Thursday, August 10th, 2017

Oakland, California

13th operating temple

Dedicated: 17-19 Nov 1964

By: David O. McKay

(Scheduled for renovation Feb 2018)

Alma 48:1-8

What can we learn from Moroni's character?

*Trust in the Lord and live up to our divine potential. Pray as if every thing depended on the Lord. Work as if everything depended on you.

DC 110:1-16

What powerful keys were restored on the earth April 3, 1836?

* Moses restored the keys to gather Israel, (11). Elias (Noah) restored the keys of the dispensation in which Abraham lived, (12). These blessings include eternal marriage vows with promises of eternal posterity and family relationships through the patriarchal order of the priesthood. Elijah restored the keys of the sealing power, (13-16).

General Conference

Becoming a Disciple of Our Lord Jesus Christ

Elder Robert D. Hales

" Peter exhorts us to add, 'to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience.' As temperate disciples, we live the gospel in a balanced and steady way. We do not 'run faster than we have strength.' Day by day we move forward, undeterred by the refining challenges of mortality. Being temperate in this way, we develop patience and trust in the Lord. We are able to rely on His design for our lives, even though we cannot see it with our own natural eyes. Therefore, we can 'be still and know that He is God.' When faced with the storms of tribulation, we ask, 'What wouldst Thou have me learn from this experience? With His plan and purposes in our hearts, we move forward not only enduring all things but also enduring them patiently and well."

Happy 11th Birthday Rowan!

This boy is the bomb!

He is kind, thoughtful, a good student, a deep-

thinker, and a great friend. I love him!

Happy Birthday last year!

James went to Susan Jacobson's this morning to work. He called me and said to stay inside because there was a manhunt going on outside. I could hear the helicopter circling for over an hour and then everyone was quiet. I guess they caught the guy.

Susan is getting married this Saturday and she gave James and I an invitation to her reception. She is very happy. James worked a couple of hours and brought home a $100 check. He tried to take Lexy to Sears for an oil change but they were too busy. He made an appointment for tomorrow at nine.

I rode to Mesa with James to check on more work at the McKellips medical building. Afterwards we went to Deseret Book. I got Sheri Dew's book, "Worth the Wrestle" for Laura's birthday and also bought three new books for James and I to read. 

At one o'clock James dropped me off at Chandler Eyecare so I could go to lunch with Sheri. He had an appointment with Dr. Memon at Pecos and Dobson at 1:30. Dr. Memon is his heart doctor. Sheri and I went to Cafe Rio for lunch. I had the spicy green chile pork burrito. Sheri had a salad and she paid for mine. Thanks Sheri!  We had a short, but nice visit. She dropped me off at Dr. Memon's to wait for James because she was in a hurry to get back to work. James came out a few minutes after I arrived. He was very excited. Dr. Memon says there have been a few holdups on his building project but he definitely wants James to be the general contractor. How exciting! We can probably make enough on this job to pay off our business loan. The project will be on the north east corner of Pecos and Cooper. We hope it starts soon! I reminded James of Elder Soare's talk on faith and how the Lord will take care of those who honor Him. 

We had a short time back at Cathi's before picking up the boys for Rowan and Joshua's birthday date. We waited for Max to get out of school and picked up him and Evan and Joshua at Sheri's around 4:30 and then drove out to pick up Rowan. We went to the Chandler Mall but for the first time ever the boys did not want to go to the Lego store.  Rowan got a DS and a game for his birthday and wanted to go to GameStop to get a chip to increase his memory. It cost $5. The boys also went to Barnes and Noble and then we went to the food court to get some dinner.

Evan and Max had to get pizza because Subway's 

computers were down.

Rowan's 10th birthday.

Not sure where Max was.

During dinner the boys decided they wanted to go to Toys R Us so we drove to 54th street and Ray. The boys had a blast just going through the store looking at everything. Finally Rowan settled on three Spiderman action figures and Joshua chose a Link action figure from the game Zelda. They both thanked me and gave me a hug and Joshua said, "I need to remember to pay tithing on this money."

After taking the other boys home we drove Rowan home in a dust storm. 

When we got back to Cathi and Terry's we read a chapter from "Romancing Daphne" before going to bed.

Photos:

My sentiments exactly.

Two superheroes meet.

Mt. Rainier in Washington

Arizona Highways.

Wednesday, August 9th, 2017

London, England

12th operating temple

Dedicated: 7-9 Sept 1958 

By: David O. McKay

Rededicated: 18-20 Oct 1992

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Atonement

Mosiah 13:28

And moreover, I say unto you, that salvation doth not come by the law alone; and were it not for the atonement, which God himself shall make for the sins and iniquities of his people, that they must unavoidably perish, notwithstanding the law of Moses.

Jesus Christ, Antemortal existence of

John 1:1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Alma 47:20-36

Why did prior knowledge of the Lord cause the dissenters to forget the Lord their God?

*Instagram answer: Those who fell away from the gospel most likely also lost the influence of the Spirit. They sought after others who were in the same situation and as often happens they pulled each other down.  When you intentionally reject the gospel you set yourself up to drift here and there.

DC 109:61-80

How can we always be filled with joy and praise God ad the Lamb?

*Keeping the companionship of the Holy Ghost, which requires humility, repentance, forgiveness, and keeping the commandments. Through the Holy Ghost we can be filled with joy and praise for God and the Lamb.

General Conference

Drawing the Power of Jesus Christ into Our Lives

President Russell M. Nelson

"Covenant-keeping men and women seek for ways to keep themselves unspotted from the world so there will be nothing blocking their access to the Savior's power."

The Trezise's are getting a dog!

His name is Oliver James.

The boys are so excited and so is Sheri!

James worked outside all morning long. We left for the valley around 12:30 after having another family prayer. 

Our first stop was in Show Low to get gas and the car washed. Our first mishap occurred when the code wouldn't work in the carwash. James called the help number and the guy said to look for the attendant on duty. We looked. There wasn't one. We called again and the guy gave us his personal code, which worked. As we were sitting there all of a sudden we were both wet. The sky roof was not completely shut and was leaking all over us!  Finally we got it closed.

Our next stop was the Show Low post office to mail Molly's Moana doll. Jared sent us a text saying Molly had decided to be baptized and the date is September 9th.  James and I really want to go. 

Before leaving town we stopped at Arby's to get something to eat. James got a turkey reuben and I got a salad. Finally we are on the road!  We have nothing to read but hopefully our new book will be waiting for us at Cathi's. 

We had to make a 10-15 minute stop in Salt River Canyon for roadwork. We stopped at Burger House for two mixed greens and two green burros for Cathi and Terry. Of course we also had to get a couple for ourselves which we ate along the way. They were, of course, delicious!

When we arrive at Cathi and Terry's my four new purple Pioneer Woman goblets are waiting for me along with our new book by Sarah Eden, "Romancing Daphne." I only get to visit with Cathi a few minutes before it's time to go see Lois and Dawn. We stop and pick up food for Elmer's as both Dawn and Lois love their machaca tacos and burros. 

The four of us eat diner together and we have a nice visit. Lois gives me back a Snow White doll I gave her along with an Anne of Green Gables and a grandma with a little girl. Dawn brings out a tray of miniature Madame Alexander dolls.

They said I could have whichever ones I wanted. 

I picked out three from the Wizard of Oz to go

with the set I got from McDonald's a few years ago.

The Lollipop Guild boy, Elphaba, and  the Wizard

were the ones I chose.

When we get back to Cathi and Terry's she is watching a new show she loves called "Heartland." It is a series and I have been curious about it for a while. She loves it but she gets it on Netflix which we don't have so I order the first season on DVD.

Before going to bed I read a chapter from our new book, "Romancing Daphne."

Random Photos

This is true of Tramadol!

When Sheri announced they were getting a dog,

Brian said he wanted one. Kim posted this photo

and said: "You have one."

One thing I like about coming through Globe is

seeing Superstition Mountain when we hit 

Apache Junction.

Vickie posted this picture on Facebook.

I love it!

Autumn had a sonogram today.

Kacey met her in Dallas and they went to the temple.

The castles continue.

Tuesday, August 8th, 2017

Hamilton, New Zealand

11th operating temple

Dedicated: 20-22 April 1958

By: David O. McKay

Alma 47:1-19

How can the interaction between Amalickiah and Lehonti be symbolic of our interaction with temptations?

*C.S. Lewis wrote, "The safest road to hell is a gradual one." Like Amalickiah, Satan is subtle and will try to gradually poison those who come, even a little way, to meet him. A spiritual fall generally does not happen in one fell swoop but by degrees. It's poison destroying little by little. Nephi said, "He leadeth them by the neck with a flaxen cord, until he bindeth them with his strong cords forever...thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell." (2 Nephi 26:22; 28:21). And, Elder Carlos E. Asay wrote, "Those who become followers of the evil one do not generally reach their captive state with one misdeed; they lose their freedom one sin at a time - one error after another - until almost all is lost. Flaxen cords are transformed into awful chains of steel as they allow themselves to follow the downward course. Each easy step away from the line of goodness and truth makes it more and more difficult to recover."

DC 109:41-60

Which verses spoke to me today?

43 O Lord, we delight not in the destruction of our fellow men, their souls are precious before thee;

44 But thy word must be fulfilled. Help thy servants to say, with thy grace assisting them: Thy will be done, O Lord, and not ours.

46 Therefore, O Lord, deliver thy people from the calamity of the wicked; enable thy servants to seal up the law, and bind up the testimony, that they may be prepared against the day of burning.

47 We ask thee, Holy Father, to remember those who have been driven by the inhabitants of Jackson county, Missouri, from the lands of their inheritance, and break off, O Lord, this yoke of affliction that has been put upon them.

49 O Lord, how long wilt thou suffer this people to bear this affliction, and the cries of their innocent ones to ascend up in thine ears, and their blood come up in testimony before thee, and not make a display of thy testimony in their behalf?

53 But inasmuch as they will repent, thou art gracious and merciful, and wilt turn away thy wrath when thou lookest upon the face of thine Anointed.

54 Have mercy, O Lord, upon all the nations of the earth; have mercy upon the rulers of our land; may those principles, which were so honorably and nobly defended, namely, the Constitution of our land, by our fathers, be established forever.

55 Remember the kings, the princes, the nobles, and the great ones of the earth, and all people, and the churches, all the poor, the needy, and afflicted ones of the earth;

56 That their hearts may be softened when thy servants shall go out from thy house, O Jehovah, to bear testimony of thy name; that their prejudices may give way before the truth, and thy people may obtain favor in the sight of all;

58 That from among all these, thy servants, the sons of Jacob, may gather out the righteous to build a holy city to thy name, as thou hast commanded them.

General Conference

Confide in God Unwaveringly

Elder Ulisses Soares

"If we are not rooted by steadfast trust in God and the desire to serve Him, the painful experiences of mortality can lead us to feel as though we are burdened by a heavy yoke; and we can lose the motivation to live the gospel fully. Without faith, we will end up losing the capacity to appreciate those designs of our God regarding the things that will happen later in our life. (See DC 58:3)

Brighter and Brighter Until the Perfect Day

Elder Mark A. Bragg

" We are children of God. Receiving light, continuing in God, and receiving more light are what we are created to do. From the very beginning, we followed the light; we followed our Heavenly Father and His plan. Seeking the light is in our spiritual DNA.

Happy 8th Birthday Molly!

3 years ago

This year

Love that smile!

The hazards of riding the Razr

BFF

Things I read today from Elder Soares's conference talk on faith:

1.) Trust that God will provide for our needs.

2.) Turn to the Lord with full purpose of heart and He will deliver you out of bondage.

3.) God blesses us according to our faith.

4.) If we are steadfast in our faith, the Lord will increase our capacity to raise ourselves above the challenges of life.

Things I learned from reading Juliann Hough's post on Instagram:

"There s a battle of two wolves inside us, the one that wins is the one you feed."

Today is also Darrel and Trina's 14th wedding anniversary. I can honestly say they are two of my favorite people in the entire world!

Darrel says this is the last good picture of him.

I don't think so Darrel.

James finished the greenhouse today. I am praying that the wind doesn't blow it over. 

I mentioned I wanted tacos for lunch so James took me to Aliberto's when I know he would much rather go to Lacasita.

After shopping I came home and took a nap and then worked on my blog. I also made a bath of Doubletree "knock off" cookies. 

This evening we watched one of our favorite Hallmark movies, "Uncommon Grace."

Random Photos

Arizona Highways

The Westbrook's

A couple with true grit, as their daughter

says. They raised 9 children.

They are two of my favorite people in Vernon.

Sad news.

If I had a pet...

German castle.

Monday, August 7th, 2017

Los Angeles, California

10th operating temple

Dedicated: 11-14 March 1956

By: David O. McKay

Alma 46:29-41

How did hoisting the Title of Liberty upon every tower in the land help the people maintain perspective?

What helps me keep perspective in today's world?

*My title is found in m patriarchal blessing. The natural woman in me wants to act different than that title, and so it is a constant reminder of my true self and who Heavenly Father created me to be.

DC 109:21-40

How does one show reverence in the temple and in meeting houses?

*By being quiet, and turning our thoughts to God.

General Conference

Our Father's Glorious Plan

Elder Weatherford T. Clayton

"In that moment of death, the room was filled with peace. Even in our moments of deepest grief, in the moments when time stands still and life seems so unfair, we can find comfort in our Savior because He suffered as well."

Our Good Shepherd

Elder Dale G. Renlund

"The Saviors compassion, love, and mercy draw us toward Him. Through His Atonement, we are no longer satisfied with our sinful state. God is clear about what is right and acceptable to Him and what is wrong and sinful. This is not because He desires to have mindless, obedient followers. No, our Heavenly Father desires that His children knowingly and willingly choose to become like Him and qualify for the kind of life He enjoys. In doing so, His children fulfill their divine destiny and become heirs to all that He has.

James went with some other members of the High Priest Group to help a sister move from Show Low to Vernon. While he was gone I watched "Recipe for Love." 

When James returned he said the house she is moving in to has no drywall, it is just an outside shell. There was not enough room in the house for all her stuff so they left it outside in the yard. Others who went to help: Chuck, Mel, Chris, Owen, and Wes.

It continued to be a lazy day for me. James continues to work on the greenhouse. 

I got a text from Adam today wanting to borrow money. He says he is going to school to learn Japanese. In two years he plans on moving to Japan where he will teach English. He says Kristofor and his wife Kris are going too. I am just grateful that he has a plan.

The Hatch's are having a reunion in Germany. They have a boat parked in the Adriatic Sea which is their swimming hole. 

We watched the new Garage Sale Mystery/Beach.

The full moon was gorgeous tonight!

Random Photos:

My attempt at healthy snacks:

In my case it's 69.

Rusty catches a big one in Houston.

Sunday, August 6th, 2017

Bern, Switzerland

9th operating temple

Dedicated: 11-15 Sept 1955

By: David O. McKay

Rededicated: 23-25 Oct 1992

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Alma 46:11-28

*Were these the first people to call themselves Christians? (See Alma 46:15.)  When was this? (About 73 B.C.)

How could there be Christians before Christ was born?

DC 109:1-20

What were some things that the Lord promised the faithful Saints?

* You commanded Lord, and this time we listened. We took the revelation personally and seriously and look what we were able to accomplish because of it! "And now Holy Father, we ask thee to assist us, thy people, with thy grace...And in a manner that we may be found worthy, in thy sight, to secure a fulfillment of the promises which thou hast made unto us, thy people, in the revelations given unto us." You spoke. We listened. You commanded. We obeyed. Find us and this house worthy of thy promised blessings! "That thy glory may rest down upon thy people, and upon this thy house,....that it may be sanctified and consecrated to be holy, and that thy holy presence may be continually i this house; And that all people who shall enter upon the threshold of the Lord's house may feel thy power, and feel constrained to acknowledge that thou hast sanctified it, and that it is thy house, a place of thy holiness." What would happen if we took every scripture, every revelation as seriously as the Saints took Section 88?

General Conference

His Daily Guiding Hand

M. Joseph Brough

" Heavenly Father knows what you and I need better than anyone else. As a result, He has developed a personal care package suited to each one of us. It has many components. It includes His Son and the Atonement, the Holy Ghost, commandments, scriptures, prayer, prophets, apostles, parents, grandparents, local Church leaders and many others - all to help us return to live with Him someday.

Some highlights of today's fast and testimony meeting: Brother Street's confirmation, James helped pass the sacrament, Brother Reynolds talking to Marlie who is leaving to live with her dad in Washington. The Allen's son-in-law reminding us that the gospel has everything we need for exaltation. Sister Applegate defending Joseph Smith  to a friend who said Joseph was a liar. Johnny Wilhelm who is five saying that Jesus died on the cross for us. Sister Skousen, the Primary President who says she loves children and the temple. Next week is the Tucson temple dedication. 

Sister Penrod gave the sweetest benediction. Sister Brewer the chorister who always has us sing every verse of the songs. I love our ward. 

In Primary I was happy to have Jace back, except that he was quite disruptive. Zemira, Bailey and Talena from the older class were in my class. Also Gracie, Liana, and Marlie. I did a spotlight on Marlie since this is her last week with us, and gave her a Book of Mormon with my testimony in it and various other items, one being a journal. 

Kim and Brian attended sacrament meeting but a few minutes after the block they left for home. They were still fasting and didn't want to be tempted by our green chili stew, which was delicious!  

James and I watched a movie and then he took a nap. I tried to, but I couldn't sleep. I'm too sad about what's going on in Stacy's family. I ate two cookies with milk and then took a couple of Tramadol. 

When James woke up we took Christopher and Mary, who were at Sister Singleton's, their wedding card and Amazon gift card. 

I don't usually watch movies on Sunday, but I needed to today.

James and I watched "Summer Princess" starring Taylor Cole, and "Love at the Shore."

I told Sheri how much I appreciated Ben and how he was a bright spot in my life. I felt better afterwards.

Random Photos:

Goodbye to Kim and Brian,

we will miss them!

 Molly celebrated her birthday at

her dad's and Kacey's.

Last year at Sunrise.

Baby Arctic Fox.

Another castle of the world.

Alex's beach sunset photo.