Sunday, July 17th, 2022: Sacrament meeting Stefani Hunsaker, Steve Whiting, What is my Rabshekah?, Croissant sandwiches, Indexing, blogging

 

Lisbon, Portugal

166th operating temple

Dedicated: 15 Sept 2019

By: Neil L. Andersen

Jesus Christ, Second Coming

3 Nephi 27:16

And it shall come to pass, that whoso repenteth and is baptized in my name shall be filled; and if he endureth to the end, behold, him will I hold guiltless before my Father at that day when I shall stand to judge the world.

Book of Mormon

Alma 34:1-16

15And thus he shall bring salvation to all those who shall believe on his name; this being the intent of this last sacrifice, to bring about the bowels of mercy, which overpowereth justice, and bringeth about means unto men that they may have faith unto repentance.

16 And thus mercy can satisfy the demands of justice, and encircles them in the arms of safety, while he that exercises no faith unto repentance is exposed to the whole law of the demands of justice; therefore only unto him that has faith unto repentance is brought about the great and eternal plan of redemption.

"Come Follow Me"

Sunday School "He Trusteth in the Lord God of Israel."

AprGenCon

"Your Divine Nature And Eternal Destiny"

Elder Dale G. Renlund

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Speculation will not lead to greater spiritual knowledge, but it can lead us to deception or divert our focus from what has been revealed. For example, the Savior taught HIs disciples, "Always pray unto the Father in my name." We follow this pattern and direct our worship to our Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Christ and do not pray to Heavenly Mother.

I met Doug Brown's sister in sacrament meeting today. Doug is like 6'5" and is Cyndi Brown's husband. Cyndi was just called as our ward organist. I guess the Brown's are having a family reunion because we had more Brown's in Sunday School. When Sue Hubble came in James and I went over and sat with her. 

Lorraine Vaught gave us an article about how corn silk can get rid of cancer. It's from a magazine called Mother Nature.

Stefani Hunsaker was one of our speakers today. She is a member of our ward but today she was representing the stake Relief Society presidency.

Stefani - The theme for the meeting today is missionary work based on the recent talk given by Elder Gary E. Stevenson, "Love, Share and Invite". Stefani talked about overcoming our fear of rejection. She talked about becoming friends with the Howards, Tom, Jean, and Deana and eventually seeing them baptized. She told about Holly and Haley inviting their teacher to the Primary Program and her eventually getting baptized. She was in the ward when we first moved here, Roma Trout. "The gospel is the only enduring solution for peace."

Steve Whiting from the high council - He is a Minnestora Whiting and lives in the Lakeside ward. First time speaking in Vernon. He was the only member of the church in his high school class. He told some missionary experiences including ones from his mission in El Salvador. "Christ's love for all of us is the same." Love others despite our differences is the key. 

My main takeaway from Sunday School was the question "What are you Rabshekahs?"

When we got home James fixed lunch. He made me a ham, cheese, cranberry celebration croissant and warmed up some baked beans and part of a baked potato. After lunch we took naps, me in the family room and James in the bedroom.

James got up and had on a white shirt and tie because he wanted to go do ministering visits. The Snyder's were not home and Anthony said it was too muddy at his place. He and his partner, Dave Westbrook, did visit Pam Wood. He said Dave and Pam did lots of reminiscing and he just listened. I told him it was nice just to listen sometimes.

 

Saturday, July 16th, 2022: Lola's baptism and family party, Dan Taylor's memorial service, rain in Globe, Home again!

Port-Au-Prince, Haiti

165th operating temple

Dedicated: 1 Sept 2019

By: David A. Bednar

Jesus Christ, Second Coming

Revelations 8:1

And when he had opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven about the space of half an hour.

Book of Mormon

Alma 33:12-23

15 For it is not written that Zenos alone spake of these things, but Zenock also spake of these things -

16 For behold, he said: Thou art angry, O Lord, with this people, because they will not understand thy mercies which thou hast bestowed upon them because of thy Son.

"Come Follow Me"

2 Kings 24-25  "He Trusted in the Lord God of Israel"

AprGenCon

"Covenants With God Strengthen, Protect, And Prepare Us For Eternal Glory"

Jean B. Bingham

Relief Society General President

With Jesus Christ as our anchor and perfect partner, we are assured of His loving strength in trial and of eventual deliverance through Him. As President M. Russell Ballard taught: "Faith in God and in his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, is the . . . anchor we must have in our lives to hold us fast during times of social turbulence and wickedness. . . . Our faith . . . must be centered in Jesus Christ, his life and his atonement, and in the restoration of his gospel."

We left before 5:30 this morning for the valley to attend Lola's baptism. James made ham, egg, and cheese croissants. I didn't want one so he ate the filling for mine, along with his, in one croissant. We went in James's truck because he needs to pick up some rebar for the Thompson job. 

We stopped in Globe at Speedway where I used the little girls room and got some gum and a drink. As I was getting back into the truck I realized I did not have my phone with me. I immediately went back into the store and asked the clerks if they had seen a phone. They both said no and then asked if I wanted one of them to call my number. Before I had time to answer, I saw my phone laying on the counter by the drink machine. My prayers were answered. 

James had to stop at the Peeler's for awhile to pick something up while I waited in the truck. Afterwards we drove on to Darrel and Trina's, arriving a little after 8:30. We knocked on the door but no one answered. We realized they were not home and were already at the church less than a mile away. When we got to the church we took pictures with Lola:

There were lots of baptisms today, probably around 10. There was one other baptism for the Point Twenty-Two ward, a little boy named Benson. All wards were together in the chapel, and the chapel was full, for the talks on baptism and the Holy Ghost. After the talks the first ward was called back to the baptismal font while the rest of us stayed in the chapel and watched a video about Jesus. The actor playing Jesus is my favorite, the one who was in "The Witness." It's a touching video and most people were engaged. Trina's sister from Oklahoma is spending the month out here with family and two of her children sat by us. Addy had the 8 month old baby Zed, and Remmy, the three year old girl sat next to her. Remmy is very talkative and kept turning around asking Lola, "Lola, you be baptized?" She was quite entertaining and she kept going over to where her mom was sitting and then coming back. There was a "party" wherever she went. 

The Point Twenty-Two ward was finally called back to the baptismal font. Lola was baptized first. When she came out of the water she turned and smiled at the crowd. She looked like she expected us to cheer. I cheered, quietly in my head and I think other family members did too. 

 

Family who attended Lola's baptism:

Lambsons' - Her parents and sisters and brother, James and I, Sheri and Joshua, Kim and Brian, Sheri, Ben, and Evan.

Cases' - Suzy, Bob, Westley, Lacey and their four girls, Tristyn and her four children.

We all went back to Darrel & Trina's house for food and fun. The most popular activity for the kids was swimming. One of Trina's former young women who has her own online baking business made lots of chocolate chip cookies that were some of the best I have ever had. There was also lots of fruit and pastries and muffins, etc. from Costco. James loved the almond pastries. 

James left around 12:30 to go to Dan Taylor's memorial service. I stayed behind. James said there was tons of food after the service. He also said he was the only one in a suit. Armando had picked up the rebar James needs for the Thompson's and he loaded it in the back of the truck. 

It was somewhere between 3-5 when James returned and we left for home. It was raining in Globe, James said the first time he's seen rain there. We stopped and shared a medium tuna sub at Subway and then we were on our way home. 

At home I watched the newest Hallmark movie, "Campfire Christmas" starring Tori Andersen and Corbin Bleu. A quote from the movie: "Don't ever give up on your dreams."

After the movie I looked down and realized I only had 2,500 steps. I walked until I had 10,000, after James went to bed.

Friday, July 15th, 2022: New CFM study, Rain, Expensive trip to town, Ravens, Demer's glass, Book Barn, Wlmrt, Nature's Realm, Tractor Supply,

 

Fortaleza, Brazil

164th operating temple

Dedicated: 2 June 2019

By: Ulisses Soares

Jesus Christ, Second Coming

Revelations 6:17

For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Book of Mormon

Alma 33:1-11

2 And Alma said unto them: Behold, ye have said that ye could not worship your God because ye are cast out of your synagogues. But behold, I say unto you, if ye suppose that ye cannot worship God, ye do greatly err, and ye ought to search the scriptures; if ye suppose that they have taught you this, ye do not understand them.

"Come Follow Me"

FSS & FHE 2 Kings 19:14-19; 2 Kings 22:3-7; 2 Kings 22:8-11, 19; 23:1-3 2 Kings 23:25, 2 Kings 22-23

AprGenCon

Do What Mattereth Most

Rebecca L. Craven

Second Counselor in the Young Women General Presidency

President Russell M. Nelson teaches:

"With the Holy Ghost as your companion, you can see right through the celebrity culture that has smitten our society. You can be smarter than previous generations have ever been....

"Set a standard for the rest of the wT!"

It takes effort to stay focused on what is truly essential for lasting joy. Satan would love nothing more than for us to misplace our eternal values, leading us to waste precious time, talents, or spiritual strength on thing that matter not. I invite each of us to prayerfully consider those things that distract us from doing what mattereth most.

This morning when James got up he looked out the blinds as he normally does and he began talking about something he saw outside. I couldn't understand what he was saying so I went over to the window to look for myself. I saw several black birds walking around on the ground looking for bugs. He explained to me that the older birds were teaching the younger ones how to look for bugs. It was then that I noticed that there were some birds bigger than the others. I asked him if they were ravens or crows. He said they were ravens. 

I listened to a new "Come Follow Me" podcast today that I really liked. It's called "Come Follow Me Made Easier." The co-hosts are Sam Castor and Lynda Cherry. Here are some notes that I took:

Ancient feast days are important, even today. The Passover testifies of Christ's first coming, His mortal mission and is held in the spring.

The Feast of the Tabernacles testifies of his Second Coming and is held in the Fall. Sister Cherry compared these feast days where covenants were renewed and testimonies born to General Conference in our day which are held in the spring and fall. Hezekiah reinstated the Passover and Josiah after him also observed it. Josiah was the last ray of light for Judah. One person can make a difference. Josiah makes a personal covenant with the Lord and then he makes it in front of all the people. We will keep the Passover and the Feast of the Tabernacle in the Millennium. We must stand as a pillar in our covenants. (2 Kings 23:3). Christ wants to bring us a feast. 

Hezekiah sent messenger to the Northern and Southern Kingdoms to come together for a Passover and the Levites aid, we are not worthy, we have been defiled. Hezekiah prays to the Lord in their behalf and says something like this: Lord, cleanse them even though they're not technically cleansed. Their hearts are sorry and full of repentance. Allow them to be part of our celebration. They came and there was so much healing taking place during the Passover that they celebrated it for two weeks instead of one. 

Josiah read the scriptures that were found during the renovation of the temple and had them read to all of the people. Many of the people, including Hilkiah, the priest, were affected by the word and recommitted themselves to the Lord. The power of the word.

There is a promise in Jeremiah 3:14 which says: 

Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:

We need to "stand as a pillar" in our covenants just as Josiah stood in front of the pillar of the temple when he had the scriptures read to the people. (2 Kings 23:3 - And the king stood by a pillar, and made a covenant before the LORD, to walk after the LORD, and to keep his commandments and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and all their soul, to perform the words of this covenant that were written in this book. And all the people stood to the covenant.

There is a scripture found in the Old Testament, the New Testament, the Book of Mormon, and the Doctrine and Covenants which says: 

"Awake and arise and put on thy beautiful garments" 

At the feast of the Lord, or the Second Coming, He invites all to partake. As we come dressed in our priestly robes, He knows that we are ready for His Second Coming. This gives me chills as I realize that as we go to the temple and wear our priestly robes, the Savior sees and knows we are preparing for His Second Coming. We are gathering for the feast of the Master. We are adorning ourselves with the "vestments" of God, while the world or Babylon encourages us to take off our clothes.  ( This is all from this podcast I listened to).

We left as it started to rain, around 1:45, for town. As we went through the town of Vernon there were puddles everywhere and in a few places we saw what looked like snow. I am sure it was hail but they must have really got hit, more than we did out at our place. It rained most of the way to Walmart but was not raining right at Walmart which means I didn't get wet when James dropped me off. He went to Circle K to get gas and to wash my car. He also went to Demer's Glass to take back the fireplace door. 

After talking with someone at Demer's and showing them the glass and the template he had drawn for them and showing them that the glass was made too big on one side, they agreed to remake it for free. Yay! Way to go honey!

After Walmart I stopped at the Book Barn to get a baptism card for Lola. I picked out two, one being the card that talks about the three white dresses. I can never resist this card. The other was one of a little girl on the front. When I asked James which card I should give Lola he picked the one with the little girl. Donna Lungren, a friend of ours whose husband is from Vernon waited on us. It was good to see her. I found a book I bought by the sister I listened to today in the new podcast, Lynda Cherry. The title of the book is, "The Redemption of the Bride." She has a new book coming out in August about ancient feasts and festivals and I will probably buy that book also. 

While I was in the Book Barn James went over to the health food store just down from Book Barn, Nature's Realm and spent $75 on a supplement called Reds that he uses to fight his cancer. I can't complain too much but I knew we had gone over our budget at this point. We also bought some horse feed at Tractor Supply and spent $42, and another $20 for dinner at Aliberto's. This along with what I spent at Walmart and what James spent at Circle K put us way over budget. Slim pick'ins for the rest of the month.

Here are some Christmas movies I watched today while walking:

1. "A Royally Wrapped Christmas" Jen Lilley & Brendan Fehr

Tradition from the movie: Give people two gifts, one to keep and one to give away so everyone can experience the joy of giving.

2. "Christmas Time Is Here" Rukiya Bernard & Dewshane Williams

3. "Christmas Land" Nikki DeLoach & Luke MacFarlane

I think I need a dog!

 

  

Thursday, Jul 14th, 2022: Globe, Inklings, Rosa's Tamales, Rain, "Come Follow Me Made Easier", Trina, Ruby, Kreed, Dallin, Scarlett, Charlie, Lola, Max, Josh, Evan

 

Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo

163rd operating temple

Dedicated: 14 Apr 2019

By: Dale G. Renlund

Jesus Christ, Second Coming

D&C 54:10

And again, be patient in tribulation until I come; and, behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, and they who have sought me early shall find rest to their souls. Even so. Amen.

Book of Mormon

Alma 32:21-43

26 Now, as I said concerning faith - that it was not a perfect knowledge - even so it is with my words. Ye cannot know of their surety at first, unto perfection, any more than faith is a perfect knowledge.

27 But behold, if ye will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words.

"Come Follow Me"

2 Kings 21-23 "The scriptures can turn my heart to the Lord"

Kings 20-21

AprGenCon

Introductory Message

President Dallin H. Oaks

First Counselor in the First Presidency

We honor the daughters of God in this special session by concentrating on their concerns and those of their organizations.

"Lessons At The Well"

Susan H. Porter

First Counselor in the Primary General Presidency

Sisters, the power is in us to bring to pass much righteousness!

President Russell M. Nelson testified, "Every woman and every man who makes covenants with God and keeps those covenants, and who participates worthily in priesthood ordinances, has direct access to the power of God."

Inklings Live

Emily Belle Freeman & Heather Smith

James went to Globe again this morning, this time by himself. 

I listened to Emily Belle Freeman and Heather Smith this morning on Inklings. They discussed Sister Porter's talk from the last conference about the Woman at the Well. We also talked about the little maid in the story of Naaman. 

As part of my study this morning I read a couple of entries in Dave and Emily's devotional book. This is part of the entry for 2 Chronicles 20:15 The battle is not yours, but God's.

Think of the greatest trial you face right now; consider your multitude of burdens. Have you set yourself to seek God? Our God is mightier than any multitude of burdens we could ever face. Only He can fight our battles, because only He knows what it will take to conquer them. We must never forget - the battle is not ours, but God's, and He is with us. -EBF

This afternoon I went to get the mail where we received a thank you card from Barbara Bartels. As I picked up this card I remembered my text to Pierce this morning where I told him that we celebrated two Barbara's birthdays this week. I told him I loved his Barbara and missed her so much. Her birthday was on the 9th of July. 

After getting the mail I picked up the dozen tamales I ordered from my friend from Mexico City, Rosa Westbrook. Rosa is a good friend and I used to be her visiting teacher. She turned 75 on the 2nd of July and is a tiny little thing as I realized when I gave her a hug. She says she still remembers me bringing her a little cake for her birthday last year. I thought about doing it again this year and now I wish I had. I asked her if she still had her little daschund "Spikey" and she said no, he passed away. 

On the way home I saw more clouds coming from the east. 

When I got home I took out six rolls from the freezer and put them out to rise. James got home an hour or so after I did and he had a small watermelon and some cranberry celebration with him. 

Tonight we didn't watch the sunset because we couldn't see if because of the clouds. We did listen to the last of our book and now we are ready to start a new one. 

I listened to a new "Come Follow Me" podcast called "Come Follow Me Made Easier." The co-hosts are two people I have never heard of, Sam Castor and Lynda Cherry. I really liked them. I didn't finish but will finish tomorrow morning during my study time. 

Kacey got to Zoom with Tanner today. He looks well and seems to be doing really well. He will stay in California until the end of the month.

I like this quote from a Christmas movie I watched today call "Switched for Christmas." This is from one of the male characters who is a high school history teacher: "The thing I like most about teaching is showing the kids how passed events influence today's decisions, beliefs, and actions."

My sweet little Dallin

I can't believe this is Lola!

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