The Christmas Letter From a Missionary

Hey guys! Merry Christmas. What a week it has been. It's probably been what of the best on the mission. As a district we've been getting up a little earlier and all meeting at this barn full of workout equipment and working out to start the day off. It's super cold in the barn so we all come in coats and stuff. It's super fun. We are having a competition of who can gain the most weight this transfer. 

     Apart from that, being a missionary during Christmas is really amazing. Going into the holidays I thought that I was really going to miss all of the Christmas songs, movies, and traditions. With that all out of the way though, I feel like it has made this the most meaningful Christamas ever. I've never gone into the celebration of His birthday before feeling so close to Jesus. There is a song that I recently heard called "el burrito sabanero". It was playing at our ward Christmas party and I asked my companion what the song was. He told me that it's a really famous song all throughout Latin America. That song stayed in my head for a day after and I kept thinking more about it. I think that there is something really powerful about a little kid from a country on the other side of the world triumphantly singing about a donkey on it's way to Bethlehem so that a Baby can be delivered. 

     I just want you guys all to know that I love Jesus with all my heart. My entire life, I've always made tough decisions by asking myself what Jesus would do. Usually the first thing I think of is that there is no way that He would've gotten himself in this situation in the first place. Following that however, whenever I took the time to really think about it, that's always when I was able to choose to do things that were hard but that I knew were right. Since being on my mission though, I've really seen what it means to put Christ at the center of everything. Striving to be like Him in everything I do is really hard but it is really rewarding when I'm able to really put someone else first and do things I never would've wanted to do a year.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Elder Hackworth

Please watch this video. It is only 3 minutes. I'm not a crier realler but it's hard not to get emotional with this video.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

The church is getting a lot of negative press lately.

It all has to do with the amount of money they have in their coffers and in reserve.  The church is being accused of not using the money for charitable purposes, even tho that is how they file taxes.

As I was driving home from the gym yesterday, I thought of Lehi's dream....

Specifically, I thought of the crowds of people in the spacious building pointing fingers and laughing at the people holding on to the rod of iron.

I realize that is happening more and more.

It's hard to see it happening and to know that people I love are leaving the church, although this has been predicted it would happen.

Man, people are attacking the church from every angle.

It's interesting because they leave the church, but they won't leave it alone!

So, I just want to reaffirm my stand.

I love the Gospel, the Book of Mormon, the Prophets, and most of all:

THE SAVIOUR!

Artwork by Kristi K Anderson

Many Good Neighbors and Friends

Kristi made this and I LOVE it!

Every night this week, someone has dropped by with a plate of goodies or something tasty to eat.

I am overwhelmed at the generosity and kindnesses of people.

Here's some that I remember:

Dorothy and Garn - caramel corn
Mark Armstrong - Truffles
Vanessa Thatcher - Chocolate covered giant pretzels
Matt & Katie Pelo - plate of cookies
Don & Lisa Sjogren - sugared pecans from her own tree and some pistachios
Mike & Loretta Allam - oranges and brownies made by Mike
Christiansen family - sugar cookies

It Not Being Worse

Fender Bender on my way to the gym..

I'm a little shaken right now.

But, it could have been so much worse.

And, I'm very grateful that it wasn't worse than it was.

The Saviour's Birth and Life on Earth

I'm listening to the Old Testament as I exercise.

In a word, it is

HORRENDOUS@

WOW, those early Israelites had so MANY rules and regulations and stipulations and expostulations.

It seems so amazing that the GOD of the Old Testament is the same God as in the New Testament, where LOVE is consistently preached.

I'm so glad to be a part of this new world where Jesus came to show us a kinder, better way.

And, I am so very grateful.

I'm also glad that I am not a Jew having to follow all those old rules and laws.

Truly, the Saviour's way is so much better and makes people happier.

And, I am grateful that I recognize what Christmas is all about....

A Missionary!

...called Elder Hackworth, Bridger to us.

I'm very thankful to whomever posts these on FaceBook.  Thank You!

A Garage

For the first few years of our married life, we didn't have a garage.

Which was fine....

EXCEPT on cold winter, snowy, frosty mornings, which was most of the time in Rexburg, Idaho.

I remember living on Widdison Way and just yearning to have a garage.  Imagine not having to scrape the windows with frozen hands, imagine not having to push off mounds of accumulated snow.

When Allen built the garage on our little home, I was so very grateful and though that was the height of luxury!

Since that time, we have had garages, and I continue to be grateful.

There's not much snow to keep off in St George, but the sun beats down and does a numbest on cars, so it's good for them to be protected.

In the last few weeks, we have used our garage for a spare bedroom and for a dining room, so there's that about having a garage.

Oh, I do love having a garage, and I am grateful.

Until recently, we had Allen's boat squeezed in between the vehicles, but he recently moved outside.
WOW, now, there is room to move around in our garage!

My Life Right Now

I just met Dixie.....she just moved into our neighborhood.

She's wonderful.

But, she has a challenging life.  8 people live in her home, including two daughters, a disabled son-in-law, and three grandchildren, on of whom is handicapped.

Her husband died in 2011.

She is driving up north to help a daughter who just broke her neck in two places and has to wear a very restraining brace.  This daughter of Dixie's tends her three young grandsons.

I hear stories like Dixies's and I am just so grateful for my situation right now.  It could change any minute, but at this moment things are good.

And, for those blessings, I am so very grateful!

Gratitude Month

November is over.

December is here.

And, for one month, I focused on giving gratitude.

It's good to focus on what I'm grateful for.

And, I have so many things to be grateful for.



There are challenges in my life, but the blessings far outweigh the downsides.

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for all my many blessings.

My Three Sons

1.  Justin

2.  Jeremy

3. Jordan

I'm grateful.

Helping Hands

THANKSGIVING DAY:

HUGE MEAL, HUGE CLEANUP

1.  Bobby & Kristi made multiple veggie items - so delicious and healthy.

2.  Jordan and Jessica made the best ever mashed potatoes and gravy.

3..Stockton & Morgan peeled ten pounds of potatoes!

4.  Halsey and Landon just stepped right up after to do the dishes.

Everyone helped and it was really wonderful.

And, I am really thankful.

THANKSGIVING DAY!

1.  AMERICA

2. FAMILY

3.  GOSPEL

From My Grandsons

1. Sayre is thankful for the existence of dogs, foxes, and cats.

WHY, I ask?

Because, Sayre says, they are amazing and adorable.

(Foxes are cats and dogs smooshed into one thing, according to Sayre, age 13.

2.  Eli is thankful for his guitar.

3.  Miles is thankful for his skateboard.

HEAT, HEAT, and more HEAT

Helped Allen outside last night ...

It was COLD.

But, the thing is, I knew a warm home and be were waiting for me.

So, I'm grateful for:

1. Car heaters including heated seats.

2.  Home heat.

3.  Hot pad and lots of cozy blankets.

Oh, yes, I do love me some heat on cold days, and I am grateful.

Eyesight, Hearing, Mobility

I say these three things quite often, but OH,

I am so very grateful to be able to hear, to see, and to move about.

What great blessings these are to me!

And, I am beyond grateful.

Jennifer, Kristi, Janessa

1.  Jennifer - I could write a book about what a great daughter Jenni is.  Actually, what a great person she is.  But, fir today, i will just say that she agreed to sing in a choir in our ward.  I love that she comes over every Sunday for practices.

2.  Kristi - she called today to see about the big family gathering.  She is always so helpful and so very thoughtful.  Hers could be the second book I write....What a great daughter.

3.  Janessa - out of 16 grandchildren, she is the only one who ever calls, texts, shows an interest in us.  She's pretty special, that girl!

And, I am grateful.

A Surprise that Came in the Mail

Thanks, Justin, for this great little happy surprise.

You are the BEST.

And, I am grateful.

Thursday THINGS

1.  RAIN in St George.  We went 155 days without any rain, so it was a great blessing to get rain for a couple of days.

2.  Sunshine....I love the sunshine and in St George, we get a lot of it.  I LOVE IT.

3.  Fall...what beautiful colors there are in the fall.

I'm so grateful for the creations of God and his infinitesimal variety.

Modern Day Must Haves

1.  iPhone

2.  IWatch

3.  iPad

I use these on a near daily basis for different things.

But, I am so grateful for them.

Three Things

1.  Walking in the mall with Dorothy

2. Agency

3.  Laughter and Humor

Great Days in St George

1.  Sunny mornings

2.  Lovely neighborhood

3.  Incredible weather

Sunday, November 17, 2019

I am thankful for:

1.  Pomegranates from our own yard.

2.  Nuts.

3.  Pumpkin Seeds.

Saturday - November 16, 2019

1.  Inventions:  Toilet paper, Records & iPods, etc., Electricity, Cars, Indoor Plumbing, Microwaves

2.  Retirement - I have TIME to do things I enjoy.

3.  CHOCOLATE

Oh, yes, I'm grateful for all these things!

FRIDAY - Modern Life

1.  Having electricity

2. Computers

3.  Wikipedia and Google

Man, I was born in the right age.  I NEED those items in my life.

And, I am thankful.

Thursday, November 14, 2019

1.  Audio Books.  I LOVE listening to books as I drive around doing errands.

2.  Kindle.  What a great way to read a book.

3.  BOOKS.  Real books have fed me for many years.

Oh, I'm so thankful that I CAN and DO read.

Three Things on Wednesday

1.  Planet Fitness.

I try to go there several times a week.  It's very good for me, and even though I don't work out that hard, I know it's good to do it.

2.  Yoga on Thursdays.  CeCe is such a good teacher.  She has a pleasant soft voice and I'm glad that Dorothy introduced it to me a few years ago.  It's a pretty good workout, and I'm always glad when it's over.

3.  My red bike.  I hardly ever ride it, but it's a great thing to have.  It's a three-wheeler.

I'm so grateful for the time, ability, and equipment so that I can exercise!

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS

1.  Hannah and her friends who drop by.  Hannah is 11; she's been coming over randomly since she was about 6.  Lots of different people have come with her, but she is consistent.  This is Ellie, who just moved into the ward.

2.  Reminders to be more grateful for all we have!

3.  Family members - of all varieties.

Left my glasses in Provo.  So, here's what happens when I leave them lying around.

From a Facebook post on Veteran's Day.  When Jeremy was in Afghanistan.

Calder on a beautiful Saturday in Provo.  

Libby and Janice at Durango's recently.  We had such a great time.  I love my brothers' wives!

Monday List

1.  America - I am so grateful for America.

2.  Veterans - who have served our country over many years.

3.  Jeremy and his service to our country.

Sunday's Gratitude List

I can't believe I haven't said this before, but as I say, this list is not necessarily in any order.

!.  TECHNOLOGY - Man, do I love techno stuff..Allen just got a new pickup, and it's got a lot of bells and whistles, and it is pretty awesome.

2.  Cell Phones

3.  Apple Watch.  I love my apple watch.  It doesn't motivate as much as I had hoped, but what the hey?  It is still a remarkable watch indeed.

Saturday's List

1.  Clean water

2.  Clean Air

3.  Great Living Conditions

Three Things on a Friday

1. Income....it's not a lot, but we get along okay on it, and I'm so very grateful.

2.  Allen's job at BYU/I.  And, even tho, he is retired, he still gets a paycheck, for which I am exceedingly grateful.

3.  My job as teacher and especially librarian.  I absolutely LOVED that library job!  For me, it was a dream job.  I used to go to work early, I was so eager to get to the lovely library.  Man, that was a perfect job for me in my later years of employment.

And, I am so very grateful for all of the above.

Eli, Miles, Calder

1.  Eli - what a great kid1  He's responsible, fun, happy, obedient, good.  And, he's 16.

2. Miles - what a great kid!  He's creative, interested in a variety of things, and plays the clarinet.  He's 13.

3.  Calder - what a great kid.  He's happy, fun, energetic.  He's 5.

I'm thankful for these three Hackworth brothers.  All different, all wonderful.

Vehicles - Nov 6

Today, Allen bought a new Toyota Tacoma.  It was pre-owned, but only had 6300 miles on it, so practically new.

We also have our white CRV, which has stood us in good stead for 7 years.

Before that we had a red Honda Accord, and other various vehicles.

I'm grateful they have all worked and we have had no accidents.

So, today I'm grateful for:

1.  new pickup

2.  Honda CRV

3.  Our other vehicles over the many years!

Another Day of Gratitude

1.  God's great beautiful earth

2.  Good Friends

3.  TIME to enjoy both of the above!

On Monday, November 4, we started driving to Lake Powell.  It was absolutely a PERFECT day.  We picnicked on the lake and enjoyed the stunning views.

It was a perfect day.

I'm so very grateful for my blessings!

Not in Any Order

Man, I love pondering what I am thankful for....it makes me realize how many blessings I actually have.

None of the things I have mentioned are supposed to be in any order.  So, computers definitely would not be ahead of today's line of three things:

1. Health

2. Vision

3.  Hearing

I'm 75 1/2, so all those things mentioned above get weaker with time.  It makes me grateful that I have as much of them as I do at this point in my life.

I'm very grateful.

Three THINGS Today

1.  Easy access to clean and good Water - when we were in Jordan recently, we were told NOT to drink the water.  President Nelson, in a recent talk, told about an African village where the closest source of water was 18 miles away.  Water is so basic to life, and I'm grateful to have water every day that is clean and healthy.

2.  Along with water comes FOOD.  Oh my goodness, in America, we are so blessed to have an abundance of food....an overabundance.  AND, I am so very grateful.

3.  Transportation - we have two great vehicles.  They work, they are perfect for us.  And, I am very grateful.

So, today are three things that are so basic for life; food, water, transportation.

Yes, I feel grateful for all three.

Three Things Today

1.  Books - I love reading.  It's been a life-long interest.  And, I'm so grateful for books of all kinds.

2.  St George - I LOVE living here...the sun shines many, many days.  And I love the people, the town,

3.  Computers - Man, I'm crazy about computers.  I could never keep a bank balance.  Now, I check it every day.  I keep in touch with friends thru the computer.  I have many pictures stored on the computer and they are easy to access.  Yes, I'm grateful for MY BIG MAC COMPUTER!

My daily three.  And, I am thankful.

November Gratitude Month

I'm taking a challenge to be grateful each day for three things;

New things every day.  Should be easy.

here's my list for today:

1. Pres Nelson - I just listened to his Sunday conference talk from a month ago; it was so imposing about all the help our church has given to people and organizations and cities.

2.  The Book of Mormon - I set a goal to read/listen to it 4 times this year.  I'm on target to complete that goal.  It has been awesome.  I read or hear things that I don't remember hearing before.  What a powerful book in so many ways.

3.  Allen - I'm grateful to have a good man for a husband.

The St George Temple

Thursday, October 27.  A beautiful Thursday morning to do sealing as a family.  It was a joyous occasion for me!

Another great thing about the temple is the wonderful cafeteria; it's the best.  Here are my brothers and wives along with Allen and MOI enjoying the good food and pleasant afterglow of doing family dealings together.  What a great blessing.

It closes on Saturday for two - three years.

Every session the last two weeks has been so crowded.  Finding parking is a challenge.  The lockers are filled to overflowing.  People are every where.

What a good thing.

I will totally miss it.  Because I have loved having a temple so very close.  It is so easy to just say, I'll go to the temple in the morning.  12 minutes you are there.

Finding names has never been easier.

And, now CLOSURE.

Will I go to Cedar City or Las Vegas?  Oh, that remains to be seen.  But, over the years we have lived here, I have loved being a part of the St George Temple!

On a very cold Thursday, October 31st morning...two days before the Saturday closure.
I have loved going to this temple!

I express great love and gratitude and THANKS for this beautiful pioneer temple!

FAMILIA

We spent some time looking at photos from my parents' time in Germany.
Here's a picture of my dad skiing in Germany.  WHO KNEW!

We have such a great time when we get together.  We do a lot of laughing and story telling, and it's just FUN!

And, I am so very grateful!

My Blue Tooth Pink Headset

I listen to books, scriptures, conference talks, etc. when I am at the gym.

The arm holder for my iPod would come undone.

My pockets were not deep enough to keep the iPod in.

And, finally, the cord would always get tangled up.

So, VOILA!  Problem solved.

I love listening to anything with these headsets.  They are comfortable, great quality of sound, and no strings attached.

I'm very grateful for these.

Plus, you gotta like that they are PINK!

God's Sense of Humor

While traveling in the Middle East, I was exhausted.

Worn out.

Completely.

And, so I said to myself - I just want to be by myself, hunker down by myself, and not interact with anyone for a few weeks.

HA HA HA HA, said God.  Not possible.

While on our trip, I received a text from Nicole asking if her family could stay with us for three days.

Well, how could I say NO, even tho I had just resolved to not let anyone bother me?

Wednesday, I had intended to go to the temple, but late in the afternoon, I conceded to Satan that he had indeed won that round, but I couldn't let him win, so I went.

On Thursday, I had to go visit Donna C because I am her minister and I had a little gift for her from Israel.  We chatted for about an hour on her lovely front porch.

Came home to be with the Gomez family for dinner and to read to their children and interact with them.  Brent and Jenni showed up later in the evening to share in the food and fun.

Susie texted to ask if I would drive Christina to work at 5:30.  Well, of course, I can't turn that down, so I showed up at 5:30 am to take her to work, but it's supposed to be at 5:30 p.m.  I goofed on that one.

Peggy called to see if I would take dinner to Hannah because she just had a new baby.  How could I say NO to that request?

Stephanie, that most dear of all people, wants us to come for dinner on  Sunday night.

Brent & Jenni need a ride home from their colonoscopy on Monday morning, so I could NEVER say no to them.

And, my brothers and their wives are all coming in on Wednesday night for several days.

Bart called to ask if we could feed the sister missionaries on Sunday night, so, of course, we will do that!  No refusing the missionaries.

I can just hear God laughing right about now!

And, I suppose I'm grateful that he will not let me be weary in well doing!

SAFELY HOME!

Off in the car headed to the Vegas Airport for a grand adventure in Israel!

It was amazing and incredible.

But, I was so grateful to be home safely, with no major incidents.

The trip made me appreciate the Saviour so much more and his way of life.

It was hot, dry, arid, humid, dusty, long miles to walk and I was so grateful for HIM.

And of course, the trip made me so very grateful for AMERICA!

I cannot say enough how grateful I am to be home, to be safe, to have been born in America, 

and for the Savior and His Life.

In Jerusalem; home to three major religions; Islam, Jews, Christianity.

Letter From a Missionary

Elder Hackworth - week 37 - with his new companion from Orange County

WEEK 37

Hey everyone. Sorry that it has been so long since I've last written. P-days just keep getting shorter and shorter. So my 6 month stand in the Lehi ward has come to an end. Last transfer was really fun. Elder Medina has become one of my best friends and I will really miss him. We were really lucky to stay together for a 2nd transfer but then we also had a 3rd companion, Elder Bell, that got added on to us. He was a new missionary fresh out of the MTC. He is staying with our mission for a couple months before he gets some paperwork processed and heads out to Ecuador for his mission assignment. 

    So last transfer was great. We started it off with Arleth's baptism and then ended it with the baptism of a 14 year girl from Honduras. It was really really cool because we received a referral for her my first week in the area, 6 months before. I taught her with all of my different companions for the whole 6 months and then my very last Saturday she got baptized. That was really cool. It was really amazing to get to see her progress all of the way through but also the effect that it had on her family. 

    Her parents have lived in the US for a while with their other kids, who are all members but recently were finally able to get their oldest daughter over here from Honduras. When I first met them they weren't going to church and supposedly had a lot of marital problems going on with a lot of fighting and stress in the house. I never directly saw anything myself other than a few comments here and there from the parents or the kids, but even so, over the 6 months I was able to see how the environment of the house slowly changed as the whole family came together to encourage and support their daughter/sister to get baptized. It was a gradual change but the week before the baptism was when it really struck me and I can honestly say that I could see a big change in the faces of everyone in that home. The last 6 weeks before she was baptized, the entire family had been to church every Sunday. The mom appeared as if she had a whole new smile on her face. If I had met her right then for the first time, I don't think I would have been able to imagine thinking of her, like I once did, as just a little bit grouchy. Her daughter before, would always be very conversational when her parents would leave the room but when they came back she would get very timid and go into a shell when we tried to ask her questions. Now, 6 months later, she was transformed. She had a whole new confidence. She would even sometimes catch me really off guard as she'd make a witty comeback to her parents that when they would try to playfully tease her about something. My very last Sunday though, the Dad was asked to lead the class in Sunday school. I don't know what he was supposed to be talking about, but he ended up getting really emotional in front of the class as he talked about his time that he was inactive and going through a lot of hard things and just how the kindness of other people in the ward went a long way. That was really cool to see because he was honestly one of the last people I'd expect to see get so emotional. 

    I'm super greatful I got to be in the area to see that entire fold events for the whole 6 months. I will miss them like crazy. I obviously don't know any of their private matters, all I can do is share my own observations and what I know to be true. As we went over 1-2x a week and read scriptures with the family for a period of 6 months and they started going more and more to church, those were the visual changes I saw in the parents and kids.

    Well it's already been a really long email so I'll have to leave other stories for other days. I'm now in a new area again. Leaving the Lehi ward was really sad and hard. It kind of gave me a small taste of what it will probably be like when my mission ends. That's gonna be even harder, but that's not for a while so I don't need to worry about it. Hope you guys all have a good week. Love y'all. 

Opportunities to Travel

Allen and I have actually traveled quite a bit.

Not like my brother Preston or lots of other people.

But, for us, on a teacher's salary, we have been very blessed to go and see places we would not have otherwise been able to do.  It all began when Allen decided to do a thing called HOME EXCHANGES.

This picture is in a rapeseed field in Germany.  We were on a home exchange with Brian and Lois and Kristi came too for awhile.

We won't always have the health to go abroad and travel about.

So, for the times we have done it, I am very grateful.

Thank you, Heavenly Father.

Inventions and Patents....

Need I say MORE?

LIFE RIGHT NOW!

It probably sounds superstitious, but I'm afraid to say anything.

But, life is really good right now.

And, I'm so VERY GRATEFUL!

Thank you, Heavenly Father!

Neighbor Kids

Nine a.m.

Little tiny knock on door.

We knew it was a child from the little knock; then the doorbell rang.

And, Look what was standing on my front porch...

HA HA HA HA...

Asael and Lilly Ivey.  Still in jammies.

AND, their mother didn't know they had left.

I loved it.  Lilly informed me they are expecting baby #11....and it's a boy!

Then she added, "I'm so BORED of boys!"

Oh, my heart was bursting that morning.

Thank you, Heavenly Father for the gift of delightful, happy children!

Word of Wisdom

I recently came across this page from my journal while we were serving as missionaries in the LDS Employment Center.

I felt then as I do now...

we met people from all walks of life who struggled with addiction problems, so I am forever grateful for the messages found in the Word of Wisdom.

Have I EVER Mentioned....

HEALTH?

I minister with a lady who has struggled for several years with multiple health issues.

And, for two years, she's had a colostomy bag, which was just operated on and failed.

Tonight while visiting a couple, they told me about their daughter and the serious health problems she has had for the past several years.

I just listened and was filled with gratitude for what the health I HAVE right now.

And, I am so grateful.

PLAN OF SALVATION!

This picture totally captures Ron's delightful, fun personality.
Friendly, garrulous, happy, optimistic.
What a great guy!

Ron Olson died on Tuesday night.

From a heart attack.

We heard the sirens blasting and the fire department screaming along.  We wondered who, what was happening, and I prayed in my heart.

And, then, we were heart broken when we found out.

Because you see, we LOVED this good, good man.

He has been our home teacher/minister for many many years.  We looked forward to his visits.  We loved having him in our home.

He was funny, committed to the Gospel and he was a marvelous FATHER and GRANDFATHER!  His 2nd grandson comes home from his mission TODAY!  TWO DAYS AFTER HE DIED.

How does this even happen?

I'm still in a state of total shock.  On Sunday. Allen talked to him, and Ron said, "I'll be coming over soon."

Oh, RON, YOU WILL BE MISSED.

But, in spite of the shock, the untimeliness of it all, in my heart I realize that
WE WILL SEE YOU AGAIN.  AND, THAT IS SO GOOD TO BE SO SURE OF.

And, I am thankful!

WORKING LEGS and FEET!

Walking the mall with Garn and Dorothy....about 1/2 of the way thru, she said, "I can't go on.  My KNEE."

I realized what a great blessing it is to have working knees and legs.

And, I am so very grateful!

AMERICA - AGAIN!

So, once again, I find myself reading a book about North Korea.

Jordan recommended this to me; it's about girl who goes to teach in North Korea with a Christian group of teachers.  She, herself, is an atheist, but in order to go, she aligned herself with the group of Christian teachers.

It is an astounding story, but nothing different than what I haven't been exposed to before.

But, it certainly serves as a reminder how GRATEFUL I am to have been born in THE USA!

I don't know how I got to be so blessed.

I know that America has multiple problems, including our JERK of a president, BUT, nonetheless, the freedoms we have are just miraculous compared to North Korea.

Oh, my heart is filled with love and appreciation for this great land!

MUSIC!

Driving into town this morning on my way to exercise, I was listening to music on my iPod.

It absolutely thrilled my soul!  I was so moved and loving it so much.

A couple of the songs that were thrilled me were; THE STARS AND STRIPES FOREVER,

BELIEVE ME IF ALL THOSE ENDEARING YOUNG CHARMS, and MARCH OF THE HEBREW SLAVES.

I was absolutely transported to an "other world."

And, it made me so very grateful for;

my ears,
Allen's love of music,
inventions that allow me to choose the music I want to listen to.

Oh, my heart is filled with gratitude this morning as I sit trying this and listening to Allen play music on his GENOS instrument.

I am so very grateful.

Medical Advancement and Personnel

Our son posted this yesterday after a grandson had a small surgery:

I agree with Jeremy and Sean.  Part of the quote also mentioned that since the restoration of the church in 1830, there have been significant advances in our lives.

Heavenly Father has blessed us.

And, I am grateful.