Monday, November 4th, 2019

Apia, Samoa

22nd operating temple

Dedicated: 5-6 Aug 1983

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Head of Church

DC 11:16

Wait a little longer, until you shall have my word, my rock, my church, and my gospel, that you may know of a surety my doctrine.

Book of Mormon

3 Nephi 19:30-20:19

What does the Savior promise those who partake of the sacrament? Why is this promise so significant?

New Testament

Hebrews 1-6, Jesus Christ, "the Author of Eternal Salvation; Hebrews 1; Introduction to the lesson - share a verse meaningful to me. Hebrews 5:8. "Yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered."

Oct 2019 General Conference

"Spiritual Capacity"

Michelle D. Craig

"President Russell M. Nelson has extended a simple, powerful invitation: 'My beloved brothers and sisters, I plead with you to increase your spiritual capacity to receive revelation. ... Choose to do the spiritual work required to enjoy the gift of the Holy Ghost and hear the voice of the Spirit more frequently and more clearly.'

My desire this morning is to speak to you from my heart about four ways to increase your spiritual capacity to receive revelation."

RWC: "Divine design made sin possible so that grace could abound ... to deliver man from sin." (see Romans 5:20-21)

Once the Lord comes for us in the midst of our descent, we are accountable for the knowledge that He imparts.

"CFM": "We all have to give up something for the gospel of Jesus Christ. Would accepting Christianity mean that the Hebrews must give up their earlier beliefs and history? Jesus Christ is better. Sometimes we must give up traditions to make Jesus Christ the center of our worship and our lives.."

I spotted elk this morning and it got James out of bed. There were about 20 and one was a bull. It's always a good day when you see elk on your property.

This morning James put new brakes on my car. I bought five books to sell. 

This afternoon I made a trip to Dollar General. I bought Coke Zero for me and a pot pie for James. He loves chicken pot pies!

I stopped at the post office and I had nine books to pick up. Woohoo!

There is smoke from a prescribed burn. Not woohoo.

I worked on my Halloween blog post and it took forever! This evening I watched part of "Dancing with the Stars" but since James doesn't like it, I turned it off and we watched the next Hallmark Christmas movies, "Christmas Scavenger Hunt." We had camomile tea for refreshment.

Happy Birthday Jared!

We love you Jared!

 My hard working hubby

 I love this!

 Stag on a bed of roses. I love his antlers!

Sunday, November 3rd, 2019

Atlanta, Georgia

21st operating temple

Dedicated: 1-4 June 1983

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Head of Church

DC 10:67

Behold this is my doctrine - whosoever repenteth and cometh unto me, the same is my church.

Book of Mormon

3rd Nephi 19:1-29

How can we strive just as much as the Nephites to come unto Christ today?

New Testament

Review 1-2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon; Family Scripture Study and Family Home Evening

Oct 2019 General Conference

"The Joy of the Saints"

Elder D. Todd Christofferson

"In this conference three years ago, President Russell M. Nelson spoke of joy. Among other things, he said:

'The joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives. When the focus of our lives is on God's plan of salvation ... and Jesus Christ and His gospel we can feel joy regardless of what is happening - or not happening - in our lives. Joy comes from and because of Him. ... For Latter-day Saints, Jesus Christ is Joy!'"

For awhile now we have been trying to get a young woman called as a family history consultant. Today, Kyah Westbrook, the young woman whose name we submitted to the bishop was called. My only concern is that her entire family was at church but she wasn't.

Her brothers were both confirmed today by her dad after being baptized by her dad yesterday. Kyah is a great young woman but I know she loves to rodeo and so many events are on Sunday. I do look forward to working with her and felt a prompting today that I should meet with her and see what she knows about family history.

These people bore their testimonies today in our sacrament meeting: Chuck Crane, Lorraine Vaught, Lynda Van Haren, Traedon, Stratton, and Joe Westbrook, Dave Westbrook, Paula Johnson, both missionaries, Tina Allen, Owen Peeler, and Candi Campbell.

Sister Judy Hunter taught our Sunday School class today. One of the first questions she asked was if we could compare the apostle Paul to a modern day apostle of prophet who would it be. Sean Hunsaker said, "I think he's Jeffrey R. Holland's brother." Judy said he reminded her of Boyd K. Packer, someone who was very straight forward when preaching the gospel. I said the Prophet Joseph Smith because both of them wrote scripture while in prison.

I was an absolutely gorgous day. The high was 66 and there was no wind. James and Dave Westbrook went out this afternoon to visit Anthony. James is helping Anthony with family history. He came home and ran off several names for Anthony to take to the temple.

This evening James wrote to Ben and worked on family history for Anthony and Greg Andersen.

I worked on my blog, colored in my Disney coloring book, did some reading from my book, "The Priesthood Power of Women."

We FaceTimed with Jared, Kacey, and Charlie. Jared's kids didn't end up coming this weekend. 

For "Come Follow Me" James and I listened to Dave and Emily talk about Hebrews 1-6. I also listened to "Teaching with Power."

I love both of these YouTube videos.

 East rim of the Grand Canyon

 We watched this Saturday night before

"Merry and Bright"

Wow! They grow up too fast!

California Wildfires

 This rabbit is seriously called:

A blonde beach bunny!

Ian was one of Jared Ammon's best friends in high school.

 Quiet time at the Trezise house

Southern Sabbath Girls

Saturday, November 2nd, 2019

Jordan River, Utah

20th operating temple

Dedicated: 16-20 November 1981

By: Marion G. Romney

Jesus Christ, Head of Church

DC 5:14

And to none else will I grant this power, to receive this same testimony among this generation, in this the beginning of the rising up and the coming forth of my church out of the wilderness - clear as the moon, and fair as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners.

Book of Mormon

3 Nephi 18:15-39

What do these verses teach us about the power of prayer?

New Testament

Titus and Philemon; Who was Philemon?; Followers of Christ forgive one another; The healing ointment of the Savior's Atonement helps us forgive others; "The Healing Ointment of Forgiveness" Kevin Duncan, April 2016 General Conference.

Oct 2019 General Conference

"True Disciples of the Savior"

Elder Terence M. Vinson

"We can feel enduring joy when our Savior and His gospel become the framework around which we build our lives. However, it's so easy for that framework to become, instead, the things of the world, where the gospel sits as an optional extra or as simply attending church for two hours on Sundays. When this is the case, it is tantamount to putting our wages into 'a bag with holes.'"

 "Be Faithful, Not Faithless"

Stephen W. Owen

"President Nelson warned: 'in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost.'"

James installed the new part in his truck this morning. It's called a total integrated power module. It works!

French Bruce contacted me again today. I told him his check was returned. I asked him if he was wasting my time. He never answered me. I suppose we won't hear from him again. James says he owes us $12, the charge for the returned check.

I asked Paula Johnson if I needed to get the signed birthday cards to her today so she could mail the ones that needed to be mailed and she said no, tomorrow at church would be fine. 

James worked outside most of the day on the logs. It was a gorgeous day. I researched and bought six books, making a total of fifteen for the week. I walked and started catching up on my blog.

I also made banana nut bread with our oh so ripe bananas. It is James's favorite bread. I wasn't going to put nuts in it because he's not supposed to eat them right now but he told me I needed to put nuts in banana nut bread. 

I read to James from "Aunt Dimity Beats the Devil," and to myself from "Aunt Dimity and the Deep Blue Sea." 

This evening James made cinnamon apple tea for me and camomile for himself while we watched the next Hallmark Christmas movie, "Merry and Bright" starring Andrew Walker and Jodie Sweetin. This was my favorite so far.

 Two cuties at Walmart

The Savior can relieve our burdens

Friday, November 1st, 2019

Seattle, Washington

19th operating temple

Dedicated: 17-21 Nov 1980

By: Spencer W. Kimball

Jesus Christ, Head of Church

3 Nephi 27:8

And how be it my church save it be called in my name? For if a church be called in Moses' name then it be Moses' church; or if it be called in the name of a man then it be the church of a man; but if it be called in my name then it is my church, if it so e that they are built upon my gospel.

Book of Mormon

3 Nephi 18:1-14

How can we better focus on Christ while partaking of the sacrament each Sunday?

New Testament

2 Timothy 3-4; Philemon: Followers of Christ forgive one another.

SS: The healing ointment of the Savior's Atonement helps us forgive others.

Oct 2019 General Conference

"The Message, the Meaning, and the Multitude"

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland

"As a result of his persistence, the blind man in the New Testament, was brought to Jesus, who heard his faith-filled plea for the restoration of his sight and healed him.

As in our New Testament story, those blessed with sight will recognize that, in spite of everything else this conference tradition may offer us, it will mean little or nothing unless we find Jesus at the center of it all."

This morning before she went to school Lola told grandpa that she was only going to have 10 pieces of candy a day. Trina heard her and said: "No you aren't. You are going to have two a day, one in your lunch and one after school." Nice try Lola.

James dropped me off for my infusion and then went to Erik's to talk to him about his truck. When he drove up Erik said he knew our car needed new brakes. I've been bugging him about this issue for a few weeks now. He immediately went down to the auto supply store and bought some brakes. I asked if he had Erik put them on and he said, no, I will do it myself and save $100.

Right after my infusion James said he needed to go to a wrecking yard in Phoenix to pick up the part for his truck. This place was on west Broadway Rd. We saw a billboard with Chad Schaub's face on it advertising his law firm. 

James wasn't gone long. He came back with the part and it only cost him $300. That seems like a lot right now.

We headed back to Mesa because James had a meeting with the architect for Montessori School where Dawn and Rebecca work. He is supposed to be doing a job for them this coming spring. At first he thought the school was on University but it ended up being on Brown and Gaylord. Gaylord is between Gilbert and Lindsey. It is in a nice location with lots of big shade trees. I dropped him off because Mr. Crandall was waiting for him outside. 

I drove back down University to the McDonald's I had seen earlier. I ordered a Happy Meal, a drink, and an ice cream cone. Before I finished eating I decided I needed to look at my phone to see if James had called. I couldn't find my phone in my purse so I assumed I had left it in my car. It wasn't there. I said a prayer and remembered that before lunch I had used the restroom. I hurried back into the restroom and sure enough, there it was in the stall I had used. Wow! I got lucky that no one had took it. James had called a few times so I texted him and told him I was on my way.

We drove home through Payson. As we were leaving Mesa I noticed a Soda Shoppe and a Corndog Wagon like the one at Disneyland on the corner of Brown and Gilbert. I'm going back. The best corndogs in the world!

We stopped at Culver's in Payson. James got a vanilla malt and I got a strawberry sundae. I couldn't resist.

Jenifer, Dennis's daughter, told me that Heber had an "Escape Room." I looked when we went through but I didn't see it. 

We stopped at the Vernon post office. It was closed so I couldn't pick up my books. We also went to the Applegate's because I need to get the November birthday cards from Tamara to sign. We as a presidency send birthday cards to all of the sisters in the ward. Tamara and Jimmie were at the temple and Ty could not find the cards, so we left. Later after Tamara got home, she had Ty meet me at the church to bring me the cards. She said his date cancelled on him tonight so he was free. Sorry Ty.

I finished getting my steps and then James and I watched the new Christmas movie, "Nostalgic Christmas."

Kaeli Nicoll and Anne Miller visited Pat Tedder today. This is the text we as a presidency got from Anne:

"Kaeli-Ann and I just got done visiting Pat Tedder. We stayed around 3 hours She is doing so well. She is positive, and determined in her physical therapy. She ca stand, and walk but can't bend or lift and has very limited mobility. She has a long recovery and has constant pain. Nights and mornings are super hard for her since she only wears her brace during the day. All in all it was an amazing visit."

I couldn't sleep after going to bed. I got up and took a shower and then went in the family room and watched part of a movie. I finally ended up back in bed in the wee hours of the morning.

 Lola and her cousin Ally

 I remember going to their wedding

The basis for Emma's blessing 

God in all things."

Cheetah cub
This reminds me of Elder Bednar's talk.