Sunday

It is pouring down rain today.  I wore my bright yellow rain coat this morning to church.  The minute I walked in the door a sister commented on how much she loved the color and how bright and cheery it was.  I smiled.  I'm not one who likes to stand out in the crowd.  I'm afraid this coat will always draw attention to me when I wear it.  I just look like a giant bumble bee or a giant lemon!  I do love the style of the coat, the fit and it is lined and warm and does keep the rain out. 

Sacrament meeting was absolutely wonderful and I loved it.  I wanted to come right home and record what I was so impressed with and what filled my heart with love for Jesus Christ and the gospel.  I don't know who it was, but the event was told that a mission president stood at the pulpit and said that he could bear his testimony in two words, "He lives!"  He then said he could bear this testimony in four words, "I know He lives!"  Then he said he could bear his testimony in six words, "I know my Savior lives today."

What a profound and clear testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ.  So for my posterity my testimony is that He lives.  I know he lives.  I know my Savior lives today. 

Love,
Mom/Gam/Jeannine

General Womens Conference

I stayed home this time and watched the conference on TV.  The talks were so good that I couldn't take the notes fast enough.  It will be fun to reread them.  I'm going to at least post my notes and just add that I testify that everything these incredible women said was true and good.  Nothing they sad could possibly lead us on the wrong path.

The first speaker was Sharon Eubank.  She said there were four things we needed to do. 
One:   BE RIGHJTEOUS. 
Two:  BE ARTICULATE.  We need to clearly express how we feel about the gospel and why we feel that way.
Three:  BE DIFFERENT.  We need to look for different solutions and different actions that coincide with the gospel.
Four:  BE DISTINCT. 
Five:  Live one through four in a happy way.  Keep the laws of the gospel building and lifting others.
She quoted President Hinkley saying "You don't build out of pessimism you look with optimism.  You work with faith and things happen"

Next speaker was Neill Marriott:  Her message to love, serve and forgive.  We are divinely designed to receive love and give love.  The Saviors love is a conduit to our Father in Heaven.

Joy D. Jones spoke about knowing that you are a daughter of God who gives us peace and courage.  Knowing you are a daughter of God will affect every aspect of your life and guide you in the service you render every day.  Spiritual worth is to value us as Heavenly Father values us - not as the world values us.  Worthiness is achieved through obedience.  Negative thoughts about ourselves is a trap.  Satan is the father of all lies and will lead us to misrepresentation about our own divine nature and purpose.  Stop comparing our worst to someone elses best.  Comparison is the thief of joy.  Be faithful in Christ.

The conference ended with Dieter F. Uchtforf who told us to remember who we are and that we have the spiritual DNA of God.  We have been given spiritual gifts and we have an eternal destiny to fulfill.  We have the power to choose both our destination and many of our experiences along the way.  It is not so much our abilities but our choices that make the differences in life.

Amazing conference and I'm so glad I listened to it. 

Sunday thoughts

I recently read this article that was by Brad Wilcox.  "changed Through His Grace".  He wanted to make a point that the Holy Spirit can testify to us and comfort us and also guide us as we make important decisions.  He knew a young lady whose uncle was in a rehab center to overcome addictions.  He was being taught to acknowledge a higher power in his life.  The counselors had an activity to press this point.  The student would be blindfolded and taken to a large corral and told to find the horse that was in the corral with him.  Well, the uncle thought he would be smart by offering the horse an apple.  Surely the animal would want an apple, and it would come to him.  This didn't work, and the uncle could not find the horse.  he felt completely helpless.  How was he supposed to find the horse, let alone harness it as he had been instructed?  Then he felt someone touching his shoulder.  It was another student who had been sent to help but was not allowed to speak.  Uncle figured out that the taps were giving him directions, and he finally found the horse and was able to complete the task.  Afterwards. the leaders taught that the lesson was to teach them to stop thinking they could control everything and to depend instead on a higher power.

And so it is with us.  We have a veil over our eyes, a blindfold, while here on earth.  But we have a Guide, a Comforter, in the Holy Ghost who will lead us if we will be still and listen with our hearts.

Proverbs 3:5-6  "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths." 

One last comment.   I read a quote byu Ezra Taft Benson that is still relevant today:
"When obedience ce!ases to be an irritant and becomes our quest, in that moment, God will endow us with power."

Obedience is the first law of Heaven, and is a primary covenant and is a stimulator that produces and increases faith.  It is essential to meriting the trust and confidence of the Lord so that He can endow the obedient and faithful with power.  It's about faith . . .  it's not about rules.  And there you have it!

LOVE THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST!!!!!

My project for Mallory

I've been busy stitching a project for Mallory.  I would love to have it done by the time she leave but there is no possible way I will achieve that.  However, I'm making great progress on it.  I forgot to show it on Sept. 1st so there is a little more done on it.

The Wood Connection

The Wood Connection is one of our favorite places to go a couple times a year.  You can always find a project or three that you want to do.  Annie went last weekend and then she and I stopped there on Friday after we got our hair done and, of course, I found a couple I wanted her to do for me.  Annie is always willing and very gracious about spending her time doing my projects along with hers.

I might add here that Friday morning, Annie, Mallory and I drove to Provo, met Emmi and had breakfast and off to the Missionay Mall Store to see if we could find some clothes for Mallory's mission.  We didn't have quite the success we hoped but she did find a skirt, sweater and blouse.  Annie and I left Mallory to spend some time with Emmi and then come home with her.  Annie and I headed back to Salt Lake to deliver peaches and get to our 2:00 p.m. hair apt.  After our hair appointment we drove to the Wood Connection where I picked up couple more above mentioned projects.  Saturday afternoon Neal and I drove to Stansbury so that Neal and Jeff could golf and Annie and I could do projects (well, I watched while Annie did them - truth be known!)

 Thanks Lynda Ann.  You are amazing.  All of these were done in one evening! 

America

I love America!  Every time I see a flag or have the opportunity to sing the National Anthem or most any patriotic song.  I was at the grocery store the other day and there was a huge storm brewing.  Dark clouds moving in and strong winds.  As I was pulling our of the parking lot I happened to glance up at the flag and was amazed to see that huge red, white and blue standing almost straight out.  That is how strong the winds were.  I had to stop and take a picture.  I noticed people looking at me and then looking up to see what I was taking a picture of. 

God Bless America!!!

Back in time

Lila Mae found this picture that she has had since I was married back in 1965!  She found it when she was moving to her new house and decided that she needed to give it to me.  It is a huge 16x20 portrait of me in my wedding dress.  I'd completely forgotten all about ever having this picture taken.  it will eventually go in the garbage, but kind of fun to see me at one week short of 20 years old.  Way to young to get married!!

One of Annie's kids asked her what Gam looked like before she had wrinkles!  Well, this is it :-)!!

Celebrating my birthday with Susan and Lila Mae

There wasn't one Saturday in August that I could get together with Susan and Lila.  It took us until September to find a weekend that was available.  Lynda Ann's new job prevented her from joining us.  Mary is having some marital problems so she happened to be in Midway and was able to come with Susan and Lila Mae.  We met, as usual, at ShopKo in Orem and from there we hit numerous stores.  We ate at a Chinese restaurant and then shopped some more.  It is always fun to be with them.  I was loaded down with fun presents.  Some cute pint jars with labels for jam from Mary.

 Some cute hand towels from Lila Mae

 Giorgio from Lila Mae.  She knows I love this stuff.  The only perfume I have worn for years!

 A baseboard buddy from Susan.  Never seen one of these before.  It will be fun to try. 

Liquorice from Susan.  She knows that I LOVE liquorice! 

 Season five of Call the Midwife.  Such a great series. 

 She knows how I LOVE Talbots and usually always gives me a gift card. 

 I almost forgot these.  Lila also gave me some dishtowels for each day of the week.  Fun and needed.

The presents were great but I mostly love being with them and spending time.  Lila Mae is 85 so I need to take advantage of every moment I can to be with her.  She is in good health and I pray she will be around for many, many more years, but I can't count on what I hope..

Lynda Ann's birthday

Annie came in to Salt Lake Friday afternoon.  She wanted to go to the Wood Connection and I was in the throws of bottling tomatoes so I told her we would meet her after she finished.  We wanted to take her to dinner for her birthday as she was in Salt Lake and Jeff, Emmi and Mallory had gone to Spokane for an American Authors concert.  Annie chose Chili's so we meet her, Abby, Hayley and Andrew (and Saint) at the one in Fort Union.  After dinner she and the kids came over to the house for cake and ice cream, to get her birthday present and to play some games.

We had a fun evening and I think Annie was happy with her new pots and pans, which she desperately needed.  Oh yes, she got a big Costco size package of chocolate chips. 
Happy birthday Lynda Ann.  Thank you for being the daughter sent to me from Heaven.  My prayers were answered beyond anything I had hoped for. 

Tomato Picking

Thursday morning, Neal and I picked up Ron and Judy and we headed to Layton to a farm to pick
 tomatoes.  First time for me and Neal picking tomatoes.  It only took us about an hour to pick to big boxes but I am grateful that I don't have to pick any vegetables or fruits for a living.  I admire all those migrant farm workers who spend hours picking for me to be able to go to the store and buy what I want off the shelf. 

As we were leaving the farm we stop and pay for the vegetables we have picked.  The young man who was collecting the money mentioned that he was getting ready to go on his mission in October.  He had his mission call to South America.  I gave him some money and told him to put it in his back pocket for his mission.  It wasn't much, but fun to be able to support the missionary cause.  We had the young man take a picture of the four of us and notice how dirty our hands are just from picking tomatoes!

I spent Thursday night and Friday night putting up 48 quarts of  tomatoes.  I called Neal to see if she wanted some but said she couldn't bottle them anymore because she just wasn't strong enough so I bottled 24 quarts for her and gave them to her for her birthday. 

Tucker makes me laugh to tears again.

While we were in Scofield, I got this text from Tucker:
"It never ends.  Jamie has been diagnosed with LBD.  It is a serious brain trauma that effects 1 in 17.  With LBD the brain literally seizes up and does not allow you to complete the task at hand.  LBD stands for Laundry Basket Disorder.  It happens the moment when hands touch clothes that are used or dirty.  Her hands seize up and she just drops them on the floor.  They never make it to the laundry basket.  This also impacts her ability to put away freshly washed clothes.  Washed clothes drying on a rack or folded will sit for days.  Waiting . . . it is traumatic.  Other symptoms include purchasing new clothes, so she doesn't have to wash the old ones, which in her traumatized brain, fixes the problem.  Please pray for her and the family. We may not be able to get out of the house soon."

Followed the text was this picture:

Thanks Tucker.  Your brought me to tears once again!  Laughing tears!!

Scofield

We had a wonderful holiday weekend in Scofield.  We played lots of bridge as we usually do, ate delicious food prepared mostly by Judy, read books, and watched movies at night.  While we were out on the deck playing bridge a little squirrel kept running across the deck looking for pinecones and nuts.  We decided to make his job easier and we threw some nuts out for him.  It was fun to watch him come and get one nut at a time and then run along the same path to his nest.  Here are some pictures.  This little squirrel came right up to our chairs to get the peanuts. 

Then the next day we wandered down to one of the cabins and saw the trees that some beavers were cutting down.  Amazing to see how they work on a tree and then haul them off to their dam. 

 They had toppled about 4 trees and apparently had just toppled this one the night before.  They come up from the lake during the night and cut down the trees with their teeth.  Amazing to see how precise they are.  Certainly wouldn't want to meet one head on!

C J and Domani

Mindy hosted a very nice garden reception for C J and Domani.  Neal and I were in Scofield and came back that evening so we could be there.  Fun to see lots of family and friends.  The biggest surprise for me was to see Maralyn Hintze.  I haven't seen her for years and we were so close when I was a Hintze.  I think Maralyn and I talked every single day.  We loved to talk about the gospel and we did have many discussions about our husbands.  I went to school and was best friends with her younger sister Pam.  But when I married into the Hintze family, Maralyn and I became very close.  Being married to identical twins brought a lot of fun conversations about Richard and Raymond.  Maralyn stood by my side as I went through the last 3 or 4 years of my marriage and divorce.  We hoped we would continue to stay as close as we were, but it became a bit awkward and as time went by our communication became less and less.  But the love for her will always remain strong.