Baptism of Maverick Roy Rasband (February 24, 2024)

 Skipping a week in writing a letter really tests my memory.  My sabbaths have been so busy with YW meetings and orchestra practice.  I am going to start with today and work backwards as that might be the easiest way to remember everything.

I am in charge of refreshments afor today's meetings with the youth.  I made one pan of cookie bars, but decided that they way the boys eat, I would need another batch of something.  Adrienne has been asking me about grandma Clyde's buttermilk cookies; since she has a YW activity of her own that must include sharing something about her ancestors.  Nan found the recipe for us and I made them last night. It is a simple recipe and a simple cookie, but they're good, especially with the taste of nostalgia that goes along with them.  This morning I found that because of sickness in the family of our ward member that leads our stake senior chat, the senior chat is cancelled.  I still have the youth committee meeting, and I'm bringing refreshments for that, too, but I don't need as many.  These cookies will go in the freezer for the grandchildren and I'll stick with cookie bars for today.

Yesterday was also filled with meetings.  I started out with a DUP Pioneers Jubilee meeting.  The theme was "Soldiers in Petticoats."  It was very enjoyable because the program was short and fun.  We also had a light brunch.  I'm including the picture of our entertainers because I know two of them well.

Three of these women are sisters.  The two in purple skirts, and the blue/gray skirt on the right.  Lavon Johnson (2nd from right) was in my previous ward as is the piano player in pink in the back (Joy Holtzer).  Lavon has always been such a fun lady.  She loves singing and has sung with this group a lot in the past.  She is our permanent DUP singing leader (yes, we sing at DUP).  She reminds me a lot of Nan's friend Betty Demars because she adopted all of her children and has dealt with all the fun things that come with that.  She recently had a stroke, but gratefully it was mild.  For the program they came marching in with these signs and sang the song from Mary Poppins, "Sister Suffragette"

My afternoon meeting was of a much more spiritual nature.  We met with many of our stake leaders along with the leaders of two other stakes in our stake center to hear from several church leaders including Bonnie Cordon and Elder Ronald A. Rasband.  I was a little surprised that Elder Rasband left most of the time to the other three speakers (there was a youth devotional later, to which adults were not invited.  I asked the youth at our committee meeting what stood out to them.  One young man said he was suprised Elder Rasband didn't speak longer).  Even when it came to the question and answer session, Elder Rasband delegated most of the responses to some of the other leaders present.  His talk was short.  He basically thanked us all for our service, told a short story and then opened the time up for questions.  The takeaway I got from the meeting was this:  The brethren are very aware of what is going on in the world.  They are very concerned about our youth.  Sister Cordon talked about how her presidency came up with the young women theme.  After praying about every word, they presented it to the first presidency fully expecting it to be approved.  President Nelson told her it wasn't quite right, they needed to fix something.  She asked him what, and he said, "You'll know."  So they returned to the process until they got it right.  Our youth need to know their identity as children of God!  After questions and answers, Elder Rasband ended with this scripture, emphasizing the words I've underlined. 

2 Nephi 25: 23: For we labor diligently to write, to persuade our children, and also our brethren, to believe in Christ, and to be reconciled to God; for we know that it is by grace that we are saved, after all we can do.

26 And we talk of Christ, we rejoice in Christ, we preach of Christ, we prophesy of Christ, and we write according to our prophecies, that our children may know to what source they may look for a remission of their sins.

Yes, we need to share the gospel with others, we need to strengthen our brethren, but our first commitment is to teach our children and help them to come unto the Savior.

Caitlyn usually has a lot of support  from friends and family when she does ice shows.  Maybe one of the reasons the support was less from family this year is because I wasn't skating with her. 😀

Ori really wanted to go, but because it's so hard for parents to sit for 2 hours with a 1-year old, Ori  asked to go with us. We enjoyed having her along, and Roy did a little spoiling while supporting the Figure Skating Club at the same time.

Roy gave me the job of filming the performance, but I failed.  I saw the "standby," pressed record, saw that it was recording...the next time I looked it said "standby" again.  I pressed record and got the last 30 seconds of her number.  I am NOT a good tech person and Roy knows it, so why I got the assignment...?  Actually, I do know.  Roy was running the spotlight so there was no one else to film the number.  Luckily, one of the husbands of an adult skater did a professional recording of the entire show.

Ori, Caitlyn, Catharine, Roy;  Ori.  The theme of the show was 

The Greatest Showman.  It was done very well.  Each of the skaters had great

costumes and many of them even had great props. 

Roy had a short business meeting in Coeur d'Alene Idaho.  It's about a 10 hour drive, not including stops.  Since it's so expensive to fly into it, Roy and one of his business partners made the drive.  They drove up on Wednesday, had their meeting on Thursday morning, and headed back on Thursday afternoon.  At least it was a beautiful drive, as you can see from the picture.

Dave Cook sent all his siblings a text that my grandparents home in Springville is now for sale.  
I do hate to have it go out of the family, but the price tag is forbidding!  As my brother says, the backyard is about the size of a football field.  Housing and land is very expensive in Utah right now.

I had a couple of more "fun" medical tests this past week to see if we can shed any light on my cough.  This time I had a lung function test, which wasn't too difficult, I just had to breath as directed.  The 2nd, also not too inconvenient was a CT scan.  The most difficult part of this one was that I had to have an IV for dye to be injected.  She told me I'd feel hot from head to toe and maybe feel like I had wet my pants.  In reality, I felt hot from the waist up, but not uncomfortably hot.  I did not feel the other.  I was told to arrive early, which I did.  Amazingly, the scan began right on time and I left about 5 minutes later.  I called Roy on the way home (he was driving home from Idaho) and he was shocked that the test was over so quickly.  So far, of course, I don't have the results from the tests.  I will predict that both will be perfectly normal and I'll be back to square one--trying to figure out why I can't get rid of this cough. (I received results this morning--everything is normal, so...who knows--maybe it's time to see a psychiatrist).

During this past two weeks, we were able to  participate in "The Tabernacle Experience."  There is a replica of the ancient Tabernacle used by Moses and the Children of Israel, all set up at the Bountiful Tabernacle.  I had stressed about this, since it was sort of under the jurisdiction of the youth leaders.  It turned out that I hardly did anything.  I had made myself available (on my anniversary) in case I was needed.  Roy and I went through the tour at 2:30.  I then stopped and asked our high council member who was really in charge if I was needed.  He said he'd call me if someone didn't show up.  I went home, but when my 2nd counselor asked if she was needed, she was put in the welcome room and ended up staying for over 4 hours.  I felt a little guilty about that, but I think she knew she could call me if she needed me.  The tour was very uplifting and interesting.  For my children that live near enough, I suggest you take an hour out of your day and take your children.  It will be worth it.  Since Dan is in our stake, Roy called them and offered to watch the two littlest so they could go and enjoy the tour.  The Tabernacle will be in place until Wednesday night.

I don't usually remember to take pictures when I'm tending, but they were just so cute.  

Yuli and Dojin

Bridget likes to play a game when they are eating grapes.  It's the "What's in my mouth, game."

This isn't a great picture because of the lighting, but it was a lot better than the one he took of me.  We celebrated our anniversary a few days early for a couple of reasons.  1) the restaurant Roy wanted to go to (for his birthday) was closed the whole month of May, so we made it an anniversary dinner instead. 2) I thought I'd be too busy with the Tabernacle Experience to be able to get away on the actual date.  The important thing, however, is that we've been married for 42 years! And I am so grateful for the wonderful man I am married to. 

Roy has always treated me like a queen.  Ever since we were married, he has cooked our meals on the weekends.  He's never been afraid to lend a hand with the housework, either.  When the kids were young and I was nursing babies, he would get up with them in the morning and get them off to school so I could get a little extra sleep.  This was a real gift in Atlanta because the little kids went to school before the older kids.  Sometimes they had to catch the bus as early as 7:05.  We've had a lot of fun in our marriage.  He always made sure that we had a little time away from the kids for a date-night most every week.  And the kids will agree that we had a lot of fun boating and camping and vacationing over the years, too.  He is an amazing man.  He loves his family, honors his priesthood, takes his responsibilities very seriously, and is a very hard worker!  And, he loves his wife!!! I am looking forward to the rest of our lives together!

Where's Waldo?

Just one last, funny picture.  For a youth activity in our ward, they played "Where's Waldo?"  These ward members dressed up and made an effort to blend in with the crowd at Station Park in Farmington.  Some were easy to spot (like Dallin's sister and brother-in-law on the left), but others, like the "pregnant" lady (she's older than I am), were harder to find.