Sunday, September 18. 2016

Happy Birthday to my sweet cousin Rita.

We are exactly one day and one month apart.

From 4am to 8am on Sunday morning I pray and prepare for my Primary lesson.  Today the lesson is on 3 Nephi 17 where the Savior blesses the sick among the Nephites, prays with and for them, and blesses the children.  I love these Book of Mormon lessons.

I was excited to see Brother Jerry Corter in sacrament meeting this week.  He is a new member and has not been coming the past few months.  He has been on my prayer list.

We had three speakers in sacrament meeting today.  First, Alicia Hunsaker who spoke on personal revelation.  "Living a clean and pure life opens the channels of revelation.  Pondering the scriptures is one of the greatest ways to invite the Spirit and the Spirit is the medium to revelation.  Seek God's will.  Do not try to force spiritual things.  Be patient and let it grow.  Revelation is the natural inheritance of true believers."

Next was Ashley Reidnead who is new in our ward.  She is young, and a return missionary.  She is from Alabama and was just called as the Relief Society secretary.  Her thoughts were based on the talk in General Conference by Elder Snow, "Be Thou Humble."  Here are some of my notes: "And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness.  I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them. (Ether 12:27).  We must be humble as a little child to return to the kingdom of Heaven.  We need to be teachable, repentant, and dependent on the Lord.  Pride is the ultimate sin and is the opposite of charity.  The antidote for pride is humility.  Mosiah 4: 11-12.

Our stake president, President Williams was the final speaker.  He told about a Sister Diana Batson of the Clay Springs ward thought she had the flu.  She went to the hospital and they said she needed to fly to Phoenix but would probably die before she got there.  She had to have both her legs, one arm, and the fingers on the other hand amputated.  Her ward had a fundraiser for her on Saturday.  Her son is on a mission right now.  She is 40 years old.  The Lord is aware of each and every one of us and he will send people to comfort us.  He spoke about centering our lives on Christ and referred to Elder Maynes's talk in the October 2015 general conference, "The Joy of Living a Christ-Centered Life."  He said that General Conference is like tuning our lives as if we were tuning a musical instrument.  I love President Williams.

The Vernon church

Brayin, Curtis, and Zemira were in Primary today.  I also had Madison from Sister Hall's class.  During singing time Curtis actually sang.  His positive reinforcement was a box of Milk Duds.

After our meetings James went home teaching with his partner Rick.  They visited the Scott's, the Hunsaker's, and the Wallace's.  Sister Wallace has done submitted over 15,000 names for temple work.  I have got to call her and find out how she does it.

I ate lunch, had a nap and then did my gospel study for the day.  I read from my book "Christ in Every Hour."  I read one of my favorite chapters, The Restorative Power of Christ.

  

Helaman 6:1-14.

How do you remain firm and steady in your faith?

Instagram-bofm365-sue_heugly.  Stay obedient in the little day to day things, and it won't be as hard when the big things challenge us.  Forgive, repent, love others.  barleestacey - Steady, devoted covenant keeping builds a fortress of faith and makes us steadfast and immovable.

GC: 'Eternal Families' by President Henry B. Eyring

"What can the young elder do to help in the creation of eternal families?  He may be about to go into the mission field.  He can pray with all his heart that he will be able to find, teach

and baptize families."

GC:  'A Sacred Trust' by President Thomas S. Monson

" Then the Holy Spiirt spoke to my friend: 'You have the

priesthood.  Command the rescuers to pick you up.

He did as prompted: 'n the name of Jesus Christ and by the

power of the priesthood, turn about and pick us up.'

Within a few minutes the vessel was beside them, helping them on deck."

Today President Henry B. Eyring dedicated the Philadelphia temple.  He said he was baptized in Philadelphia so it was like coming home.

 I love the front porch on this little guest house.

When James got home he ate and took a short nap and then we read from Millennial Glory.  It was a wonderful Sabbath day!

From Facebook:

This was a post by Kacey.

Antelope Canyon

There are so many unique and beautiful places in Arizona.

This is our friend from Chandler, Paula.

Her friends and family threw her a surprise

birthday party.  

She loves Disneyland and James calls her Tinkerbell.

She even has the wings.

The tree in our yard.

Saturday, September 17, 2016

Our temple will be closing for two weeks on Sept. 24th.

We went on Tuesday and again today.  We started going once a

week in April and I want to go 40 times before the end of the year.

Today was #26.

I love the temple, it is my second home.

We came home from the temple and had our second Burger House burro for lunch and then took a nap.  Most of the rest of the day we spent preparing our lessons for tomorrow.  James did take a break to see what was causing the smell in our kitchen.  (He has a mask on in this picture).  He thought it was a dead mouse behind the dishwasher, but there was nothing there when he took it out.

Eventually the smell will go away.

No honey, it's not in the cupboard.

Helaman 5:28-52.

The people were overcome with a cloud of darkness.  The people hear a voice saying to repent.  The earth shook and the walls trembled.  The Lamanites could not flee because of the darkness and a great fear came upon them.  The faces of Lehi and Nephi did shine as the faces of angels.  Aminadab said Nephi and Lehi did converse with God.  Ye must repent and have faith in Christ.  As the people repented, the cloud of darkness did disperse.  Every soul was encircled about by a pillar of fire.  Lehi and Nephi were in the middle of the fire but it didn't harm them.  The Holy Spirit of God came down from heaven and entered into their hearts.  In verse 47 they hear Heavenly Father's voice: "Peace, peace be unto you because of your faith in My Well Beloved." They saw the heavens open and angels came down and ministered unto them.  300 souls saw and heard these things and they went forth to tell others.  Many Lamanites convinced and laid down their weapons of war. The Lamanites yield up uto the Nephites the lands of their possession.  (The first time this happened in over 500 years).

GC:  'In Praise of Those Who Save' President Uchtdorf

"In the Book of Mormon we learn of a people who had discovered the secret to happiness.  For generations, 'there was no contention. . . . And surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.'  

How did they do it?  

Because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people."

 This is what some people do for fun on

a Saturday.

Wood gathering is something just about everyone in the Vernon ward does.  If you can't get your wood because you are sick or have another commitment someone else will do it for you.  We take care of each other here in the Vernon ward.  These people are not afraid to work hard and love to help their neighbors.

Bad news from Chandler.  James left his truck down there for Adam to use.  He parked it in front of his parents house and it disappeared.  It was impounded by the city of Chandler.  The entire street in front of Stacy and Paul's house is considered a fire lane.  James was so nice to Adam.  He said: "Don't let it ruin your weekend.  We will take care of it on Monday."

Skyler and Raychel finally got married.

They have been going together since high school.

See 27 larger-than-life animal and flora sculptures at the Phoenix Zoo  Created with more than 1 million Lego bricks.  This one of a polar bear mother and cubs has 1333,263 Lego pieces and took

over 1,000 hours to build and weighs 625 lbs.

I love trees.  This one is in South Carolina and is

over 1,500 years old.  It is an angel oak tree.

Friday, September 16, 2016

Paul posted this picture. 

Early morning baptisms with the young men.

A great way to start the day.

Helaman 5:5-17

Helaman chapter 5 is one of my favorite chapters in the Book of Mormon.  The word remember is used at least seven times.  This is what President Kimball says about the word remember.  "when you look in the dictionary for the most important word, do you know what it is?  It could be remember.  Because all of you have made covenants - you know what to do and you know how to do it - our greatest need is to remember.  That is why everyone goes to sacrament meeting every Sabbath day - to take the sacrament and listen to the priests pray that they 'may always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given them.'  Nobody should ever forget to go to sacrament meeting.  Remember is the program, remember is the word."

Nephi and Lehi devote themselves to preaching.  Their names invite them to Remember and pattern their lives after their forebears - Christ redeems and Remembers those  who repent - Their father Helaman reminds them to do that which is good, to lay up treasure in heaven.  Remember, Remember the words of king Benjamin and Remember your Savior Jesus Christ.  Remember Amulek's words about the Savior.  Remember, Remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall.  These are the things Helaman taught to his sons.  The did Remember his words, kept the commandments and taught the people the word of God.  They even taught among the Lamanites in Zarahemla.  Many of the Nephite dissenters did come forth, repent and were baptized.  They returned to the Nephites and tried to repair the wrongs they had done.  There were 8,000 Lamanites in and around Zarahemla who were baptized.  As the go to Nephi , Lehi and Nephi are cast into prison.  They were encircled about as if by fire and protected from their captors.  The earth shook and the walls of the prison did tremble.  So many miracles in this chapter.

What does this remind you of?

It reminds me of the CTR shield in Primary.

GC:  'The Greatest Leaders Are the Greatest Followers' by Stephen W. Owen

"Your ability to lead does not come from an outgoing personality, motivational skills, or even a talent for public speaking.  It comes from your commitment to follow Jesus Christ.  It comes from

your desire to be, in Abraham's words, 'a greater follower of righteousness.' (Abraham 1:2)  If you can do that - even if you aren't perfect at it, but you're trying - then you are a leader."

James is in Chandler doing a concrete pour for President John Ballard's son, Michael.  Adam and Erik both helped with the pour.  He got home this evening and brought me a couple of burros from Burger House. (Insert smiley face).

Courtney and Dakoda Pannell

The Pannell's were in our ward when James was the bishop.  When I told him about this, he was so happy to hear that Dakoda is going to be serving a mission.  

I got a text from Jared today.  The other day I had a picture of a temple on my blog and I did not know the location of said temple.  Jared texted me and said it was the Dallas temple.  He said he knew because he had just been there with Kacey.  Thanks Jared!

He is going to San Antonio this weekend to see his kids and for James's birthday.  Kacey will be going too. (She has to drive eight hours to get there).  She will also be going to the San Antonio temple while she is there.  I am really impressed with her.  She is pretty amazing!

I actually put away one box of stuff today from my office closet.  It was filled with memorabilia and photos from the trip I took with Adam, Jeffrey, and Vickie to Washington D.C. back in 2005.  I need to make a photo album.

I know the Golden Gate bridge isn't in D.C.,

but this is such a beautiful picture, I just had to post it.

Here is another bridge:

This one is called Devil's Bridge trail.

While James was in Chandler Cathi and Terry told him all about their trip to Salt Lake.  Cathi loved the live endowment session in the Salt Lake temple.  They also loved the family history building and the Church history museum. They were kept very busy attending meetings, etc., but had a wonderful time. 

 The authorities over them, I am not sure who they were, wanted Cathi and Terry to come up to Salt Lake on a mission and run the ROC in Salt Lake.  (ROC stands for Records Operation Center where they do research and work preparing documents to be digitized for family history research).  Cathi and Terry said they would like to open one in Chandler and they have already spoken to President Johansen, the stake president for the Chandler West stake, and he loves the idea.  So did the Salt Lake people.  So instead of going to Salt Lake, Terry and Cathi will be serving another year right at home in Chandler!  (When you have a talent, you can work anywhere).

I spoke to two of my Chandler friends today, Charlotte Mattice, and Karen Schneider.

The moon was gorgeous tonight.  A camera doesn't do it justice.  

Someone said this will be the last Harvest Moon

until 2024.  Does anyone know what is meant by a

Harvest Moon?

Home Sweet Home

Thursday, September 15, 2016

Happy Birthday James!
Born: September 15, 2000
Chandler, Arizona
We love you!

You could have fooled me!

Fun post!

This memory came up on my Facebook feed today:

A lot of changes in four years.

Helaman 4:18-5:4

How does being slow to hearken to the voice of the prophets effect the Nephites' lives?

Instagram-bofm365-kdeford1- The Church began to dwindle, they had become weak, they no longer had the Spirit with them, the judgment seat was turned over to evil, they became stiff-necked and couldn't be governed by law or justice.  Nephi gave up the jdgment seat to preach to them because he was "wearied by their iniquity."

GC: 'The Price of Priesthood Power' by President Russell M. Nelson

"How else can we increase our power in the priesthood?  We need to pray from our hearts.  Polite recitations of past and upcoming activities, punctuated with some requests for blessings, cannot constitute the kind of communing with God that brings enduring power.  Are you willing to pray to know how to pray for more power?  The Lord will teach you."

I love Elder Holland!

I love this picture of Canyon de Chelle. In my Fablehaven book
they are visiting Navajo land in Arizona and the scenery described is similar to this.

My two year old granddaughter Lola is going to be a cheerleader.  This is from a video that her dad posted on Instagram.  I don't know how to make it a video on here.  She is at her brother Rowan's basketball game.  She says: "Good job buddy.  Rowan, get that ball away."
I love it.

Well it happened.  I lost my gold crown today.  It happened after James left for the valley.  I was eating a slice of bread and talking on the phone.  I knew it came loose, but somehow it just disappeared.  Any guesses what happened.
For some reason the temporary one is now staying in.

Which temple is this?

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Is this the Logan temple?

Helaman 4:1-17

Nephite dissenters and Lamanites join forces and take Zarahemla again! The Nephites defeats come because of their wickedness and being left to their own strength.   Why is it so important for us to remain worthy to have the Holy Ghost at all times?

Instagram-bofm365-kdeford1 - I need the peace that comes from living worthy to have the Holy Ghost with me.  There is happiness, freedom and peace from just living the commandments - from not being physically enslaved to poor choices.  There is an actual physical comfort that I feel when the Holy Ghost is with me.  (I totally agree!)

GC: 'Always Retain a Remission of Your Sins' by  Elder Bednar

"The ordinance of the sacrament is a holy and repeated

invitation to repent sincerely and to be renewed spiritually.

The act of partaking of the sacrament, in and of itself,

does not remit sins.  But as we prepare conscientiously

and participate in this holy ordinance with a broken heart

and a contrite spirit, then the promise is that we may always have the Spirit of the Lord to be with us.  And by the

sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost as our constant

companion, we can always retain a remission of our sins."

GC: 'Family Councils by Elder M. Russell Ballard

". . ., there was a time when the walls of our homes provided all the defense we needed against outside intrusions and influences. . . . Those days are now gone.  The physical walls, door, fences,

and gates of our homes cannot prevent unseen invasion 

from the Internet, mobile phones, satellite and cable.

They can penetrate our homes with just a few 

clicks and keystrokes."

This. Is. Me.

I read several good articles from the Ensign today.  One that I particularly liked was by Elder Brent H. Nielsen of the Seventy entitled: 'Can We Live "after the Manner of Happiness"'?  Elder Nielsen says we need to embrace our trials and move forward with faith.  I really needed to hear this right now.

James got sick after lunch today.  Maybe the Beanie Weanies we ate were bad.  Of course it also could have been from breathing

concrete dust.

Resetting stone in our front porch.

We read from our new book "Millennial Glory."  James really likes it but I am a little bored with it.  I am getting more enjoyment out of reading book 3 in the Fablehaven series: 

I can't believe I'm reading this 

and enjoying it.

While working at my computer, paying bills, etc., I turned on Dancing With the Stars again.  I really shouldn't like this show, but

I do.

Five of the six pros are LDS but I think only

two or three are active.

I keep losing my crowns and it is driving me crazy!  This Dentemp is not working very well.  I guess maybe I need to go on a liquid diet.

I finished reading the book "The Seven Miracles that Saved America."  It was a great history book!

I always love it when friends and family post things on Facebook or Instagram.  Here are some things I saw today:

Friends even though they wear different uniforms.

Friends McKell and Christopher had their first baby today.  Christopher's dad wrote this:

A reminder from September 2013:

Yellow daisies everywhere!

A beautiful desert sunset.

Tuesday, September 13th, 2016

Happy Birthday to this beautiful lady,

my Mom!

Bettylea Strickland Maxwell

September 13, 1930

March 31, 1999

Don't you just love my mom's hair

and my bonnet. (And what about that baby chin?)

Helaman 3:19-37

What do these verses tell us about the power of prayer?  How can you apply these principles to your own life?

Helaman 3:35 is the key to becoming a true follower of Christ.  They fasted and prayed oft and increased in humility and were firm in the faith of Christ.  They became sanctified because they yielded their hearts unto God.

I also love verse 20 which says that Helaman did that which was right in the sight of God continually.

GC: 'The Sacred Place of Restoration' by Elder Jairo Mazzagardi

"And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord's house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow unto it."

Isaiah 2:2

James and I went to the Snowflake temple today and here is what we did: Three female initiatories, including Vickie's mom.  Two endowments, including Vickie's mom.  James did two male baptisms,  and also had my mother sealed to her parents, something I thought had been a long time ago.  That is 8 ordinances!  We took a selfie afterwards but we both looked tired and wrinkly (which we were, but who wants to see that!)  I am posting this instead:

Two little lovebirds,

James and Karen.

The reports said there would be no rain today but there were huge rain clouds in the sky when we left Snowflake and Taylor.  This turned out to be one of the best widespread rain days that we have had in a long time.  (I think we were rewarded for doing so much temple work.)

As we headed back towards Show Low James dropped me off at the hospital to see Aunt Gene while he went to do some errands.  Rita has something to do today and she ask me if I could spend an hour with her this afternoon and I said I would.  Aunt Gene was asleep when I got there.  Rita said to wake her up but I didn't want to.  Soon a nurse and an orderly came in and turned her and the nurse tried to wake her up but she was exhausted and was barely audible when the nurse ask her what day it was.  She said Wednesday, but that's close enough.   I guess they wore her out in physical therapy.  While I was there a couple came in who are friends of Aunt Gene.  They said they moved here in 1998 and she was the first person they met.  They were the Crittenden's.  Anyway when James picked me up I was glad I didn't leave my Auntie alone, even though I don't think she even knew they were there.

James and I did our grocery shopping at Walmart.  I am always so grateful when he helps me.  We bought a silk wreath, done in fall colors, to put on my mom's grave.

We didn't stay long because of the lightning,

thunder, and rain!

Well, it happened.  Both my temporary and my permanent crown fell out this afternoon.  It's a good thing I got some Dentemp when I was at Walmart.  If I keep having to replace these babies shouldn't I get some kind of a discount?

I wonder how much I could get from the tooth fairy.

I crashed when I got home and watched the premier of DWTS.

Of course James watches from his spot at the dining room table and pretends he's not interested.

I am signing off with a scenic picture and a C.S. Lewis quote:

I wonder if Brother Lewis's temple work has been done.

The windy road to Hawley Lake.

Monday, September 12, 2016

This is what I like about Vernon.  

The kids here know how to work!

Helaman 3:1-18

How did the Nephites persevere despite their difficulties?  

This answer is from Instagram - bofm365 - sue_heugly:

I noticed four things that helped the Nephites persevere despite their difficulties. Verse 3 - There were many contentions and dissensions so they departed and went to the land northward. 1.) Walk away from contention.  Verse 7 - They went to work. They became expert in making cement and provided homes for their families. 2.) Go to work.  Verse 9 - They were concerned about the future of others, so they were united about not cutting down trees until they grew tall.  3.) Concern for others and the future.  

Verse 13-16 - Record keeping was important.  4.) Keep individual 

and family records.

GC: 'To the Rescue: We Can Do It' by Elder Mervyn B. Arnold

"The Lord has provided all of the tools necessary for us

to go to the rescue of our less-active and non-member

friends.  We can all do it!

I invite all of you to heed the Savior's call

to go to the rescue."

I made chicken tacos for lunch from the leftover chicken I had. They were quite tasty.  James liked them too.  

After lunch James took me outside to demonstrate his logsplitter.  

First you set the log in place.

The you cut the log in to four pieces.

"This is going to save me hours of work!"

(I don't think he likes it when I call it his new toy.)

Well, yesterday I lost my permanent crown and I used the adhesive Dr. Higgs's office gave me to re-attach it.  Now today I lost my temporary crown and I have no more adhesive and we aren't going to town until tomorrow.  Oh well.  This is getting old.  

I did my menu planning for the next two weeks and tried to make most of our meals healthy.

I have alot in common with Dory.

I also finished reading about the miracle at Midway Island during World War II in my book The Seven Miracles that Saved America.  I am now reading about Ronald Reagan and how he stopped communism.  I love this book!

This in from Jared:

This was actually a video and this little guy was moving fast!

Well, I checked on Aunt Gene today and it's not good news.  She has been in the rehab center since last Thursday or Friday but now they are putting her back in the hospital.  She started throwing up blood and they discovered that because of a hernia her stomach is up in her chest.  She is back in ICU and will probably have to have another surgery.  Just when I was hoping she was getting better!

James made us his version of his mom's apricot-pineapple pie, his favorite.  Lois gave us some filling from her freezer when we last saw her.  James called and got the directions from her but instead of using a regular crust he used a premade shortbread crust and then put 1 cup flour, 1 cube of butter, and a package of chopped pecans all mixed together on top.  He put it in the oven about 30 minutes and walla, a pie.  It was quite delicious.

Adding the top "crust".

Good thing James isn't camera shy.  He is my most photographed

person.

I read to James and then we listened to Elder Bednar's conference talk for F.H.E.  Or, that could have been in the reverse order.