Friday, February 8th, 2019

Cochabamba, Bolivia

82nd operating temple

Dedicated: 30 Apr 2000

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Divine Sonship

John 1:34

And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

Book of Mormon

2 Nephi 2:22-3:5

What do I learn about joy in these verses?

New Testament "Come Follow Me"

Temptation; "Rise to the Stature of the Divine within You" Gordon B. Hinckley, October 1989.

General Conference

"Firm and Steadfast in the Faith of Christ"

Elder D. Todd Christofferson

"The temptations and tribulations we experience, plus any testing that the Lord sees fit to impose, can lead to our full conversion and healing. But this happens if, and only if, we do not harden our hearts or stiffen our necks against Him. If we remain firm and steadfast, come what may, we achieve the conversion the Savior intended when He said to Peter, 'When thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren,' a conversion so complete that it cannot be undone. The promised healing is the cleansing and sanctification of our sin-wounded souls, making us holy."

Happy Birthday Stacy!

47 years ago Stacy made me a mom.

2018

A few years ago

James: "It's 18 this morning, up from 10 yesterday. We're gettin' up there." My own personal weatherman.

I had a lunch date with my friend Pam today. She suggested that instead of eating at the hospital where all the sick people are that we go to Panda or Wendy's. I chose Panda because I have been craving orange chicken for awhile. James doesn't like Panda so I haven't had any for awhile. 

Pam's lunch looked much healthier than my orange chicken over friend rice. 

While Pam and I were lunching James was taking the car to Jiffy Lube to be serviced. They told him he was back too soon. The synthetic oil should last 7,500 miles. He got the car washed, got gas, rabbit feed, and Dr. Pepper 10. 

Pam and I really click. I was sad to miss Jenny who went home sick but Pam and I talked about President Nelson's fireside, missionaries, and other topics we probably wouldn't discuss if Jenny was with us. Pam said she wishes she had tickets to see the Nelson's. I told her I wished I had known, I probably could have gotten some for her. 

James and I listened to a talk today by President Hinckley from the 1989 women's conference. It was called, "Rise to the Stature of the Divine within You." It was so great to hear President Hinckley's voice. He counseled women in three areas: 1. Educate your hands and your minds 2. Keep marriage and motherhood in proper perspective. 3. Walk with prayer and faith, with charity and love.

By the time we got back home our car was muddy again. I guess we are just destined to have a muddy car until the weather dries out. 

I needed a rest and some Tramadol when we got home. I finally got around to blogging. I blogged for last Sunday and it took awhile. 

James is in the market to buy a scanner for our book business. He ordered one tonight. We are going to take it to the library with us and scan books which will give us their sales rank and how much they should sell for.

 Old time Chandlerites,

Cleora Ellsworth and Florence Cluff.

 Love this picture of both of them.

 So cute!

 Sandy and Teresa

Teresa and Stacy, and yes 

she has wet pants. 

 I keep finding these peg people from the Life game.

 So cute!

Friday, May 18th, 2018

San Salvador, El Salvador

135th operating temple

Dedicated: 21 Aug 2011

By: Henry B. Eyring

Jesus Christ, birth of

1 Nephi 19:8

And behold he cometh, according to the words of the angel, in six hundred years from the time my father left Jerusalem.

Book of Mormon

Alma 2:1-18
*Why did Amlici want to be king? What did he do when the majority of the people voted against him? (See Alma 2:7-10).
- Amlici's attempt to deprive the people of their religious rights and privileges was defeated by the voice of the people. Consider the result if righteous Nephites in Amlici's day had abstained from voting. In democratic nations of our day, every Latter-day Saint has a sacred obligation to vote and to influence his or her society for good by upholding honest, wise, good, and honorable leaders and laws. (See DC 98:10).
Old Testament
2 Samuel 9-10
9 David seeks to honor the house of Saul - He finds Mephibosheth, the son of Jonathan, to whom he restores all the land of Saul.
10 David's messengers are abused by the Ammonites - Israel defeats the Ammonites and Syrians.
General Conference

Take the Holy Spirit as Your Guide

Elder Larry Y. Wilson

"I believe, with the Apostle Paul, that just as God 'raised up Christ from the dead so shall He also quicken our mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in us.' To quicken means to make alive. Just as Christ brings our bodies back to life after physical death through the power of His Resurrection, so can He also quicken us, or make us alive, from spiritual death. In the book of Moses, we read of Adam undergoing this kind of quickening: 'Adam was baptized, and the Spirit of God descended upon him, and thus he was born of the Spirit, and became quickened in the inner man.'"

I see bunnies running for shelter under the shed as a hawk swoops down over the yard. A jacket rabbit just outside the fence stops, looks at the bunnies, looks up at the hawk as it flies away and takes off, loping in the opposite direction. Bunnies 1 - Hawk 0. This is better than the National Geographic channel!

Rescuing Wayward Children, 59: What parents want our children to discover for themselves is that everything has spiritual underpinnings; (see DC 29:34). Therefore, all physical hungers can be traced to a corresponding spiritual need. If they can grasp and embrace that concept, they will experience one of the greatest discoveries of life: To be hungry and thirsty is ultimately designed to lead them to Christ, the Bread of Life and the Living Water.

Worth the Wrestle, p. 17: Questions are key to resolving conflict, to finding out what is really going on, to understanding the hearts and minds of others and engaging them in spirited discussion, to seeking answers through the Spirit, and to simply making fundamentally good decisions.

Russell M. Nelson 10/07 #50. Scriptural Witnesses

"Scriptures of the Restoration do not compete with the Bible; they complement the Bible."

Dale G. Renlund Melchizedek Priesthood, Chapter 15, Principle #7

A Priesthood Holder Must Be Willing To Be Presided Over

Truman G. Madsen The Prophet Joseph Smith, Lecture #7

Teacher, Speaker, Counselor

I left for town around 10:30 this morning. I stopped and got gas and washed my car and then met my friends Pam and Jenny at the hospital for lunch. Sunday is Pam's birthday so I came bearing gifts and I bought her lunch for her. Jenny had given her two gnomes for her courtyard. I gave her a book, a small fountain for their office, a small wall plaque, a glass with a top and built-in straw. The glass was pink and shaped like a bird, and two patriotic dishtowels.

It was a great lunch hour. These two are pretty funny. Some of their co-workers had dropped by some ice cream, a cinnamon roll, and a rose made out of a napkin for Pam's lunch.

Jenny's daughter is in the valley going to a doctor about her brain tumor. She is 15 years old. Her sister and dad went with her because Jenny couldn't get off work. She is taking off work next week when her husband has surgery. Pam says he thinks he's going to die. Pam tried to set up a meeting with the missionaries for Ed and Jenny but Ed said he would like it to be after his surgery. 

James was set to come home this afternoon and then he had a terrible dizzy spell and nausea. He went to Kim's to lie down and she was worried he was dehydrated or had heat stroke. When I told Stacy she said it could be his heart. Paul and Brian gave him a blessing and soon he felt like taking a shower and coming home. James thinks maybe he had a kidney stone. Kim was still distraught about him driving so I told her I would text her when he got home. He got here around 10 p.m. Adam and his friends got here around midnight.

 Dinner

So sad

A boy giving his favorite garbage man a

plate of cookies.

One twin comforts the other.

Healing the sick.

There are so many sick in our world today.

Tuesday, April 24th, 2018

Campinas, Brazil

111th operating temple

Dedicated: 17 May 2002

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ betrayal of

Mark 14:41

And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners.

Book of Mormon

Mosiah 15:10-31
*How has the gospel of Jesus Christ brought you joy?
Talk: The Great Plan of Happiness By: Marcus B. Nash 10/06
- The gospel of Jesus Christ has brought me joy, it has given me a sense of hope, and a desire to minister. Every hour of every day I am blessed by His gospel. Every time I look at one of my children ( I include their spouses as my children), or one of my grandchildren, every time I go to the temple with James, and he holds my hand I feel the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ. These are the treasures I have in this life that let me know of my eternity. My eternal family brings me joy. I love His perfect gospel!
Old Testament
Ruth 2
Ruth gleans in the fields of Boaz, a near relative of Naomi - He treats Ruth kindly.
General Conference

Ministering

President Russell M. Nelson

"We will implement a newer, holier approach to caring for and ministering to others."

At 7:30, after my gospel study time, I made muffins to take to Sister MacArthur's house to share with her family and with Laurann, my companion.

After the muffins were done I made out a grocery list and menu plan, and then got ready to start out on my adventures for the day.

I met Laurann down by the Hunsaker's and drove her to Sister MacArthur's. Of course Laurann has her twin one year old boys and Chelsea has her 2 year old daughter Peyton and her nephew Cooper who belongs to the Umphresses. After handing out the muffins to Peyton and Cooper I asked Chelsea if I could take a picture of the mule deer mounted on her wall. I tried to tell James about it last time but I needed a picture.

Shot on Chelsea's parents ranch in Idaho.

I guess I should have taken a photo of the people, but I didn't.

We had a nice visit. Chelsea said she wanted to come and see our house and I told her just give me a warning text so I could make sure I was dressed and she could come any time. Laurann said she would like to come out and go for a walk sometime. Maybe we could walk down to "Chocolate Lake."

Just as I am getting ready to go Laurann asks me if I know Jeanne Wallen. At first she caught me off guard and then I explained how I knew her. She said her mom is best friends with Jeanne and Jeanne told her that I lived in Vernon and that I was very sweet. I told Laurann I could say the same thing about Jeanne.

I left a little after ten for my lunch appointment with my friend Pam at the Show Low hospital. Pam invited her friend and co-worker, Jennifer to join us for lunch. When I got to the checkout in the lunch line Pam swiped her badge before I had a chance to get my card out. That makes the fifth lunch in the past two weeks that I have not paid for. 

Jennifer's husband Ed had a bad accident not too long ago and has been without work. Pam got Jennifer hired at the hospital and now Ed has to have surgery and Jennifer will have insurance to cover it. Jennifer also has a 15 year old daughter that has a brain tumor. She needs good insurance! Pam is a saint. She also brought Jennifer to church on Sunday and Jennifer is very interested in the gospel.

I so much enjoyed my lunch with these two sweethearts, plus I got all three of my veggie servings!

Next stop, grocery shopping at Walmart, with my calculator because I am trying to stay within my budget of $200. I had to eliminate some of the things from my list, but my total was under $200 at $197.

When I got home James was putting shutters on the house. He had made them and painted them while I was gone. I'm glad I wasn't here to see him put them on the upstairs bathroom window. A picture is forthcoming when he finishes the ones for our bedroom.

I put the groceries away, rest a few minutes, and then blog and listen to President Nelson's talk from the October 1996 conference, "The Atonement." 

For dinner I bought a ready made kit made by Walmart. It had pulled pork, country style beans, and mashed sweet potatoes. It was delicious. I especially loved the beans. 

I finished the April Ensign today, read to James from "Stars Above Northumberland", and listened to Robert Millett's book, "The Atoning One," chapters 6 "On Calvary's Cross," and 7 "Infinite, Yet Intimate." I also walked a few steps.

Part of my gospel study today.

Eden and Winter

Here is the story as posted by their mom, Christina:

Evan and his "little brother," Oliver.

It's so nice that Oliver likes this.

What's he thinking here?

My friend Taylor looks beautiful

in her new glasses.

Those were the days!

Duddings were members of our ward.

It's changing hearts that makes a difference.

Saturday, July 22nd, 2017

Vancouver, British Columbia

131st operating temple

Dedicated: 2 May 2010 by:

Thomas S. Monson

Atonement 

1 John 1:7

Jesus Christ

Ether 3:14-20

Alma 37:11-25

*How do you stay diligent in keeping God's commandments?

Commandments, like everything else God gives us, are for our benefit. It's easier to be diligent when you see the commandments as loving gifts to guide us to where and how God lives.

DC 104:1-15

1-10, Saints who transgress against the united order will be cursed; 11-16, The Lord provides for His Saints in His own way;

What is the United Order?

*To enter the united order required that a man enter into a solemn covenant to accept the law of consecration. The law of consecration is the law of the celestial kingdom. Consecration and stewardship. Everything we have belongs to the Lord.

General Conference

Don't Look Around, Look Up!

Elder Yoon Hwan Choi

" Dear brothers and sisters, it is not easy for us to recognize the love of Heavenly Father when we look around with our temporal eyes, because we see inconvenience, loss, burdens, or loneliness first. On the other hand, we can see the blessings beyond when we look up. The Lord has revealed, 'When we obtain any blessing from God, it is by obedience to that law upon which it is predicated.' To al those who embark in any service of God, know that you are a solid connection for powerful blessings to those before you and to generations after you."

James went over this morning to visit our new neighbor, Dave E. 

He is going to do some construction work for Dave. Right now Dave is focusing on building a pond so it will be awhile before he is ready for any other construction.

I made cookies this morning and James made hasbrowns and eggs. The hashbrowns were yummy and so were the cookies. I'm not sure about the eggs because I didn't have any. The cookies are for my visiting teaching partner Mary and her family. Her kids have the chicken pox. 

I picked up Pam G. for lunch and we went together to drop off the cookies at Mary's. As I was carrying the cookies in the front door I tripped and fell and the cookies went flying. Mary's husband hurried and picked them up and both he and Pam acted like they hadn't seen a thing. Talk about embarrassing!

Pam and I chatted with Mary and her husband for awhile and then we headed for Persnikkity's in Show Low for our monthly visiting teaching chat and our favorite salads.  Pam and I have such a great time together!  I really do love her! She gave me a beautiful scarf as a gift just because she said it reminded her of me. So sweet!

This turns out to be another gorgeous day with overcast skies and just enough rain to cool everything down. 

I made James a meatloaf with baked potatoes and green beans for dinner. He loves meatloaf!  After dinner we worked on our lessons and watched "The Perfect Christmas."

Random Photos:

   Dallin and Kevin

Blonde beach babes.

Curtis and Joie were at Huntington Beach

today too!

 This happened at the Taylor Rodeo.

Dan B. proposed to Karin G.

She said yes!

Karin is our friend from Chandler. Her husband passed away a yer

or so ago from brain cancer. She is an amazing person. I think

she and Dan met because they are both members of the

Mormon Millenial Choir in the valley.

This is Braylin. I think the pigs name is Roger.

Braylin is handicapped but he doesn't let that

stop him from enjoying life. He has a very

positive attitude and I have never ever heard

him complain or feel sorry for himself.

Braylin and Ronald. Ronald didn't feel

like doing anything today so he should stood there.

Braylin got third place overall.

I couldn't resist posting this Instagram photo.

This is what I imagine the ugly duckling

looked like.

2013

We always love it when friends come to

visit. The St.Onge family from Chandler.

James was their bishop.