Friday, February 28, 2014

Morning sky

Here are some notes that I took from my morning gospel study:

  How is it we show the Lord that we have symbolically put ourselves upon today's sacrificial altar?

  "When we overcome our own selfish desires and put God first in our lives and covenant to serve Him regardless of the cost, we are then living the law of sacrifice." -Elder M. Russell Ballard

  Our Light in Darkness:

  "The quantity of darkness surrounding us in the world simply does not matter.  Light is eternal and is vastly more powerful than darkness.  If we remain worthy of the constant companionship of the Holy Spirit, our souls can reflect sufficient light to displace any amount of darkness, and others will be drawn to the light within us."  (Feb. 2014, Ensign, p. 77)

This evening we picked up Blain and Diana Curtis and drove into the Show Low stake center to attend Trenda Wilhelm's surprise 16th birthday party.  

 Trenda's sister Ruthie blowing

up a balloon before the party

Wow this is blurry!

Trenda's parents, John and Sandy and

Trenda dancing with her grandpa Wilhelm

 Trenda dancing with her dad.

We left the party early to go get something to eat.  All they had at the party were cookies and milk.  The Curtis's suggested Lotus Garden so we drove to Pinetop.  James ordered the seafood feast, and it really was a feast.

He said it was bland but he went

home and seasoned it the next day

and said it was delicious.

This was a fun evening and it gave us an opportunity to get to know the Curtis's a little better.  Diana is the Young Women's president and Blain is our ward clerk.  They are from Mesa and have been here about a year and a half.  Blain is a retired police officer.

 

 

Thursday, February 27, 2014

Cute pink clouds
Today would have been my dad's 83rd birthday.  Happy Birthday dad.

Numbers 7:84 

This was the dedication of the altar, in the day when it was anointed, by the princes of Israel twelve chargers of silver, twelve silver bowls, twelve spoons of gold.

(I thought this was interesting due to the fact that we will be attending the dedication of the Gilbert temple on Sunday).

I finished the October 2013 General Conference talks for the 5th time today.  

 James called to give me a report of how his visit with Dr. Ortega went.  He is scheduled to have the screw in his ankle removed on March 18th if he can get clearance from his heart doctor.  Instead of staying until tomorrow James decided to come home this afternoon.  Of course he brought green mixed burros from Burger House. 

This evening we went into Vernon to get the mail.  On the way home I made the comment that it would be nice to see some elk.  When we turned onto N3625, the electric pole road near our house, these was a herd of about 40 elk.  It caught us by surprise and they moved out so quickly there was no time to take pictures.  Oh yes, and it was quite dark.

Facebook finds:

 This is what happens when

Sheri watches Ruby

 Buildings in Russia

Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Happy 17th Birthday to Joe

 Michael and Joseph

and

Happy 24th Birthday to Adam!

This morning I met the other Young Women leaders at the church at 9am to set up for tonight's New Beginnings.  James came down and made the punch for tonight before leaving for the valley.  He also stopped in Show Low at Center Tire and got two new tires for his truck.

Kaeli Nicoll is in charge of the Premortal Life room for tonight.

Randa was there to help her set up.  

When they were finished they came and helped me in the Earth Life room.

We all gathered in the Relief Society room to help Dianna set up the Celestial Kingdom room.

After we were finsihed I went in to town.  I made a deposit at the bank, shopped for a white blouse at Walmart, and picked up a pizza at Pappa John's on my way home.

At home I relaxed most of the afternoon until it was time to get ready to go to New Beginnings.

We all gathered in the north foyer of the church for the opening prayer and then we moved into the premortal room where Kaeli Nicoll talked about The Plan of Salvation.  

 The Plan of Salvation

Next we moved on to the Earth Life room where the girls explained the eight values and the symbols for each of the classes.  I read a letter from the First Presidency to the young women in the front of the Personal Progress manual.  The young women all recited the Young Women theme.  Alice Wilhelm led them.

Kaeli introduced the new Beehives, Alice Wilhelm, Heaven Lootans, and Khaya Westbrook,  and told a little about each one of them.  Dianna talked about the torch necklace and gave each of the new Beehives one and anyone else who had not yet received them. 

 The Relief Society room or Eternal Life was our last stop.  There was a large picture of Christ in the center of the room with a heart saying "Welcome Home."  The bishop welcomed us all to eternal life and tells the girls how happy our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ are that they completed the Personal Progress goals, received their YW recognition, obeyed the commandments, and endure until the end.  The young women sing "Come Unto Christ."

Each heart in the background has the

name of a young woman on it.

Kilee, Shelly, Coty, Maddie, Kyah,

Jordyn, Kelly, Hope, Trenda, LeeAnn,

and Heaven is hiding behind LeeAnn.

For refreshments Sister Millie Scott made

a delicious cake and we also had James's

delicious punch!

One of the highlights for me was the fact that Hailey Lootans came.  I felt like when the girls sang "Come Unto Christ", 

they were singing to her.

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

James made me this freshly squeezed orange juice for breakfast.  What a way to start the day!

We were going to go to the temple today but instead we stayed home and James finished the easels he's making four our New Beginnings program tomorrow night.

 My sweetie helping me with my calling.

I talked to Jared today via text.  When I asked him how he was doing he said they had a lot going on right now and would I please pray for him and his family.  I found out later that the doctor's thought he had a brain tumor.  When they did the cat scan they found a mass but determined it was not cancerous.  He says he looks pretty bad with a swollen eye and droopy eyelid.  We will definitely pray for him!!

Sheri called this afternoon and we had a nice visit as she was taking a walk in the park while Evan and Joshua had their first flag football practice.

 Flag football practice.

This evening James and I watched the two hour season four finale of Downton Abbey.  Thank goodness it ended on a positive note!!

Facebook finds:

 Evan and Max riding the elevator

at the Chandler Mall.

Sheri said Evan loved it!

 

Monday, February 24, 2014

James and I made a trip to town.  He went to Home Depot to get materials for the easels and I went to Walmart to get the ingredients for the punch we are making for New Beginnings.  After our shopping we went through Panda.  I got orange chicken, teriyaki chicken, and fried rice.  James got an eggroll.  

James worked on cutting the easels out in the garage.  When he needed a break, he went out and did some brush cleanup.  He knocked down some trees awhile back and hasn't cleaned them up yet.  He's just waiting for the right time to burn after he gets all the firewood cut out.  

I watch The Walton's and "Wind At My Back" while working on my blog.

This evening around 5:30 I visited Linda Diewald.  Brother Diewald was there too and joined in the conversation.  I told them how much I enjoyed their talks yesterday in sacrament meeting.  I also asked Linda how it felt to be a lady of leisure since she was also released from her calling as Primary secretary.  Their grandson who lives in Maricopa just received his mission call to Louisville, Kentucky.  He gets to be in the Gilbert temple when it is dedicated this Sunday.  

I left Linda with the message which was entitled: "Christ as the Good Shepherd.  I also gave her a candy bar and a handout.  

This evening James and I watched the latest episode of "Castle."

Facebook finds:

!

 This is what I need!

Did I mention that I have a thing for

trees and treehouses.

 

Sunday, February 23, 2014

James had high council meeting in Show Low at 6:00.  He left after we had family prayer around 5:20.  He made it back in time for us to attend our Sunday meetings together. 

 I have a thing for light and clouds.

Aaron Windsor was the youth speaker.  He spoke on the importance of using good language and "taming your tongue."  The Diewalds', Jim and Linda spoke on their service at the cannery.  They were just released from a two year service mission.  

In Sunday School we discussed the Abrahamic Covenant, one of my favorite gospel topics.  

Denice Hall, the bishop's wife, gave the lesson in Young Women's.  We watched a video about making choices where a girl explains to her friend why she doesn't believe in a woman's right to have an abortion.  It was one of the best answers I have ever heard.  She said that Heavenly Father gave us the powers to create life and it would be going against His purpose to then destroy that life.  She spoke about how life doesn't begin or end in this life and of the sanctity of marriage.  It was great.  

After the block we had a song practice with the young women in the Relief Society room.  Dianna brought some snacks and Tamara Applegate helped the girls practice their song "Come Unto Christ" which they are singing at New Beginnings on Wednesday.  

There is one table easel in the library and we need 8 more by Wednesday.  I am so grateful I have a husband with some carpentry skills and that he is going to be home to help me make these easels.  
When I returned from our song practice our home teachers were visiting, Collin Dewitt and Chuck Crane.  After they left we had lunch and then a nap. 

At 4pm we went to the Book of Mormon class.  We finished through 1 Nephi 15.  Afterwards I went with James to visit the Peeler's, a family he home teaches.  The Peeler's are a retired older couple.  They are both temple workers and Brother Peeler is the Stake Sunday School President.  Sister Peeler's back was bothering her.  She said she would be going to the chiropractor's tomorrow.

My sunset picture

James's sunset picture.

This evening James and I watched a movie we have already seen but really enjoyed called "Love's Enduring Promise."

Facebook finds:

I have a thing for castles and snow.

Saturday, February 22, 2014

We did not make it to Blanche Ryland's memorial service this morning.  I got Tony, her daughter's address, from Cathi and will send the family a card.  I really did love Blanche and we have known her since we moved to Chandler in 1971.

James power sprayed the rest of the planters so Reuben and Lauro could paint on Monday.  I went to Rowan and Evan's soccer game.  Evan has become quite the aggressive player.  It's always fun at these games because I get to visit with Sheri, Trina, Suzy, and Ruby.  Addy is never there though because she has dance practice at the same time.  

Sheri, Trina, Grampa Case and Ruby

helping with the Victory Tunnel

Before leaving town I went to Chik-fil-a and In-n-Out Burger.  I go home the Payson way and James goes home the Globe way and I beat him home.  He brought some more citrus fruit so we can give some to the Crane's and he also brought green burros.  

Joseph, Michael, Alex and Ben all had practice for the cultural celebration for the Gilbert temple.  They spent all day at Discovery Park with no cell phones!

 I'm not sure what this represents but

it is colorful.  The kids from Chandler

are in the yellow group.

After unpacking James and I watched this week's episode of:

"When Calls the Heart."

Facebook finds:

The Wanlass family saying

goodbye to Elder Wanlass

last fall as he leaves for his

mission in Texas.

The Westbrook family stopping

to eat on their way to the MTC to

drop off Sadie in January.

(Maddie Carroll and Brooklyn Carrol are

Sadie's cousins)