Happy Birthday America; "Our Promise Land"~

 

Each year we have the opportunity on the 4th of July to reflect on the freedoms we enjoy due to courageous men and woman who have fought for our liberty and our pursuit of happiness. We are so blessed to live in this country and we should never take it for granted.

In The Book of Mormon the people of that day were blessed to come to the Americas. The Lord covenanted with them that if they would be a righteous nation they  would obtain this "promised land" forever. Eventually, this once blessed people became so wicked that they were destroyed to where only a remnant remained. It is a warning for us today as our Nation struggles with so many issues. 

In the Book of Mormon in 2 Nephi 1:5-7 it states:

5. But, said he, notwithstanding our afflictions, we have obtained a land of promise, a land which is choice above all other lands; a land which the Lord God hath covenant with me should be a land for the inheritance of my seed. Yea, the Lord hath covenanted this land unto me, and to my children forever, and also all those who should be led out of other countries by the hand of the Lord.

6. Wherefore, I, Lehi prophesy according to the workings of the Spirit which is in me, that there shall none come into this land save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord.

7. Wherefore, this land is consecrated unto him whom he shall bring.

 And if it so be that they shall serve him according to the commandments which he hath given, it shall be a land of liberty unto them; wherefore, they shall never be brought down into captivity; if so, it shall be because of iniquity; for if iniquity shall abound cursed shall be the land for their sakes, but unto the righteous it shall be blessed forever.
This is our promise land today. However, as in the time of the Nephites our nation is dwindling in unbelief.
As found in the Book of Mormon in Helaman 11:24-27 we find the following:

24. A certain number of the dissenters from the people of Nephi who had some years before gone over unto the Lamanites, and taken upon themselves the name of the Lamanites and also a certain number who were real descendants of the Lamanites, being stirred up to anger by them, or by those dissenters, therefore they commenced a war with their brethren.
26. And thus in time, yea, even in the space of not many years, they became an exceedingly great band of robbers; and they did search out all the secret plans of Gadianton; and thus they became robbers of Gadianton.
27. Now behold, these robbers did make great havoc, yea, even great destruction among the people of Nephi, and also among the people of the Lamanites.

The "Gadianton robbers" of today, with their secret combinations, are seen among the gangs, organized crime, and perhaps even within our present day financial, government, and political arenas. Our nation is no longer a God fearing nation. Many do not profess to believe in a God thus Evil abounds and Satan  reigns.

We need a Moroni of today. In their day in Alma 43:45; Nevertheless, the Nephites were inspired by a better cause, for they were not fighting for monarchy nor power but they were fighting for their homes and their liberties, their wives and their children, and their all, yea, for their  rites of worship and their church.

Moroni came forward to lead his people, as stated in Alma 46:12-20:

12.And it came to pass that he rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it- In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children - and he fastened it upon the end of pole.
13. And he fastened it onto his head plate, and his breastplate, and his shields, and girded on his armor  about his loins; and he took the pole, which had on the end thereof his rent coat, (and he called it the Title of Liberty) and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren, so long as there should be band of Christians remain to possess the land.
16. And therefore, at this time, Moroni prayed that the cause of the Christians, and the freedom of the land might be favored.
17. And it came to pass that when he had poured out his soul to God, he named all the land which was south of the land Desolation, yea, and in fine, all the land, both on the north and on the south - a chosen land, and the land of liberty.
19. And when Moroni had said these words, he went forth among the people, waving the rent part of his garment in the air, that all might see the writing which he had written up on the rent part, and crying with a loud voice saying:
20. Behold, whosoever will maintain this title upon the land, let them come forth in the strength of the Lord, and enter into a covenant that they will maintain their rights, and their religion, that the Lord God may bless them.

                           Repost 2013

We have a Title of Liberty in our American Flag today. May it always fly over a free land. The last verse in our National Anthem, "The Star Spangled Banner" declares it to all:

Oh, thus be it ever when free men shall stand,
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation;
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n-rescued land
Praise the Power that has made and preserved us as a nation.
Then conquer we must, when our cause is just,
And this be our motto: "In God is our trust";
And the star-spangled banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

May each of us pray for this great land to remain the home of the free and the land of the brave and our motto must always be: "In God We Trust."

Here is a video to share~ 

Celebrating 54 Spectacular Years ~

 My Eternal Companion and I are celebrating our 54th Wedding anniversary. I remember well 54 years ago, kneeling at the Altar and being sealed for Time and all Eternity in the beautiful Salt Lake Tempel to this marvelous man. Our years together have brought many growth moments. 

We have known each other for 61 years and started our romance as Juniors in High School. We attended the first year of college at the University of Utah, and then he left on a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for 2 years in Northern California. It was a wonderful two years, yet hard to be away from each other. Meanwhile, I finished a degree in Nursing at BYU and graduated in May of 1967. We were married on June 13th. 

He then continued on at the University of Utah, graduating with a Pharmacy degree in 1974. We have lived in several states through the years and had outstanding opportunities in our professions and church opportunities. We have lived in Utah, California, Nevada, and Washington. In each area, we cultivated many friendships that will be eternal. 

During those tender years of living in different states and changing jobs and etc. We had 6 children. I was blessed to be able to be a full-time mother most of that time. 

We now live in South Jordan, Utah. We presently have a posterity of 12 children, including spouses, 38 Grandchildren, including our married ones, plus 5 Great Grandchildren for a total posterity of 55. We love each of these precious children with all our hearts and feel privileged that they are ours. 

Our years have been filled with many difficulties that are all part of our mortal life, which have helped stretch us and strengthen our bond together and our love for our Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ. 

Just a few thoughts on my beloved. This man is incredible in so many ways. I could write a book just about him. He has been our strength and is a man filled with deep wisdom brought about through hard moments and a Christlike nature. He has been an example of faith in all things. When difficult times have come, especially health issues, he has always been positive and showed forth great faith in Heavenly Father's plan for him and us. He honors his priesthood and has given countless blessings to our posterity and others. 

He has been a righteous father and has worked very hard to provide well for his family. He is a spiritual man with deep insight into the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His children come to him often for blessings and counsel. 

He is a loving man who has been completely devoted to my well-being and continues to serve and love me in many ways. I feel always cherished by him. We both have deep testimonies of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We know that we have made eternal covenants that are binding and beautiful. We strive to live those covenants and be good disciples of Jesus Christ. We are far from perfect, but we believe in the gift of the Atonement of Jesus Christ, which includes repentance, forgiveness, love, and so much more. 

Our greatest love is the temple. We committed early in our marriage to make the Savior the center of our lives and attend the temple a priority. We love to serve and have had many opportunities to do so. 

We have had some outstanding opportunities of serving in our wards and stakes through the years. These have helped us grow in many different ways. We have served 4 missions together, which has been a highlight in our lives. 

As we grow, older life is good and precious to us. We are grateful for these fantastic 54 years we have had and pray for many more. 

Happy Anniversary to my Roger; you are my Eternal Love. I look forward to loving you forever!

My Quest For Joy

I think we all find ourselves surrounded by negative influences. We watch the news, which is full of stories of violence, political upheavals, adverse weather, terrorist attacks, and overall negativity. Lately, it has been all about the pandemic. I would dare say that there is not one person that doesn't have some kind of struggle in their personal lives right now. 

Where do we find the peace and joy that we seek? I would guess this is a universal question. Perhaps it depends on what we choose each day to think about and do. Are we pursuing positive news, positive goals, and positive actions? 

A very great man who was our Prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley often spoke about finding joy and happiness in our lives. I thought today my quest for in my pursuit of joy, that I might share with you some of his priceless thoughts on happiness. 

 

 1. “In all of living, have much fun and laughter. Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured.” 

 2. “Generally speaking, the most miserable people I know are those who are obsessed with themselves; the happiest people I know are those who lose themselves in the service of others...By and large, I have come to see that if we complain about life, it is because we are thinking only of ourselves.”

 3. “Cultivate an attitude of happiness. Cultivate a spirit of optimism. Walk with faith, rejoicing in the beauties of nature, in the goodness of those you love, in the testimony which you carry in your heart concerning things divine.” 

 4.  “Don’t be gloomy. Do not dwell on unkind things. Stop seeking out the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight. Even if you are not happy, put a smile on your face. ‘Accentuate the positive.’ Look a little deeper for good. Go forward in life with a twinkle in your eye and a smile on your face, with a great and strong purpose in your heart. Love life.”

 5. “Be believing, be happy, don't get discouraged. Things will work out.” 

 6. “Let us be happy people. The Lord's plan is a plan of happiness. The way will be lighter, the worries will be fewer, the confrontations will be less difficult if we cultivate a spirit of happiness.”

 7.  “You can be smart and happy or stupid and miserable. . . it's your choice”  I have to add that this is one of my favorite quotes from him. It is our choice. 

 8. "Happy is the man who can brush aside the offending remarks of another and go on his way.” 

 9.  “God bless you, my beloved sisters, who stand as the queens in your home, that you may be happy with that happiness which comes of the knowledge that you are loved and honored and treasured.” 

10. “We've got to have a little humor in our lives. You had better take seriously that which should be taken seriously, but, at the same time, we can bring in a touch of humor now and again. If the time ever comes when we can’t smile at ourselves, it will be a sad time.”  

11. “In my ninety-plus years, I have learned a secret. I have learned that when good men and good women face challenges with optimism, things will always work out! Truly, things always work out! Despite how difficult circumstances may look at the moment, those who have faith and move forward with a happy spirit will find that things always work out.”  

12.  “Go forward in life with a smile on your face, a sparkle in your eyes, and with a great and strong purpose in your heart. The best things in life are the people in your life, the moments we live, and memories we made along the way.” 

13. “The way of the Lord is the way of happiness. ‘Wickedness never was happiness. Transgression never was happiness. Sin never was happiness. Disobedience never was happiness. The way of happiness is following the way of the Lord. I believe this with all my heart.” 

14. “The gospel is a thing of joy. It provides us with a reason for gladness. Of course, there is sorrow. Of course, there are hours of concern and anxiety. We all worry. But the Lord has told us to lift our hearts and rejoice.”  

 

 In ending these thoughts is a final quote from this beloved Prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley: “What I am suggesting is that each of us turns from the negativism that permeates our society and looks for the remarkable good among those with whom we associate, that we speak of one another’s virtues more than we speak of one another’s faults, that optimism replace pessimism, that our faith exceeds our fears. When I was a young man and was prone to speak critically, my father would say: “Cynics do not contribute, skeptics do not create, doubters do not achieve.” 

I am challenging myself and those of you that read this to look for joy every day. Seek out the sunshine and leave the clouds behind.  A favorite scripture of mine is found in the Book of Mormon; 2 Nephi 2:25: ".....men are, that they might have joy."

 

A Day To Celebrate Mothers ~

 Mother's Day, to me, is touched with emotion. It is a day to celebrate, but I didn't always feel that way for many years. I was hard on myself, thinking that I had to be the perfect mother, and in trying to do so, I felt I failed. As I had children, I felt like the mother who doesn't want to let their child out of sight. I was there, desiring to help them through every step of navigating the different stages of life. I found out soon that with 6 children, I couldn't keep up with the expectation all the time. My children had the agency to make choices, and it was my responsibility to teach them and then pray and hope that when they were on their own, they would make those right choices. As you probably know, children don't always do that. They push the boundaries and want to do it themselves. If they didn't do it right, then, of course, I took it personally. I wasn't the mother I thought I should be. Therefore for many years, receiving those flowers in church on Mother's Day was sometimes difficult.  

Slowly, as the years have gone by, I have found peace in knowing that I loved my children with all my heart and that I did try to be the best Mom I could be. I wasn't perfect, and I haven't raised perfect children either. I feel that my husband and I have raised some remarkable children trying hard to stay on the covenant path; that brings peace to my soul. 

As my understanding of the love our Heavenly Father has for each of us and how the Savior through His atonement provides the way for us all to return to them through his mercy and grace, we can keep trying and overcoming and being better than we think we can. We can seek forgiveness for those rare moments when maybe we didn't handle the situation right.  

Some motherhood thoughts of wisdom learned: 

I think it is important to understand that we have Heavenly Parents. As spirit children, I feel that we spent a great deal of time learning from our Heavenly Parents about our turn on earth in the Pre-mortal life.  Perhaps in this existence, we spent a lot of time sitting at the feet of our Heavenly Mother. I feel that we also walked, talked, and were loved by our Elder Brother Jesus Christ. We were taught well. 

As we each have come down to this earth, we pass through a veil into our mortal life. We can't remember what that spirit life was like. We came to gain a body and then be tested to see if we would do all things we had learned about before that we now can't remember. Earth life is a giant adventure in learning. All of us are in different stages of learning. Knowing about that perfect plan of our Heavenly Father is very important to find out. This plan is perfect and can tell us how to return to the presence of our Heavenly Parents and Savior, Jesus Christ. This plan is called the Plan of Salvation or the Plan of Happiness. You can read more about his plan here!

When I was a young mother, I read many books on how to raise children. I felt like there wasn't a perfect manual for raising children. I then gained a testimony of "The Book of Mormon." I now know it is the prime child-rearing book. If you study the pages and learn the stories, they are there to teach you how to work with your children. It is amazing all the questions that can be answered within the pages. This precious book starts with a rather imperfect family where great lessons are learned.  There are great Bible stories to help you teach principles too. 

Being able to keel in prayer to your Heavenly Father is key to learning how to be a good Mom. Learn to kneel often, especially when frustrated, impatient, worried, concerned, and for answers to questions, you may have. When you feel like this, kneel and pray.  I promise you will feel a spirit of peace come over you, and thoughts will come into your mind on how to handle a difficult situation. Utilize prayer as the key to the spirit helping you with your parenting.  

One important way to succeed in having a good parent relationship with your spouse to help one parent. This means supporting the decisions made by each of you. How I love the strength my husband was as a father and support to me as a mother. 

Finally, never give up on yourself. Always remember that being a mother allows you to learn and become more Christ-like yourself. It doesn't happen overnight. Be patient with yourself in your mothering. 

Finally, you will never stop being a parent and having those feelings of frustration in raising your children. Even now, as a parent of adult children who is raising their own, you have the blessing of watching them learn and grow through the experiences of parenthood. Now you must exercise great patience in letting them make their own mistakes unless they ask for help. 

So tomorrow, wherever you might be with family or not, enjoy your day knowing that you did or are doing the best you can. Get rid of the negative feelings because we are here for the very purpose of learning how to love and care for one another. This all takes patients, trust, faith, learning, and time. Our Heavenly Parents and even our earthly parents are here or near for the very purpose of helping us find the way back to them.

Always remember, "You Are Enough."

 

Easter Blessings & Family Moments!

ComeUntoChrist.org - Come feel of Jesus Christ's love for you. He can help you find true Joy. Learn from His teachings, and Worship with us. 

This Easter Weekend is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints General Conference. Starting on Saturday, April 3rd, and Sunday, April 4th, you can view this conference on TV and watch our living Prophet, President Russell M. Nelson, the 12 Apostles, and other church leaders speak to us of Christ and others' messages for our day. Here we learn of hope, faith, and how to come unto Christ, Learn of Him, Obey Him and Hear Him.  Here is how you can participate in this grand moment. 

As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we welcome all to join us in learning of our Savior's infinite atonement. His walk to Gethsemane, his trial, his suffering on Calvary, and His Glorious Resurrection. 

His Three Day Gift - The Atonement of Jesus Christ is the greatest gift of Hope and Healing. We experience great moments of joy when those searching for truth recognize how the Atonement can bless their lives.  President Thomas S. Monson stated, "Oh sweet the joy this sentence gives, I know that my Redeemer lives. May the whole world know it and live by that knowledge, I humbly pray." I, too, know that my Redeemer lives.

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus Christ took upon himself the Sins of the World. No one can understand what he went through, but our Savior did this for each and every one of us. 
Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve apostles made this profound statement: "The Savior has suffered not just for our iniquities but also for the inequality, the unfairness, the pain, the anguish, and the emotional distresses that so frequently beset us. There is no physical pain, no anguish of soul, no suffering of spirit, no infirmity or weakness that you or I ever experience during our mortal journey that the Savior did not experience first. You and I, in a moment of weakness, may cry out, "No one understands, No one knows." No human being perhaps knows. But the Son of God perfectly knows and understands, for He felt and bore our burdens before we ever did. And because He paid the ultimate price and bore that burden, He has perfect empathy and can extend to us His arm of mercy in so many phases of our life. He can reach out, touch, succor-literally run to us and strengthen us to be more than we could ever be and help us do that we could never. 
Wishing you all a very Joyful Easter Celebration! 

Here is an Easter Message by our Prophet, President Russell M. Nelson. 

March 5th & 6th -

We have had a whirlwind of activity, starting with our Granddaughter Sariah and Alex’s reception on Friday, March 5th. They were married in the South Jordan Temple on Saturday, March 6th, followed by a luncheon. We felt so blessed to have most of our children there and some Grandchildren too. It’s been so long since seeing many of them. We tried social distance and masks. I did need hugs!

March 6th -

Family moments are the best! We had a few moments in the afternoon with the children and grandchildren that came for the reception. I'm sad I did not take more photos.

March 14th & 15th-_

Our oldest Son Sean asked us to come up for Heber and break our fast with them. Our family had a fast and prayer for my son. On Monday the 15th, he was scheduled at Huntsman Cancer Center for surgery for Basal Cell Carcinoma of the Neck. He requested to have his Dad give him a priesthood blessing on Sunday the 14th. Jackson, our grandson, joined in with giving the blessing. The blessing was reassuring. I knew that Sean would be Ok and that they would get all of cancer. The surgeon said they had to go deeper than planned but felt confident they could get it all. Part of the tumor was around one of the nerves, so they had to take that. He is doing well. He has some numbness but can use his arm and hand, so that is a big blessing. The main nerve was saved. I do believe in Priesthood miracles, and that was one. 

March 21st - 

This morning was a sweet one. Roger and I had the opportunity to be site Captains for the Feed Utah Drive through #JustServe. We were a little apprehensive due to weather concerns. We wondered if the volunteers would show up, protect the totes, and direct traffic.

After praying and especially for the bad weather to hold off for a few hours, the day for us started at 7:30 am. More than enough youth volunteers showed up. Once the traffic started, it didn’t stop until the last tote was filled to the top. There were 50 of them.

The miracle happened only a few sprinkles during the loading of totes. The big rain/snow storm didn’t come as predicted; I’m sure it was the answer to mighty prayer by many. A few tears were shed today! This was a tender mercy from the Lord!

March 22nd -

We had such a good time celebrating our Granddaughter Alyssa's birthday; she turned 17 years old. She is such a dear granddaughter, and it is hard to believe she now 17 years old. It was fun to be with them all. We could finally hug them and not wear our masks. It felt so good to be with our family for her birthday celebration.

March 28th -

Our 2nd oldest son Travis and Amanda, came down for the weekend. It was so fun to have a few moments with them.

Back Row Left - Ryley and Amanda, Travis with Layton, Kason and Haven, newlyweds, Austin and Shamra, Roger and LeAnn - We haven't seen this family as much the past year due to Covid. It was so sweet to see them and have hugs!

HE HAS RISEN-

Take a moment and watch the following video - Hallelujah by two sisters - It's a beautiful Easter version. 

https://youtu.be/DEufdZrW0ss

Faith In The Family ~

Our entire family except for one additional Great Granddaughter and those who have joined our family through marriage as new grandchildren to us. 

 Today, I have been thinking about my family, both my own parents and brothers. I suppose the reason my thoughts turn to them often is that they are no longer here with me. Today is my oldest brother Mac's birthday. I hope that in the Spirit world, they still celebrate birthdays. Since my parents, my brother John and my brother Mac, and his dear wife Amparo, along with grandparents and other ancestors, it could be a spectacular birthday celebration.  

My family - My husband Roger and I,  my parents, Millan and Leone, my oldest brother Mac and Amparo, and my Sister in law, Gloria, and brother John. 

My dear husband and I are parents of Six married children, which means twelve children to me, and then thirty-two grandchildren. We have five Grandchildren married, so we have added five more Grandchildren in-law and one more next week. Wow, that means thirty-eight total. Then we have five precious great-grandchildren. Although we haven't been able to be with any of them very much due to Covid, when we do have a moment; we relish it. 

This coming week our Granddaughter, Sariah, is getting married to Alex in the Jordan River Temple on March 2nd. They have a reception planned the night before. We are feeling blessed that three of our sons and daughters-in-law and our two daughters and sons-in-laws will be here for that occasion. There will be various grandchildren that will be here too. I can hardly wait. 

In our faith, family comes first. Here are just a few reasons why! Here is the link to this list as found at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

 What is the purpose of a family?

Families are central to God’s plan for His children. They are the fundamental building block of strong societies. Families are where we can feel love and learn how to love others. Life is tough, and we need people we can lean on. Home is a safe haven where we can get love, advice, and support.

The Family: A Proclamation to the World

In 1995, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints released an official statement about 

the importance of families. The document outlines the responsibilities of fathers and mothers 

and addresses key topics such as marriage, parenting, and etc. Read the entire text

here.

God is our Heavenly Father

Our family here on Earth is organized like our family in heaven. Much like we can go to our 
parents for advice, our Heavenly Father is always there to give us help. When we pray, He 

listens, and He answers.
“And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.” —
Matthew 21:22
God loves us so much. He loves us even when we make mistakes, and He invites us with 
always open arms to return to Him. We glimpse our Heavenly Father’s perfect love for us in the

profound love many parents have for their children. We can all experience Heavenly Father’s 

love as we grow closer to Him, and we can share that love with our families.

Your Family Can Be Forever

Families are a big part of God’s plan for our happiness. We are born into a family. We aspire

to build strong family relationships. Home can be a place where we feel support, safety, and

love. God does not want family ties to end when we die. Because of temples, we can be 

reunited with our families in the next life. 

Till Death Do You Part?

When Latter-day Saints get married, they understand that marriage is meant to last forever.

Marriage ceremonies in temples contain the words “for time and all eternity,” not “till death do

you part.” But it isn’t the words that make eternal marriage possible—it’s the power of God. 

God’s Power to Join Together

In the Bible, Jesus gave the Twelve Apostles the sealing power, or sealing “keys.” That power 

meant that marriage, and many other wonderful blessings, could last forever. The “keys” lock 

the marriage together. Nothing can break that lock except unfaithfulness to spouse or to God.

The Bible teaches, “Verily I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall bind on earth shall be bound 

in heaven” (Matt. 18:18). When God restored His Church through Joseph Smith, He also gave

him the sealing power. When couples are married in a temple, the person performing the 

ceremony has been given permission to use that power. 

Now you see why we have such a strong belief in families. "Families Can Be Forever!"

Emerging Hope - The Simple Woman's Daybook~

For Today

Join others @ Simple Woman's Day Book Blog 

I am thinking - This past year has been challenging for everyone. It became even more challenging when my dearest husband became ill and was hospitalized for a few days in January. Luckily, he didn't have Covid, but he did have bilateral bacterial pneumonia. I am very grateful that he is up and about doing what he loves to do. I know that he was blessed to have a Priesthood blessing before being admitted to the hospital, along with fasting, prayer by many, and his name on our Temple Prayer Roll. I was given a Priesthood blessing too, and I received peace, and knew that he would be OK. 

One of my favorite things - Believe it or not, I have started playing the piano and learning some new pieces. I have always loved music and enjoyed the piano. I always let other priorities come into my life, and I left that wonderful experience slip by the wayside. Right now, it is bringing me great joy. 

 I am creating - Look at me, I'm creating a new blog post. The last one was on December 24th, 2020. I have been wanting to write one for a long time and have had many life interferences. I'm excited to be doing one now. 

I am reading - This year, we are studying in our Sunday School a precious book of scripture; entitled "The Doctrine and Covenants." In this book, our remarkable Prophet of the Restoration, Joseph Smith, and other prophets received many revelations through the latter-day years. This book is powerful and helps my understanding of The Book of Mormon, and reveals many instructions from our Redeemer, Jesus Christ, as the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ unfolded. 

My husband and I have been listening to a book entitled: "Insights From A Prophet's Life" by Sheri Dew. It is a biography of our living day Prophet, President Russell M. Nelson. It is an outstanding book that I wish everyone would read. He is a remarkable man. Before having leadership positions in our faith; he was a well-known Heart Surgeon. He helped develop the heart-lung by-pass machine. He was a leader in innovative surgery of the heart. The story of how he did many of these things are in this book. Our hearts have been touched over and over when reading his life story. He didn't always have an easy life; in fact, he and his wife sacrificed a lot over the years. They are parents of 10 children, and he had 9 daughters and 1 son. When I was an ICU nurse at the LDS hospital in Salt Lake, I had a chance to meet him. He has always been an unusual physician in many ways and credits his success to the spirit, helping him know how to do surgeries that hadn't been done before. It is a fantastic book to read. 

I hope that the Covid 19 Vaccine will be effective and that better treatments for severe cases will be found. Mostly, I am hoping for the pandemic to lessen enough for our Temples and Missionary work to open up even more. I feel blessed to have two Grandchildren serving missions; Sister Abilene Workman in the Arizona Phoenix Mission and Elder Ethan Williams serving in the California, Los Angeles Mission. They do a lot of their missionary work online and are both having baptisms. It's a miracle that the work continues in a different way.  I look forward to being able to attend our church without masks and physical distancing. It will be nice to see everyone's faces. 

My dear husband has been blessed to work at the Jordan River Temple in Phase two. He is the coordinator for the Saturday morning shift. I have been able to return to the temple and work about 4 times, which has been such a blessing in my life. I find great peace within the walls of the temple. It is a place to go and receive personal revelation from our loving Heavenly Father. The work that goes on within the temple is sacred. I love being part of it all. 

 I am learning - I feel like I am learning more on how to hear the spirit of the Lord in my life. My husband and I have a morning time devotional where we are spending time studying the scriptures and other worthwhile books. Through these studies, I am learning many more things about my loving Heavenly Father, Savior, and myself. 

In My Kitchen - I hate to admit this in my kitchen, I haven't been cooking. For the last several months, my sweet, endearing husband has been doing the cooking. I have been busy with other projects, so he took over my kitchen. He is an excellent cook and loves to make up recipes and different types of meals. 

Well, he got sick, so I am back in the kitchen. It's been fun but challenging since I almost forgot how. I still think he flavors dishes better than me. I think I will convince him to share the cooking with me. 

In my garden - There isn't anything in our garden right now, of course. Last year, my husband planted and tenderly cared for a medium-sized garden. Our harvest was good. I'm hoping we will have another garden this year; if we can find the seeds. 

Pinterest Board and link - I'm dreaming of this chocolate cake. When I was a Home Health Nurse in Las Vegas, Nevada, I worked at the Nathan Adelson Hospice. They had a cafeteria, and I loved getting a piece of this kind of chocolate cake. I really do need to make it again. 

Chocolate Cake Recipe from Pinterest -

Post Script - As I think about this past year and the many struggles and challenges that have come, I want to share with you what I learned from it all. I learned to rely on my faith in Jesus Christ. I have worked hard to keep my focus on Him. I have drawn closer to Him and had many spiritual insights into why these kinds of events happen In our lives. I have had answers to my prayers and felt the spirit provide comfort and peace to my soul.

 I believe there is purpose in all that we go through. We are here to gain a body and have earth-life experiences. Through those moments, we learn many lessons that help us grow and develop into better human beings. I have learned to love others even more. I appreciate the good people surrounding me in my church, neighborhood, and especially my family. Our family has grown closer. My relationship with my husband has become even more tender and sweet. We are together in all things. 

I have learned to be more patient with mankind. With the many political upheavals that are present and on-going. I know that Heavenly Father is aware of us, and if we reach for Him and our Savior, they will be there. They want us to look for the positive and leave the negative behind.  They have a plan for this earth, and it will go forth. Satan may rule the day, but the Savior will ultimately win. 

I have had more time to study the gospel and other good books, which has enlightened my mind and heart with positive thoughts and good things to come. 

I have learned that I can continue on in a different way to fulfill the calling that I have and to continue to work in the temple when I can. 

I have learned that wearing a mask and social distancing is difficult but doable. I believe it is following the commandment to love one another. We should all be willing to do whatever it takes to protect each other from this dreadful virus. To me is a privilege to wear a mask. 

I am deeply grateful for my husband's medical care and all the advancements in medicine and technology. I believe these advancements have been spirit directed. I wish I could hug all the wonderful medical personnel that has given hours and risk their lives to care for the many who have had Covid. I have prayed hard for them. I have family members that have been on the front lines. Having been a nurse, I am even more sensitive to what they have had to deal with. I know they will be blessed for doing all that they have done. 

 Shared Quote - 

A moment from my day - I love this man of mine. Tomorrow, we will celebrate his 75th birthday. Every day, I am grateful that he is my eternal companion and that I have one more day with him. I have a testimony that we will be together forever. He is one of the best of men, and I love him with all my heart. We are unified in everything. 

{share a picture with us of your daily-ness}

Closing Notes - May you all have an emerging hope in the future. I know that things will get better, and I pray for us all to be happily engaged in good works.