Saturday, August 3rd, 2019

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

95th operating temple

Dedicated: 30 July 2000

By: James E. Faust

Jesus Christ, Foreordained

John 7:33

Then said Jesus unto them, Yet a little while am I with you and then I go unto him that sent me.

Book of Mormon

Alma 44:1-15

New Testament "A Minister and a Witness"

Acts 28

General Conference

Answers to Prayer

Brook P. Hales

"Sometimes, the answer to prayer that we so righteously, desperately, and earnestly seek is not given in this life."

Bishop Miller sent out an email today and ask the ward members to please include the Kostusiak family in our fast. Dave has taken a turn for the worse and is no longer breathing on his own. He also had to have a blood transfusion. 

The McMillan's left this morning after breakfast. They were most appreciative of staying with us and expressed their gratitude. We really enjoyed having them here. Eli is staying and going home with Sheri and Ian this afternoon.

The McMillan family

Michael: Has gone to Africa to help build schools. 

Aly: Plays the piano and works for a charity business.

Sam: Prayed when the electricity went out.

Eli: Played 5 Crowns with us and he's a human calculator

Frasure: Just turned 9 and wants a guitar so he can play like Max.

Frasure is also into martial arts.

Sheri, Max, Eli and I played a game of Five Crowns. For being his first time Eli did very well and he added up scores in his head faster than I could do it on my phone calculator. He told us a couple of family secrets and it was fun listening to his British accent.

Sheri and I watched "Love in Rome" and then it was time for her to get ready to go home. They left around 2 or so.

Ian: An artist and UPS driver

Sheri: Mom and office manager at Chandler Eyecare

Max: Plays the guitar and sings. Excellent memory.

Eli: Lives in Birmingham, England in a 111 year old house just down the road from the Cadburry chocolate factory.

Evan: Obedient, quiet, conscientious and a great artist. He doesn't like bats in the house. I don't either so that's why I'm ordering a sonic blaster to scare him off.

Can you find Max with his guitar?

James and I started our fast, walked, and watched the newest Hallmark movie this afternoon and evening. We also did a little work outside and on the computer.

 We need more dads like this one

 She loves to climb!

 August 3rd, 2013

The day of the infamous Razr ride

Sheri and Ian finished the puzzle before they left

but not before Frasure left. He was a little 

disappointed ... but not too much.

 What is it about climbing?

 Ruby the hip hopper

Saturday, May 27th, 2017

Oquirrh Mountain, Utah

130th operating temple

Dedicated: 21-23 August 2009 by

Thomas S. Monson

Alma 7:1-13

*What are some future events that you are excited about?

*According to Alma, what was the "one thing which was of more importance" than anything else that was to come?  Why do you think the coming of the Savior is the most important event of all time?

*Why do you think Alma would tell a people who already believed and had strong faith that they needed to repent?

*Elder Bruce C. Hafen: "The Atonement is not just for sinners."

*Based on what we have read in Alma 7:11-13, what do you think Elder Hafen meant when he said that "the Atonement is not just for sinners?"

*Jesus Christ suffered to save us from sin and death and to help us through the challenges of mortality.

*What will you do to rely on the Atonement as you face challenges?

Moroni 8

The baptism of little children is an evil abomination; Little children are alive in Christ because of the Atonement; Faith, repentance, meekness and lowliness of heart receiving the Holy Ghost and enduring to the end lead to salvation. A.D. 401-21.

DC 81:1-7

1-2, The keys of the kingdom are always held by the First Presidency; 3-7, If Frederick G. Williams is faithful in his ministry, he will have eternal life.

What have we been promised if we remain faithful unto the end?

* Eternal life in the mansions of the Father.

General Conference

The Jesus Beholding Him Loved Him

Elder S. Mark Palmer

"In that moment, I knew it was not just the hearts of some of our missionaries that needed changing.  It was my heart as well.  The question no longer was 'How does a frustrated mission president get a struggling missionary to behave better?' Instead, the question was 'How can I be filled with Christlike love so a missionary can feel the love of God through me and desire to change?' How can I behold him or her in the same way the Lord beheld the rich young man, seeing them for who they really are and who they can become, rather than just for what they are doing or not doing? How can I be more like the Savior?"

We were without water for awhile this morning.  James forgot to turn the well back on and the 3,000 gallon tank emptied because he had been irrigating the lawn.  It didn't take long to get back to normal.  Although I think maybe we had Kim and Brian a little worried.

Brian made a delicious breakfast this morning; gluten-free pancakes and bacon.  James was gone to visit our new friends the Elkins but when he returned he had some bacon and eggs.  The Elkins bought 244 acres below us.  He visited with them about pouring a concrete pad and a metal building.  They are getting ready to dig a huge pond.  I think they are going to be good neighbors.  They told James he could borrow their backhoe any time he needed to and they even showed him where they hide their key.

James and I made another trip to town today.  We stopped at Cal-Ranch, Sonic, Walmart, Harbor Freight, and Book Barn.  James got some electric fence supplies.  A boy in my Primary class who never comes had a birthday yesterday.  I had his name put on a triple combination.  I also got a gift bag, and card and some fun little things to put in with the scriptures, including my fidget spinner.  My plan is to take one of the kids from my class with me tomorrow after the block to deliver the gift to Lej's house.

Kim and Brian left to go on a Razr ride around 6pm.  At 7:43pm I got this text from Kim.  "We were almost back to the cabin but the road is closed.  we have to go all the way back to Christmas tree trail and go backwards.  We won't be back for like 45 minutes."

Me: "Dad said to go through it.  If you are coming out it is ok."

Kim: "We can't. There are ambulances.  They wouldn't let us through. We are about a mile from home and this is closed too.  They are air vac-ing someone out."

Me: "Maybe when they are finished they will let you through.  Did you teel them you live right down the road?"

By this time they had returned.

You can't really see how much dirt was on their faces.

I teased them and told them we had not water again.

You should have seen Kim's face, and Brian's too!

Dirt you can see.  This was Trina last summer after a

ride with her kids.

I was not feeling well this evening. James cooked some pork chops for dinner and then I made my way to the bedroom.  I took some Nyquil and went to bed.  Hopefully I can get up early and finish preparing my Primary lesson.

Kim's "Puzzle of the Day."

A jolly sea lion.

Lightning across the water.

Molly loves babies.

Can you tell by the smile on her face?

Kacey and her beautiful children:

Summer, Autumn, and Tanner.

Some of my favorite people helping Denise celebrate her

birthday last year: Dennis, Denise, Monte, Tasha,

Harold and Vickie.

Sunday, March 12, 2017

Colonia Juarez Chihuahua

55th operating temple

2 Nephi 30:1-18

Converted Gentiles will be numbered with the covenant people - Many Lamanites and Jews will believe the word and become delightsome - Israel will be restored and the wicked destroyed. About 559-545 B.C.

Alma 30

Korihor, the anit-Christ ridicules Christ, the Atonement, and the spirit of prophecy - He teaches that there is no God, no fall of man, no penalty for sin, and no Christ - Alma testifies that Christ will come and that all things denote there is a God - Korihor demands a sign and is struck dumb - The devil had appeared to Korihor as an angel and taught him what to say - Korihor is trodden down and dies.  About 76-74 B.C.

DC 42:30-39

30-39, Laws governing the consecration of properties are set forth;

How has paying tithing blessed my life?

General Conference

Abide in My Love

D. Todd Christofferson

"And he went a little further and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.  Then, as I imagine, the distress grew even more severe, He pleaded a second time for relief and, finally, perhaps at the peak of His suffering, a third time. He endured the agony until justice was satisfied to the very last drop.  This He did to redeem you and me."

Sheri, Ben, Max, Evan, and Rowan came to sacrament meeting and sat with us.  Jackson Allen, Tom Howard and Sean Bowman were the speakers in sacrament meeting.  James helped pass the sacrament.  Sheri and the boys all left after sacrament meeting.  

My lesson in Primary was on the organization of the Church.  These are the children in my class today: Colter, Curtis, Jace, Lianna, Sister Kuffer the new teacher for the class just older than mine, Talena, Zemira, Norma, a visitor, and Braxton who has never attended before.  Braxton kept asking if he could go home but he ended up staying the entire three hours.  

My friend Diana was released today as the Young Women's President.  She was a great president but she has been in about three years so it was time.  Sister Allen was called as the new president.

Sheri finished the puzzle today:

I love it.

For lunch we fired up the grill and James cooked some hotdogs and hamburgers.  The hamburgers were delicious!

After lunch James, Sheri, Max and I played Five Crowns.  We also watched some Hallmark movies: The Lost Valentine, The Locket, and Love and Duty.  We had pork chops and applesauce for dinner.  Yummy.  

Sheri walked to Chocolate Lake this afternoon:

This is the best Chocolate Lake has looked in years!

This is a picture of Sheri and the boys reading scriptures this evening:

Ian came in and surprised us with this outfit:

He would fit right in living in Vernon.

Fun Photos:

Ruby when she was three.

I love this picture!

Evan looks like he's asleep but believe me

this kid can eat.

My favorite Lola picture.

Which do you prefer:

Big Horn sheep as seen by Kim and Brian

on Christmas Tree Trail.

Angie when she came to visit last year.

Big Buck

Angie is my favorite.

The Falls from the top.

Hailey and Huntleigh at a family reunion

in Van Horn, Texas.

Monday, October 5, 2015

Sheri's Daily Quote:

2 Nephi 32:3

"Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost;

wherefore they speak the words of Christ.

Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ;

for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do."

 Elk fever is still alive and well at our house.

I got up to make chocolate chip muffins only to discover that we had no eggs.  I was going to go to Stanford to get some when Sheri asked if I wanted her to drive me.  I said yes and we jumped into her van only for her to discover that she didn't have her wallet.  She went back inside to look for it, but no luck.  She remembered having it at Safeway on Saturday so she called the store.  Sure enough, they had found it, so instead of going to Stanford we drove in to Show Low and went to Safeway. Also stopped at Sonic.
Usually when I go some place with Sheri she plays music.  This time she said she would rather listen to a conference talk.  I was fine with that!  We listened to a conference talk by Brother Davies of the presiding bishopric.  It was from a conference a few years ago and was one I hadn't heard about building our lives on a firm foundation.  He told of the 1989 San Francisco earthquake and houses that weren't built on firm foundations and how they crumbled.  It was great!
When we drove up at home this is the first thing we saw:

 Ian being silly and having a little fun!

We grilled burgers for lunch and Sheri did a puzzle.  Ben and Alex helped.

After the puzzle was finished Sheri, James, Alex and I played Hearts.  Sheri quit early, so I guessed she lost.

I made some smores dip because we had so many marshmallows left.  Instead of Hershey bars we used chocolate chips.

We used graham crackers as our dipping utensil.

Max said he didn't like it because the chocolate was melted.

Alex took the boys on a Razr ride up to the pit.  Also, we had a little company today.  Rick Lauritzen and Cope Reynolds came by to cut wood.  Rick brought his dog, a Mastif named Conan the Barkbarian.  Max and Evan loved him.

 

Time to say goodbye.  We will see you on 

Wednesday. So glad you came to visit!

We went to the dump and while we were there the attendant told us he had heard reports of a tornado in Lakeside.  Later someone posted this picture on Facebook.

It never touched down.

I took this picture at the dump.

The older Trezise boys were anxious to get home because they had ordered Magic cards and they were coming in the mail.  Max kept tracking the packages on Sheri's phone.  When Evan got home he got his Halloween costume.

It's Baymax from Big Hero 6.

It's really Evan!

James and I read from "Sophia" and watched a Hallmark movie, "Perfect."