Sat, Dec 19, 2020: Houston Texas Temple; Michael's Birthday; Emmett Ellsworth born; Mike Wallen and Barney Carl pass; Lola & Ruby's dance recital; Grapp's gift

 

Houston, Texas

97th operating temple

Dedicated: 26 Aug 2000

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Millennial Reign

DC 43:29

For in mine own due time will I come upon the earth in judgment, and my people shall be redeemed and shall reign with me on earth.

Book of Mormon

Moroni 10:30-34

"Come Follow Me"

Moroni 10 "Come unto Christ and Be Perfected in Him"

OctGenCon

'Watch Ye Therefore, And Pray Always'

President M. Russell Ballard

Today I expand my call for prayer to all people from every country around the world. No matter how you pray or to whom you pray, please exercise your faith - whatever your faith may be - and pray for your country and for your national leaders. As I said last October in Massachusetts, we stand today at a major crossroads in history, and the nations of the earth are in desperate need of divine inspiration and guidance. This is not about politics or policy. This is about peace and the healing that can come to individual souls as well as to the soul of countries-their cities, towns, and villages-through the Prince of Peace and the source of all healing, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Restoration Proclamation

P9 S1

With reverence and gratitude, we as His Apostles invite all to know-as we do-that the heavens are open.

Happy 23rd Birthday Michael

Michael always calls me on Mother's Day

I love him!

I set up my gift wrapping center on the dining room table. James doesn't seem to mind. Brother Grapp is coming over today to pick up the rabbit hutch they are giving Liana for Christmas. I put a big bow on the horse calendar I bought to give to the family. I also made a big batch of snickerdoodle cookies to give to them. Later I got a text from Cammy thanking me for the horse calendar because they love horses and she said my cookies we delicious and they were now all gone. Simple gifts, yet received with gratitude. It made me feel good.

Of course I am still watching new Christmas cookies while wrapping the gifts for Darrel's family. I want to take them down when we go tomorrow for the family party. I also wrapped both white elephant gifts. I had to make more cookies for the party and for the Wilhelm family. 

James's eye is still bothering him. He thinks he got a sliver of metal in it when he was cutting the poles for the gates. Speaking of gates, Willie Grombach, someone in our ward, is going to make them at a very reasonable price. He is actually my friend Pat Tedder's son-in-law.

The weather was beautiful today. James said he actually accomplished all of his goals. For dinner he had a favorite, crab cakes. I had some of Kathy Crane's Christmas present to us, her homemade cinnamon bread.

Today we learned that Jared's former father-in-law, Mike Wallen, passed away. We also heard that Barney Carl, someone who James taught the gospel to when he was a ward mission leader, and who was baptized, passed away. On the other end of the spectrum, my dear former young woman, Trenda, had her baby today. He was not due until January 10th, so it was a surprise. Mother and baby are doing fine. They named him Emmett. 

Baby Emmett

Proud parents Emery and Trenda

Charlie's doings

Dance Recital for these two

Dasher and Dancer? What was I talking about?

Fri, Dec 18, 2020: Caracas Venezuela Temple; Shopping, Heber Reidheads, Cowboy Jim, ASU pounds UofA, Autumn, Palmar, Scarlett, Christmas Star, Steps

Caracas, Venezuela

96th operating temple

Dedicated: 20 Aug 2000

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Millennial Reign

Revelation 20:7

And when the thousand years are expired, Satan shall be loosed out of his prison,

Book of Mormon

Moroni 10:24-29

OctGenCon

'Embrace the Future with Faith'

President Russell M. Nelson

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

Now, I would love to know what you have learned this year. Have you grown closer to the Lord, or do you feel further away from Him? And how have current events made you feel about the future? Admittedly, the Lord has spoken of our day in sobering terms. He warned that in our day "men's hearts would fail them" and that even the very elect would be at risk of being deceived. He told the Prophet Joseph Smith that "peace would be taken from the earth" and calamities would befall mankind.

Yet the Lord has also provided a vision of how remarkable this dispensation is. He inspired the Prophet Joseph Smith to declare that "the work of . . . these last days, is one of vast magnitude. . . . Its glories are past description, and its grandeur unsurpassable."

How are we to deal with both the somber prophecies and the glorious pronouncements about our day? The Lord told us how with simple, but stunning, reassurance: "If ye are prepared ye shall not fear."

Restoration Proclamation

P8 S2

The earth will never again be the same, as God will "gather together in one all things in Christ" (Ephesians 1:10).

I bought three guitar blankets, one for Joe, Max, and Rowan. When they came one of them turned out to be a shower curtain. I'm also not happy with the blankets for Joshua, Evan, and Rowan. I told James I was going to town and he decides he wants to go with me, to get horse feed which he forgot yesterday. We read from "Banana Split" on the way to town. 

James dropped me off at Walmart. As I am getting out of the car, the Reidheads that work with us in the temple are right there. Besides Debbie Vance, Ewanda Reidhead is my best friend on our shift and the person I miss the most. It was great to see her and her husband!

I bought more blankets and calendars. James got the horse feed, gas for the car, and he also washed the car. Together we go thru Panda and get panda bowls with fried rice. I got teriyaki chicken and James got beef. They disappointed and weren't as good as we remembered.

When we get home I do some more wrapping and waling and we watched a Christmas movie before going to bed.

Grocery store or warehouse?

Poor kitties

Cowboy Jim

 

 

Thur, Dec 17, 2020: Oklahoma City Oklahoma temple; Dollar Tree, Walmart, Red Pandas, Nativity, Christmas, Names of Christ, Trezises', Steps

 

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

95th operating temple

Dedicated: 30 July 2000

By: James E. Faust

Jesus Christ, Millennial Reign

DC 76:63

These are they whom he shall bring with him, when he shall come in the clouds of heaven to reign on the earth over his people.

Book of Mormon

Moroni 10:19-23

"Come Follow Me"

Moroni 10: 30-33 "I can be perfected through the grace of Jesus Christ"

OctGenCon

'Be of Good Cheer'

President Dallin H. Oaks

First Counselor in the First Presidency

Tribulation and challenges are the common experiences of mortality. Opposition is an essential part of the divine plan for helping us grow, and in the midst of that process, we have God's assurance that. in the long view of eternity, opposition will not be allowed to overcome us. With His help and our faithfulness and endurance, we will prevail. Like the mortal life of which they are a part, all tribulations are temporary. In the controversies that preceded a disastrous war, United States president Abraham Lincoln wisely reminded his audience of the ancient wisdom that "this, too, shall pass away."

Restoration Proclamation

P8 S1

We gladly declare that the promised Restoration goes forward through continuing revelation.

I have been waking up with a cramp in my behind. I can't sit so I go in and eat something, take my Tramadol, and sit in the recliner and watch a movie until I feel better. This morning I got up at five. I was feeling better around eight when James came in and brought me some venison steak, tea, and toast. My early morning movie was "Snow Globe Christmas" starring Alicia Witt. Kind of a corny movie. One of the things Alicia's character says is: "WWMOD"?

"What would Marie Osmond do"?

This afternoon I went into town with James. First stop for me was Dollar Tree where I picked up some more gift bags. There was a long line at the check out so it took me awhile. James picked up lunch at Taco Bell while he was waiting. I told him I wanted a burrito supreme and that's what he ordered too. Instead of a burrito supreme with both got taco supremes which aren't as good. 

I went to Walmart while James did some other errands. I picked up calendars for our friends and neighbors. They had a good selection and I even got a baby Yoda calendar for my white elephant gift. 

We are really getting in to our book, "Banana Split." A mom was found washed up under a dock, Sadie actually found her, and she is now trying to figure out who killed her. 

There are the movies I had on today:

"Hometown Holiday"

"A Sugar and Spice Holiday"

"A Snow Globe Christmas"

"My Christmas Inn"

Inklings

Chinese Red Pandas