Monday, May 1, 2023: Trip to valley, AARA, new glasses, Elmer's, Dawn & Lois, 5"1st Ave. job, Costco, D&T's, Temple with Sheri & Kim, Dianne Heyman, Skinners, Debbie Lieb, home again

 

Guadalajara, Mexico

105th operating temple

Dedicated: 29 April 2001

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Testimony of

D&C 42:61

If thou shalt ask, thou shalt receive revelation upon revelation, knowledge upon knowledge, that thou mayest know the mysteries and peaceable things - that which bringeth joy, that which bringeth life eternal.

Book of Mormon

Mosiah 20:12-21:8

Come Follow Me

Luke 12-17; John 11 "Rejoice with Me; For I Have Found My Sheep Which was Lost."

Jesus' Name

I Am

Word

Restore

Phrase

I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.

AprGenCon

Safely Gathered Home

Elder Quentin L. Cook

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

"Our Heavenly Father's plan for safely gathering His children to our heavenly home is not based on worldly success, economic status, education, race, or gender. Father's plan is based on righteousness, keeping His commandments, and receiving sacred ordinances and honoring the covenants we make."

Up at 4:30 to get ready to leave for the valley and to allow myself time for my morning prayer. We ended up leaving at 6:30 instead of 6:00 but we made it in plenty of time.

We even went the Payson way and had to stop for roadwork in Heber. We arrived at the Arizona Arthritis and Rheumatology Associates office at 10:00 for my 10:15 appointment.

Frances was off today. I missed her. She's been working for them since I first started having infusions way back when. 

While I was having my infusion James was running around doing errands. He picked up my glasses, dropped off his suit at the dry cleaners and picked us up some lunch at Elmer's. 

I was finished at 11:10. James picked me up and we headed for Glendale while eating lunch in the car. I do not recommend getting chips, sauce and cheese if you are going to eat it in the car. What a mess! Anyway I ate the mini bean and cheese and James had the machaca burro, giving me a couple of bites.

While James was talking to Armando at the 51st avenue office, I walked in the parking lot, making a loop in the shaded area where the doctors park, only there weren't any cars there where I was walking. 

We left the office and I needed some Mento gum. We tried a Circle K and a Seven Eleven and James said neither of them had Mento gum. Maybe I should have gone in. This Orbit gum just doesn't do anything for me.

Our next stop was in Tempe to see James's mom and Dawn. Lois seems to be feeling great and filled us in on most of the family news. They have discovered the online store Temu and have gone crazy ordering die-cuts for making cards. Dawn tried to give me several. I finally took some hearts and told her I would assess what I have and pick up some more on my next trip. Lois gave me a t-shirt that she ordered from Teme. I get their ads on Instagram but I've never ordered anything. After talking with Dawn she loves it and says their prices are so cheap, I may have to try them. 

On to Chandler. We stopped by Stacy's to pick up her temple name. Her back is hurting too much and she won't be going to the temple with us tomorrow so I am doing her name. She also gave us a piece of the lime cake she made. It was delicious. What is it with this family and cakes?

Next stop was Kim & Brian's. Kim made some apple cream cheese bread and saved some for us. James went in to get it. I thought Kim was gone. She texted me and said she was sorry she missed us. I asked her if she wanted to go to the temple with us tomorrow. When Sheri heard we were going she wanted to go and I told Kim Sheri could pick her up. We are going to the 8 a.m. session per Sheri's request. She wanted to go at 7 but that was just too early.

Before making our way out to Darrel & Trina's we stopped at the Costco in Gilbert to do a little shopping. I got toilet paper, paper towels, alkaline water and lemons. I forgot the prunes. James got all the pomegranate juice he will need for awhile. I bought us a piece of cheese pizza to share and that became our dinner. We also snacked on Stacy's cake and Kim's bread but did not eat all of it. 

Just as we arrived at Darrel & Trina's Trina was out the door for a class at the hospital and to stop by and help her mom who just had surgery. Darrel was still at work when we first got there. It was just Lola and Ruby watching TV and Rowan laying on the couch. He is sick. Trina warned me but we came anyway. 

James and I were exhausted and went upstairs to take a nap in Rowan's room. After our naps we went downstairs. Darrel was home and he and Rowan were watching the Suns playoff game with the Denver Nuggets. The Suns ended up losing, their second loss. Now they go to Phoenix to play.

Ruby was going to make bean burros for dinner. I told her and Lola that I was going to go to Hobby Lobby to look for puzzles. 

On the way to Hobby Lobby I stopped at Cobblestone and got a carwash which cleaned my windshield and most of the bugs off the front of my car. Since we are going to the temple in the morning, I wanted my car to be clean. 

I got three puzzles. A cupcake puzzle with 12 mini cupcake puzzles each having around 40-42 pieces. A dog and shoe puzzle and a 1,000 piece kids books puzzle that I am going to take home with me. The other two I will leave her for Ruby and Lola. I bought Rowan some goodies and gum to say thank you for letting us stay in his room.

Trina, James and I did several laps around the green area tonight. Darrel, Lola, and Ruby were out with us for awhile then they went in. Trina stayed with us to visit until we went in. It was nice to get to visit with her.

Just as we started doing the cupcake puzzles Lola had to go to bed. We told her we would save her three puzzles to do. Ruby, Trina and I did nine of the puzzles. I think Ruby did four while I did two. They were really hard for me and I don't know why!

James went to bed before I did and sent me a text: "I can't go to sleep when you aren't here." It's nice to be wanted.

Lola's room looked so cute!

This duck was lying in the middle of

the road when I was driving to Hobby Lobby.

He got up and went back to his wife on the

edge of the road when I drove by.

Vernon food services

Charlie's pre-k graduation

So cute!

Sunday, April 30, 2023: Sacrament mtg - DeWitt's speak, "Peacemakers Needed", Puzzle a distraction, porkchops, strawberries, Stacy's back pain, DMT, J & Ch moles

 

Winter Quarters, Nebraska

104th operating temple

Dedicated: 22 Apr 2001

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Testimony of

D&C 10:33

Thus Satan thinketh to overpower your testimony in this generation, that the work may not come forth in this generation.

Book of Mormon

Mosiah 19:25-20:11

Come Follow Me

Luke 12-17; John 11 "Rejoice with Me: For I Have Found My Sheep Which was Lost"

Jesus' Name

I Am

Word

Restore

Phrase

I am the resurrection and the life; he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live.

AprGenCon

The Answer Is Always Jesus

President Russell M. Nelson

President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

"Whatever questions or problems you have, the answer is always found in the life and teachings of Jesus Christ."

Pierce Goodman was released from the bishopric today. Chris Skousen was sustained as the new second counselor to Bishop Hunsaker. He will be great.

The DeWitt's were the speakers in our sacrament meeting today. She spoke about testimony and Colin spoke about the evils of contention.

Wendy DeWitt - A testimony is strengthened and nourished in the bearing of it. The Lord saved you to save your family. Wendy felt the Spirit and gained a testimony when she was five years old and Wayne McDonald bore his testimony in fast and testimony meeting. Do not deny the prompting to bear your testimony. Let children bear their testimonies. It is critical for each of us to have our own testimony of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ. Wendy bore her testimony at the closing of her talk.

Collin DeWitt - It's not all bad being married to a hot rod. Evil is being forced upon good. Being contentious is mean. There has been a change in humanity in the last few years. Overcome the world and fine rest. Find rest from the intensity, uncertainty, and anguish of this world by overcoming the world through your covenants with God. (RMN). The reward for keeping covenants with God is heavenly power - power that strengthens us to withstand our trials, temptations, and heartaches better. This power eases our way. Make God and Jesus Christ the most important things in your life.

Since this is the 5th Sunday the bishopric was in charge of the 2nd hour. We watched President Nelson's conference address, "Peacemakers Needed." Afterwards Bishop Hunsaker put up a map and started talking about preparedness in our area. Time was up but Cope Reynolds, who is our preparedness specialist got up and talked a few minutes. Each neighborhood in our ward has a leader and each family in the neighborhood reports to their leader. Family first and then neighbors. 

I made creamy pork chops for lunch. The pork chops needed time in the crockpot before eating one again for dinner. 

James Facetimed with Charlie and Jared about the problem they have with moles, which are ruining their driveway. James said he could come out and help pour a new driveway.

Gentry

Is that Satan in the back?

Saturday, April 29, 2023: J wears house slippers to work, J goes to town & lunch @ Owen Taylor's, J takes me to town, We walk together, not feeling well

Montevideo, Uruguay

103rd operating temple

Dedicated: 18 Mar 2001

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Testimony of

D&C 9:8

But, behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.

Book of Mormon

Mosiah 19:1-24

Come Follow Me

John 10

Jesus' Name

The Good Shepherd

Word

Protector

Phrase

My sheep hear my voice

AprGenCon

"Abide in Me, and I in You; Therefore Walk with Me"

Elder David A. Bednar

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

"The Savior's promise to abide in us is true and available to every covenant-keeping member of His restored Church."

This day was a challenge for me. 

James and I had scriptures and prayer, then he left to work at Barbara's. He was back a few minutes later. I asked him what was wrong.  He said he was digging in a trench and he thought, why is so much dirt getting into my shoes. He looked down and saw he had his house shoes on. He came home to change them and said he needed to go to town. I said I would go with him if I didn't have to go to lunch at Owen Taylor's. I thought he was going back to the job for awhile and then would come and pick me up when he was ready to go to town. Not so. He didn't hear me and he went to town without me. I found out because I saw a Jack-in-the Box bag when he came home.

I told him how I wanted to go to town with him and he said he misunderstood me. I said, NO, you didn't hear me. He got ready and went to Owen's open house. He was gone an hour or so and brought me back a piece of banana nut bread. He then said he would take me to town so I got ready and off we went. I got a Slinger and a drink at Sonic and James got mozarella sticks. 

The youth of our ward did baptisms today. I sent four cards with them, two men and two women. This evening they had their Navajo taco fundraiser dinner. Neither James nor I went. I did donate $20 earlier.

This evening we walked and listened to our book. 

Crazy Texan Griffin's

Beauty of the Desert

 

Friday, April 28, 2023: Swelling on the right side of my face near my mouth - Benadryl, Cancelled temple, Beautiful day, Barbara-stroke like symptoms, Terry says mothballs in car are poison

 

Porta Alegre, Brazil

102nd operating temple

Dedicated: 17 Dec 2000

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Testimony of

D&C 8:1

Oliver Cowdery, verily, verily, I say unto you, that assuredly as the Lord liveth, who is your God and your Redeemer, even so surely shall you receive a knowledge of whatsoever things you shall ask in faith, with an honest heart, believing that you shall receive a knowledge concerning the engravings of old records, which are ancient, which contain those parts of my scripture of which has been spoken by the manifestation of my Spirit.

Book of Mormon

Mosiah 18:17-35

Come Follow Me

John 10 Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd

Jesus' Name

The Good Shepherd

Word

Protection

Phrase

My sheep hear my voice.

AprGenCon

Do You Know Why I as a Christian Believe in Christ?

Ahmad S. Corbitt

Of the Seventy

 Jesus Christ had to suffer, die, and rise again to redeem all humanity from physical death and to give eternal life with God.

My face is swelling along my right jawline. It looks like I swallowed a golf ball. Throughout the day I took three Benadryl pills and the swelling gradually went down.

I had made appointments at the temple for James and I this afternoon which I cancelled. James did not want to go without me. 

Barbara B. was supposed to work at the temple today but she was having stroke like symptoms this morning and went to the hospital. 

Terry (Tebo) went with her. He said he thinks maybe these symptoms occurred because of the mothballs in her car. They are very poisonous. They did all kinds of tests at the hospital and could find nothing wrong. The doctor told her to have her car fumigated to get rid of the smell. 

James finally finished the prep work on our income taxes, only about a month late. We always file an extension. Now he needs to take it to our new accountant who lives up here. We are no longer with Oliver & Spencer.

James made shrimp for dinner and I made broccoli.

Here are a couple of quotes I came across today:

"Enslaving shackles of habit are too small to be sensed until they are too strong to be broken... Russell M. Nelson (NTSM, p. 227)

Neal A. Maxwell on page 232 of the New Testament Student Manual referred to 2 Nephi 9:41 and Mormon 6:17 which declares the Savior waits for us "with open arms." "That imagery is too powerful to brush aside .... It is imagery that should work itself into the very center core of one's mind - a rendezvous impending, a moment in time and space, the likes of which there is no other. And that rendezvous is a reality. I certify that to you. He does wait for us with open arms, because His love of us is perfect."