Thursday, January 17th, 2019

Columbus, Ohio

60th operating temple

Dedicated: 4 Sept 1999

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Divine Sonship

Mark 9:7

And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.

Book of Mormon

1 Nephi 13:28-39

* What is the number one reason I am thankful for the scriptures? 

- They testify of Christ and teach the Plan of Salvation.

* Why do the Gentiles in Nephi's dream stumble? When were the plain and precious things recovered?

- In the Book of Mormon.

New Testament "Come Follow Me" 

Worshipping and Witnessing: Shepherds, Simeon, and Anna

General Conference

Sisters' Participation in the Gathering of Israel

President Russell M. Nelson

" As you read the Book of Mormon I would encourage you to mark each verse that speaks of or refers to the Savior. Then be intentional about talking of Christ, rejoicing in Christ, and preaching of Christ with your families and friends. You and they will be drawn closer to the Savior through this process. And changes, even miracles, will begin to happen."

I got up late and missed reading my article from the Ensign. When I don't do the important things first somehow they fall by the wayside. I did read the Book of Mormon with James and we had prayer together.

At 9 this morning we tuned in to the Book webinar. Two successful members were featured, Kris and Kathy. This is one of the best help session we've had. They even answered a question I had posted.

Kathy talked about setting goals. She reminded us that having your goals set and looking at them everyday is important for success. She gave an example: If you want to make $75,000 a year and you can make $25 a book, you would have to sell 3,000 books a year. That's 250 books a month or 12 or so a day if you work five days a week.  This helped me to realize we really need to step our game up. 

Kathy told about a scanner she has connected to her phone that she uses when she goes to books sales and libraries. She scans the ISBN number and it tells the ranking and other information about the book. Luke and John recommend only selling books that are under 500,000 ranking. There was lots of good information but those are a couple of the highlights. Both Kathy and Kris said there favorite place to source books is in Book Arbitrage using the software. Kris said for buying set your limits at $5.00 maximum.

Kathy says "Under promise, over deliver."

The best way to source books. All of

the orange lines indicate books that fit

the filters.

I finished working on the current book shipment of 20 books and we dropped it off at the UPS store. James needed to price some items at Home Depot for his bid at the school so he dropped me off at Walmart. I really didn't have any shopping to do but I figured it was a good place to do some walking. While there I got a call from Stacy. She does have to have surgery for her cyst. She is in quite a bit of pain. She is upset at Michael because he ignored the court date he had for a traffic ticket and now they served him papers and suspended his license. He finally went in to the court and worked out a payment plan and they un-suspended his license. He has been driving for Lyft and needs his license.

On the way home we stopped at the new Goodwill store to look at books. We took picture of several books to come home and check their rankings. If we had the scanner they talked about this morning we could have scanned them in the store and found the information we needed. Most of the books were $3 which is a good price but not as good as the ones we get at the library. The only problem with the ones at the library is the library markings.

I was not going to go to town with James because I needed to stay home and clean for our guests who are coming tonight. James made a deal with me that if I came to town with him he would clean upstairs while I cleaned the kitchen, family, dining, and living area. He also wanted me to read from "The Captain's Daughter." I said it was a deal. We ended up finishing the book.

James did clean upstairs while I cleaned the ground level. I even had time to watch an old Hallmark movie I hadn't seen for awhile.

We went to bed after 10. Adam and friend won't be here for another couple of hours.

Happy 17th Birthday Anna!

Hunter Hayes concert

 Sleeping Beauty

I wonder if Addy would like these

Another sleeping beauty

 Sounds like something I would do.

 We need this.

Carmen's latest cake. This would be cute for

Charlie's first birthday, or maybe her second

because the animals came in twos.

 Love this outdoor patio

 Getting ready for the Rome temple

open house.

Thursday, January 10th, 2019

Monticello, Utah

53rd operating temple

Dedicated: 26 July 1998

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Divine Sonship

Hebrews 1:5

For unto which of the angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son?

Book of Mormon

1 Nephi 8:16-38

*What can we do to 'continually hold fast' to the word of God?

* How can we choose to partake of the fruit Lehi saw in his dream in our lives today?

New Testament "Come Follow Me"

Luke 1:5-25, 57-80 God's blessings come in His own time.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland promised, "Some blessings come soon, some come late, and some don't come until heaven; but for those who embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ, they come."

General Conference

Our Campfire of Faith

Elder Gerrit W. Gong

" A third campfire of faith encouragement: creative gospel joy and blessings come when we seek to love the Lord and others with all our hearts and souls. In the New Testament, our Savior states the two great commandments: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, ...and thy neighbor as thyself."

I read on Instagram today what makes a public speaker good:

1. They must somehow touch your heart, 2. You must learn something from them, 3. They must be memorable. 

At 9 am James and I listened to the Book Arbitrage webinar. We listened on my phone while I worked on book inventory and James did something else. It was quite good and we learned a few things.

Later we went to the Vernon library and bought 36 hardback books for $20. We bought around 10 for a dollar a piece and the rest were ten cents each. How fun! I'm excited to get this books into our inventory. We stopped at the post office and got another one of the children's books, "Letters to Miss LaRue." We dropped off our book box at the UPS store and then went shopping at Walmart. 

On the way home we stopped at the China Wok buffet and got two quarts of hot and sour soup. It was sooooo good that I ate one quart on the way home. It's a good thing that I keep spoons in my car.

We also stopped at the Show Low post office. We want to see how much it costs to ship our books merchant fulfilled instead of Amazon fulfilled because Amazon's fees are so high. James went in and came back out saying that it costs around $3.00 a book. It's probably going to cost us just a little less than Amazon fulfilled and we can't price the books as high as we can when they are Prime.

I got a text from Michael today. He wants to volunteer at St. Luke's Behavioral Health Center and wants to put grandpa down for a reference. He needs our physical address. It just changed so I gave him the new one. #16 County Road N3469. Michael told me a story while he was here about a party that he went to where some of the people were drinking. He left and those friends who stayed were raided by the police and got in trouble. Good decision Michael. He also told me about his plans for graduate school. One of the places he is considering in the University of Utah.

I finished my blog post for January 4th. I am gradually catching up because I try to do 2 posts a day. I also walked for 40 more minutes this evening before James and put on a movie. This time we are watching "Becoming Jane" the story of Jane Austen's life starring Anne Hathaway. I wanted to watch a Doris Day, Rock Hudson movie but I couldn't get the DVD to work. 

I had some shortness of breath when I was walking this evening. I think I'm going to go off the ibruprofen and hydrocodone and just take my tramadol from now on. 

 I love the way she looks at things!

Thursday, January 3rd, 2019

Orlando, Florida

46th operating temple

Dedicated: 9 Oct 1994

By: Howard W. Hunter

Jesus Christ, Death of

DC 18:11

For, behold, the Lord your Redeemer suffered death in the flesh; wherefore he suffered the pain of all men, that all men might repent and come unto him.

Book of Mormon

1 Nephi 2:16-3:8

New Testament

Lesson #1 - Quote by Elder Bednar:

"As learners, you and I are to act and be doers of the word and not simply hearers who are only acted upon. Are you and I agents who act and seek learning by faith, or are we waiting to be taught and acted upon? ... A learner exercising agency by acting in accordance with correct principles opens his or her heart to the Holy Ghost and invites His teaching, testifying power, and confirming witness. Learning by faith requires spiritual, mental and physical exertion and not just passive reception" ("Seek Learning by Faith," Ensign, Sept. 2007, 64).

General Conference

Lift Up Your Head and Rejoice

M. Joseph Brough

" To help us travel and triumph over our hard times with glimpses of eternity, may I suggest two things. We must face hard things, first, by forgiving others and, second, by giving ourselves to Heavenly Father."

I have a book box ready to mail to Amazon's fulfillment center. Sheri and Ian are leaving this morning with the boys and I want to be here to take a picture but James has a doctor's appointment with Dr. Moffat about his laringitis, plus I want to mail our box of books, so I go to town with James.

Kim took a picture for me but I guess there had been a bit of a misunderstanding and Max shoved Evan down. Sheri and Ian both yelled and Max so none of them were happy in this picture. 

Sheri looks happy.

James and I stopped at Taco Bell for my taco craving. We also went to CVS to get James's prescriptions.

We got stuck going up our hill at home. I walked the rest of the way and Brian came in the Razr to rescue James and the car. I guess the car got stuck 2 more times.  

Brian and Kim have taken down our Christmas tree, and the grandkids stockings. Brian has carried everything downstairs. I am so grateful for their help! I love looking at my Christmas tree when it's up but I hate taking it down and putting it up.

Sheri and company got home safely. They pick up Ollie at Cathi's and he is happy to see them. Later Cathi comes down and he is so excited to see her that he stands by the door blocking her so she can't get out. She picks him up and he licks her all over the face. This dog is in love with his aunt Cathi.

Brian made breakfast for dinner. Scrambled eggs with sausage and hashbrowns. I didn't eat too much because I had been snacking on lemon cake all day. 

We had several deer, Kim counted 8, and some elk in our yard this evening. Kim and James both took pictures. One of the cow elk herd Kim and I talking and ran back up the hill. The rest of the herd stayed around for awhile.

This evening the four of us, Kim, Brian, James, and I watched one of my favorite Christmas movies. It's called "Christmas Around the Corner" about a girl who visits a bookstore in Vermont and changes the entire town. Love it.

We have some friends who came home from the valley after Christmas, Pam and Chuck, to find that their waterline had broken. There is also a single sister in our ward with broken pipes. The elders quorum is going to put skirting around her manufactured home to keep them from freezing again.

A Charlie picture a day keeps the 

blues away.

Phillipians 4:13

Brian and James enjoying dinner together.

 Kim's latest M&M craze

Tuesday, November 27th, 2018

Bern, Switzerland

9th operating temple

Dedicated: 11-15 Sept 1955

By: David O. McKay

Jesus Christ, Death of

Matthew 12:40

For an Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

Book of Mormon #1

Mormon 8:12-25

*How can Moroni's words in verse 22 strengthen us as we labor in the Lord's cause?

- We know that no matter what happens the Lord is in charge and His eternal purposes will be accomplished.

Book of Mormon #2

Alma 51-52

Old Testament

Amos 1-2

General Conference

Wilt Thou Be Made Whole

Elder Matthew L. Carpenter

"Through His ministry, Christ taught that He had power over the physical body. We cannot control the timing of when Christ's healing of our physical ailments will occur. Healing occurs according to His will and wisdom. In the scriptures, some suffered for decades; others, their entire mortal lives. Mortal infirmities can refine us and deepen our reliance upon God. But when we allow Christ to be involved. He will always strengthen us spiritually so we can have greater capacity to endure our burdens."

Choose You This Day

Elder Dale G. Renlund

"Christ's advocacy is, at least in part, to remind us that He has paid for our sins and that no one is excluded from the reach of God's mercy. For those who believe in Jesus Christ, repent, are baptized, and endure to the end - a process that leads to reconciliation - the Savior forgives, heals, and advocates. He is our helper, consoler, and intercessor - attesting to and vouching for our reconciliation with God."

Because I am reading the book of Amos I have been reading about Amos in the Old Testament student manual. 
"Amos was a shepherd from a city called Tekoa now a hilltop of ancient ruins 6 miles south of Bethlehem." 

We had a book trades live help session this morning. James listened to it while I prepared two more books to ship. 

Heidi Grows Up and a book about Herbs did not want to go. I guess they will be in the next shipment. 

James and I made a trip to town. James dropped me off at Walmart while he mailed the packages, which did not cost anything because of the Amazon packing label, and then he went to Home Depot to look for metal shelves. We are putting the shelves in the garage  to organize our books on. No metal shelves at Home Depot, he had to go to Lowe's. 

I bought a star for the tree at Walmart.  Although it does not light up, it actually looks kind of old fashioned....I really like it. I also bought a live poinsettia for the front porch and some other miscellaneous items. 

I had James park the car outside the garage so I could clean the garage and make a place for the shelves. It took me less than an hour to make a place and James less than 30 minutes to put the shelves together.

Here are the Christmas movies I watched, or at least listened to today: "Christmas on Chestnut Street" - sappy; "A Gift Wrapped Christmas" - personal shopper falls for single dad and son. I liked this one. "Hope at Christmas," a good one starring Ryan Pavey.

Can you stand the cuteness?

Love those chocolate eyes!

 Cousin Randy had a birthday.

Love this story!

This is a great story too!