.

My main chore for the day was getting our 17 FBA books ready to ship. It is so frustrating that Amazon now divides up the shipment. I had three books going to Maryland, 13 to California, and 1 to Wisconsin. Not only is it annoying to have to prepare three boxes but the cost is more. $6.64 to the ones going to Maryland, $8.42 to the ones to California, and $4.52 for the one book. If I could have sent them all in one box my shipping would have been under ten dollars. 

I carried in wood today while James shoveled snow. 

This evening James and I watched a movie together. A new Hallmark starring Autumn Reeser, my favorite, and Kavan Smith.

I don't like Autumn's look here but she

changes about half way through the

movie to more casual.

 The Hallmark movies I watched while blogging,
preparing the books to be shipped, and
walking.

 Stacy said she looks like Rowan in this picture,
I said, more like Annie Oakley.

I love this picture of Ruby even if

it's blurry because it looks like she is

dancing!

Vickie:

 Snowmageddon

Trina sent this picture of the Superstition Mountain
Gorgeous!

Not so gorgeous.

 Baby nightie?

Carrot face

A new record for me.

Sunday, December 23rd, 2018

Chicago, Illinois

35th operating temple

Dedicated: 9-13 Aug 1985

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Death of

Alma 21:9

Now Aaron began to open the scriptures unto them concerning the coming of Christ, and also concerning the resurrection of the dead, and that there could be no redemption for mankind save it were through the death and sufferings of Christ, and the atonement of his blood.

Book of Mormon #1

Ether 15:18-34

Book of Mormon #2

Ether 3-6

Old Testament 

Finished!

General Conference

The Correct Nme of the Church

President Russell M. Nelson

"Consider this from His perspective. Premortally, He was Jehovah, God of the Old Testament. Under the direction of His Father, He was the Creator of this and other worlds. He chose to submit to the will of His Father and do something for all of God's children that no one else could do! Condescending to come to earth as the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh, He was brutally reviled, mocked, spit upon, and scourged. In the Garden of Gethsemane, our Savior took upon Himself every pain, every sin, and all of the anguish and suffering ever experienced by you and me and by everyone who has ever lived or will ever live. Under the weight of that excruciating burden, He bled from every pore. All of this suffering was intensified as He was cruelly crucified on Calvary's cross.

Through these excruciating experiences and His subsequent Resurrection - His infinite Atonement - He granted immortality to all and ransomed each one of us from the effects of sin on condition of our repentance."

We attended the Galveston 3rd ward sacrament meeting this morning at 9 a.m. and the Highland Ridge sacrament meeting at 11 a.m. Addy was speaking at the 11 o'clock meeting and we did not want to miss it.

Max and Evan both passed the sacrament in the 9 o'clock meeting. We sat by Cathi, Terry, Dave, and Laura. It felt like home. 

"Once in David's Royal City"

Mike Ellsworth was the first speaker. He told a childhood memory from the life of President Monson regarding a neighbor that his family helped, old Bob. President Monson's uncle gave him a house and President Monson's mother had him take old Bob dinner every Sunday. All of the Ellsworth family was here, Dane, Audrey and her husband and baby, and Marissa and her husband and baby, and Adrianne. The only one missing was Grady who is serving a mission in Ecuador.

The choir sang: "Silent Night"

Clint Allen, the other counselor in the bishopric was the next speaker. He started out by quoting Moroni 10:26 - "And wo unto them who shall do these things away and die, for they die in their sins, and they cannot be saved in the kingdom of God; and I speak it according to the words of Christ; and I lie not."
He then proceeded to talk on how to be an effective giver and the joy of giving. He asked us to think about gifts that we can give to the Savior.

"Angels We Have Heard on High"

After the meeting was over we went back to Sheri's for a few minutes and then drove out to Darrel and Trina's ward. Darrel had to work and Trina walked in with Ruby and Addy. Addy went to sit on the stand and Trina and Ruby sat by us. Trina said Lola got sick and threw up all over her Christmas dress just before they left. Rowan stayed home with her.

One of the things I love about coming to church during Christmas is the singing of Christmas carols. In this second meeting we sang, 
"It Came Upon the Midnight Clear," and "Away in a Manger." The Primary children sang "If I Were a Shepherd." Ruby of course sang with them. 

Here are some of the notes I took of the meeting:
Addy's talk: -Christmas is a celebration of Christ's life, example and Atonement. Moroni 7:41 - And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised unto life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise.(She bore her testimony, which was amazing!)
Everyday I strive to become more like Him. As I grow so does my testimony in Him. (She quoted from 'I Stand All Amazed). DC 19:16-19: For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, tht they might not suffer if they would repent; But if they would not repent they must suffer even as I; Which suffering caused myself, even God, the greatest of all, to tremble because of pain, and to bleed at every pore, and to suffer both body and spirit - and would that I might not drink the bitter cup, and shrink - Nevertheless, glory be to the Father, and I partook and finished my preparations unto the children of men.
I was so proud of Addy and her talk. It is so wonderful to know that she has a testimony of the gospel and can express it so well.
Maya Turner, another youth: We should try to be kind to everyone.
Zach Olsen - Be a generous giver and a gracious receiver.
Kari Sandstrom (the ward organist) - My favorite part of Christmas is the nativity. I love looking and thinking about that first Christmas. 
Bishop Florence was the last speaker. 
We have 106 YM/YW in our ward. Peace in Christ is this years theme for YM/YW. DC 19:23 - "Learn of me, and listen to my words; walk in the meekness of my Spirit, and you shall have peace in me."
How does Christ speak to us?
Through the Holy Ghost, the scriptures, and the living prophets.
Be better than we were yesterday. I love you brothers and sisters. Be good to each other. 

This was a really great meeting but the highlight for me was Addy's talk.

We went by Darrel and Trina's to see Lola and Rowan. Lola looked a little pale. She said to me: "I think I'm going to be sick for Christmas."

Back at Sheri's we had ham, potatoes, broccoli and rolls for lunch. Thanks Sheri. Afterwards James took a long nap while I put bows on packages.  This evening we visited Lois and Dawn. 

Sheri, Ian, Max, Evan, Kim, and Brian tried to go to Zoo Lights but it was more crowded than Disneyland. Those were Kim's words. They went around town and looked at Christmas lights instead.

The same thing happened to Darrel's family. I guess Lola was well enough to go but it just didn't happen.

I like this picture of Lois and Jack

A Christmas tree quilt

I think these two really like each other

The Wanlass's in Idaho.

Guess who they saw?

Such sweet faces!

 I love this family photo!

Holding fingers

 Oh Lola!

 Sweet couple!

The First Christmas present

Reunited and it feels so good!