Temple Week!

 Neal made reservations for us to go to the Taylorsville Temple open house.  We were on the first group to go through.  And we found that you didn't really need tickets.  No one as asking for them.  People just lined up and they opened the doors and people entered slowly and quietly.  They have people outside the entrance who put while slippers on over your shoes to protect the brand new carpets and floors.  The temple was gorgeous and it was fun to go through it.  It is amazing how many people line up every day to go through each temple as it is completed and before it is dedicated.  People seem to recognize the sacred place that it is because everyone speaks in a whisper.  It was calm and beautiful.  Picture of Neal just before we went in.

This is after we came out.  It was a chilly day but the sky behind the temple was gorgeous.
Then Saturday of the same week Mallory and I met at the Mount Timpanogos Utah Temple at 10:30 and did an 11:00 Endowment Session.  I don't think there is a temple that I've ever been in that hasn't made me look in awe at the beauty.  The Celestial Room is always the most gorgeous room in the temple - that's my opinion.  After the session we drove to Costa Vida and had lunch and then headed home.  I always love that Mallory sets up these times for us to go together.  They are special times for me and memories that will stay with me forever.  Mallory told me that after she got her name, she was waiting for me and the worker asked her if she needed something.  Mallory told her that she was waiting for her grandmother and the worker said, "Oh, does she need the elevator?"  Mallory assured her that I wasn't in need of an elevator.  So thankful that I'm still able to be independent and climb the stairs at 79.  

It was a gorgeous day!  

This totally brought a laugh.  Someone is very, very clever!  And it is almost true!!  LOVE living in the Salt Lake Valley.

Love this granddaughter who is keeping me focused and on the straight and narrow path!  

Sprout

 Just have to blog a little about Sprout.  He started his first puppy training class and did really well.  They taught us how to teach him to focus and to tap.  We work on it every day.  His next class is Monday night at 7:00.  We have six classes and I will probably do another set when this round is done.  It will depend on how well he does with the beginning classes.  We also took him to a day puppy camp for the first time.  I was excited to have him play with some other dogs and have a fun day but when I picked him up I found out that none of the other dogs came so Sprout was the only one in the camp.  I was kind of sad for him but he seemed to be as happy as always.  Here is a picture they took of him.

After I picked him up from the camp we drove Neal to the bank and we waited in the car while Neal ran in to make a payment.  Sprout was on my lap and loves looking out the window.  I captured this picture in the rear view mirror of him hanging out the door.  He was fascinated with the blossoms falling from the trees and the rain drops.

Lunch Date

 So fun to be able to set up a time to have lunch with Mindy.  We see each other so seldom and don't have chat on the phone all that often either.  It seems that the best time for us to just be together and get caught up on our 'crazy' lives is to meet for lunch.  No interruptions to speak of, just good food and great conversation.  I love hearing about what she and Robert are up to, what each one of the kids are doing and how Mindy is managing life and all of the above.  It is nice for me to be able to share with her and have her give me some very wise and sage feedback.  I always appreciate her evaluation of different situations when it comes to dealing with family issues.  Thanks Mindy for a delightful time.  We shouldn't let so much time go by before getting together again.  

Little Miracles

 A week before general conference Emmi and I, along with Mallory, were having a discussion about faith and knowledge and answers to prayers.  I actually had a length discussion with Emmi and Mallory and loved that these two granddaughters can talk to me so openly and deeply about their feelings of the gospel and how the Savior works in their lives.  I'm not sure that after our conversations ended that any of the three of us actually came to a sure conclusion or felt like our questions had been fully answered. During the Saturday morning session of general conference one of the speakers was Elder Alexander Dushku of the Seventy.  As I listened to his talk I realized I was witnessing a 'little miracle'.  As he spoke, it seemed all of the questions Emmi, Mallory and I had talked about was being answered.  It was if Elder Dushku had listened in on our conversations the week before and was now giving us our answers.  These are the highlights of his talk.  He began his talk about Joseph Smith in the Sacred Grove seeing the Father and the Son.

"Rather than sending us a pillar of light, the Lord sends us a ray of light, and then another, and another.  Those rays of light are continuously being poured down upon us.   Perhaps no one ray is strong enough or bright enough to constitute a full testimony, but together they can become a light the darkness of doubt cannot overcome.  

We too an have our own pillar of light - one ray at a time.  And in the midst of that pillar, we too will find a loving Heavenly Father, calling us by name, pointing us to our Savior, Jesus Christ, and inviting us to 'hear Him! 

These rays are continuously poured down upon God's children.  If we have received the gift of the Holy Ghost and are striving to exercise faith, repent and honor our covenants, then we are worthy to receive these divine rays constantly.

Everyone experiences God's light and truth in different ways.  A burst of testimony may come as a spiritual impression, a joyful assurance of God's love, the gift to recognize 'tender mercies of the Lord' or more.

In the midst of that pillar, we too will find a loving Heavenly Father, calling us by name, pointing us to our Savior, Jesus Christ and inviting us to 'Hear Him!'

Rather than sending us a pillar of light, the Lord sends us a ray of light, and then another, and another."

Our Heavenly Father does hear our prayers and every one is answered.  This I testify and believe with all my heart.  Thanks Emmi and Mallory for spiritually uplifting me and letting me be a part of the little miracle!

Fancy Easters Eggs

 Abby had the opportunity to go over to Hawaii and spend the Easter weekend with Emmi.  Apparently they had a wonderful time doing hiking, playing at the beach and doing a zip line.  Fun adventures for them.  I saw lots of fun pictures that they sent me, but the best were their Easter eggs all decorated up.  Trust Emmi and Abby have the most decorative and artistic eggs.  All my kids and grandkids do a great job of decorating their eggs but Emmi and Abby did works of art.

Their eggs would certainly win for most creative and artistic.  So happy these two girls had some time to spend together over Easter.  

Angel Moroni

April 6, 1892

On April 6, 1892, after the exterior of the new Salt Lake Temple was finished, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints held a ceremony during which the temple's capstone — including a 12-foot, gold-leafed statue of the angel Moroni — was placed atop the center-east tower.  

Now on April 2, 2024 and after the Salt Lake Temple has been completely restored and made earthquake proof, the Angel Moroni statue was placed atop the temple again.  When I see all the equipment it takes to put the statue up there, I wonder how in the world the pioneers were able to do that back in 1892.  I  don't know what kind of equipment they had but nothing, I'm sure, as sophisticated as what we have now.  It is nice to see that the renovation is coming to a speedy end.  And interesting that the statue was placed back up there just before general conference and almost to the date that it was first placed up there 132 years ago!

Easter Sunday Services

 Mallory told me that she had been asked to speak in church this Sunday so I went down after attending my meeting at MBK.  Jeff, Lynda Ann, Andrew and Hayley went down and I met them there.  The funny part of this story is that I got to the church and was sitting in the parking lot waiting for Jeff and Annie to get there and I get a call from Lynda telling me that Mallory said I was at the wrong building!  Mallory tracks me and knew I wasn't where I was supposed to be.  I was on 100 North and 1100 West and needed to be on 100 North and 900 West.  I was just a few blocks off.  I laughed that there are LDS chapels on just about every corner in Utah.  But I made it to the right building.  Annie was standing out on the front lawn watching for me.  Glad my family take care of me.  Mallory's talk was absolutely fabulous.  She gave a beautiful Easter message.  This is a quote from a talk by Elder Wirthlin that she used in her talk:

"Each of us will have our own Fridays - those days when the universe itself seems shattered and the shards of our world lie littered about us in pieces.  We all will experience those broken times when it seems we can never be put together again.  We will all have our Fridays.

But I testify to you in the name of the One who conquered death - Sunday will come.  In the darkness of our sorrow, Sunday will come.

No matter our desperation, no matter our grief, Sunday will come.  In this life or the next, Sunday will come.

I testify to you that the Resurrection is not a fable."  - Elder Wirthlin's talk "Sunday Will Come."  

Everyone should look up this talk and read it.  It is beautiful.  Mallory bore her testimony to the truthfulness of the gospel of Jesus Christ and the resurrection and atonement of our Savior.  

Thank you, Mallory, for inviting me down to hear your talk and for filling my spiritual well to overflowing on the Easter Sunday.

After sacrament meeting we all drove to Chili's where Jeff and Annie treated us to dinner.  It was pretty quiet in the restaurant which made it nice to eat and visit.  We all left with our tummies full and extra to take home with us.

When we were leaving, Annie gave Mallory her 'adult' Easter basket full of all kinds of essentials for apartment living.  What a great idea.  She also gave her some Easter candy.

Loving hug from my daughter to send me on my way.

Happy Easter everyone!

Easter Gathering

 We had a little smaller than usual family gathering for our annual Easter dinner and egg contest.  Of course we always miss our Tucker Maxfield family, Spencer and Derek.  But this year we had Maddie and Grayson representing the Hintze group, Maren, Brock and Boston for the Cutler group, the Gertson group minus Emmi, Abby and Antonio (Abby was in Hawaii celebrating Easter with Emmi), and Lyndsy.  

Neal and I set up the tables and had everything decorated the night before.  Neal bought an Easter cake and some cute sugar cookie lambs at Granite Bakery.  That added a festive look to the table.  

The sugar cookies went on each person plate.  I also ordered enough to give out to our MBK rest home people on Sunday with a scripture attached.  "I am the good Shepherd:  the good Shepherd giveth His life for the sheep. " John 10:11

We had prime rib and ham along with funeral potatoes and strawberry pies (brought by Annie) carrots, rolls and a green salad (brought by Maren.  After the dinner and the first load of dishes in the dish washer we had Jeff make up the bracket order for the egg contest.  

Showing off their chosen egg for the contest.  

The egg contests begins between Maren and Brock.

I won the first hit but it was downhill after that.

It finally came down to Jeff and Lyndsy.  Jeff has never won in all the years we've been doing this contest and so we were all kind of hoping her would come out a victor this year.  But as fate would have it the winner for 2024 is . . . . 

Lyndsy

After the egg contest we had pie, cake and ice cream and cookies.  And then we played the dump on your neighbor game and then everyone headed home.  It was a fun afternoon and always fun times when the family gathers.  

Birthday for Susan

 It was Susan's birthday on the 14th so Mallory and I met Susan for lunch at PF Chang.  We were also surprised to have Sara, Susan's daughter, and a friend, Anna show up.  We had a delicious lunch while sharing stories about family memories and some work drama from the girls.  Lynda Ann was going to come but ended up getting in her car with Andrew and driving to California to spend birthday time with Abby - whose birthday is today.  Happy birthday Abby!

Some rare pictures of Susan!

Left to right:  Mallory, me, Susan, Sara and Anna

Temple Day with Mallory

 I love that I can attend the temple often with Mallory.  I love that she is always willing to set the times up for us to go and always, always willing to go with me.  She doesn't mind hanging out with her, soon to be, 80 year old grandmother.  As I was driving down from Salt Lake to pick her up and attend the Provo City Center Temple I thought about all the temples that we have surrounding us in this valley.  What a blessing that we actually have so many that we can choose which one we want to go to with very little difference in the distance.  The thought then came to mind that not everyone has access to temples like we do but we all have access to the "spirit" of the temple because it is the same spirit of the Lord that dwells within us.  I felt so blessed this morning and so very thankful to live in a valley surrounded by these gorgeous temples.  .

"The temple is a sacred place.  A place of love and beauty."