Well, I made it through the first week of school. I have a motorized scooter that I can drive around school so I can stay off my feet and it helped a lot. I seem to have really good classes so far but time will tell.
Larry and I are delegates to the county convention and the senator from Davis County was just put in as the new lieutenent governor so we have had a lot of phone calls this week from delegates wanting our vote at the county convention on Sept. 12th. Even a few free meals. There are a lot of good candidates so I am having a hard time trying to decide who I want for sure.
Larry is not feeling very well today. He overdid working on the yard yesterday and he forgot to go buy his blood pressure medication last night and he is out. He slept for 12 hours last night and he is in bed sleeping now. He was feeling better earlier today. We went to church and taught our primary class and he did not seem to be feeling bad until about 5:00 p.m.
Maren was up all night with Gauge throwing up. She has had a lot of hard nights lately. I wish I could help her more. She was able to go to sacrament in another ward today and then Shirley tended Guage while she and Landon went and taught their lesson.
Well I was going to try to upload pictures but I think that I will not worry about it tonight.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Today is my birthday. I am 60 years young today. I never thought I would be this age, and it is weird because except for all the physical aches I have I feel the same as I did when I was younger about a lot of things.
Today was the dedication of the Oquirrah Mountain Temple. What a birthday present. I was thrilled that it could be today. They said that the one we attended at 9:00 a.m. was the seventh dedication service. I did not know that they had some previously. We attended at the Stake Center but it was telecast by satilite from the Temple. They had pictures of the temple to view and prelude music playing but when I was doing my hair I lost my glasses on the floor and we could not find them so I decided that I better go without them or we would be late for the 8:30a.m. time they wanted us in our seats. Not being able to read it gave me time to contemplate the music and my relationship with Heavenly Father.
The first speaker was Margaret Liffereth. She looked like an angel to me in the white dress and the light background of the temple, especially with me having no glasses. She started out by talking about her three year old grandson Charlie. She mentioned that her daughter was often telling him that he needed to listen. To this he would ask why. She said that often her daughter would explain why but sometimes when the reason was above his comprhension she would simply say, "Because I am the Mom". She noted that this answer denoted that she loved him and wanted the best for him and his happiness and that she was doing everything she could to help him know how to be happy. Sometimes just like this Mom our parents direct us in ways that we wonder about but if we listen we usually realize it is because they care about us and want us to be happy. The same thing applies with Heavenly Father. Often in the scriptures he tells us to do something but he does not tell us that it is because he loves us and wants our happiness that he is directing us to do the thing he asks. Many time we just have to trust that because we are his children and he wants the best for us he is directing us to do the things that we do. This thought really stuck in my mind. I felt like I needed to share it.
Paul Johnson talked about the road to the temple. He told about how in the early days in Utah the people often had to travel for days or weeks to be married in the temple. He told of how Heber J. Grant traveled to St. George to be married in the temple and how hard it was because the train did not go into southern Utah and they had to travel by carriage over dirt roads to get there. Many people told him to stay home and get married in Salt Lake and then they could be sealed in the Salt Lake Temple when it was finished. Be he had the faith to go to St. George and testified that their were many blessing that came from being married in the temple. And Elder Johnson said his wife died before the Salt Lake temple was finished.
He counseled with the youth to think about the things they are doing that will get them to the temple. We have 13 temples in Utah now and we can get to most of them in a matter of hours or minutes but they still need to think about what they are doing to make it possible to enter the temple when they are twelve for baptisms and later for endowments and prepare their lives for that time. I found myself hoping that my grandchildren are being prepared to want to attend the temple. He talked about the example we as parents can set in making the temple important in our lives and I contemplated whether I had made a sufficient example of temple attendance to give my children the desire they need to keep going.
I honestly can't remember who spoke third. All the talks were good but it has faded already. Maybe they were the one who talked about example because I remember the emphasis of the meeting shifted on the third speaker to focus on adults more. Someone talked about how we cannot make choices to be saved for someone else. God can encourage us to do what is right but he will not take away our agency and Satan cannot take away our agency he can only tempt us. So we are the ones that make the decision that will decide which direction that we go.
Elder Bednar talked about the differences of the temple and the world outside. He gave several contrasts like the peace inside the temple contrasting with the increasing noise in the outside world. He also mentioned several blessings that we will receive if we are faithful in our temple attendence. Unfortuanately I cannot write them now.
President Uchtdorf told of a Samuel Bingham who settled with his wife Martha in the area where the temple district for the Oquirrah Mountain Temple is now. He was a rancher with his brother. They found ore in Bingham canyon and showed it to Brigham Young. BY advised them not to go into mining but to continue to farm the land. They followed his counsel and left the mine for later development. Even thought the canyon was named after them they did not become wealthy financially but reaped spiritual blessings of followning the prophet. President U gave this example talking about the fact that we can all claim the heritage of the pioneers who came to Utah even though we have no pioneer ancestors of our own. Also he pointed out that many ordinary people like me have contributed much to the building up of the kingdom of God on earth.
President Monsongave a beautiful prayer promising many blessings to those who will take the responsiblity to work in the temple and help in the work. I left with a renewed commitment to attend the temple.
President Bednar led the Hosannah shout and gave some good scripture references to document that the Hosannah shout is not unique to this dispensation. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to attend the dedication. One of the speakers challenged us to go home and write in our journals our feelings and thoughts about the dedication so I am trying to fulfull that commitment.
This week I started back to school on the 19th, with the beginning days of set up,. Where I just had surgery a week and a half ago and I am not supposed to be on my feet a lot I rented a scooter for the first month of school to use. It was fun learning how to use it but I am still apprehensive about how much problems it might cause in my classes. But I made it the three days and I am prepared for tomorrow.
Larry's birthday was on Friday and everyone at his work decorated his workstation so he brought some of it home and decorated the house for me, he said, even though it was his birthday. He is so thoughtful. We went to dinner at the Asian Buffet that he likes and then attended another session of the Churches addication Recovery program. Larry and I are excited to maybe do a full time mission in that area. He told the Bishop today that we wanted to apply. We went to bed fairly early after talking to a candidate for Greg Bell's senate seat that was seeking our vote because we are county delegates.
Friday night Erick replaced my faucet in the kitchen that has been leaking for far too long. That was nice to have done and then on Saturday he replaced a lot of door knobs so we can lock the doors to various rooms if we don't want people in them. That was the present we got from he and Heather along with the fact that they are preparing a birthday dinner for the August birthdays and not letting us help. It is nice to have them here. They also organized the party which was a big help with school starting.
Heather was called to Young Women today as a Mia Maid instructor so the Lord has not taught her all that she needed to know there. She just thought she was being released because she moved.
Well, I will write more later.
Today was the dedication of the Oquirrah Mountain Temple. What a birthday present. I was thrilled that it could be today. They said that the one we attended at 9:00 a.m. was the seventh dedication service. I did not know that they had some previously. We attended at the Stake Center but it was telecast by satilite from the Temple. They had pictures of the temple to view and prelude music playing but when I was doing my hair I lost my glasses on the floor and we could not find them so I decided that I better go without them or we would be late for the 8:30a.m. time they wanted us in our seats. Not being able to read it gave me time to contemplate the music and my relationship with Heavenly Father.
The first speaker was Margaret Liffereth. She looked like an angel to me in the white dress and the light background of the temple, especially with me having no glasses. She started out by talking about her three year old grandson Charlie. She mentioned that her daughter was often telling him that he needed to listen. To this he would ask why. She said that often her daughter would explain why but sometimes when the reason was above his comprhension she would simply say, "Because I am the Mom". She noted that this answer denoted that she loved him and wanted the best for him and his happiness and that she was doing everything she could to help him know how to be happy. Sometimes just like this Mom our parents direct us in ways that we wonder about but if we listen we usually realize it is because they care about us and want us to be happy. The same thing applies with Heavenly Father. Often in the scriptures he tells us to do something but he does not tell us that it is because he loves us and wants our happiness that he is directing us to do the thing he asks. Many time we just have to trust that because we are his children and he wants the best for us he is directing us to do the things that we do. This thought really stuck in my mind. I felt like I needed to share it.
Paul Johnson talked about the road to the temple. He told about how in the early days in Utah the people often had to travel for days or weeks to be married in the temple. He told of how Heber J. Grant traveled to St. George to be married in the temple and how hard it was because the train did not go into southern Utah and they had to travel by carriage over dirt roads to get there. Many people told him to stay home and get married in Salt Lake and then they could be sealed in the Salt Lake Temple when it was finished. Be he had the faith to go to St. George and testified that their were many blessing that came from being married in the temple. And Elder Johnson said his wife died before the Salt Lake temple was finished.
He counseled with the youth to think about the things they are doing that will get them to the temple. We have 13 temples in Utah now and we can get to most of them in a matter of hours or minutes but they still need to think about what they are doing to make it possible to enter the temple when they are twelve for baptisms and later for endowments and prepare their lives for that time. I found myself hoping that my grandchildren are being prepared to want to attend the temple. He talked about the example we as parents can set in making the temple important in our lives and I contemplated whether I had made a sufficient example of temple attendance to give my children the desire they need to keep going.
I honestly can't remember who spoke third. All the talks were good but it has faded already. Maybe they were the one who talked about example because I remember the emphasis of the meeting shifted on the third speaker to focus on adults more. Someone talked about how we cannot make choices to be saved for someone else. God can encourage us to do what is right but he will not take away our agency and Satan cannot take away our agency he can only tempt us. So we are the ones that make the decision that will decide which direction that we go.
Elder Bednar talked about the differences of the temple and the world outside. He gave several contrasts like the peace inside the temple contrasting with the increasing noise in the outside world. He also mentioned several blessings that we will receive if we are faithful in our temple attendence. Unfortuanately I cannot write them now.
President Uchtdorf told of a Samuel Bingham who settled with his wife Martha in the area where the temple district for the Oquirrah Mountain Temple is now. He was a rancher with his brother. They found ore in Bingham canyon and showed it to Brigham Young. BY advised them not to go into mining but to continue to farm the land. They followed his counsel and left the mine for later development. Even thought the canyon was named after them they did not become wealthy financially but reaped spiritual blessings of followning the prophet. President U gave this example talking about the fact that we can all claim the heritage of the pioneers who came to Utah even though we have no pioneer ancestors of our own. Also he pointed out that many ordinary people like me have contributed much to the building up of the kingdom of God on earth.
President Monsongave a beautiful prayer promising many blessings to those who will take the responsiblity to work in the temple and help in the work. I left with a renewed commitment to attend the temple.
President Bednar led the Hosannah shout and gave some good scripture references to document that the Hosannah shout is not unique to this dispensation. I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to attend the dedication. One of the speakers challenged us to go home and write in our journals our feelings and thoughts about the dedication so I am trying to fulfull that commitment.
This week I started back to school on the 19th, with the beginning days of set up,. Where I just had surgery a week and a half ago and I am not supposed to be on my feet a lot I rented a scooter for the first month of school to use. It was fun learning how to use it but I am still apprehensive about how much problems it might cause in my classes. But I made it the three days and I am prepared for tomorrow.
Larry's birthday was on Friday and everyone at his work decorated his workstation so he brought some of it home and decorated the house for me, he said, even though it was his birthday. He is so thoughtful. We went to dinner at the Asian Buffet that he likes and then attended another session of the Churches addication Recovery program. Larry and I are excited to maybe do a full time mission in that area. He told the Bishop today that we wanted to apply. We went to bed fairly early after talking to a candidate for Greg Bell's senate seat that was seeking our vote because we are county delegates.
Friday night Erick replaced my faucet in the kitchen that has been leaking for far too long. That was nice to have done and then on Saturday he replaced a lot of door knobs so we can lock the doors to various rooms if we don't want people in them. That was the present we got from he and Heather along with the fact that they are preparing a birthday dinner for the August birthdays and not letting us help. It is nice to have them here. They also organized the party which was a big help with school starting.
Heather was called to Young Women today as a Mia Maid instructor so the Lord has not taught her all that she needed to know there. She just thought she was being released because she moved.
Well, I will write more later.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
This has been a very frustrating summer for me. I had two surgeries. The first one was having the bunnions on my feet removed July 29th. I thought that would be a breeze because of the way the Dr. talked about it but it was very painful and I had so many things planned that I felt like a zombie all through July. My feet are finally starting to recover, then last Wednesday I had a bladdar repair and I was anticipating feeling very bad again and I feel relatively normal but I am not supposed to lift anything over 5 lbs. and I need to stay off of my feet. Feeling as good as I do I know that I am going to have a hard time keeping to that restriction. But I am glad that I feel good because school starts for teachers on Wednesday August 19th and so I need to bounce back quickly. No more zombie days for me.
I have been trying to get myself to write a little every night on this blog but generally I remember after I have gone to bed and I am tired. I need to figure something out. There are so many things I would like to record on a daily basis.
Erick and Heather moved in with us last week. They are living in the basement while she does her student teaching. It has been good to have them but I also feel frustrated because she is doing a lot right now with my surgery and I feel like a lazy daisy doing hardly anything.
BJ came down on Friday night and is staying because of Reserve training this weekend. I forgot to tell Erick and Heather he was coming so when they woke up to all the lights on downstairs they freaked out for a minute until they discovered that it was B.J. When he came the house was dark and he just went downstairs then I could not sleep so I got up and was reading in the recliner. He came up later and said that everyone seemed to be waking up. It was a crazy night. He went home tonight but then he and Holly will be down to go to Lagoon for military day tomorrow. They almost have their house in Providence, Utah built and are living with Holly's parents until they can move in there.
Maren and Landon went to California this week to work. Maren being so pregnant has not had a good time sleeping and Guage is not sleeping well either so it has not been the best trip that they have had from reports back. They will be home tomorrow evening.
Michelle and her kids went to Tacoma to visit Jeff and Misty and thier family. Daniel had to stay home and work. She said that it was a great visit but it is a long drive.
Kirsten and Jon had all the kids for two weeks when Kyle came home but now they are back to winter schedule of having the girls on Thursday's and every other weekend. She was excited to find out that her baby was a girl. Everything seems to be going okay but she is swelling a lot. Kyle has been mowing our lawn for us lately and that really helps out.
Jake is working nights right now in Moab so he doesn't have to leave on Sunday like he did before. Lexie starts school tomorrow so they have been busy getting her ready for school. They are thinking about getting a dog lately so we will see.
Jeff and Misty are enjoying cooler weather lately. Misty is having fun taking care of the kids and staying at home. Leah starts school the day after labor day so she has a while yet. Jeff has to wait until January before he gets more personal time off so they are not traveling a lot. The boys are being boys.
Nathan and Sara made it home okay and they are settling in. David decided that he wanted to go to public school so they are going to let him try it. Nathan is looking for something part time and dreaming of moving back to Utah so maybe we could all pray for them that it would work out.
Yesterday was the John Thacker reunion in Kaysville but I could not go because of my surgery. Kathy and Mom gave me a report and said it was fun. They said that Uncle Ralph looked better than he has for a while. They had to move it indoors because of the rain the night before so it was at a church rather than the park.
Erick and Heather went to Seth Jenkins's mission farewell and said it was good. Seth both talked and sang. They had a good time visiting with family after the meeting and came back with a good report.
Grandma Jenkins is feeling better with physical therapy. She said she is feeling more like cooking again. I think that she is trying to please Grandpa too because she said that he did not like some of the food they had on meals on wheels like enchiladas (crazy Grandpa)
We had Aunt Judy here for three weeks in July and had a good visit with her. We went to the Family History Conference at BYU the last week in July and learned some things about how to overcome "brick walls" in family history. Judy went to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City and was able to find some information on a "brick wall" they had with a John Wall from Ireland. She was also great to help me with the grandkids that came over. She is really good with kids.
Nathan and Sara and the kids were also here in July and we had a pretty wild house while they were here because the other brothers and sister were here also to visit. We also went to the Michaelson reunion during that time and had a good visit there.
We had bouts of being without water for three days (right after my first surgery)and being without power this summer which made us appreciate the many conveniences that we have but Larry wants to run for Kaysville city council to get something done about the power. Ha,Ha.
Actually, Larry is enjoying not having to go to school and being finished with his MBA. We are contemplating a part time mission but have nothing definite yet. We went to Disneyland the first part of July with Maren and Landon and their kids and it was fun but because I was in a wheelchair definately a pressure on Larry to push me all the time, so we are taking it slow.
Hopefully I will keep my commitment to write more often. If not then you will have what you have.
I have been trying to get myself to write a little every night on this blog but generally I remember after I have gone to bed and I am tired. I need to figure something out. There are so many things I would like to record on a daily basis.
Erick and Heather moved in with us last week. They are living in the basement while she does her student teaching. It has been good to have them but I also feel frustrated because she is doing a lot right now with my surgery and I feel like a lazy daisy doing hardly anything.
BJ came down on Friday night and is staying because of Reserve training this weekend. I forgot to tell Erick and Heather he was coming so when they woke up to all the lights on downstairs they freaked out for a minute until they discovered that it was B.J. When he came the house was dark and he just went downstairs then I could not sleep so I got up and was reading in the recliner. He came up later and said that everyone seemed to be waking up. It was a crazy night. He went home tonight but then he and Holly will be down to go to Lagoon for military day tomorrow. They almost have their house in Providence, Utah built and are living with Holly's parents until they can move in there.
Maren and Landon went to California this week to work. Maren being so pregnant has not had a good time sleeping and Guage is not sleeping well either so it has not been the best trip that they have had from reports back. They will be home tomorrow evening.
Michelle and her kids went to Tacoma to visit Jeff and Misty and thier family. Daniel had to stay home and work. She said that it was a great visit but it is a long drive.
Kirsten and Jon had all the kids for two weeks when Kyle came home but now they are back to winter schedule of having the girls on Thursday's and every other weekend. She was excited to find out that her baby was a girl. Everything seems to be going okay but she is swelling a lot. Kyle has been mowing our lawn for us lately and that really helps out.
Jake is working nights right now in Moab so he doesn't have to leave on Sunday like he did before. Lexie starts school tomorrow so they have been busy getting her ready for school. They are thinking about getting a dog lately so we will see.
Jeff and Misty are enjoying cooler weather lately. Misty is having fun taking care of the kids and staying at home. Leah starts school the day after labor day so she has a while yet. Jeff has to wait until January before he gets more personal time off so they are not traveling a lot. The boys are being boys.
Nathan and Sara made it home okay and they are settling in. David decided that he wanted to go to public school so they are going to let him try it. Nathan is looking for something part time and dreaming of moving back to Utah so maybe we could all pray for them that it would work out.
Yesterday was the John Thacker reunion in Kaysville but I could not go because of my surgery. Kathy and Mom gave me a report and said it was fun. They said that Uncle Ralph looked better than he has for a while. They had to move it indoors because of the rain the night before so it was at a church rather than the park.
Erick and Heather went to Seth Jenkins's mission farewell and said it was good. Seth both talked and sang. They had a good time visiting with family after the meeting and came back with a good report.
Grandma Jenkins is feeling better with physical therapy. She said she is feeling more like cooking again. I think that she is trying to please Grandpa too because she said that he did not like some of the food they had on meals on wheels like enchiladas (crazy Grandpa)
We had Aunt Judy here for three weeks in July and had a good visit with her. We went to the Family History Conference at BYU the last week in July and learned some things about how to overcome "brick walls" in family history. Judy went to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City and was able to find some information on a "brick wall" they had with a John Wall from Ireland. She was also great to help me with the grandkids that came over. She is really good with kids.
Nathan and Sara and the kids were also here in July and we had a pretty wild house while they were here because the other brothers and sister were here also to visit. We also went to the Michaelson reunion during that time and had a good visit there.
We had bouts of being without water for three days (right after my first surgery)and being without power this summer which made us appreciate the many conveniences that we have but Larry wants to run for Kaysville city council to get something done about the power. Ha,Ha.
Actually, Larry is enjoying not having to go to school and being finished with his MBA. We are contemplating a part time mission but have nothing definite yet. We went to Disneyland the first part of July with Maren and Landon and their kids and it was fun but because I was in a wheelchair definately a pressure on Larry to push me all the time, so we are taking it slow.
Hopefully I will keep my commitment to write more often. If not then you will have what you have.
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