Wednesday, October 8th, 2025: Temple w/ RS sisters, see Shanna Penrod, Snowflake Smokehouse BBQ, Walmart, J chopping & burning wood, another chainsaw miracle, finished "Seekers Wanted", blogged & walked

 

Port Moresby Papua, New Guinea

Palm trees planted; ornamental fence installed; landscaping 

and interior finish work well underway;

construction estimated to be completed in late

2025 to early 2026.

Book of Mormon

3 Nephi 1:15-30

D&C

112:11-20

Come Follow Me

D&C 112:3-15, 22

The Lord will lead me as I humbly seek His will.

Today I went to the temple with my Relief Society sisters, Teresa Smith, Joyce, and Ingrid. Joyce and Ingrid are sisters but look and act nothing alike. They all winter in the valley so this will be our last trip to the temple for awhile. One of our other temple sisters, Natalie Robles went to an earlier session so she could get home earlier to help her husband on the house they are building. You can watch them build on their YouTube channel "A Boulder Life: Off the Grid."

My friend Susan Hubble who usually comes is taking her granddaughters to Disneyland today. Their mother loved Disneyland and they have never been. I am so excited for them.  I love going to the temple on Wednesday mornings because I get to see Shanna Penrod and give her a hug. She is the one whose husband committed suicide in January. Shanna is a temple worker and when I see her she always reminds me of an angel.

After our temple session we met at the Snowflake Smokehouse BBQ got lunch. Teresa had the mac & cheese with pulled pork, Joyce had the pulled pork sandwich with onion rings, and Ingrid had the St. Louis ribs with fries. I had the strawberry spinach salad with chicken. The food was good and I got to know my friends a little better. Joyce will not kill spiders or flies saying they have as much right to be here as we do. She has a huge gopher snake that climbs up and down the walls on her patio. She showed me a picture. Although I love Joyce and her tender heart I just can't allow reptiles and arachnids to live near me. 

Teresa asked me if I was coming to Debbie Schwartz's baptism on the 18th. I told her I would be gone to Texas to a family baptism. She asked me if I would write Debbie a note, and I said I would. I am so happy for Debbie!

I paid my bill and said my goodbyes and headed for Walmart. I am making my weekly meal, a green chili pork stew. I also had to get catfood and Tom's treat. 

James called me on the way home. I guess he wanted me to pick up something for him at Walmart but I had already left. He was not upset although he says he told me before I left to call him when I got to Walmart. I missed that part. So sorry. He is still chopping wood and burning brush. He chops down dead trees, burns the branches and saves the rest for firewood. He is such an outdoorsman. He ran the chainsaw through his pants again and they still didn't touch his garments or skin. So what if we have to throw another pair of pants away.

I napped with Tom, finished my movie, "Home Turf" starring Nikki DeLoach and Warren Christy, blogged and walked. I did not finish any blogposts today but I did get my 10,000 steps and finished Anthony Sweat's book, "Seekers Wanted."

While I was feeding Sammy this evening I left the door open for a minute and he came in to our bedroom. Tom attacked him in a sort of non-violent way and got him by the throat. I don't think Tom was biting hard but just wanted to warn Sammy that this territory was off limits to him.

"Our preparation to meet Jesus Christ accelerates when we stop asking what God will permit and start asking what God would prefer."

-Elder Steven D. Shumway, AGC 2025

D&C 112:9

Thy voice shall be a rebuke unto the transgressor; and at they rebuke let the tongue of the slanderer cease its perverseness.

Elder Finnegan from our ward serving in

the Seattle, Washington mission.

About 11 years ago I made

Twinkie minions with D's kids.

BL - Before Lola

Teresa and her mac & cheese

Sweet Joyce with her lunch.

Ingrid is beside her. Her food hadn't

come yet.

Another of James's projects is replacing 

rotten railings on our deck.

Tuesday, October 7th, 2025: Up @ 3:58, Nephi cried mightily to God in behalf of his people (I know how he feels), elk are bugling and so is James, Pres. Nelson's funeral, temple cleaning night

 

Port Vila Vanuatu

Steeple frame installed; hanging exterior

cladding panels; installing windows;

construction estimated to be completed

in mid to late 2026.

Book of Mormon

3 Nephi 1:1-14

Come Follow Me

D&C 111

The Lord can "order all things for my good."

D&C

112:1-10

Priesthood Power

D&C 25

'Seekers Wanted'

Chapter 7

Up at 3:58. 

'Nephi cried mightily to God in behalf of his people.' I know how Nephi feels. Every morning during prayer I cry in behalf of all of the members of my family.

For some reason I was tired today and ended up taking two naps. Maybe it was because I knew that at my normal bed time I would be helping to clean the temple. 

The weather is turning a little cooler. The elk are bugling and so is James. 

When it was time for President Nelson's funeral James was outside burning brush and I called him in to watch the funeral with me. 

Speakers at the funeral included: one of his daughters, his son, President Eyring, President Oaks, President Holland and President Camille Johnson. President Johnson's talk was my favorite. It was sweet and tender and I just connected with her. It was funny when Elder Holland said his mother, who loved President Nelson said to him: "Don't worry son, you're my second favorite apostle." It was also interesting to know that President/Dr. Nelson operated on President Eyring's mother 9 times. President Oaks said not only was President Nelson his greatest gospel teacher, he was also his best friend. President Nelson has over 300 descendants.

I fixed broccoli and soup for lunch, did two blog posts, and walked 11,000 steps. 

James and I left around seven this evening to help our ward clean the temple. Here are some of the other people who came: Stefani Hunsaker, Kip Hunsaker, Brandon Crane, Sam & Amy Gordon, Chris & Becky Skousen, Steve & Tina Allen, Rick & Rosie Lauritzen, Collin & Wendy DeWitt, Willy & Janna Grombach, Susan Goodman, Michelle Sandover, and Doug Brown.

Brother Brown told me how much he loved Cindy's birthday cake so I guess it tasted okay. I always worry about that.

We left home at 7 and got home at 10 and were in bed by 10:30.

"The Father and the Son appeared to the boy Joseph Smith, thus initiating the Restoration of the gospel of Jesus Christ in the latter days."

- Elder David A. Bednar, AGC 2025

D&C 112:8

And by Thy word many high ones shall be brought low, and by Thy word many low ones shall be exalted.

Charlie, this is my pet Lambie

Hunting for elk with a bugle

call and a camera.

I like this visual aid to Isaiah 11:1

Benson is so adorable!

James's burning brush project

 

Monday, October 6th, 2025: Up @ 2:58 Something has got to change, I can't feel guilty for not getting up at 2:30, new schedule, James has a meeting in the valley with Ravi Gupta, Cream Danish cake for Cindy Brown, made and delivered, James home @ 6:30 p.m., in bed before 9

 

 232. Queretaro, Mexico

Cladding the exterior; framing the exterior pilasters and mission-style

parapet; construction estimated to be completed in

late 2026 to early 2027.

Book of Mormon

Helaman 16:19-25

Come Follow Me

D&C 111-114

"I Will Order All Things For Your Good"

Introduction

D&C

111:1-11

October General Conference

'Do Your Part With All Your Heart'

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Liahona

'Wrapped in Warmth and Love'

Follow Him

Susan Easton Black

Up at 2:58. Something has got to change, I can't feel guilty for not getting up at 2:30. I made a new schedule, starting at 4 instead of 3.

I need to be in bed buy 8:30 on a normal day. 

James left around 8 for the valley. He is meeting Ravi Gupta, who is a friend of Dr. Memon, about finishing his home. He took a contract with him. I have mixed feelings about him taking this job but he assured me he has prayed about it and feels good. 

I started Cindy Brown's birthday cake just about the same time that James left. I am making Courtney Rich's Cream Danish cake. The cake, frosting and filling have cream cheese in them. Cindy says they love cheesecake. I also made a strawberry compote. I started at 8:00 and then finished around 1:30. I made two layers of cake and then had to cut each one of them in half and put cream cheese filling in between them. 

Cream Danish Cake with strawberry compote

At 1:30 I put the cake in my cake carrier and headed east on the 60 to the turn off to Cindy's. It's about 11 miles from the Vernon turn off.

I had to wait about ten minutes for roadwork. When I got to the turnoff I could see a car parked at the side of the road and I assumed it was Cindy. I was right. She had her cute teenaged granddaughter Reagan with her. She probably brought her to hold the cake. Good idea. I wish I would have had someone to hold it. It got a crack in it and I was afraid it would fall apart before Cindy got it home. I checked and she said it did not. She put it in the fridge and this evening she said she is going to share it with her family. They are going out to eat around 4.

I am exhausted but before resting I go in and clean my dirty kitchen. While I was working this morning I listened to Susan Black on "Follow Him." I finished this afternoon.

Before resting I ate some soup and read from my book, "Look Unto Christ in Every Hour." After resting I did some walking, determined to get my 10,000 steps.

James got home around 6:30. I am so grateful he made it home safely. It is always a relief. 

No only was today Cindy Brown's birthday it was also Vickie's and Scarlett's. I missed going to lunch with my brothers and their wives because I was committed to make Cindy's cake. I texted Vickie and told her I was sorry. I hope she understood.

Scarlett loved her birthday presents, the fox purse and the earrings.

Scarlett wants to be a cowgirl

We were in bed before 9 tonight.

 

Sunday, October 5th, 2025: General Conference, Sunday morning session and Sunday afternoon session

 

231. Torreon, Mexico

Exterior cladding completed;

Construction estimated to be completed

in early 2026.

Book of Mormon

Helaman 15:7-16:18

D&C

110:4-16

195th Semiannual

General Conference

Sunday morning session

Sunday Afternoon Session

Matthew S. Holland

What a wonderful conference!

Saturday, October 4th, 2025: Three sessions of General Conference today, I lost a veneer and Pierce reinstates it between sessions of conference

 

Miraflores Guatemala City, Guatemala

Major construction completed;

Applying finishing touches.

Book of Mormon

Helaman 14:20-15:6

D&C

109:74-110:3

October General Conference

'The Lord Looketh on the Heart'

Elder Ronald Barcellos

A.S.K.

' Trust in the Lord'

Elder Richard G. Scott

Others

'Seekers Wanted' chapter 5

'Liahona' - The Atonement of Jesus Christ, God's Mercy and You'

Elder Jorg Klebingat

Up at 2:30 worked on yesterday's journal, had prayer, Book of Mormon, D&C, eat, Tender Mercies, A.S.K., the Atonement of Jesus Christ, blog, walk, puzzle and then conference at 9.

195th General Conference

Saturday morning session

Saturday afternoon session

Saturday Evening session

Between the afternoon and evening session I was eating a Rise bar that we bought at Costco and the veneer on my front left tooth. I called Pierce and luckily he was available to re-attach it. I went over a little after 4 and my tooth was re-attached before the evening session. Pierce asked if I lost weight and when I told him yes he said I looked cute. When I left he gave me a hug.