Thursday, March 30, 2017

Frieberg, Germany
33rd operating temple

Jarom 1:1-15

1-4, To have faith is to have revelation (vs. 4); 5-9, obedience brings prosperity (vs. 5,8), a quote regarding the Sabbath: "The Sabbath is a sign used by the Lord to identify His Covenant people"; 10-15, The righteous have claim on the protection of Heaven.

* When has the Lord blessed, or prospered me for keeping His commandments?

* From my experience, what testimony can I share about the Lord and His promises?

Alma 56-57

56 Helaman sends an epistle to Moroni, recounting the state of the war with the Lamanites - Antipus and Helaman gain a great victory over the Lamanites - Helaman's two thousand stripling sons fight with miraculous power, and none of them are slain.

57 Helaman recounts the taking of Antiparah and the surrender and later the defense of Cumeni - His Ammonite striplings fight valiantly; all are wounded, but none are slain - Gid reports the slaying and the escape of the Lamanite prisoners. About 63 B.C.

DC 49:15-28
15-16, Marriage is ordained of God; 17-21, The eating of meat is approved; 22-28, Zion will flourish and the Lamanites blossom as the rose before the Second Coming.
*What is prophetic about these verses?
- 1.  Jacob, meaning modern Israel, shall flourish in the wilderness and...Zion shall flourish upon the hills (24-25).  Fulfilled when Saints settle in the Rocky Mountains.
- 2. The Lamanites "shall blossom as the rose." (v. 24.) Lamanite descendants are joining the Church in ever increasing numbers.
General Conference

No Greater Joy Than to Know That They Know

Elder K. Brett Nattress

"Because of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, we can live with the promise that no matter what our struggles may be, we can always have hope in Him 'who is mighty to save' (2 Nephi 31:19.)

Because of His Atonement, we can have joy, peace, happiness, and eternal life.  Pres. Boyd K. Packer stated:

'Save for the exception of the very few who defect to perdition, there is no havit, no addiction, no rebellion, no transgression, no apostasy, no crime exempted from the promise of complete forgiveness.  That is the promise of the 

Atonement of Jesus Christ."

James is trying to dig a trench to connect Sal's sewer to the city line, but he can't seem to find it.  I told him I would pray for him every 30 minutes, which I did for a couple of hours.   This is something a friend recommended when Terry had his heart attack.  As I was praying I kept wondering if this was something the Lord wanted done.  And in the back of my mind was the thought that they were doing it without notifying the city because of their exorbitant fees.  Anyway, the final result of all of this was that he broke another irrigation line, which created a huge flood of water and he was unable to finish.  He decided to come home instead.

Ah, the beauty of Arizona! 

I ask Alex today if he wanted to be a part of our scripture study group, and he said yes.  I am happy about this.

The squirrels and bunnies are out to play because of the sunny weather.  They are also eating our grass.  James doesn't seem to mind.

I spoke to Jared today about his situation and told him I would continue to pray for him and his family and the sale of his practice.

This is the visiting teaching handout I gave to my

sisters this month.

I watched two movies today while blogging, "Murder She Baked: Just Desserts," and the latest Auroa Teagarden which I had already seen.  Blogging takes me around two hours or more because I have been behind since December and do two posts a day.  I am catching up though.

James got home this afternoon and of course he brought me two green chili burros.  I don't even have to ask anymore.  I cleaned in the kitchen, worked on my marriage talk and read to James from "A Fine Gentleman."  We went to bed around 9.  I am always so grateful when he makes it home safely.

Fun Photos:

Max's birthday date, 2016.

These boys are so fun!

Eating is always part of the date.

2016 Salt Creek Beach, California

Scripture Study Luncheon

with Michael and Alex

Addy, a few years back

If you look hard you can see Ruby too.

Kim posted this back in June

What a great idea,

a concert in the backyard.

Sorry I couldn't be there.

It's always a great day when the missionaries

come for dinner.

Wednesday, March 29, 2017

Frankfurt, Germany

41st operating temple

Enos 1:11-27

*What do we learn about Enos from his prayer for the Lamanites?

*As we experience the blessings of Christ's Atonement, we will seek to help others to receive salvation.  "A great indicator of one's personal conversion is the desire to share the gospel with others." - President Howard W. Hunter.

*What can we learn about prayer from Enos's example? (The Lord answers our prayers according to our faith and diligence.)

Alma 55

Moroni refuses to exchange prisoners - The Lamanite guards are enticed to become drunk, and the Nephite prisoners are freed - The city of Gid is taken without bloodshed. About 63-62 B.C.

DC 49:1-14

1-7, The day and hour of Christ's coming will remain unknown until He comes; 8-14, Men must repent, believe the gospel, and obey the commandments to gain salvation; 

*What did I learn from these verses?

- Prophets receive revelation for others, Christ is coming again, we must all repent and be baptized.

General Conference

God Shall Wipe Away All Tears 

Elder Evan A. Schmutz

"I have observed in the lives and examples of others that exercising strong and abiding faith in Jesus Christ and His promises provides the sure hope of better things to come.  This sure hope steadies us, bringing the strength and power we need in order to endure.  When we can link our suffering to an assurance of purpose in our mortality and more specifically to the reward awaiting us in heavenly places, our faith in Christ increases and we receive comfort to our souls."

James has to weld his backhoe bucket attachment.  It broke while digging the trench for Salvador's sewer line.  James's friend Bill actually helped James and welded it for him.  Here at home I polished the wood floor in the family/living room.  It looks beautiful until somebody walks on it.  

I had to take a picture of this because it is

proof that it snowed yesterday.

More proof of snow on the hill in the background.

I visit taught Claire today.  Mary said she would go with me but when I texted her she was in town at a teacher conference.  This is the second time she has done this.  I know she is very busy but I wish she wouldn't say she was going if she really can't.

Apache Junction, Arizona

After visiting with Claire, who by the way is moving next month, I drove in to town to get some groceries.  I stopped on the way to Walmart at Taco Bell and got a burrito supreme.  As I was eating it in the Walmart parking lot in my car, I heard a tap on my window.  I turned around and there were my Vernon friends LeeAnn and Alicia.  LeeAnn was one of my young women.  She was so excited because she got her driver's license today.  She turns 17 on April 6th so it was a little long in coming but I was excited for her.

Monument Valley

This evening while blogging I watched an older Garage Sale Mystery I hadn't seen.  My friend Pam messaged me on Facebook and told me she had had a mild heart attack and ask me to remember me in her prayers.  I didn't tell her but I pray for her everyday anyway.  I will be sure and put her name on the temple prayer roll too. 

 A bouquet of flowers Ruby brought me from the valley.

I got several texts from the stake Relief Society president regarding ideas for my talk. She told me of some talks that might help and I told her about Elder Bednar's "Patterns of Light" videos.

Fun Photos

2012 Beach trip.  Ruby is the baby.

When Ruby was here last week I was admiring her

freckles.  She told me about this plaque.

The rest of the pictures were taken at 

Sheraton Desert Oasis in Scottsdale.

These boys love to go there.

Max, Michael, Joshua, Evan

 They love the food at the grill by the pool.

Joshua prefers hamburgers

Michael enjoying nachos.

Daniel, Michael, Connor

Playing Tenzi's

Evan's drink was a little sour.

These guys all like to sleep in the same bed,

here they are watching TV.

The whirlpool in our bedroom.

2014

Ben hooked up the video system.

Handsome kid

Tuesday, March 28, 2017

Fortaleza, Brazil

to be completed in 2018


Happy 89th Birthday to my dear sweet aunt.

Aunt Gene is a social person.  She still plays bridge
every week and looks forward to visits from family and friends.

Jacob 7:21-Enos 1:10

*According to Jacob 7:23, how did Jacob's encounter with Sherem ultimately affect the multitude?
*What truths can we learn from the results of Jacob's encounter with Sherem? (1.All prophets testify of Jesus Christ 2.As we respond to questions or criticisms of our faith in ways that invite the Spirit, we can help others turn to the Lord. 3.Prophets help us recognize and overcome Satan's deceptions.
*Enos 1:1-10. What might a person mean by the phrase "my soul hungered"? (Feelings of spiritual emptiness, pain, or weakness or a desire to be filled spiritually.)
*How might the phrase "wrestle...before God" describe a person's effort to receive a remission of sins? (This wrestling indicates Enos's struggle to show Heavenly Father the sincerity of his desires and his willingness to repent by making necessary changes in his life?) Do you think wrestle is a good word to describe our efforts to repent?
*What lessons can we learn from Enos about the process of receiving forgiveness for our sins? (In addition to other truths your family may mention, be sure they understand this: As we exercise faith in Jesus Christ, our sins can be forgiven and we can be made whole.)
Alma 53-54
53 The Lamanite prisoners are used to fortify the city Bountiful - Dissensions among the Nephites give rise to Lamanite victories - Helaman takes command of the two thousand stripling sons of the people of Ammon. About 64-63 B.C.
54 Ammoron and Moroni negotiate for the exchange of prisoners - Moroni demands that the Lamanites withdraw and cease their murderous attacks - Ammoron demands that the Nephites lay down their arms and become subject to the Lamanites. About 63 B.C.
DC 46:27-48:6
47 John Whitmer is designated to keep the history of the Church and to write for the Prophet.
48:1-3, The Saints in Ohio are to share their lands with their brethren; 4-6, The Saints are to purchase lands, build a city, and follow the counsel of their presiding officers.
Has there been a time when you have gone through your journals and have found answers to your questions?
General Conference

Lest Thou Forget

Elder Ronald A. Rasband

"No matter what mistakes we have made or how imperfect we feel we are, we can always bless and lift others.  Reaching out to them in Christlike service can help us feel the love of God in our hearts.

Generations are affected by the choices we make.

Never forget, question or ignore personal, sacred spiritual experiences.  The Lord's desire is to enlighten and engage us in His work."

It snowed hard for five minutes this morning and then stopped and the sun came out.  A few minutes later it was snowing again.

We also had hail, rain and thunder. I saw four deer walking through the snow up the hill in front of our house.

It is what I call a powdered sugar snow.

James left for the valley this morning and was complaining that he couldn't talk.  My advice was to turn off the radio in his truck and talk to Heavenly Father why he needs his voice today.  Later when he was driving in to Apache Junction, he called me and his voice was perfectly fine.

I am looking forward to the hummingbirds

returning.

Today in my book "The Contrite Spirit" I read about becoming Savior's on Mount Zion to our families, both the living and the dead.  The title of this chapter was Savior's On Mount Zion: Restoring the Generations. Here are a few things I underlined. 

*"If you want a happier family, create, refine and retell the story of your family's positive moments and your ability to bounce back from the difficult ones.  That act alone may increase the odds that your family will thrive for many generations to come." 

*"All of us stand as links in a great family chain, holding the hands of ancestors on one side and descendants on the other."

*Allen Bergin, a BYU psychologist did research a few years ago on the place of religious values in psychotherapy. Bergin developed the concept of the "transitional figure" to describe someone recovering from childhood trauma who is able to change the pattern in his or her family history.  Such persons use their personal link in the family's intergenerational chain to transform, rather than to pass along, the current of harm.  Instead of seeking retribution, one learns to absorb the pain, to be forgiving, to try to reconcile with forebears, and then become a generator of positive change in the next generation."

* "Those who develop the needed capacity and strength - aided by the Lord's strengthening blessings - can halt the intergenerational flow of affliction." 

* "Christ took upon Himself undeserved affliction, heaped upon Him by people who might have said they loved Him.  And in the ultimate exchange of sweet for bitter, He assumed the bitter, then offered healing even to those who had unleashed the pain He absorbed.  He repaired the breach that separates us from Him and from His Father, not just by stopping the onrolling forces of darkness but by exchanging darkness for light, good for evil - and passing onward a repeatable pattern of goodness.  For us to act in some similar way, to the extent of our limited capacity is to be a Christ figure in our own family chain.  We become a transitional point in the war between good and evil, stopping the current of evil by absorbing and even transforming it, thereby protecting the innocence and emotional and spiritual health of the next generation."

This is all so very interesting to me because I have tried to be a transitional person in my own family.  My family was not active in the Church and my parents had never been to the temple.  My dad used the Lord's name in vain and it made me cringe.  I would go to church by myself and see all the families sitting together while as a teenager, I sat by myself.  I said to myself, "Someday when I have a family, we will all go to church and sit together."  I married a worthy priesthood holder in the temple and we raised our children in the gospel.  Our sons went on missions and all of our children were married in the temple.  The gospel and my family mean everything to me.  My desire is to pass on the gospel legacy to my grandchildren.  Right now many of them are struggling and it breaks my heart.  Through faith, fasting and prayer, and setting a good example I pray that we can bring them back.

 I sure do miss this little munchkin.

Today I cleaned the wood floor in preparation for polishing it tomorrow.  I also paid bills, and did four days worth of blogging.

I watched an episode of "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" and "When Calls the Heart."  

Before going to bed James and I texted each other.

Fun Photos

Molly and Emmy enjoying the ocean.

The tooth fairy is generous.

Trina after a Razr ride.

Lola in her kitchen.

Last year at Sea World.

Dale the Quail comes to the dentist.

I love this picture of the Savior.