We have had a very busy week

This past week has been a very eventful and interesting week. Richard had called us late Sunday and told us that they were in Pocatello….had gotten there Saturday evening. We saw them Tuesday evening, meeting them at Arctic Circle. It was very nice seeing them. They bought us lunch. I especially enjoyed visiting with Duncan. The other children wanted to play on the toys. We had a very nice visit. He told me about his being the only deacon in his ward after his last friend moves out next month and that he is a home teaching companion with his dad now even tho’ he won’t turn even13 for a couple more weeks. It was soo good to see everyone. All of the children, of course, have grown. We were there about 2 ½ hours and thoroughly enjoyed it.

Wednesday we went to the FHC, of course. I got my hair colored that morning. I look and feel much better. All of the gray hair growing around my face makes me feel so blah. I feel much better (as well as look much better). I was able to help a few people. I left early because it was our Visiting Teachers Conference at 6:30 and they had a very nice luncheon with it. Almost all summer long there have only been 1 or 2 patrons come in after 5:00 so I decided I would ask permission to leave early so Karl and I drove over separately. When I asked Elder Hall if it was OK if I left (it was 6:20), he said “Of course, you can, you are your own boss now.” Referring to my being one of the directors now. I told him only on Saturday not on Wednesday.

Wednesday morning I had called Richard and asked him if he and his family would like to go to the zoo Thursday afternoon. He said they would discuss it and get back to me. He called around 10:00 am or so Thursday and told me that they would very much like to go. We met them there about 2:15. We had a lovely time while there. The weather was perfect…in the high 70’s. A year ago we had gone to the zoo with Michael and his family and it was in the high 80’s or low 90’s then. We didn’t see many animals other than the birds. All of the big animals except the Sloth Bears, were in their dens trying to keep out of the heat. This time we saw the snow leopards (two of them), the lions, the tiger (which roared for us for at least five full minutes), the red pandas as well as the farm yard animals and zebras and yak and llamas, and the monkey house too. It was a very delightful day. I did much better than I had tho’t I could. I only sat down three times in the 2 ½ hours we were there and it was close to an hour before I had to sit down the first time. I really am being blessed. Richard treated us to the new Hong Kong restaurant afterwards. We had never been there before. The food is like the Chinese Garden used to be before it changed ownership. We got home around 6:30. That was my birthday treat with Richard and their children.

Friday, Karen came up and took me to brunch at Perkins. We had a very enjoyable visit. We took our time and weren’t rushed. She had to be to an appointment by 12:30 so we drove separately. By the time I got home, Karl had gone to AAC to exercise and shower. I had a lovely visit on the phone with my mother and Bryan and my mother-in-law. All in all it was a very nice day. That afternoon I made a double batch of zucchini brownies. I took the larger pan to the FHC the next day and saved the smaller one for Sunday. That afternoon Karl found an envelope in our paper box with my name on it. It was a card that one of my visiting teacher had made and a pair of earrings that she also had made. I tho’t that was so sweet of her to do that. I really like the earrings. I also had 15 wishes on Facebook for my birthday and e-mails from my siblings and other two sons too. All in all it was a very nice day.


Saturday, we got to the FHC by 8:00 so I could open it up and get it ready for the day. The Butterworths got there shortly after so Brother B could help me count the money and put it in the till (or I help him). I was very busy helping the patrons and the missionaries all day long. I was so tired when we finished. We needed to go to Winco to get some things for the next day for dinner. Richard and family were coming to dinner after attending church with us . Believe me when I say: it is much different cooking for 11 than for two! But they all seemed to enjoy the food. And there weren’t as many leftovers as it looked like there would be…which is good. We were also supposed to stop and get gas in the Taurus after going to Winco but I was soo tired I forgot. So Sunday after finishing dinner we rested an hour or so then drove to Karen’s and so we had to use the Buick because the Taurus only had 57 miles worth of gas and it is at least 60 miles round trip from our house to Karen’s. We were on fumes with the Buick too by the time we got back but with the Lord’s help we made it and had enough fumes to drive to the gas station Monday morning. Bryan and Sara were there at Karen’s too. They had come from Nebraska the day before to take Sara up to BYU the next day.. Brittany and Wes and Olivia came over to do ice while we were there so we got to see them too. Olivia is sooo cute! And she rules the roost. She has a big sister, three brothers and a grandpa that jump at her every sound. She is 11 months old and already has them all well-trained.  She is a very happy baby. We got home from Blackfoot about 8:00. And we were very tired again. While we were down there Richard was able to finally make the final arrangements for Elena and Ken’s baptism. The kink was thrown in because Ken is 21 years old and is a convert baptism while Elena is a child of record baptism. Richard & Téa said they called Bishop Hayes the end of June to start the ball rolling for the double baptism. When Bishop Hayes called the Idaho Pocatello Mission Office then, he was told that since it was a convert baptism that it was out of his jurisdiction. So he breathed a sigh of relief and figured he wouldn’t have to worry about it. The mission President in the Arizona Phoenix Mission told Richard and Ken that all they would need was the recommend stating that Ken had had all of the missionary discussions and the necessary interviews to be baptized and the bishop of the ward here would be able to take care of it. But then the Mission President here in Idaho said that since Ken was a convert baptism that Elders from our mission were required to be there. When Richard was able to contact the zone leaders, he was told that they were unavailable until after 6 pm. That was not acceptable because Ken’s grandparents were driving from Montana to be here for it and it is a 5½-6 hour drive and Brother Rydalch can’t see to drive after dark. Finally Sunday evening Richard was able to get contact the sister missionaries who got the info from him and then passed it on to the Elders, the district leaders. That was about 6:30 pm. Both Téa and Richard were just about sick to their stomachs over the anxiety about all of this. It was so nice for them to come up here to do this. It gets so hot this time of year in Buckeye and neither Téa’s mom nor I tolerate the heat well. It seems to me that if the two mission Presidents had communicated things may have gone more smoothly. Bishop Hayes was finally able to contact President Bach and he deligated the assignment of conducting the ceremony etc. to him. (Bishop Hayes).

Yesterday, I woke up about 6:45 and got up about 7:00. I made three cards, one for Elena, one for Ken and one for my sweetheart because it was our 48th wedding anniversary. (He wrote me a lovely letter for my birthday the day after it and it counted for our anniversary too) We left for the church about 10:20 because we had to go get gas for the Taurus and then drive cross town because the baptisms were held at the Idaho Falls West Stake Center and we live in the East Stake. There were quite a few people there. Karl said the opening prayer and was one of the witnesses and Grandpa Ryldach said the closing prayer and was one of the other witness. Just after we got there Bishop Hayes informed Richard that Grandma Rydalch was giving a talk on the Holy Ghost. That is the one Téa had prepared to give. So she had maybe ten minutes in all to think about what to say. She did very well. I played the piano. Richard had said I didn’t need to worry about music during the interlude when everyone was changing their clothes. But the bishop came and asked me if I could do it. So I did. As I played I thanked the Lord for preparing me to do it at the spur of the moment with my experience as piano player for the Relief Society as well as the FHC with the prelude music I played then. I have worked up a few pieces with substituting broken cords for the complete cords and it sounded good if I do say so myself. I shook hands with the Elders and they left immediately after helping to fold up the chairs while pictures were being taken. I was able to talk to the sister missionaries a little. Sister Kaveinga led the singing. She is of Tongan descent but if from Los Angeles as was the other sister. She had been out in the mission field 7 months while her companion was a “greenie” and had only been out five weeks. After the baptism we met at Chuck-a-rama for the luncheon afterwards. Téa’s mom and R & T treated us. Téa’s Dad was also there. It was good to see him again and get to visit a little with him. Karen was also at the baptism. We were pleased as was R&T that she was able to come because it is “Fair Week” and that is a very busy week because they keep their business going as well as spend almost all day at the fair supplying the food booths there with ice, and milk and cheese, etc. We got home from Chuck-a-rama by 3:00. Bryan had called about 1:30 to tell us that he was ready to leave Rexburg and would stop at Shani’s and then stop and see us. He got here around 4:00. We had a lovely visit with him. Showed him our “garden” and got a few pointers on it and pruning our peach tree. He also gave me some advice about the computer. He then took us out to eat at the new Hong Kong again for our anniversary. He dropped us off here at home about 7:40. We had a good meal there too. All in all it was a very good day.

I have been so tired by evening the last week that I am so thankful that I can be ready to go again after a good nights sleep. Thank goodness that I sleep well at night. The coming week will be similar in that we have busy things going every day. Will report that next week.

The second week of August already!

It is hard to believe that it’s been five weeks since I wrote here. It has been busy what with the FHC and all. I attended my first director’s meeting last Monday. I and Sister Harenberg, who is the secretary, were the only women there. There is also a Sister Price who couldn’t be there but is also an assistant director. Sister Hendricks will also be there until the end of September. I am the only Supervisor who is a woman. I had my début at supervising yesterday. Things went well. We had to be there by 8:00 am to open the building. The Butterworths were there shortly after to count the money and put it in the till. The others started coming about 8:30-8:35; prayer meeting starts at 8:45. The supervisor is the one who conducts prayer meeting and who is generally in charge and makes decisions if any decisions beyond the individual ones need to be made. As my sweetheart was telling his mother last night, “that things went well and Renée just took everything in stride” my tho’t was, “It wasn’t so different, responsibility-wise as being a charge nurse at the hospital.” And I did a pretty good job at that (even if I do say so myself). I started two weeks earlier than I tho’t I would because the Caseaus were gone to California to a niece’s wedding. I’m thankful that Elder Lyon called Elder Reed to be the supervisor for Friday. I’m afraid it would have been too much to do both Friday and Saturday and go to church on Sunday too. Then there is the director’s meeting at 9:00 am on Monday morning too. I think this will work out really well.

Today for church I was able to wear my sandals with 1 ¼ inch heels--The first time since I’ve had surgery. My foot didn’t even swell too much. I’m thankful that the swelling is decreasing. There for a while I wondered if it would. We had good meetings—all three of them.

In Relief Society we talked about how we are a covenant people. Erin Nelson, the teacher, told us she tho’t how neat it is that altho’ people may not be born into the lineage of Abraham, that they may be adopted in and share all of the blessings as if they were born in that lineage. I made the comment that when someone in this life is adopted that the adopted name becomes the legal name and with what we believe with the sealing, then everything is as if they were actually born to those parents. She tho’t that I was trying to take away the neatness of it. Afterwards, I went up and tried to explain it to her. I told her that it is another way that our Heavenly Father has planned so that all people can take advantage of His plan, if they so chose even if they were not born in it. Then I was inspired to say, “It is just like the way we do the temple ordinances for our dead; those who haven’t heard the Gospel in this life and still need the work done, we do it for them.” I felt the Spirit bear witness to me as I said that as to the truthfulness of what I said. I wished that I had been inspired to say that during class so everyone there could have heard it too. (Because it was a new tho’t to me; I hadn’t made that connection before.)

Oh, by the way, I have lost the three pounds I gained plus one. I should be able to do even better when I start exercising more and get back to Silver Sneakers. I am determined to do that. We got our reports last week of our blood work when we went to the doctor July 27. my A1c is the same as last time, 7.3. I want to get it back down in the 6 range. I know I will have to exercise regularly to do that. Even a couple times a week will be better than what I’m doing now.

We also went to the temple a week ago Friday. We have been averaging once a month. Hopefully we can increase it to twice a month. We’ll see.

Entry for August 1, 2010
My goodness, it does get hot in Russia as well as cold. 40 degrees Celsius is equal to 104 Fahrenheit. Did you know that? That is hot. The hottest it has been here so far this summer is 98 degrees F. That was last weekend. Today it is 89 degrees F. Our house stays fairly cool until it starts cooling off last night then we face the fan out the front door and open the back door and windows and blow the hot air out the front and let the cool air come in the back. That works out pretty well. If it were 104 tho’ I don’t think it would work as well.

My foot is healing very well. I even wore my sandals to church today for the first time since I had the surgery June 25. My foot did swell and I came home and put on my nursing shoes so the swelling would go down. That is what I have worn for almost two weeks to keep the swelling down. I’m in no pain, which is very nice.

Grandpa fell while riding his bike a week ago. He was trying to bring home about 8 feet of chain link fence on it and ran into the curb and fell. He broke a blood vessel on his right shin. So he has a very colorful leg, ankle and foot now. It is starting to turn yellow now tho’ which means it is healing (an excerpt from a letter to Bryce.)

My Life the Last Five Weeks

It has been quite some time since I wrote. On June 25 I had a bunionectomy on my left foot. I’ve talked to people who’s bunions were excruciatingly painful and so was the surgery. Mine didn’t even ache until the weekend before the surgery. Up until then I was debating whether or not to cancel the surgery. I took the aching as a sing to have it. The bunion didn’t really bother me but my doctor, a podiatrist, told me that the fact that I have calluses on the protrusion that resulted in the bunion meant it was rubbing which means that I could get a diabetic ulcer. I have taken care of people with diabetic ulcers and know they are very hard to get rid of. So between that and the aching I decided to have it. My pain was easily controlled with the pain pills. I had to wear a special shoe for 3 ½ weeks. I couldn’t take a shower for 12 days….just spit bathes as I called them. I have been wearing a matched pair of shoes since last Tuesday. The doctor advised me to wear exercise type shoes (what we used to call tenny runners) because they would keep my foot from swelling. ( wondered about that because it is soo confining. But he was right. It swells less when I wear those shoes than when I don’t.) I have mostly done that wearing them to the FHC and to church. Yesterday we didn’t go the FHC because it was the 24th of July. We don’t celebrate the 24th on the 24th so it must have been a directive from SLC. Anyway, I had the surgery done then because we had a two week hiatus or vacation while the FHC was thoroughly cleaned. I spent the first week literally just sitting in my recliner with my left leg on two pillows with frozen peas & carrots or corn on my foot. The Sunday after, I went to just sacrament meeting. I used my wheelchair which caused a lot of attention. But with it I was able to keep my left leg up. I did most of the cooking fixing quick simple meals. But that was about all I did for two weeks. I wore my Cherokee sandel on my right foot. It was the shoe that had a little more than an inch sole to almost match the sole on my special shoe. But I wobbled. Altho’, I have been wearing a matched pair since Tuesday, I have noticed that I still don’t quite walk naturally as I did before.

I spent the 4th of July sitting in my chair. They celebrated on the 3rd here. Both days I spent in my chair. I couldn’t have gone anywhere to see the parade or fireworks and not have my leg hanging down. We watch Macy’s 4th of July, and the Boston Pops 4th of July. On the 5th we watched A Capitol 4th that I had recorded the evening before from PBS. They all were very good. Lovely music and beautiful fireworks. Of course, they aren’t nearly as pretty as in real life. As I was sitting in sacrament meeting that day, pondering our wonderful country and the many blessings I enjoy, the tho’t came to me: it really is appropriate to”celebrate” the 4th of July at church. There is no better place to worship our Heavenly Father and thank Him for the gifts of this country and our forefathers and what they did.

We returned to the FHC Wednesday July 7th. We took my wheel chair with me because I wasn’t sure how long I could sit with my foot down. I went about two and a half hours, then my sweetheart went out and got the wheel chair out of the car. I was glad that we had taken it. We took it Saturday also, but I was so busy helping others at the computer that I didn’t have a chance to use it. I wouldn’t have been nearly as effective if I had been in the w/c because I couldn’t have gotten close enough to the person I was helping and the computer. I also had my class to teach Saturday as well. And the w/c wouldn’t have worked there at all. By the time the class was over with, there was less than an hour left and we could go home. I haven’t used the w/c since.

On July 14, Elder Lyon, the director for the FHC came in. We usually don’t see him on Wednesday afternoon. He only works ½ day that day and usually is there in the morning. We don’t start our shift until 1:00 pm. Anyway, he was there then. And he came up to me and asked if I could visit with him for a few minutes. So went with him to his office. He started by asking me how my foot was and what I had done with it. He then asked me to be an assistant director taking the Caseau’s place after their mission ends August 19. So I won’t start until about the middle of August. There are eight assistant directors who help the director and supervise each of the shifts. They have weekly meetings, Monday morning at 9:00. He asked me if I tho’t I could do two days in a row. I told him that I have been very glad over the years that my days are split. I’m not to tell anyone. I have told my family but they all live away from here so that’s OK. He’ll probably announce it to the board tomorrow or maybe not till next week, but then for sure.

Thursday, Karl’s cousin called and told us that Uncle Lee had called her and told her that he was in Island Park for a family reunion and was getting married the next evening. We got to talking and decided since we didn’t have anything to do that evening and more importantly, we didn’t need to go to the FHC the next day, we would go. We didn’t know for sure how long it would take to drive there and had no idea where the church was. When we got to Island Park we stopped at the first gas station we saw. I had my missionary name tag on since I was in Sunday clothes. The young man asked if we were asking about the LDS church. I told him yes. I was surprised to learn there was one there. The last time we had been up there, we still had all of our children were home. In fact, Richard probably wasn’t born yet. And they didn’t have an LDS church there then. It was quite interesting. They had a notice on the door stating that they had sacrament meetings at 9:00 and 11:00 am and 9:00 pm. They were telling us that they had 2,000 people attending some of those meeting….it didn’t sound like a total for the day. It was good to see Uncle Lee and meet his new wife. They have been neighbors the last five years. Aunt Aileen died the beginning of this year. Uncle Lee explained that Carol was alone and he was alone and it just made sense to get married. She had only been baptized a month or so but after a year she had agreed to be sealed to him in the temple. They looked very happy. All of Uncle Lee’s children were there. It was good to talk to each one of them. We were made very much welcome. We didn’t get home until almost 11:00pm. The wedding didn’t start until 8:15. we found out it takes about an hour and a half—give or take—to drive up there or back from there.

Since we don’t get to go to the Famers’ Market on Saturday with our working at the FHC that day, we decided that we wanted to do that yesterday. Then my sweetheart took me to Perkins for brunch. We tried one of their new omelets. It was delicious. I had planned on going to the temple and maybe the visitors’ center too. Or one or the other. But with our going to Island Park the evening before we slept in late and ran out of energy too soon.

After my surgery, I didn’t even turn on my computer for a whole week. I still haven’t begun to catch up on my e-mail. I’ve been able to stay on top of my bulletins for which I am glad. We did it on Thursday, the week of my surgery and then Saturday the next week. I’m so thankful for a computer. I don’t know how I would be able to do this without it. And I can find applicable quotes, too, online on the topics the speakers speak on.


Oh, I just about forgot. Friday about 3:00 pm Fred, Karl’s youngest brother called and said he was at Home Depot parking lot and he’d like to see us if we could drive over. They were in the area to see their newest grandson. His son-in-law works there at HD. Fred had dropped him off that morning then left to go visit Mom in Grace and just gotten back an hour before his SIL would be thro’. We were able to watch the Blue Angels practicing for the air show they yesterday and this afternoon. It was great to see them instead of just hear them. They are so loud but since they travel faster than sound it is hard to tell where they are coming from and where they are. Besides, the houses and trees where we live, are so close together, we can’t get a good view here. But we did there. I thoroughly enjoyed watching them as we visited with Fred. There are six of them but only four fly together most of the time. They are extremely loud!! We also enjoyed talking to Fred and learning what all he’s been doing and what all of his children have been doing.

Well, that’s a summary of my life over the last five weeks or so. I have gained three pounds with my inactivity. I’ll have to start exercising and walking again and get those off.

I Am So Thankful For My Ancestors

I had an interesting experience at the FHC yesterday. It was after teaching my PAF class and only an hour or so before closing. A young woman had come in stating she needed to make a Family Tree for a class that she and her husband are taking in preparation for becoming foster parents. She brought her own birth certificate and her mother’s death certificate. Her mother was born the same year I was, 1943 and her sire was born in 1936. (I say sire because she never met him; he is her birth father but that is all. Her mother never married him but married two or three other men.) They died 1998 and 2008 respectively. We were able to find them on the Social Security Death Index and therefore obtained their correct birth and death dates. That is all we were able to find. The young woman’s grandmother is still alive but not in good health. I believe the young woman stated her grandmother has Alzheimer’s. All we could come up with was herself, her mother and her grandmother. We looked on many different sites. The US census would have been a good source, except the last available one is the 1930 census. It was hard for me to imagine that that was all one could know about her ancestors. I compared it to my own life where my great-grandchildren have two great-great grandmothers still living. That is five living generations! It made me realize, again, just how blessed I am to know about my ancestors and many of their stories and experiences they experienced while on this earth. I am so thankful for my ancestors and the lives they lived and trials they endured so that I could be where I am today, living in the United States of America and be a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If just one of them had lived their life differently, who’s to say where I would be this day.

A Special Stake Conference

I worte this last week and forgot to post it.

We had a special Stake Conference today called by Elder Bruce Porter of the First Council of Seventy. We didn’t have a Saturday night meeting but they did have a special leadership meeting with 20 Stake Presidents and their bishops in attendance. Presiding was Elder Dallen H. Oakes, Elder Packer, son of President Packer and Elder Porter. Elder and Sister Porter were the only ones there today. It was a wonderful meeting. I could feel the Spirit so strongly. Dad sang in the choir. They were notified only ten days ago of this conference. I’m not quite sure why our Stake was chosen but they said we were chosen to have this conference.
President Heber Andrus talked first. He spoke of the importance of our continuing to read our scriptures, say our family prayers and have family home evenings. We are promised as we continue to do these things, we will be blessed with a more abundance attendance of the Holy Ghost which will keep us safe from the adversary.

President Manwaring spoke of faith and footings and how if both are square, strong and true so are we or our buildings. And President Kite told the story of the good Samaritan and talked about taking care of the poor and the needy whether it be poor in earthly things or in spirit that we need to be sensitive and help them return to strength.

President Andrus then called his daughter-in-law, the new Stake YW president, and the new Stake Primary president and a young man who was preparing to leave on a mission. He had his call because he had been thro’ the temple a week ago (up in Rexburg since ours is closed) but didn’t tell us where it he is going. They were all surprised by the call but all gave excellent talks.

After the intermediate hymn Sister Susan Porter spoke to us. She spoke of experiences they had walking where Jesus walked in the Holy Land. She said they were able to spend two weeks there a few months ago. She said that altho’ we can’t all go to the Holy Land, we can still walk how Jesus walked, talk as He walked meaning we can do the things he did: love others as He did, help others as He did, teach others as He did. It was a very good talk.

Elder Porter gave such a good talk. I believe that he has an article in the December Ensign that my Sweetheart read to me last Monday for our Family Home Evening. He spoke on many things and I could really feel the spirit. I can’t remember that much about it. I do remember that he said, ”Those who are experiencing guilt because of suffering abuse caused by someone else, need not feel guilty anymore. That the Savior took care of that for them.” Altho’ I haven’t experienced anything like that personally, I felt that there was someone there who needed to hear that. He spoke of many other things. I really could feel the Spirit. I know that he is a servant of the Father. I was able to meet him and shake my hand afterwards. As he shook my hand he called me Sister Robinson thanked me for “the service I am doing at the Family History Center. (of course I had my name tag on.) I tho’t, “That’s the least I can do.” I felt so spiritually fed after attending that meeting.

I’ve had two good weeks at the FHC. All three of my PAF classes have gone very well. There were 13 there the first two weeks and 16 there yesterday. I’m thankful that so many are interested in learning about it. I have also been able to help many of the patrons who have come in as well as some of the new missionaries. It feels so good to be able to help people. I’m very thankful for my calling as a FHC missionary and for the knowledge that has been given me and a good mind to help me remember the things I have learned so that I can help others. I really think that the fact I can do these things is a spiritual gift. I also know that this is what I am supposed to be doing at this time in my life. I’m thankful that my sweetheart supports me in this and goes with me. We have made some choice friends that we wouldn’t have met anywhere else.

How Do You Hold Onto An Angel?

Monday, I learned that my niece had her baby and it only lived three short hours. My heart literally aches for her, her husband and her parents. My mother’s parents have 200 descendants and this is the first and only baby that has died shortly after birth in those descendants. It is such a sad thing. My tho’t has been that she only needed to receive her body to go on in her eternal progression. Understanding that helps but does not take away the pain. I was wondering the other day if my father, who died forty years ago, was there to greet her. As I wondered this, the Spirit whispered to me that he may have been but the Savior was there to greet her with open arms for sure. I am copying two documents that my brother sent me. The first is written by the father of the baby and the second by my brother:

Colette’s Story
January 26, 2010
There are many and yet no words that I can say that does our hearts justice. The last few days have held many colors of emotion. In this small time our family has lived a lifetime.

We have felt the excitement of a new spirit knocking at our door. The whirlwind of change as she joined us in the delivery room. The pride felt of knowing our family is +1. This was a daughter of our god making herself known. The sudden energy of compassion poured out around us from the resourceful and intelligent staff. The loving power and awarmth of the priesthood. The dizzying amount of technological advancements beeping around us. The capability to say, “I love you”, over long distances. The painful reluctance and humble concession to our Heavenly Father’s will. A tender snuggle from one so small. The tears of strangers now shared as a untied family. The thunderous unyielding efforts to reunite mother with daughter. The peaceful feel of a daughter returned home. The piercing heartbeat of a unbreakable bond.

Our Heavenly Father has blessed us, not only with another one of his daughters, but one who cared to make herself known. One so strong in spirit that she, communicated with a two year old using gentle nudges from a tummy, bring a smile to her older brother’s face in just single thought, unite mother and father closer than ever before, bring complete strangers together with strength of spirit and conviction. She delivered our Heavenly Father’s tender mercy and love with a single, self-sustained breath.

She shared her simple testimony with us and now, I as her earthly father share this part of my heart and the testimony of my love for our Savior. I testify of the simple truth of our Heavenly Father’s perfect plan, and with a heavy heart, relay how grateful I am for the blessings that come from an Eternal Family. I encourage all who read this to take this little girl’s humble example and share your life’s testimony. Have no fear even until your last breath! I have learned that without words you have the power to change hearts and strengthen many!

With humble gratitude I leave you this testimony in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ.
Dusty

How Do You Hold on to an Angel?
By Roy C Wendel
As I write these words, my heart is breaking. After a brief three-hours in mortality, my precious, sweet, perfect little granddaughter, Colette Eliza Chadwick returned home to a loving and understanding Heavely Father. This all happened on Sunday, January 24, 2010.

I awoke early Monday morning, sobbing in my bed. later that day I went downstairs and wrote three questions on a pad of paper.
1. How do you hold an Angel?
2. How many tars does it take to heal a broken heart?
3. Who helped her home?
When I woke up this morning, Tuesday, January 26th the answers came to me through the warm comfort of the spirit.

Angels come and go in our lives all of the time. Some stay for a while and some do not. Colette is one of those angels! She came-she only needed a physical body to complete her salvation and become perfect. She drew one unassisted breathe into her small undeveloped lungs. That was all she needed to be perfected. So I ask the question again- How do you hold onto an angel? The answer I received was swift and clear-“You don’t hold on to an angel- Angels hold onto you!”

Broken hearts are hard to heal. It seems that a heart breaks all at once. One moment it is whole- the next it is shattered. Like a piece of crystal thrown against a brick wall-it seems impossible to reassemble! As I lay in bed crying I was asking this question, “How many tears will it take to heal a broken heart?” again the answer was swift and sure-“it takes a million gazillion tears to heal a broken heart—but they are not all yours!” tears have been shed by family, friends, and most importantly by our Savior. We have been surrounded by love, supported by faith, and taught a great lesson by an angel who lived such a short time. Yes, there will be lots of tears-but no one will be shedding them alone!

I once had the privilege of helping the primary present a depiction of the plan of salvation to the children. They went from pre-mortal life to mortality then on to immortality. At each stage I was able to talk with them and explain what was going to happen. I felt impressed to say to each of them, “Don’t worry, although you don’t know exactly what is going to happen, there will be someone there who knows you and loves you and they will help you along.” This morning I was wondering about Colette. I was reflecting on my third question, “Who was there to help her home?” once again the answer was plan and perhaps more than comforting. It was just two words that came into my mind—“I AM” the great I AM—the creator and Savior of the universe, the keeper of the gate who employeth no servant there, it was He who received Colette, it was He who gave me comfort and understanding.

Now the real work begins. We have a member of our family who is perfected and waiting for the rest of us. It is my prayer that we will each do what we know we need to do to make sure that this little, sweet, perfect, Colette Eliza Chadwick is not alone.

Remember—you don’t hold an angel—an angel holds on to you!

A New Year Already!

My, the time has flown. It is a new year and I missed the whole month of December writing here. It was a very busy month, baking, getting ready for Christmas as well as working at the FHC twice a week. We had a very nice Christmas. It was different in that Christmas Eve we had only Karen & Kent’s neighbor, Bob there plus, Karen and Kent, Kylie, my mother-in-law, my sweetheart and myself. Bob just stayed for the meal and left. The rest of us had our program. It was the smallest number yet for the program. We took turns reading the scriptures that told of Christ’s birth on both continents. Kylie and I took turns playing the piano as the others sang the Christmas carols. Karl and Kylie sand a duet of “Star Bright”. Their voices blend sooo nicely. Karl sang “O Holy Night” accapelo and of course we sang “He sent His Son” and “Let There Be Peace On Earth” accompanied by myself. It was all very nice. Mom’s neighbor was coming up to IF so brought her as far as Blackfoot. She said she had been invited to Christmas dinner at Paul’s but she was soo glad to be there with us for the Christmas Eve part as well as all day Christmas day.

We left about 2:00 the day after Christmas to take her home. We stayed with her until Monday morning when we headed for Utah to see our two sons and their families and my mother. Sunday afternoon, Paul and ElDene came over and a little later their oldest son, Kevin came over with his girlfriend, Jessica. We had a delightful visit with all of them. After they left the three of us played Rumicube, two games. It was fun. We left about 10:00 the next morning for Utah. I had talked to Kim and Bryan and Téa and Mama Saturday night. Found out that our gifts for Richard, Téa and family hadn’t gotten there. Téa had called earlier in the week saying they weren’t there yet. I discovered that I had the wrong house number on it….7654 instead of 1654. I guess I can’t read my own writing. I have corrected the address for sure. They had blizzard in Nebraska. Bryan said that in the six years that they have lived there, he hasn’t seen drifts that high before. They had about 21 inches with 40 mph winds.

Kim said it would be best if we waited to come to his house because he had to work until 9:00 pm Monday. He would be off Tuesday and Wednesday. So we stayed with Mama Monday night. That was good too. you get a different kind of visit when you stay over night instead of just visiting for a couple of hours. The same when staying with our children. it is just different when we wake up at their house instead of just stopping in for a few hours. We had a delightful time with Kim, Kimberly and their children. We played games and watched a couple of movies. I had given Karl “Ever Strong” the story of the Highland Rugby Team (SLC) and “One Good Man”. I took them both with us. Everyone seemed to enjoy watching them. we went shopping with the Kim's Wednesday afternoon then left for Michael & Tanya’s just before 5:00. We had a delightful time visiting with them too. Their two little girls are sooo cute and make you feel so welcome and loved. The others do too but…We also enjoyed Tasha and Collin too.

We spent New Year’s Eve with Michael & Tanya. We were able to play a couple of good games of Pinochle while we were there. The men got double pinochle again. But the women did too. we have been keeping track who gets it and when the last five+ years and the men get it three to one of the women getting it. We kept telling them that and they didn’t believe it so now we keep track. We left about 10:00 or so New Year’s Day (we have found that that is a good time to travel…not as much traffic as other days) and stopped at Karen & Kent’s to pick up the stuff we left there from Christmas and got home about 4:30 or so New Year’s Day. Saturday, I did the wash, made out the budget, paid the bills, etc. and quickly put the bulletin together and ran it off and folded them….all with Karl’s help.

Sunday was our first Sunday meeting at 9:00. it will be nice having a part of a day after church. Monday, I took down all of the Christmas decorations and Karl took them down stairs. It was pretty much an all day job for me. Tuesday, we went to Silver Sneakers exercise class and worked on the bulletin, Wednesday, the FHC, Thursday, Silver Sneakers, and worked on the bulletin, Friday, ran off the bulletin and got them folded and went to the temple and Saturday the FHC again where I taught my first PAF class in the series. I didn’t expect hardly anyone there. I had told a few patrons about it as they came in but didn’t really expect anyone to come. I knew that there would be one new missionary couple, so I knew there would be maybe five there. I thought I was being optimistic by printing off seven handouts. There were 16 people there!!! I was soo pleasantly surprised. It went very well and all seemed to enjoy it. All in all it was a very full week. I’ve decided that I need to keep going to Silver Sneakers. I hadn’t been to Apple Athletic Club for at least four months maybe five. Karl has kept going at least twice a week all that time but I had other things to keep me busy. I decided that I need to do it for me tho’. My blood sugars have been better and I feel better and my abs stay in much better. I need to do this!! So last weeks schedule will probably be close to last week. If I can get to Apple Athletic Club at least two times if possible three times a week, I will be much healthier. I have the bulletin pretty much down now if people will get me the material I need to put in it by Thursday evening, then I think it is a plan that will work. Time will tell.