The Gospel

I love the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Today, we had the rededication of the St George Temple. It was so inspiring and I strongly felt the spirit. I felt such a spirit of appreciation for those early Saints....man, they had such hardships. And, yet, they BUILT A TEMPLE. It too them six years, but while they were building their homes and sturctures, tehy built a temple. I can't wait to go in and do sealings on Friday. Elder Holland was the general authority who gave the dedicatory prayer. He said this was his favorite assignment in his 34 years of gospel trips. I loved doing the Hallelujah SHOUT! And, singing, The Spirit of God.

A New Grandchild

 Jaxon Fisher was born this morning....it's so exciting.  He's still in the NICU, but will be out soon, I'm sure.  Morgan is also needing some care...she had a C-Section.  But, I feel so very grateful.

Moments after the birth...well, at least I think it is after the birth!

The Scriptures

While learning about the early saints in the New Testament, it occurs to me that each person did not have access to the written word. They couldn't really learn or be inspired on their own time.  I'm so grateful for the blessing of my own scriptures so readily available.

What a great blessing..and I am grateful!

It's the Day Before Thanksgiving...

 and here are three specific things I am grateful for:

Kristi D - how did I get such an incredible daughter?

Jordan - who flew out to be here with us a few days before Thanksgiving; It's just a JOY to be with him.

Our living situation....we have a plethora of food (that is one of my worst sins - I'm very wasteful.!)

Oh, Heavenly Father, I am grateful!

So Many Things

 Man, I am delinquent in keeping up with this blog.

And, I have so much to be thankful for.

I have had stomach aches for so long, but as of this morning, I am feeling better.

And, I am thankful.

My beautiful, Wonderful MOTHER!

 

My Life

This morning in a parking lot, I felt JOY.

Joy for life, 

Joy for my situation.

JOY for being alive in this incredibly beautiful world. 

The Goodness of God

 I was in a total funk yesterday; so many things weighing on my mind.

Allen reminded me how blessed I am.

I agree....I have so much to be thankful for, and I am.

I'll start this month and this day with gratitude.

My Lovely Mother

 

 May 5, 1948 In a hotel in Europe.

Isn't she just beautiful?

LIFE and NEIGHBORS

 Driving home from the gym today, I drove by Jessica Stout and Tanya Conley.

I can't really explain it, but as I drove away, I was filled with so much love for both of them and for Jennifer Miller, who had ridden by on her bike.

It was such a fleeting moment, but I felt the LOVE of the neighbors in that brief moment and it made me so GRATEFUL.

FOR MY BODY!

 I'm so grateful for my body.  I can still see, hear, move - well, a little.  HAHA

But, having mobility is such a great gift and I am so thankful to Heavenly Father for this marvelous body.  I also realize that have what so many people do not have, and it makes me VERY GRATEFUL!

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for this gift of a body!

 

In January, Allen put all the gift cards in a box and HID them when we went on a home exchange.

When we came home, we looked exactly where he THOUGHT he had put them - in the shed.  

NO GIFT CARDS.

I prayed about them because I knew they would total up to quite a bit.

Nothing, nada, no way, couldn't find them.

Yesterday, pulling out a drawer in the bathroom while looking for toothpaste, he found them.

As you can see, it is quite a haul.  And, I am SO VERY GRATEFUL!

Just LIFE!

 I feel so much gratitude for my life as it is right now.  I cannot begin to express how thankful I am for the blessings I receive.

THANK YOU, HEAVENLY FATHER!

Sons of the Utah Pioneers

 HA!  I've made fun of this organization.

But, last night at their dinner club meeting, the speaker gave such an inspiring talk.  I was so inspired and felt such a strong spirit there last night.  

Plus, we went with Karen and Max Turpin and they are such good, good people, as are all the members of that amazing group!

I felt such gratitude last night for the pioneer heritage that many of us share.

A Birthday Gift from Amy and Justin

 

My Body

 I was complaining to Allen recently that I am totally unable to LOSE WEIGHT.

But, on the other hand, i have a body that moves, works, sees, hears, smells, talks.

I am so grateful for that blessing having a working body.

Thank you Heavenly Father, for the blessings that I have of a working body.

The Good Life

 

AMERICA!

 I'm listening to a book about North Korea.

While driving along, I was so overcome with gratitude for living in America.

For being born in America.

Thank you, dear Heavenly Father, for the blessing I have of being an American!  

I am forever grateful.

Allen Surviving a Mini Stroke

 I can't believe I have forgotten to write about this...

But, Allen had a mini stroke in April....it was all rather frightening because he could have come out of this so much worse.  He went blind in one eye for about fifteen minutes.   He couldn't see ANYTHING!  

In the morning, he went to an eye specialist who sent him immediately to the ER, where they performed many tests.  They wanted him to spend the night, but he refused and came home.  Oh, man, things could have turned out so much worse.............no speech, paralyzation, even death.

I cannot believe I have not written about this sooner, but I'm beyond grateful to Heavenly Father for the outcome being so positive.  

Oh, I am grateful!

Our Home....

 Jenni and Brent are making major decisions about buying a home; it's so hard and they have been forced to buy a certain home....

It makes me so grateful for our home.  

It's been paid for many years and that's such a blessing.

It's a lovely home.  Perfect for us.

And, I am so grateful.  I know it is God's way of blessing us and I feel that love and blessings.

Thank you, Dear Heavenly Father.

Visit From Jordan

 Zion on a snowy day!  It was so lovely!

Living in St George

 

Enough said.

The Missionaries

The elders came over last week.

They asked us to record a spiritual experience that we had.  I'm happy to do that.

Allen and I watched a training video for family history consultants.  It featured Elder Gong and Elder Bednar and a few other church officials.

At the conclusion of the video, Elder Bednar makes an earnest plea that he hopes the people watching will have gained some insight and felt the spirit.  As Allen and I watched that video in our bedroom in our evening vespers, I felt absolutely NOTHING at all.

So, on Sunday, when we had the meeting with the consultants and watched the same video, I focused on the message of the meeting, that JESUS is first; all we do is linked to HIM.  From Baptism, temple endowments, proxy work for the dead - it's an opportunity to lead people to Christ and for them to return HOME to Him.  

When President Bednar asked that we - the participants - be touched, I was so touched and moved by the message of that meeting.  I had been indifferent before, but NOW, I was so inspired by the magnitude of our calling.  It was a poignant, profound moment.  And, an answer to a prayer that I had in my heart to have a divine moment this week, as the missionaries had requested.  And, I had had  it.

So thankful for that brief moment in my other wise ordinary life in which I just plod along.  Now, to go out and do something about that inspiration.

Mini Miracle

 Credit card - LOST ..... again.

Allen searched everywhere....over and over again.

He went twice to the place where it was last used...

No luck.

He searched his wallet, pockets, jackets, the pick-up.  Again and Again.

No credit card.

I was prompted to do my own search of his wallet.

FOUND....hiding between some other cards that he rarely used and in a slot where he never put it.  

Oh, I was so very grateful.  

Thank you, Heavenly Father.

How do You Raise Kids Like That?

 Sometimes I wonder how people raise such amazing kids.

And, then I look at Jenni and Kristi.

They are both incredibly amazing.  

And, sometimes, it's not really what the parents do or don't do; it's just how the kids come.

And, I'm so very thankful for those two amazing daughters or ours.

Seeing the Hand of God in My Life...

 Recently Allen was wishing that the Book of Mormon could be condensed......He wanted the war chapters to be left out.  He said it's so brutal and for him, is detracting.

Well, that little statement did not take long to have an answer for Allen.  Elder Rasband's October 2022 talk was the topic of the lesson.  Elder Rasband suggested going through the Book of Mormon and highlighting passages that refer to Jesus.  For Allen, that was his answer.  I'm not sure that he will do it, but he was so pleased with that suggestion.

And, I was grateful.

I LOVE INSPIRING BOOKS....

 ...and here is one of the best!

It is a self-published book by a friend of ours.  It details her struggles with her marriage and raising children as a single mother.

But, through it all, she never loses her faith in God....in fact, quite the opposite, she turns to and relies more heavily on God.  

She had little mini miracles to help her through, but it was NEVER NEVER easy.

I am so grateful for women like Linda who write their stories and we get a peak at how inspiring others can be in times of trial.  It literally AWED me.

Valentine's Day Rain

 Okay, so here's something to be grateful for:

RAIN!  The lawns will appreciate this love from God!

And, so do I!

Gigi

 Gigi has been a dear friend....her husband recently died, so she will be moving to Cedar City.

I will miss her, but I'm so thankful for the many times we have shared together.  She inspires me.  Tight now, I'm trying to learn about the Holy Ghost at her suggestion.

I'm grateful for a friend like GIGI Kern.

The Many Blessings That I Have!

My heart is broken.

STILL.

While I take responsibility for what happened between Loretta and me....it hurts that she will be teaching tangle without me.  SHE WOULD NOT EVEN BE DOING IT, IF IT WEREN'T FOR ME.

So, I need to focus on my gratitude list....

Health, Allen, children, home, cars, income, senses (which right now are tearing up and getting emotional),  mobility, ward members, GOSPEL, the Saviour, who will never leave my side.

I have much to be thankful for.

Early Morning Text....

 This was such a relief for me to get this text early this morning.  I have been struggling with what happened between Loretta and me.  I totally get that I come on pretty heavy handed and nosy at times.  I feel sad about that.

I'm sure it took a lot of courage and humility for her to write this, so this was so awesome and I am beyond grateful.

I'll back off for as long as she needs.  But, in the meantime, I'm happy that she make a connection.

Thank you, Heavenly Father.

Oh, so true....

 Right now, in my life, I am confused and a little taken aback because of the actions of what I thought was my dear friend.  

So, this was a good reminder, that life is still good and I have much to be thankful for.

A multiplicity of Things

 Eyesight,

hearing,

taste buds,

mobility,

feelings,

fingers,

toes,

income,

Allen,

children,

home,

car,

place where I live....Oh, so many things that I am grateful for.

Thank you, dear Heavenly Father.

RAIN!

 Oh we need it.  

SO, when it comes, I'm very grateful.

Two beautiful Daughters

 They show so much love and concern for Allen and me.  I hope we don't ever have to burden them with our lives as we get older.  

Man, they are so awesome.  How I love them.

And, I'm so grateful for each one of them.

Our ward...

 Yesterday morning as I sat down in church, I glanced around the room.  I was overcome with such a feeling of gratitude and LOVE.  It was overwhelming.

I realized that I loved the people in our ward.  To me, they are the epitome of GOOD GOOD people.  People who love God, teach their children, honor their covenants, and live honorable lives.  And, I felt that goodness swell up in me; like a big tidal wave.

Thank you, dear Heavenly Father, I feel such gratitude.