Sunday, July 26th, 2020

Manhattan, New York

119th operating temple 

Dedicated: 13 June 2004

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Light of the World

2 Nephi 19:2

The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light; they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.

Book of Mormon/"Come Follow Me"

Review Alma 36-38 with Erik and Amelia's family

April General Conference

"The Blessing of Continuing Revelation to Prophets and Personal Revelation to Guide Our Lives"

Elder Quentin L. Cook

The prophet Enoch foresaw the days in which we live. The Lord acknowledged to Enoch the great wickedness that would prevail and prophesied of the"great tribulations" that would occur. Nevertheless, the Lord promised, "But my people will I preserve." "And righteousness will I send down out of heaven: and truth will I send froth out of the earth, to bear testimony of mine Only Begotten."

 Lambson Study Group

"The Future of the Church: Preparing the World for the Savior's Second Coming"

President Russell M. Nelson

April 2020 Ensign

"When Shall These Things Be? The Last Days"

Elder M. Russell Ballard

BYU Speeches

March 12th, 1996

"Perfect Love Casteth Out Fear"

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

April 2017 GenCon

"Preparation for the Second Coming"

Elder Dallin H. Oaks

April 2004 GenCon

We had the sacrament and "Come Follow Me" with Erik's family this morning instead of going to the Crane's. They said they normally study from the lesson each day of the week. One person will take one section and lead the discussion, this includes the kids. We watched "Drawn In" by David Bowman on the Redheaded Hostess website. David Bowman is the artist of the picture Jared and Tricia bought us several years ago for Christmas. Here is the picture:

Brother Bowman had a studio in Snowflake and that's where Jared went to get the picture. Brother Bowman even signed it for us. 

After "Come Follow Me" we fixed "brunch". By brunch I mean breakfast and lunch, or pancakes and hamburgers. Pancakes for most of the kids and hamburgers for the adults and Mabel. She had her hamburger with syrup which was left from her pancakes. 

After lunch James and I took a nap. When we got up it was time for Erik's family to leave. Amelia and Aurora had a Zoom Young Women's meeting at 12:30 and they were finished. We said goodbye and told them to travel safely home and let us know when they arrived.

Such a nice family

One of our neighbors, a property owner and a real estate agent, Mrs. Guerro, gave James a check to help pay for the gravel on the road. After meeting with her James went over to the Elkins' to bring Luna back. He also got on the Razr and chased some cows off of our property. 

We FaceTimed with Kacey and Charlie. Tanner was there too. Jared was gone to pick up Molly. Charlie visited with us longer than usual which was nice.

At 6:00 we had our Lambson Study Group with Kim, Brian, Stacy, and Kacey. Jared came home towards the end. We had a good discussion on how to prepare for the Savior's Second Coming.

This evening I happened to look out the kitchen window and I saw some kind of animal on top of James's truck. It was a grayish color and at first I thought it was a cat. A closer look revealed that it was an owl.

He flew into the tree just outside and was

staring into our kitchen window for awhile.

I worked on my stranded inventory this evening. This is not something I would normally do on Sunday but I am going to be gone tomorrow and Amazon only keeps a seller support case open for 48 hours. 

It was another wonderful Sabbath day!

The herd

My flower garden

Charlie always makes our Sabbath happier!

 

 

Saturday, July 25th, 2020

Copenhagen, Denmark
118th operating temple
Dedicated: 23 May 2004
By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Light of the World

Luke 1:79

To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

Book of Mormon/"Come Follow Me"

Alma 38 Shiblon was persecuted for righteousness' sake - Salvation is in Christ, who is the life and the light of the world - Bridle all your passions. About 74 B.C.

April General Conference

"The Great Plan"

President Dallin H. Oaks

The divine plan for us to become what we are destined to become requires us to make choices to reject the evil opposition that tempts mortals to act contrary to God's commandments and His plan. It also requires that we be subject to other mortal opposition, such as from the sins of others or from some defects of birth. Sometimes our needed growth is achieved better by suffering and adversity than by comfort and tranquility. And none of this mortal opposition could achieve its eternal purpose if divine intervention relieved us from all the adverse consequences of mortality.

As I was cleaning upstairs I noticed that one of the chairs to my little white table was missing. There are two white chairs and two green. One of the green ones was missing. I started looking for it and found it in the closet of James's office. I found out that Evan had been leaning back in the chair and fell. He said he crashed into another chair and his chair broke. He said he thought he told me. I told him he could have but I didn't remember if he did. He said he did not hide it in the closet. Case closed.

Erik and his family arrived around 11 a.m. Erik immediately started in on the Razr. Amelia and the kids came in and at some lunch. Afterwards I showed them the puzzles. Mabel picked out a puzzle and Oliver wanted to do it. She said she didn't feel like doing another puzzle. She asked if I had Netflix. I told her I thought we did. I know Darrel uses his account when he is here. I found Avatar, the show she wanted to watch and she sat and watched it for a couple of hours. Some of her siblings joined her and went back and forth from the TV to the puzzle table. It was raining outside most of the day so hence the reason for staying inside. Later in the day it stopped raining and so the kids wanted to ride the horse.

Aurora was the first to ask James if she could ride Luna. She had to be washed off before anyone could ride her. Aurora held her reins while James washed her off. Aurora is not afraid of Luna and she rides her like she was born to be in the saddle. Mabel remembers how Luna walked under a tree and she got scratches on her arm. She showed me one of her scars. She still wanted to ride. Oliver also rode while Aurora led Luna around. 

Mable looks so serious 

Aurora loves Luna

I worked today trying to get 28 books out of stranded status. I don't know what's going on but they keep stranding my books, which is very distracting when I am trying to get more books ready to send in. The last 14 stranded books are ones that I just sent in.

For dinner I reheated our baked ziti, cooked some corn on the cob, and refreshed the salad from yesterday. Mabel is the friendliest of Erik and Amelia's kids. She helped Amelia and I clean the kitchen after dinner. She helped tighten some lid handles that had become loose and she is very thorough when she dries dishes. 

Erik got the Razr running and I called him Erik the Magician. James paid him twice as much money as he asked for. We visited with them a little this evening before going to bed. They are such a nice couple. Tabby kept finding things upstairs that I didn't realize I had. Maybe I should get her to look for the missing quilt top Lois gave me.

Two moths together

Three of these were on our front

porch this morning.

 James and his baby

There was a time in my life when I
watched Regis and Kathie Lee
just about every weekday morning

Family roadtrip to see a cousin
graduate and Scarlett

I loved watching President Hinckley

wave his cane to the crowd.

Darrel's family did this today, except for Lola who stayed home

to play with cousins

Friday, July 24th, 2020

Accra, Ghana
117th operating temple
Dedicated: 11 Jan 2004
By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Light of the World

Matthew 4:16

The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

Book of Mormon/"Come Follow Me"

Alma 37:33-47

April General Conference

"Hear Him"

Russell M. Nelson

The adversary is clever. For millennia he has been making good look evil and evil look good. His messages tend to be loud, bold, and boastful. 

However, messages from our Heavenly Father are strikingly different. He communicates simply, quietly, and with such stunning plainness that we cannot misunderstand Him.

James let Luna out of her corral today because it was so muddy and messy. She had already rolled in the mud once and he didn't want her to do it again. I thought for sure she would graze out in the field but instead she came around to the front of the house. She stood in the driveway and when James came out she followed him around. 

After he came in she went up on the side of the hill and grazed there most of the day, in the trees.

I started listening to an audio book, "Heiress of All Things Beautiful" by Anita Stansfield but it started out with abuse and I couldn't handle it so I quit listening. I found another book called "Coming Home to Bellingham."

Alma 37:9

Yea, I say unto you, were it not for these things that these records do contain, which are on these plates, Ammon and his brethren could not have convinced so many thousands of the Lamanites of the  incorrect tradition of their fathers; yea, these records and their words brought them unto repentance; that is, they brought them to the knowledge of the Lord their God, and to rejoice in Jesus Christ their Redeemer.

When I listened to Dave and Emily this week they said this was the best definition of repentance they had ever heard: 

"The knowledge of the Lord their God, and to rejoice in Jesus Christ their Redeemer."

I got more books in the mail today and I am working on a new shipment. It's important to get these books in as quickly as I can so they make it in time for textbook season which starts about August 25th.

This afternoon I made dinner to take to the Goodman's. I also made a batch of ziti for us. Baked Ziti, salad, garlic bread, and strawberry shortcake. James delivered it and Barbara was so excited. She said she didn't deserve such a nice meal. I told her she deserved better. It is nice to cook for someone who really appreciates it.

We got more rain today. I love this time of year!

 My sweet friend who passed away a

couple of years ago. She used to 

beat me at racketball.

 The Whalen's vacation continues

Now they are in Idaho

 Zeno on Shayna's lap