Friday, January 12th, 2018

Bern, Switzerland

9th operating temple

Dedicated: 11-15 Sept 1955

By: David O. McKay

Jesus Christ Atonement through

DC 74:7

But little children are holy, being sanctified through the atonement of Jesus Christ; and this is what the scriptures mean.

Book of Mormon

1 Nephi 10:11-11:11

*What do I think it means to "diligently seek?"

*How has the gift of the Holy Ghost blessed my life?

Old Testament

Genesis 26-28

26 The Lord promises Isaac posterity as the stars of heaven in number - In his seed, all nations will be blessed - The Lord prospers Isaac, temporally and spiritually, for Abraham's sake - Isaac offers sacrifices - Esau marries Hittite wives to the sorrow of his parents.

27 Rebekah guides Jacob in seeking blessings - Jacob is blessed to have dominion and rule over peoples and nations - Esau hates Jacob and plans to say him - Rebekah fears that Jacob may marry one of the daughters of Heth.

28 Isaac forbids Jacob to marry a Canaanite - He blesses Jacob and his seed with the blessings of Abraham - Esau marries a daughter of Ishmael - Jacob sees in vision a ladder reaching up into heaven - The Lord promises him seed as the dust of the earth in number - The Lord also promises Jacob that in him and in his seed all the families of the earth will be blessed - Jacob covenants to pay tithes.

Old Testament Scripture Mastery

Exodus 20:17

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor's.

General Conference

By Divine Design

Elder Ronald A. Rasband

"What should you be looking for in your own life? What are God's miracles that remind you that He is close, saying, "I am right here"? Think of those times, some daily, when the Lord has acted in your life - and then acted again. Treasure them as moments the Lord has shown confidence in you and in your choices. But allow Him to make more of you than you can make of yourself on your own. Treasure His involvement. Sometimes we consider changes in our plans as missteps on our journey. Think of them more as first steps to being "on the Lord's errand."

Another quote from Elder Rasband:

"The Lord does not do things by coincidence but by divine design."

I can't bend my knee this morning and it hurts. Nevertheless I helped James and Chuck clean the church. We have to do it today because tomorrow we work in the temple. On the way home we checked the mail...nothing...Diane Rico said she would send us a check for December's payment, but we haven't seen it.

For lunch James grilled steaks and I made lemon pepper asparagus in the oven. Everything tasted so good and we must have been hungry because we ate it all. 

I watched President Monson's funeral this afternoon. I wonder if his favorite color was purple. The tabernacle choir had purple robes and ties, and so did some of the speakers. I really enjoyed his daughter's, Ann Dibb's, talk.

I spent most of the day looking for photos of James in the photo albums in the family room. James scanned some of them into the computer and sent them to Stacy, two at a time. There were 70 of them so it took awhile. Stacy is making a power point for James's birthday party. 

Here are some of the photos I found in an album Dawn gave me for Christmas a few years ago. 

I think he looks like James Hayden

in this picture.

David is the tall one.

In spite of my knee I pushed myself and walked over 11,000 steps today. 

This evening our episode of Heartland was called, "The Road Ahead."

More old photos:

Jared and James

Family Letter 1978 or 1979

James and Rocky

Joel Heaton, Jared, James

San Antonio temple

Tanner and James

The shootout last summer

Tanner won.

Thursday, January 11th, 2018

Idaho Falls, Idaho

8th operating temple

Dedicated: 23-25 Sept 1945

By: George Albert Smith

Jesus Christ Atonement through

DC 45:4

Saying: Father, behold the sufferings and death of him who did no sin, in whom thou wast well pleased; behold the blood of thy Son which was shed, the blood of him whom thou gavest that thyself might be glorified;

Book of Mormon

1Nephi 9:1-10:10

*Have you ever felt like you were doing something the Lord asked you to do"for a wise purpose in Him, which purpose you knew not?"

Old Testament

Genesis 24-25

24 Abraham commands that Isaac shall not marry a Canaanite - The Lord guides Abraham's servant in choosing Rebekah as a wife for Isaac - Rebekah is blessed to be the mother of thousands of millions - She marries Isaac.

25 Abraham marries, has descendants, dies, and is buried in the cave of Machpelah - His descendants through Ishmael are listed - Rebekah conceives, and Jacob and Esau struggle in her womb - The Lord reveals their destiny to Rebekah - Esau sells his birthright for a mess of pottage.

Old Testament Scripture Mastery

Exodus 20:13-16

13 Thou shalt not kill.

14 Thou shalt not commit adultery.

15 Thou shalt not steal.

16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor.

General Conference

The Eternal Everyday

Elder Quentin L. Cook

"Sometimes humility is accepting callings when we do not feel adequate. Sometimes humility is serving faithfully when we feel capable of a more high-profile assignment. Humble leaders have verbally and by example established that it is not where we serve but how we faithfully serve. Sometimes humility is overcoming hurt feelings when we feel that leaders or others have mistreated us."

Some notes on my studies today: What are the significant events to show the God of Abraham becoming the God of Isaac and Jacob?

*Isaac and Jacob were foreordained Personal worthiness justifies their callings in the covenant life. A covenant involves faithfulness, as well as bloodline. (2 Nephi 30:2).

James read this to me today and it made me so sad. "Capetown, Africa is having their worst drought in 100 years. Nearly 4 million people are about to run out of water." We should have included them in our fast.

There is also another tragedy in California. There were fires, then rain, and now mudslides. Will it never end?

We had a wonderful breakfast this morning of scrambled eggs with tomatoes, spinach and cheese, and avocado on the side.

Yummy!

I vacuumed and dusted today and then began looking for photos to send Stacy for James's party on Saturday.

I made an unexpected trip to town today with James. He went to pickup his MRI results. I went to Walmart to get shakes, ink for the printer, a white board, onions, and lettuce. I ended up spending another $85 on top of what I spent yesterday. This is why I shouldn't make extra trips to town.

James went to Home Depot to get a new light fixture for a fan, and ended up buying a new fan.

We read from "Journey's End." 

This evening we watched Heartland - "Great Expectations." James built a fire. 

Taking a break while working on the broken light

fixtures on the fan.

 Study time

Our friend Talon

You've got a friend in me.

Wednesday, January 10th, 2018

Mesa, Arizona

7th operating temple

Dedicated: 23-26 Oct 1927

By: Heber J. Grant

Jesus Christ Atonement through

DC 38:4

I am the same which spake, and the world was made, and all things came by me.

Book of Mormon

1 Nephi 8:16-38

*What can we do to "continually hold fast" to the word of God?

*How can we choose to partake of the fruit Lehi saw in his dream in our lives today?

Old Testament

Genesis 21-23

21 Sarah bears Isaac - He is circumcised - Hagar and her son are cast out of Abraham's household - The Lord saves Hagar and Ishmael - Abraham and Abimelech deal honorably with each other.

Old Testament Scripture Mastery

Exodus 20:12

Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.

General Conference

Repentance is Always Positive

Brother Stephen W. Owen

"True repentance inspires us to make our obedience a commitment - a covenant, beginning with baptism and renewed each week at the Lord's Supper, the sacrament. There we receive the promise that we can 'always have his Spirit to be with us,' with all of the joy and peace that come from His constant companionship. This is the fruit of repentance, and this is what makes repentance joyful!"

We woke up this morning to snow!

Pre-Dawn

That's my tree on the right.

I just can't get  enough!

So beautiful!

Looks like a postcard.

Our old dead tree even looks good in the snow.

The world looks better with frosting!

My friend in Lakeside posted this.

Just one more!

Our prayers were answered!

I started The Shepherd's Diet today and I had steak for breakfast, and chicken and salad for lunch. 

James said someone in the high priest group had said Melchizedek and the city of Salem were translated. It says this in the Joseph Smith Translation of Genesis 14:25-36.

25 And Melchizedek lifted up his voice and blessed Abram.

26 Now Melchizedek was a man of faith, who wrought righteousness; and when a child he feared God, and stopped the mouths of lions, and quenched the violence of fire.

27 And thus, having been approved of God, he was ordained an high priest after the order of the covenant which God made with Enoch,

28 It being after the order of the Son of God; which order came, not by man, nor the will of man; neither by father nor mother; neither by beginning of days nor end of years; but of God;

29 And it was delivered unto men by the calling of his own voice, according to his own will, unto as many as believed on his name.

30 For God having sworn unto Enoch and unto his seed with an oath by himself; that every one being ordained after this order and calling should have power, by faith, to break mountains, to divide the seas, to dry up waters, to turn them out of the course;

31 To put at defiance the armies of nations, to divide the earth, to break every hand, to stand in the presence of God; to do all things according to his will, according to his command, subdue principalities and powers; and this by the will of the Son of God which was from before the foundation of the world.

32 And men having this faith, coming up unto this order of God, were translated and taken up into heaven.

33 And now, Melchizedek was a priest of this order; therefore he obtained peace in Salem, and was called the Prince of peace.

34 And his people wrought righteousness, and obtained heaven, and sought for the city of Enoch which God had before taken, separating it from the earth, having reserved it unto the latter days, or the end of the world;

35 And hath said, and sworn with an oath, that the heavens and the earth should come together; and the sons of God should be tried so as by fire.

36 And this Melchizedek, having thus established righteousness, was called the king of heaven by his people, or, in other words, the King of peace.

You tell me. Does this sound like Melchizedek and the city of Salem was translated?

Another quote, this one by the Prophet Joseph Smith:

"...A religion that does not require the sacrifice of all things never has power sufficient to produce the faith necessary unto life and salvation; for, from the first existence of man, the faith necessary unto the enjoyment of life and salvation never could be obtained without the sacrifice of all earthly things."

I love this quote I found while reading "Rescuing Wayward Children:"

"Children who have received baptism and then abandoned the gospel are tethered to Christ by a cord that cannot be broken."

-Orson F. Whitney

 James and I left for town around 7:45. He has an MRI scheduled at 8:30. I dropped him off at the hospital and then I went across the street to Walmart. I put Anna's birthday card in the box outside Walmart before I went in. 

At 12:06 it was snowing again as I came out of Walmart. Woohoo!

We also went to Safeway for some DP10. 

I went downstairs this afternoon and put away all of the Christmas decorations. Done for another year. 

We got our new wifi device from Verizon. This one is supposed to carry a signal for 150 feet instead of 30. There is only one problem, it needs an antenna to be really effective and that is optional. I wish they would have told me.

I had no sweets, bread, pasta, cereal, or heavy carbs today. I did not even have withdrawals either. 

We watched "Heartland 5 episode:Do the Right Thing."

This was the most wonderful day because of the snow!

Yummy!

Tuesday, January 9th, 2018

Cardston, Alberta

6th operating temple

Dedicated: 26-29 Aug 1923

By: Heber J. Grant

Jesus Christ Atonement through

DC 29:1

Listen to the voice of Jesus Christ, your Redeemer, the Great I Am, whose arm of mercy hath atoned for your sins;

Book of Mormon

1 Nephi 7:16-8:15

After being beaten, mocked and persecuted by his brothers, Nephi did "frankly forgive them." How can we find it in ourselves to forgive those who have hurt us?

Old Testament Reading

Genesis 18-20; Abraham 5

Genesis 18

Abraham entertains three holy men-They promise that Sarah will have a son-Abraham will command his children to be just-The Lord appears to him-They discuss the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Genesis 19

Lot entertains holy men-The men of Sodom seek to abuse Lot's guests and are smitten with blindness-Lot is sent out of Sodom-The Lord rains brimstone and fire upon Sodom and Gomorrah-Lot's daughters preserve his seed in the land.

Genesis 20

Abimelech desires Sarah, who is preserved by the Lord - Abraham prays for Abimelech, and the Lord blesses him and his household.

Old Testament Scripture Mastery

Exodus 20:8-11

8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

9 Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work:

10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:

11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day:wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

General Conference

Spiritual Eclipse

Gary E. Stevenson

"With so many appropriate and inspired uses of technology, let us use it to teach inspire, and lift ourselves and to encourage others to become their finest - rather than to portray our idealized virtual selves. Let us also teach and demonstrate the righteous use of technology to the rising generation and warn against the associated hazards and destructive use of it. Viewing social media through the lens of the gospel can prevent it from becoming a spiritual eclipse in our lives."

I came across this quote today while reading from the book, "Rescuing Wayward Children": 

"Inasmuch as we succeed in securing eternal glory, and stand as saviors, and as kings, and priests to our God, we will save our posterity." - Lorenzo Snow

Also from "Rescuing Wayward Children":

The Prophet Joseph Smith declared - and he never taught more comforting doctrine - that the eternal sealings of faithful parents and the divine promises made to them for valiant service in the Cause of Truth, would save not only themselves, but likewise their posterity. Though some of the sheep may wander, the eye of the Shepherd is upon them, and sooner or later they will feel the tentacles of Divine Providence reaching out after them and drawing them back to the fold. Either in this life or the life to come, they will return. They will have to pay their debt to justice; they will suffer for their sins; and may tread a thorny path; but if it leads them at last, like the penitent Prodigal, to a loving and forgiving father's heart and home, the painful experience will not have been in vain. Pray for your careless and disobedient children; hold on to them with your faith. Hope on, trust on, till you see the salvation of God. - 

Thanks to James's help all the Christmas decorations got taken down today. I still have a few things downstairs to box up.

A nice day here in Vernon, Arizona. What is even nicer is that there is snow on the horizon, rain and snow tonight.

James worked outside today. I am not sure why he watered the grass with the rain coming.

My friend Amy posted on Facebook that someone had 52 thoroughbred horses they wanted to give away. The dad died and the son does not want to care for the horses. James tried to call several times but could never get through. That is what happens when the word "free" is thrown into the mix.

Watched "Heartland - Life is a Highway."

Friends of Darrel and Trina own this place.

I am dying to get on of their ice cream crepes.

This homemade crunch wraps look 

better than the ones at Taco Bell.

(Can you tell I'm hungry)

A trip down memory lane. James

looks so young, and so do the kids!

Paul with his dad and his brother Aaron.

While the cats asleep the mice will play.

Monday, January 8th, 2017

Laie, Hawaii

5th operating temple

Dedicated: 27-30 Nov 1919

By: Heber J. Grant

Jesus Christ Atonement through

DC 19:16

For behold, I, God, have suffered these things for all, that they might not suffer if they would repent;

Book of Mormon

1 Nephi 7:1-15

The Lord softened Ishmael's heart so much that he and his family left their home to join Lehi. Has the Lord ever changed your heart to make something difficult more achievable?

Old Testament Reading

Genesis 15-17; Abraham 4

Genesis 15

Abram desires offspring-The Lord promises him seed in number as the stars-Abram believes the promise-His seed will be strangers in Egypt-Then, after four generations, they will inherit Canaan.

Genesis 16

Sarai gives Hagar to Abram as his wife-Hagar flees from Sarai-An angel commands Hagar to return and submit herself to Sarai-Hagar bears Ishmael.

Genesis 17

Abram is commanded to be perfect-He will be a father of many nations-His name is changed to Abraham-The Lord covenants to be a God unto Abraham and his seed forever-Also the Lord gives Abraham the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession-Circumcision becomes a token of the everlasting covenant between God and Abraham-Sarai's name is changed to Sarah-She will bear Isaac, with whom the Lord will establish His covenant-Abraham and the men of his house are circumcised.

Abraham 4

The Gods plan the creation of the earth and all life thereon-Their plans for the six days of creation are set forth.

Old Testament Scripture Mastery

Exodus 20:7

Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

General Conference

The Living Bread Which Came Down From Heaven

Elder D. Todd Christofferson

"It is important to recognize that this good man's vivid revelation of his sins and shortcomings did not discourage him or lead him to despair. Yes, he felt shock and remorse. He felt keenly his need to repent. He had been humbled, yet he felt gratitude, peace, and hope-real hope-because of Jesus Christ, 'the living bread which came down from heaven.' My friend spoke of the gap he perceived in his dream between his llife and the holiness of God. Holiness is the right word. To eat the flesh and drink the blood of Christ means to pursue holiness. God commands, 'Be ye holy; for I am holy.'"

General Conference

Be Ye Therefore Perfect-Eventually

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

"Attack me, if you wish, I do this myself, but don't attack...the path I follow....If I know the way home but am walking along it drunkenly, is it any less the right way simply because I am staggering from side to side? ...Do not gleefully shout, 'Look at him!...There he is crawling into a bog!' No, do not gloat, but give...your help to anyone trying to walk the road back to God."

It is 8:45 and James still isn't up. He says his back and leg hurts. When he did get up he unloaded the dishwasher, fixed breakfast, made the bed, got the mail, and worked outside. He also got the top ornaments off the tree and helped me order a new wifi device from Verizon. 

It was overcast and the high was around 52 today. A storm is coming, according to my weather app. 

We watched the new Aurora Teagarden mystery and an episode of "Heartland," "Helping Hands." Mallory covers for Georgie and they actually bond.

 I love that big snowflake!

I love this photo of Alex and Shayna

Anna and James, all grown up.