23 October 2016 - Kimball's Baptism & Special Stake Conference with an Apostle

   This week was the end of the long stretch of Seminary teaching solo until Thursday. That made the last of the week a little easier which was nice for preparing for family to visit. Wednesday night, Susan, Cory and the kids came in very late and they were very tired. When Kathleen came home from Seminary Thursday morning she noticed a light on in the back bedroom and Kimball was reading some of the books that we had in the bookshelf outside her room. Everything else was quiet and dark so after a little talk and fixing a smaller light for her, the doors were shut and quiet and dark reigned again.

First catch of the season...Stephen
was quite proud of his trap success.

    Stephen did manage to put up some scaffolding that he and Br. Wilden purchased from  Br. Christiansen in the Stake. His plan is the repair and paint the outside of the house. Unfortunately it has rained most every day this past week so there was not much work done outside.

Scaffolding up and ready for work...

He did fix the watering system for the chickens by putting a bucket of water and helped thin out the raspberries and the loganberries. He also purchased some extensions for the downspouts on the rain gutters to move the water away from the house. Stephen is also very proud of the fact that he posted his rooster on Craigslist for free because the rooster was harrassing the hens and not letting them eat feed so they stopped laying eggs. He got a costumer in less than 3 hours that took the rooster for his dinner... :-0

   Samuel had a double header for Volleyball this past Tuesday that they lost and we was not very happy. He also had a band concert on Thursday night and a Scout clinic in  Renton on Saturday so he was busy. He has Spanish homework almost everyday so he gets help and is trying to speak more and more Spanish. When you see him try it out...;-)

   Thursday, Kathleen had a doctor's appointment for her foot and Susan and Cory went to pick up Katherine Jestes at the airport. She was coming to speak at Kimball's baptism and it was so nice to have her stay here at the house. She loved touring the back yard and playing games and watching a movie (Pride and Prejudice and Zombies). 

   Friday was spent preparing for a baptism and a dinner after here at the house. Kimball wore a nice white dress and she planned the day.

The font had to be filled early so Stephen was at the church ready while things were still getting ready here, including chili for "Taco Salad" and "Better than Pumpkin Pie". Add to that Lemonade and Limeade with a special cake for Kimball made by Ruth and it was a perfect meal. At the baptism, Katherine gave a talk on baptism and Susan spoke on the Holy Ghost.  Rebekah played the piano and Kathleen led the music. Cory did the ordinance of baptism and confirmation. It was wonderful with the only glitch being that Cory stated her name as Kimball Elaine Brighton but that's not her legal name so that had to do it again. Kimball didn't mind at all since the water was warm.

Showing off the white dress.

A Family shot

Kimball wanted her Dad to do the ordinance.

A threesome pose on a Baptism Day.

After the baptism Brian spent quite a while trying to hook the font's drain with a long hooked pole but it kept falling back. Susan was about ready to hike up her skirt and plunge in but Stephen was given another long handle and Cory had the hook and they opened the drain together. It was definitely a two man job.

   Saturday there was a Family History Discovery Day that Stephen had to go to as the Stake Counselor over Family History and Temple Work. He then went to a leadership training meeting with Elder Rasband, Elder Clayton, Elder Waddell and Elder Call. That was a 4 hour meeting that he just loved. 

Beka's present for Kimball.

   Saturday Kathleen spent the morning at the Tribal Life Trail "Make a Difference Day" with the Master Garden program. She was also able to bring home some plants, Hardy Cyclamen, and plant those in the garden and move some other plants around. Hopefully they'll survive "but if not" it's OK. After planting there was thinning out of the strawberries that needed to be finished and some weeding a picking more butternut squash. It was a beautiful day for working outside. Susan, Cory and their kids went to visit a friend from Susan's school days at BYU up in Bellevue. She was gone until 3:30 and when they got back they were all hungry and wanted to try out the Cafe Rio here in Kent. 

   That evening the youth had a face to face with Elder Rasband that was tele-commed to the Maple Valley Stake Center but the internet cut out 4 times during the broadcast. Samuel and Joram weren't too upset but some of the other kids were. They need to be sure to get better reception.

After the baptism dinner and dessert.

    Sunday was a special conference with Elder Rasband. We made it to the church about 8:20 AM. There were people already filling the chapel. Thankfully Samuel, Rebekah and Kathleen were in the choir so the didn't need to worry about their places. Br. Sumpter was in charge of security along with a collegue of his from the Federal Way Police Dept. Stephen said he could tell they were armed but it wasn't obvious. Stephen toured Elder Rasband around the building meeting people that were in the RS room, the Primary room and the YW room in the stake center then he started in the back and shook hands with people in the back of the room. As a choir we were instructed to stand when he came up on the stand so we all stood and Stephen took his place in the front with all the rest of the Stake Presidency and leaders. After the choir sung the prelude music "The Lord is my Shephard"and the prayer and announcements, we sang our other musical number "How Firm a Foundation". Pres. Stroud spoke then about the importance of strengthening our conversion by helping strengthen others and the importance of Love, Service and Action to invite others to  Christ. Elder and Sister Call then spoke and Elder Rasband invited Elder Walker (our previous area 70) to speak since he knew him. He spoke on Moses and the Lord's answer of who was sending him. The Great "I am" which as a prepositional phrase means "has everything, is everything" and that we are the children of God and should not lack confidence as a Child of God. It was a great thought.

   After the rest hymn, Elder Rasband had the rest of the meeting. He first spoke of President Monson's love for us and what he would say if he came... "I love you" and "thank you". He spoke about these last days and used scriptures that described the last days including "perilous", "rage", "calamity" and talked about standing in Holy Places, including our homes. He said he wanted to talk to the children and brought up the reference in Mosiah 26 about the "rising generation" not understanding the words of the prophet and leaving the traditions of their fathers. He spoke about the importance of teaching children the gospel and he brought up the quotes of 4 prophets that he had known. He said David O. McKay stated, "no other success can compensate for failure in the home”  and when he was asked 'what is failure in the home?' He stated that "failure only occurs when you stop trying." Harold B. Lee was the grandfather of one of his missionary companions in the New York City mission and he picked him up at the airport. Pres. Lee stated, “The most important of the Lord’s work that you will ever do will be the work you do within the walls of your own home.”

Then he said President Gordon B. Hinckley said "In terms of your happiness, in terms of the matters that make you proud or sad, nothing—I repeat, nothing—will have so profound an effect on you as the way your children turn out." Then he finished the quotes with President Thomas S. Monson who stated, "When the seas of life are stormy, a wise mariner seeks a port of peace. The family, as we have traditionally known it, is such a refuge of safety."

    Elder Rasband then quoted from the scriptures in 2 Nephi 25:23, 26 "we labor to persuade our children..." and children were before "brethren" and he said it was so important to put family first. Family was before, job, callings, everything but God. Stephen mentioned that the Leadership meeting was on the same line that Bishops were to delegate those things that others could do and just do what the Bishop only had to do. He finished with the importance of strengthening our families while the world is swirling around us. It was an inspirational meeting. Elder Rasband was in tears much of his talk as he spoke of his family life and personal experiences with the prophets and his testimony. He ended with giving the congregation an apostolic blessing and his testimony. He said "I know Christ" which was an amazing thing to hear. What a Special Witness of Christ.