About three weeks ago a niece challenged us to write something every day that we are thankful for. I took the challenge and will record the results here.
#1. Today I am thankful for life itself.
#2. Today I am thankful to be alive in this day and age.
#3. I'm so thankful to be a member of the Chruch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
#4. I'm thankful for my parents and the things they taught me and the examples they set for me to follow.
#5. I am thankful for the men & women in and have been in the armed forces, those who fight to keep our freedoms in tact.
#6. I'm thankful for my children and the way they are teaching their children. And I am sooo grateful for my grandchildren and now great grandchildren.
#7. I'm thankful for my calling as a Family History Missionary and the knowledge I have gained from being at the Family History Center.
#8. I'm thankful for the love that I feel from others and my many friends.
#9. I am thankful for a nice warm home on these cold winter days & nights.
# 10. I'm thankful for my knowledge of a loving Heavenly Father and older brother, Jesus Christ.
#11. I'm thankful for finding ancestors last night at the FHC who fought in the Revolutionary War. After reading the "Prelude to Glory" series, I know that they didn't get the 2 lbs. 10 shillings that the papers said they did. They really went thro' a lot so we could have such a wonderful country.
#12. I'm thankful to live here in Idaho Falls, Idaho.
#13. I'm thankful for a sweet, helpful husband
#14. I'm thankful to still have my mother with us. She is 90 years old. I enjoy talking to her on the phone.
#15. I'm thankful to still have my mother-in-law with us. She is 93 years old. Both she and my mother are in good enough health that they still live alone
#16. I am thankful for many friends all over the world, right now.
#18. I'm thankful for a good mind and that I learn quickly.
#19. I'm thankful for tiny babies. They help remind us of a loving Heavenly Father whose presence they so recently left. (I was able to take care of my great-granddaughter, Olivia, while her mother and grandmother went shopping--taking advantage of the Black Friday specials.)
#20. I’m thankful to have modern day prophets to lead us in the ways our Heavenly Father wants us to go and help us be prepared when disasters & trials strike.
I have so many more blessings than even these. They are really too many to innumerate. Everything I have and am I owe to my loving Heavenly Father. I know all good things come from Him.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Monday, November 09, 2009
For November 9, 2009
I have received many compliments on the bulletin each week. I think the members of my ward are enjoying how I am doing it. I try to find a picture and quotes to support the topic that is being discussed in Sacrament meeting. So far it hasn’t been too hard. I hope it will continue to be fairly easy to find material for the different topics that can be discussed in Sacrament meeting. This last week I had quite a “headache” over it tho’. I liked to put in five *’s between the sections of it and as Bryan put it WORD is trying to “help” me by recognizing I want some separation there and puts a line across the page of black squares. It looks really ugly compared to the neat ***** that I have been putting in. No matter what I did I couldn’t get rid of them. I did the bulletin twice and just about finished it then that black line showed up. I called K and B. It was K’s birthday and it was good to talk to him but he busy with his family. Bryan was at the temple so I had to wait for him to get home. I sent the bulletin to both B and K. I had to go to gmail.com because my Outlook wasn’t working that day. That also was very frustrating. I usually like to get the bulletin all printed and folded and everything by Friday afternoon so I don’t have to worry about it Saturday along with working at the FHC for 8+ hours. But I finished it about 10:00 Friday night. As we were coming home after working at the FHC then having stopped at the church to print them off and fold them, I noticed that I had last week’s birthdays on instead of this week’s. (That was because I started over from last week’s bulletin and forgot to change them.) After the initial program for Sacrament meeting, I ended up typing in almost everything else from scratch. And I forgot to check on the birthdays. I may just have to leave out the little *’s altho’ I really like how they work.
I finished reading a really good book yesterday. It is “The Incredible Ways of Women” by Barbara Barrington Jones. It is her story as well as the stories of many other LDS women who have experienced great challenges and still “landed on their feet” to coin a phrase. She had many faith promoting experiences in there. It was given to me by my mil for Christmas last year.
Last week we went to see the neurologist for my husband. He has been having something-like seizures a few times over the last 18 months or so. Not often enough to really worry about it a lot but to still be concerned. The doctor said he that altho’ he could have seizures, he didn’t think so but we needed a sleep deprived EEG and and MRI of his brain. The EEG was last Friday morning at 5:30. I figured that if we were awake then, the earlier the better. We got home again about 7:45 and I was in bed by 8:00. The tech told us that he didn’t have to go to sleep, just his brain did. That is the first time I had heard that. He said he didn’t feel like he went to sleep but hopefully his brain did so that we got good results from the test. The tech said that there would be about 300 pages of brain waves for the neurologist to manually read and measure. My tho’t was “no wonder they are so expensive!” My sweetheart will have the MRI tomorrow. We have a follow up appointment November 30, the Monday after Thanksgiving.
The work at the FHC is going well. I’ve been keeping quite busy with helping the patrons. I’ve even had enough time to be able to help my Sweetheart to get things on his PAF and get them straightened out. We are now putting the PID #’s from the newFamilySearch on our PAF files. We use the FamilyInsight Program to do this, using the Full Synchronization part. We are also updating our records from nFS as we do this.
I’m thankful for both of my callings as a Family History missionary and also the Bulletin Editor. I do really enjoy both.
I finished reading a really good book yesterday. It is “The Incredible Ways of Women” by Barbara Barrington Jones. It is her story as well as the stories of many other LDS women who have experienced great challenges and still “landed on their feet” to coin a phrase. She had many faith promoting experiences in there. It was given to me by my mil for Christmas last year.
Last week we went to see the neurologist for my husband. He has been having something-like seizures a few times over the last 18 months or so. Not often enough to really worry about it a lot but to still be concerned. The doctor said he that altho’ he could have seizures, he didn’t think so but we needed a sleep deprived EEG and and MRI of his brain. The EEG was last Friday morning at 5:30. I figured that if we were awake then, the earlier the better. We got home again about 7:45 and I was in bed by 8:00. The tech told us that he didn’t have to go to sleep, just his brain did. That is the first time I had heard that. He said he didn’t feel like he went to sleep but hopefully his brain did so that we got good results from the test. The tech said that there would be about 300 pages of brain waves for the neurologist to manually read and measure. My tho’t was “no wonder they are so expensive!” My sweetheart will have the MRI tomorrow. We have a follow up appointment November 30, the Monday after Thanksgiving.
The work at the FHC is going well. I’ve been keeping quite busy with helping the patrons. I’ve even had enough time to be able to help my Sweetheart to get things on his PAF and get them straightened out. We are now putting the PID #’s from the newFamilySearch on our PAF files. We use the FamilyInsight Program to do this, using the Full Synchronization part. We are also updating our records from nFS as we do this.
I’m thankful for both of my callings as a Family History missionary and also the Bulletin Editor. I do really enjoy both.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
The month of September has passed
It has been about five weeks since I wrote. Since then we have been to Nebraska and back, seen Bryan, Sandy and whole family, had another great-granddaughter, sent a third grandchild to the MTC, taught three PAF classes, been released as Service Missionaries and re-set apart and sustained as Bulletin Editor for the Kearney 1st Ward. My it sounds like we’ve been busy .
We had a wonderful trip to Nebraska to visit B & S and to welcome C home from the Chile, Concepcion, South Mission and see B before he left on his to the Russia, Samara Mission. We heard many things about Chile. We went to church with them and enjoyed listening to both C and B talk. We went to Vala’s Pumpkin Patch. That is a very unique place. It was a lot of fun. 3-year old Jason didn’t like the camels. I guess they were too big for him. They were very friendly tho’. C tried to get him to pet them but he cried and said he wanted to go home. We really hadn’t been there that long yet. I walked over next to C and altho’ C was holding J he leaned over and threw his arms around my neck and cried, “I want to go home.” We decided to look at the goats instead. They weren’t as big as intimidating. Bryan helped me out with WORD and showed my how to set up a page and do column break etc. I’m thankful he did. I still have a lot to learn but I think it will be something that I enjoy. I hope the ward members will cooperate with me and get things to me by Thursday evening so I can put it together and print it on Friday. It has to be Friday because we work at the FHC Saturday and I don’t feeling doing much once I get home from there.
C took us to the Airport October 1; we were there shortly after 7 a.m. B was home finishing packing the van so they could leave for Utah and Idaho as soon as he got back. They were taking some of J’s stuff to her that wouldn’t fit in her car when she went back to BYU. They also had a young woman from their ward with them that they dropped off in Brigham City. Then they headed up to Idaho to K’s. they got there about 2 a.m. That was a very long day for them. We got in IF and home about 2 :45. We were an hour and a half later because of a longer stop over in Denver than we had anticipated. I had a hair appointment at 4:00 and then did some shopping after unpacking my suitcases. By the time I got home from that I just collapsed in my chair. I was really tired. I went to bed earlier that night than in a long time. Bryan, Chris and Bryce were here shortly after 10:00 the next morning. They and Karl cleaned off the carport and took stuff to the dump for us. Sandy came about noon and helped me get started on my kitchen. They also helped get stuff out of the living room we are no longer using. Both the living room and carport and kitchen too look so much better. We’ve been doing a little bit here and there every day to keep things cleaned up and looking better and even doing more. I’m very thankful to them for doing that for us.
We were re-set apart as Service Missionaries as I said. The bishop gave us both a beautiful blessing along with the setting apart. I’m thankful that my health has been such I have been able to do this and will be able to do this. I was also released as RS pianist before I was sustained as bulletin editor. So now I will have to consciously play the piano a couple of times a week so I can still play effectively at the FHC for our prayer meetings. I’m very grateful for the knowledge I have acquired during the last 2½ years. My testimony of Family History has grown so much. I’m thankful for a good mind and Spiritual Gifts that I wasn’t really aware of before we started there. I am more sensitive to knowing when the Spirit is prompting me than I was before we started our mission. I have gained so much since we first started our mission. We have also made some very choice friends that we wouldn’t know otherwise. Some of them have even more health challenges than we do but are still constant and faithful workers.
We went to the doctor’s on September 11 for our quarterly evaluation. Dr. L ordered an UA for K. It had been awhile since he had one. It turned out that it showed gross hematuria. (lots of blood). The doctor called the Monday before we left for Omaha and said he needed to see Karl very soon. That it was considered cancer until it was ruled out. K had not been feeling well for about two or three weeks about two or three weeks before this. I asked if it could be one of his kidney stones moving. He said he didn’t know but didn’t think so. Well, he had a CTKUB (CT scan of his kidney uteter and bladder) on October 5. it showed that he now has a kidney stone in his uteter. I’m sure that that is what caused the blood in his urine. It also showed some fluid in each kidney as well as two or three stones in each kidney. We told Dr. L that we knew about the stones but had been told they were too large to move. He also has a large gall stone that isn’t causing him any trouble. The CT scan also showed masses in each kidney. In the right one was a hard mass….neither are very large. So he had an ultra sound last Thursday. Both the radiologist and Dr. L said that cancer can’t be ruled out but we are to wait another three months and do another one and see if it has grown any. Depending on whether it has or not will determine what we do next about it.
The kidney stone doesn’t seem to be moving now but will cause him much discomfort when it does. I hope it is at a time that won’t inconvience him too much when it does decide to move.
As for weather is concerned: it was in the 80’s when we left for Omaha. It was cooler there than here while we were there but still very pleasant. I took my jacket with me and the only time I used it was when we went from the airport here in IF to the car to come home. It was in the 40’s with the wind blowing. All last week it was like that! 20 degrees below the norm. we are to get back up into the 60’s this week. This has been such a weird summer; we only had two weeks of autumn, then winter. We have had snow fall two or three times now. It really makes one wonder what kind of winter we will have. I hope it isn’t too cold. I don’t mind the snow too much. But I do the cold.
We had a wonderful trip to Nebraska to visit B & S and to welcome C home from the Chile, Concepcion, South Mission and see B before he left on his to the Russia, Samara Mission. We heard many things about Chile. We went to church with them and enjoyed listening to both C and B talk. We went to Vala’s Pumpkin Patch. That is a very unique place. It was a lot of fun. 3-year old Jason didn’t like the camels. I guess they were too big for him. They were very friendly tho’. C tried to get him to pet them but he cried and said he wanted to go home. We really hadn’t been there that long yet. I walked over next to C and altho’ C was holding J he leaned over and threw his arms around my neck and cried, “I want to go home.” We decided to look at the goats instead. They weren’t as big as intimidating. Bryan helped me out with WORD and showed my how to set up a page and do column break etc. I’m thankful he did. I still have a lot to learn but I think it will be something that I enjoy. I hope the ward members will cooperate with me and get things to me by Thursday evening so I can put it together and print it on Friday. It has to be Friday because we work at the FHC Saturday and I don’t feeling doing much once I get home from there.
C took us to the Airport October 1; we were there shortly after 7 a.m. B was home finishing packing the van so they could leave for Utah and Idaho as soon as he got back. They were taking some of J’s stuff to her that wouldn’t fit in her car when she went back to BYU. They also had a young woman from their ward with them that they dropped off in Brigham City. Then they headed up to Idaho to K’s. they got there about 2 a.m. That was a very long day for them. We got in IF and home about 2 :45. We were an hour and a half later because of a longer stop over in Denver than we had anticipated. I had a hair appointment at 4:00 and then did some shopping after unpacking my suitcases. By the time I got home from that I just collapsed in my chair. I was really tired. I went to bed earlier that night than in a long time. Bryan, Chris and Bryce were here shortly after 10:00 the next morning. They and Karl cleaned off the carport and took stuff to the dump for us. Sandy came about noon and helped me get started on my kitchen. They also helped get stuff out of the living room we are no longer using. Both the living room and carport and kitchen too look so much better. We’ve been doing a little bit here and there every day to keep things cleaned up and looking better and even doing more. I’m very thankful to them for doing that for us.
We were re-set apart as Service Missionaries as I said. The bishop gave us both a beautiful blessing along with the setting apart. I’m thankful that my health has been such I have been able to do this and will be able to do this. I was also released as RS pianist before I was sustained as bulletin editor. So now I will have to consciously play the piano a couple of times a week so I can still play effectively at the FHC for our prayer meetings. I’m very grateful for the knowledge I have acquired during the last 2½ years. My testimony of Family History has grown so much. I’m thankful for a good mind and Spiritual Gifts that I wasn’t really aware of before we started there. I am more sensitive to knowing when the Spirit is prompting me than I was before we started our mission. I have gained so much since we first started our mission. We have also made some very choice friends that we wouldn’t know otherwise. Some of them have even more health challenges than we do but are still constant and faithful workers.
We went to the doctor’s on September 11 for our quarterly evaluation. Dr. L ordered an UA for K. It had been awhile since he had one. It turned out that it showed gross hematuria. (lots of blood). The doctor called the Monday before we left for Omaha and said he needed to see Karl very soon. That it was considered cancer until it was ruled out. K had not been feeling well for about two or three weeks about two or three weeks before this. I asked if it could be one of his kidney stones moving. He said he didn’t know but didn’t think so. Well, he had a CTKUB (CT scan of his kidney uteter and bladder) on October 5. it showed that he now has a kidney stone in his uteter. I’m sure that that is what caused the blood in his urine. It also showed some fluid in each kidney as well as two or three stones in each kidney. We told Dr. L that we knew about the stones but had been told they were too large to move. He also has a large gall stone that isn’t causing him any trouble. The CT scan also showed masses in each kidney. In the right one was a hard mass….neither are very large. So he had an ultra sound last Thursday. Both the radiologist and Dr. L said that cancer can’t be ruled out but we are to wait another three months and do another one and see if it has grown any. Depending on whether it has or not will determine what we do next about it.
The kidney stone doesn’t seem to be moving now but will cause him much discomfort when it does. I hope it is at a time that won’t inconvience him too much when it does decide to move.
As for weather is concerned: it was in the 80’s when we left for Omaha. It was cooler there than here while we were there but still very pleasant. I took my jacket with me and the only time I used it was when we went from the airport here in IF to the car to come home. It was in the 40’s with the wind blowing. All last week it was like that! 20 degrees below the norm. we are to get back up into the 60’s this week. This has been such a weird summer; we only had two weeks of autumn, then winter. We have had snow fall two or three times now. It really makes one wonder what kind of winter we will have. I hope it isn’t too cold. I don’t mind the snow too much. But I do the cold.
Tuesday, September 08, 2009
Labor Day Weekend 2009
We had such a wonderful weekend this Labor Day weekend. Our #2 son and his family (except for oldest daughter who had to stay home to work) came to visit us. His almost 16 year old son and five-year-old daughter and three-year-old daughter and wife were here with us from Saturday before 10:00am to yesterday a little after 4:00pm.
It was soo nice having them here. We got our Pinochle game in Saturday evening. The women actually won that one!! It really isn’t very often that that happens. If T hadn’t had a headache, we would have let the men try to win. It is soo much fun playing with them. They all went to church with us Sunday. The little girls weren’t feeling well, fighting colds, so Tanya took them home and the rest of us stayed. I enjoyed church.
Yesterday, we went to the zoo. It has been three or four years since we went there. it was so much fun watching the little girls as they exclaimed over all the animals. I got very tired but was really glad that I was there. I fixed breakfast so my back was already bothering me but I persisted. I’m glad I did. As we were getting out of the van, the primary president in our ward, a very sweet young woman, greeted us. They were in line ahead of us to go to the zoo. She turned around and gave T two guest tickets for the zoo. That was sooo sweet of her. She’s one of our favorite people anyway. We got quite a few pictures there at the zoo; both of the animals and the girls. Even got one of C too.
Afterwards, M took us to Frontier Pies for lunch. We will go back. The meals were priced very reasonably and the food was very good. After we got back to the house, they loaded the van with their things and while M rested for a few minutes, the little girls and I watch videos. They didn’t get to see the last one they wanted to and they cried because they didn’t want to leave. It was over a video but I’m glad they didn’t want to leave because they hadn’t been here for only an hour or so and K was ready to go home. I was really tired after they left and can still feel it today but am sooo glad they came.
Last Thursday, we met with President M, first counselor in the Stake Presidency. He handed us our certificates of honorable release from our missions as of October 9, 2009 and then a letter calling us to serve at the FHC for the next 30 months starting October 11, 2009. I’m thankful that that is all taken care of. So we will be officially released one day only. I’m thankful that my health is good enough to be able to do this work. Our whole stake now has access to newFamilySearch as of yesterday. It is an exciting time to be on board with this new program coming out in our area. I’m so thankful for the Lord’s blessings that we have been able to do this. My health has considerably improved since we started. Altho’ I do get tired, I can do this and am so thankful that I can. It is definitely the work of the Lord and part of His Plan. I’m thankful to be alive at this time when the Church has been restored and with the technology that we have today. It makes family history/genealogy so much easier. I’m thankful for the wonderful children and grandchildren that He has blessed me/us with. They are such good people and I’m thankful to have each one of them as my friend as well as child or grandchild. I’m thankful that they are trying to live the Gospel the best they can. I’m thankful for my heritage; for what my ancestors went thro’ that I was able to be born into the Church and in this great land. I am sooo blessed!
It was soo nice having them here. We got our Pinochle game in Saturday evening. The women actually won that one!! It really isn’t very often that that happens. If T hadn’t had a headache, we would have let the men try to win. It is soo much fun playing with them. They all went to church with us Sunday. The little girls weren’t feeling well, fighting colds, so Tanya took them home and the rest of us stayed. I enjoyed church.
Yesterday, we went to the zoo. It has been three or four years since we went there. it was so much fun watching the little girls as they exclaimed over all the animals. I got very tired but was really glad that I was there. I fixed breakfast so my back was already bothering me but I persisted. I’m glad I did. As we were getting out of the van, the primary president in our ward, a very sweet young woman, greeted us. They were in line ahead of us to go to the zoo. She turned around and gave T two guest tickets for the zoo. That was sooo sweet of her. She’s one of our favorite people anyway. We got quite a few pictures there at the zoo; both of the animals and the girls. Even got one of C too.
Afterwards, M took us to Frontier Pies for lunch. We will go back. The meals were priced very reasonably and the food was very good. After we got back to the house, they loaded the van with their things and while M rested for a few minutes, the little girls and I watch videos. They didn’t get to see the last one they wanted to and they cried because they didn’t want to leave. It was over a video but I’m glad they didn’t want to leave because they hadn’t been here for only an hour or so and K was ready to go home. I was really tired after they left and can still feel it today but am sooo glad they came.
Last Thursday, we met with President M, first counselor in the Stake Presidency. He handed us our certificates of honorable release from our missions as of October 9, 2009 and then a letter calling us to serve at the FHC for the next 30 months starting October 11, 2009. I’m thankful that that is all taken care of. So we will be officially released one day only. I’m thankful that my health is good enough to be able to do this work. Our whole stake now has access to newFamilySearch as of yesterday. It is an exciting time to be on board with this new program coming out in our area. I’m so thankful for the Lord’s blessings that we have been able to do this. My health has considerably improved since we started. Altho’ I do get tired, I can do this and am so thankful that I can. It is definitely the work of the Lord and part of His Plan. I’m thankful to be alive at this time when the Church has been restored and with the technology that we have today. It makes family history/genealogy so much easier. I’m thankful for the wonderful children and grandchildren that He has blessed me/us with. They are such good people and I’m thankful to have each one of them as my friend as well as child or grandchild. I’m thankful that they are trying to live the Gospel the best they can. I’m thankful for my heritage; for what my ancestors went thro’ that I was able to be born into the Church and in this great land. I am sooo blessed!
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
The newFamilySearch is getting closer
I don’t know where July went. We had a wonderful 4th when we went to spend the afternoon and evening with the Stanfields. That was very enjoyable and the fireworks were spectacular! We went back to the FHC the Wednesday after and have been going every Wednesday and Saturday since. There has been a big push on getting ready and teaching the family history consultants in our temple district the newFamilySearch. It is rewarding helping others to learn. We now have to convert temple ready submission disks to FOR’s or Family Ordinance Request forms before patrons can have their family names printed off. That means that the temple no longer accepts the floppy disks as they have in the past. I converted two last Saturday. This change just took place on July 28 so it is brand new. The first one that came in was a big file and the program didn’t do what I expected it to. When you click on “see now” it’s supposed to take you to the next screen that asks you if you want to print now. It was such a large file, that it wouldn’t progress. I asked Elder Mondock if he could help me. I know that he knows a lot about computers as well as the newFamilySearch program. Karl told me later that he was on another computer working thro’ different things trying to figure it out then came over and told me how to do it. I just had to go back to the Home page and click on GEDCOMs I have added. Then it brought up the print screen and we were able to print. There were two different submissions on that floppy and it even gave me the option to go right on and print the second one too. About an hour later another young man came over from the temple with a floppy and the Sister at the desk came and got me again. I am very glad to do it but I told two of the sisters that they might as well watch so they will know how to do it too. Because until everyone in our temple district has access to the nFS, we will be converting the floppies to FOR’s. Anyway, as I was going thro’ the second one, the same thing happened as the first one I did. I couldn’t remember how I go to the screen that said GEDCOMs I have added and as I sat there wondering I felt the Spirit nudge me to click on the back arrow. And that is where I found it…on the Home page. I will not forget again. I felt really good because I recognized the touch of the Spirit in my mind. It is a neat feeling.
The first part of the month we went to Utah to a family reunion for the F Roland and Afton Christensen Robinson family. We stayed with Mama that time. It was good to be able to visit with her and spend some time with her. The last few times we’ve been down, I’ve seen her but it isn’t quite the same as when you are there long enough to actually visit too. She spoke in sacrament meeting that Sunday and we went to it. She did very well. I’m glad we were able to be there for that. I met a couple of her neighbors because we sat in the Chipman Village row. After she talked we left for Lehi because Tanya was teaching RS and I wanted to be there. She did such a good job. I’m very glad that we made the effort to go there too. Who knows when we can be there again when she teachs. We went back and had dinner with Mama. She was soo exhausted that she slept a good part of the afternoon away. She said she hadn’t been able to sleep well since she was asked to speak. She started out her talk by saying:
Listen to the announcement I am going to make.
You must denounce your belief in Joseph Smith and his doctrine and teachings or we will burn you house, barn and crops down around you.
She went on to say that they told her Great-great grandfather (my third great grandfather), Cyril Call that when he lived outside Nauvoo. He told them that he knew Joseph Smith was a prophet and that what he taught was truth and that he couldn’t deny any of it. He and his family, his sick wife whom they pulled out of the house on a mattress, hid in the corn fields watching all of their possessions go up in flames until my great-great grandfather, their second child came from Nauvoo, found them and took them home with him. They still had minor children in their home. They had eleven children. I have a great appreciation for my ancestors and what they went thro’ to belong to the Church and further the work of the Lord.
The reunion was very nice. Both Michael and his two little girls and Kim and his family were there besides Karl and me. All of Karl’s siblings were there except Fred who lives in Oregon. Gene & Dot were in charge of it this year. Six of their nine children were there. None of Stan & Kathy’s were there nor Paul & ElDene’s nor Jewel’s altho’ Jewel brought some of her grandchildren. It was good to see Kent there too. It had been awhile since we had seen him. The next one is planned for the last week of June 2011.
The first part of the month we went to Utah to a family reunion for the F Roland and Afton Christensen Robinson family. We stayed with Mama that time. It was good to be able to visit with her and spend some time with her. The last few times we’ve been down, I’ve seen her but it isn’t quite the same as when you are there long enough to actually visit too. She spoke in sacrament meeting that Sunday and we went to it. She did very well. I’m glad we were able to be there for that. I met a couple of her neighbors because we sat in the Chipman Village row. After she talked we left for Lehi because Tanya was teaching RS and I wanted to be there. She did such a good job. I’m very glad that we made the effort to go there too. Who knows when we can be there again when she teachs. We went back and had dinner with Mama. She was soo exhausted that she slept a good part of the afternoon away. She said she hadn’t been able to sleep well since she was asked to speak. She started out her talk by saying:
Listen to the announcement I am going to make.
You must denounce your belief in Joseph Smith and his doctrine and teachings or we will burn you house, barn and crops down around you.
She went on to say that they told her Great-great grandfather (my third great grandfather), Cyril Call that when he lived outside Nauvoo. He told them that he knew Joseph Smith was a prophet and that what he taught was truth and that he couldn’t deny any of it. He and his family, his sick wife whom they pulled out of the house on a mattress, hid in the corn fields watching all of their possessions go up in flames until my great-great grandfather, their second child came from Nauvoo, found them and took them home with him. They still had minor children in their home. They had eleven children. I have a great appreciation for my ancestors and what they went thro’ to belong to the Church and further the work of the Lord.
The reunion was very nice. Both Michael and his two little girls and Kim and his family were there besides Karl and me. All of Karl’s siblings were there except Fred who lives in Oregon. Gene & Dot were in charge of it this year. Six of their nine children were there. None of Stan & Kathy’s were there nor Paul & ElDene’s nor Jewel’s altho’ Jewel brought some of her grandchildren. It was good to see Kent there too. It had been awhile since we had seen him. The next one is planned for the last week of June 2011.
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Stake Conference--A new Stake Presidency
We had our semi annual stake conference last night and this morning. It was sooo good and the Spirit was very strong. We received a new Stake President this morning also. Presidents Doyle Batt, and David Lyman and Robert Fulks had been in for nine years. Heber Andrus was sustained as President with Greg Manwaring and Robert Kite as his counselors. They have all been bishops. President Andrus served as a counselor to Gary Miekle when he was the president. They will be very good for they are spiritual and humble men. Elder Douglas Callister and Elder J. Craig Rowe were the Seventies who presided and called the new presidency in behalf of the Lord. They gave such good talks both last evening and this morning. Elder Callister told us that after picking up their son from his mission in Eastern Canada, they stopped in Upstate New York to see a prominent attorney and his family (Elder Callister was also an attorney by trade) who was a good friend and colleague. They had a meal with them. The wife reminded her husband that Brother Callister was a religious man was used to saying a prayer on the food before eating and asked if it would be all right if he did it then. The friend who was a staunch Jew told Elder Callister and his family that he would permit it but would not permit the name of Jesus to be uttered in their Jewish house. I was sitting there wondering how he would close it. He said that he said a nice blessing then closed it in “the name of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, Amen” One of his children leaned over to him and whispered, “You did it, Dad!” We all had a nice chuckle over that. He also reminded us of what we committed to do as we raised our hands to the square and sustained this new presidency. He gave many examples from his service he and his family have done all over the world. He didn’t use a note at all. He’s a very humble and spiritual man. I could feel it while he was talking as well as when I shook his hand afterwards. He thanked me for my service as he noticed and read my name tag. It made me feel very humble and I almost got emotional then. It was a very good meeting.
The FHC yesterday
I had an experience at the FHC yesterday. Altho’ it has been closed this last week and will be the next week for deep cleaning, Elder Lyon gave permission for a family to hold some of their family reunion there. We were asked to go in as volunteers to help with it. we were asked to be there by 9:00. After we had stood around for more than 30 minutes we found that the people weren’t even going to be coming until after 10:00. Anyway, I started helping a woman who was looking for her grandfather after he divorced her grandmother. She said that he just dropped out of site. We looked on census, and ancestry.com family tree and everywhere else we could think of. After we had worked for about an hour and half or so looking of him, the only census we found him on was before the divorce, she asked a question about the ordinance work for her great-grand parents. She said she had checked FamilySearch.org and couldn’t find anything. So logged into new.FamilySearch.org and searched for him. He was there; his work had been done. She wanted to know who had done it. I went to FamilyTree in the labs.familysearch.org site. It just showed the dates and the temples that the work had been done in. It had nothing else. Sometimes it does. She asked me to check on her brother who had died four years ago. She had explained that her brother’s wife altho’ a member herself, was adamant about their son not being baptized and stated that she had had permission from her brother to do his work for him before he died. Anyway, since I was still in FamilyTree I just went to new Search and typed in his information. When I pulled up his folder and scrolled down it showed that his work had been done last year in the Columbia River Temple. She loudly exclaimed, “I’m so angry!!!” as she hit the desk with her hands that others wondered what was going on. After she stated two or three that she was soo angry, she started to just sob loudly as she was swearing, two or three different swear words, very loudly. I know everyone else was wondering what was going on. Fortunately, most of the people with the family reunion had left. (as I tho’t about it later, I’m even sure she was with those people because she didn’t interact with any of them. She seemed to just notice that the center was open so came in). She sobbed and sobbed. All of this was very loud. She said she wanted a copy of the work printed off. So I tried to do that. I was only able to get page one. No matter what I did, I couldn’t get page two. Brother Killian was there and had sat down at the computer on my right side, she was on my left, and tried to find out who had done the work. He has “support” powers so could find out things I couldn’t. He still wasn’t able to find out who had done it but he was able to print the page two. The woman apologized to me for swearing and explained that since her brother had given her permission to have his work done after he died, that she was going to approach the wife and hopefully she would say to do the son’s work too since he had died a couple of years ago. We couldn’t find any record of the son on the program which means none of his work had been done or we would have been able to find him. She stated that someone had ruined her family! She paid her dime for the printouts and left. I felt really drained. It reminded me of when I had to deal with difficult family members while I was at work. (e.g. a young woman with two small sons whose husband had died of cancer while I was the nurse and I guess she was in denial all along because she really carried on and cried hysterically and sat on his lap and refused to leave him. I finally had to call the doctor for a sedative for her. He said he couldn’t understand her acting that way because she knew he was close to death for a couple of weeks or more. I told him that she must have been in denial.)
The ironic thing is that exactly two weeks ago a woman came in just 20 minutes before we were to close and angrily stated that she was holding the cards and she had just found out on new.familysearch.org that her grandmothers work had been done and she was holding the cards!!! She was very upset. She had been holding the cards for two years. She explained she was waiting for her mother’s health to improve so she could do the initiatory work for her mother. Anyway, she also got very upset and swore. At least neither of them took the name of the Lord in vain for which I am very thankful. I told Brother Killian about it and stated I don’t know why I have lucked out so…..Sister Hendricks stated that people just don’t seem to understand that it is our ancestor, not my ancestor. The thing is tho’ is that both of these people were born after 1900. The grandmother was born in 1909 and the brother was born in 1947 and President Hinckley has stated that anyone born since 1900 should be reserved for their ancestors to do or to get permission before doing the work. And the people who did that work did not follow that because the ladies I was talking to had no other immediate families who would have done the work. The lady yesterday kept asking why the Church didn’t stop them from doing it. I just stated that it couldn’t, As I have tho’t about it since, I have come to realize that the prophet has given us guidelines and we as a people have our agency whether or not to follow it. That is what it all comes down to. Both of these women were too close to the situation to realize that the work was done and that is what was important.
The ironic thing is that exactly two weeks ago a woman came in just 20 minutes before we were to close and angrily stated that she was holding the cards and she had just found out on new.familysearch.org that her grandmothers work had been done and she was holding the cards!!! She was very upset. She had been holding the cards for two years. She explained she was waiting for her mother’s health to improve so she could do the initiatory work for her mother. Anyway, she also got very upset and swore. At least neither of them took the name of the Lord in vain for which I am very thankful. I told Brother Killian about it and stated I don’t know why I have lucked out so…..Sister Hendricks stated that people just don’t seem to understand that it is our ancestor, not my ancestor. The thing is tho’ is that both of these people were born after 1900. The grandmother was born in 1909 and the brother was born in 1947 and President Hinckley has stated that anyone born since 1900 should be reserved for their ancestors to do or to get permission before doing the work. And the people who did that work did not follow that because the ladies I was talking to had no other immediate families who would have done the work. The lady yesterday kept asking why the Church didn’t stop them from doing it. I just stated that it couldn’t, As I have tho’t about it since, I have come to realize that the prophet has given us guidelines and we as a people have our agency whether or not to follow it. That is what it all comes down to. Both of these women were too close to the situation to realize that the work was done and that is what was important.
Our Reunion
I can’t believe that it has been four weeks since I’ve written here. It has been an eventful at least last two weeks. A week ago Thursday, we left IF after my hair appointment and stopped in Blackfoot at Karen’s and picked up Bryan and Jessica and headed for Utah. Karl drove and Bryan sat in the front seat with him. Jessica and I sat in the back. It was a joy to be able to visit and talk with her. I heard many of her mission experiences that I wouldn’t have heard otherwise. I was able to share some of my experiences also at the FHC. We arrived at Mama’s in American Fork about 4:00 PM. we stayed and visited with her until about 5:45. I had called into Papa Murphy’s in Orem for two pizza’s that we stopped and picked up on the way to the Kims’. We had a delightful visit with them and their two sons. Grace was in IF visiting with her other Grandma . We left there about 8:30 to head back to Michael’s to spend the night. Jess slept on the hide-a-bed and Bryan slept on the living room floor. Karl & I slept were we usually did. I was able to show Tanya and Michael the new.FamilySearch and check out some names for her. It was very interesting. If we hadn’t had to get up so early to leave for Manti the next morning we would have stayed up later.
After my shower the next morning, I came down stairs and Jess was sitting on the floor with Kendra and Abbie sewing on the sewing cards. Abbie said to me, “Just why are you here, Grandma?” I answered that we had just come to spend the night. She then asked, “Where is your husband?” not where is Grandpa….it sounded so mature for a three year old. We left Michael & Tanya’s shortly after 7:00 AM. We had a very pleasant ride with more visiting. We took I-15 to Nephi and beyond because Manti and Ephraim aren’t well marked that way. We went about 14 miles further than we needed to and took the emergency vehicle turn around and headed back to Nephi. The turn-off was very well marked from that direction. We got to Manti about 9:15. Deborah and Jake’s sealing didn’t start until 10:30. We planned on being there 30 minutes early. We found the house that we lived in when Bryan was a baby and when Michael was born. It looked the same but different. If it hadn’t been across from the park we wouldn’t have been able to find it. There is quite a hill from the parking lot to the temple. I didn’t remember it’s being so steep. Of course I was much younger when we were married there. 46+ years ago. Just as we were approaching the temple we came across an older man with four younger men. They said that they were just killing time waiting for the sealing they had come for started. Jessica had noticed they were from Texas and mentioned it. So I asked which wedding they were there for. It was Jake & Deborah’s and he was Jake’s grandfather. Jake was the fifth generation to be married in that temple. That is why they had all come from Texas for the wedding. I decided that Idaho wasn’t really that far after all. As I first went into the temple I saw Mildred’s David standing there. I hadn’t seen him since before his mission…a few years before. I met a Sister Bailey who mentioned she was from the IF area. She said the IF temple was her “home temple.” It was delightful talking to her. I found out that she was Susan Wichham Butikofer’s sister, whom I went to nursing school with. (I saw Susan today after Stake Conference and told her I had met her sister in Manti temple.) We waited and visited in the bride’s waiting room for about 35 minutes before they took us up stairs to the sealing room. The sealer commented that one mother was here and the other was with us. I knew Mildred would be there and probably Daddy too but I couldn’t feel either one of them. Deborah said she could for which I was happy. She said she really appreciated our being there. I was the only one of my and Mildred’s siblings who was able to attend. It was very special. I’m thankful that Bryan offered to drive us down and back to Blackfoot. It worded out so well that way. We left the temple after our picture was taken as part of the group and the bride’s family and went to a hamburger place and ate lunch then headed for Blackfoot. We stopped in Provo on ninth North and ninth East at what used to be Carson’s market and is now BYU Creamery on Ninth and met a young woman who had served in Jess’s mission. We had some of the creamery ice cream (couldn’t pass that up because we don’t have the chance to have it that often) it was fresh strawberry and very good. We had a delightful time getting acquainted with another Jessica. We stopped at the rest stop at Brigham City and got to Blackfoot about 7:45 that evening. It turned out that Karen had been violently ill (Shani was too; they had eaten at the same place the day before) starting Thursday afternoon. She was feeling much better but very weak. Sandy did all the chasing and buying and getting ready for the reunion the next day.
The Kims got there about 9:30 that night. I’m thankful that they came. It was their 16th wedding anniversary that day. Kimberly’s mother & dad brought Grace down the next day. Grandma Robinson was there when we got there. Kent had picked her up (Karen was supposed to but was too sick) Friday morning. It was good to have her there too. My mother, Grandma Wendel would have loved to have been there but felt like she needed to be there to support Deborah and Jake and go to the reception the night before. I totally understand that. I hope she lives long enough to come to another one. Michael & Tanya and girls got there about 10:10 the next morning. Richard got there about 1:30 that afternoon. All of our children were there. Which was wonderful. But there were still nine missing. Richard’s wife, Téa, and his six children couldn’t come. Michael’s Collin was working at scout camp and couldn’t come (Bryan and Michael both missed family reunions when they were working at scout camp so I understand that.) And Bryan’s Chris who is on a mission in Chile also wasn’t there. It has been rainy all month long. It had rained all the days in June except for about three. It rained intermittently that day too. We were hoping that it wouldn’t rain while we ate because there were too many to eat in the house. We could have eaten in the shop but it was a long ways to carry everything. Kim’s nine-year-old Alex, when it started to rain and had rained for awhile, suggested a prayer. He offered it. It stopped raining and didn’t start again until after we were thro’ eating. Oh the faith of a child. It was cool but with sweaters and jackets we got along OK. There were five generations there with Great-great grandma Robinson there and Shani’s children. And yes, we did get a couple pictures of them as well as of all the other families. It went very well. Karen despite being sick and Sandy’s organization pulled it off very well. I appreciate all of my children and love them very much. They are good people and are teaching their children to walk uprightly before the Lord. And Shani and Brittany and their husbands are inturn teaching their children, our great grandchildren too.
The Kims left that night, Nathaniel had to give a talk in sacrament meeting the next day. Michael & Tanya and girls left after lunch after church. We were thinking of leaving for IF with Richard coming home with us for the night and Mom coming with us too because Karen & Kent were supposed to be over to Kent’s parents for that evening for father’s day. Kent’s father had been in the hospital the week before. About 4:15 we were in the kitchen and heard this sound, we rushed to the living room and rain was coming down in torrents and horizontally besides. The rain was pouring out of the rain gutters as if they weren’t even there. Then it started to hail really bad with almost dime sized hail. It came down for awhile; we were about an hour late in leaving for IF. We had a quiet evening. We watched Emma, my Story, neither Mom nor Richard had seen it. Karen & Kent came and got Mom and took her back to Blackfoot for the night then Karen would take her back to Pocatello to meet Paul & ElDene for her to go back home.
Richard left about 9:15-9:30 the next morning. He was driving a Suburban that Téa’s father had given them back to Buckeye. It was soo wonderful having him here. He seemed to enjoy being here too. He went from room to room looking at the pictures and looking at the changes. As I said before I am so thankful for my children and the people they have become.
After my shower the next morning, I came down stairs and Jess was sitting on the floor with Kendra and Abbie sewing on the sewing cards. Abbie said to me, “Just why are you here, Grandma?” I answered that we had just come to spend the night. She then asked, “Where is your husband?” not where is Grandpa….it sounded so mature for a three year old. We left Michael & Tanya’s shortly after 7:00 AM. We had a very pleasant ride with more visiting. We took I-15 to Nephi and beyond because Manti and Ephraim aren’t well marked that way. We went about 14 miles further than we needed to and took the emergency vehicle turn around and headed back to Nephi. The turn-off was very well marked from that direction. We got to Manti about 9:15. Deborah and Jake’s sealing didn’t start until 10:30. We planned on being there 30 minutes early. We found the house that we lived in when Bryan was a baby and when Michael was born. It looked the same but different. If it hadn’t been across from the park we wouldn’t have been able to find it. There is quite a hill from the parking lot to the temple. I didn’t remember it’s being so steep. Of course I was much younger when we were married there. 46+ years ago. Just as we were approaching the temple we came across an older man with four younger men. They said that they were just killing time waiting for the sealing they had come for started. Jessica had noticed they were from Texas and mentioned it. So I asked which wedding they were there for. It was Jake & Deborah’s and he was Jake’s grandfather. Jake was the fifth generation to be married in that temple. That is why they had all come from Texas for the wedding. I decided that Idaho wasn’t really that far after all. As I first went into the temple I saw Mildred’s David standing there. I hadn’t seen him since before his mission…a few years before. I met a Sister Bailey who mentioned she was from the IF area. She said the IF temple was her “home temple.” It was delightful talking to her. I found out that she was Susan Wichham Butikofer’s sister, whom I went to nursing school with. (I saw Susan today after Stake Conference and told her I had met her sister in Manti temple.) We waited and visited in the bride’s waiting room for about 35 minutes before they took us up stairs to the sealing room. The sealer commented that one mother was here and the other was with us. I knew Mildred would be there and probably Daddy too but I couldn’t feel either one of them. Deborah said she could for which I was happy. She said she really appreciated our being there. I was the only one of my and Mildred’s siblings who was able to attend. It was very special. I’m thankful that Bryan offered to drive us down and back to Blackfoot. It worded out so well that way. We left the temple after our picture was taken as part of the group and the bride’s family and went to a hamburger place and ate lunch then headed for Blackfoot. We stopped in Provo on ninth North and ninth East at what used to be Carson’s market and is now BYU Creamery on Ninth and met a young woman who had served in Jess’s mission. We had some of the creamery ice cream (couldn’t pass that up because we don’t have the chance to have it that often) it was fresh strawberry and very good. We had a delightful time getting acquainted with another Jessica. We stopped at the rest stop at Brigham City and got to Blackfoot about 7:45 that evening. It turned out that Karen had been violently ill (Shani was too; they had eaten at the same place the day before) starting Thursday afternoon. She was feeling much better but very weak. Sandy did all the chasing and buying and getting ready for the reunion the next day.
The Kims got there about 9:30 that night. I’m thankful that they came. It was their 16th wedding anniversary that day. Kimberly’s mother & dad brought Grace down the next day. Grandma Robinson was there when we got there. Kent had picked her up (Karen was supposed to but was too sick) Friday morning. It was good to have her there too. My mother, Grandma Wendel would have loved to have been there but felt like she needed to be there to support Deborah and Jake and go to the reception the night before. I totally understand that. I hope she lives long enough to come to another one. Michael & Tanya and girls got there about 10:10 the next morning. Richard got there about 1:30 that afternoon. All of our children were there. Which was wonderful. But there were still nine missing. Richard’s wife, Téa, and his six children couldn’t come. Michael’s Collin was working at scout camp and couldn’t come (Bryan and Michael both missed family reunions when they were working at scout camp so I understand that.) And Bryan’s Chris who is on a mission in Chile also wasn’t there. It has been rainy all month long. It had rained all the days in June except for about three. It rained intermittently that day too. We were hoping that it wouldn’t rain while we ate because there were too many to eat in the house. We could have eaten in the shop but it was a long ways to carry everything. Kim’s nine-year-old Alex, when it started to rain and had rained for awhile, suggested a prayer. He offered it. It stopped raining and didn’t start again until after we were thro’ eating. Oh the faith of a child. It was cool but with sweaters and jackets we got along OK. There were five generations there with Great-great grandma Robinson there and Shani’s children. And yes, we did get a couple pictures of them as well as of all the other families. It went very well. Karen despite being sick and Sandy’s organization pulled it off very well. I appreciate all of my children and love them very much. They are good people and are teaching their children to walk uprightly before the Lord. And Shani and Brittany and their husbands are inturn teaching their children, our great grandchildren too.
The Kims left that night, Nathaniel had to give a talk in sacrament meeting the next day. Michael & Tanya and girls left after lunch after church. We were thinking of leaving for IF with Richard coming home with us for the night and Mom coming with us too because Karen & Kent were supposed to be over to Kent’s parents for that evening for father’s day. Kent’s father had been in the hospital the week before. About 4:15 we were in the kitchen and heard this sound, we rushed to the living room and rain was coming down in torrents and horizontally besides. The rain was pouring out of the rain gutters as if they weren’t even there. Then it started to hail really bad with almost dime sized hail. It came down for awhile; we were about an hour late in leaving for IF. We had a quiet evening. We watched Emma, my Story, neither Mom nor Richard had seen it. Karen & Kent came and got Mom and took her back to Blackfoot for the night then Karen would take her back to Pocatello to meet Paul & ElDene for her to go back home.
Richard left about 9:15-9:30 the next morning. He was driving a Suburban that Téa’s father had given them back to Buckeye. It was soo wonderful having him here. He seemed to enjoy being here too. He went from room to room looking at the pictures and looking at the changes. As I said before I am so thankful for my children and the people they have become.
Monday, June 01, 2009
Going with the Sister Missionaries
I had quite a different experience last Friday evening. We had spent pretty much all day cleaning the house especially the big room, because the sister missionaries were coming for dinner at 5:00 pm. We got it looking much better than it had been. I had started on picking things up and clearing off the table etc. the day before. I hope we can keep it straight for a while. I need to do something in the living room too. We did start on it but ran out of time. I was soo tired that I just crashed for about an hour, then had to make a cake and change my clothes because I was going with them to teach a lesson to a young single man with two small daughters. I felt so much better after I slept about 45 minutes and was able to complete the evening. We had a delite gourmet chicken garlic pizza and salad with the cherry chocolate cake for dessert. It is very easy to make and sooo delicious. They both wanted the recipe.
We left about 5:45 to go meet Josh and his little girls. He wasn’t there yet so we went to another place where they left a sticky note and then back to Josh’s. He came about five minutes later. He had taken his daughters to the zoo.
It was exchange day in the district. They have it once a transfer where they exchange companions with another companionship in the area. The two sisters I went with evidently just met that day---at least had never worked together before. I sat there amazed as one would start a tho’t and the other would finish it like they had practiced and practiced. The Spirit bore testimony to me that it was thro’ the Spirit they were able to do this. It was a very neat experience and I will go again when given the opportunity. I told them I could go most any evening other than Wednesday since I’m at the FHC then.
Also I have been attending a special class at the FHC for only those they have invited to learn more about the new.FamilySearch.org and also about Family Tree which is on the labs.familysearch.org. I had one two weeks ago then another today and one next Monday. I’m not sure if they will have any more of them or not. I found it very interesting. I had Sister F, one of our support people to help me straighten out my Rufener lines on newFamilySearch.org because I three totally different lines and someone has totally messed them up and married and sealed them to the wrong people. We got it all straightened out and then I went to Wendy’s (where they give missionaries a 50% discount) and got my lunch and went back to the FHC to eat it. After that I went in and on one of the computers to add the dates I had on them via Family Tree in labs.familysearch.org. It was all messed up again!! It didn’t stay. I was sooo disappointed. I went in and told Sister F and she said that since the work for them was all done, then just don’t stress over it. Maybe sometime I will be able to straighten it all up. And I still can’t register for the new.FamilySearch.org. So now I have two things to be disappointed about. However, there is a silver lining. Since my sweetheart can register and we are in the same household so people could contact me if they wanted to, I can use his, so I have been able to get on and just search for my people and make some of the changes I need to and want to.
I also stayed for a class at 3:00 on advanced computer techniques. I thoroughly enjoyed that too. I learned a lot. I got home about 5:30 pm after leaving at 10:15 am. It was a long day but a fruitful one.
We left about 5:45 to go meet Josh and his little girls. He wasn’t there yet so we went to another place where they left a sticky note and then back to Josh’s. He came about five minutes later. He had taken his daughters to the zoo.
It was exchange day in the district. They have it once a transfer where they exchange companions with another companionship in the area. The two sisters I went with evidently just met that day---at least had never worked together before. I sat there amazed as one would start a tho’t and the other would finish it like they had practiced and practiced. The Spirit bore testimony to me that it was thro’ the Spirit they were able to do this. It was a very neat experience and I will go again when given the opportunity. I told them I could go most any evening other than Wednesday since I’m at the FHC then.
Also I have been attending a special class at the FHC for only those they have invited to learn more about the new.FamilySearch.org and also about Family Tree which is on the labs.familysearch.org. I had one two weeks ago then another today and one next Monday. I’m not sure if they will have any more of them or not. I found it very interesting. I had Sister F, one of our support people to help me straighten out my Rufener lines on newFamilySearch.org because I three totally different lines and someone has totally messed them up and married and sealed them to the wrong people. We got it all straightened out and then I went to Wendy’s (where they give missionaries a 50% discount) and got my lunch and went back to the FHC to eat it. After that I went in and on one of the computers to add the dates I had on them via Family Tree in labs.familysearch.org. It was all messed up again!! It didn’t stay. I was sooo disappointed. I went in and told Sister F and she said that since the work for them was all done, then just don’t stress over it. Maybe sometime I will be able to straighten it all up. And I still can’t register for the new.FamilySearch.org. So now I have two things to be disappointed about. However, there is a silver lining. Since my sweetheart can register and we are in the same household so people could contact me if they wanted to, I can use his, so I have been able to get on and just search for my people and make some of the changes I need to and want to.
I also stayed for a class at 3:00 on advanced computer techniques. I thoroughly enjoyed that too. I learned a lot. I got home about 5:30 pm after leaving at 10:15 am. It was a long day but a fruitful one.
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
An Evening About Joseph and Emma Smith
Before I start telling about our zone meeting last evening, I just want to say that I still can’t register for the newFamillySearch. It is sooo frustrating to me!! I probably know it the best of anyone there who hasn’t been able to actually use it. I have attended classes on it. Almost everyone at the FHC can register. Even those who haven’t done the e-lessons or the family consultant lessons on lds.netdimensions.com. it seems to be because I wrote my name Renée instead of Renee and the computer is having difficulty recognizing me as a consultant. Elder Lyon, our director said last evening that they were keeping the lines hot between the center and SLC trying to get it straightened out. Hopefully, I will be able to register by tomorrow when I go back to the center.
Last evening we were given a very neat treat. We had a 4th great grandson of Joseph and Emma Hale Smith talk to us. He lives here in Idaho Falls now, is married and has two small children. He is working full time and going to school full time and is an officer in the Joseph Smith, Emma Hale Smith Family Association and in that capacity is working on getting ready for a family reunion in Nauvoo for 200 or so members of that family this summer. He is 26 years old and grew up in Montana. He said many of the family went to Montana to get away from the stigma of being related to Joseph Smith. He said they literally feared for their lives. He is the grandson of Gracia (pronounced Grasha I found out last night) Jones who wrote the books, Joseph and Emma and Emma and Lucy and one other one that I can’t remember. He stated that for many years he didn’t let anyone know of his heritage or lineage. He grew up in the church as did his parents. He says that there are only a small handful of members of the Church in the JSEHSFA. I think all of them are probably his siblings and their children and his cousins. He told how kids scoffed at him and gave him a really hard time even in 7th grade when they first learned of his lineage. He told of people who just plain didn’t believe him and made fun of him when they learned of it so he figured it would just be better that he not let anyone know. He mentioned that it was when he was on his mission that he found out that he needed to let others know of it. He was listening to a man tell of his ancestors experiences with the Wiley Handcart Company and thoroughly enjoying it when the Spirit whispered to him that he could and should also enlighten people about his ancestors. He said that at first it was difficult but now he enjoys doing it.
He bore a strong testimony of Joseph being a true prophet of God and Emma being an elect lady and is his eternal companion. He said one woman while on his mission told him she was sorry for Joseph because he could not spend the eternities with his eternal companion because she left the church. He told us that he knows that their Calling and Election were made sure. He didn’t site scripture and verse as he did with other things but I got the impression that it is there. He also said that Emma didn’t leave the Church, the Church left her that she remained faithful to its doctrine and principals the rest of her life. He mentioned that altho’ she didn’t like polygamy and sometimes denied it existed and was being practiced as a commandment of God, she endured it. He also pointed out that in the 124 Section of the D&C that it talks about the Nauvoo House and how it will be a “resting place” for her and it will be a place for her family in the generations to come. He told us that two years ago and again this summer he and Joseph and Emma’s descendants did and will stay there at the Nauvoo House. He said that two years ago, his mother (who is the daughter of Gracia Jones) was in charge of feeding all those people and as she was working and cooking in the kitchen she could feel “Emma’s spirit”. He also pointed out that he strongly believes and the Spirit has confirmed this to him that Emma stayed in Nauvoo because she was commanded to. She also stayed because Lucy Mack Smith was too ill and couldn’t make the journey so she took care of her. As he was telling us this someone asked about the houses there and how they’ve been restored. He was telling us that many even most of the restoration of those houses (altho’ our Church has done some of them) has been done by the RLDS or Community of God Church and “they have done a phenomenal job of it”. As he was telling us this he started to say that had Emma not stayed in Nauvoo, the houses and place as we know it today, then the microphone fell on to the floor, he said, “That is exactly what would have happened to those houses was they would have just fallen apart or been taken apart” and nothing would exist there today. He also said that Emma needed protection and General Bidemon provided that for her. He said that they had an “affectionate companionship”.
He had a decadency chart there. Most of Joseph and Emma’s posterity is from Joseph III and Alexander, his ancestor. Joseph III has only about a third of the posterity that Alexander does. He said, “We don’t know why that is, it just is.” It was a very enjoyable and enlightening evening. I feel I know Emma much better after listening to him. I have always felt that she would be with Joseph and that she is his eternal companion but now I feel like I know her better. I am very thankful that we went.
Last evening we were given a very neat treat. We had a 4th great grandson of Joseph and Emma Hale Smith talk to us. He lives here in Idaho Falls now, is married and has two small children. He is working full time and going to school full time and is an officer in the Joseph Smith, Emma Hale Smith Family Association and in that capacity is working on getting ready for a family reunion in Nauvoo for 200 or so members of that family this summer. He is 26 years old and grew up in Montana. He said many of the family went to Montana to get away from the stigma of being related to Joseph Smith. He said they literally feared for their lives. He is the grandson of Gracia (pronounced Grasha I found out last night) Jones who wrote the books, Joseph and Emma and Emma and Lucy and one other one that I can’t remember. He stated that for many years he didn’t let anyone know of his heritage or lineage. He grew up in the church as did his parents. He says that there are only a small handful of members of the Church in the JSEHSFA. I think all of them are probably his siblings and their children and his cousins. He told how kids scoffed at him and gave him a really hard time even in 7th grade when they first learned of his lineage. He told of people who just plain didn’t believe him and made fun of him when they learned of it so he figured it would just be better that he not let anyone know. He mentioned that it was when he was on his mission that he found out that he needed to let others know of it. He was listening to a man tell of his ancestors experiences with the Wiley Handcart Company and thoroughly enjoying it when the Spirit whispered to him that he could and should also enlighten people about his ancestors. He said that at first it was difficult but now he enjoys doing it.
He bore a strong testimony of Joseph being a true prophet of God and Emma being an elect lady and is his eternal companion. He said one woman while on his mission told him she was sorry for Joseph because he could not spend the eternities with his eternal companion because she left the church. He told us that he knows that their Calling and Election were made sure. He didn’t site scripture and verse as he did with other things but I got the impression that it is there. He also said that Emma didn’t leave the Church, the Church left her that she remained faithful to its doctrine and principals the rest of her life. He mentioned that altho’ she didn’t like polygamy and sometimes denied it existed and was being practiced as a commandment of God, she endured it. He also pointed out that in the 124 Section of the D&C that it talks about the Nauvoo House and how it will be a “resting place” for her and it will be a place for her family in the generations to come. He told us that two years ago and again this summer he and Joseph and Emma’s descendants did and will stay there at the Nauvoo House. He said that two years ago, his mother (who is the daughter of Gracia Jones) was in charge of feeding all those people and as she was working and cooking in the kitchen she could feel “Emma’s spirit”. He also pointed out that he strongly believes and the Spirit has confirmed this to him that Emma stayed in Nauvoo because she was commanded to. She also stayed because Lucy Mack Smith was too ill and couldn’t make the journey so she took care of her. As he was telling us this someone asked about the houses there and how they’ve been restored. He was telling us that many even most of the restoration of those houses (altho’ our Church has done some of them) has been done by the RLDS or Community of God Church and “they have done a phenomenal job of it”. As he was telling us this he started to say that had Emma not stayed in Nauvoo, the houses and place as we know it today, then the microphone fell on to the floor, he said, “That is exactly what would have happened to those houses was they would have just fallen apart or been taken apart” and nothing would exist there today. He also said that Emma needed protection and General Bidemon provided that for her. He said that they had an “affectionate companionship”.
He had a decadency chart there. Most of Joseph and Emma’s posterity is from Joseph III and Alexander, his ancestor. Joseph III has only about a third of the posterity that Alexander does. He said, “We don’t know why that is, it just is.” It was a very enjoyable and enlightening evening. I feel I know Emma much better after listening to him. I have always felt that she would be with Joseph and that she is his eternal companion but now I feel like I know her better. I am very thankful that we went.
Sunday, May 17, 2009
About My Mother's Day and the day before
Yesterday was a different day at FHC. It started by Elder C telling us that everyone could register for the newFamilySearch except me. Apparently, I hadn’t completed the survey at the end of the lds.netdimensions site for the learning about the newFamilySearch. So that is what I did first after copying off the handouts for my last PAF class for this session of classes. (I start all over again July 11.) I will have to wait a day or two in order to be able to register. I had good times yesterday too but many complications. I helped four or five people. I think I was able to answer all the questions posed to me, which was nice. A woman came in and wanted help transferring things from her floppy disk to her USB drive. I later found out that she had other PAF files on another USB drive so was able to help her transfer everything to her new USB drive. Before that a couple with their daughter came in and wanted to prepare their file to go thro’ TempleReady. We put it thro’ PAF Insight for the ordinances that may already be completed and also merged a few duplicates on the file too. it all was on their USB drive. When we attempted to put it thro’ TempleReady, it kept asking for the disk to be inserted in the E drive. That was the port that the USB drive was in. Since they had an appointment at 11:30 they left saying they would be back. I had lunch then prepared for my PAF class. I felt impressed to check out the computers in the computer lab to see if PAF Companion was on each one and could be used since that was the last half of my class. I found out that something wasn’t talking to something else because altho’ PAF Companion was installed on all of the computers, a box that said “could not find experience drive” came up and it would go any further. That was for the tabs that you wanted to preview instead of printing. The first few tabs worked fine but it was the ones that wouldn’t work that are the most fun. So I asked Elder C if he could open and set up the Archibald room because I had taught in there before we had the computer lab and it worked fine. So I taught the first part of the class in the lab then we walked down two halls to the Archibald room for the rest of the class. I soon found out that the “fun”tabs wouldn’t work in there either altho’ it wasn’t the same problem. So I explained the best I could with what I had. Then we went back to the lab and let them work on my worksheet using the custom report part of the worksheet. I found out I had made a mistake and left out a step on the work sheet. I left the class members in there working on their worksheets while I went out and helped the family I had been helping that morning. We tried to do the TempleReady from the USB drive again and it still wouldn’t work. I have come to the conclusion that you must have to transfer the file to the desktop in order for TempleReady to accept it. We ended up making a GEDCOM file and putting it thro’ that way. That was easy enough to do but since the file only had a little over 300 names and the TempleReady program easily handles up to 2.000, I figured I’d skip that step. By making the GEDCOM file it worked fine. They were very appreciative. It was a pleasure to work with them.
After we were thro’ there at the FHC we met K & K, and M and S & Jand P at Smitty’s and they treated us to dinner and gave me a gift for Mother’s Day. (It was the book Daughters of God by M. Russell Ballard and some lotion and a lovely card. I’m looking forward to reading it. I read the forward by Sheri Dew out loud to my sweetheart on the way home. It all was very enjoyable. My sweetheart and I split the Halibut dinner. We had pancakes with it and a salad and a roll and strawberry shortcake that we brought home with us. I was soo full that it was an hour after we got home that I started feeling better. It was a very enjoyable time. I was very tired when I got home tho’. I got along fine while I was gone but I “let down” after I got home and didn’t do much after that. K is a very special daughter. She is our only daughter but I don’t think anyone could have a better one. She is so kind and tho’tful and loving. Her grandchildren just love her. I remember my grandchildren making me feel very special too. Being a grandma is a mutual admiration society with her grandchildren. It is a very good feeling.
I opened a gift from M & T this morning. It was a TimeOut for Women DVD and a lovely card that M wrote in. it is sooo neat being friends with my children. They are the best of our friends. Some of the discussions I have with my children are so enjoyable and enlightening. I’ve spent many a late night discussing things with M when no one else is about or around. We both find these very enjoyable. I’ve treasure those kinds of talks with all of my children. They have told me that they also treasure them and that makes them that much more special.
My sweetheart wrote me a lovely letter today. He started out differently this year than any other letter he has written me…talking about Heavenly Father’s creations etc. then went on to say what some of our prophets have said about woman being His greatest creation, etc. It was a very nice letter. He always writes such nice letters. He expresses himself very well. He is always complimentary to me when he writes about me. I love him very much and am thankful that I married him almost 47 years ago.
K called and I had a very nice chat with him. And B called and left a lovely message while I was talking to K. I’m sorry that I didn’t get to talk to him.
After our family chat, R sent this to me: I think it is beautiful.
I was thinking of you today and wrote this for you:
Today is Mother’s Day.
All across the nation, millions will meet to celebrate Motherhood… and most will miss the beauty of it.
They will meet in churches of many faiths, in restaurants, in living rooms.
They will think of the many dangers that mothers have rescued their children from, and of the very pains that those mothers endured to bring the children into the world at the mothers’ own peril, but this is not what makes my mother beautiful.
They will talk about the countless hours mothers spent watching after little ones, of sleep they lost and dreams they sacrificed to rear their children, but this is not what makes my mother beautiful.
They will tell stories about the times when mothers could easily have lashed out in anger at their children, but wisely held their tongues, but this is not what makes my mother beautiful.
They will recall times when mothers watched their children make choices they knew would bring sorrow, and could do nothing but pray, hope and wait for their children to see what they saw, but this is not what makes my mother beautiful.
They will reflect on the many menial tasks that mothers perform, and realize that many are done when those mothers would rather have been doing nearly anything else, but this is not what makes my mother beautiful.
No, as much as we deify mothers this one day out of the year, and rightly credit them for the many times when they put others before themselves, and the many times that they could so easily and understandably have let down those that they loved and did not, this Is not what makes my mother beautiful.
What makes my mother beautiful is not the fact that she did all of these things, but the indisputable fact that, given the opportunity to live her life again from the beginning, she would do these things all over again. That is her virtue. That is her glory. That is the legacy that will follow her into the heavens and all of the worlds to come. That is why Mother’s Day endures. Somewhere beneath all of the frills and mixed-up feelings is a sense that all of us have that, while childhood is fleeting, Motherhood is eternal.
R 5/10/2009
I’m so thankful that all of my children are my friends. Except for my sweetheart, they are the best friends I have. I love the discussions and events that I’ve had with each of them. They are special and dear to my heart.
After we were thro’ there at the FHC we met K & K, and M and S & Jand P at Smitty’s and they treated us to dinner and gave me a gift for Mother’s Day. (It was the book Daughters of God by M. Russell Ballard and some lotion and a lovely card. I’m looking forward to reading it. I read the forward by Sheri Dew out loud to my sweetheart on the way home. It all was very enjoyable. My sweetheart and I split the Halibut dinner. We had pancakes with it and a salad and a roll and strawberry shortcake that we brought home with us. I was soo full that it was an hour after we got home that I started feeling better. It was a very enjoyable time. I was very tired when I got home tho’. I got along fine while I was gone but I “let down” after I got home and didn’t do much after that. K is a very special daughter. She is our only daughter but I don’t think anyone could have a better one. She is so kind and tho’tful and loving. Her grandchildren just love her. I remember my grandchildren making me feel very special too. Being a grandma is a mutual admiration society with her grandchildren. It is a very good feeling.
I opened a gift from M & T this morning. It was a TimeOut for Women DVD and a lovely card that M wrote in. it is sooo neat being friends with my children. They are the best of our friends. Some of the discussions I have with my children are so enjoyable and enlightening. I’ve spent many a late night discussing things with M when no one else is about or around. We both find these very enjoyable. I’ve treasure those kinds of talks with all of my children. They have told me that they also treasure them and that makes them that much more special.
My sweetheart wrote me a lovely letter today. He started out differently this year than any other letter he has written me…talking about Heavenly Father’s creations etc. then went on to say what some of our prophets have said about woman being His greatest creation, etc. It was a very nice letter. He always writes such nice letters. He expresses himself very well. He is always complimentary to me when he writes about me. I love him very much and am thankful that I married him almost 47 years ago.
K called and I had a very nice chat with him. And B called and left a lovely message while I was talking to K. I’m sorry that I didn’t get to talk to him.
After our family chat, R sent this to me: I think it is beautiful.
I was thinking of you today and wrote this for you:
Today is Mother’s Day.
All across the nation, millions will meet to celebrate Motherhood… and most will miss the beauty of it.
They will meet in churches of many faiths, in restaurants, in living rooms.
They will think of the many dangers that mothers have rescued their children from, and of the very pains that those mothers endured to bring the children into the world at the mothers’ own peril, but this is not what makes my mother beautiful.
They will talk about the countless hours mothers spent watching after little ones, of sleep they lost and dreams they sacrificed to rear their children, but this is not what makes my mother beautiful.
They will tell stories about the times when mothers could easily have lashed out in anger at their children, but wisely held their tongues, but this is not what makes my mother beautiful.
They will recall times when mothers watched their children make choices they knew would bring sorrow, and could do nothing but pray, hope and wait for their children to see what they saw, but this is not what makes my mother beautiful.
They will reflect on the many menial tasks that mothers perform, and realize that many are done when those mothers would rather have been doing nearly anything else, but this is not what makes my mother beautiful.
No, as much as we deify mothers this one day out of the year, and rightly credit them for the many times when they put others before themselves, and the many times that they could so easily and understandably have let down those that they loved and did not, this Is not what makes my mother beautiful.
What makes my mother beautiful is not the fact that she did all of these things, but the indisputable fact that, given the opportunity to live her life again from the beginning, she would do these things all over again. That is her virtue. That is her glory. That is the legacy that will follow her into the heavens and all of the worlds to come. That is why Mother’s Day endures. Somewhere beneath all of the frills and mixed-up feelings is a sense that all of us have that, while childhood is fleeting, Motherhood is eternal.
R 5/10/2009
I’m so thankful that all of my children are my friends. Except for my sweetheart, they are the best friends I have. I love the discussions and events that I’ve had with each of them. They are special and dear to my heart.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
My mother
Yesterday, I completed reading my mother’s life history (it inspires me to start working on my own) and enjoyed reading it sooo much. It gave me new insight on my grandparents and how hard it was for them to raise their family. It also helped me to envision my mother as a little girl and young woman. I’m so thankful for her writing it. She has had many hardships, trials and challenges but she is a strong woman and came thro’ them with flying colors. She has been a widow for 39 years, and finished raising her three youngest children alone. Two of her six children have already passed on before her. That has to be one of the hardest trials there is. She started at BYU when she was just 17 years old. Her first teaching job was in Mexico and she taught children as old or older than she was. Her oldest brother died when he was 13 and she 12. I remember her telling me that it was quite traumatic to suddenly be the oldest child. (Since I have always been the oldest child I hadn’t tho’t that much about it. But as the oldest child one is expected to be responsible, set a good example and help out with the other children among other things.) Mama told of going to school and collecting her brother’s things and cleaning out his locker because she knew it would be so hard for her parents to do. So she started that roll almost immediately. And she has fulfilled that roll very well. I love her very much and really appreciate the many things she has taught me from being compassionate as well as responsible, to sewing and cooking. I could cook from the time I can remember and I started sewing when I was nine. I made most of my own clothes from age 12 on up. Mama taught 4-H so my sister, (who was only 8 at the time) and I could learn how to sew. She loves playing games (as her mother before her did) and has passed that love on to me.
This is what I wrote in a card for her
Altho' it is passed your birthday I want you to know that I'm thankful that you are my mother and that you are still here
with us. I'm thankful for all of the many things you taught me and the example you are for me. I just got thro'
reading your history today. I'm thankful that you wrote it for us, your posterity. It put a few things in a different light
than I imagined them. I'm glad you included your early life. I got a different picture of Grandpa, especially. He never seemed to have
very much to say from what I remember about him. I'm glad to know that he did have a testimony and that the Church and the gospel
meant much to him. I also remember your telling me as I was growing up that I needed to get a college degree and
to be married in the temple. Now I know where you got it from. It took a while but I did get the degree (altho'
it is only an associate degree) and I'm very grateful that I had it when K could no longer teach. I'm
not sure what we would have done had I not had it. I could have worked full time at minimum wage and we still wouldn't have
made it. With my degree, I was able to work only three days a week and that is all I needed to work with the earning power I had.
I'm thankful that my children and grandchildren got to know you as well. You have been such an influence on them.
I love you very much and am so thankful that I was sent to your home as your oldest child.
This is what I wrote in a card for her
Altho' it is passed your birthday I want you to know that I'm thankful that you are my mother and that you are still here
with us. I'm thankful for all of the many things you taught me and the example you are for me. I just got thro'
reading your history today. I'm thankful that you wrote it for us, your posterity. It put a few things in a different light
than I imagined them. I'm glad you included your early life. I got a different picture of Grandpa, especially. He never seemed to have
very much to say from what I remember about him. I'm glad to know that he did have a testimony and that the Church and the gospel
meant much to him. I also remember your telling me as I was growing up that I needed to get a college degree and
to be married in the temple. Now I know where you got it from. It took a while but I did get the degree (altho'
it is only an associate degree) and I'm very grateful that I had it when K could no longer teach. I'm
not sure what we would have done had I not had it. I could have worked full time at minimum wage and we still wouldn't have
made it. With my degree, I was able to work only three days a week and that is all I needed to work with the earning power I had.
I'm thankful that my children and grandchildren got to know you as well. You have been such an influence on them.
I love you very much and am so thankful that I was sent to your home as your oldest child.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Happy Easter
I can’t believe that it’s been that long since I have written. It has been a good month with much goings on. Since I found out that my A1C is 7.2 (the highest it’s ever been!) with no real changes except not as much exercise, actually hardly any, I have tried to go back to exercising. I’ve done better last month but I still need to improve. I’ve only exercised once or twice a week and I need to get up to at least three or four. I can tell exercise makes a difference tho’ even tho’ I haven’t done as much as I should. (My blood sugars are already lower than they have been.)
Last Thursday we left for Utah. We left a little later since I was planning on going to the Israel Barlow Family Association meeting of which I am the family representative of the Pamela Elizabeth Barlow tribe. It was held in Bountiful, Utah. I wanted to meet H B, the man I have corresponded with via e-mail and talked to many times on the phone. I did meet him and his lovely wife and a few others. I was told the meeting would start at 5:00 pm but found out that it didn’t start until 6:00 pm. I had time to chat and get to know a few people which I wouldn’t have been able to if it had started at 5:00. The meeting was very informative. I met S C who is the paid genealogist/researcher for the organization. Her husband’s grandmother was a Barlow. I found out that Israel’s 5th great grandfather, the one who came over from England, was a puritan and he come over and joined John Winthrope’s Puritan colony in Massachusetts. His name was Edmund Barlow. He would be my 8th great grandfather. (And I just discovered I had them on my PAF file already. However, I hadn’t realized that they were Puritans.) I really enjoyed being to that meeting and meeting those people. As we were leaving it, I had the tho’t: I’m so thankful that I am not as shy as I used to be. If I were there was no way I could have gone to a meeting where I knew not a soul and intermingled with them and thoroughly enjoy myself. I wouldn’t have dare go. I can thank my nursing for that besides just being more mature and thank the Lord the most that He has guided my path in the directions He has. There is nothing to catch the Spirit of Elijah like meeting people who have the same ancestors as you have. I also met D. She lives in Sandy and also is a service missionary at the Family History Center in SLC. We compared things and talked about the new FamilySearch. I found it very interesting to speak with her.
We got to Michael’s a little after 9:00. The meeting lasted until 8:20 or so. The little girls were in bed. but I was surprised that N was too. C was still up. M got home about 10:15 pm. He works at LDSFS in American Fork. He and Tand I stayed up until almost 1:30 talking and catching up. We woke up about 7:15 and I went up and read scriptures with the family and had family prayer with them. It was kind of a miscellaneous day. We enjoyed each other’s company and had fun with K and A. They are such cute little girls. And they seem to think we are special too. That evening T and I went to a bridal shower for my niece, D. She will be getting married in June but since she and her fiancé were here from Texas and her sister was here from California, (the other three sisters live in the area) they had the bridal shower for her then. They are my sister’s daughters. She died seven years ago of pulmonary emboli. It was good to see all of them and the shower was a lot of fun. My mother and two sisters, B and J were there also. After we got home Tanya and I were telling K and M about the shower. After K went to bed we started talking about other times we had been together and remembered the time we were at Joy’s place the night before my father-in-law’s funeral. We were playing games and telling jokes and how hard we laughed. I retold the joke that really made us all laugh and I was laughing so hard I couldn’t even tell the punch line. M had to guess it. I haven’t laughed that hard in years! Then T told of an experience M's co worker told him of and we really laughed then too. It felt so good to laugh. I can see why they say it is healthy to laugh.
Saturday morning we had time for a game of Pinochle. We really do enjoy playing that together. They even have some cards that aren’t regular face cards that we often use. After the Pinochle game we got ready to go to Mama’s 9oth birthday party. It was held at the Senior Citizen’s Center in American Fork. She looked very nice and really not 90 years old. I hope I look as good if I live that long. There were sooo many people there. It was good to see all of them. All of her living children were there and all of her grandchildren except five. My B and R and their families, D Y, and my youngest brother’s two children, J and J. They sent out 300 invitations and there were more than that there I would dare say. I saw cousins who had to introduce themselves because it had been so long since I had seen them. I didn’t get to see one cousin I would have really enjoyed talking to.My sister, B said she was there, but I was visiting with other cousins and didn’t notice her and she didn’t seek me out sooo. A few people did seek me out tho’ and that was very nice. All of my uncles and aunts told me I was looking so good. I decided I must have looked pretty bad the last time they saw me. Mama said that is right. I did look pretty bad there for a while. I know it’s thro’ the blessings of the Lord that I am doing so well. Uncle G told me I looked very good in my seniorness. I guess he was referring to my being a senior citizen now. We got some lovely pictures while there. I will send some of them to my children. We went back to M’s and watched them dye Easter Eggs. After the little girls were in bed we watched The Testaments. It really se tthe mood for my day the next day, it being Easter Sunday and all.
Sunday was a lovely day too. Went to church with M & T and children. They have a new chapel less than a block away from them. We had a lovely dinner there then went over to Orem, taking C with us, to see the Kims as we call them. Our son K and his wife K and their children. We had a nice visit with them. We played Pictionery Jr. and the junior Apples to Apples games. I also played the key board while K and K sang, Let There be Peace on Earth and Oh, That I Were an Angel. I think we all thoroughly enjoyed that. Karl and I were both amazed to find out that K's voice sounds almost identical to his dad's. All four of our sons have good voices but only K sounds like his Dad. I didn’t think it had been that long since I heard him sing. Altho’ it has been quite a while and he was much younger. I guess his voice has matured. We got back to M & T’s just as it was getting dark. (we don’t like to drive in the dark any more.) We had strawberry short cake and watched Meet the Robinsons which we had never seen. It was a cute movie. We were in bed before 11:00---the first night since we got there. We got up a little after 7:00 for reading the scriptures and prayer. K went back to bed. We left about 11:00 to go visit my mother for a couple of hours. We had lunch with her and enjoyed visiting with her until almost 2:00. We got gas there in American Fork before we got on the freeway and got in IF about 6:20. We got gas and ate at Chinese Garden and got home about 7:30. I was surely tired. But it was a good trip and wouldn’t have missed it for the world. It was jam packed with things to do and people to see.
Yesterday was such a beautiful day and warm—very spring like. But today there is a winter storm warning until Thursday! And it is snowing!! The high is supposed to be 50 degrees but it won’t get near that I don’t think.
Last Thursday we left for Utah. We left a little later since I was planning on going to the Israel Barlow Family Association meeting of which I am the family representative of the Pamela Elizabeth Barlow tribe. It was held in Bountiful, Utah. I wanted to meet H B, the man I have corresponded with via e-mail and talked to many times on the phone. I did meet him and his lovely wife and a few others. I was told the meeting would start at 5:00 pm but found out that it didn’t start until 6:00 pm. I had time to chat and get to know a few people which I wouldn’t have been able to if it had started at 5:00. The meeting was very informative. I met S C who is the paid genealogist/researcher for the organization. Her husband’s grandmother was a Barlow. I found out that Israel’s 5th great grandfather, the one who came over from England, was a puritan and he come over and joined John Winthrope’s Puritan colony in Massachusetts. His name was Edmund Barlow. He would be my 8th great grandfather. (And I just discovered I had them on my PAF file already. However, I hadn’t realized that they were Puritans.) I really enjoyed being to that meeting and meeting those people. As we were leaving it, I had the tho’t: I’m so thankful that I am not as shy as I used to be. If I were there was no way I could have gone to a meeting where I knew not a soul and intermingled with them and thoroughly enjoy myself. I wouldn’t have dare go. I can thank my nursing for that besides just being more mature and thank the Lord the most that He has guided my path in the directions He has. There is nothing to catch the Spirit of Elijah like meeting people who have the same ancestors as you have. I also met D. She lives in Sandy and also is a service missionary at the Family History Center in SLC. We compared things and talked about the new FamilySearch. I found it very interesting to speak with her.
We got to Michael’s a little after 9:00. The meeting lasted until 8:20 or so. The little girls were in bed. but I was surprised that N was too. C was still up. M got home about 10:15 pm. He works at LDSFS in American Fork. He and Tand I stayed up until almost 1:30 talking and catching up. We woke up about 7:15 and I went up and read scriptures with the family and had family prayer with them. It was kind of a miscellaneous day. We enjoyed each other’s company and had fun with K and A. They are such cute little girls. And they seem to think we are special too. That evening T and I went to a bridal shower for my niece, D. She will be getting married in June but since she and her fiancé were here from Texas and her sister was here from California, (the other three sisters live in the area) they had the bridal shower for her then. They are my sister’s daughters. She died seven years ago of pulmonary emboli. It was good to see all of them and the shower was a lot of fun. My mother and two sisters, B and J were there also. After we got home Tanya and I were telling K and M about the shower. After K went to bed we started talking about other times we had been together and remembered the time we were at Joy’s place the night before my father-in-law’s funeral. We were playing games and telling jokes and how hard we laughed. I retold the joke that really made us all laugh and I was laughing so hard I couldn’t even tell the punch line. M had to guess it. I haven’t laughed that hard in years! Then T told of an experience M's co worker told him of and we really laughed then too. It felt so good to laugh. I can see why they say it is healthy to laugh.
Saturday morning we had time for a game of Pinochle. We really do enjoy playing that together. They even have some cards that aren’t regular face cards that we often use. After the Pinochle game we got ready to go to Mama’s 9oth birthday party. It was held at the Senior Citizen’s Center in American Fork. She looked very nice and really not 90 years old. I hope I look as good if I live that long. There were sooo many people there. It was good to see all of them. All of her living children were there and all of her grandchildren except five. My B and R and their families, D Y, and my youngest brother’s two children, J and J. They sent out 300 invitations and there were more than that there I would dare say. I saw cousins who had to introduce themselves because it had been so long since I had seen them. I didn’t get to see one cousin I would have really enjoyed talking to.My sister, B said she was there, but I was visiting with other cousins and didn’t notice her and she didn’t seek me out sooo. A few people did seek me out tho’ and that was very nice. All of my uncles and aunts told me I was looking so good. I decided I must have looked pretty bad the last time they saw me. Mama said that is right. I did look pretty bad there for a while. I know it’s thro’ the blessings of the Lord that I am doing so well. Uncle G told me I looked very good in my seniorness. I guess he was referring to my being a senior citizen now. We got some lovely pictures while there. I will send some of them to my children. We went back to M’s and watched them dye Easter Eggs. After the little girls were in bed we watched The Testaments. It really se tthe mood for my day the next day, it being Easter Sunday and all.
Sunday was a lovely day too. Went to church with M & T and children. They have a new chapel less than a block away from them. We had a lovely dinner there then went over to Orem, taking C with us, to see the Kims as we call them. Our son K and his wife K and their children. We had a nice visit with them. We played Pictionery Jr. and the junior Apples to Apples games. I also played the key board while K and K sang, Let There be Peace on Earth and Oh, That I Were an Angel. I think we all thoroughly enjoyed that. Karl and I were both amazed to find out that K's voice sounds almost identical to his dad's. All four of our sons have good voices but only K sounds like his Dad. I didn’t think it had been that long since I heard him sing. Altho’ it has been quite a while and he was much younger. I guess his voice has matured. We got back to M & T’s just as it was getting dark. (we don’t like to drive in the dark any more.) We had strawberry short cake and watched Meet the Robinsons which we had never seen. It was a cute movie. We were in bed before 11:00---the first night since we got there. We got up a little after 7:00 for reading the scriptures and prayer. K went back to bed. We left about 11:00 to go visit my mother for a couple of hours. We had lunch with her and enjoyed visiting with her until almost 2:00. We got gas there in American Fork before we got on the freeway and got in IF about 6:20. We got gas and ate at Chinese Garden and got home about 7:30. I was surely tired. But it was a good trip and wouldn’t have missed it for the world. It was jam packed with things to do and people to see.
Yesterday was such a beautiful day and warm—very spring like. But today there is a winter storm warning until Thursday! And it is snowing!! The high is supposed to be 50 degrees but it won’t get near that I don’t think.
Monday, March 09, 2009
Installment # III
It was good to get back to the FHC. We were told we were missed. We took some ribbing because we weren’t there. I just told them we went down where it was warm. 85 degrees on the day Emma was baptized! It was very cold here we were told. I helped a few people. I am so thankful for the knowledge I have gained since we started there. A couple of weeks ago I told Elder that our mission ends in October. He said that I’d better stay around longer than that. That he had put my name in for something and I’d just better stick around. I am already teaching the PAF classes on Saturday so can’t imagine what it is all about. Time will tell.
I’ve had a couple of insights the last little while, while working there: the one was just the other day. One of the new missionaries was asking me about putting still born instead of child in the baptism and endowment fields on the individual screen. And the spirit let me know that they didn’t need to be sealed to their parents because the Atonement had taken care of them. That was a comfort to me because I have worried about little ones who are still born who wouldn’t have been BIC. I feel that the spirit is in the body before the child is born. I have felt life inside of me five times. And I know that those babies are alive before they are born. I feel that the spirit enters the body at quickening or when the mother first feels life. That is just my feelings there is no scripture or verse to support it. I feel that if the spirit is still on God’s timetable then it is only in the womb a second or so before it is born. Like I said, I have nothing to support it I just feel that way.
The other thing happened about a month ago. I was helping a young woman trying to register for FamilySearch.org. Nothing was working. She was getting sooo discouraged. She said that she lived an hour and a half away from IF and that she had planned to leave around 10:00 that morning to get to the FHC. Everything went wrong and kept her from leaving until after noon. She didn’t get there until almost 2:00. I asked her if there was a chance she had already registered because it told us that her user name had already been used. She told me that her husband may have registered her. So I found out that she had an e-mail address that she would be able to retrieve online so we sent in the request for her user name and password to be sent to her e-mail address. After we retrieved that, we were still having problems and couldn’t get the program to accept to so we could change her password to something easier for her to remember. She was ready to throw up her hands and quit. I told here that Sister F was just in the next room and she would be able to help us get it straightened out. She said she just wanted to get home; it would take her an hour and a half anyway to get home. I told her that it would only take a minute or two and that she would have to call either SLC or us to get it straightened out anyway so she gave in. S. F typed in the exact same name and password that we did and it worked for her! So S. F changed her password right then and there for her. The young woman went back into the main room and was able to find three generations of her ancestors who needed their work done! She was soo elated. She said, “I was beginning to wonder if my ancestors wanted their work done.” (She h ad told that she was a fairly recent convert.) I replied, “I don’t think it was you ancestors that would try to throw a wrench into things because they have the choice whether to accept the work being done for them or reject it.” “But,” I said, “ I do believe Satan would try to discourage you from doing this work because he knows how important it is that it be done and he would try to thwart you by causing you to become discouraged.” I felt the Spirit witnessing to me that what I said was true as I said it. It is a neat feeling.
I’ve had a couple of insights the last little while, while working there: the one was just the other day. One of the new missionaries was asking me about putting still born instead of child in the baptism and endowment fields on the individual screen. And the spirit let me know that they didn’t need to be sealed to their parents because the Atonement had taken care of them. That was a comfort to me because I have worried about little ones who are still born who wouldn’t have been BIC. I feel that the spirit is in the body before the child is born. I have felt life inside of me five times. And I know that those babies are alive before they are born. I feel that the spirit enters the body at quickening or when the mother first feels life. That is just my feelings there is no scripture or verse to support it. I feel that if the spirit is still on God’s timetable then it is only in the womb a second or so before it is born. Like I said, I have nothing to support it I just feel that way.
The other thing happened about a month ago. I was helping a young woman trying to register for FamilySearch.org. Nothing was working. She was getting sooo discouraged. She said that she lived an hour and a half away from IF and that she had planned to leave around 10:00 that morning to get to the FHC. Everything went wrong and kept her from leaving until after noon. She didn’t get there until almost 2:00. I asked her if there was a chance she had already registered because it told us that her user name had already been used. She told me that her husband may have registered her. So I found out that she had an e-mail address that she would be able to retrieve online so we sent in the request for her user name and password to be sent to her e-mail address. After we retrieved that, we were still having problems and couldn’t get the program to accept to so we could change her password to something easier for her to remember. She was ready to throw up her hands and quit. I told here that Sister F was just in the next room and she would be able to help us get it straightened out. She said she just wanted to get home; it would take her an hour and a half anyway to get home. I told her that it would only take a minute or two and that she would have to call either SLC or us to get it straightened out anyway so she gave in. S. F typed in the exact same name and password that we did and it worked for her! So S. F changed her password right then and there for her. The young woman went back into the main room and was able to find three generations of her ancestors who needed their work done! She was soo elated. She said, “I was beginning to wonder if my ancestors wanted their work done.” (She h ad told that she was a fairly recent convert.) I replied, “I don’t think it was you ancestors that would try to throw a wrench into things because they have the choice whether to accept the work being done for them or reject it.” “But,” I said, “ I do believe Satan would try to discourage you from doing this work because he knows how important it is that it be done and he would try to thwart you by causing you to become discouraged.” I felt the Spirit witnessing to me that what I said was true as I said it. It is a neat feeling.
Installment # II
Saturday, R, T, my husband and I went into Mesa temple. It has been remodeled since we were there seven or eight years ago. It is a beautiful temple. We treated them to lunch there at the temple. It takes about an hour and 10-20 minutes to drive from their house to the temple. It made me really appreciate that we just need to drive across town. We got back about 2:00 and E’s baptism was at 4:00; they were to be there by 3:30. There were three children from the Buckeye First ward getting baptized that day. It was a very nice program. And T gave the talk on the Holy Ghost. She did a good job. She said it had been 15 years since she was baptized. She is a very spiritual person.
A couple of times I sat down at the piano and played it while C and E sang the hymns that I played. We could just find a hymn book. I’d liked to have found a Children’s Song Book. They know more of those songs. Next time we are there they should know where it is. Only the bare necessities had been unpacked. It will take them a while yet to get completely settled. C made the statement after singing We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet, that Grandma R doesn’t believe the way we do but she respects what we believe. I tho’t that was very good for both Grandma R and the children to realize that. They have a good relationship as do we.
E was radiant after her baptism. She looked so angelic in her white dress. I couldn’t hear much of the blessing that R gave her. (They don’t believe in using microphones in Arizona. I couldn’t hear D’s either.) Afterwards, friends and their children came over to the house and had refreshments…supper. They stayed until about 9:30 or so. It was very enjoyable.
Their church meetings start at 8:00!! That is early. We got there before the sacrament which I tho’t was good. We enjoyed being there at church with them. D wasn’t feeling well so he wasn’t there but the rest were. And K, T’s cousin/stepbrother went with us too. I think it would be neat if he got interested in the Church.
That evening we went to the ice cream social that the T's from their old ward holds every fast Sunday. We met many of R and T’s friends and remembered meeting others before. It was very enjoyable. We got home shortly after 10:00. T’s mom stayed home with E and A. T said that that was the first time she’d seen R able to relax when they’ve been there because he didn’t have to wonder where the two little ones were.
T had told us that the day after they moved in that they had noticed all of the covers were off the outlets. Some of the screws they were able to find, others not. It was when they found the screw driver in the refrigerator that they realized that it was Ephriam that had taken them off. He has a real fascination with the refrigerator. We are thankful that he had the muscle dexterity (which most 3 ½ years olds don’t) that he was able to do it without getting himself electrocuted.
I played Battle Ship with D on the way to the social. I played with E and C when we got back. It is much easier to play on the kitchen table than it is in the van going somewhere. The little pieces move around too easily and won’t stay put in a moving car. They need to be magnetized or something. I learned that D was doing a French catapult (I can’t remember the name, needless to say) made out of legos for the Science Fair that was supposed to be last week. I hope he did well. I asked him to send me pictures of it but he hasn’t done it yet. I read the girls a story about the Squeegy Bug. I actually read it twice to E. I had some good visits with both R and T. It was good to be there. I hope we were able to help out somewhat. Next time they will be settled and there will be more time to do things together.
The shuttle was to pick us up Monday morning at 10:05. It was right there on time or a minute or two early. We arrived at Sky Harbor with almost two hours to spare. We arrived in SLC 20 minutes early so we had an hour or a little more to wait for the shuttle to bring us back to IF. We had an uneventful ride home and arrived at the bus depot at 6:50 or so. We were home by 7:15 PM. Everything was good, except Karl had put the plug in the utility sink in the utility room to soak some screws in a golf club head he found the night before we left. (He wanted to get the brass off so he could recycle it.) And he evidently didn’t shut the water off tight. And the utility room was absolutely flooded. It also came out about a yard into the carpet in our big room. Boxes were ruined. It gave us a good excuse to clean everything out of there. He even had to move the washer and dryer and get behind them. Some of the things were on a board but most was not. We still haven’t got everything back in there. I think I’ll take much of the yarn I have and haven’t used, to DI. Someone else can use it. The patterns I may just throw away. I don’t do much sewing anymore.
A couple of times I sat down at the piano and played it while C and E sang the hymns that I played. We could just find a hymn book. I’d liked to have found a Children’s Song Book. They know more of those songs. Next time we are there they should know where it is. Only the bare necessities had been unpacked. It will take them a while yet to get completely settled. C made the statement after singing We Thank Thee O God for a Prophet, that Grandma R doesn’t believe the way we do but she respects what we believe. I tho’t that was very good for both Grandma R and the children to realize that. They have a good relationship as do we.
E was radiant after her baptism. She looked so angelic in her white dress. I couldn’t hear much of the blessing that R gave her. (They don’t believe in using microphones in Arizona. I couldn’t hear D’s either.) Afterwards, friends and their children came over to the house and had refreshments…supper. They stayed until about 9:30 or so. It was very enjoyable.
Their church meetings start at 8:00!! That is early. We got there before the sacrament which I tho’t was good. We enjoyed being there at church with them. D wasn’t feeling well so he wasn’t there but the rest were. And K, T’s cousin/stepbrother went with us too. I think it would be neat if he got interested in the Church.
That evening we went to the ice cream social that the T's from their old ward holds every fast Sunday. We met many of R and T’s friends and remembered meeting others before. It was very enjoyable. We got home shortly after 10:00. T’s mom stayed home with E and A. T said that that was the first time she’d seen R able to relax when they’ve been there because he didn’t have to wonder where the two little ones were.
T had told us that the day after they moved in that they had noticed all of the covers were off the outlets. Some of the screws they were able to find, others not. It was when they found the screw driver in the refrigerator that they realized that it was Ephriam that had taken them off. He has a real fascination with the refrigerator. We are thankful that he had the muscle dexterity (which most 3 ½ years olds don’t) that he was able to do it without getting himself electrocuted.
I played Battle Ship with D on the way to the social. I played with E and C when we got back. It is much easier to play on the kitchen table than it is in the van going somewhere. The little pieces move around too easily and won’t stay put in a moving car. They need to be magnetized or something. I learned that D was doing a French catapult (I can’t remember the name, needless to say) made out of legos for the Science Fair that was supposed to be last week. I hope he did well. I asked him to send me pictures of it but he hasn’t done it yet. I read the girls a story about the Squeegy Bug. I actually read it twice to E. I had some good visits with both R and T. It was good to be there. I hope we were able to help out somewhat. Next time they will be settled and there will be more time to do things together.
The shuttle was to pick us up Monday morning at 10:05. It was right there on time or a minute or two early. We arrived at Sky Harbor with almost two hours to spare. We arrived in SLC 20 minutes early so we had an hour or a little more to wait for the shuttle to bring us back to IF. We had an uneventful ride home and arrived at the bus depot at 6:50 or so. We were home by 7:15 PM. Everything was good, except Karl had put the plug in the utility sink in the utility room to soak some screws in a golf club head he found the night before we left. (He wanted to get the brass off so he could recycle it.) And he evidently didn’t shut the water off tight. And the utility room was absolutely flooded. It also came out about a yard into the carpet in our big room. Boxes were ruined. It gave us a good excuse to clean everything out of there. He even had to move the washer and dryer and get behind them. Some of the things were on a board but most was not. We still haven’t got everything back in there. I think I’ll take much of the yarn I have and haven’t used, to DI. Someone else can use it. The patterns I may just throw away. I don’t do much sewing anymore.
Our Trip to Buckeye Installment I
We left the house at 6:55 am Tuesday morning. We arrived at SL airport by 11:20. Our plane was to leave at 12:35. We go thro' security without any problems. Of course I had to be wanded because my knee beeped when I went thro' the gate. We had about 30 mintes to wait until they started boarding the plane. Since I had gotten online and gotten a boarding pass already, we were B- 7 & 8, we were able to get on before too long and there were plenty of seats. There were empty seats thro' out the plane. We landed in Phoenix 10 minutes early which was nice. I had made reservations with the supper shuttle the day before by phone. I've decided that is the way to do it for sure at all times because they knew where we were going and the address and the cross streets etc. We really didn't have to tell them anything. It took us about 40 minutes to go from the airport to R and T's new house. It is almost due west of the airport. R and T were at their old house doing some cleaning etc. when we got there. We were here an hour or so before T got back. It was two or three before R did because he had to load up the things they didn't want and take it to the transfer station. That is the same as our dump. They take everything that goes to the dump to the transfer station then, bulldozers with bucket lifts lift everything into big trucks and then it is trucked to the dump. We had a late supper. It was sooo good to see everyone. Their house is beautiful and sooo roomy. The children as they showed us around kept saying, "It is soo big!" The rooms are, the yard is, the garage is, etc. Their bottom floor is larger than our main floor of our house then they have six bedrooms and a loft with three bathrooms up stairs. There is also a 1/2 bath down stairs. It is very nice having a bathroom that we share with just the R's and not have to share it with the children. The first night E, who is three, kept coming to visit us after we were in bed. We finally locked the door and then he just knocked on the door a few times. He has a very distinct knock. We can always tell it is E knocking. There is a fan in the room, which makes it very nice. Altho' it was thawing when we left home, It was still supposed to be in the 30's all week in IF. It is spring here!! I have to keep reminding myself that it really is February. It is delightful. The bedroom was actually too warm that first night but the fan made it just right. Their back yard is gigantic!! The children said it was the size of at least two football fields. There is nothing but dirt and tumble weeds out there but there is plenty of room for a nice sized garden, a tennis court, a small swimming pool and still have yard left over. Since this is a dessert, I'm not sure if they will have any grass. They may, time will tell, but it won't be very much if they do. Oh, they also have a three car garage. They are by no means settled but we have been able to help some either around here or watching the children while R and T went over to the other house to finish cleaning up. My husband went with them over there three times to help. They turned the keys in today, so they will be able to spend all of the availabe time in getting settled over here. Téa has a big beautiful kitchen with granite counters. There is an island in the middle with cupboard space underneath and an outlet and a bar with stools on one side. There is a very nice family room off to the side of it. A living or front room in front and a room off to the side behind the garage that they will be using for a school room. They have four computers and T does home schooling. With six children I really don't know how she does it, but she is a very organized person. Both of the R and us have a bedroom with the bathroom in between. C and A share a room, E and E share a room and D and E share a room. That's the way it is so far anyway. We've had to watch E really closely because he loves to go outside and he can open any lock (has been able to practically since he could walk.) He will go out the front door and stand there and ring the doorbell. They have put an otoman in front of the door to slow him down or try to stop him from going out but he can move it himself when he really wants too. Today, he asked T to help him move it in front of the door. (It reminded me of J when he reminded S to lock the door after they returned from the store. And yes the lock was to specifically lock Jin.) Yesterday, M found him a block and a half away. That is the only time that I’m aware of his leaving the yard. They will have to watch him closely tho’ or he could just disappear. They live in a cul-de-sac so traffic isn't a problem right in front of their house but away from the cul-de-sac it could be.
Thursday afternoon I helped C hang up her clothes and get settled in her room. It took us 2 ½ to 3 hours. We did enjoy working together. She said she would get R4 to vacuum her room and I wasn’t sure what she was talking about. After I saw it I could tell it looks like it could have come from Star Wars or something like that.
Thursday afternoon I helped C hang up her clothes and get settled in her room. It took us 2 ½ to 3 hours. We did enjoy working together. She said she would get R4 to vacuum her room and I wasn’t sure what she was talking about. After I saw it I could tell it looks like it could have come from Star Wars or something like that.
Monday, February 09, 2009
A Testimony
This is a testimony that was sent to me last November. As one can see I am greatly behind in my e-mails. Anyway, I tho't this important and beautiful enough to include it here.
This was sent by a person who works at the LA Temple. What an incredible story! It is so relieving to hear "our side" of what has been happening the last few weeks...
My dear family, brothers and sisters, friends and leaders:
My heart is overflowing with joy and gratitude to our Heavenly Father for His tender mercies and mighty miracles in our behalf. I just have to share this with you. As most of you know, I am a Temple ordinance worker and work the morning shift in the LA Temple every Saturday. Today, I had the priviledge of transcribing Sister Martz', the new assistant matron, message during our devotional.
She started like this "The prophet Joseph Smith said that no unhallowed hand would be able to stop this Work from progressing. These past few weeks when mobs have combined and armies have gathered against the saints, the Lord has protected His house". She went on to say that those, like her, who were inside the Temple when mobs were surrounding it, did not realize how scary and terrifying this looked on TV to the rest of us, because inside the House of the Lord all was calm and there was peace abundant. After Proposition 8 passed, the Temple began receiving threatening calls and mail from those opposing it. They were warned that more than 5000 people would come to the Temple and burn it to the ground, and stop Its work. The first Thursday when the mob came, the new LA Temple President called the Salt Lake City Temple Offices for instructions. He was instructed to call the local police and to insure the safety of those attending the Temple by closing the gates.
The assistant matron said today, that it was a tender mercy from the Lord that the mob chose that Thursday to come since they had only one person coming to receive his own endowment that day, which he received in time to leave before trouble started. The LAPD and the FBI responded quickly to the Temple Presidency's summons and patrolled the grounds and kept the mob from entering the same. Most of them had never been there before and expressed their surprise at how beautiful and peaceful all around was. They were invited to come back during the Christmas season to see the lights and they promised they would.
On Thursday, November 13th, sister Campbell, a secretary in the Temple, was opening the mail and upon opening a large manila envelope found inside a smaller one. When she opened this one, a white powder flew all around her desk. She thought this could be related to the demonstrators and feared the worst-ANTRAX. She contacted the President, who in turn called the Salt Lake City Temple office again for instructions. The FBI, the LAPD, and even the SWAT teams were once again in the grounds to investigate, and the Temple once again had to close from around 11:30 AM to 5PM. They closed the gates and were instructed to keep all the people there wherever they were found at the time. Those in the parking lot had to remain in the parking lot. Those entering the Temple had to remain in the first floor and those already upstairs were taken to the Celestial Room.
Then, the miracles began to happen: A brother serving as a recorder that day is a Microbiologist by profession and used to deal with hazardous substances every day. He was the first to say the white powder in the envelope was only talc, and put every one at ease. Then the sister coordinator upstairs was impressed to call upstairs to the sealing area, and said "They said we can't go down but no one said we can't go up, and I have many people in the Celestial room with their ceremonial clothes on ready to work. Could they do some sealings?" As it happened, there were four sealers present that day and they ran four sealing sessions non stop while the Temple was closed. Downstairs, someone else thought to invite those in the Lobby to do some initiatories, which they promptly did for all those hours too, brothers and sisters alike.
Among those waiting in the parking lot there was a large group of young men and women with their leaders who had come to do Baptisms for the dead, and who waited patiently all those hours and decided when the Temple was reopened to go ahead and fulfill their assignment instead of driving back home. The Temple reopened in time for the 5:30 PM session. The next day when recording the ordinances, they discovered that they had performed 2000 sacred ordinances on Thursday, only one less than the day before when three stakes had been visiting the Temple.
Once again the assistant matron reminded us of the words of the prophet Joseph Smith, "No unhallowed hand can stop the Work from progressing...". But, this is not all, a prophecy was fulfilled also. When the new LA Temple President was set apart by President Uchdorft of the First Presidency, he received a blessing and these words were pronounced: " The time has come for the LA Temple to come out of obscurity and become an Ensign for Righteousness to the world under your presidency." The pictures of the Temple have been shown on TV, newspapers and the internet, not only in this country but worldwide. People of other faiths have called and sent letters to the Temple thanking the Church for defending marriage and protecting the family, and commenting how impressed they are by how beautiful and majestic the Temple looks .
One minister of an African American church, who by his own admission had harbored ill feelings against the mormons before said " I am impressed by your integrity and Christ like behavior, and even if I am not ready to consider you my brothers and sisters in Christ, we can be first cousins!".
I asked the assistant matron if I could share her comments and she said to go ahead. I can only add my own testimony that I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has the power and authority of God on earth. God Lives and Jesus, His only Begotten Son and our Savior is coming soon to redeem His people. I am grateful to know this and I pray we stand firm, steadfast and immobile while the prophecies of the signs before His Coming are fulfilled. "Be not afraid, only believe" He has said, and also " What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same." I testify that this is true and testify it in the Holy Name of Whom I strive to serve, even Jesus Christ. Be faithful and safe is my humble prayer. Your sister in Christ, Patricia H. Arnazzi
This was sent by a person who works at the LA Temple. What an incredible story! It is so relieving to hear "our side" of what has been happening the last few weeks...
My dear family, brothers and sisters, friends and leaders:
My heart is overflowing with joy and gratitude to our Heavenly Father for His tender mercies and mighty miracles in our behalf. I just have to share this with you. As most of you know, I am a Temple ordinance worker and work the morning shift in the LA Temple every Saturday. Today, I had the priviledge of transcribing Sister Martz', the new assistant matron, message during our devotional.
She started like this "The prophet Joseph Smith said that no unhallowed hand would be able to stop this Work from progressing. These past few weeks when mobs have combined and armies have gathered against the saints, the Lord has protected His house". She went on to say that those, like her, who were inside the Temple when mobs were surrounding it, did not realize how scary and terrifying this looked on TV to the rest of us, because inside the House of the Lord all was calm and there was peace abundant. After Proposition 8 passed, the Temple began receiving threatening calls and mail from those opposing it. They were warned that more than 5000 people would come to the Temple and burn it to the ground, and stop Its work. The first Thursday when the mob came, the new LA Temple President called the Salt Lake City Temple Offices for instructions. He was instructed to call the local police and to insure the safety of those attending the Temple by closing the gates.
The assistant matron said today, that it was a tender mercy from the Lord that the mob chose that Thursday to come since they had only one person coming to receive his own endowment that day, which he received in time to leave before trouble started. The LAPD and the FBI responded quickly to the Temple Presidency's summons and patrolled the grounds and kept the mob from entering the same. Most of them had never been there before and expressed their surprise at how beautiful and peaceful all around was. They were invited to come back during the Christmas season to see the lights and they promised they would.
On Thursday, November 13th, sister Campbell, a secretary in the Temple, was opening the mail and upon opening a large manila envelope found inside a smaller one. When she opened this one, a white powder flew all around her desk. She thought this could be related to the demonstrators and feared the worst-ANTRAX. She contacted the President, who in turn called the Salt Lake City Temple office again for instructions. The FBI, the LAPD, and even the SWAT teams were once again in the grounds to investigate, and the Temple once again had to close from around 11:30 AM to 5PM. They closed the gates and were instructed to keep all the people there wherever they were found at the time. Those in the parking lot had to remain in the parking lot. Those entering the Temple had to remain in the first floor and those already upstairs were taken to the Celestial Room.
Then, the miracles began to happen: A brother serving as a recorder that day is a Microbiologist by profession and used to deal with hazardous substances every day. He was the first to say the white powder in the envelope was only talc, and put every one at ease. Then the sister coordinator upstairs was impressed to call upstairs to the sealing area, and said "They said we can't go down but no one said we can't go up, and I have many people in the Celestial room with their ceremonial clothes on ready to work. Could they do some sealings?" As it happened, there were four sealers present that day and they ran four sealing sessions non stop while the Temple was closed. Downstairs, someone else thought to invite those in the Lobby to do some initiatories, which they promptly did for all those hours too, brothers and sisters alike.
Among those waiting in the parking lot there was a large group of young men and women with their leaders who had come to do Baptisms for the dead, and who waited patiently all those hours and decided when the Temple was reopened to go ahead and fulfill their assignment instead of driving back home. The Temple reopened in time for the 5:30 PM session. The next day when recording the ordinances, they discovered that they had performed 2000 sacred ordinances on Thursday, only one less than the day before when three stakes had been visiting the Temple.
Once again the assistant matron reminded us of the words of the prophet Joseph Smith, "No unhallowed hand can stop the Work from progressing...". But, this is not all, a prophecy was fulfilled also. When the new LA Temple President was set apart by President Uchdorft of the First Presidency, he received a blessing and these words were pronounced: " The time has come for the LA Temple to come out of obscurity and become an Ensign for Righteousness to the world under your presidency." The pictures of the Temple have been shown on TV, newspapers and the internet, not only in this country but worldwide. People of other faiths have called and sent letters to the Temple thanking the Church for defending marriage and protecting the family, and commenting how impressed they are by how beautiful and majestic the Temple looks .
One minister of an African American church, who by his own admission had harbored ill feelings against the mormons before said " I am impressed by your integrity and Christ like behavior, and even if I am not ready to consider you my brothers and sisters in Christ, we can be first cousins!".
I asked the assistant matron if I could share her comments and she said to go ahead. I can only add my own testimony that I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has the power and authority of God on earth. God Lives and Jesus, His only Begotten Son and our Savior is coming soon to redeem His people. I am grateful to know this and I pray we stand firm, steadfast and immobile while the prophecies of the signs before His Coming are fulfilled. "Be not afraid, only believe" He has said, and also " What I the Lord have spoken, I have spoken, and I excuse not myself; and though the heavens and the earth pass away, my word shall not pass away, but shall all be fulfilled, whether by mine own voice or by the voice of my servants, it is the same." I testify that this is true and testify it in the Holy Name of Whom I strive to serve, even Jesus Christ. Be faithful and safe is my humble prayer. Your sister in Christ, Patricia H. Arnazzi
Sunday, February 08, 2009
I have been corresponding with John Rufener all week now, sometimes six or eight times a day. The other man who contacted me told me he couldn’t help me so I deleted his e-mail. John has sent me the ship’s manifest with my Grandma Wendel’s name on it when she sailed from Liverpool to America. She left the year before the rest of her mother, father and siblings. She came to SLC and lived with Aunt Elise and Aunt Louise, her half sisters (same mother, different father). They all three worked and saved money so the rest of the family could join them. He let me get online to view his family tree etc. He also sent me pictures of Aunt Elise from the time she was a young woman until she was much older. I think he sent five pictures in all. After viewing the picture of Aunt Elise when she was the oldest, I decided I must have met her because she surely looked familiar. It could have been at my grandmother’s funeral because she died two years before Aunt Elise did. He also sent me some links about Aunt Elise and her life, a short biography etc. She sounds like a very interesting woman.
Elise Furer Musser (7 December 1877 - 30 August 1967) was a prominent figure in Utah political and social life from the 1930s until her death. A poor Swiss immigrant convert to Mormonism she found her place of leadership after marrying Salt Lake City attorney Burton W. Musser, a member of one of Utah's most important families. Mrs. Musser worked at Neighborhood House an establishment designed to aid the poor and the foreign-born in Salt Lake City and she led the way toward passage of child labor legislation in Utah. She served as a Utah State Senator and Democratic National Committeewoman, but her greatest political achievement, perhaps, was her appointment by President Roosevelt in the 1930s as the United States Delegate (and only woman participant) to international peace conferences in Buenos Aires and Lima.
Elise Furer was born in Les Loges, Canton of Neuchatel, Switzerland, the fourth of five children. Her father died when she was three and although her mother remarried when she was seven the family was very poor. Elise spent four years unhappily in the home of a childless aunt, but eventually returned to her mother. She was a bright student and although her education was sporadic she graduated from high school at a younger age than usual.
A major turning point came in 1894 when she was baptized into the Mormon Church in response to the message of missionaries. Her conversion, while no doubt sincere, had an economic component as well, for she saw in the Mormon Church an opportunity to emigrate to America to improve her condition in life. She arrived in Salt Lake City in 1897 and accepted a menial housekeeping job for a few weeks while she added English to the French and German languages which she already spoke (she eventually would become fluent in Spanish and Italian as well).
Salt Lake City, however, seemed not to contain the kind of opportunity she sought and when an opportunity came for her to move to one of the Mormon colonies in Mexico she accepted. The Mexican colonies, of course, were refuges for polygamists who had found themselves rejected by both church and state in Utah. Elise was unaware of the purpose of the colonies when she went there. She found a good home with one of the families though once again she was unable to locate work that would provide her with more than a modest income. She did manage to accumulate a certain amount of savings, and that, together with her unwillingness to enter a polygamous marriage which would be expected of her if she remained in Mexico, induced her to return to Salt Lake City.
It proved to be another fortuitous move. Shortly after she attended a party in the Second Ward and became friends with Blanche Musser, she met Blanche's brother, Burton, who was to become her husband. They were married in 1911 and moved to New York City while Burton attended law school at Columbia University. Elise also attended college in New York City and the years there were happy ones for her.
Two events of great significance occurred while the couple was in the East. They had been Republicans, but they became very impressed with Woodrow Wilson and joined the Democratic party, the party in which both were to become very influential. Also, they had a baby boy, Bernard, in 1914. Burton had typhoid part of the time she was carrying Bernard and she was worried about suffering a miscarriage if she contracted the disease. Thus the birth of her son had special significance for the couple and her letters later in life, even while engaged in the most intricate and momentous political processes, show an unfailing concern for Bernard's well-being, his travels and his education.
Mrs. Musser's entrance into politics came through her involvement with Neighborhood House where she put her linguistic skills and her social compassion to good use. It was while engaged at Neighborhood House that she attracted the attention of the wife of Governor George Dern who asked her to serve as State Chairman of Democratic Women. That first post led eventually to diplomatic missions in Latin America and service as the Utah State Senator. For the remainder of her life Mrs. Musser was a figure to be reckoned with in Utah Democratic politics.
During the last decades of her life, Mrs. Musser was active in a wide variety of social and political organizations and served as mentor to many younger women who wanted careers outside the home. For reasons that remain relatively obscure she drifted away from and she joined the Unitarian Church in 1940. It was in that church that her funeral services were held in 1967.
John is 61 years old to my 65 years…about the same age as my brother. I sent him the GEDCOM files on the Rufeners and Meiers that I have gotten the names for since we started or mission. Also a picture of the Rufener family after my Grandpa and Grandma were married. John’s grandfather, Henry, was also in the picture as well as other members of the family. I also sent him a picture of the home in Switzerland where the missionaries taught the Rufener family. It has been a very interesting and rewarding week.
Elise Furer Musser (7 December 1877 - 30 August 1967) was a prominent figure in Utah political and social life from the 1930s until her death. A poor Swiss immigrant convert to Mormonism she found her place of leadership after marrying Salt Lake City attorney Burton W. Musser, a member of one of Utah's most important families. Mrs. Musser worked at Neighborhood House an establishment designed to aid the poor and the foreign-born in Salt Lake City and she led the way toward passage of child labor legislation in Utah. She served as a Utah State Senator and Democratic National Committeewoman, but her greatest political achievement, perhaps, was her appointment by President Roosevelt in the 1930s as the United States Delegate (and only woman participant) to international peace conferences in Buenos Aires and Lima.
Elise Furer was born in Les Loges, Canton of Neuchatel, Switzerland, the fourth of five children. Her father died when she was three and although her mother remarried when she was seven the family was very poor. Elise spent four years unhappily in the home of a childless aunt, but eventually returned to her mother. She was a bright student and although her education was sporadic she graduated from high school at a younger age than usual.
A major turning point came in 1894 when she was baptized into the Mormon Church in response to the message of missionaries. Her conversion, while no doubt sincere, had an economic component as well, for she saw in the Mormon Church an opportunity to emigrate to America to improve her condition in life. She arrived in Salt Lake City in 1897 and accepted a menial housekeeping job for a few weeks while she added English to the French and German languages which she already spoke (she eventually would become fluent in Spanish and Italian as well).
Salt Lake City, however, seemed not to contain the kind of opportunity she sought and when an opportunity came for her to move to one of the Mormon colonies in Mexico she accepted. The Mexican colonies, of course, were refuges for polygamists who had found themselves rejected by both church and state in Utah. Elise was unaware of the purpose of the colonies when she went there. She found a good home with one of the families though once again she was unable to locate work that would provide her with more than a modest income. She did manage to accumulate a certain amount of savings, and that, together with her unwillingness to enter a polygamous marriage which would be expected of her if she remained in Mexico, induced her to return to Salt Lake City.
It proved to be another fortuitous move. Shortly after she attended a party in the Second Ward and became friends with Blanche Musser, she met Blanche's brother, Burton, who was to become her husband. They were married in 1911 and moved to New York City while Burton attended law school at Columbia University. Elise also attended college in New York City and the years there were happy ones for her.
Two events of great significance occurred while the couple was in the East. They had been Republicans, but they became very impressed with Woodrow Wilson and joined the Democratic party, the party in which both were to become very influential. Also, they had a baby boy, Bernard, in 1914. Burton had typhoid part of the time she was carrying Bernard and she was worried about suffering a miscarriage if she contracted the disease. Thus the birth of her son had special significance for the couple and her letters later in life, even while engaged in the most intricate and momentous political processes, show an unfailing concern for Bernard's well-being, his travels and his education.
Mrs. Musser's entrance into politics came through her involvement with Neighborhood House where she put her linguistic skills and her social compassion to good use. It was while engaged at Neighborhood House that she attracted the attention of the wife of Governor George Dern who asked her to serve as State Chairman of Democratic Women. That first post led eventually to diplomatic missions in Latin America and service as the Utah State Senator. For the remainder of her life Mrs. Musser was a figure to be reckoned with in Utah Democratic politics.
During the last decades of her life, Mrs. Musser was active in a wide variety of social and political organizations and served as mentor to many younger women who wanted careers outside the home. For reasons that remain relatively obscure she drifted away from and she joined the Unitarian Church in 1940. It was in that church that her funeral services were held in 1967.
John is 61 years old to my 65 years…about the same age as my brother. I sent him the GEDCOM files on the Rufeners and Meiers that I have gotten the names for since we started or mission. Also a picture of the Rufener family after my Grandpa and Grandma were married. John’s grandfather, Henry, was also in the picture as well as other members of the family. I also sent him a picture of the home in Switzerland where the missionaries taught the Rufener family. It has been a very interesting and rewarding week.
Monday, February 02, 2009
An Interesting Experience
I just had an interesting experience. I was looking in the archives of my online blog for an entry I made since we started our mission. I couldn’t find that particular blog but I did find two things I was unaware of. The first one was in April 2007 and the other May of 2007. I guess I need to check back every once in a while a month or two and see if anyone has left me any messages. These two were from two men who does family history/genealogy. The first was from a Rufener cousin…he has the same great grandfather I do. (Frederic Rufener) And his name is Rufener too. I have no idea where he lives. The other is from a man who lives in Switzerland who offered to help me find individuals in Bern, Switzerland. And those messages had been sitting there all this time and I was unaware of it. I e-mailed both of them and asked them to please not wait so long to contact me as it did me them. J
Time will tell what happens.
Time will tell what happens.
Sunday, February 01, 2009
I can't believe it is February already!
Last Monday was our Zone meeting there at the FHC. Our director and is wife, Larry and Kathy Killian were released after serving four+ years and Elder Wayne Lyon and Sister Caroline Lyon will be our new directors. They have been at the center for five years. The Killians will be “moving” up the chain to be the Regional Family History consultants working with 12 stakes within the temple district of the IF temple. I’m thankful that I got to know them as well as I did and work with them the last 21 months.
After all of the business was taken care of Brother and Sister Kazier from Rexburg spoke to us. He is a patriarch up there now, worked there at the Regional FHC four years ago and was instrumental in all of the obituaries in SE Idaho being digilized and pictures of grave stones put with them so they are accessible on the computer. He spoke of what the Lord is telling the youth today in their blessings. He had nine points. Some of them were: pay and honest and full tithing, attend your meetings, read and study the scriptures, pray daily and often…you get the idea. All of them were things we all should be doing if we want to endure to the end.
Afterwards, my husband and I went to Gangplank to eat (the meeting was 5-6 pm) and the couple ahead of us was the Kaziers. Sister Kazier asked us to come and sit with them. We spent a delightful hour and a half getting to know them and they us. He has worked at the site, taught at Ricks for 20 years, and is still working on establishing certain sites on the computer for different things. We found out we know their daughter, Janet, who lives in Kearney 2nd Ward. They have six children and 29 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. It was a very delightful evening.
I’ve been busy at the FHC. Since they have made me the trainer on both Saturdays and Wednesdays now, and we have quite a few new missionaries, that alone keeps me busy. Yesterday I helped four different patrons as well. I have discovered a way to find more ancestors. On Ancetry.com is One World Tree. When you put an ancestors name in there and click on find famous ancestors, it comes up with people you are related to. I typed in Mildred Theresa Call. She is related to 37 famous people!! Florence Nightingale, Rutherford B. Hayes, Thomas More, Eli Whitney, and many others. I clicked on Florence Nightingale first. They have your ancestors ancestors and the ancestors of the other person listed until they find a common ancestor. With Florence Nightingale there were seven above Grandma and only five above Florence. A week ago I tho’t of checking to see if I have all seven on my PAF file. I had all of them except the common ancestor. I put her into my file. When I clicked on her little box, I found her husband and 11 other children with dates and places for all of them. I copied and pasted all of them. The next day I went to FamilySearch.org and found that all of their work had been done. Then Saturday, a week ago I found about 40 more people. Last Wednesday, I found more. I have decided I will check out each one of those 37 people. I’m on the 5th one now. I was so busy yesterday, that I only had time to add two more people. But that’s OK. I will get to it as I get to it.
I worked with a woman, yesterday, who is here from Missouri. Because her temple district has been rolled out she is registered on the NewFamilySearch.org. She needed help understanding that. Since they told us last October or November that we will be getting the NewFamilySearch but not soon, they haven’t been teaching any more classes on them. I’m so thankful the Lord helped me learn and understand how to use it and helped to remember who to do so I could help that nice sister. She really didn’t know anything about it. I taught her how to combine duplicates, check for duplicates, that the green arrow means there is someone in that family needs work done, and if there is a check there that the whole family’s work is done. She was there four or five hours. I’m so thankful the Lord helped me remember all of that. I hadn’t done anything with it for months. I’m thankful to be a Family History Missionary. I truly believe I am doing what the Lord wants me to do. We, me and my husband, are supposed to be serving there. My husband has learned how to scan books with the new scanner. That is something I really don’t know. I had one session on it and helped someone that same day learn about it but that was months ago and since it was only one time, I would need to be shown again. Since I am busy helping the patrons and the new missionaries, I really don’t have time to spend on it anyway. It gives my husband satisfaction to be able to do it. He has mastered it well. He has also indexed more than 11,000 names! He has done all of those at the FHC also.
After all of the business was taken care of Brother and Sister Kazier from Rexburg spoke to us. He is a patriarch up there now, worked there at the Regional FHC four years ago and was instrumental in all of the obituaries in SE Idaho being digilized and pictures of grave stones put with them so they are accessible on the computer. He spoke of what the Lord is telling the youth today in their blessings. He had nine points. Some of them were: pay and honest and full tithing, attend your meetings, read and study the scriptures, pray daily and often…you get the idea. All of them were things we all should be doing if we want to endure to the end.
Afterwards, my husband and I went to Gangplank to eat (the meeting was 5-6 pm) and the couple ahead of us was the Kaziers. Sister Kazier asked us to come and sit with them. We spent a delightful hour and a half getting to know them and they us. He has worked at the site, taught at Ricks for 20 years, and is still working on establishing certain sites on the computer for different things. We found out we know their daughter, Janet, who lives in Kearney 2nd Ward. They have six children and 29 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. It was a very delightful evening.
I’ve been busy at the FHC. Since they have made me the trainer on both Saturdays and Wednesdays now, and we have quite a few new missionaries, that alone keeps me busy. Yesterday I helped four different patrons as well. I have discovered a way to find more ancestors. On Ancetry.com is One World Tree. When you put an ancestors name in there and click on find famous ancestors, it comes up with people you are related to. I typed in Mildred Theresa Call. She is related to 37 famous people!! Florence Nightingale, Rutherford B. Hayes, Thomas More, Eli Whitney, and many others. I clicked on Florence Nightingale first. They have your ancestors ancestors and the ancestors of the other person listed until they find a common ancestor. With Florence Nightingale there were seven above Grandma and only five above Florence. A week ago I tho’t of checking to see if I have all seven on my PAF file. I had all of them except the common ancestor. I put her into my file. When I clicked on her little box, I found her husband and 11 other children with dates and places for all of them. I copied and pasted all of them. The next day I went to FamilySearch.org and found that all of their work had been done. Then Saturday, a week ago I found about 40 more people. Last Wednesday, I found more. I have decided I will check out each one of those 37 people. I’m on the 5th one now. I was so busy yesterday, that I only had time to add two more people. But that’s OK. I will get to it as I get to it.
I worked with a woman, yesterday, who is here from Missouri. Because her temple district has been rolled out she is registered on the NewFamilySearch.org. She needed help understanding that. Since they told us last October or November that we will be getting the NewFamilySearch but not soon, they haven’t been teaching any more classes on them. I’m so thankful the Lord helped me learn and understand how to use it and helped to remember who to do so I could help that nice sister. She really didn’t know anything about it. I taught her how to combine duplicates, check for duplicates, that the green arrow means there is someone in that family needs work done, and if there is a check there that the whole family’s work is done. She was there four or five hours. I’m so thankful the Lord helped me remember all of that. I hadn’t done anything with it for months. I’m thankful to be a Family History Missionary. I truly believe I am doing what the Lord wants me to do. We, me and my husband, are supposed to be serving there. My husband has learned how to scan books with the new scanner. That is something I really don’t know. I had one session on it and helped someone that same day learn about it but that was months ago and since it was only one time, I would need to be shown again. Since I am busy helping the patrons and the new missionaries, I really don’t have time to spend on it anyway. It gives my husband satisfaction to be able to do it. He has mastered it well. He has also indexed more than 11,000 names! He has done all of those at the FHC also.
Monday, January 12, 2009
The second week of January 2009
This week has been so rewarding at the FHC. One of my daughters-in-law reminded me that one of the gifts of the Spirit is Knowledge, another one is being able to teach others that knowledge. I had to become a missionary at the FHC to realize that I have these gifts. I have taught Primary, Jr. Sunday School, Beehives in Young Women’s and Relief Society. I have had good success in all of these but I never tho’t of it as having those Gifts of the Spirit. But there at the FHC it is so obvious that I am so blessed. I have been able to retain most of the things I have been taught and am able to teach it to others in such a way that they can understand it. It is such a wonderful experience to be able to do this. Since the first of the year I have been so busy that the time has just flown by. Busy with teaching and helping both new missionaries and patrons to learn new things and help them find the information they are looking for. Elder Killian, the director at FHC told us that we have cleared more than 225,000 ordinances last year. The first two days we were open, January 2nd and 3rd, we cleared more than 2,000 names. They add up the numbers at the end of each month. It will be interesting to see how many we do this month. Elder Killian told me last Wednesday that when he first started there at the center as a missionary 14 years ago, that they only cleared 20,000 ordinances all year long and they were probably the majority of them duplicates. And of those over 225,000 ordinances this past year that over 200,000 were probably not duplicates. I think that is so exciting.
Last Saturday I had such a special experience. I had spent the morning helping two new missionaries (this was only their second day there at the center) get a acquainted with their PAF program and clean it up, get rid of duplicates, etc. I also helped quite a few patrons as well. As I was going back in the big room after eating lunch one sister waved me over to where she had just seated a man and a woman at at computer. She introduced me that Bill and Adrian were there and Bill was not a member and had a name to put thro’ temple ready. I asked them if they had brought their information. They hadn’t brought anything with them. However, Bill could remember all of the pertinent information. I showed them how to bring up a new PAF program (you need to use PAF to put a name thro’ temple ready) and had Adrian type in her name, address, etc. I told her to type in her husbands name first. That’s when I found out that they weren’t married. Since the Sister hadn’t told me the last names I just assumed… Anyway, Bill typed in the name of a young woman and her birth date and place. When he was typing in the death date, he got quite emotional and left for a few minutes. I said to Adrian, “you say he isn’t a member?” and she said, “That’s right.” I then asked her how it came to the point that he wanted his wife’s work done. (I had told them he obviously was very close to this young woman and Adrian told me she was his wife.) Adrian also told me that she and Bill had “been keeping company” for 17 months and that his wife had appeared to her and had asked her to get her work done for her. She said that she finally was able to approach him on it and he was agreeable to have her work done. After we put the name thro’ temple ready and got the submission disk completed, Adrian asked us the purpose of the FHC and other questions about it. I let the other sister take over and went back to helping others. But while Bill was in the other room trying to compose himself, I told Adrian that when my sons went on missions, they didn’t have to fill out the four generation family group sheets and send them in with their application like they do today. I said that this showed me why they do that now; that I can see how family history can be a very powerful missionary tool.
This morning my husband and I went into the first new missionary class of the year to teach the “computer, basic skills class”. My husband ran the computer and I did the teaching telling them different things about the computer and how we use them there at the center. We have 19 new missionaries. I found out half of them were retired educators. I found that very interesting. About 2/3 of them felt comfortable with the computer. The other third didn’t know much about them. I taught in the new computer lab for the first time. It is great. As I told them about something, my husband would show them on the main computer with the overhead projector on the wall then they were able to do the same thing on their individual computers. I also had a worksheet for them to find certain things on the computer. Sister Hendricks had allowed me a full two hours but we were all thro’ in a hour and a half. By doing this I get to meet the new missionaries that work on other days besides Wednesday and Saturday when I work. The class went well and I think almost everyone learned something new. Even those who know computers because we do a few things differently there. One of the sisters had arranged for four of the missionaries to be in there to help them if they had difficulty with the assignment. It was a rewarding experience.
On the way home we stopped at Office Max and got a new 8 GB USB drive for $20! The first one I got for me less than two years ago was a 2 GB that was selling for $80 and was on sale for $30. With everything going up technology is definitely one thing that the price is going down. It is sooo nice. I’m going to use that new USB drive for my backup for everything. My 2 GB USB drive is almost ¾ full. I have over 600 pictures on it of people and documents. It holds much more than I tho’t it would.
Last Saturday I had such a special experience. I had spent the morning helping two new missionaries (this was only their second day there at the center) get a acquainted with their PAF program and clean it up, get rid of duplicates, etc. I also helped quite a few patrons as well. As I was going back in the big room after eating lunch one sister waved me over to where she had just seated a man and a woman at at computer. She introduced me that Bill and Adrian were there and Bill was not a member and had a name to put thro’ temple ready. I asked them if they had brought their information. They hadn’t brought anything with them. However, Bill could remember all of the pertinent information. I showed them how to bring up a new PAF program (you need to use PAF to put a name thro’ temple ready) and had Adrian type in her name, address, etc. I told her to type in her husbands name first. That’s when I found out that they weren’t married. Since the Sister hadn’t told me the last names I just assumed… Anyway, Bill typed in the name of a young woman and her birth date and place. When he was typing in the death date, he got quite emotional and left for a few minutes. I said to Adrian, “you say he isn’t a member?” and she said, “That’s right.” I then asked her how it came to the point that he wanted his wife’s work done. (I had told them he obviously was very close to this young woman and Adrian told me she was his wife.) Adrian also told me that she and Bill had “been keeping company” for 17 months and that his wife had appeared to her and had asked her to get her work done for her. She said that she finally was able to approach him on it and he was agreeable to have her work done. After we put the name thro’ temple ready and got the submission disk completed, Adrian asked us the purpose of the FHC and other questions about it. I let the other sister take over and went back to helping others. But while Bill was in the other room trying to compose himself, I told Adrian that when my sons went on missions, they didn’t have to fill out the four generation family group sheets and send them in with their application like they do today. I said that this showed me why they do that now; that I can see how family history can be a very powerful missionary tool.
This morning my husband and I went into the first new missionary class of the year to teach the “computer, basic skills class”. My husband ran the computer and I did the teaching telling them different things about the computer and how we use them there at the center. We have 19 new missionaries. I found out half of them were retired educators. I found that very interesting. About 2/3 of them felt comfortable with the computer. The other third didn’t know much about them. I taught in the new computer lab for the first time. It is great. As I told them about something, my husband would show them on the main computer with the overhead projector on the wall then they were able to do the same thing on their individual computers. I also had a worksheet for them to find certain things on the computer. Sister Hendricks had allowed me a full two hours but we were all thro’ in a hour and a half. By doing this I get to meet the new missionaries that work on other days besides Wednesday and Saturday when I work. The class went well and I think almost everyone learned something new. Even those who know computers because we do a few things differently there. One of the sisters had arranged for four of the missionaries to be in there to help them if they had difficulty with the assignment. It was a rewarding experience.
On the way home we stopped at Office Max and got a new 8 GB USB drive for $20! The first one I got for me less than two years ago was a 2 GB that was selling for $80 and was on sale for $30. With everything going up technology is definitely one thing that the price is going down. It is sooo nice. I’m going to use that new USB drive for my backup for everything. My 2 GB USB drive is almost ¾ full. I have over 600 pictures on it of people and documents. It holds much more than I tho’t it would.
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