24 January 2016 - Missionary opportunities and More!

Another week has flown by and much has been accomplished.
   Monday was MLK day and so Samuel was off of school. Samuel and Stephen made it to the gym while I worked on cleaning the kitchen and other areas in the house. That night the missionaries came over with our recent convert and another sister who is investigating the church, Sr. Holman. She has been meeting with the missionaries for over 8 years but has a smoking problem. The elders are really working with her and committed her to the addiction recovery program and she seems to have a very real desire to overcome her addiction this time.
   Tuesday started off with Seminary and the new Learning Assessment that the students have to pass in order to get credit for the course. We moved the kids apart and covered up the scripture mastery clues on the wall so they wouldn't get any help. We had 4 kids not pass the first time but since they get to take it over as many times as needed they all have passed. Samuel passed with flying colors and I was very pleased with that.
   Tuesday morning  Stephen went to the temple to speak with President Maucotel about the Recorder position that will be open soon as he is preparing to serve as a mission president. Stephen came home with a true desire to serve in that position but he feels that he might not get it. I'm asking for your prayers that if the Lord wants him to serve in that position that those in charge will be inspired to "assign" that to him. I believe he would love that opportunity. Thanks!
   I spent several hours at the Family History Library with Mary Kozy. I'm just getting into understanding what I can do to "clean up" our family information. There are so obvious errors...such as mothers dying prior to the birth of a child. I ordered RootsMagic7 to help out with the mess. I'll be asking everyone for exact information of birth dates and places and spelling of parents/children etc. Please know that it is to make everything accurate. If you have a copy of a birth certificate I would like a scan of that also... ;-)
   Tuesday night Samuel had a game at  Tahoma Middle School and when I got there they were behind by about 15 points. Mike and Cathy and Becky Jo and Ryan were there also but I didn't think that Samuel would get to play because we need to be way ahead for the coach to put him in the game. Mike said the other team had been shooting a lot of 3 pointers. As I watched our team they seemed to hustle much more than the other team and by the end of the second half we were ahead by 20 and Samuel got to go into the game. They passed him the ball and it hit his face but he hung on to it and attempted a basket. It bounced off the rim barely missing. They got him the ball again and it was an airball. On the third try he swished in a 3 point shot and the crowd went wild, especially his coach and teammates. You could tell they really want him to make it.

Samuel at Curtis taking a shot. Look at
his teammates and coach.

   That evening Samuel had a basketball game at the Kent Building. His team played some very big boys from Clarke Lake and they barely won by 1 point in the end. The court is so small that it makes it difficult to play with 5 on a team. They were mostly Polynesian kids too.
   Wednesday night I went to the Family History Library where Mary Kozy taught a lesson about Family Search Wiki. I was blown away... there is so much to do and so much help. It was difficult to decide where to go and which line to check out. Thankfully Family Search has little icons to let you know that there is a problem with some information and you can start there.
   Thursday I taught Seminary and then Stephen went with Rebekah to get some things for her house. He worked there until after 1:00 so we didn't get much done here at the house but planning. We were going to go out to the new Cafe Rio here but it was so late by the time he got back that we just had some lunch here. I'm on an elimination diet again. It does make me feel better but I have a hard time figuring out what to eat. When you don't eat milk, grains, and legumes that cuts out a lot of my diet. Thankfully Benjamin gave me a diffuser pitcher for Christmas so I can make tasty water concoctions to enjoy.

One of the dishes that I can have on my diet.
Cabbage and Kale salad and baked potato.

    Friday after Seminary it was raining so I worked inside then the sun peeked out for a few hours in the afternoon. It was beautiful. Stephen and I worked outside, transplanting a Hazelnut (Filbert) tree and pruning out the raspberries. We had to move the chicken coop and one of the compost bins before we could dig a hole big enough for the tree but it was done prior to the rain starting up again.

The filbert where the compost bin used to be. 

   Saturday we spent deep cleaning our bedroom. Wow, it looks nice now. I can imagine some new bedroom furniture in there... ;-) Stephen hung the picture of the empty tomb up over the head of our bed. Hopefully it will remind me daily that He is risen and I need to follow in His footsteps to arise from my bed and do His will.

You can see the pictures and enjoy the space.

Finally got the picture of the "Empty Tomb" hung.
Thanks to all of my children for such a wonderful
gift.

   Saturday night we went to the temple. It was a wonderful experience for me. I received some enlightenment and understanding that I hadn't had before. It was nice to sit in the Celestial room and talk with Stephen about it. Also a sister was there in the Celestial Room and she knew Sarah. Her son Sean Nielson is a good friend with Derek Clements. She mentioned that she had served a mission in the Philippines that included Tacloban at the time, though she never served there. She remembered seeing Sarah's picture of her holding her companion's face. She also said she was at the temple the night that Sarah received her endowments and she was one of the people who chose to go to another session so that family and friends could be with Sarah. It was fun talking with her.
   Today at church, the Williams spoke because they are leaving for their mission to New York, New York South a week from Monday and next week is conference. They had some great messages about temple work and missionary work. I really feel like I need to get into  Family History so that I can work in the temple which is part of my patriarchal blessing. I look forward to serving in any way I can. Right now, I'm a Seminary teacher and though it has been a struggle in some ways I hope the Lord is accepting of my efforts.
   The Sabbath is truly a delight. I'm grateful to be able to write my history. I'm grateful for my children and their lovely companions, for grandchildren and extended family. Mostly I'm grateful for my Savior, for the sacrifice he made to complete the atonement for each of us so that we have the opportunity to be forever with our Eternal Family. I hope and pray that each of my family feels that love!

Here's my Christmas gift from my children
this past year. Thank you all so very much!!!