Monday, October 8, 2012

James left for the valley this morning to finish the Yoshimine's job.  I had big plans for the day.  I was going to go in to town to do some shopping but it never happened.  Instead I stayed home and puttered around the house.  There have been four seasons of The Mentalist and they have recently been featuring several episodes everyday on TNT.  I have been taping them and James and I have been watching them and we have about 30 episodes taped that we haven't watched.  James said he would never watch that many and it would be okay if I watched some episodes without him.  I watched three of four episodes today.
I did go in to Vernon to get the mail and to get some refreshments at the Vernon Store.

Sheri and her boys arrived around 9:30 this evening.  I was very excited to see them!

Sheri watching The Mentalist with me and

playing Head Banz with Evan.

 I love the expression on Evan's face.

Tricia sent me this picture of James at his first band concert.  He plays the french horn because a former band teacher told him it was the hardest instrument to play.  

 You have to admire this boy for choosing the hardest instrument.

Sunday, October 7, 2012

I watched three sessions of General Conference today, the 3rd and 4th sessions and the Priesthood session online.
One of the other announcements made yesterday was the building of a temple in Tucson, Arizona and one in Peru.
Here are a few of my favorite conference quotes: "Our youth have never been stronger.  They are better prepared than any other generation." -Quentin L. Cook
"I'm a Mormon, I know it, I live it, I love it." - Ann M. Dibb
"We need to become as little children, humble and meek so that we might be taught by the Holy Ghost." - Craig C. Christensen
"Look forward with hope instead of backward with despair." - Shayne M. Bowen
"Missionaries are powerful ambassadors of the Lord." - Elder Russell M. Nelson
"Is busyness a badge of a superior life?"  "Was Jesus too busy?"  "He gave the precious gift of His time." - President Uchtdorf
"5 Things Parents Can Do To Strengthen Families"
1  Pray in earnest.
2. FHE, scripture study, meal times together.
3.  Use the Church support system.
4.  Share your testimony with your children.
5. Organize family duties."  - Elder L. Tom Perry
"Let us deepen our commitment to Christ." - Elder M. Russell Ballard
"My testimony is my most precious possession." - Elder Robert C. Gay
"Do away with flaws to be temple worthy." -Scott D. Whiting
"Remain steadfast and immovable by praying, repenting, pondering scripture, and fasting." -Elder Neil L. Andersen
"We must protect and act for the well-being of our children." - Elder Dallin H. Oaks
"Strengthen your marriage, and help your children to become 'converted.'" - Elder D. Todd Christofferson
 "What you do when you are alone and no one is watching is an indication of your virtue." - Bishop Gary E. Stevenson
"How to strengthen conversion and family relations: 1.Pray always 2.Scripture study 3.Worthily participate in ordinances 4.Show genuine love 5.Obey the law of tithing 6.Fully live the law of Chastity." -Anthony D. Perkins
"Angels are round about you bearing you up." - Pres. Uchtdorg
"No one is intended for failure.  Each child has great, unique gifts." - Pres. Eyring
"A woman needs to be told that she is beautiful everyday." - Pres. Monson
"God is never hidden yet sometimes we are.  He is always close to us" -Pres. Eyring
"He who has repented is forgiven.  We are made clean through the blood of Christ." - Pres. Packer
"Observe then Serve.  We are the Savior's hands when we serve the one." - Linda K. Burton, General Relief Society President
"Sometimes we need to change our To Do List to follow a prompting." -Walter F. Gonzalez
"Love God and remain clean from the blood and sins of this generation." - Elder Jeffrey R. Holland
"The Lord is in the details of our lives." - Pres. Monson
"What does it mean to be a Christian?" - Elder Robert D. Hales
"Neglecting our dead is done at the peril of our own salvation." -Richard G. Scott
In regards to gospel teaching: "Conversions is the aim, Love is the motive, Doctrine is the key." -Russell T. Osguthorpe, General Sunday School President
"Take the shield of faith and withstand all of the fiery darts of the adversary." - Marcu B. Nash
Elder Daniel L. Johnson asked his 23 grandchildren "What it means to be a disciple of Christ?".  He got an answer from all of them.  He shared 8 year old Benjamin's answer and it was wonderful!
"Principles of preparation for the Sacrament: Gratitude, Remembering baptismal covenants, repenting, looking for solutions to problems." - Don R. Clarke
"Testimony is personal knowledge of spiritual truth through personal revelation.  Conversion is an offering of self, a mighty change where we have no more disposition to do evil.  Come unto Christ and offer your whole souls as an offering unto Christ.  Bury your temptations as the converted Lamanites buried their weapons of war.  Lamps of Testimony and Oil of Conversion." -Elder David A. Bednar (my favorite talk!).
"Listen to the inspiring messages from the conference again, ponder them and apply them to our lives." - Pres. Monson.

Darrel sent me this picture of the construction on the temple being built in Phoenix.

 With the announcement of the Tucson temple that makes

six for Arizona!

Several of the conference talks were about children and families.  Children are such a blessing in my life.  I love my children, their spouses and my beautiful grandchildren.  Here are a couple of my blessings.

Making cookies after conference.

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Happy Birthday to my awesome sister-in-law, Vickie Maxwell!

I was up early this morning baking muffins and quiche. 

Blueberry and Poppy Seed muffins.

Potato, Ham and Cheese quiche.

We also had biscuits with jam or honey, and grapes.  Everything tasted yummy and it gave us the energy to watch conference.  

Kiley, LeAnn, Mary, MaKenzi, Sister Nicoll and Alex.

Jordyn on the floor and Shelly about to run in front of her.(Notice

how Shelly is keeping her eye on the screen.)

Brother and Sister Soderquist and Jonah.

James going over to shake hands with Brother Soderquist.

Jordyn, Jonah and Adalyn on the floor.

That's Alex Jones in the green shirt.

The Soderquist's brought lots of cookies to share.  Chocolate with peanut butter chips, white chocolate macadamian and chocolate chip.  After each talk Sister Soderquist had each person share something they learned from the talk and then each person got to go get a cookie.  

The big news this morning was the lowering of mission age requirements, boys to 18 and girls to 19.  This announcement had Facebook and Twitter so supercharged that a number of smartphones burst into flame mid-tweet.  This is the biggest news in recent Church history - bigger, even, than the August 29 clarification that caffeinated soda had been taken off the Righteousness Watch List.

After everyone went home James and I watched the second session by ourselves.  I took careful notes in both sessions.  The afternoon session ended at 3 and by 3:30 we were at China Wadlington's baptism.  China will be the newest edition to our Laurel class.  We are so happy to have here as a part of our Young Women's group!

While James was gone to the priesthood session I fixed some spaghetti and a salad for dinner.

 It was a wonderful day!

 

Friday, October 5, 2012

Today James and I went on our first Ranger ride since our accident.  This time we wore our seatbelts.  The weather was perfect, around 70 degrees.

We had originally planned to go to Green's Peak to see if the leaves had changed color but changed our minds because there were so many elk hunters on the road.  I got this picture of a little bush.

 While James and I were going on a Ranger ride Brian was doing this:

I spent most of the day cleaning, getting ready for the young women to come over in the morning.  James went with Chuck Crane this afternoon to do a service project at the Olf's. ( an elderly couple that Churck home teaches.)
This evening we went to the Show Low, Winslow football game.  Show Low ended up winning 40-7.

The football team dancing with the spirit line after the game.  Colby is on the right in the front with his foot in the air.  He is number 4.  I tried to take a video but they big guy in front of me was kind of in the way.

Thursday, October 4, 2012

James spent most of the morning working on his tractor.  He came in around noon and said he had to make a trip to town.  That's fine because I needed to go in to town to buy some food for my Saturday morning General Conference breakfast.  We ate some lunch and were on our way. 

James dropped me off at Walmart while he went to Loew's to look for what he needed.  I am going to make ham, cheese and potato quiche, muffins and  biscuits with some fresh fruit on the side for our YW-GC breakfast.  I made my purchases and got a call from James that he couldn't find what he needed at Loew's and so we had to go to Ace Hardward.  I told him I wanted to go to The Book Barn and pick up a gift for China Wadlington who is being baptized on Saturday at 3:30.   We did these errands and were on our way home in no time.  I bought China a journal and a booklet that talks about baptism.  I am so excited that she has chosen to be bapitzed.  She will now be our oldest Laurel since she turns 18 on November 11th.

Trina sent me this link today.  I am so excited.  Now I don't have to wait until January to watch Downton Abbey, Season 3!

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Alma 26:22,27
22-Yea, he htat repenteth and exerciseth faith, and bringeth forth good works, and prayeth continually without ceasing - unto such it is given to kow the mysteries of God: yea, unto such it shall be given to reveal things which never have been revealed: yea, and it shall be given unto such to bring thousands of souls to repentance, even as it has been given unto us to bring these our brethren to repentance.
27-Now when our hearts were depressed and we were about to turn back, behold, the Lord comforted us, and said: Go amongst thy brethren, the Lamanites, and bear with patience thing afflictions and I will give unto you success.

James called me and told me he was on his way home.  I looked at the clock and figured he would be here in about 3 1/2 hours.  Imagine my surprise when the doorbell rang about an hour or so later and it was him.  At first I thought it was someone else and I wasn't answering then I looked out the window and saw the truck.  Of course he brought green chili burros!

I couldn't really spend alot of time with him because I was getting ready for Young Women's which is this evening.  I made this notebook to try and inspire the girls:

Part of the General Conference Value Project challenge is to make a notebook to use for taking notes during all four sessions of General Conference.

Natalie Soderquist called me around 5:00 and told me she wouldn't be coming to YW.  That's fine, I figured Kaeli Nicoll, the other counselor, and I could handle it.  We were schedule to have a song practice with the stake at 6:15.  About six o'cock I got a text from Mary Swift, the Laurel's president, asking me what we were doing for Mutual.  Yikes! Natalie was suppose to call the Laurel's and tell them about song practice.  Well according to Mary no one called her or MaKenzi, the other Laurel, and they weren't planning on coming to Mutual.  Mary, MaKenzi, and Trenda, (Trenda is a Mia Maid), stayed at the school for an event called Park in the Dark.  I guess they are watching the movie "Megamind."  It's homecoming week and so the kids have been doing crazy things all week.  Monday was pajama day, Tuesday super hero day, Wednesday camoflauge day, Thursday casino day, and Friday spirit day.  Well I wasn't too pleased that they weren't going to be there but what could I do.  Thank goodness 5 other girls showed up.  Sister Nicoll had to borrow a key from someone nearby to get in to the Church. The practice went well.  The sisters from the stake, one of them was Trisha Crandall, were very patient and kind.  The song is totally unfamiliar to the girls.  It's called "Arise to the Mountain" and was sung at the General Young Women's Meeting back in March.  All the girls in the stake, including their leaders, will be singing it for Stake Young Women's in Excellence on October 21st.

After song practice and opening exercises for Mutual we took the girls into the young women's room and discussed plans for the ward party we are in charge of this month.  It's a chili cookoff and Halloween carnival.  The Applegate girls and I left a little early to go visit a girl I have only seen once.  Her name is Alex Jones.  She had a birthday in September which we missed so Shelly baked her some cookies and I bought her a scrapbook with paper in it the colors of the YW values.  Alex seemed so happy to see us and we invited her to come and watch the first session of General Conference with us on Saturday morning.  Shelly said they would come by and pick her up.  I am so glad we went to see her.

Came home and watched an episode of "The Mentalist" with James. 

I almost forgot to mention that tonight was the Romney-Obama debate.  James watched it and was so excited.  He said that Romney did a great job and most of the commentators are saying he won!!

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Happy Birthday to my dear sweet mother-in-law, Lois Lambson.  I love you Lois! 

I woke up at 3:30 this morning and couldn't go back to sleep   So I got up and made these handouts for the young women,

This handout says: General Conference and Personal Progress are the perfect Combo.  General Conference can be full of Personal Progress experiences.  You can become spiritually uplifted and be on step closer to reaching your goals.  Along with this handout I will give one of these to each girl:

An idea for a General Conference Value Project.

A value project which can be done on General Conference weekend.

I had presidency meeting this morning at Natalie Soderquist's home.  Our new counselor Kaeli Nicoll was there.  It's nice to have a complete presidency.  The meeting started out with a discussion about a graduate from the Vernon School, a graduated football played and a Show Low cheerleader who have all recently committed suicide.  What is going on?  This will affect our girls, especially the older ones who went to school with these people.  Natalie had interviews with all the girls last Wednesday night and most of them ended up crying.  The next part of our meeting we discussed each girl in detail.  We finally got around to the calender and planning for the upcoming ward party we are in charge of.  The meeting lasted 21/2 hours and afterwards I was emotionally and physically drained.  I had to go home and take a nap.

     Just heard the news that my friend Diane Heyman had a stroke.  She is serving with her husband who is a mission president in Argentina.  Over the weekend she started feeling dizzy and it kept getting worse.  No one knew it was a stroke until she lost control of her right side.  She is doing much better now.  Today she was out of bed for the first time using a walker.  

     Alex went fishing again today and caught these:

 That is one big fat fish!

No fish is safe with this kid around.