Last Monday, after teaching Seminary, I got home to find Stephen
packing his clothes. He left for Boise to play Grandpa to Jarom, Josiah and
Kimball. He had a flight out at 11:50 and I dropped him off at 10:50. He didn’t
have to check in luggage and he had his ticket so I didn’t think much about it.
I drove home stopping by some stores and looking around. I got home and went
outside to work. At 2:00 I noticed a message on my phone. Stephen had missed
his flight. It was just barely getting on the plane for a 3:00 flight to Boise.
He was very unhappy and said he would be driving next time. I felt bad that I
had missed his message until it was too late to help him out. That night Samuel
and I had FHE by ourselves.
Tuesday after Seminary, I drove to the temple. I was hoping to do the
8:00 session and then go to Deseret Book for the book “Isaiah for Airheads”. It
was recommended for teaching Isaiah to youth and since that is the book we’re
in for the next 16 lessons I thought it would be a good reference. Traffic was
busy as usual but I didn’t get carpool privileges so I missed the 8:00 session
and I thought it would be great to do some initiatory work. What a wonderful
experience that was! It’s been a long time since I’ve done initiatory work and
the blessings that you receive are pronounced during that part of the
endowment. It was very special to me.
After going to Deseret Book, I made it home in time to put some serious
study into my lesson. It was raining so it didn’t seem like I could do much
outside. I had taught Proverbs on Monday and I was teaching Isaiah 1 & 2
for Wednesday. There was so much wonderful information and it just solidified
the truthfulness of the Book of Mormon to me. There are things in the Old
Testament that were not always translated correctly even in the Greek version
but the Book of Mormon translation has them corrected. It was a beautiful thing
to find.
Tuesday night was a church Basketball game for Samuel. He had me drop
him off so I could run errands to pick up items for Sheryl Sprague. I managed
to get there at the last 3 minutes or so of the game. The sisters were telling
me that I missed 2 three-point shots that Samuel had made. That was sad but he
did make another long shot worth 2 points that I got to see so not all was lost…lol.
Wednesday I taught the first lesson on Isaiah. It was ok but I don’t
think the youth enjoyed it as much as I did. I have to put some fun time in
there as well as lesson time so they don’t just put their heads down and fall
asleep. Later that day I made it to Tacoma to pick up some Tagro Potting Soil for
the front yard. I put down more paper block and emptied the whole truck into a
wheelbarrow over and over again until it was all out of the back of the truck
and on the front yard. I was pleased with my efforts. But I was also very
tired. It took most of the day for me to finish up. That evening Samuel had
Young Men and I worked more at home.
Thursday my visiting teaching companion had scheduled our visits
starting at 10:00. Three visits lasted until 12:00. Then I dashed home and
starting hauling plants around to get them ready to plant. I had most of the
work done by the time Stephen drove up with Bruce and Annette Wilding. It was
good to see them and know that they got home safe. Stephen told me to come in
the house to see something before I finished the plants. I was pretty filthy
but he insisted so we came in and Bruce sat at the computer and showed us how
to find names of ancestor’s descendants that need their temple work done. It
was very easy and really exciting to get names printed off to take to the
temple. We made a date to go to the Seattle Temple to do baptisms the next day.
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| New plants in their new home.... |
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| The pathway getting ready to be wood chipped and the next garden area. |
Friday we were at the temple around 12:00 and met Bruce and Annette. We
went to the Baptistery and changed into white clothes and got to sit by the
font and talk for a while until they found enough brethren to do the recording
and witnessing that needed to be done.
Annette went first and I followed. Bruce baptized Annette and Stephen
baptized me for 4 sisters. Then Stephen baptized Bruce and Bruce baptized
Stephen. Both Stephen and Bruce did baptistery work in the Provo Temple when we
were first married. It was great to be able to go with them this time. After we
were dressed we decided to have lunch in the cafeteria and wait for the work to
be recorded. Then we parted with the idea that we’ll get to together again
soon. They did say that we could use their cabin anytime (free or charge)… J On the way home, we stopped by Reber Ranch and picked out 4 baby chicks. We bought White Leghorns to lay eggs. The price of eggs is ridiculous so we'll just have to "grow" our own...lol.
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| Four little chicks. |
Friday night we were invited to go with the Spanish Sister missionaries
over to Yesenia’s home where her brother-in-law Sergio was going to hear the
first lesson. Yesenia bore a powerful testimony of the truthfulness of the
gospel and the Love of the Lord for all men. There was a strong spirit there
and it was wonderful to see a heart softened as the lesson went forward. It was
a spiritual day.
Saturday, we were up early because Samuel had to go to Kentlake for a
band competition in Auburn. He had to be on the bus at KL at 7:30. After
Stephen got home he left again for the stake center as it was our day to clean.
He missed it last time so I let him go for the family and I stayed home and
cleaned the kitchen and the house. It was in real need.
At 10:00 Stephen had committed to Sr. Billie Atwood to come over for 2
hours and watch her mother so that she could go to an appointment. I was able
to watch her and talk with Stephen about an upcoming reception here in Kent.
After Billie got home with talked with her for some time. She seemed to like
the conversation as her mother doesn’t really communicate very much if at all.
That afternoon I worked outside tying up the raspberry and loganberry
vines, pulling weeds and watering until around 5:00. I was to be at the Murphy’s
house to take care of Sean and Freddy while Pat and Rebekah went on a date with
the Carter’s. Rebekah was stressed out but everything was good. Freddy likes to
watch cartoons and Sean mostly slept. I had to fix dinner for Freddy and since
I always told my girls to wash dishes or clean the house where they are
babysitting, I thought I would practice what I taught them. I washed all the
dishes in the kitchen while fixing dinner and then after Freddy’s bath and
bedtime routine and Sean’s meds, I dried them and put them away as best I could
in a kitchen I didn’t know. I give credit to all my wonderful children for
their great example to me. By the time I got home Stephen just told me to go to
bed and he went to pick up Samuel at the Kent Stake Center Dance.
Today was another wonderful Sabbath. Brianna Stroud spoke on gaining a
personal testimony, Lily Pecka spoke on knowing the scriptures are true. She
said that she asked her daughter, Skyla about her testimony of the scriptures
and she said she gained her witness of the truth in Seminary. She is in my class and I was so pleased to
know that she knows the truth of the scriptures. We had a musical number where
Rebekah played the piano and Sr. Dupree sang a lovely song and then Br. Brandon
Perks spoke on being converted. He had a quote that went something like, “a
testimony is knowledge, conversion is a change of heart (becoming a new
person).” I was very touched by that idea. I want to be truly converted. I’m
working on it.
The last hour was a combined RS and Priesthood meeting on “Sabbath
Observance and Reverence.” They had a whole list of things to do on Sunday that
would be in accordance to what the Lord would have us do. Most of the list
dealt with family. I thought it was great.
They even said baking cookies was a great Sabbath day activity. I loved
that one….lol. There was a blessing involved in keeping the Sabbath day Holy.
We would be able to withstand the conflicts in the world. Elder Ballard spoke
at the end and he said that the family would be blessed for keeping the Sabbath
day Holy and he implied that in the coming years the family might be the only
place that we can keep the Sabbath day Holy. It seemed to me to be a warning. I
would want all of my children to take heed to teach their children Reverence
and to Honor the Lord by honoring His Holy Day.
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