Good People Who Say Nice Things

 I made a post to a man in our ward whose father died; I don't know how it got SHARED, but it did.  In response to that post, James Haeberle, a friend from Rexburg, Idaho wrote this and I was so moved by it.

Sir,

I do not know your father or anyone in your family, but it’s clear to me that you are all part of a great family. What you have said about your father is of the type of things that we say only about those who have been everything to us. 

On the night of 2 January 1992 two great ladies came to visit my wife in the hospital. They spoke kindly to her and bade her goodbye although she was not conscious. One of those ladies was Loni Hackworth whose comments I see here. Minutes after they departed my wife died. I’m glad that people like her are involved in your family’s life.

One of the names of the Holy Ghost is “the Comforter.” His capacity to comfort is amazing. I know. I pray that He will be with you and your family.

I was so moved by this comment, and strangely, I do remember this night.  His wife was the sweetest kindest person ever.  She died much too young leaving small children.  

I'm so grateful for the plan of salvation.

Marvelous Sunday Spiritual Talks

We were richly fed in Sacrament meeting yesterday.

Brandon Comstock told about how he and his daughter, who was a very poor reader, made a covenant to read every day.  They have read for 370 straight days, without missing ONE DAY, even tho he has gone on many trips all around - including to Brazil.  But they connect via Face Time and have ben consistent, which has paid off.  As she is now reading on grade level.  

He bore testimony that keeping our covenants CHANGES US!  It was a powerful talk and I am inspired by that.  

Danny Onion told his conversion story about moving from Oregon to Utah and being anti - Mormon.  But discovering they were the kindest people he had ever met.  He is excited to serve a mission now in Oregon and share the light of the Gospel and the Saviour.  He compared the chandelier in the temple to the Saviour.  We SHINE thru HIS light.  Without His light, we are just plain, but with HIS light we shine for others to see.

Wonderful talks by both of them.  

And, I was thankful.

 

THINGS I FEEL GRATEFUL FOR ON A MONDAY MORNING

 I'm so grateful that Jordan came to visit and bring his wife, Jessica.

He's good.  He's fun.  He's interesting.  He's tall.

I'm grateful that Jenni and Brent ended up being in town so we could eat together last night.  Good food.

Having Allen still living, while so many  of my friends are widows is such a great blessing.  Oh, I'm grateful.  Even tho we clash constantly.

Of course, the things like eyesight, mobility, hearing, taste, are always on my mind.  And, I'm grateful for those things.

The beauty of the earth.  Living in this day and age.

Having a regular income after all these years of being retired has to be one of teh greatest blessings in my life.  THANK YOU SO MUCH Heavenly FATHER!  

My gratitude knows no bounds.

Serving in the Temple

 It was short; it was sweet, but oh, the women were wonderful.

Loni Hackworth, Sue Primm, Jodi Gray, Jodi Prince, Mery Beth Fuller.

Sue recently lost 60 pounds thru bariatric surgery.  When she showed me a picture of her before, I could not believe it was the same person; it was astounding.  She was working at a call center for devices that help people who have fallen and other emergencies like that; she is retiring in a week from this writing.  She has worked her entire life from when she was 18 and she is in her early 70's...she definitely deserves retirement.  

Jodi Gray had many challenges; her own health, a son who died in his twenties from a disease, and other issues.  She had a daughter with four children who just up and decided to move to England in September leaving her four children at home with her ex husband.  The youngest child was ten.  The father of these children had a heart attack right after the mother left, so Jodi and her husband went to help out.  Then, Jodi suffered some great health challenges as of this writing.  She honestly thought she would not live; three blood transfusions and other things.  She was so fun! And, yet she had all those challenges.  

Jodi Prince is the primary care giver for her aging mother.  Jodi also works two jobs just to make enough money to survive.  Hyundai and Kohl's.  She is busy, but still wanted to serve in the temple.  She had recently come back in to the church and felt she wanted to serve even tho she is a caregiver and has two jobs.

Mary Beth is one of the most amazing women I have ever met and I've met a lot of women.  She came from a very dysfunctional mother.  Yet when Mary Beth heard the Gospel, she joined as a teen and has been all in since.  She worked as a Disney princess, a women's clothing buyer for Nordstrom, and she started the foreign language immersion programs here in Washington County, just to name a few things.  As for her mother, Mary Beth did not like to talk about her - at all.  But, she did tell me a couple of stories; like her mother emptied out Mary Beth's bank account.  When Mary Beth went to register for college, every penny was gone.  Her mother said she had raised her and she deserved the money - not Mary Beth who had saved every penny from her job!  She told me a couple of other stories as well, all very disturbing.  But, Mary Beth loved the Gospel and married a wonderful man who was an ER doc for many years.  They left in August to teach English in China.  BYU actually recruited them!

Missing from this picture is the office worker who is actually a paid employee of the church: Kim Uzelac; now there is a woman that is awesome.  So happy, so positive, so helpful, so energetic and just happy all the time.  She was a great mentor and everyone just loves KIM!

There are some reasons why I did not continue serving in the temple.  But, it was a good experience and I'm grateful I was able to do it.  

Yes, I'm very thankful.

Gotta Get Back Being Grateful

 Som fantastic adventures over the past two months.  

My heart is filled with gratitude for the people I meet along my journey of life.

The blessing of being a temple worker for six months.  So many great people devoting their lives to that assignment.

Having a few good friends that are nurturing and caring.

I love having Allen as a companion.  We lock heads a lot, but we HAVE each other and need each other.

OH, yes, I'm grateful.

The Beautiful World and Especially The Roses in our Yard

 

Absolutely breathtaking and I am so grateful.

Gratitude List from 1998

 

I recently found this; it was so fun; I covered a lot of things a person doesn't normally think of: 

mail service, candy, chocolate.   I loved seeing this.

 Saturday, March 9; 9:15 A.M.

Just on our way to our first temple orientation meeting.  We being serving in the temple in about two weeks.  Whoever thought we would have ben serving in the temple?  NOT I, that is for sure.

We will serve on Saturday mornings; the ironic thing is that Kaye and Shauna serve on Saturday evening shifts.  I love the fact that dad and Mom would have two of their children serving in the temple on the same day each week.  Oh, Dad and Mom, what a great example you set all those years ago.  While I don't remember you going to the temple a lot, I do remember that you loved the Lord and served Him in your own ways.  

And, that is something I am continually grateful for.

Allen's Job at Ricks- BYU/I for All Those Years

 I am so very grateful that Allen had a job at Ricks College for his entire career.  It was and continues to e such a great blessing in our lives.  He has earned a pension for 22 years.  

What an incredible blessing and gift.

I so so very grateful.  Thank you, dear Heavenly Father!

Bridger's Internship

I was getting discouraged about Bridger being turned down so often for jobs, internships, etc.  (And, maybe getting into BYU!)

So, it was a thrill for him to tell us that he has an internship in Washington DC working for a think tank with the Republican party.  He will be doing data work for them.  It's not a high paying internship, so that is not so good.  

BUT, he has found a family that will let him live there for FREE!  That is incredible and such a blessing!

And, I am SO VERY THANKFUL!

Prayer

 

WOW!  What a true statement.

There are times when I compare  myself and my situation to others.  And, I always come out the loser in these settings.

So, I just need to focus on the may Blessings I personally have.  I feel so blessed in so many ways.

And, I need to remember that when I hear the inspiring stories of others and their families.  

I need to pray harder to not be envious, but to be grateful that God is blessing other faithful people.  I want to be the kind of person that rejoices in their good things and not be jealous.

So, I just want the Lord to know that I am deeply grateful for my many blessings.  I will continue to pray for the blessings I feel my family needs; for their testimonies to kick in, for their successes when down times come, when they reject me, and other situations that cause me to mourn.  

I will just try over and over to BE GRATEFUL, and I am so grateful for many things.

Mobility, Eyesight, Hearing

 Oh my goodness; I am so thankful for the many physical blessings I have.

Brian wright just lost his sight in one eye.  He also has very bad neuropathy making walking difficult.

Bonnie is so dizzy, it's getting difficult for her to drive.

Karen Dienes just had an operation on her foot and will be immobile for several weeks.

Many old people of my age wear hearing aids.

And, I walk, talk, see, hear.

Oh, I am so beyond grateful

Thank you, Heavenly Father.

The Book of Mormon

 

This is my challenge this year.  To find the power that comes from studying this book.  I want to overcome a bad habit and I believe I can do it with this tool.

I am so thankful for the Book of Mormon.