Celebrations And Memories ~

May and June were great months for celebrations and making memories. It was a busy and fulfilling time for sure. 

Our precious 19-year-old Granddaughter, April came for a visit from Minneapolis, Minnesota. We had a great time with her. Thr first thing we did was to attend BYU Women's Conference which four on the Brigham Young University Campas. The theme for the meetings was “Strengthen One Another in the Lord.” I had a dear friend Wendy who came with us. She serves with me in the Stake Relief Society Presidency. We enjoyed all of the classes we attended and especially loved the guest speakers for the opening and closing of the conference. We learned a lot about Ministering in the Lord's way. We also attended an enjoyable evening of entertainment. We were able to see 4 different groups perform: Mercy River, Gentri, Jenny Oaks Baker and Calee Reed. They were fabulous. 

Roger and I took our Granddaughter April to Temple Square. We spent most of our time touring the Conference center and the Temple grounds. We also had a lovely lunch in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. 

This time of the year Temple Square is lovely. The flowers are beautiful, and the water fountains are spectacular. I love the old trees on the temple grounds. They have been there since the pioneer days.

These photos below are from the Conference Center roof. There is an excellent view of the city from there. 

We had a delightful Mother's Day Celebration. My son in law's mother Irene came for dinner. She is a very close and treasured friend of mine. We had a beautiful Sabbath day and delicious meal. I received lovely flowers, cards and phone calls from my children. 

A few days later, my sweet husband, and I went to the Riverton Park for a picnic. It is a lovely place. We ate, took a walk through the park and sat under a tree and read our novels. It was a marvelous relaxing day for us. 

During May, we went to three of our Grandson's Soccer Games. It is always fun to watch them play. They are terrific players. 

Grandson, Jeffery~

Grandson, Joshua

Grandson, Benjamin - Ben is 7th one over on the first photo. 

We also attended our first LaCrosse game ever. It was enjoyable to watch. There were three young men that we know playing in this game. They play for Bingham High which is the High School in our area. 

On May 20th our beloved Temple; The Jordan River Utah Temple was re-dedicated. We had enjoyed attending the dedication at our Stake Center. It was a spiritual family event for us and Daughter, Jenni, Michael and the children. You can read more about it here and here.

Our sweet Granddaughter, Alyssa was able to participate in several youth activities in preparation for the re-dedication of the temple. She loved being part of the big celebration.  You can read about it here. 

We had a delightful Family Home Evening with the family that is living with us now. It was a pleasant June evening. 

Millan and Leone (my Dad and Mom)

We had two memories on June 1st. The photo above is of my dear parents. I miss them so much.  My parents would have celebrated their 82nd Wedding Anniversary this year. I still feel like they are celebrating it in the Spirit World. I have the best of parents and have many fond and fantastic memories of my times with them. I still grieve for my parents even though they have both passed away some years ago; my father in 2001 and my mother in 2005. 

LaMar and Nyal ( my father and mother in law) 

Another particular moment was celebrated in our church on June 1st. This year is the 40th Anniversary of the Revelation that extended the Priesthood to all worthy males of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This revelation had a profound impact on many parts of the world. It was an incredible moment for many of people of Africa. My Father and Mother in law in the photo above had a great deal to do with spreading the gospel to the people in Nigeria and Lagos. 
In 1961, President David O. McKay assigned Elder LaMar Williams, secretary to the Church Missionary Department, to go to Nigeria on a fact-finding mission to determine if the people were sincere and willing to accept membership in the Church even though they could not yet hold the priesthood. Although Elder Williams had been responding to the flood of letters from Africa, he was not prepared for what he found there. He was met at the airport in Nigeria by ten pastors with whom he had been corresponding. He was surprised to discover that not only did each pastor operate independently but they were not even aware of each other. 
Here are the few paragraphs from his journal that he wrote about his first visit to Nigeria. You can find the article entitled Pioneers of Africa by E. Dale LeBaron in the LDS Living Magazine May/June 2018 issue on pages 40-48. The beginning two paragraphs and the last paragraph are from this article. 
Here are the journal entries from my father in law. 
"It was hot as blazes...My suit was wringing wet...When I turned the meeting back to (the pastor), I heard a murmur all through the congregation...and the (pastor) said to me, "They don't want to go home. They have something to say." Then for three hours, these people were standing up bearing testimonies to the truthfulness of the Church and how they believed in the prophets. I could not believe what I was hearing. 
One elderly gentleman stood and spoke emphatically: "I am an old man. I am sick. But when I heard you were going to be here, I walked 16 miles this morning to see you and to hear what you have to say. I still have to walk 16 miles to get back home, and I am not well. I want you to know that I am sincere or I would not be here. I have not seen President McKay. I have not seen God. But I have seen you, and I will hold you personally accountable to tell President McKay that I am sincere." 
President Fisher reported to the First Presidency that he found the people of Nigeria to be very sincere and devout in their convictions about the Book of Mormon, the Prophet Joseph Smith, and the Restoration. He recommended that the Church send missionary couples to Africa to organize the Church and begin baptizing those who were ready.
Elder Williams made two additional trips to Nigeria. In 1966. President McKay called Elder and Sister Williams and two other couples to serve as the first missionaries in Nigeria. However, the Nigerian government refused to issue the needed visas, and very soon after Elder William's third trip, the Biafra War - the most destructive civil war to that point in recorded African history - erupted in Nigeria. The most vicious fighting occurred in the same area where these faithful congregations were located, and the Church was compelled to abandon its efforts. It would be many long years before they were allowed to return.

I remember well the day that this revelation was announced. We were living in Paradise, California at the time. I had just finished a conversation on the phone with a very dear friend from San Jose, California where we had lived for three years. I then received the news of this revelation. I quickly called my beloved husband at work to tell him. We were all very excited to hear this news. Later our father in law told us that he had met President Spencer W. Kimball, the Prophet and then President of the church, who received this revelation on the temple grounds the day before and he said to LaMar that he would be thrilled about an announcement that would be announced the next day.  
I miss my father and mother in law too. They were so very dear to me. I felt like I was their daughter also. 

We had a fantastic birthday celebration for our dear daughter Jenni-Marie. It's been fun having them living with us, and now we can celebrate her birthday with her. We enjoyed the moments on this one. 

On this Wednesday, June 13th, my Eternal Companion and I will celebrate our 51st Wedding Anniversary. I am looking forward to this day. We are planning on going to the Salt Lake Temple to do sealings for some ancestors. We then plan to go to lunch and later on we will go to the new Star Wars movie. This will be fun since on our 13th wedding anniversary we attended one of the Star War movies, and it was a memorable day. 
I am married to one of the kindest, most loving, devoted husband and father that I know. I love this man with all my heart and am very happy that we are married and sealed together for eternity. 

Top Left row: Jacob, our grandson; Ethan, our grandson; Travis, our son - Middle Row: Left Dave, our Son in law; Layton, our grandson; Jenni, our daughter. Bottom Row: Karli, our granddaughter, James, our son; Sean, our son. 

Happy Birthday Shout Out to Children and Grandchildren for May and June. It's slew of them; each very precious to us. We love you all!