Sunday, February 24th, 2019

Birmingham, Alabama

98th operating temple

Dedicated: 3 Sept 2000

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Divine Sonship

3 Nephi 20:31

And they shall believe in me, that I am Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and shall pray unto the Father in my name.

Book of Mormon

2 Nephi 16:1-17:25

*Why would the Lord send a prophet to a people he knew would reject the message?

New Testament "Come Follow Me"

Review Matthew 5 and Luke 6

"Be a Peacemaker" Franklin D. Richards, 10/83

General Conference

The Correct Name of the Church

President Russell M. Nelson

"Our revised style guide is helpful. It states: 'In the first reference, the full name of the Church is preferred: 'The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.' When a shortened reference is needed, the terms 'the Church' or the "Church of Jesus Christ' are encouraged. The restored Church of Jesus Christ' is also accurate and encouraged. If someone should ask, 'Are you a Mormon?' you could reply, 'If you are asking if I am a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, yes, I am!"

I had to be at ward council this morning at 7:15. James drove me because of the snow and mud. He went to his Primary room and studied and set up for his lesson. 

Bishop said the well was froze up and if they couldn't get it fixed they would have to cancel church. Luckily Brother Grapp's brother was able to fix it. 

Brother and Sister Merrill from the stake Self-Reliance Services did a presentation today using the personal finance manual. Afterwards they asked everyone to sign up for the class. It ended up being the ward council signing up for the class which does not normally include me. They decided they would meet on Thursday evenings at 7 . The class lasts for 12 weeks. 

Katie Hahn, a sister in our ward with breast cancer spoke in sacrament meeting. She wore a hat and told everyone why she had a hat on. She was asked to use Elder Uchtdorf's talk, "Believe, Love, Do" in her talk. 

Joe Westbrook was the other speaker. I have never heard him speak before but he has a wonderful testimony and told some cowboy stories and how he knew that the Savior loved him because of the help He has given him when in difficult situations.

Cammy Grapp taught Relief Society from the talk given by Sister Cordon on shepherding. She did a good job and got lots of discussion. We had a full house. 

James and I went home and had lunch and took a nap and then we were back at the church by 3 pm for family history consultant training by the stake representatives, Brother and Sister Ranstrom. 

I thought it would be hands on but they just showed videos and did an overview of family history. They will be back next week and we will begin having some hands on training. We had all of our consultants in attendance except for Sister Klug who is on her way to the Roots Tech conference in Salt Lake. 

Maxine told me that Barbara and Fred Klug have tickets to go to the dedication of the Rome temple. They leave March 8th. The granddaughter served her mission in Rome and will do all the driving while in Italy. How exciting!

Spent a relaxing evening at home. We watched the first episode of the new season of "When Calls the Heart" and I worked on my blog while James wrote an email to Ben.

Love seeing Charlie and Scarlett in

their Sunday best!

 Our friends Rosa and Dave. Their son

Joe spoke in sacrament meeting today.

Love this series of pictures. The 

last one she looks puzzled, like;

"What's wrong with this baby?"

 I ask James if this is what Pete the crow 

looked like and he said yes.

Tonight's sunset looks good with the snow

and trees.

Saturday, February 23rd, 2019

Houston, Texas

97th operating temple

Dedicated: 26 Aug 2000

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Divine Sonship

3 Nephi 9:15

Behold, I am Jesus Christ the Son of God. I created the heavens and the earth, and all things that in them are. I was with the Father from the beginning. I am in the Father, and the Father in me; and in me hath the Father glorified his name.

Book of Mormon

2 Nephi 15:1-30

*In a world virtually overflowing with knowledge how is there a famine of spiritual knowledge?

-With the easiness of a remote or mouse we can turn on our computers, internet and the TV and there is nothing we can't search. Talk about an information revolution. We can even llli up religion. How then are we becoming a people drowning in ignorance? Are we ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth? (2Timothy). People understand famine and how it feels to go hungry, but when it comes to spiritual hunger and a famine of hearing the words of the Lord, we often look for a quick fix, and substitute half truths and only hear and feel what we want the truth to be. We need more than a snack, casual interest in spiritual truths, we need to feast on the words of the Lord. We need more than a nibble of things that nourish the spirit, we need our daily supplement of vitamin "S" (scriptures). sue_heugly, bofm365

New Testament "Come Follow Me"

Ideas for Family Scripture Study and Family Home Evening

Matthew 5:1-9; 21-25, 38-44; Help you family be peacemakers Matthew 5:14-16; DC 103:9-10; How can we be a light to others?

43-44 How can we pray for those who have been unkind to us?

"Blessed are the Peacemakers" Russell M. Nelson, 10/02

New Era

"In the Lord's Hands," "We Don't Always Know Why," "Will You God?" "I Sang My Testimony," "You MTC Experience"

General Conference

Wounded

Elder Neil L. Andersen

"Remember, repentance is powerful spiritual medicine. Keep the commandments and be worthy of the Comforter, remembering that the Savior promised, 'I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.' The peace of the temple is a soothing balm to the wounded soul. Return to the Lord's house with your wounded heart and your family names as frequently as possible. The temple projects our brief moment in mortality onto the wide screen of eternity."

Today was a beautiful sunny day with a high of 33. Our neighbor Chuck came over and bladed our driveway and road with his tractor. We are so grateful to him.We were beginning to wonder if we would make it to church tomorrow.

James took the car in to the Vernon post office to see if he got the two books he ordered to trade. No such luck. I stayed home and fixed lunch. We had my favorite green beans with new potatoes, garlic, onions, ham and butter and a little chicken stock. They were delicious!

This time I used ham instead of bacon and we

liked it better.

My main chore for the day was getting our 17 FBA books ready to ship. It is so frustrating that Amazon now divides up the shipment. I had three books going to Maryland, 13 to California, and 1 to Wisconsin. Not only is it annoying to have to prepare three boxes but the cost is more. $6.64 to the ones going to Maryland, $8.42 to the ones to California, and $4.52 for the one book. If I could have sent them all in one box my shipping would have been under ten dollars. 

I carried in wood today while James shoveled snow. 

This evening James and I watched a movie together. A new Hallmark starring Autumn Reeser, my favorite, and Kavan Smith.

I don't like Autumn's look here but she

changes about half way through the

movie to more casual.

 The Hallmark movies I watched while blogging,
preparing the books to be shipped, and
walking.

 Stacy said she looks like Rowan in this picture,
I said, more like Annie Oakley.

I love this picture of Ruby even if

it's blurry because it looks like she is

dancing!

Vickie:

 Snowmageddon

Trina sent this picture of the Superstition Mountain
Gorgeous!

Not so gorgeous.

 Baby nightie?

Carrot face

A new record for me.

Friday, February 22nd, 2019

Caracas, Venezuela

96th operating temple

Dedicated: 20 Aug 2000

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Divine Sonship

John 10:36

Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?

Book of Mormon

2 Nephi 13:6-14:6

*Ezra Taft Benson explained that verse 12 is about Satan targeting the family. How do you see this verse coming to pass?

-Several of the verses talk about the decline of society - which also mean there is a breakdown of the home, and traditional family. Are we seeing the role of the woman changing? Some claim they don't need a man to provide or be part of the family. There is a lack of respect and authority in vs. 5. I believe some women in our day are becoming as wicked and evil as men. How about the celebrating of abortions, which cn happen legally for any reason now. Regard for life is gone in some circles. Vs 16 speaks to the YM/women of the Church. Are we becoming slaves to arrogance, materialism, and immodesty? Are we focused more on the world than our spirituality? In these scriptures we are being warned how Satan is targeting the family and how both men and women can be the weak link to the family. - Sue_heugly, bofm365, Instagram.

New Testament "Come Follow Me"

 Matthew 5:48 Does Heavenly Father really expect me to be perfect?

"For Peace at Home" Richard G. Scott, 4/13

Ensign

"Free to Choose," "From a Testimony of Tithing to Temple Covenants"

General Conference

The Role of the Book of Mormon in Conversion

"President Russell M. Nelson taught in a recent worldwide broadcast that 'these surely are the latter days, and the Lord is hastening His work to gather Israel. That gathering is the most important thing taking place on earth today. Nothing else compares in magnitude, nothing else compares in importance, nothing else compares in majesty. And if you choose to, if you want to, you can be a big part of it. You can be a big part of something big, something grand, something majestic!"

At the beginning of the day we had about 10 inches of snow. Before the day was over, when it stopped snowing, there was 20 inches. Vickie said they got 30 inches in Linden.

James says we are snowed in and when I went out to check it out I agreed with him. How do you move 20 inches of snow with a shovel, and where do you put it?  We had to call the temple and tell them we would not be there in the morning. Sister Cochran said they were trying to shovel their way out and it just kept snowing. We had the same experience here. If feels like we are in a snow globe.

We had a huge flock of snowbirds playing out in the snow this morning. They are so fun to watch. James also said he watched a bunny hopping through the snow and sinking down until he could only see his ears.

Stacy called this morning to tell me about a couple selling on Amazon. She told me I could sell things other than books on Amazon which I obviously already knew. She told about a couple featured on the local news last night who have made over 1 million dollars by going to stores buying up the deals and re-selling them on Amazon.  She seemed excited and I wonder if she is thinking about doing it herself. 
She also mentioned that they have to move in April. Michael will be moving back in with them. There have been three shootings in his neighborhood in Phoenix and the last one was in his yard. 

Kim something on Facebook featuring Bob Proctor, whoever he is, and a business opportunity he is featuring. I ended up listening to a guy named Adrian Morrison who is an e-commerce guru making millions selling "stuff" on his online Shopify store. Bottom line, it cost $3,000 to take his Success Adademy courses. I guess I won't be doing this business at least not right now. 

James was able to "plow" his way out on the Razr today to go to the post office. When he came back he was covered with snow and I had to broom him off. He said no one had put the mail up at the post office.

We started a new online book by Sarah Eden today, "Healing Hearts."  Every appointment I had this week was cancelled: Sister Barton, visiting Marie Robertson in Flagstaff, going to the temple with the Howard's, and working at the temple tomorrow. 

 Sheri's birthday fun continues

A winter wonderland

 Our walkway to the wood pile.

 James's desk/dining room table

Charlie loves her Valentines from Lola

Applegate's have fun in the snow

 Ty almost buried. He built an igloo

and wants to spend the night.

 Jimmy prefers snowmobiling

 Janet and Clint's engagement picture

My Hallmark movies for the day:

 One of my favorites