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.

I Have Many Things to be Thankful For

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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.