OUR FAMILY

Tuesday, April 4, 2017

Sunday, April 2, 2017

Gila Valley, Arizona

132nd operating temple

Words of Mormon

* This book serves as a bridge between the small plates of Nephi and Mormon's abridgment of the large plates of Nephi.

* In this book, which Mormon wrote almost 400 years after the birth of Jesus Christ, Mormon explained that he sought direction from God and was guided by the Holy Spirit about what to include in his record.

* 130 B.C. Amaleki gives the records to King Benjamin. King Benjamin's record begins in the book of Mosiah.

* Words of Mormon helps us understand that the Book of Mormon was compiled from many records. It also shows that revelation guided this process.

* Why did Mormon include the small plates with his abridgment of the large plates? (vs. 7)

* The Lord knows all things and He can work through us to accomplish His will.

* Can you think of a promoting you have received, how you acted upon that prompting, and what happened as a result?

* What are some teachings in 1 Nephi through Omni that you are grateful to have?

Alma 60

Moroni complains to Pahoran of the government's neglect of the armies - The Lord suffers the righteous to be slain - The Nephites must use all of their power and means to deliver themselves from their enemies - Moroni threatens to fight against the government unless help is supplied to his armies. About 62 B.C.

DC 50:26-39

The faithful are possessors of all things; The prayers of the purified are answered;

* How can man become "possessor of all things?"

- By doing what it takes to receive an inheritance in the Celestial Kingdom.

General Conference

The Beauty of Holiness

Carol F. McConkie

"Our Father in Heaven has provided for us all that is required so that we can become holy as He is holy."

187th Annual General Conference

Sunday Morning Session

23. The Power of the Book of Mormon by President Thomas S. Monson

Five new temples: 1. Brazilia, Brazil; 2. Manila, Philippines;

3. Nairobi, Kenya; 4. Pocatello, Idaho; 5. Saragosa Springs, Utah.

"I implore each of us to prayerfully study and ponder the

Book of Mormon each day."

24. A Sin-Resistant Generation by Joy D. Jones

"As you teach, lead, and love children, you can receive personal

revelation that will aid you in creating and arming

valiant, sin-resistant children."

25. Don't Look Around, Look Up! by Elder Yoon Hwan Choi

"Inviting others to come unto Christ is our purpose,

and we can fulfill this purpose by looking up to Jesus Christ."

26. Let the Holy Spirit Guide by Elder Ronald A. Rasband

"By divine assignment, the Holy Ghost inspires,

testifies, teaches, and prompts us to walk in

the light of the Lord."

New Relief Society Presidency

Sister Bingham, the president was a counselor in the

Primary and had to be released from that calling.

She was there only a year.

1st Counselor: Sister Eubank

2nd Counselor: Sister Aburto

27. Whatsoever He Saith unto You, Do It by Elder L. Whitney Clayton

"When we decide to do 'whatsoever God saith unto' us,

we earnestly commit to align our everyday behavior

with God's will."

28. The Godhead and the Plan of Salvation by Elder Dallin H. Oaks

"Because we have the truth about the Godhead and our

relationship to Them, we have the ultimate road map for our

journey through mortality."

29. Perfect Love Casteth Out Fear by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

"Let us set aside our fears and live instead with joy,

humility, hope, and a bold confidence that the Lord is with us."

The Watch Tower

187th Annual General Conference

Sunday Afternoon Session

30. The Voice of Warning by Elder D. Todd Christofferson

"While the duty to warn is felt especially keenly by prophets,

it is a duty shared by others as well."

31. To the Friends and Investigators of the Church by Elder Joaquin E. Costa

"If you pay the price of revelation, humble yourself, read, pray,

and repent, the heavens will open and you will know that

Jesus is the Christ."

32. The Jesus Beholding Him Loved Him by Elder S. Mark Palmer

"Anytime you feel you are being asked to do something hard,

think of the Lord beholding you, loving you,

and inviting you to follow Him."

33. How Does the Holy Ghost Help You? by Elder Gary E. Stevenson

"The Holy Ghost warns, the Holy Ghost comforts, and

the Holy Ghost testifies."

34. And This Is Life Eternal by Elder C. Scott Grow

"God know you and invites you to know Him."

35. That OUr Light May Be a Standard for the Nations by Elder Benjamin De Hoyos

"The Savior's gospel and His restored Church give us many opportunities for our light to be a part of the great

standard for the nations."

36. Foundations of Faith by Elder Quentin L. Cook

"My plea is that we will make the sacrifices and have the

humility necessary to strengthen the foundations of our

faith in the Lord Jesus Christ."

The Watchmen on the Tower.

We had a gorgeous sunset this evening. James wanted to use the big camera but I said I thought my phone could get some good photos:

Not bad for phone photos

Since James is going to be gone all week we watched the new episode of "When Calls the Heart" tonight.

I love this show.

Elizabeth Thatcher, played by Erin Krakow, is the school teacher. She told her students:

"Bad things happen when good people

do nothing."
This show always has a good message.

Saturday, April 1, 2017

Fukuoka, Japan

88th operating temple

Omni 1:12-30

* 1:12-13 The Lord provides guidance for the righteous.

* 1:27-30 The second group of people who went to the land of Nephi are the people of Zeniff.

* 1:25-26 Question #1. What does it mean to you to come unto Christ?

Question #2. According to verse 26 how will we be blessed for doing these things? (If we come unto Christ and endure to the end, we will be saved.)

Alma 59

Moroni asks Pahoran to strengthen the forces of Helaman - The Lamanites take the city of Nephihah - Moroni is angry with the government. About 62 B.C.

DC 50:13-25

Elders are to preach the gospel by the Spirit; Both preachers and hearers need to be enlightened by the Spirit; That which doth not edify is not of God;

* How has the Lord made your weaknesses strengths?

- It is an ongoing process as I learn to recognize my weaknesses, have a desire to overcome them, and submit to His will for me.

General Conference, April 2017

Trust in the Lord and Lean Not

Bonnie H. Cardon

"We can center our lives on the Savior by coming to know Him,

and He will direct our paths."

"Here am I, send me"

More of my gospel study today: John 13:34-35 Love one Another, "The Contrite Spirit" - The United Order, The Temple, and Consecration, DCSM, 399, The Last Days - Two Great Categories of Signs.

I got a text from Kacey this morning with the following pictures:

I am grateful for grandchildren willing to serve.

A good looking group

Summer and Emmy look like they are sisters.

Working hard!

I like Tanner's boots

Molly, is that a weed or a plant?

Cute smiles and cute girls

I can't even tell you how happy these pictures made me. I thought it was Kacey's idea but she said it was all Jared. Thank you Jared, this was a great idea!

187th Annual General Conference

Saturday morning session

5. Gathering the Family of God by President Henry B. Eyring

"God the Father wants His children home again, in families and in glory."

6. His Daily Guiding Hand by M.Joseph Brough

"Heavenly Father knows what you and I need better than anyone else."

7. Our Father's Glorious Plan by Elder Weatherford T. Clayton

"Because of God's holy plan, we know that birth and death

are actually just milestones on our journey to

eternal life with our Heavenly Father."

8. Our Good Shepherd by Elder Dale G. Renlund

"Jesus Christ, our Good Shepherd, finds joy in seeing His

diseased sheep progress toward healing."

9. Confide in God Unwaveringly by Elder Ulisses Soares

"If we are steadfast and do not waver in our faith,

the Lord will increase our capacity to raise ourselves

above the challenges of life."

10. Brighter and Brighter until the Perfect Day by Elder Mark A. Bragg

"Even in the most difficult and darkest of times,

there is light and goodness all around us."

11. Drawing the Power of Jesus Christ into Our Lives by President Russell M. Nelson

"The gospel of Jesus Christ is filled with His power, which is available to every earnestly seeking daughter or son of God."

President Monson leaving the morning session with
his daughter Ann.

Saturday Afternoon Session

12. Becoming a Disciple of Our Lord Jesus Christ by Elder Robert D. Hales

"The constellation of characteristics that result from

faith in Christ are all necessary to our standing strong

in these last days."

13. Songs Sung and Unsung by Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

"I plead with each one of us to stay permanently and

faithfully in the choir."

14. Stay Up Inside and Be All In by Elder Gary B. Sabin

"May we recalculate our route if need be and look forward

with great hope and faith. May we

"stand up inside" by being valiant and "all in."

15. The Language of the Gospel by Elder Valeri V. Cordon

"Powerful teaching is extremely important to

preserve the gospel in our families, and it requires

diligent effort."

16. Overcoming the World by Elder Neil L. Andersen

"Overcoming the world is not one defining moment

in a lifetime, but a lifetime of moments

that define an eternity."

17. Return and Receive by Elder M. Russell Ballard

"To return to God's presence and to receive the eternal

blessings that come from making and keeping covenants

are the most important goals we can set."

Guess Who Came to Dinner and the

Priesthood Session?

These two!

Priesthood Session

18. Kindness, Charity, and Love by President Thomas S. Monson

"Let us examine our lives and determine to follow the

Savior's example by being kind, loving, and charitable."

19. Called to the Work by Elder David A. Bednar

"An assignment to labor in a specific place is essential and

important but secondary to a call to the work."

20. The Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthood by Bishop Gerald Causse

"The Aaronic and Melchizedek Priesthood work together

as demonstrated by John the Baptist and Jesus Christ.

We need to teach youth to magnify their priesthood."

21. The Greatest Among You by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

"God's greatest reward goes to those who serve without

expectation of reward."

22. "Walk With Me" by President Henry B. Eyring

"Our ordination to the priesthood is an invitation

from the Lord to walk with Him, to do what He does,

to serve the way He serves."

Monday, April 3, 2017

Friday, March 31, 2017

Fresno, California
78th operating temple

Bettylea Maxwell
Sept. 13, 1930 - March 31, 1999

Today is the 18th anniversary of my mother's death. When she died she was 68 years old, the same age as I am now. I still miss her. Up until my marriage, she was the most important person in my life. She was kind, non-judgmental, and she loved country music. Her favorites were Marty Robbins, Charlie Pride, and Vince Gill. She was a great Pepsi lover until her grandson Brian went to work delivering for Coca-Cola at which time she drank coke to support him. She always returned the shopping cart to it's proper place. She was very thoughtful and caring. I want to be like her. I love you Mom.

Omni 1:1-11

Why is it important to keep family records and journals?

Alma 58

Helaman, Gid, and Teomner take the city of Manti by a strtagem - The Lamanites withdraw - The sons of the people of Ammon are preserved as they stand fast in defense of their liberty and faith.

DC 50:1-12

"That which doth not edify is not of God."

1-5, Many false spirits are abroad in the earth; 6-9, Wo unto the hypocrites and those who are cut off from the Church; 10-14, Elders are to preach the gospel by the Spirit;

How can we remain humble so that when we ask of God, we are prepared to receive His help?

General Conference

Repentance:A Joyful Choice

Elder Dale G. Renlund

"Even as we feel godly sorrow for our actions, when we choose to repent, we immediately invite the Savior into our lives."

I usually get up before sunrise. When it starts becoming light outside I open the blinds. Imagine my surprise when I opened the window and it was a winter wonderland outside. It snowed off and on for a few hours and accumulated 2 inches of snow. By afternoon, the snow was all gone. So weird.

It might be my last chance this year to

take pictures of snow.

James made the bed this morning. It was a

sweet gesture and he did a great job,

except for the pillows.

This afternoon James and I went in to town. He needed to get his truck lubed and I needed to get some things for our dinner tomorrow night. The Giles's are coming over for the priesthood session of conference tomorrow and then afterwards we are having dinner. While we were waiting for James's truck we sat in McDonald's and read from our book. I also had an ice cream. I just can't seem to resist.

I made shredded beef tacos for dinner. They were good, but James liked the beef better in a sandwich with mustard and pickles.

After dinner we watched the last two episodes of "When Calls The Heart." When Elizabeth sang "O Danny Boy" it really got to James. He loves that song. It really was beautiful.

Fun Photos

Fossil Creek with:

Darrel, Trina, Lexy, Bryce, Lacey, Westley.

Sheri looks so sweet and I was proud of her

for being brave enough to stand under that goat.

James and his bear.

Vernon, June, 2014

A day at the beach.

James, working on his tan.

Anna working on her tan.

I am not sure what Emmy is doing.

Molly and Emmy at an Angel's game.

Emmy, James, Anna, Molly

I wonder if James forgot his sunglasses.

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: