Monday, October 21st, 2024: Tom sunbathes on the picnic table, finished "Ruby & the Well", beautiful, sunny day 65 degrees, J's trip to town. I am feeling good, wash upstrs sheets, cleaned hall bathroom, Chelsea's text, Kim's text, mailed in our voting ballots

 

Nashville, Tennessee

84th operating temple

Dedicated: 21 May 2000

By: James E. Faust

Book of Mormon

3 Nephi 28:1-23

Come Follow Me

3 Nephi 27- 4 Nephi

Oct. 21-27: "There Could Not Be a Happier People" 

Introduction

October General Conference

Mortality Works

Elder Brook P. Hales

"Despite the challenges we all face, our loving Heavenly Father has designed the plan of happiness such that we are not destined to fail."

Up at 5:15. This morning as I was walking through the family room I saw Tom sunbathing on the picnic table outside. I thought I got a picture but I cannot find it. If I do find it, I will post it later.

I finished all four seasons of the BYUTV series, "Ruby and the Well." Good show for young people.

Today was a beautiful, sunny 65 degree day. James made a trip in to town to get materials and trees for our grass patch project. He came back with four of the cutest mini cone-shaped trees. Two for the grass patch and two for the backyard.

I am still feeling great with lots of energy because of the Prednisone that I have been on. I washed all of the sheets upstairs that had been slept on. I cleaned the hall bathroom upstairs and was so embarrassed about how disgusting the toilet was. I apologized to Addy and she said: "Don't worry grandma, we didn't even go in there. I hope not!

I texted Chelsea MacArthur today and asked how she was doing. Here is what she said:

Hi Karen, sorry I'm so late to text you back, I didn't have my phone much today.

My blood work has just been off and I have a few symptoms still but I'm learning how to handle it so I think it will just take time. They originally thought it was MS but from my tests it's not that, so that's good. I'm just taking it a day at a time, but I'm fine.

How are you guys? Is there anything we can do for you?

Me: Chelsea, I am so glad you don't have MS. What a relief! What can we do to help you? Do you know about the Vernon Halloween party this Saturday? Michelle Teserak is in charge and does an awesome job!

Chelsea: Thank you. We're good right now and the kids have been sick so we have just been laying low. 

Yes, we will be at the trunk or treat. Is there a party with it too? Glad she's in charger. She is good at that.

I sent her a Halloween flyer about the party.

I texted Michelle Teserak and arranged for her son Resten to wash all of the windows at our house this Friday morning. Somehow October got away from us. It's a good thing I texted because Michelle was planning on the next weekend which would have been the day of the wedding.

I also got a text from Kim today. Brian is bringing her up this coming Sunday. She is coming early because she is making the cake, 90 cupcakes, brownies and cookies for the family dinner and the reception in Chandler on the 2nd. She wanted to make sure the refrigerator in the garage would be cleaned out because she said she would need to put the cake and the cupcakes in it. I told her it would be.

I made a shopping list and a long to do list today. I need to do something everyday to get ready for company. 

I made stirfry with left over pork chop meat sliced thinly for dinner. It was very good. 

I hope the weather the day of the wedding is like the weather was today. 

I read from President Nelson's book The Heart of the Matter. I am on chapter 5, "Reject the Plague of Contention." President Nelsons says that one of the easiest ways to identify a true follower of Jesus Christ is by how compassionately that person treats others. 

Also started listening to the book, "Across the Star-Kissed Sea."

We voted and mailed in our ballots today.

Wouldn't work here, too much wind

and rain

Rowan and his catfish

Love this arrangement

Rowan pumpkin carving with friends

Do you see Rowan?

I found the picture of Tom sunbathing on the table

Temple dedication I forgot to 

post yesterday

Sam from "Ruby and the Well"

He's swell

Tom and his toy bird

My Trenda and her sweet family

 

Sunday, October 20th, 2024: Trimmed James's hair & it looks great, beautiful, clear morning, sit by Pam & Chuck @ church, Dallin Waylin & Brother Knight, SS, Catherine, Ellsworth's, Emily of New Moon

 

Tampico, Mexico

83rd operating temple

Dedicated: 20 May 2000

By: Thomas S. Monson

Book of Mormon

3 Nephi 27

Come Follow Me

Sunday School

October General Conference

'Seeking Answers to Spiritual Questions'

Sister Tracy Y. Browning

"Our sincere gospel questions can provide Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ with opportunities to help us grow."

I trimmed James's hair this morning. It looks great!

It is a beautiful, clear morning. On the way up the aisle to our second row spot Pam Wood, on the back row, invited us to sit with her and her husband, Chuck. Pam is so sweet and friendly. 

After the first speaker finished speaking, a young returned missionary, Dallin Wahlin, finished speaking Pam said to me: "That was awesome. I could have listened to him all day." I agreed. Amazing young man. Here are some notes from his talk:

Dallin Wahlin: Served his mission in central Mexico. President Nelson's message of preparing for the 2nd Coming was concerning. Make discipleship our highest priority. Covenants = strengthening power. Higher & holier. Temple worthiness. Alma 34:15-17. Follow Jesus Christ. See people as they really are. Put Jesus Christ first. There is opposition to disciples of Christ. Remove distractions and negative examples. Mosiah 2:41 - "And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it." Focus is more important than circumstances. The Lord will magnify our efforts. The Lord loves effort. 3 Nephi 13:32-33.

Mark 12:30-31. Love god and neighbor. Desires are so important. Repent, Think Celestial, focus on the positive. Attend the temple. I testify . . . 

Brother Chris Knight

Make discipleship our highest priority. Find Jesus Christ in the temple. More covenant consciousness. Every sincere seeker of Jesus Christ will find Him in the temple. Spend some time each day walking with the Savior. My grandkids are reading better as a result of reading the scriptures. We need to put the Savior first in our lives. D&C 138 - What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken ...

We need to increase our understanding of the Lord's Atonement as President Nelson asked us to. His grace is everything. Song, "Give Me Jesus" (on the internet.) "In the morning when I rise, 'Give Me Jesus.' Brother Knight has such a sweet testimony, I really felt the Spirit. 

On to Sunday School. James sat by Owen Peeler in the front row and I sat next to Catherine Halcomb. One of the things we talked about in class today was the children in 3 Nephi teaching the parents and saying things which couldn't be written. I told about Charlie and her special love for Jesus. How she posted a video about conference and that her favorite conference talk was Elder Christofferson's, "Burying Our Weapons of Rebellion."

Brother Applegate gave everyone a copy from a talk President Kimball gave at the Southwest Indian mission in Holbrook in 1967. President Kimball, then Elder Kimball, prophesied about the Lamanites and their destiny regarding building the temple in Independence, Missouri and the gathering of the tribe of Joseph.

The coming forth of the Book of Mormon is the sign that the gathering of Israel has begun. 

Catherine wants me to come and visit her. I told her that I would as soon as this wedding on November 1st was over. She said, "I promise I won't die before then."

On the way home James and I listened to a talk Tad R. Callister gave in General Conference in 2019 when he was the General Sunday School President. It was a talk on the Atonement. President Nelson has asked us to study the Atonement weekly and this was our study for this week.

We had chili for lunch and then took naps. After our naps James ask me to go with him to Brother Ellsworth's to deliver the gun he bought at the auction for the Johnson family. We had quite a time finding where he lives. LDS Tools and Google Maps led us astray. We were lost until I used MapQuest. 

They live on a hill with a nice view. Brother Ellsworth was outside so James just spoke to him there. There were two cute dogs peeking out of the window of their home. Two little white fluffy dogs that were so cute. There were also two not so cute dogs outside with Brother Ellsworth. His and Hers dogs I guess.

Back at home I went in to work on my blog while James spent the evening contacting all of the family history consultants in our ward. 

Barbara Klug is having cancer treatments, Maxine Thompson cannot see to help people with family history. She can only advise. Bridget is trying to help Tom Peralta who does not have a computer. She ran off some family group  sheets and pedigree charts for him to fill out and asked James if he could take them to him. That will be our Sunday afternoon drive next week. 

We came home and watched an episode of Emily of New Moon. This one was called Lofty John. James didn't like it and neither did I. I don't think this show is something we won't to watch, especially on Sunday evenings. 

Flooding in Roswell, New Mexico because of rain and a broken dam. Makenzi and Tyler Forrester and there two kids are okay. Makenzi is our bishop's daughter and she lives in Roswell.

More photos of the struggling campers

They went on a hike and it hailed on them.

Tired Tom

Happy Sabbath Charlie

Salvador, Brazil Temple Dedication

By: Neil L. Andersen

Temple dedicated by Elder Neil L. Andersen

on Sunday, October 20, 2024

Saturday, October 19, 2024: Genius Wave Express, meet Addy's friends, my new bottom teeth were a challenge to get in, more rain & snow, chili making, chili cookoff

 

Cochabamba, Bolivia

82nd operating temple

Dedicated: 30 Apr 2000

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Book of Mormon

3 Nephi 26

Come Follow Me

3 Nephi 25:5-6

The Lord sent Elijah to turn my heart to my ancestors.

October General Conference

'I Am He'

President Jeffrey R. Holland

"Christ's charity - evident ion complete loyalty to divine will - persisted and continues to persist."

My Genius Wave Express goes something like this:

Unlock the powers of your incredible mind.

Relax

You are enhancing the powers of your mind by giving it what it needs

Relax a little more, more deeply

Enjoy the peace this recording brings you

The powerful inner peace is helping you learn deep within

Your inner mind will bubble up great insights as they are needed

This is just a very minimal part of the recording along with sound waves. Sounds a little hokey doesn't it. I don't know if it's doing me any good but I actually enjoy listening to it, so I have made it a part of my morning routine.

We met Addy's friends this morning. There is Kayla, Addy's cousin, whom we already know, Belle, and Brandon. I guess Brandon was the protector, driver of Starla (Trina's car), and tent builder. I think he made the girls feel safe. He seemed like a really nice guy. Here is a picture of the four of them.

Brandon, Addy, Belle, and Kayla

They were eating bagels and fruit for breakfast when I left to go to Pierce's to get my teeth done. When I returned, about two hours later, they were getting ready to leave so I really didn't get to visit very much. I am glad they came though.

This was the hardest appointment so far. Those bottom teeth were difficult to get in and there was lots of grinding. Pierce said the teeth are made from zirconium and it is a very hard substance, second only to diamonds. I was so glad when it was over and I am so happy with the results!

 After they left it started to rain and snow. I texted them to please drive carefully and to let me know when they get home. Addy texted back and said, "which way is safer to go?" This is what I said: "I say Payson, Grampa says Globe, even though rocks fall out of the sky that way." Addy: "Ok then."

They ended up going the Globe way and made it home safely.

My project this afternoon was to make chili for tonight's chili cookoff. I am using my favorite recipe, Wendy's restaurant chili.

It is yummy and colorful and the texture is great. The dicing of the vegetables is the longest most tedious part of the chili making process. I diced a large onion, a yellow bell pepper, and three stalks of celery. I browned the ground beef, added the veggies to the ground beef and all of the other ingredients. I made it in my cast iron saucepan and then put it in the crockpot to keep it warm. 

I went in to take a nap and when I was finished I came back in to try some chili with the cornbread I bought at Walmart. Yummy and Delicous!

The dinner starts at five so we left a few minutes before with the sun glaring in our eyes most of the way. Oh my. This ward does love their chili cookoff. There was lots and lots of chili. 

James said we were supposed to sit by someone we didn't know. This is a ward missionary activity and everyone in the community is invited. Collin DeWitt is the ward mission leader and a good friend of James's. 

Catherine Halcomb was one of the first people I saw. She grabbed me and said she wanted to sit with me. Of course, I am her ministering sister and she is a dear friend. Catherine and I sat there for awhile at our table. James went walking around visiting. James went to get my dinner also. While he was gone Tamara came in and sat down on the other side of me. She just drove a van full of guys from Beacon Addiction Recovery center. I told her I would have liked to get a picture of that!

Collin asked everyone at each table to find out something about someone at their table that they didn't know before tonight and tell what they learned. He only asked one person at each table or we would have been there all night. He asked our table twice and we said we had nothing. I felt bad afterwards. Even though I knew both of the sisters at my table, I could have shared something about one of them. For instance, I could have shared that Catherine Halcomb, who is 90 years old, used to train Alaskan Huskies for dog sled races in northern California. I bet most people don't know that about her. She is a pretty interesting little lady.

It was fun to hear what the people at the other tables had to say. One of the guys from Beacon Recovery Center told something about everyone from the center. There were at least ten of them. I learned that Brother Lauritzen, who is a family and marriage counselor, was a helicopter pilot and a software engineer. Quite a well-rounded guy. 

We had several sets of missionaries at the dinner and Collin asked them to be the judges for the chili. There were several prizes offered. Everyone who one a prize got a wooden spoon to take home. I won for best texture. 

I wish it said Best Texture on it.

It was a long day and I was glad to crawl into bed tonight.

The fiasco of a camping trip

Nellie Wilhelm is an aunt for the 3rd time

My fake crocs that James now claims.

He looks so cute going out to feed the

horses in them.

If you ever have to go camping you

need to take someone like Naomi with you.

She saved us at girls camp the year it rained, and rained, and rained.

I know how to dig trenches to keep water our of tents because of her.

 James built Naomi and her husband Bill's home in Chandler.