Sunday Thoughts

 This evening I'm going to use Hayley as part of my Sunday thoughts.  It was a busy day for her and her family.  The Bishop asked her to speak in church.  Their meeting was at 1:30.  Neal had a commitment with the youth and youth leaders to help plan the youth conference at Snow College.  He felt he needed to be at the meeting so he decided not to go to Stansbury.  His meeting was the same time as Gertson's sacrament meeting and because we can't have Neal driving any long distances he couldn't come out to the seminary graduation, which was at 6:00 p.m.  I could have driven back in and picked him up and back to Stansbury but it just didn't seem like a practical option.  

Hayley spoke in Sacrament Meeting and did an amazing job.  I will give some of her talk later in the post.  I did sneak a couple of pictures.  I know I'm not supposed to take pictures in the chapel but I was sitting in the cultural hall area so does that make it okay?  :-)

And a quick picture out in the hall after sacrament meeting.

We went back to the house and Annie fixed a delicious fried chicken dinner with veggies and a cheese sauce to go over the cauliflower.  By the time dinner was fixed and everyone had eaten it was time to get back to the church for the seminary graduation services.  Before Hayley left Annie gave her a book that she wanted and I gave her a Willow figurine.  The book is the hard bound of The Saints and the figurine is a girl reading a book. 

The seminary graduation service was nice.  Four speakers and a musical number and then presentation of the graduates.  I loved being there and am very proud of Hayley's commitment to attend seminary for the past four years.

Hayley receiving her certificate.

Cute picture of fam

The whole family missing Emmi who is in Virginia in the Navy and Abby who is on her mission in California.

T

And, of course, one with Gam and the graduate.  So proud of you Miss Hayley Anne Gertson!  Love you tons.

Some Sunday thoughts from Hayley's talk:

She talked on "How we can each be a light to the world."  She quoted Matthew 5:16 and 3 Nephi 12:16 to. . . . ' let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven'  She also talked about serving others and how every little bit counts.  She quoted Alma 37:6 '. . . by small and simple things are great things brought to pass'.  She said that "sometimes in trying to decide how to help, we underestimate the simple things.  Take a minute to listen, share a positive thought or a kind word.  When we look too hard for the big things, we lose sight of the little things."  She concludes her talk by saying "What I do know is that I've never regretted those moments of kindness to others."

She ended her talk by bearing her testimony that "Christ shares His light with each of us and asks us to do the same.  I know in my heart and soul that our light extends farther than we can comprehend.  It is our responsibility as spirit brothers and sisters to bring each other closer to Christ's light every day."

I really can't add any more to what Hayley so beautifully said except to add my testimony to hers that what she said is true.  I hope that I will be a light to those I come in contact with and that I will always share that divine light with others.

Love you Hayley Anne.  Love your example and testimony to so many.

Sunday Thoughts

One of my favorite scriptures is in Isaiah 52.  "How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, that publisheth peach; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth!

That scripture has also been put to music.  Annette used to sing this song and I would play for her.  If you've never heard it, find it and play it.  It will touch your heart as it has and does mine every time I hear it.

I've always loved the significance of mountains in the scriptures.  It really resonates with me.  Probably because I grew up under the shadows of the Wasatch mountains in Provo.  I always found peace when I would look up at those gorgeous mountains.  They represented strength and protection along with changing seasons of beauty.  They made me feel close to my Father in Heaven.  I remember standing out on the back porch as a little girl and looking up at the mountains as if they were temples and singing Joseph Smith's First Prayer.

I 'll always remember the time that Tucker helped me fill one of my goals to climb to the top of Mt. Olympus.  It was a hard climb up, but I made it.  Sitting at the top of that mountain looking at the panoramic view of the Wasatch Front was beyond amazing.

As I look back at my life so far, I recognize that we climb mountains every single day and without fail we find that we can do hard things.

In President Nelson's recent conference talk, he referenced mountains and the faith needed to see the hand of the Lord in our lives.  "Through your faith, Jesus Christ will increase your ability to move the mountains in your life, even though your personal challenges may loom as large as Mount Everest.  Your mountains may be loneliness, doubt, illness, or other personal problems.  Your mountains will vary, and yet the answer to each of your challenges is to increase your faith.  That takes work.  "

We all climb mountains every day but we're doing it and with the Lord by our side, that's all that matters.

President Nelson continues:  "To do anything requires effort.  Your growing faith in Him will move mountains - not the mountains of rock that beautify the earth but the mountains of misery in your lives.  Your flourishing faith will help you turn challenges into unparalleled growth and opportunity."

I love the gospel and I love that I know that my Father In Heaven is by my side with every mountain that my life's journey may take me up.

A Surprise Visit from Maren

 Maren text me today and asked if I would be home in the next 35 minutes.  I told her I would.  She came by with her Mother's Day present for me and stayed for a while and we had a really nice visit.  She made me this gift that I have displayed on the kitchen table.  Along with the flowers, she also gave me some bath salts.

Thank you, Maren, for the amazing center piece.  It will be fun to keeping it full of live flowers!  I love it.  And the bath salts will be perfect when I need to take a nice bath and calm my nerves.  Most of all thank you for the visit.   

I also got a picture of Taylor that I took off of instagram and one of Boston that Maren sent.  This was Boston thanking us for his gift certificate Chick-fil-A.  Happy birthday Boston!

And, this cute picture of Taylor.

Boston, Taylor and Brock

Cute pictures.

The Patio Flowers

 I came home from my day in Provo with Lila and Susan to Neal out on the patio planting his patio pots.  He spends over $500.00 every year on his flower pots.  They are amazing, I have to admit and he baby sits them like you would a newborn.  The watering goes on morning and night every day of the week except on Sundays.  Here is the start of this years projects.

Saturday Lunch

Annie, Hayley and I drove to Provo to pick up Mallory and from there to Deseret Book where we met Susan and Lila Mae.  We shopped for a bit and then drove to a Mexican Restaurant in downtown Provo.  We had a delicious lunch, talked, laughed and talked some more, exchanged presents and then headed on for more shopping.  Annie and Mallory decided to get new phones so we spent a couple hours at the AT&T getting their new phones.  Hayley and I entertained ourselves by playing games on my phone.  We actually laughed and had such a good time. After the new phone purchases we stopped at Crumbl's and then to drop Mallory off and then head back to Salt Lake.  It was a beautiful day, perfect weather and perfect company.  Mallory and Annie at AT& T

Lila Mae gave me this figurine of two sisters - "You and Me Sisters We Will Always Be"

Susan gave me some Giorgia and a Book of Mormon and a Doctrine and Covenants journal.  The scriptures are are on one side of the page and then there are lines on the other side to makes notes.  We are studying the D&C right now so I should be able to put it to good use.

Friday evening Maren, Mindy, Lyndsy and Lynda Ann and I got together at The Cliff for dinner.  We had a very enjoyable evening together just catching up on what all the kids and families were doing.

Mother's Day - Sunday Thoughts

 Mother's Day has, for the past years, not been my favorite day of the year.  This year, I read these beautiful words by Sister Sharon Eubank and it made me reflect and feel better.

"On Mother's Day, I would say:  Don't let sadness obscure the view.  Your covenants have already paved your path.  Keep going.  You are doing better than you know.  What might the Lord say to us?  I think He would throw His arms around us and let us know we are worthy enough to keep going and our sacrifices have been acceptable before Him.  He would tell us He is reserving for us all that is in our hearts, unspoken things that only He could know.  He would say that He sees us and all we do behind the scenes, that we are not invisible to Him."

I am so grateful for the women in my life past and present who have sacrificed for their families, who have done hard things, and who have stayed faithful to the Lord.  I have so many mothers and women I look up to.  I really do come from amazing, resilient and courageous women and find those same qualities in my own daughters and daughters-in-law.  

Leaving Fresno

 Monday morning came all too fast.  Tucker, Jamie, Neal and I went to a Mexican Restaurant for breakfast burritos, which I might add were delicious, and from there to the airport to head home.  We had a wonderful weekend and so enjoyed our time with all of them.  While we were there we wanted to all go get a pedicure but we just couldn't fit it in.  Neal and I got home about 5:00, unpacked and headed down to our local pedicure place and finally got our toes done.  

The girl who did Neal's toes painted a heart on his big toe representing his love for me for Mother's Day.

Neal got a kick out of it and all the girls in the shop laughed hard.  

Picture of us at the restaurant in Kingsburg.

This is the gift that the Maxfields gave to me for Mother's Day.  It is called Story Worth and every Monday from now until next year at this time, Jamie will pick a question for me to write about.  Story Worth keeps all the papers I write and at the end of the year Story Worth puts it all in a book.  I've already done my first weeks writing.  The question Jamie picked for me was "What have you won?"  At first I couldn't think of anything that I had won and wondered what I could possibly write about, but as I started writing more and more things came to my mind.  I ended up writing 5 pages.  It will be a commitment for me to keep up and write each week.  I'm actually very excited about this.

Thanks again, Jamie, Tucker and the girls for an amazing weekend.  Pa and I will remember the events of the weekend for the rest of our lives.  We love you and thank you for your love.

Sunday - Mother's Day

 Sunday morning was a beautiful day.  We all got up at our leisure.  I went outside and sat by the pool and watched Jamie do her weekly Yoga class.  She is now an official Yoga instructor.  She does an incredible job.  Her voice is soothing and almost healing.  She has a virtual class every Sunday morning at 10:00 a.m.  We played games, visited and laughed and just enjoyed being together.  About 5 that afternoon Tucker fixed a delicious dinner of baked salmon, brussel sprouts, squash and mashed potatoes.  Jamie had cooked brownies so we had plenty of delicious food to eat.  

After dinner we played more games and exchanged presents.  Neal gave me three shirts and a very fun bag.  My new bag.  Love the colors.

Three new shirts.

Playing games and eating a delicious dessert that Jamie made.  I think it was a fruit pizza.  So yummy.

Tucker gave me this card for Mother's Day.  Jordyn Lyn made the little plastic inserts.

Saturday in Kingsburg

 Saturday morning we all slept in because we were all up until about 2:30.  I actually slept until 9:00!!  Haven't done that for years.  Our Saturday was a full day for us.  Tucker and Neal went into Fresno to have Neal buy a new phone (which he desperately needed).  Then from there to the auditorium so that Tucker could take still pictures of all the cast members.  They did get a new phone!

Jamie and I dropped Peyton off at the auditorium so she could get ready for the matinee and final performance and Jamie and I went on to downtown Kingsburg where we did some shopping at her friend Jill's shop.  I found a darling candy dish.  I'll have to take a picture of it and post it.  It would be too hard for me to try and describe it.  From there, we stopped to get a sandwich and a drink and then to the auditorium for the final show.  Again, it was beyond amazing and I enjoyed it just as much, if not more, the second time around.  I took a couple pictures while she was actually performing.

Final curtain call.

Her boyfriend, who played the Beast, gave her a bouquet of flowers.

After the performance we all headed home and Jaden, who is living in California for the summer, came over to the house.  It was fun to see him.  He is selling the solar panel system to families.  Apparently he goes from door to door and introduces the program and every reference he signs up, he gets a bonus.  No hourly wages so he has to work hard every day to make any money.  He says he loves it and is happy living in a warmer climate.

Tucker fixed us a delicious dinner of hamburgers with all the fixings.  

Tucker doing his most favorite thing of teaching dad how to operate his new phone!

Running errands

Jamie multi-tasking. 

Saturday evening we played games until about 1:30 and by then we were all just about wiped out and had to call it a night.  What a fun day it was.