Fri, May 20th, 2022: Snowflake Arizona Temple, Deliver Pam's cake, Brian here, basement dry, "Pure Country", ham and scalloped potatoes, "Heart of the Matter"

 

Snowflake, Arizona

108th operating temple

Dedicated: 3 Mar 2002

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Second Comforter

D&C 88:3-4

3 Wherefore, I now send upon you another Comforter, even upon you my friends, that it may abide in your hearts, even the Holy Spirit of promise; which other Comforter is the same that I promised unto my disciples, as is recorded in the testimony of John.

4 This Comforter is the promise which I give unto you of eternal life, even the glory of the celestial kingdom;

Book of Mormon

Alma 3:1-19

"Come Follow Me"

Jesus Christ is the Prophet who would be raised up like unto Moses.

Deuteronomy 18

AprGenCon

"To Heal the World"

Elder Ronald A. Rasband

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

There is another scourge sweeping the globe: attacks on your and my religious freedom. This growing sentiment seeks to remove religion and faith in God from the public square, schools, community standards, and civic discourse. Opponents of religious freedom seek to impose restrictions on expressions of heartfelt convictions. They even criticize and ridicule faith traditions.

Such an attitude marginalizes people, devaluing personal principles, fairness, respect, spirituality, and peace of conscience. 

What is religious freedom?

It is freedom of worship in all its configurations: freedom of assembly, freedom of speech, freedom to act on personal beliefs, and freedom for others to do the same. Religious freedom allows each of us to decide for ourselves what we believe, how we live and act according to our faith, and what God expects of us.

I delivered Pam's cake at 6:45 and her gifts, lotion and body wash, and a Luke 1:37 plaque. 

Scriptures and prayers with James. I was tired and sat down in my bedroom recliner and turned on the TV and ended up watching "Pure Country" starring George Strait. I forgot how much I like him.

I made ham and scalloped potatoes for lunch today. 

Brian got here this afternoon. He immediately cooked Kim a steak with some veggies. He offered to cook me one too but I had already eaten. He also brought a case of Charmin toilet paper. I know that must have cost him at least $25. 

Kim put her puzzle away this afternoon because she realized she was not going to finish it. She went for a walk almost everyday so I think that is a good exchange for doing a puzzle. 

James unloaded bags of cement for the footings for the stable he is building for Luna. I wish he wouldn't lift heavy bags by himself. But he never asks for any help. 

This evening the four of us watched the Hallmark Movie and Mysteries movie, "Heart of the Matter", starring Aimee Teagarden. It was sad but it ended well and had a very good message. 

 

Thur, May 19th, 2022: Columbia River Washington Temple, Dinner for us and Sue Hubble, Pam's cake, Walmart, Charlie, Ruby, Lola, Addy

 

Columbia River, Washington

107th operating temple

Dedicated: 18 Nov 2001

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Second Comforter

D&C 76:53-54, 67

53 And who overcome by faith, and are sealed by the Holy Spirit of promise, which the Father sheds forth upon all those who are just and true.

54 They are they who are the church of the Firstborn.

67 These are they who have come to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of Enoch, and of the Firstborn.

Book of Mormon

Alma 2: 19-38

"Come Follow Me"

Deuteronomy 15 Helping the needy involves generous hands and willing hearts. 

AprGenCon

"For God So Loved Us"

Elder Michael T. Ringwood

Of the Seventy

God sent Jesus Christ, His only Son in the flesh, to lay down His life for every one of us. This He did because He loves us and designed a plan for each of us to return home to Him.

Inklings Live

Rio and Shima

This morning I put two stews in two different crockpots. One for us, and one for Sue Hubble and her granddaughters, Kaylynn and Sky. 

I also started some rolls. I need to go into town to get some powdered sugar but I don't want to leave while the rolls are rising. I am delivering Sue's meal around 5 and since I will be half way in to town already, I'm just going to go then. I can make Pam's cake and wait to frost it when I get back from town.

Pam said she would like a yellow cake with chocolate frosting. Courtney just happens to have a recipe. I made the cake this afternoon and when the rolls had finished baking, I put the three 8" cake pans in the oven. They rose well and they came out of the pan quite well. After they were cooled I wrapped them. 

James went with me to deliver Sue's dinner. Kim cut up some strawberries and washed them along with some blueberries to go with the watermelon we had. I also cut three pieces of the Danish Cream Cheese cake. When we arrived at Sue's we were greeted by five dogs, Sue has two and the girls have 3 small dogs. Sue and the girls were there to greet us too. We took the food in and sat it on the table and Sue seemed so appreciative. We said goodbye and were on our way. 

In town James dropped me off at Walmart while he went to Home Depot. On the way home we stopped at Tractor Supply for some horse feed and licorice. We also stopped to get gas and at the post office. We were in the truck because James picked up some bags of concrete at Home Depot.

When we got home we had some stew and then I went to work making frosting for Pam's cake. Kim watched the movie, "Faith, Hope, and Love" starring Peta M. from DWTS. She really liked it. I watched part of it with her. Much better than the movie we watched last night.

I stayed up until after 11 frosting the cake. Here is the final result:

I am delivering the cake tomorrow morning around 6:30 before Pam goes to work.

 

Addy's Senior Trip

Wed, May 18th, 2022: Perth Australia Temple, James hooksup pump to water yard, Michael got the job!, James hits his head, Cheese Danish cake with Kim,

 

Perth, Australia

106th operating temple

Dedicated: 20 May 2001

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Second Comforter

2 Nephi 31:14-21

14 But, behold, my beloved brethren, thus came the voice of the Son unto me, saying: After ye have repented of your sins, and witnessed unto the Father that ye are willing to keep my commandments, by the baptism of water, and have received the baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost, and can speak with a new tongue, uea, even with the tongue of angels, and after this should deny me, it would have been better for you that ye had not known me.

15 And I heard a voice from the Father, saying: Yea, the words of my Beloved are true and faithful. He that endureth to the end, the same shall be saved.

16 And now, my beloved brethren, I know by this that unless a man shall endure to the end, in following the example of the Son of the living God, he cannot be saved.

17 Wherefore, do the things which I have told you I have seen that your Lord and your Redeemer should do; for, for this cause have they been shown unto me, that ye might know the gate by which ye should enter. For the gate by which ye should enter is repentance and baptism by water; and then cometh a remission of your sins by fire and by the Holy Ghost.

18 And then are ye in this strait and narrow path which leads to eternal life; yea, ye have entered in by the gate; ye have done according to the commandments of the Father and the Son; and ye have received the Holy Ghost, which witnesses of the Father and the Son, unto the fulfilling of the promise which he hath made, that if ye entered in by the way ye should receive.

19 And now, my beloved brethren, after ye have gotten into this strait and narrow path, I would ask if all is done? Behold, I say unto you, Nay; for ye have not come thus far save it were by the word of Christ with unshaken faith in him, relying wholly upon the merits of him who is mighty to save.

20 Wherefore, ye must press forward with a steadfastness in Christ, having a perfect brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men. Wherefore, if ye shall press forward, feasting upon the word of Christ, and endure to the end, behold, thus saith the Father: Ye shall have eternal life.

21 And now, behold, my beloved brethren, this is the way; and there is none other way nor name given under heaven whereby man can be saved in the kingdom of God. And now behold, this is the doctrine of Christ, and the only and true doctrine of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, which is one God, without end. Amen.

Book of Mormon

Alma 2:1-18

"Come Follow Me"

Deuteronomy 15  "Beware Lest Thou Forget the Lord."

AprGenCon

"Love, Share, Invite"

Elder Gary E. Stevenson

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Imagine with me, for a moment, standing on a mountain in Galilee, witnessing the wonder and glory of the resurrected Savior visiting His disciples. How awe inspiring to consider personally hearing these words, which He shared with them, His solemn charge to "go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost." Surely these words would empower, inspire, and move each of us, as they did His Apostles. Indeed, they devoted the rest of their lives to doing just that.

James checked with Kim and I this morning regarding turning the water off so he could hook up the yard pump to the well. We all agreed that 9 a.m. would be the time the water would go off. He said it could be off an hour, or if he has to go into town and get a part three or four hours. We are all praying for one. Our prayers were answered. James said he had a tender mercy, or a little miracle when the cross-threaded pipe didn't leak.

I mentioned to Kim that I wondered if Michael got the job he interviewed for. She said that he told Joe that he did get the job and would be making $60,000 a year which is a substantial, what Michael calls, life-changing raise. I texted Michael and congratulated him and he seemed very happy and excited. I hope he does well.

Kim and I made our Cheese Danish cake today. After getting the cake layers out of the pans I decided I would make a trip to Dollar General to see if they had any powdered sugar. I got ready and left and when I was getting out of my car at Dollar General I heard a woman yell at me, "They aren't open." I looked up and saw the big banner across the building, "Closed for remodeling." At this point I wonder if Stanford Store would have powdered sugar. On the way in I saw a guy with a pink mohawk. Interesting. They don't have powdered sugar but they do have an interesting array of people.

Back home, Kim makes the cream cheese filling for our cake adding a small amount of Eagle Brand milk. I make the frosting. The cake, the filling, and the frosting all have cream cheese in them. We can't go wrong with this cake.

Here is Kim frosting the cake and then the finished product. We didn't decorate or worry too much about how it looked because we were just going to eat it anyway and no one would see it. I forgot about taking pictures. Next time we will freeze for 15 minutes before putting the final coat of frosting on.

Kim cutting the two cake layers

horizontally in half in order to get

three layers of filling.

Finished!

I think this cake is my all-time favorite. Kim loved it too. James would have liked it more if I had added almond extract. 

James had an accident while working outside today. He came to the door and calmly asked me for a damp rag. I did not know the seriousness of the situation and said, "Just a minute." When I took the damp rag to him I noticed that he was standing outside the back door and blood was dripping profusely from his forehead. Here is the culprit:

This came down and hit James on

the forehead.

It doesn't look bad now that the bleeding

has stopped. My man is a real man and

he's got the scars to prove it!

This evening Kim and I watched a Hallmark move, "The Nature of Romance" starring one of our favorite Hallmark actors, Brandon Daughtery. His wife played the role of the leading lady. As much as we like Brandon we did not feel like his wife was a very good actress.

Cute couple,

One we like, the other, not so much.

 

Tue, May 17th, 2022: Guadalajara Mexico Temple,

 

Guadalajara, Mexico

105th operating temple

Dedicated: 29 Apr 2001

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Second Comforter

2 Peter 1:10-11, 19

Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:

For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

Book of Mormon

Alma 1:15-33

"Come Follow Me"

Deuteronomy 6:4-7; 8:2-5, 11-17; 29:18-20; 30:6-10, 15-20

The Lord wants me to love Him with all my heart. Deuteronomy 8

AprGenCon

"Christ Heals That Which Is Broken"

Amy A. Wright

Second Counselor in the Primary General Presidency

While the Savior was teaching in the temple, a woman was brought to Him by the scribes and Pharisees. We do not know her full story, just that she was "taken in adultery." Often the scriptures give only a small portion of someone's life, and based on that portion, we sometimes tend to exalt or condemn.  No one's life can be understood by one magnificent moment or one regrettable public disappointment. The purpose of these scriptural accounts is to help us see that Jesus Christ was the answer then, and He is the answer now. He knows our complete story and exactly what we suffer, as well as our capabilities and vulnerabilities.

When I pray I pray for every member of my family by name. I also pray for the Relief Society presidency, all of the sisters I minister to, my brothers and their families, aunt Gene and Rita, the members of our Come Follow Me group and those families that James ministers to. Each month or for a few weeks, I choose people with special needs and pray for them. Those on my "special" list for this month are: The people in Ukraine, the Bowen's, the Grombach's, Sue Hubble's daughter Tabitha who has an inoperable brain tumor, her husband Jason and her daughters Kaylynn and Skylar. The Patrick's, the Skousen's, the Willis's, Amber Judd, Jackie Hall, Jeanie Gentry, Judy Hunter, Millie Scott, Shelly Applegate, and Pat Teddar.

This is what I am wondering today: Why did we put a planter over our basement? James and Owen Peeler went to Globe today to remove the kitchen cabinets in the home the Peeler's are remodeling. 

Kim said more water has come into the basement. I went down and ran the wet vac over the areas where water was puddled, which were minimal. There are two fans and a small space heater drying out the floor and the carpet, which is pulled up off the floor.

Kim and I had an interesting discussion about the healing powers of water this morning. She told me about a YouTube video I should watch.

I called Ruth Wilhelm today to get a ministering report. We also talked about Sue's granddaughter's coming to Primary. She was Kaylynn's teacher. She asked me if Kaylynn made it home with her brass serpent. I told her I wasn't sure because I didn't see her after church. She said Sky went in Rosa's class and they both did fine and would be welcome back anytime. I told her the situation and that I wasn't sure when they would be here, probably only when Sue is babysitting them.

I also texted Kathy Crane to see how she was doing. She is still having stomach issues and is going to see Dr LeSueur this week.

Today I am scheduled to go to the temple with Ruth Gale. I called her this morning to see if we could change our appointment to next week, but she said she would be in the valley. I told her I would be there today.

I left the house at 1:30, thinking our session was at 3. I arrived at the temple at 2:30, or I should say, the wind blew me in at 2:30. It was very windy today. Sister Kim Seaman, the temple matron, and my dear friend, opened the door for me. She asked if my husband was parking the car and I said no, he is not here today, I am meeting a friend. She said, oh, even better. 

When I got upstairs there was no one else in the dressing room. The sister on duty did not know when the next session was so I went and asked in the office. The session is at 3:30, not 3. Well, I would rather be early than late. I went and put my white dress on, grabbed my packet and sat upstairs and read some scriptures before going in to the endowment room. 

There were three other sisters and three brothers when I went in. Ruth came in a few minutes before the session started and that was it. 4 sisters and 3 brothers. The smallest session I have ever been in. 

After the temple Ruth and I went to Streets for dinner. I had the Chinese chicken salad and Ruth had the crispy chicken salad. Both of our salads had crispy chicken on top and they were both good.

As we were visiting we discovered that we both have granddaughters graduating from Mesa high schools, hers Red Mountain, and mine, Desert Ridge. They are both going to Flagstaff to school. I told Ruth about Addy's situation of living with her cousin who is inactive and won't be attending church or institute. She said we should arrange to have Addy and her granddaughter, I think her name is Katy, meet. I like that idea.

After saying goodbye to Ruth I went shopping at the Taylor Walmart, a much nicer experience than shopping at the Show Low Walmart. Kim and I are making Courtney's Heavenly Cheese Danish cake tomorrow and I needed to get more cream cheese. In all of my buying I forgot powdered sugar. I have enough left to do the Cheese Danish cake but I'm making a cake for Pam Giles on Thursday so I will need to go back to the store to get more before then.

I got home at 7:30. James had been home since 2:30. I bet you can't guess what he was doing when I walked in and asked him if he would please carry my groceries in. Yes, you guessed it, he was indexing. Kim was working on her puzzle but had to stop because she felt dizzy. 

James and I listened to a couple of chapters of our book before going to bed.

Happy Anniversary President Beeler

and Amber. I imagine this is

a newlywed picture.

Yay!!

 

Mon, May 16th, 2022: Winter Quarters Nebraska Temple, the Crane boys, Brian and Kim here, Rolls, cake to Judd's with Millie's stew and fruit salad, Hope missing

 

Winter Quarters, Nebraska

104th operating temple

Dedicated: 22 Apr 2001

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Second Comforter

Hebrews 12:21-24

21 And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:)

22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,

23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,

24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

Book of Mormon

Alma 1:1-14

"Come Follow Me"

Deut. 6-8; 15, 18; 29-30; 34 "Beware Lest thou Forget the Lord"

Deuteronomy 6-7

AprGenCon

"Our Relationship with God"

Elder D. Todd Christofferson

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Some misunderstand the promises of God to mean that obedience to Him yields specific outcomes on a fixed schedule. They might think, "If I diligently serve a full-time mission, God will bless me with a happy marriage and children" or "If I refrain from doing schoolwork on the Sabbath, God will bless me with good grades" or "If I pay tithing, God will bless me with that job I've been wanting." If life doesn't fall out precisely this way or according to an expected timetable, they may feel betrayed by God. But things are not so mechanical in the divine economy. We ought not to think of God's plan as a cosmic vending machine where we (1) select a desired blessing, (2) insert the required sum of good works, and (3) the order is promptly delivered.

Inklings

"Our Heartfelt All"

Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Mark 12:41-44

Luke 21:1-4

I got up at 5 this morning and so did James. He said he was up at 4 and the water was off. He filled Luna's water trough last night and forgot to turn the water off. Luckily this was easily remedied.

Deven and Brandon Crane came to work for James today. I think Deven is 15 and Brandon is 13. They were good workers and very polite. 

I turned the air conditioner on today. Kim and Brian arrived this afternoon. Brian discovered there was a leak downstairs because the floor was wet. James went down and pulled back the carpet and took a couple of fans down and our little space heater. He also admitted that he had turned the water on in the planter which is above Kim and Brian's room, and left it on because he forgot. Oh dear.

I made rolls and a box cake to help Millie Scott take dinner to the Judd family. I dropped them off to Millie around 5:30 and she took them over to the Judd's. She made stew and a fruit salad. Millie takes lots of meals to other people. She took two weeks worth of meals to the Bowen's when Brother Bowen's father and brother passed away.

Brian cooked Kim some eggs and ham. She has type 2 diabetes and has gone off of her meds so she really needs to watch what she eats. While Brian was cooking Kim was working on a 2,000 piece puzzle that Joe gave her for Mother's Day. 

For dinner James and I had asparagus and corndogs.

After dinner James did some indexing and I blogged and walked. 

I listened to the "Sunday on Monday" podcast today and really enjoyed it. She did a scripture chain and called the discourses of Moses, Moses' love letters to his people. 

James and I listened to a chapter of our book, Roxbury Heirs, Facing the Enemy before going to bed. I think Brian slept downstairs and Kim slept upstairs on the recliner.

A former young woman when I was

in Young Women

 

 

Sun, May 15th, 2022: Montevideo Uruguay Temple, Sacrament meeting, Sue Hubble, Kaylynn, Sky, Sunday School, Primary, Temple Class, Kim tomorrow, Lunar eclipse, Nelson fireside, Suns lost

 

Montivedeo, Uruguay

103rd operating temple

Dedicated: 18 Mar 2001

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Jesus Christ, Second Comforter

D&C 130:3

John 14:23 - The appearing of the Father and the Son, in that verse, is a personal appearance; and the idea that the Father and the Son dwell in a man's heart is an old sectarian notion, and is false.

Book of Mormon

Mosiah 29:33-47

"Come Follow Me"

Review

AprGenCon

"Your Divine Nature and Eternal Destiny"

Elder Dale G. Renlund

Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

The Spirit plays a pivotal role in communicating God's love to us. Yet the influence of the Holy Ghost can be obscured "by strong emotions, such as anger, hate, ... or fear, ... like trying to savor the delicate flavor of a grape while eating a jalapeno pepper. ... One flavor completely overpowers the other." So too, behaviors that distance us from the Holy Ghost, including sin, make it difficult for us to perceive God's love for us.

Up at 2:45 this morning after going to bed at 11. I tried sleeping on the bed, the recliner in the bedroom and then the recliner in the family room but nothing worked. It was a difficult morning, but I made it to church. We sat by Sue Hubble and her two granddaughters. Kaylynn is 4 and Sky is 2. I didn't get to take many notes as I was sitting by Kaylynn trying to keep her entertained. 

We had two speakers from the stake, Brother Platt from the high council and Sister Belnap, his speaking companion.  

After sacrament meeting was over Sue and I took the girls to Primary. They were together for singing time and then when they went to class Kaylynn went in the older class with the Wilhelm's, Ruth and Mel, and Sky went in the younger class with Rosa Westbrook. They seemed to do fine because Sue was able to attend Sunday School and no one ever came to get her with one of the girls. 

Again, Brother Applegate's lesson was awesome. We talked about the life size tabernacle in Syracuse, Utah. Brother Applegate had pictures of it on his Powerpoint presentation. 

After class was over James, Brother Virgil Cooper, and I had a discussion with Brother A. regarding what priesthood Aaron and Moses had.  Everything that I have read indicates that Moses had the Melchizedek priesthood and Aaron had the Aaronic or Levitical priesthood. 

When we got home I had my leftovers from Asian Bistro, orange chicken and noodles. James had some shrimp.

I tried to take a nap, but no luck. I finally got up and began studying for the Temple prep class this afternoon with the Grombach's. Kim and Brian are not coming until tomorrow because Kim is not feeling well. 

We met with the Grombach's at four this afternoon. We changed the time because we thought Kim and Brian were coming at six, our normal meeting time for this temple class. We covered the lesson in the book. James wanted me to lead the discussion because he is having voice problems. I also included some things Brother Sweat thinks people need to know before attending the temple. We also watched a church video about the garment and ceremonial clothing. 

I think Janna and Willy are as prepared as they can be to go to the temple. Willy gave the closing prayer. It was very sweet and sincere and he got a bit teary-eyed.

James got a call from John Wilhelm this evening apologizing for the way he acted when James went over to see him the other night. I am grateful he did this because I know it made James feel better.

The Nelson's did a fireside for young adults this evening. I watched most of the fireside. It was great. There were over 21,000 young adults gathered in the conference center. The Church News had a list of places on temple square for them to go and take selfie's. It is impressive that so many young people would come to hear and see the Prophet.

Sheri texted us and asked if we had seen the lunar eclipse. We did not know about it but we ran outside and watched it. Through James's binoculars the moon looked like a huge ball. It was fun to watch the moon totally disappear.

I also watched the "River of Time" celebration of Naomi Judd's life. "Why Not Me" is my favorite Judd song.  I felt like it was appropriate to watch a memorial service on Sunday but James questioned my judgment. 

I did not watch the Suns game but I'm glad I didn't. They lost to the Dallas Maverick's and they are out of the playoffs. How can they do so well in the season and play so lousy in the playoffs. I am quoting someone else.

One of my favorite duos

Family room at 2:45 a.m.