Catching up

When you play hard all summer you have to play catch up when you are home.  This week has included weeding, gardening, replacing the trampoline mat, quilting, studying for the gospel doctrine lesson, and so on. 

Highlights: Having lunch with Nan and Christine to celebrate Nan's 72nd birthday; also, having Nick's kids over so Nick and Sara could attend the temple (especially since Camden, who generally acts shy around his grandparents, said, "Yay, yay, yay! when Nick told him he was going to be tended by us.  Roy and I also went to a movie for the first time in a long while.  We saw Twisters.  It was a good show without any agendas.

I finished this quilt.  I quilted it myself with help from a friend who owns a long arm machine. 
I  need to study so I can do the next one by myself.  She said I could use her machine but it's fairly complicated.  I won't point out my mistakes!

We had to replace our trampoline mat.  Nick came over and did the 
grunt work for it.  Cam was the first jumper.  We still need to replace the safety pads.

 Jennie finally made it up to the Gorge.  She took Jordan's sister and her husband and kids with her.

None of them brought swimming suits, but it was warm enough to get in on Saturday.  Frosty looks like she feels a little frosty in the picture below.

 Foster with her cousins on Jordan's side;  Foster enjoying the lake and the tractor.

Hyeji sent this picture to the clan.  She met this "Youtuber family" at Lagoon.  
The Soty family.  They got the idea for their Youtube channel between
sessions of General Conference.

Roy and I put up peaches and pears.  The peaches were very small (but sweet) since our tree was dying (it's dead and chopped down, now).  It's a labor of love when I bottle fruit because I don't eat it very often, but Roy loves it.  I didn't have enough tomatoes for canning this year.  I don't know why some years are less productive than others.  

The gospel doctrine lesson this week was on Samuel the Lamanite.  He preached repentance to the Nephites, who, within 54 years, had turned from God and becomed a hardened, wicked people.  In an interesting twist, many of the Lamanites at this point in the Book of Mormon are following God and are righteous.  Talking about Samuel and his role as a prophet, segued nicely into talking about our wonderful current day prophet.  I was able to study several of President Nelson's past talks this week as I prepared the lesson.  I found that he fulfills his role as prophet in every way. In just one talk, Think Celestial, he testifies of Christ; talks about the Father's plan--that we can each choose "how we will live on earth and where we will live forever." He admonishes us to put Jesus Christ first.  He counsels us on how to pray.  He also tells us to repent and come unto the Savior and do the spiritual work necessary to increase our capacity to receive revelation.  And then, he masterfully gives us a catch phrase to remind us of all of these points, "Think Celestial!"  Our prophet, like Samuel the Lamanite, is earnestly trying to help us prepare for the coming of Christ.

Roy wanted to share an experience he had last week during sacrament meeting:

 I had enjoyed an uplifting Sacrament meeting, about to settle into the closing hymn, “The Lord is my Shepherd”.  As the song started, I immediately felt a very calm and warm feeling come over me.  The feeling is very difficult to completely describe.  My tear ducts began to flow beyond my control.  I had to ask mom for some Kleenex.  I tried to sing as it is such a wonderful hymn but the emotions made it difficult.  If I had to use only one work to describe the experience I would use Solace.  This experience, while not new, was very comforting.  I recognize and realize that all of us may have spiritual experiences that are equally significant and may come to us in many ways.  I think that most of the time, when I feel the influence of the Spirit, it's probably not the typical warm feeling experience.  I love that the spirit can influence us at various times at the right times (if we are listening), and in ways that are most appropriate and in the timing we need.  I also think that it is super important that we document these experiences so that we don’t forget and so that when we review them those same feelings will come back to us to some degree. 

 

Finally, I am grateful for the Love of my sweet wife – Catharine, my family, my Heavenly Father and my Savior Jesus Christ.  I know that as we strive to stay true to the plan and do our best to repent, serve others and avoid the temptations of the world we can find the joy and solace in our lives.

 

Love,

 

Roy

Reminder: Zack's palate surgery is tomorrow, please add him to your prayers!