Believe What You Want

 If you'll remember, last year I wrote about an incident that happened early in the morning while Mindy L. and I were walking.  There was a horrible accident on 9th East and Fort Union.  A car ran a red light, and was hit by a pick up truck.  The impact caused the car to spin through the intersection directing it to the drive through at Jimmy Johns.  Mindy and I were walking along Fort Union and were just about to cross through the drive through, just like we always did every morning.  Had we been just a minute faster we would have been hit by the car and seriously injured or even killed.  We both commented on how we had and always said our prayers before leaving for our walk.  

Last week, we were walking early in the morning and we were coming by Cottonwood High School.  We had stopped a few minutes before that to check the time and decided we should head back.  As we neared the intersection of 13th and 5600 we heard a loud crash and saw car parts flying through the air.  We also saw a car spin around in the intersection and ended up coming across the corner of the intersection that we would have been standing on to cross at that moment had we not stopped to check the time.  The car ended up against the fire hydrant.  Both cars involved were totaled.  We were amazed that yet again we had just barely missed being a walking casualty from a car accident.  Again our discussion turned to the fact that we had both said our prayers that morning before leaving the house and that we certainly were protected.  I believe this with all my heart.

Jamie's sign above our back door that says A.S.A.P. and underneath, "Always Say A Prayer" entered my mind that morning.  I thought about the song 

    "Er you left your room this morning, did you think to pray?  

    In the name of Christ our Savior, did you sue for loving favor as a shield today."

and the song ends with:

    "Don't forget to pray."

Sunday Thoughts - Lengthy Hardships

 It's good to teach gospel doctrine because I have to read and study.  This year we are studying the Old Testament and if you want a challenge in your life, try reading and teaching the Old Testament.  But that isn't what I want to write about.  I've thought a lot about the past  couple years and what our family has had to deal with.  It has not been easy.  I think the last part of 2020 and all of 2021 has thrown many challenges at all of us.  Maybe the hardest we've had to experience for a long time.  Hardships like health issues, car issues, broken dreams, even financial stress, and pretty much everything in between.  As heavy and overwhelming as our trials felt and through some really hard days and months, I've always believed and held true to my faith that the Lord will ease our burdens as we stand firm as a witness of Him then, now and forever.  We can muster the strength we need in times of trial by calling on the Lord like the people of Alma in the Book of Mormon.  He may not always immediately relieve our burdens, but He will strengthen us with His Spirit, and He can even send people who can help us.  

Elder Bednar said:  "The unique burdens in each of our lives help us to rely upon the merits, mercy, and grace of the Holy Messiah.  I testify and promise the Savior will help us to bear up our burdens with ease as we are yoked with Him through sacred covenants and receive the enabling power of His Atonement in our lives, we increasingly will seek to understand and live according to His will.  We also will pray for the strength to learn from, change, or accept our circumstances rather than praying relentlessly for God to change our circumstances according to our will.  We will become agents who act rather than objects that are acted upon."

Lunch and Shopping

Hayley had a birthday the first of November and we have been trying to get together ever since then.  We finally were able to pull a get together off last Monday, thanks to Martin Luther King Day.  Mallory was spending the weekend in Stansbury so she brought Hayley in.  Hayley's choice to lunch was Red Robin.  Mallory and Hayley along with Neal and I had a delicious lunch at Red Robin.  From there, we went to the mall and did some shopping.  It was fun to hear about a book that Hayley is writing and to hear Mallory talk about how much she loves school.  She is taking some hard classes.  French, Linguistics, Writing and a religion class.  It was fun to be with the two girls and hear about their interests and what they are doing.  A very happy belated birthday dear Hayley.

A Sunday with Mallory

 Mallory called and told Annie and I that she had been asked to speak in sacrament meeting in her singles ward.  So Lynda Ann and I decided to drive to Provo on Sunday to hear Mallory speak.  Lynda Ann worked Saturday night, so she came to my house to sleep until noon, then get ready and the two of us leave for Provo at 12:30.  Mallory's sacrament meeting was at 1:30.  We made it to Provo in good time, picked up Mallory and off to church.  Annie and I sat close to the front and in the center of the congregation.  It might have been a little awkward having her mom and grandmother mixed in with a bunch of single adults, but that didn't stop the two of us from going, obviously.  Mallory is a fantastic speaker.  She is confident and clear and has a beautiful testimony of the Savior and His plan.  She focused her talk on a conference talk by Anthony D. Perkins about the Lord carrying our burdens.  She spoke about her love for her family and for her mother.  She is a beautiful daughter and granddaughter and I'm proud to be her grandmother!  (I sneaked a picture of her.  Shouldn't take pictures in sacrament meeting but it hadn't started yet so I guess it was okay? :-)

After Sacrament Meeting we went to the Black Bear for lunch, then said our goodbyes to Mallory and headed home.  Annie needed to get some sleep before going back to work that night.  It was a beautiful day in so many ways.  

Thanks Mallory for inviting us.  

My Surprise

 Last Saturday a package was delivered to me from California.  It was from Jamie and she said it was for my birthday and Christmas.  I was so happy and so excited.  I love it and can't wait for Neal to get it hung above the sink.  This note came with it.

Jamie put the grandchildren in birth order.  And she picked great pictures of each one of them.  Thanks millions, Jamie, I LOVE it.  Instead of saying 'this Gam is fabulous.'  It should say, 'this Gam is blessed!'

California Stitching Project

I've finished Abby's California Mission Counted Cross Stitch project as far as I can go.  I'll have to wait until she gets home and I can highlight the places that she served and put the dates of her mission and then get it framed with her missionary badge, if she chooses that.  I also started my next project.  I've never done a project on black linen and believe me, it is a challenge.  It is almost impossible to see the threads and very, very easy to get off a thread.  I've only just started and already have done more unpicking than usual.  

Don't worry.  Abby's isn't pressed.  That will happen when everything is completely done on it.

s.  

 

Utah Puzzle

 Neal was given this puzzle of Utah Football.  Ron Stanfield gave it to him and of course, we had to put it together.  It was only 500 pieces and went together in a day.  The last puzzle for the year before school starts again after the holidays. 

Hamilton

 Neal and I were given tickets (well one ticket) for our Christmas present from Ron and Judy for the Broadway Show, Hamilton.  We bought the other ticket.  The seats were on the 7th row of the main floor.  They were amazing and well worth the $165.00 per seat.  We met at Little American for dinner and then walked down to the theater.  We ran into Dan and Jill Thurber, which was a bonus.  The show was amazing!  I had purchased the CD's so that Neal and I could listen to some of the songs and be a little more familiar with the words and the story.  

I took this picture as we were walking to the theater.  This is the Gallivan Center and was all lit up with Christmas Lights.  

Here we are in the theater.  I asked a girl in front of us to take our picture and then we took a picture for them.  

Sneaked this picture of the stage.

The program.  

We had hoped to take a picture out front but the line was way too long so I just took a picture of the program.

Thinking of Abby

 Abby was away from home this year serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the California Spanish Speaking mission.  I've been thinking about what Christmas would have been like for her as a missionary away from home.  She probably got up at 6:30 a.m. on Christmas morning, just like she does every other day.  But instead of jumping out of bed to see what Santa left, she quietly knelt next to her bed to give thanks for God's gift of His Son.  Instead of opening presents and celebrating a new clothes or other wanted items, she probably open the scriptures to receive the gift of God's word.  Instead of spending the day surrounded by family and friends, she probably spent a few hours with some kind family she and her companion had recently met.  Knowing Annie, Abby had a few presents from home to open, but nothing like she would be used to.  Abby and her companion will probably spend at least some of Christmas day doing what they do every day - offering people the greatest gift of all, an invitation to come unto Christ, receive His word, and enter the covenant path that leads to eternal life.  For most, it is the first time in their lives the focus of the season really is more on Jesus Christ than on presents, food, or even family.  God's missionaries are one of His greatest gifts to the world.  I totally missed my little namesake missionary this year, and I know her mom, dad and siblings did as well, but it's okay - as long as Abby knows that her decision to set aside time in her life to serve Jesus Christ is the greatest gift she could have given her parents, siblings and Gam, and Pa and the world!