Friday, October 20, 2023: 3:00 am personal revelation, lesson prep, Hallmark Christmas movie kickoff day, J like ham & cabbage & so does JA, Kung Pao Chicken, Deer Valley airport bid

 

Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic

99th operating temple

Dedicated: 17 Sept 2000

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Book of Mormon Reading

3 Nephi 9:1-22

Book of Mormon 100 Favorites

3 Nephi 1:13

Lift up your head and be of good hceer; for behold the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfill all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets.

Come Follow Me

2 Thessalonians 2 "An apostasy, or falling away from truth, was prophesied to precede the Second Coming."

October General Conference

"Bearing Witness of Jesus Christ in Word and Actions" 

Elder Adilson de Paula Parrella

I woke up at around 3 am with thoughts of Scott Tibbetts and Brian Maxwell running through my head. I had thoughts of what I needed to say to Rebecca about what a wonderful family she and Brent have created and thoughts of expressing my love to Brian Maxwell, my nephew. I felt warm inside and couldn't go back to sleep until I got up and wrote down my thoughts to Rebecca. Here is what I ended up sending to her later in the day:

Rebecca, I have always admired the way you and Brent parent your children. You are quiet but spiritually strong. You have such a beautiful family bond with them. They know they are loved and  cherished and this gives them the power and strength to become who they were meant to be. Scott and Nathan's journal entries are a testimony to this. They have the ability to think deeply about things of eternal importance.

The way your family has handled this trial will only strengthen the bond of love that you and Brent have created. Thank you for your wonderful example. 

I need to include Nathan's journal entry after giving a blessing to his brother Scott. Here it is:

I wrote this text to Brian Maxwell:

Hi Brian, this is Aunt Karen. I just wanted you to know how sorry I am that you have cancer. My thoughts and prayers are with you and Cher.

Please know the Uncle James and I love you and wish you well and are praying that you will beat this cancer. 

If there is something we can do for you please don't hesitate to ask. Take care. Love, Aunt Karen

Answer:

Thank you

Love you guys also.

We are going to be fine, just have a few rough months ahead.

Me:

That is a great attitude Brian and we are with you all the way!

There is a fundraiser for Brian on November 4th which is being sponsored by the Bilbie's.

After getting up this morning, I sat in the recliner and fell back asleep. 

We had burgers and cabbage soup for lunch. After lunch, I rested some more. For dinner I made another batch of Kung Pao chicken. The guys ate most of it. I was surprised when Jared got up from the table and put the food away and washed some of the dishes. 

James and I did some walking and then we watched, "Destined 2: Christmas Once More." The movie stars Casey Elliott and because James knows him as Satan in the temple slides, he wanted to see what kind of an actor he is. He liked the movie and really liked him as an actor. 

James is very excited about bidding the work on the Deer Valley Airport. If he gets this job either as the concrete contractor or the general, it could be his ticket to retirement. Also, John Dean fires his contractor for some work he is doing and hired James and sent him $9,000. 

Thursday, October 19, 2023: The guys follow a big bull elk, "Inventing the Christmas Prince", cabbage & ham in crockpot, Walmart, LaCasita, "Think Celestial"

 

Birmingham, Alabama

98th operating temple

Dedicated: 3 Sep 2000

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Book of Mormon Reading

3 Nephi 8:5-25

Book of Mormon 100 Favorites

Enos 1:4-5, 8

And my soul hungered; and I kneeled down before my Maker, and I cried unto him in mighty prayer and supplication for mine own soul; and all the day long did I cry unto him; yea, and when the night came I did still raise my voice high that it reached the heavens. And there came a voice unto me, saying: Enos, thy sins are forgiven thee, and thou shalt be blessed. . . . because of thy faith in Christ, whom thou has never before heard nor seen. . .  Wherefore, go to, thy faith hath made thee whole.

Come Follow Me

1 Thessalonians 4:16-18; 5:1-10; 2 Thessalonians 1:4-10 

"If I am faithful and watchful, I will be prepared for the Savior's Second Coming."

October General Conference

"Walking in Covenant Relationship with Christ" by Emily Belle Freeman

Up at 5:44. 

James brought me my cereal this morning. He tells me he is going outside to work and will be back for scriptures around 8:30. A few minutes later he comes in and puts his camo sweatshirt on. I asked where he was going and he said there was a big full elk on the other side of the fence and Jared Ammon wants to get a picture of him. Let the stalking begin. 

About an hour later James came back in to change clothes. Jared got his video. I saw it and it was a good one.

I watched one of my favorite recent Christmas movies called, "Inventing the Christmas Prince." The little girl in this movie, probably about six years old has such faith and belief in the Christmas Prince. She literally changes him with her belief.

So sweet. It makes me cry every time.

I knew I was going shopping this afternoon. I didn't want to have to come home and make dinner, so before I left I chopped up a head of cabbage I had, added three cups of ham, some butter and chicken broth and turned the crockpot on low. It will be ready in about four hours. 

As it turned out, we all went to town in the car. James dropped Jared and I off at Walmart while he went to Kay's Building Supply to get some more bolts. When James got back to Walmart Jared was waiting for him while I was still shopping. James picked up my prescriptions and then he and Jared went across the street to LaCasita to get some dinner while I finished shopping. 

On the way home we noticed a prescribed burn in Vernon. It upset both James and I. It didn't hit Jared until later when he smelled the smoke when we were at home. We won't be sleeping with the window open tonight. 

I am wondering why President Nelson called the Plan of Salvation the fabulous Plan of Salvation. I asked James and he said, because it is fabulous. I say because it is everlasting and eternal and the Savior is at the very center of it. 

Wednesday, October 18, 2023: Met w/ Rita & Debbie @ Gma's & Gpa's in Show Low, Keepsakes & photos, DWTS, Kung Pao chicken for dinner, Mr. Black Bull back,

Houston, Texas

77th operating temple

Dedicated: 26 Aug 2000

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Book of Mormon Reading

3 Nephi 7:15-8:4

Book of Mormon 100 Favorites

Moroni 10:32

Yea, come unto Christ, and be perfected in him, and deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and if ye shall deny yourselves of all ungodliness, and love God with all your might, mind, and strength, then is his grace sufficient for you, that by his grace ye may be perfect in Christ; and if by the grace of God ye are perfect in Christ, ye can in nowise deny the power of God.

Come Follow Me

1 Thessalonians 3:7-13; 4:1-12 "Increase and abound in love."

October General Conference

"Praise to the Man" by President M. Russell Ballard

 Up at 5:30. James wanted to have prayers and scriptures right away and then he went out for breakfast and to go to work with Jared Ammon.

I left for Show Low around 7:40 to meet Rita and Grandma and Grandpa Maxwell's old house to go through photos and keepsakes. I was supposed to go to the temple today with Sue Hubble. When I texted her and told her that something had come up, she said she had had a little accident while spray painting and something was wrong with her eye so she probably wasn't going to be able to go anyway. I felt bad that she was having problems with her eye but was glad she wasn't disappointed about the temple. We are going to try and go again next week.

Patsy Tedder had mentioned to me she wished she would have made it to the estate sale that Debbie held because she would have loved to have a family keepsake. I told Rita and she showed me the crystal collection. I picked out a vase for Patsy and a cute candy dish for myself. 

Grandma had a bird collection. Debbie who came a little while after we started said that everyone needed a bird from the bird collection. I grabbed a rooster, two sets of porcelain birds, and a more rustic looking bird with a piece of wood. I got a stand to put this bird on. James loved it and put the stand up immediately.

You can't seed the colors of the bird

very well here but it is a red-breasted robin.

I left after a couple of hours reminding Rita to text me when she was ready to go through photos. 

On the way back to Vernon I listened to "Unshaken Saints". When I got home I watched last night's episode of "Dancing with the Stars." It was Disney night and I really enjoyed it.

James heated up some baked ziti for lunch and he was congested and "plugged up" as he put it, for the rest of the day. '

I spent time with the kitties on the deck and they alerted me to the fact that Mr. Black Bull is back. Jared Ammon was gone on the Razr and Luna was no where in sight so James chased him off on foot. 

Before leaving for his meeting tonight James tasted the Kung Pao chicken and really liked it. He said he was looking forward to having some more when he got home. 

When Jared got back he showed me a video of a herd of elk jumping a fence and running in front of him. He said the bull was back and he chased him off again. Hopefully he will be gone for good this time. 

Jared like the dinner too so I guess it was a success, but there won't be many leftovers. He fed Luna and the kitties and went downstairs.

I walk, work on my lesson, blog, and watch Christmas movies. When James gets back he eats some dinner, indexes, and then walks while he listens to "The Queen and the Knave." 

Maxwell memorabilia. 

I kept the two sets of birds and the candy

dish, and gave the vase and the rooster to

Patsy Tedder. 

Skyscrapers in the clouds

Autumn tunnels

Resurrected Christ

Tuesday, October 17, 2023: James was so stressed today, bids on Deer Valley airport a multimillion dollar job, Temple w/ Ruth Gale and then dinner @ Eva's

 

Caracas, Venezuela

96th operating temple

Dedicated: 20 Aug 2000

By: Gordon B. Hinckley

Book of Mormon Reading

3 Nephi 7:1-14

Book of Mormon 100 Favorites

2 Nephi 2:25

Adam fell that men night be; and men are, that they might have joy.

Come Follow Me

1 Thessalonians 1-2 "Disciples of Christ serve others with sincerity and love.

October General Conference

"Brothers and Sisters in Christ" by Elder Ulisses Soares

Up at 5:20 this morning.   

James was so stressed today and a little sensitive. I asked him why he was so stressed and he said he has a lot on his mind. He also has to try and keep Jared Ammon busy and he can't always be right there with him when he works and sometimes he needs to be there when he isn't. He also has an opportunity to do a huge job at the Deer Valley airport and he needs to get the bid in soon. If he gets this job and it works out well, he could retire. Oh yes, one more stress, he can't get on his Gmail account and that's where all of his business folders are. I got him on Google with a new password but I am not sure he ever got on Gmail. 

James asked me to go to Taylor this morning to pick up some steel for the stable but I declined because I am going to the temple this afternoon with our friend Ruth Gale. 

Ruth and I met in the 3:30 Snowflake, Az temple session. I also sat by DiAnn Elmer, my former temple shift coordinator when I was a temple worker. It was fun to visit with her a little but boy I sure had a hard time understanding her. She talks low and fast and sometimes when she said something to me I just had to smile. 

Kim and Yvonne Mattice led our session. Kim is the priesthood holder and he gave one of the nicest prayers I have ever heard. I was in the prayer circle because there were only 3 or 4 men in this session.

A member of our stake presidency, President Alder, and his wife, who is the stake choir director were in our session. I wanted to go over and talk to them in the celestial room as I was waiting for Ruth but never did do it. Later I saw them as I was going in to Eva's for dinner and got to tell them then how much I enjoyed stake conference, and how fabulous the music was. They both seemed grateful. I didn't talk long as Ruth came out looking for me. 

As Ruth and I were eating our dinner here are some of the things we talked about: Ruth's recent reunion with her kids at Show Low Lake. She said it was a bit of a disaster but some good things did come out of it. It was  extremely windy, they were in the scrub oaks instead of the pines and her son David's family dog got attacked by a big dog and almost died. She said David gave his family's dog, Daisy, a blessing and she lived and is now okay. That was a good thing. One of Shelly's kids who is estranged from his dad saw a video of his dad before his mom and dad were divorced from a few years back and wanted a copy. That was the other positive. 

I wish I would have told Ruth about Fool's Hollow Lake. I guess I still have time. She won't be in charge of their reunion again for five more years.

She told me a little about her Alaskan cruise. I told her about how I got a new car and I also gave her an advertisement for a new deck of cards for her to play Hand and Foot rather than using face cards. 

We said our good byes and on the way home I stopped at the Taylor Circle K and bought some gas. I actually figured out how to use my EasyPay card and saved 10 cents a gallon.

Rita called me on the way home and said she would be at gramma and grampa's old house in the morning if I would like to join her to look at pictures. I said I had an appointment to go to the temple but I thought I could change it, which I did. 

When I got home I watched part of DWTS Disney 100 night before James came in and asked if we could listen to our book, "The Queen and the Knave" and walk. 

James received a $3,500 check today from someone who is doing work at the St. Johns airport. The check was for James's license and consultation.

England

Canyon de Chelly National Park in Arizona

My candle warmer

Fall in Utah

Fall in Boston

 

 

Monday, October 16, 2023: Up @ 5, "Think Celestial" study, J & JA go to town for oil for Cat, Willy doesn't come, "Destined 2:Christmas Once More" Casey Elliott, J& I go to town Wmrt, Firehouse, Mr. Black Bull holes, 74 today

 

Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

95th operating temple

Dedicated: 30 July 2000

By: James E. Faust

Book of Mormon Reading

3 Nephi 6:15-30

Book of Mormon 100 Favorite

Moroni 7:41-42

And what is it that ye shall hope for? Behold I say unto you that ye shall have hope through the atonement of Christ and the power of his resurrection, to be raised up to life eternal, and this because of your faith in him according to the promise. Wherefore, if a man have faith he must needs have hope; for without faith there cannot be any hope.

Come Follow Me

1&2 Thessalonians: "Perfect That Which is Lacking in Your Faith"

Introduction

October General Conference

"Seeing God's Family Through the Overview Lens" by Sister Tamara W. Runia"

I was up at 5 this morning. Monday is always a new beginning for me. I began by studying President Nelson's talk, "Think Celestial."

James thought Willy and Ralph were coming this morning to work and he would need to use the Cat which needed oil. He and Jared Ammon left around 6:30 for town to pick up oil only to find out later that Willy and Ralph wouldn't be coming. Willy didn't really say why but he is dependent upon Ralph.

I watched the first Christmas movie of the 2023 season. It's a GAF movie and a sequel to one I watched last year, "Destined 2: Christmas A Once More." It was filmed in Utah and Casey Elliott, a member of the Church who plays Satan in the temple movie and a member of the singing group Gentry is the male lead. His daughter plays his daughter in the movie. It was actually a very good movie and I really enjoyed it.

After going to town early this morning James came home and filled about 50 holes in the yard which Mr. Black Bull made. About an hour and a half later, he went to town with me. He dropped me off at Walmart while he went to Firehouse Subs to get us some lunch. He asked what I wanted and I said, "what I always get." We usually share a medium Hook & Ladder so I thought that's what he would be getting. The cost is $11. 

As I started my shopping I realized that I left my phone in the car. Oh well, I think I can remember what I came to get. As I was going up and down the aisles doing my shopping I was surprised to see James at the end of the one of the aisles. He brought me my phone and helped me finish my shopping. 

When we got out to the car there were two large drinks, two bags of chips, a small sandwich and a medium. Instead of spending $11 at Firehouse James ended up spending $28.81. I guess he was extra hungry. 

We listened to "The Queen and the Knave" on the way home. For some reason I just can't get interested in this book. It might be because there are at least three different stories going on and I keep track of them. 

The high today is 74 with lots of sunshine and no clouds in the sky. Not the way I like it. One of the things I love about living up here is how beautiful the clouds are. 

Jared Ammon tried to fix the fence while we were gone to keep Mr. Black Bull out of the yard but I think if he decides to return he will just walk right through the wires which hold no electrical shock right now.

I did three blog posts today, texted with Sheri, worked on my lesson and listened to several conference talks. I fixed beef tips and mashed potatoes for dinner. It was quite delicious although the gravy was a little runny. Jared Ammon came into the kitchen from watching TV and asked if he could help me with the dishes. I told him it wasn't necessary but I really appreciated him offering. 

James got a $3,500 check for consultation fees for work being done at the St. John's airport.

I watched a Christmas movie I saw last year this evening called , "A Christmas Present" starring Candace Cameron Bure. It was actually very good and she won some awards for the movie.

The D-Backs lost their first game against the Phillies. 

"Come Follow Me"

Casey Elliott

 Memories of Kacey & Jared