Monday, February 6, 2017

Morning Sky

2 Nephi 1:30-2:10

How do I keep the balanced perspective of my dependence on God's grace with the desire to live righteously?

Mosiah 1-2:17

DC 20:1-12

Why is it important to know that God does not change?

Article: "The True Nature of God"

By: Jeffrey R. Holland

December 2016 Ensign

GC:  'The Soul's Sincere Desire' by Carole F. McConkie

"The answers we receive in prayer may not be what we would desire.  But in times of trouble, our prayers become a lifeline of love and tender mercy.  In our pleading, we ma be strengthened to go forward and fulfill all that we have been ordained to do. 

To His Saints living in perilous times, the Lord says,

'Let your hearts be comforted...; for all flesh s in mine hands; be still and know that I am God.'"

Interesting!

Thanks James for the picture of the sunrise and the elk in our yard this morning:

Evan has made a movie trailer for the movie he and Evan are making.  It is quite good but I don't know how to post videos on this blog so you will just have to take my word for it.

Evan has had a stiff neck for a couple of weeks now.  The doctor just said to give him Ibruprofen.  Sheri took him to see a friend who is a chiropractor and he cracked his neck a few time and now Evan feels much better.

This is a picture of the Arequipa, Peru temple

which is scheduled for groundbreaking on

March 4, 2017.

I actually stayed on my schedule today.  It has been such a long time!  I went shopping, ironed, cleaned the kitchen and dining room floor, blogged, read my book and read to James, did my gospel study and had FHE with James.  I feel good!

After FHE James and I watched the Autumn Reeser movie, "Valentine Ever After."  

Grand Canyon

James builds a fire using the pine cones Addy and Ruby gathered when they were here in October.  He built the fire to save on gas but leaves the back door in our bedroom open so we have to turn on the heater in our bedroom to warm up.  James has a sinus infection right now and thinks it's because of the water that hit him when he was working on the Bowen job.

Fun Photos

This should have been posted last Friday night.

Denise and Aunt Gene

Where is you smile, Michael?

Joshua loved baby Lola

Actually, everyone loves her!

I love this!

Friends:

The Ellsworth's in Cancun.

Karin G.

My friend Hailey is second from the left.

She is beautiful.

Sunday, February 5, 2017

St. George, Utah temple

2 Nephi 1:13-29

When have I been benefited by a priesthood blessing?

Omni and Words of Mormon

DC 19:25-41

How can we better seek after eternal blessings?

Talk:  "After Much Tribulation Come the Blessings"

By:  Adney Y. Komatsu

October 1978

GC: "Come, Follow Me By Practicing Chrstian Love and Service"

by Elder Robert D. Hales

"I promise you: the calling to be a parent includes the gift to teach in the ways that are right for you and for your children.

Some of our most impactful Christian service is given by holding family scripture study, family prayer, and family council meetings.

Let us remember, the most important work we do in our families

is through the power of the Holy Ghost.

Let us remember that our children and grandchildren measure our love by how much devoted time we give them.

Above all, don't lose patience and don't give up!"

Brother Thompson conducted sacrament meeting today.  He read a letter from our stake presidency thanking us for fasting for moisture in January.  Since that fast we have had five major storms.  The letter said some people might call this a coincidence, but we know better.  I am grateful for the faith that comes through fasting and prayer.

I was up at 4 am to finish preparing my Primary lesson on Joseph Smith beginning to translate the gold plates.  The kids loved the paper I had where they had to translate a message that was supposedly written in reformed Egyptian.  Colter was gone today.  His family is at the monster truck rally in the valley.

Talena played a piano solo in sharing time.  She played a hymn and her piano teacher, who is a non-member, came to visit.  

Sister Skousen gave a sharing time about Noah's ark.  Each child was given a picture of an animal and there were two of each animal and everyone had to find their mate before getting on the ark.  I was a bluebird.  Did they have blue birds on the ark?  We sang my favorite Primary song today, "I'm Trying to be Like Jesus."

We got new home and visiting teaching assignments today.  James has the newly baptized member and two total inactives, one no one has ever seen.  Brother Westbrook is his new companion.  

I have a new companion, Sister Carroll, and a new person to visit, my dear friend Pam who I have not seen since October.

We broke our fast when we got home with grilled cheese sandwiches and chili.  We had a nap and then I made James some dark chocolate brownies.  I did my daily gospel study and then James and I watched a Hallmark movie, "All Things Valentine" and read from "Boys in the Boat."  It was a relaxing Sunday afternoon spent with my sweetheart.  

Most of the rest of the world watched The 51st Superbowl Game between the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons.  It went into overtime and the Patriots ended up winning 34 to 28.

Fun Photos

Lola could definitely give the Gerber baby a

run for her money!

My only baby picture of myself.

Guster Concert, courtesy of Brian and Kim

How are they going to get down?

Saturday, February 4, 2017O

Paris, France temple

The dedication is scheduled for May 21, 2017.

2 Nephi 1:1-12

How have the American continents been kept sacred?

Enos and Jarom

DC 19:15-24

How can we be more humble and willing to accept our trials?

Broadcast: 'That We Might "Not Shrink"'

By: David A. Bednar

March 3, 2013

GC:  'Fourth Floor, Last Door' by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

"The purpose of faith is not to change God's will but to empower us to act on God's will.  Faith is trust - trust that God sees what we cannot and that He knows what we do not.  Sometimes, trusting our own vision and judgment is not enough."

GC:  'O How Great the Plan of Our God!' by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

"Brothers and sisters, we are eternal beings, without beginning and without end.  We have always existed.  We are the literal spirit children of divine, immortal, and omnipotent Heavenly Parents! 

We come from the heavenly courts of the Lord our God.  We are of the royal house of Elohim, the Most High God.

We walked with Him in our premortal life.  We heard Him speak, witnessed His majesty, learned His ways."

After gospel study and scriptures and prayers with James, we went to clean the Vernon chapel.  Kaeli, a friend and our Relief Society President, Ari met us there as she and her husband Chris are scheduled to help us.  Christ had already made a commitment to work on his dad's ranch so he was not able to come.  

We cleaned for over two hours and determined that no one has cleaned the building since James and I cleaned it on January 14th.  The trash was still half full like we had left it. (I looked for my pictures of the chapel but couldn't find them.)

James and I came home and had lunch, grilled cheese sandwiches, tomato soup, and a salad.  After lunch we started our fast.  We are fasting for Stacy's family.  I took an hour nap and worked on my blog for awhile before it was time to get ready to go clean the temple.  

I almost forgot that it is my brother Harold's 67th birthday!

Happy Birthday Harold!

We left our home at 5:45 and picked up Brother Cooper at the church.  We arrived at the temple at 6 o'clock.  We are doing a deep clean with the Show Low City Creek ward from our stake.  There are two couples that are stake cleaning coordinators, the Pattersons' and the Brooks'.  They are in charge, which means James and I are off the hook as far as making sure everything runs smoothly.  We even got to clean together.!  We did the men's dressing room.  

One of the reasons so many members of our ward couldn't make it for the cleaning.  The Show Low wrestling team were in Payson participating in sectionals.  Every Show Low wrestler qualified and they came in first!

James has been making phone calls for the last couple of days trying to get at least 15 people to come for the cleaning.  Six people cancelled and our last minute fill-ins were: The Wallaces, Peelers, and Applegates.  We ended up with 16 people.  Besides these three coupls we had Brother Gordon, Brother Miller, Brother Curtis, the Lauritzens, Skousens, Brother Cooper, and us.  

Brother Patterson, a stake co-ordinator, said we had 37 people total and that was a new record!  The Vernon ward rocks!

  The nice thing is we were home and in bed before 10.

Fun Photos

In honor of Harold I had to post John Wayne.

This boy is hilarious!

Oh Michael, you

look like a missionary!!

FHE Pileup

Friday, February 3, 2017

Kirtland Temple

1 Nephi 22:11-31

What are some things I am looking forward to during the Second Coming and Millennium?

Jacob 6-7

DC 19:1-14

How are we accomplishing the will of Him who sent us?

Talk: "Waiting Upon the Lord:Thy Will Be Done"

By:  Robert D. Hales

October 2011

GC:   'Rise Up in Strength, Sisters in Zion' by Bonnie L. Oscarson

"We need to acknowledge the centrality of God our Eternal Father and His Son, Jesus Christ, to our faith and salvation.

Jesus Christ is our Savior and Redeemer.

We need to study and understand His Atonement and how to apply it daily; repentance is one of the greatest blessings each of us has to stay on course.  We need to see Jesus Christ as our primary

role model and the example of who we need to become.

We need to continually teach our families and classes about our Father's great plan of salvation, which includes the

doctrine of Christ."

On the way to my infusion this morning Jean Howard cancelled our lunch date for today.  She has a doctor's appointment in Phoenix.  Hopefully I can see her in Vernon later in the month.  

My infusion goes well.  Kim, the new nurse who is here instead of Kwanda, finds a vein and I barely feel a prick.  

Afterwards I head back to Chandler.  James had put the sheets on the bed after I washed them and he had washed the towels and rugs from the bathroom.  This was all done while he was sick!  Oh yes, he also had his snowman comforter on the bed.

We packed up and loaded the car and dropped off birthday gifts to Sheri and Stacy.  I will mail Trina's since we aren't going home her way.  James wrote the sweetest message to Sheri.  We visited Stacy, Jared Ammon, Michael and Shipley.  Paul was at work, Joshua was at school, and Adam was at work at his new job at a bank in Mesa.  I think he said it was TCF Bank.  

We had lunch at Jersey Mike's and had a visit with the realtors' who sold our house Brad and Jen McClay.  Jen said the people who bought the house absolutely love it and plan on living there for a long time.  I loved that house too.

Home Sweet Home

After lunch James and I both stopped for gas at Sam's Club.  

I told him I was going the Payson way and he said he would follow me.  I told him he didn't have to but I was grateful that he did.  

I stopped at McDonald's in Payson for an ice cream cone and James took a short nap in his truck.  We stopped in Heber to put air in my back tire.  When we got to Vernon there was antelope and elk in the highway 60 field.  Lots of the snow had melted.  When we get home we unload and put things away.  I read from "Boys in the Boat" and then we watch a Hallmark movie, "Anything But Love" starring Paul Green and Erica Christensen, then it's off to bed.

Photo Memories

Betty Jo Warner and Veleda Penrod

They made the pants and shirts for the rodeo dance.

Veleda was my mom's best friend.  This photo was taken

sometime in the 40's.

Veleda posted this.

Such a Sweetie!

Emmy on her special date with her dad and

her cousins Briana and Addy.

Trina and Lexy doing what they do best.

Twins Stefani and Alicia

They married brothers and both couples live in our ward here in Vernon.

One of the couples.

Michael's baptism

Thursday, February 2, 2017

1 Nephi 21:22-22:10

What does it mean that the Gentiles will nurse Israel back to health.  What are some examples you have noticed?

Jacob 5:41-77

DC 18:31-47

How can we better teach by the Spirit?

Talk: "Teaching After the Manner of the Spirit"

By: Matthew O. Richardson

October 2011

GC:  'The Master Healer' by Carole M. Stephens

"I often meet Latter-day Saint women who are desperate for help, yet they do not turn to the One who can provide everlasting help.

Too often they seek for understanding by searching 

'the great and spacious building.'"

Oatmeal for breakfast.  I did two blog posts in hopes that someday I will catchup.  I did my gospel study and read from "Aunt Dimity and the Summer King."  I had a bean burro for lunch and then cleaned my teeth really good in anticipation of my appointment with Jackie to get my teeth cleaned.

Cibeque Creek

(Doesn't this look like Marcy?)

After my appointment to get my teeth cleaned I hurried over to AZOral for my appointment with Dr. Shah for a consultation for the extraction of my upper right back tooth. The paperwork took forever but I was finally able to see the doctor.  I liked him.  We scheduled the extraction for Thursday, March 2nd, the day before I have my next infusion.  They gave me a 20% discount and I was sent home with the instructions to fill four prescriptions right away.

I went through Burger King on the way home and got a chicken sandwich for James and myself.  I went home and ate my sandwich with James and then headed to the movie with Charlotte.  I picked up Charlotte and we drove to the Harkin's Theater near the Chandler Fashion Center.  We stopped for popcorn and drinks and by the time we got in the theater the lights were out.  I went ahead of Charlotte and found out seats and then proceeded to spill the popcorn all over the floor in front of her seat.  She hobbled up the stairs with her cane and luckily did not slip and fall on the popcorn.  This is the movie we saw:

It was a little quirky but we liked it.

Fun Photos

Our friends and neighbors, the Cranes'

At a soccer game a couple of years ago

when Jared and Emmy were in town.

Emmy and Addy

Trina and Lola

The Gonzales' at Michael's baptism.