We’re getting older

Craig just called to say this morning Bill Neff has cancer and they say only a few more weeks to live and Renee has had two Strokes and is blind, Crazy they just got home their mission this summer.  And are only about 5 years older than us.   Life is indeed short.  They are both still In their 60’s.  Keep things in prospective,  we never know how much longer we have to live.  I feel like I have lots more time.  It is sure close to home when we have friends getting close to death. Count our many blessings!!  Baby sitting the grandkids is tiring.  I’m getting a pedicure right now.   It feels so good!  To get pampered!! 

Natasha’s 31st Birthday

It is my baby girls birthday today.  She is now 31 years old,  She left Sunday night for New York with a girlfriend to celebrate her birthday.  She is a brave soul. After being in New York a week earlier.  It is crazy busy there.  Not my favorite place to be.  Her high school girlfriend sent her the most beautiful flowers to say happy birthday , so thoughtful of them.  

Halloween Peeperwood Party

I took the grandkids to the Halloween party at their Ward tonight.  They all had lots of fun.  I’m really tired tonight after getting up at 5am.  I drove out to see Shannon this afternoon. And she put makeup on for my witch costume.  

Baby Sitting

Tuesday Morning Infot up early his morning and drove to Salt Lake to baby sit for Tasha while she is in New York and Bridger is leaving today to a trip with his work for a couple of days. Tasha will be home late Thursday night, so I will be at her home for three days.   Yesterday I wike up wanting to serve and reach out to others.  I tried to visit some of my Laurels Nene, Jordan who are not active.  I stopped by to visit Mariah who graduated last year.  I gave her the challenge to read the Book of Mormon with me by the wand of the year, a challenge form the Prophet to all women on the church to read the book.   I’m trying really hard to meet this goal.  I love immersing myself in the scriptures.  It was a beautiful sunny day and I was able to work out in the yard for a few hours.  I’m not able to last very long, my back starts hurting,  I visited with sister Barbara Turnbow one of my ministering sisters for a hour, fun to get to know her more.  She had had a very challenging life.  She is working on receiving her own endowments,  I told her I would love to go with her when she goes.  Trying to be intune with the sister I’m in charge of ministering to. And caring for the young women in the ward.  Love the thoughts from my regional meeting on Saturday we are the jewels of the church that make things happen, working on the front lines with our saints and dealing with the challenges we all deal with as leaders.  Pray to not get discourage and just love to them all, let them feel the love of the Savior through our actions.  Pray I can do better in truely showing love by my countances, let the light of the gospel show in the sparkle in my eyes and the smile on my face.  I have kept busy, fixed MIcheal his favorite meal chicken Parmesan.  I was up late getting things back up while I’m gone for three days.  I had to take the time to turn I. My receipts for young womens.  Our budget of $1800,00 for the year is leaning out.  If I count girls camp we have spent our budget, but sister Argyle will not turn I her receipts, I know she spent over $400.. she did such and great job for us this year.  We had a very nice conversation in church during Sunday school.  We talked for over and hour.  She is a very special sister in our Ward.  Time to change gears and take care of the Thomas kids for a few days.  I want to go the the temple, get a pedicure, visit Trisha and Shannon while I’m in town. I’m going to be  very busy.  Craig stayed at the cabin hunting with MIchael the rest of the week.  

Sabbath Day - Hunting Weekend

Our MIcheal came up this  weekend to hunt with Craig,  I invited him to come to church with us this morning, and he declined.  I pray for the insight to know how to encourage him to have a desire to learn about the our Savior.  It saddens me that he has drawn so far away and has close his mind and desire to attend church with us.  We had a very good young women’s lesson today Rose thought the class. Our theme this month is living a Christ like life.  After class we had a presidency training meet for my new presidents.   I arrive home from church about 1pm.  I was so tired after church I took a long nap.  Fixed us hamburger for dinnr, Craig had a leadership meeting today this evening.  The first priesthood meeting since they reorganized the the Elder quorums in April this last year.   Our church callings keep us really busy.  I shared with Michael pictures from our church history tour and visited with him while Craig was gone.  This has been a blessed Sabbath day, trying to finish reading rh Book of Mormon by November 4th so I can earn my womenhood in excellence award.  I’m making good progress.  Enjoying studying the book of 3 Nephi when the Savior visits the Americas.  Skntocininh to read and know these are his word to the people.  

Stake Regional leadership Meeting

Apostle Soraes :  we are the jewels of the leadership working on the front lines of the gospel.  Family supported gospel program - counsel for many years in the planning.  To support every child of our Heavenly Father.  Envisioning the future to prepare. Is what the Savior to prepare us in the years ahead the challenging times. We will need this support for families.  Moral values are declining,  we need to save our families.  Our purpose Connect people with the Savior and encourage to make convents. What can we do to love. And encourage them.  A new Era of ministering- a new holier way.   One by One minister like the Savior. Families to have joy in their life even when we find trials of this life. Because we feel the Savior in our lives.    Want us to feel the joy in our lives a church focus on people, every thing we do needs to strengthen their faith,  we do not entertained.  They need to feel the gospel in their lives, what they feel they will stay active.  We are the extended arms of Jesus Christ, we shall speak and act as he did.  The Lord will bless us for our service, our salvation and their salvation.  

Seventy :  Brother Taylor-  our prayers will strengthen the leaders. We need to show the joy of the gospel.  In our lives, bring the joy of the gospel to those around us.   How we can invite and to receive the Holy Ghost,  will preform some of his mightiest work before the Savior-  plead to increase our spirituality to choose to here the spirit, in our ministry.  1.   What do you desire what would be helpful to monster to your family?   Standard for success for ministering - will this help us to become more like Christ? It can happen with a Jesture or just a smile.  Only seconds by our love and joy to others. 

Brother Hathaway-  seventy -  we make a difference in the lives those we serve.  We can leave the impression of love to his children to bring back in the gospel.  Love is the only motivator is the only factor that really last,  the over arching is love it always works.  Why are we doing this, is because of love, bringing others closers to Christ.  How do we bring other to Christ?  How do we live our lives so our Contenacnes shine the love of the gospel.  There is something here?  This requires spiritual work- it is a group effort . Attending the temple,  prayer scripturals, obtain the mighty change of heart,  is a mighty efforts to assist for others.  Seeking freely in faith , the Lord knows the timing to inspire others inspire invitations and the power to promise them blessing that will come into their lives.  1.  Feast in the word of God . All things will be revealed,  2. Attend the Temple regularly we will have the angles protect us in our callings.  

How can we Help our yw those struggle with the gay and lesbian? Have Deepest compassion for them. The pure love of Christ.  Hang in to them with love.  Coming out the world says- labeled,  teach the reality of Heaven- the lord has created families.  The basic unit is the family can you see the same gender attractions to create a family.  We are all children of Heavenly Father.  Some have weaknesses have to learn to make the  best choice -2  Nephi  25:23 after all we can do.  We all have challenges to overcome.  We all have weaknesses to over come.  We all fight against it.  We don’t judge by gender interest - just love them and teach true principles. Find ways to embrace and to love.  As we do this the Lord will inspire us to know how to handle what they need - to feel love not to shut them out.    Love with pure love of Christ and hold up the Lord’s standard- the voices of the worldAnd Society will continue to push improper relationships that destroy the family..  teach in the family so they will learn to judge the voices of the world, Satanist plan is to destroy the family.  As they learn at home they will be able to judge the powers of evil-   Need to give them hope - you can be obedient,  can still have the blessings of the gospel to choose the correct life style.  Reaching out for help,  how to help with same gender and pornagrohy application maybe not applied to the youth,   We miss a lot in helping them feel a spiritual experience.  Stay in the church what I felt-  activities are not to entertain -they need to be put to work. In the gospel- how they feel in the heart,  safeguards as a family.  Talk about fasting to strengthen them to not  choose discretion’s,  Family history can break the cycle.  Teach the gospel family councils will strength, the youth. 

Families focus on Jesus Christ in families more focus-  when we change to focus on Christ,focus on Christ the center of our lives, picture in our home of the Savior and temple.    

How do we include Our young sisters to serve with the RS how to make the yw feel included.  Ministering!! Young sisters can learn alot from the older sisters.    Who is the.Founder of all truth.  He will give revelation for our challenges.  Engaging the young girls in ministering and attending the temple.      

How do we get others to serve? we give them a calling which will engage them to serve and they will feel good -as serving others.  In our church callings.  Put people to work, explain the teaching why they are doing the work.  Service is the Genesis of the gospel.  They need to understand the reasons why we serve.  

How to encourage marriage and not just living toegther, they have their angency.  Pray to the lord for counsel - the revelation to lead and guide, hold on when they chose the wrong path.  The lord promised comfort as we hold on in the vows of our temple sealing, we continue to love them- the Lord will take care of it , have faith.  

YW having a hard time finding the time to fulfill their ministering.  How do we spend our time?  We have to schedule the time- time management...

Building the on Rock of the Savior,  how do I balance serving in the church.  We have to prioritize the responsibilities in our lives.  And set the time to service others.   It is good better or best?  

The most important thing We can do in the world right now -is to gather Israel.   Do do our part!!! Prepare the world for the second coming.  

Tuesday

I kept busy doing laundry today.   I had to take the time to rotate my summer clothes to winter clothes.  The season has changed the weather is cooling off.  Don’t have enough room for all my clothes in the closet so I’ve been rotating my seasonal clothing.  It feels good to get this chore done I have young women’s tonight.  Having a presidency meeting to organize our young women for our activity tonight with the older girls.  And gave them the Book of Mormon Challenge too.  

Book of Mormon Challenge

The prophet in the last comference cahallenge all women of th church to read the Book of Mormon by the end of the year.   Quote from President Nelson in the women’s women’s conference- I invite you to read the Book of Mormon between now and the end of the year. As impossible as that may seem with all you are trying to manage in your life, if you will accept this invitation with full purpose of heart, the Lord will help you find a way to achieve it. And, as you prayerfully study, I promise that the heavens will open for you. The Lord will bless you with increased inspiration and revelation.

As you read, I would encourage you to mark each verse that speaks of or refers to the Savior. Then, be intentional about talking of Christ, rejoicing in Christ, and preaching of Christ with your families and friends. You and they will be drawn closer to the Savior through this process. And changes, even miracles, will begin to happen.  I’m striving to acccplish this goal and have invited my daughters and grand dauthers to participate too!  

I woke up at 4am this morning and sent  text message to my girls for the invitation.  I also want to complete the book of Morman for my personal progress by November 4th to earn my young womenhood in excellence award.  I need to complete reading the Book of Mormon.  I’m currently reading in 3 Nephi chapter 15-  I have 45 chapters left, so I need to be reading 2 this three chapters daily in order to complete by November and then I want to start over at the beginning to complete the challenge by the prophet in reading the entire  book by the end of the year.  I love the boom with all my heart and knownit is a try Book from God.  

Monday October 15th

I feel so good to be back home the weather has turned off Cold, while at church yesterday it snowed an inch and a half on all our cars. It drop down in the low teens last night  Craig went and got the SK ski boat out of storage  and put it in the upper garage at about midnight with the cold temperatures.  He hasn’t winterized it yet and didn’t want it freezing.

Got on the scales this morning and I weigh 164 pounds. I knew I would gain some weight from our trip so now I got a buckle down and start exercising and watching what I eat.  I would really like to get 10 pounds off in the next six weeks.  My foot is starting to feel somewhat better so I need to get on the elliptical trainer and see how I do.  I haven’t been on it since May.  I hurt so bad all summer it was hard to work out or do anything with my foot getting a Cortizone shot a month ago has helped greatly with the pain and keeping it taped has helped too.  Today is the day to set a new goal of exercising and trying to lose some weight!! 

Sabbath Day

We had to get up early for our church meetings.  Craig had Bishop council at 6:30 and I hade Bishop ward council at 7:30am.  Felt good to be in our church meetings.  Craig had one of his long time clients visiting today Dale & Rene. Dale sat by me during Sacrament, he is in his 80’s now.  His wife didn’t come to church with him.  I did invite them to stop by and visit us after church. They were up for a family reunion.  Brittany my 2nd counselor taught our young women lesson.  She did a great job.  Challenged us to worked on being more Christ like in our behavior this week and pick something to focus on an strive to work on during week.  I can home gad a nutrisystem dinner, read my scriptures and fell alslrep for two hours, I was really tired.  I woke up just in time for my 4pm yw presidency meeting.  We had a very good meeting 2 and half hours long,  talked about the challenges we are dealing with the young women in our ward.  Trying to not get discourage, which had been hard for all of us.  We set a time to attend the temple this Friday.  To fast and pray for the inspiration we each need in knowing how to help our girls.  The prophet has asked us to go to the temple more for personal inspiration.  I cane home after our meeting and fixed Craig & I dinner.  Cooked up some red potatoes I just picked up from Rose today., I order the good ol farm grown potatoes from a Idaho Farm.  They delivered them while we were gone. They come in 50 pound bags.  I shared a bag with Rose.  After dinner I spent the rest of the evening reading the comference talks on the Saturday session.  We were in Palmyra visiting the historical church sites.  So we missed most of the conference.   We did listen to some that evening staying at our bed & Breakfast for the night.  I love all the talks given and going to strive thus week to listen to all all the talks I missed. The exciting new changing announced is January 2019 we are going to a two hour church block, asking us to do more teaching in the home.  We need to strive to have a gospel centered home.  I read thru some of the new lesson material that will support our learning in the home and then also teach the same topics at church to reinforce our learning at home.  Excited for the new changes.  We are challenged to read the Book of Mormon by the end of the year.  I’m in 3 Nephi so I’ve got to pick up my reading schedule in order to make the challenge.  “A Revelatory Season”- by the apostle Bednar- We live in a remarkable and revelatory season of the restored Church of Jesus Christ. The historic adjustments announced today have only one overarching purpose: to strengthen faith in Heavenly Father and His plan and in His Son, Jesus Christ, and His Atonement. The Sunday meeting schedule was not simply shortened. Rather, we now have increased opportunities and responsibilities as individuals and families to use our time for enhancing the Sabbath as a delight at home and at church.

Heading Home

We stayed at a hotel only about 7 minutes from the airport.  The airport is huge with cars driving fast getting off & on at various exits. We got up at 5:30 am to get ready to come home . Our flight scheduled to leave at 8:30 am. We left 2 hrs before our flight and we barley made it in time.  Trying to find the car rental drop off we were lucky and drive right to it. It started to rain and we were trying to figure out what rental car exits to get off on.  There were sign everywhere as we got off one exits we ended up on the wrong side of the road, a man next to us rolled down his window to let us know and dad us pull in front of him to turn at the light.  It was still dark which made it even more difficult to see.  Luckily we got off the right exits and drove right to our rental check in location. We were able to check it in fast and onto the train to the airport to check in.  It was crazy busy at check in location people everywhere with long lines.  I was stressed feeling we are not going to make it on our flight, we didn’t give ourselves enough time.  People everywhere noone to talk to.   We were waiting in a United airline sign that said flights to Cuba.  I was afraid we were in the wrong line.  We were told it was an over flow to check people thru for check-In.  We then had to check our bag.  We barely got thru the security line in time to board the plane. We had no downtime waiting.  It was a sigh of relief when we got on the plane.  We had about a 5 hr flight home.  It felt good to touch down on the landed runway.  I wanted to kiss the ground.  We are home !!  We still need to drive to the lake.  We loaded up our things at Tasha home, we left from our lake Powell trip.  Tasha picked us up at the airport.  Lincoln is playing in his football game so we are heading over to watch him.  I’m so exhausted emotionally from our trip.  The stress of getting to the airport and flying home has wore me out.  Feels so good to be home to our simple life style!! The weather is cooling off with snow on the mountains tops.  It will feel so nice to sleep in our own bed tonight.  

Heading back to New Jersey

We had a 6 hour drive back to New Jersey this afternoon after our visit in Salem.  The traffic was terrible coming back to the city.  It is crazy traffic and roads going all kinds of directions. thank goodness we had Siri to direct us  on my phone.  It was still difficult with her directions.  We finally arrived to our hotel about 8:30pm.  A sigh of relief!! Thank the Lord we arrived safely.   We are ready to go home!! We have been gone since September 27th -17 days.  The City life really stressed me out.  Driving in it is crazy fast, cars, people and roads going all different directions   It will be nice to be home tomorrow to our simple life.  

Salem Massachusetts

Our last day of our trip.  We spent a few hours in Salem.  Fun to be here in October.  We went the Salem Witch museum.  Very interesting-dated back to1687 the Salem Witch trials where 18   Settlers were accused and hung as witches.  It was a plague in Europe.  Such a sad time in our America History.     

Saying Good-bye !! 

Day In Boston

We drove late last night to get just outside of Boston for the night.  We had a crazy time getting to our hotel and got out tempers flaring trying to find the place. It was dark which makes it difficult driving.  We missed the road and had to circle around in the dark  We had to go around the lope twice.  We finally made it!!  It was 10:30 pm and we were beat. Checking in they were over booked.  We did have a room reserved but couldn’t get the door to unlock we were tired and stressed from driving into another large city.  The traffic is crazy, Craig took the master key and was able to get in thank goodness!!  I was feeling frazzled after our 6 hour drive to Vermont and 3 hours down to Boston.  I stayed up till 12:30 am planning our day in Boston.  We were slow getting out this morning.  Didn’t get in Boston and on the our bus tour till 1pm-  2pm we got off the bus to see the world famous baseball field Fenway Park, the world  series game is this weekend.  It started to rain on us.  We had to walk back to our bus stop in the rain.  It was a long walk and pouring.  Our map got all wet and I finally dropped it along the way with our tickets for the bus.  I was very upset that we got off the bus tour. We  didnt get back on the bus until 4pm. I was not happy that we had gotten off and missed the rest of our tour.  We were stuck in the crazy city traffic.   It was a long walk in the rain and not worth the stop to me.  We walked down one of the prettiest streets I saw while on the bus so I did enjoy walking in the rain. Our last hour on the bus was in traffic so we didn’t get to see much more with the rain coming down.  We got off the bus at 5:30 pm dripping wet.  We changed our clothes and had dinner at the Warf- ate some good New England clam chowder to warm us up. Not my favorite day, wished we could have taken in more. The rain didn’t help.!!   The traffic is terrible.  We have been very blessed we have had great weather the entire trip.  Waliking in the rain down a old historic street in Cambridge.  

Fun to drive by the Cheers establishment. Old city hall where the Declartion of Independance was read for the first time 1776.   Craig at FenwayPark.  

Boston is a beautiful city.  I did like it much better than New York.  York was so dirty.  So much history in Boston the beginning of our courty 1776 the Revolutionary War time period.  Early colonists believed that Boston was a community with a special covenant with God, as captured in Winthrop’s “City upon a Hill” metaphor. This influenced every facet of Boston life, and made it imperative that colonists legislate morality as well as enforce marriage, church attendance, education in the Word of God, and the persecution of sinners. One of the first schools in America, Boston Latin School (1635), and the first college in America, Harvard College (1636), were founded shortly after Boston’s European settlement.

Heading to Vermont

Today we headed north to Vermont to see the birth place of Joseph Smith.   We had enough of the city.  We wore our selves out walking around we slept in till 10am.  So surprise we slept in so long.  It had been a beautiful drive 6 hours.  The setting is so beautiful and peaceful.  so special to visit this sites.  One of the highlights of our Church church history tour.   So grateful for the Prophet Joseph Smith.  

New York City

We are here.  We arrived yesterday afternoon about 5pm.  We met Jack’s new wife Diane at their new home they are remodeling. They are so gracious to let us stay here.  We have a very comfortable bed to sleep in.  They just started moving in this past weekend.  Diane was so gracious to fix a bed for us to sleep in with just moving in her home.   We just hit off instantly.  We rode the subway in to New York, and met Jack for dinner downtown.  It was quite an experience.  Over wheleming to me seeing all the people.  Our restaurant was so noisey we could hardly hear each other talk.  Riding the subway in and back was crazy,  I don’t know if we can do this it seems very complicated to me right now.  I’m ready to go home now, but we need to figure things out to enjoy our time here the next four days.  We want to venture out     And see the Statue of Liberty today today.  Try to figure out this crazy city life... we walked over 4 miles today, we had an eventful day!!