Sunday, July 2nd, 2017

Sapporo, Japan

151st operating temple

Dedicated: 21 Aug 2016 by

Russell M. Nelson

Alma 26:1-16

*How is it a blessing to be an instrument in the hands of God?

DC 96:1-9

1, The Kirtland Stake of Zion is to be made strong; 2-5, The bishop is to divide the inheritances for the Saints; 6-9, John Johnson is to be a member of the united order.

How can we make our home (stake) strong?

*As I read these scriptures I saw such words as Order, Prayer, wisdom, and keep my commandments...

We have an obligation to "bring forth my word" (vs-4,5) for the purpose of subduing the hearts of the children of men for your good." Good homes produce good people, who in turn produce good works and bless the Church and its members. 

Doing things that invite the Spirit will help us do the most important work of all. We also must assist the Lord in bringing forth His word. (8)

General Conference

The Beauty of Holiness

Carol F. McConkie

"Our Father in Heaven knows us. He loves us, and He has provided for us all that is required so that we can become holy as He is holy. Our hope for holiness is centered in Christ, in His mercy and His grace. With faith in Jesus Christ and His Atonement, we may become clean, without spot, when we deny ourselves of ungodliness and sincerely repent. We are baptized by water for the remission of sins. Our souls are sanctified when we receive the Holy Ghost with open hearts. Weekly, we partake of the ordinance of the sacrament. In a spirit of repentance, wit sincere desires for righteousness, we covenant that we are willing to take upon us the name of Christ, remember Him, and keep His commandments so that we may always have His Spirit to be with us.

Over time, as we continually strive to become one with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, we become partakers of Their divine nature. Most often it is the sacrifices we make to keep our covenants that sanctify us and make us holy."

We thought maybe we had a bat because we had seen evidence upstairs. James found him laying on the family room floor this morning and took him outside. Emmy and Molly thought he was so cool and Emmy took this picture.

It creeps me out to think that this critter was flying around my house. Later today Kacey mentioned that she thought a bird

was flying around in their room last night. I told her I didn't think it was a bird but I didn't think it would bother her tonight.

Today was our fast and testimony meeting. James and I are fasting for rain. I bore my testimony and bore my testimony of modern-day apostles and prophets. I also mentioned adding studying about the Savior's life to my scripture study because of President Nelson's talk. I enjoyed Bishop Millers, Brother Price's, and Brother Westbrook's testimonies. We had so many guests today that sacrament meeting was filled to the back of the second overflow.  

I had fifteen kids in my tiny Primary classroom. Sister Kuffer asked me to teach her class and there were lots of visitors.

Ashten and Kacey ducking their heads.

Couldn't get them all in one picture.

Molly made a friend in Primary today. He was a visitor and is four years old.

I can't remember his name, but 

I bet Molly does.

Back at home we fixed breakfast for lunch. James helped me by cooking the eggs.  It was quite delicious. I even had some cinnamon rolls for everyone.

Family time around the dining room table.

After lunch I took a nap. After my nap I got a call from Nadine Singleton. Two of her grandchildren who were visitors in my class today finished their homework papers and earned fidget spinners. Caden took the fast camoflage one and his sister Raylynn took my personal favorite, the purple. 

For dinner this evening we had burgers, steaks, beans, and corn-on-the cob.  Afterwards Jared and Kacey took their kids to Greenspeak. Some rode in the van and others rode on the Razr.

 Guess where these five rode.

Such a cute face!

We had FHE and scriptures together this evening. James told the story of how he was saved from the fire as a baby. 

I made popcorn and M&M's.

Emmy, Kacey, and Jared played Life. Molly watched The Incredibles. Earlier in the day Anna and Summer watched "The Help."  It was a good day.

Photos:

Christina and her baby Winter.

Winter was blessed today.

Cute little family.

I remember those days.

Congratulations!

Saturday, July 1st, 2017

Sao Paulo, Brazil

17th operating temple

Dedicated: 30 Oct - 2 Nov 1978 by

Spencer W. Kimball

Rededicated: 22 Feb 2004 by

Gordon B. Hinckley

Alma 25:1-17

*How were Abinadi's prophecies fulfilled?

The Lord sends His prophets to serve as His messengers and make His will known. Slometimes they predict future events. Alma 25 is the fulfillment of Abinadi's prophecy from Mosiah 17:14-19.

*What has our prophet counseled us to do today?

DC 95:1-17

1-6, The Saints are chastened for their failure to build the house of the Lord; 7-10, The Lord desires to use His house to endow His people with power from on high; 11-17, The house is to be dedicated as a place of worship and for the school of the Apostles.

Which verse stood out to me?

*1 Verily, thus saith the Lord unto you whom I love, and whom I love I also chasten that their sins may be forgiven, for with the chastisement I prepare a way for their deliverance in all things out of temptation, and I have loved you-

8 Yea, verily I say unto you, I gave unto you a commandment that you should build a house, in the which house I design to endow those whom I have chosen with power from on high;

11 Verily I say unto you, it is my will that you should build a house. If you keep my commandments you shall have power to build it.

13 Now here is wisdom, and the mind of the Lord - let the house be built, not after the manner of the world, for I give not unto you that ye shall live after the manner of the world;

14 Therefore, let it be built after the manner which I shall show unto three of you, whom ye shall appoint and ordain unto this power.

General Conference

Trust in the Lord and Lean Not

Bonnie H. Cordon

" We must each ask: How do I keep centered and lean not unto mine own understanding? How do I recognize and follow the Savior's voice when the voices of the world are so compelling?

How do I cultivate trust in the Savior: May I suggest three ways to increase our knowledge of and trust in the Savior?

First, we can come to know the Lord and trust Him as we 'feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do. Scriptures enlighten our minds, nourish our spirits, answer our questions, increase our trust in the Lord, and help us center our lives on Him.

Second, we can come to know the Lord and trust Him through prayer. As we make a habit of approaching Heavenly Father in prayer, we will come to know the Savior. We will come to trust Him. Our desires will become more like His. We will be able to secure for ourselves and for others blessings that Heavenly Father is ready to give if we will but ask in faith.

Third, we can come to know the Lord and trust Him as we sacrifice to serve others."

James and I made an early morning trip to town. Kim and Brian were still in bed so I left them a note. It was James's errand but I took advantage of it. I bought a mattress topper for the bed in James's office. I bought ping pong balls and paddles, and various and other sundry items. We stopped at Jack-in-the Box for breakfast and I had one of their yummy supreme croissants.  

Happy 14th Birthday Max!

This is one amazing kid. He seems tough on the outside but

on the inside he is a marshmallow.

Max absolutely loves Michael!

They are buddies, even if Michael did

knock his tooth out on the trampoline.

Such a handsome boy, and so talented!

His brothers and his cousins are his

best friends.

Such a smart boy, even at this age!

I love you Max!

We had smoke from the San Carlos Hilltop fire today. It got so bad that it was difficult to go outside. It kept Kim and Brian from going for a walk and a Razr ride. They even talked about going home. That's how bad it was. 

James went to Kyra's funeral in St. Johns. This is a picture of Kyra's dad Curtis, and his finance Joie. They are pretty amazing people. More to come about them at a later date.

Curtis is Uncle Delbert's youngest son.

Uncle Delbert was a prisoner of war in

World War II. He wrote a book about it.

He is 94 years old and he and Uncle Kay are the

only two of James's dad's siblings that are

still alive. He lives in St. Johns.

Kyra's kids and one of two of the

children that Joie and Curtis adopted.

I stayed home from the funeral to finish cleaning upstairs. Jared and Kacey and their kids will be arriving tonight. There were so many dead bugs in the bathtubs!  It was a chore, but I finished. The upstairs is ready for company.

Brian cooked me a cheeseburger for lunch. Thanks Brian.  I am so tired. When James got home he, Kim and I played a game of Five Crowns.

Jared, Kacey and the kids arrived around 9:30 after spending 15.5 hours in the car.  They were exhausted and went straight to bed.

Random Photos:

Molly met Kacey's friend Gloria and they were

instantly best friends!

Upper Black River

I love the diversity of scenery in Arizona!

Friday, June 30th, 2017

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

99th operating temple

Dedicated: 17 Sept 2000 by

Gordon B. Hinckley

Alma 24:19-30
*How does this account influence your desire to keep your covenants?
*What can we do to strengthen our desire and ability to keep the covenants we have made with the Lord?
DC 94:1-17
1-9, The Lord gives a commandment relative to the erection of a house for the work of the Presidency; 10-12, A printing house is to be built; 13-17, Certain inheritances are assigned.
What are church buildings dedicated from the foundation?
General Conference

Foundations of Faith

Elder Quentin L. Cook

"We concluded that my brothers decision on whether to serve a mission depended on 3 issues: (1.) Was Jesus Christ divine?

(2.) Was the Book of Mormon true? (3.) Was Joseph Smith the prophet of the Restoration?

I came to understand that almost every decision I would make for the rest of my life would be based on the answers to those three questions."

I did some early morning blogging along with my gospel study. James had an appointment with Dr. Moffat at 8:30 and I went with him and did my shopping at Walmart.  I bought food for Jared and Kacey's family because they are arriving late Saturday night and don't want to shop on Sunday.  After our shopping we got tacos at Aliberto's. There are two Aliberto's in Show Low. We got out tacos on the one by the old Porter House. They guy there says his brother runs the other Aliberto's out by Walmart.

Back at home after putting the groceries away James and I sat down to watch a movie on the Hallmark Movies and Mysteries channel. We watched the one about Emma Fielding which turns out to be a murder mystery.

This afternoon we put the king sized bed in my office and the one in my office went into James's office.  

I worked upstairs cleaning my office and James's and the common area until about 7:30. Kim and Brian texted me when they got to Show Low and I ran in and took a shower before they got here.

Kim and Brian were delayed by the fire near Payson. I have a friend who tried to come up the Payson way later and had to turn around and go back because it was bumper to bumper traffic. 

We watched one of Hallmark's new June movies "My Favorite Wedding," starring Paul Green and Maggie Lawson.  We all agreed that it was a good one.

Random Photos:

Happy Anniversary!

Paul posted this on Facebook.

Bryce Canyon

One of my favorite "I Love Lucy"

episodes!

'Kenzi and Colter

Colter is in my Primary class.

Painting by Hayden Lambson

Thursday, June 29th, 2017

Santiago, Chile

24th operating temple

Dedicated: 24 Aug-8 Sept.1983 by

Gordon B. Hinckley

Rededicated: 12 March 2006 by

Gordon B. Hinckley

3 Nephi 20

Jesus provides bread and wine miraculously and again administers the sacrament unto the people; The remnant of Jacob will come to the knowledge of the Lord their God and will inherit the Americas; Jesus is the prophet like unto Moses, and the Nephites are children of the propehts; Others of the Lord's people will be gathered to Jerusalem. About A.D. 34.

Alma 24:7-18

*What are you willing to "bury" to repent and follow the savior and keep your testimony "bright"?

DC 93:44-53

41-53, The leading brethren are commanded to set their families in order.

How has prayer helped me in my life? (See Elder Grow's quote below.)

General Conference

And This Is Life Eternal

Elder C. Scott Grow

" When you pray with faith, you will feel God's love as His Spirit speaks to your soul. No matter how alone or uncertain you may feel at times, you are not alone in this world. God knows you, personally. As you pray, you will come to know Him."

That Our Light May Be a Standard for the Nations

Elder Benjamin De Hoyos

" The continual holding of general conference is one of the greatest testimonies to the fact that we as Latter-day Saints 'believe all that God has revealed, all that He does now reveal, and we believe that He will yet reveal many great and important things pertaining to the Kingdom of God.' (AofF9).

I testify that by learning 'line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little' and by hearkening to our leaders' counsel, we will have oil for our lamps that will enable us to give light unto others as the Lord commanded us."

I had an appointment with Hailey C. today for visiting teaching. She cancelled because Huntleigh was sick and she was taking her to the doctor. I prayed and asked Heavenly Father what I could do for her and the thought came, "make her cookies."  I ask if I could meet her at the Dollar General and bring her a treat. She said yes. I made two dozen chocolate chip cookies for her and met her in the parking lot with the cookies and a quote from the lesson about the priesthood.  I hoped I could say hi to Taylor and Braylin but they are in California on a vacation with grandma Virginia. They went to Harry Potter World, the aquarium, and the beach. Sounds like fun.

We picked up a bed frame for our kingsized be at Denver Mattress today. It even fit in my car! Now we just need to go home and put the bed, bed frame, box springs, and headboard all together.

La Casita re-opened!  We had dinner there. James got a green chili burro enchilada style. I got a chicken enchilada with red sauce and a beef taco. I hate to say it La Casita but I like Aliberto's tacos better.

When I get back home I know I should be cleaning somewhere but I am just too tired. I work on my blog instead.

Random Photos:

Goodbye El Paso. 

Today was Jared's last day at this practice.

Alex and his friend Carter are off to Europe.

Trina and her mom were taking the kids to

Fossil Springs when Trina blew a tire. These

guys came to the rescue. Addy said they got to

spend $10 at Walmart instead of Fossil Springs

thanks to Grandma Suzie.

Patrick and Heather have an open adoption with all of their kids.

This is Bailey and her birth mother.

Lola helping Max count his soldiers at

Peter Piper Pizza last week.

A few years back we took these kids to the

Go-Karts in Lakeside. Addy was upset because

Grandpa and Rowan's car was the fastest.

She got stuck with slow grandma.

Wednesday, June 28th, 2017

San Salvador, El Salvador

135th operating temple

Dedicated: 21 August 2011 by

Henry B. Eyring

3 Nephi 19

The twelve disciples minister unto the people and pray for the Holy Ghost; The disciples are baptized and receive the Holy Ghost and the ministering of angels; Jesus prays using words that cannot be written; He attests to the exceedingly great faith of these Nephites.

Alma 23:8-24:6

*How was the people's desire for a new name evidence that they had changed?

*How might those who are converted today be distinguished from others?

*According to Alma 23:18, the converted Lamanites began to be industrious and to be friendly with the Nephites. When a person is trying to repent or change his or her life, how might it be helpful for him or her to associate with other people who are converted?

*Conversion means changing and becoming a new person through the power of God.

DC 93:33-43

33-35, The elements are eternal, and man may receive a fulness of joy in the Resurrection; 36-37, The glory of God is intelligence; 38-40, Children are innocent before God because of the redemption of Christ; 

How can we defeat Satan when he tries to take away light and truth?

*Through obedience and righteous traditions establish in the home.

General Conference

How Does the Holy Ghost Help You?

Elder Gary E. Stevenson

" The Holy Ghost comforts. 'I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.' John 14:16."

Pam G. and I went to lunch at Persnikkity's today. I picked her up and paid for her for her birthday which I missed in May.  As we were sitting at our table waiting for our food she asked me if I knew C. Lambson. When I said yes, he was James's cousin, she proceeded to tell me that the police had found his daughter Kyra's boday behind the Burger King in Pinetop. She had been stabbed to death. I was shocked. I knew she was missing on Monday evening but I had not heard anything since then. Such a tragedy! She was 32 years old, a single mom with five children.

Happier times

Kyra's ex-husband, Christopher is a suspect

in this case.

It was hard for me to think of anything else except Kyra's family for the rest of the day. 

I had my Primary girls, Liana, Gracie, and Bailey over this afternoon to watch "Beauty and the Beast." Afterwards I took them to Liana's mother at the Vernon City Park on the Razr.  It was a nice diversion for this afternoon.

Smoke from the Goodwin fire near Prescott is now floating in to Navajo and Apache county.  The fire has burned 25,000 acres.

Downtown Mayer near Prescott

James had said earlier he did not want to go in to town today to get the headboard we ordered from Walmart. I changed in to my comfy clothes and was just starting to work on my blog when he came in and announced: "I am going to town. Will you go with me"?  I was a little frustrated but I said I would go.  It was a bad idea. I hate riding in his dirty, bouncy truck that has no brakes.  He went to pick up the headboard and my thyroid prescription. He also made a stop at Home Depot. The only good part of the trips was the tacos we got at Aliberto's.

I slept on the couch tonight. He says he came and slept by me and gave me a kiss.  When I woke up he wasn't there and I don't remember him coming in.

Random Photos:

Jared packing up and moving from El Paso to 

San Antonio. The bottom fell out of the first box.

Kacey said he had two cast iron skillets packed in

it and that might have been the reason.

I love Arizona waterfalls

Interesting. I need to remember this the next

time I have a cough.

I think I am going to like these 

Supreme Court judges.

Tuesday, June 27th, 2017

San Jose, Costa Rica

87th operating temple

Dedicated: 4 June 2000 by

James E. Faust

3 Nephi 18

Jesus institutes the sacrament among the Nephites; They are commanded to pray always in His name; Those who eat His flesh and drink His blood unworthily are damned; The disciples are given power to confer the Holy Ghost.

Alma 22:27-23:7

Thousands of Lamanites are converted to the Lord.

*After the king of the Lamanites was converted, he sent a proclamation among the people declaring that they should allow Aaron and his brethren to preach the word of God throughout the land without obstruction and without being harmed. This proclamation made it possible for the missionaries to establish churches among the Lamanites. As a result, thousands of Lamanites were converted.

*Read Alma 23:6 and identify phrases that describe the Lamanites who believed the preaching of Ammon and his brethren. These Lamanites were "converted unto the Lord" not to the Church or to the missionaries who taught them. Their conversion was so powerful that they never did fall away.

*When we face difficult circumstances and adversity, why is it important that we be converted to the Lord rather than to other people or ideas?

DC 93:19-32

19-20, Faithful men, going from grace to grace, will also receive of His fulness; 21-22, Those who are begotten through Christ are the Church of the Firstborn; 23-28, Christ received a fulness of all truth, and man by obedience may do likewise; 29-32, Man was in the beginning with God;

In what ways do I worship the Lord?

*I reverence God's fulness of truth and grace. I desire to be like God by keeping His commandments. Elder Bruce R. McConkie:

" It is to walk in His paths, to be baptized as Christ was, to preach that gospel of the kingdom which fell from His lips, and to heal the sick and raise the dead as He did. 

"To worship the Lord is to put first in our lives the things of His kingdom, to live by every word that proceedeth forth from the mouth of God, to center our whole hearts upon Christ and that salvation which comes because of Him.

General Conference

Then Jesus Beholding Him Loved Him

Elder S. Mark Palmer

"Because I love you, I care about who you become. So I invite you to change those things that are hard for you and become who the Lord wants you to be. I pray fr the gift of charity and that I can see each missionary (person),  as the Lord sees them."

I polished the wood floor in the living/family room this morning before my visiting teacher, Kaeli and her two kids got here.

Kaeli reads President Monson's message from General Conference regarding the Book of Mormon.  As she is reading I get the impression that this is what I sould share with Jared's kids when they are here.  Kaeli also said a prayer which was very sweet regarding my family that are coming.

Guy, Kaeli, Natalie

I love having Kaeli as my visiting teacher

After Kaeli left I fixed tuna sandwiches for lunch. I also had chips and milk.  We read several chapters from "The Lost Heiress."  I took a nap and worked on my blog.  I didn't do any more cleaning today.  I finally heard from Hailey regarding visiting teaching.  She said I could come for a visit on Thursday morning.  I am having lunch with Pam tomorrow.  

For dinner I fixed Omaha pork chops, fries, tarts, and broccoli. James is exhausted. He broke a hose, so he has no working Cat. 

We finished reading "The Lost Heiress" and I worked on my Primary journal, recording lesson five.

Random Photos

Dalmation horses!

Somewhere in Arizona

Love this picture of Elder Holland

I don't know who the other man is.

A beautiful Vernon sunset