Monday, March 23rd, 2020

Rome, Italy

162nd operating temple

Dedicated: 10 Mar 2019

By: Russell M. 1

Jesus Christ, Judge

Alma 12:12

And Amulek hath spoken plainly concerning death, and being raised from this mortality to a state of immortality, and being brought before the bar of God, to be judged according to our works.

Book of Mormon/"Come Follow Me"

Enos, Jarom, Omni, Words of Mormon "He Works in Me to Do His Will"

Enos

Enos prays mightily and gains a remission of his sins - The voice of the Lord comes into his mind, promising salvation for the Lamanites in a future day - The Nephites sought to reclaim the Lamanites - Enos rejoices in his Redeemer. About 420 B.C.

Today's reading: Enos 1:1-17

Oct 2019 Gen Con

"The Savior's Touch"

Elder Walter F. Gonzalez

"Let us come unto Christ, taking all necessary steps. As we do, may our attitude by one of saying, 'Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.'  If we do so, we can receive the Master's healing touch, alongside the sweet echo of His voice: 'I will; be thou clean.'

The Savior is a God we can trust. He is the Christ, the Anointed One, the Messiah, of whom I testify in His holy name, even Jesus Christ, amen."

Ensign

April message by President Nelson

James and I finished reading "Aunt Dimity Vampire Hunter" today. It was one of our very favorites because in it we find out why Kit didn't want to marry Nell and wow!,  does it have a happy ending!

Kit's concerns have been settled and he will marry the woman he loves!

I am so fed up with the photo app on my computer. It freezes up and makes it very difficult to post the pictures I want and need on my blog. This is one of the reasons I am still so far behind on my blog. By the time I catch up it will be time to go to the valley again and that's when I get behind!

I bought three books today and did some repricing. James went to the post office and picked up ten more books. The only problem is I didn't sell any books today. 

This afternoon I cleaned the wood floor in the family room and living room. I read two chapters of "Aunt Dimity Down Under" to James and wrote a letter to my ministering district asking the sisters to contact the sisters they minister to and make sure they are doing all right. I used the questions that we came up with at our presidency meeting last Wednesday. 

Addy texted James and I asking us for information on our parents for her family search family tree.  I'm glad she is interested!

My friend Kerri reported to me that Jace's mom, Tianna, did not have the corona virus when she passed away. She said she passed away from the effects of some kind of  poison. I'm wondering if it had anything to do with the government coming in and disinfecting her home. Clorox and ammonia mixed together can cause toxic gases.

James is having some problems with the Chacon job. The house he is working on is too big for the lot. I think he's going to have to cut some square footage off the house. He has had a lot of problems with this job and it's just getting started.

Tonight James and I had our "Come Follow Me" lesson. We watched the Enos video that was on our phone apps. These Book of Mormon videos are so good!

Sheri had a good day today. She went to a counseling session with Max and was so impressed with the counselor and feels like he is going to be really good for Max. She also got to talk to Ben and received a letter from him. Thank goodness for good days!

I got this text from my friend Pam today.

Hey woman, how are you guys doing. Please let me know if I can help you out. I'm in town daily and can leave items on your porch if needed. Don't be shy, be safe. I love you.

It's great having friends like Pam.

We finally got one of our renters in Deming to pay us using Venmo. What a relief!

Ben's Letter:

  

Sunday, March 23rd, 2020

Barranquilla, Colombia

161st operating temple

Dedicated: 9 Dec 2018

By: Dallin H. Oaks

Jesus Christ, Judge

Mosiah 16:10

Even this mortal shall put on immortality, and this corruption shall put on incorruption, and shall be brought to stand before the bar of God, to be judged of him according to their works whether they be good or whether they be evil -

Book of Mormon/"Come Follow Me"

Review Jacob 5-7

Oct 2019 Gen Con

"Your Great Adventure"

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf

"If you sense that your life could have more meaning, a higher purpose, stronger family bonds, and a closer connection with God, please, come, join with us.

If you seek a community of people who are working to become the best versions of themselves, help those in need, and make this world a better place, come, join with us! Come and see what this marvelous, wondrous, and adventurous journey is all about. Along the way you will discover yourself. You will discover meaning. You will discover God. You will discover the most adventurous and glorious journey of your life. Of this I testify in the name of our Redeemer and Savior, Jesus Christ, amen."

Ensign

"My Island of Faith"

I forgot to mention that one day this week we had blueberry pancakes for breakfast. It was the one day Addy ate with us. When she was finished eating, she cooked pancakes for everyone else.

James had ministering interviews this morning at the church. He is an example to me of doing your ministering interviews. Most all of mine, the ones that I've done, have been via text. 

When he got home we had the sacrament and reviewed the "Come Follow Me" lesson for the week, Jacob 5-7. 

I watched a little video clip about Clayton Christensen this morning. I have read his book about everyday missionaries and was so impressed with how he includes missionary work in every aspect of his life. He was a world-renowned business professor at Harvard and always seemed to find a way to talk about his faith. He was 67 years old when he died of cancer on January 23, 2020. 

He says he wanted to feel the Spirit like he did on his mission so he re-positioned himself on the front lines. "Everyday as I left I had a desire to share the gospel and as I did,  I felt the Spirit with me again."

After James and I studied "Come Follow Me" I continued studying by myself. I filled out my study guide for Jacob 5-7 which took quite awhile. 

It was a relaxing day. We FaceTimed with Jared, Kacey, and Charlie this afternoon. I told them about Jace and the possibility that he might have had the coronavirus and because of that I was quarantining myself. They both told us about an app called Zoom which is a video conferencing app. Jared was able to be a part of the Priest's quorum lesson today because of Zoom and Kacey was sent the Relief Society lesson via email. I immediately told Tamara, Kerri, and Maxine about it. Kerri had never heard of it. Tamara had heard of it and said an upcoming regional conference might come to us through Zoom. No one mentioned using it in our ward.

I am grateful for the Sabbath day and how it helps to remember to focus on our Savior. I am also grateful for the Sabbath day because we get pictures of Charlie and usually Scarlett too.

 Alex isn't the only one who loves Shayna

Jace and Talena 

Jace's baptismal day a 

couple of years ago.

He wore a black suit each week when

he passed the sacrament this year.

 Scarlett on Saturday

 Wish my BM journal looked this good!

Coronavirus mantra:

 Is this true?

 Wheelchari Hungry, Hungry Hippo

When I look at this angel, I know 

God exists!

 Scarlett is so beautiful!

Saturday, March 21st, 2020

Concepion, Chile

160th operating temple

Dedicated: 28 Oct 2018

By: Russell M. Nelson

Jesus Christ, Judge

2 Nephi 28:23

Yea, they are grasped with death, and hell; and death, and hell, and the devil, and all that have been seized therewith must stand before the throne of God, and be judged according to their works, from whence they must go into the place prepared for them, even a lake of fire and brimstone, which is endless torment.

Book of Mormon/"Come Follow Me"

Jacob 7 - We studied this yesterday so we could include the kids in our study

Oct 2019 Gen Con

"Finding Joy in Sharing the Gospel"

Christina B. Franco

" The Primary song I began with concludes with this profound statement: I believe in the Savior, Jesus Christ. I'll honor his name. I'll do what is right; I'll follow his light. His truth I will proclaim."

I bear witness that these words are true and that we have a loving Father in Heaven, who is waiting for us to turn to Him to bless our lives and the lives of those around us. May we have the desire to bring our brothers and sisters to Christ is my prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, amen."

Ensign

"I Became 14 Again"

I got an email from Tamara this morning around 6 a.m. It was an email to the entire Relief Society Presidency, which includes myself, Kerri, and Maxine.

This is what the email said: 

Jace Hood passed away early this morning. Glenzo called Jimmie. They're going to have to do an autopsy to find out how he died. Mary, his sister, is having a rough time. Who are her ministering sisters?

I was shocked and saddened and immediately told James who was still in bed. We both had taught Jace in Primary. He was 11 years old last October and has been passing the sacrament since January along with his friends Colter and Eugene. He loved passing the sacrament and always wore his black suit that he got for his baptism a year or so ago.

Brother Forrester in our ward, who is an EMT, and the bishop's son-in-law went over around 2 a.m. to Jace's home and tried to revive him. He worked on him for an hour with no response. So very sad.

The shocking thing is that Jace's mother who lives in Whiteriver passed away earlier in the week. 

Today is the day that the kids go home. Trina is coming in Big Bertha this afternoon. Big Bertha can hold 8 people. 

I worked on my blog and books until the kids got up. I made bacon, fresh hashbrowns, which are better than the frozen, and croissants. James came in and scrambled some eggs. The only ones who came to eat were Joshua, Ruby, and Lola. Evan is still asleep and Max already ate and Addy isn't eating.

After breakfast Ruby and Lola helped me put the puzzles away. In the process I knocked down the Life game and Ruby offered to pick it up for me. She is such a sweetie! Addy cleaned upstairs and brought me down the sheets off the beds where she and the other girls slept. The boys spent the morning playing video games. I gave Addy a garbage bag for them to use to pick up garbage but I noticed when I went upstairs that the bag was empty and the garbage containers were still full. 

No one seemed interested in lunch when I asked what they wanted so I went and helped Addy register on Family Search.

Trina got here around 3 a.m. She said  she was not going to come in and won't get close to us because she doesn't want us to get sick. She says this because she works in the ER at the Gilbert hospital. She brought us a package of toilet paper and two bags of sugar. She would have brought flour but the store was out. Thank you Trina!

Rowan made some confessions as soon as Trina showed up. 

"Mom, I stayed up until 3 a.m. and I didn't take a shower all week."

I guess he had a guilty conscious. Wow, I didn't no I had to monitor shower taking at the age.

I gave everyone a hug except for Trina and we said our goodbyes.

Trina insisted on taking this picture:

Yes, there is a reason I cut this photo.

After everyone was gone I sat down to make sure my Hallmark movies were taping. I discovered my TV was on the wrong setting and I couldn't find the satellite channels. I called Rowan and he was a little help, but not quite enough. Later, James came over and fixed it. This is a miracle in and of itself because James knows nothing about the TV. I think maybe the wrong HDMI cord was hooked up and he changed it but he wouldn't reveal his secret as to what he did.

Brother Peeler called this evening and said he was going to cancel our "Come Follow Me' gathering at his house tomorrow. His reason was that he was with Jace at the Family History activity on the 11th and until Jace has been tested for Coronavirus he. Brother Peeler, is going to self-isolate. He suggested that I do the same because I was with Jace at that same meeting.

Brother Howard called and said the paint mare is back and she is ours! We are so excited!

This evening James and I watched a Hallmark movie, "The Key of Love." We both really liked it.

That is a big catfish!

 Alice and her friend Kathryn who just got married