Is the mail here yet?

Zac's mission call finally came on Saturday, but he won't let me put it on this blog.  He said he will let me tell you in a week.

(A week later:  He is going to Florianopolis, Brazil, on May 22.)

Pillowcases from Jolene, 1977

Dear Jo,

I bet you are surprised to see these pillowcases.  Remember, you made a set for each of your 5 roommates at Heritage Halls the Christmas of 1977.  If I remember right, you probably sewed sets of yellow check, blue check, pink check, red check, and green check, those were the colors available about that time.

(I wonder if Toby, Marie, Dianne, or Joan still have theirs?)

I want to tell you about a strange coincidence that happened with these two pillowcases.

A number of years ago, I caught myself using one of these more and more, as my preferred pillowcase.  Sure, I used others when this one was in the laundry, but I always got this one back again.  The fabric has been washed a billion times and is SO SOFT against my face.

Then, after Seth was gone on his mission, and then married, one day I was at his apartment and discovered that he feels the same way about the other pillowcase!  I had no idea he had taken it on his mission and was still using it.  His wife is not thrilled, because it doesn't go with her other linens, but she hides it under other pillows when she makes the bed.  He won't give it up!

When we were at their house on Wednesday, I put the two pillowcases together and took this photo.  But then I took my pillowcase back home.  They will probably never be together again.

So, Jo, I just wanted you to know that your Christmas gift still lives on, 35 years later.

Thank you so much!

Love, 
your old BYU roommate,
Amy

Isaac's tree swing

Rachel said that all Isaac wanted for his birthday was to make a rope swing in one of our trees.  He chose one down by the pond, and worked on it a couple of different days, and got it finished on his birthday.

 Thomas, Rachel, and Hannah watching Isaac climb the tree.

 Isaac, getting ready to swing off of the tree.

 Exciting!

Boy Scouts everywhere

This has been a very happy day. Wayne has two scout troops over here for an overnight scout campout.  There were boys and their dads everywhere!  Some putting up tents, some jumping on the trampoline, some gathering firewood and stacking it, some riding in the trailer in back of the tractor going to pick up the firewood, some cooking dutch oven meals, and for an hour or so, all of them were having a AirSoft battle in our woods.  (Look at the picture to see how much wood they cut all in one day!)

I didn't see anyone down by the pond, or swinging on the rope swing in the tree, but they will probably discover those things tomorrow.

Wayne is in heaven!  He has always wanted to be like the Stephens, and have land where the scouts could camp out.  I am so glad he finally got what he always wanted.

These are only a few of the people who are here, most are not in the picture.

This photo was taken from my sewing room window.

Our Christmas

 We gathered at Isaac and Rachel's on Dec. 21 to open presents from each other.  The five grandchildren posed for a nativity picture (with and without costumes). (Grandchild #6, Gabrielle, wasn't here.)

 On Christmas morning, the four of us posed for our annual stairway picture. Everyone else was at their own houses or at in-laws.  Our first Christmas at our new house!

I ordered this folded book from a book artist for Tara, it was the most favorite gift I gave this year.

Nativity made of hardware

This was one of my favorite nativity scenes at our stake Nativity Celebration this year.  Someone was pretty creative to have thought of it.

Not a Creature was Stirring, Not Even a Mouse

That phrase became more  understandable to me early Wednesday morning. At 3:30 am I was awakened by some loud rustling/paper rattling/chewing in the corner of our bedroom.  I realized it must be a mouse chewing through something so I woke up Wayne.  We both decided to just turn on a noisy fan and go back to sleep.

The next day we looked inside my church bag, and found the granola bar the mouse had been feasting on.  We found 8 cheap mousetraps we already had, and put peanut butter on the traps, and set them out in several places in our house.

Within 24 hours, all 8 traps had been licked clean, without killing the mouse.

So we baited them again.  Same thing.

We realized we were dealing with SuperMouse, and that we had dysfunctional mousetraps. (I think they had cost fifty cents a piece.)

So last night we went to Lowe's, bought some more high tech mousetraps (2 for $5), where the mouse goes inside the contraption to eat, and then it slams shut and squishes the mouse.  We also bought some more cheap mousetraps, TomCat brand, which were fifty cents each.

This morning the high tech mousetrap had been visited, the bait eaten, and the mouse was gone.

We reset that one and two of the cheap TomCat traps, and went to church.

When we came home, and saw that the $2.50 high tech one was tripped again, and empty again.  But there was a dead mouse in the 50 cent TomCat trap!  Hooray!  I think we just made that mouse so complacent after he ate some much peanut butter that he forgot to be careful

Our next plan is to keep baited mousetraps around for the next few days, just in case he has any friends and relatives inside here.

And then we are going to plug in those electronic high frequency mouse repellant things, and maybe no more mice will want to come.

(I need to add that Wayne carried the dead mouse out to the garbage.  He is MY HERO.)

Food for the Trek

Our stake has decided to do another youth pioneer trek in June, and yesterday Wayne was asked if he would accept the assignment to be the Quartermaster for food.  He said yes, and immediately went to work searching out websites and blogs about LDS pioneer treks.  He is all excited to spend the next five months testing out different recipes and campfire/dutch oven cooking methods so he can get the food all arranged and purchased.

He is super talented at this, and I am very sure he will do a great job.

Plus, I am SO THANKFUL that we don't have to be a Ma and Pa for a group of youth.  Hooray!


P.S. Yesterday he was released as 2nd counselor in the Young Men, but still kept his calling as Scout Master.  (He had been both.)

New Church Calling: Nursery Leader

I have had it darn easy over the last 2 1/2 years.  I have only been a visiting teacher and the ward Preparedness Specialist for that whole time.  It was great, blogging about preparedness and doing Emergency Essentials food orders, and presenting preparedness challenges to the ward every month.

Now suddenly I am the new nursery leader!  My spoiled days are over.  (And I am still the preparedness leader as well.)

I tried to get ready for church this morning, and realized that 100% of my church clothes are dry clean only.  All at once, I have to buy a whole new wardrobe of more casual, wash-n-wear dresses.  I can't stand to think of all the snotty noses getting wiped all over my nice clothing.  Maybe I can get a big apron?  or a lab coat?  I will have to think about this.

Today on my first day,  only one kid threw up.  It was a pretty good day.

Happy Birthday Anson!

Here are some cute pictures of Anson from his birthday party yesterday.

Thanksgiving group photo

 

All 18 of us.  Smiley.

 

Silly.

Mormon Helping Hands in NYC

Here is a video about the groups of Latter-day Saints who are spending time cleaning up after Hurricane Sandy in Rockaway, New York.

http://vimeo.com/53357089

Church's Christmas messages in NYC

An article about the Church's media efforts in New York City, with some Church-made videos about the birth of Christ.

http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/mormon-christmas-message-new-york

Jill Smith "Oh Holy Night"

Beautiful YouTube made about our stake's Nativity Celebration.  Jill Smith's voice is amazing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XaP6sotTtLE  (Jill Smith singing, photos of the nativity scenes.)

apexnativity.org (Information about the event.)

Schedule for listening to Conference Talks

I was teaching quilting in Fayetteville NC on the Saturday of General Conference, so I missed one whole session.  Then, sadly, I didn't pay very good attention to the sessions on Sunday that I got to watch and listen to.

So I made a goal to get on  www.lds.org   over the course of the next few months, and watch and listen to every talk again, or in some cases, listen to the talk for the first time.  I think it is nice to read along in the Ensign magazine and highlight passages that strike me as important.

Starting right now, I will need to listen to a talk about every 4 days to listen to all of them before the next General Conference in April.

I have only listened to the first two talks so far.

The second talk was by Elder Quentin L. Cook, one of the 12 Apostles.  The paragraph that struck me as most important was this one:

"Parents, the days are long past when regular, active participation in Church meetings and programs, though essential, can fulfill your sacred responsibility to teach your children to live moral, righteous lives and walk uprightly before the Lord."

A few paragraphs later, he said, "The moral issues of our day must be addressed in the family."

Good counsel.

Apex Nativity Celebration

I hope all of you will plan to attend the Apex Nativity Celebration, at our stake center.

You can see many photos if you go here:   www.apexnativity.org 
or here    http://www.christmasnativity.org/apex

The dates are
 Thurs. Dec. 6, 6:00-9:00 pm
Fri. Dec. 7, 6:00-9:00 pm
and Sat. Dec. 8, 3:00-9:00 pm.

The event closes with Handel's Messiah Sing-along at 7:30 pm on Saturday.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 590 Bryan Drive (off NC Highway 55), Apex, NC

Non-perishable donations for Western Wake Crisis Ministry accepted at the door.

Sign

This is what you see when you drive up our driveway.

Freedom of Religion is no more

Hobby Lobby's owners said it was against their religion to provide "morning after" pills in health insurance.  The federal government said "so what, you have to provide them anyway."


http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20121120/NEWS/311209860/-1/NEWS09



Big gov't (Satan's Plan) now can tell you that no matter what your religious beliefs...you must comply with their dictates.

 No longer can you worship or practice your religious beliefs unless you happen to believe what the federal gov't tells you can.

Elections have consequences.

And America will now collectively suffer because of it.

IQF had lots of wool

The newest trend in quilting and in crafting that has really caught my eye has been wool.
I keep buying wool dyed pretty colors, and keep meaning to make some wool appliqued wallhangings or a nativity scene, but haven't done it yet.

In Houston at the International Quilt Festival, there was a booth that sold little balls made of wool.  They were hard like marbles, not fluffy like pompoms.  I just had to buy some.  Look at all the cool things you can make with them:

Now I probably have enough woolen fabric and wool felt and the little balls to make every project on these four pictures.  Daughters-in-laws: Do you want to have a craft day with me?

Bits and pieces from my trip to Houston

 I had the best time in Houston a couple of weeks ago, at the International Quilt Festival.  I shopped full time, and in 4 days I covered all 2000 booths (well, the numbers went from 100-2000 but I don't know how many vendors there really were.)

I ended up buying some supplies for some cute projects.  I bought about $10 of colorful buttons (to go with the ten pounds of buttons I already own) and I want to make wooden letters (see above) with my grandkids or with my daughters-in-laws.

 I read two more novels on the planes.  They were both by Adriana Trigiani, she is one of my favorite authors.  (My favorite so far has been "Lucia,Lucia").  I really like her Big Stone Gap series.  I just read the third book, "Milk Glass Moon", and the fourth, "Home to Big Stone Gap."

  Here is some vintage trim I bought, I have high hopes of making some funky curtains for my sewing room and using this on them.

Huff Post about Mormons

A great article about Mormons from the Huffington Post.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephen-mansfield/the-mormonizing-of-americ_b_2083125.html

Slacker Gardening

I planted a garden in the spring, and got so involved with househunting and preparing my old house for sale, and moving, that I never cared for the garden at all.  I never weeded it or even watered it (thank goodness it rains so much in North Carolina!).

Last week Wayne and I and Tara pulled out all the knee-high weeds to make the yard look better so we can sell that house, and we discovered so many sweet potatoes, regular potatoes, carrots and green onions, they filled an entire box.  That is what I call "low maintenance gardening".  I will be sure and try that again next year.

Surprise! My quilts were still represented at IQF

I had the greatest four days at the International Quilt Festival in Houston last week.  I haven't been there in several years, not since I taught there last time.  And since I haven't been advertising myself, my business has fallen off a bit.  I am still trying to figure out how to get my business going again.

Anyway, I went with the expectation of just shopping all day every day.  I had no quilts entered in the competition, and I wasn't going to be teaching any classes.

Imagine my surprise when I saw one of my quilts on the main posters on entering the building:

 My quilt, "My Stars and Yoyos" is the quilt on the right.  It was purchased by Karey Bresenhan for the International Quilt Festival Collection about 2002.

 Quilts from that collection were photoshopped onto famous landmarks for a series of posters on the wall at the International Quilt Festival this year.

 My quilt happened to be on two different posters.

I have no idea why they said "antique" quilts.  Mine is certainly not an antique.

I was excited that my quilt was up there,  too bad my name wasn't there too.  Karey Bresenhan has full rights to publish it however she wants without having to put my name on it.  It would have been fun to see my name on the poster as well.

The next day I was in the Bernina booth, and they had one of  my quilts displayed in there too.  I had made it for them, in partial trade for a Bernina sewing machine they sold to me at a reduced price for national teachers.  It was fun to see that even though I have been quite absent from the quilting business for a few years, my legacy still lives on!

Tessa stayed with us

 Seth and Janette's daughter stayed with us for two nights while they were in Germany.  She was such a sweet little girl.  She liked to carry around a rock, and she liked to explore our property.  She took me walking all over.  Here she is out behind the barn.

In the evening, we gave her a bath and dressed her in nice clean pajamas.  The next thing we knew, we found her with both arms up to the shoulders inside Zac's sweaty boots.  I guess her arms didn't smell too good after that.

Sandy, Boxes, Tractor, Missionaries

I am worried that Bryce, Marianne, and Gabrielle are going to be without electricity for several days if Hurricane Sandy's effects go through Pittsburgh.  I urged them to get a Coleman stove, and was very thankful to hear they bought one.  I hope their area turns out to be fine.



There are still boxes everywhere in our house, the pantry got completely done on Saturday, but all the food won't fit in there, so I have to go to Plan B and start figuring out other places to put it.



Wayne spent a long time trying to figure out how to work the tractor, he was having trouble controlling his vocabulary because the manual was SO POORLY WRITTEN that he wanted to cuss and scream at whoever wrote it.  John Deere needs to hire a better instruction manual writer.
I can hear the tractor going right now, so I guess he is practicing driving it around.





Here is an article about the huge increase in missionary applications occurring right now.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/25/mormon-missionary-application-increase-471-percent_n_2011973.html

My head is exploding

The roofers have been on my roof ALL DAY THURSDAY, ALL DAY FRIDAY, ALL DAY TODAY.

BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, HAMMER, HAMMER, HAMMER, SCRAPE, BANG, BANG, BANG, HAMMER, HAMMER, SCRAPE, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, HAMMER, HAMMER, HAMMER, SCRAPE, BANG, BANG, BANG, HAMMER, HAMMER, SCRAPE, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, BANG, HAMMER, HAMMER, HAMMER, SCRAPE, BANG, BANG, BANG, HAMMER, HAMMER, SCRAPE.



And the builders have been finishing my bookshelves and the painter has been painting my pantry shelves.  I totally feel like Shelley Long or Tom Hanks in "The Money Pit", I walk through my house  every day, saying hello to all the workmen either inside it or looking in through the windows.

When will it ever end?

Bryce and Marianne's new baby, Gabrielle

No photos yet, but Gabrielle Rose was born last night, October 17.  More information later.

Wayne's new baby, John Deere

It has a front loader, a mower, and a tiller.  We have to buy a blade to scrape the rocks in the driveway.
I don't think all those implements are supposed to be on there at the same time, but thats the way he bought it.

August: Trip to Utah

I attended BYU Education Week in Provo Utah in August.  It was wonderful being there with a lot of my siblings and my mother.  We took a lot of pictures in Salt Lake City before we went down to Provo.

My mother lives in Salt Lake City, right across from the temple.  When I sleep at her condo, I leave the curtains open, and the lighted temple is the night light.  (These are my sisters, Cheryl and Cindy.)

We attended "Music and the Spoken Word" at the Conference Center.  It was my first time to be inside, and it was HUGE!  It was especially touching to me to see the very dignified and interesting presentation made by the sister missionaries as the crowd came out of the building, the sisters were so charming and sincere and the presentation was done so well, I could see how hundreds of people would feel comfortable agreeing to walk around with them for the tour of Temple Square.

My beautiful mother and I in the Conference Center.

Here we are inside the Tabernacle.  L to R: me, my mother, my sisters Cheryl and Carla.

I absolutely loved all the flowers around Temple Square!

Checklist

Done

Start sleeping at new house.
Start cooking at new house.
Get well repaired at new house.
Get old house painted.
Get old house recarpeted.
Handyman repair things at old house.






To Do

Get new roof at new house.
Buy a tractor.
Get DSL at new house so we can move the computers.
Move my deskwork and paperwork to new house.
Get shelves built in new pantry.
Put all food away in new pantry.
Sell old house.
Start blogging regularly again.

Sewing Room Floor

My grandson, Anson, sitting on my new sewing room floor.

I have always hated having carpet in my sewing room.  And this time, I got the exact flooring I wanted:  vinyl with exactly 12" squares.  It makes your eyes crazy when you look at the room, but I have heard from other quilters that with this floor, you can square up quilts and even measure fabric.  How cool is that?

The Nerve!

Yesterday at rush hour I was driving down Highway 55 (a busy 4-lane highway).  There was a grass median in the middle of the road, and through a gap in the traffic, I saw a black man run across the road.  He ran to the median, yanked up a Mitt Romney campaign sign, and went running back across the road.

I was so astonished and angry I laid on my horn.  I couldn't get over the fact that he would feel comfortable doing that while about 50 drivers watched him.  Isn't it some sort of a crime to steal campaign signs?  Or shouldn't a person feel some shame that they are being so rude in front of many other people?  I wondered if he was assuming that all who watched him were Democrats, and would approve of his actions.

Interesting article about Mormons

 This article was written by a non-LDS man who lives in Utah, who wants to tell everyone what Mormons are like, and to reassure people that they shouldn't fear having a Mormon president.

http://www.americanthinker.com/2012/10/a_view_from_mormon_land.html

Food, not ammo, says Elder Oaks

 I spent all day advising the workmen who were altering a couple of rooms and closets for us.  We can't move into our new house until these things are finished.  It is making me crazy!

I am also having our old house carpeted on Thursday, which means I have to completely move out of my sewing room by then.  That is going to be a huge headache.




Interesting article:

 "LDS Apostle tells Mormons:  Stock up on food, not ammo"

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/blogsfaithblog/54913284-180/apostle-lds-oaks-conference.html.csp

(Thanks, Keri, for the heads-up)

Loved the Relief Society broadcast

 I loved the General Relief Society broadcast tonight.  Each of the 3 woman in the General Relief Society Presidency and President Henry B. Eyring gave such inspiring talks, which interestingly, all seemed to include messages about helping one another through times of trouble, and how the Lord comforts us and blesses us through times of trouble, either through the Holy Spirit or through other people.

I have a testimony that the Lord guides our general authorities and auxiliary leaders as they prepare their talks.  I know He inspires them with what to say.  It is my opinion that they all seem to want to prepare us for troubled times ahead.  Our only safety is to follow the prophet and keep God's commandments.  I know that God will help us as we keep our covenants and as we show Christlike service to each other.

I want to plead with everyone to get their food storage, get out of debt, get your homes and finances in order.

When I see the magazines in the grocery store, I am horrified by all the time and money spent on idolizing immoral people. The people in this nation have their priorities totally screwed up.  Lets spend our time serving others, studying scriptures, being good wives and mothers and friends, and preparing our families.  This country has major problems, and unfortunately, I don't think electing Mitt Romney will necessarily solve them.  

And that brings to mind my other huge fear:  that Romney will be elected, and THEN the economy will collapse (or another terrorist attack will happen, or WWIII will start, etc) and the disgruntled Americans will blame all the Mormons for the catastrophe and the persecutions on our church will start again.  So I am not that excited to have him elected.  (Don't get me wrong, I am voting for Romney.  I definitely believe if Obama is re-elected all that stuff will happen even faster.)

(Here is an example of the gimme mentality which is killing our nation: "Obama gave me a phone".  I am really ashamed of our nation training people to think this way.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=tpAOwJvTOio)



Here are several articles pointing to troubled times ahead:

(And I'm not even including any articles about the heightening tensions between China and Japan, and Israel and Iran.  The Israel thing is bothering me the most, Netanyahu has hinted pretty strongly that there is going to be an attack on Iran, but when???  The price of gasoline will go SKY HIGH when that happens.)

 Spain's economy may be about to collapse, and if it did, it will trigger banking catastrophes around the world.
 http://investmentwatchblog.com/impending-catastrophe-spain-has-entered-a-full-scale-collapse-and-created-a-tremendous-amount-of-instability-which-could-trigger-an-imminent-lehman-like-event-and-a-rerun-of-the-great-panic-of-2008/#1qs1Oryb4Iyt7FPS.99

The possible results of QE3:
http://moneymorning.com/ob/faber-warns-everything-will-collapse/


 The following 2 stories are about the expanded FDIC insurance ending Dec. 31.


http://www.forbes.com/sites/greatspeculations/2012/09/21/run-on-the-banks-would-make-fiscal-cliff-look-like-a-speed-bump/

The above story came from Forbes.  The story below is easier for me to understand, on the same subject.
http://www.silverdoctors.com/us-bank-run-imminent-as-fdic-expanded-deposit-insurance-ends-dec-31st/

As Phyllis B. used to say at the end of her Gospel Doctrine lessons, "Therefore, what?"
What do we do?

In my opinion it is time to fast and pray about how to prepare your families, because these bad things are all on the brink, and one of them will set off the next one.

Why the Connecticut Social Security Number?

 In case you didn't know, President Obama has always had a Connecticut social security number, even though he has never lived there.  This article gives all the excuses the left has used, for why and how he got that SSN.

http://www.americanthinker.com/2012/09/a_possible_explanation_for_obamas_connecticut_social_security_number.html

View from my front porch

I have always loved white fences.  This view is absolutely beautiful!

Our New Home

Here is our dream home, which has acreage and a barn for animals.  There is plenty of room for a big garden.  It has a well, and storage space for our food storage.

A series of miracles happened for us to get this property, and we are thankful beyond our wildest dreams.

We are staying in our same ward, but will live all the way on the other side of the ward.

Now you know why I haven't been blogging much lately, I have been busy moving.  (Actually, we aren't living there yet, we are waiting to do a couple of remodeling projects inside.  We might be moving in as late as Oct. 8.)

New music video by Ray Stevens

"Mr. President" by Ray Stephens.  Love it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBOMjZU-aCE&feature=player_embedded

Our Daughter-in-law, the Doctor

While I was doing costumes for Youth Conference, our daughter-in-law, Tiffany, finished up her doctorate at Duke.  WE ARE SO PROUD OF HER!!!

I'm ashamed that I didn't announce it on this blog sooner, but I guess Youth Conference wiped me out and by the time I came home it slipped my mind.

The Six Year Itch

Wayne and I don't seem to live in one house very long.  After moving to this area, we have lived in 3 houses in 24 years, choosing to move each time because we didn't like that house anymore.

We have lived in this house for 6 years, and it is time to move on.

We are putting it up for sale in the next month or two, and going to try to move to something with more land.  We are sick of this tiny yard.  And we are dreaming of more garage or shed space.

This 1962 Conference Talk applies well in 2012

"It Cannot Happen Here"

Elder Ezra Taft Benson
Of the Council of the Twelve Apostles
Ezra Taft Benson, Conference Report, October 1962, pp. 14-19


In keeping with the spirit of the masterful address given by our great leader, President David O. McKay at the beginning of this conference, I declare to you this morning that human liberty is the mainspring of human progress.



The one great revolution in the world is the revolution for human liberty. This was the paramount issue in the great council in heaven before this earth life. It has been the issue throughout the ages. It is the issue today.



It is difficult for Americans to understand the danger to our liberty. "It is generally outside the range of our experience." But we live today in an age of peril. We are threatened with the loss not only of material wealth but of something far more precious—our liberty itself.



Never before in the history of our country has there been a greater need for all of our people to take time to discover what is happening in the world. Every day decisions are being made affecting the lives of millions of human beings.



We as a people have never known bondage. Liberty has always been our blessed lot. Few of us have ever seen people who have lost their freedom—their liberty. And when reminded of the danger of losing our liberty and independence our attitude has usually been: It cannot happen here.

We must never forget that nations may, and usually do, sow the seeds of their own destruction while enjoying unprecedented prosperity.


The children of Israel, willing to sacrifice liberty, wanted Moses to be their king (Deut. 17:14). Generations later their descendants begged Samuel the prophet to give them a king (1 Sam. 8:5). He pointed out the fallacy of their reasoning. Samuel, like other great spiritual leaders, ancient and modern, saw the results that would follow the surrender of liberty.



In that sacred volume of scripture, the Book of Mormon, we note the great and prolonged struggle for liberty. We also note the complacency of the people and their frequent willingness to give up their liberty for the promises of a would-be provider.



The record reveals that a man "of cunning device . . . and . . . many flattering words," . . . sought . . . "to destroy the foundation of liberty which God had granted unto them" (Alma 46:10).
Then Moroni, the chief commander of the armies dramatically ". . . rent his coat; and he took a piece thereof, and wrote upon it—In memory of our God, our religion, and freedom, and our peace, our wives, and our children—and he fastened it upon the end of a pole.



". . . (and he called it the title of liberty) and he bowed himself to the earth, and he prayed mightily unto his God for the blessings of liberty to rest upon his brethren" (see (Alma 46:12-13).
This great general, Moroni, like the prophets whose words are recorded in the Book of Mormon, spoke of the Americas as a chosen land—the land of liberty. He led the people in battle who were willing to fight to "maintain their liberty" (Alma 46:28).



And the record states: ". . . that he caused the title of liberty to be hoisted upon every tower which was in all the land . . . and thus Moroni planted the standard of liberty among the Nephites" (Alma 46:36).



This is our need today—to plant the standard of liberty among our people throughout the Americas.



While this incident occurred some seventy years BC, the struggle went on through one thousand years covered by this sacred Book of Mormon record. In fact, the struggle for liberty is a continuing one—it is with us in a very real sense today right here on this choice land of the Americas. Yes, on an island strategically situated only ninety miles from our shores.


Just a short time ago Fidel Castro broadcast to the world his boastful confession that he had been a hard-core communist all of his adult life. He gloried in the fact that he had been able to confuse and deceive many people simply by saying he was not a communist. And because there were gullible people in this and other countries who believed his false assertions, he was able to establish a Soviet beachhead—"A communist satellite under active Russian control."



Americans must face the cold hard fact that Fidel Castro was encouraged and supported in his seizure of Cuba. Why? Simply because many Americans were led to believe the falsehood that he would resist Soviet influence and restore the full basic liberty of the Cuban people. A few of us issued early warnings based on unimpeachable evidence. Two United States ambassadors repeatedly warned that Castro was part of the communist conspiracy and that he was working for the communist conquest of Cuba. These voices went unheeded.


This is merely a repetition of the same deceitful pattern which was used after World War II to have us tolerate revolutionary communists in China—to accept them as "agrarian reformers" and allow them to seize and enslave some 450,000,000 people on the Chinese mainland.



This is the same deceitful pattern which we have been asked to accept in the Congo, in Laos, in British Guiana, etc. In fact, everywhere the communist conspiratorial machinery is preparing for a seizure of power, we are assured there is no immediate danger from communism.
In less than half a century this evil system has gained control over one-third of mankind, and it is steadily pursuing its vicious goal of control over all the rest of the world. It is time, and past time, for us to be alarmed.



I raised a voice of warning two years ago following my return from South America. And now, today, Cuba is being used as a base to spread subversion and armed revolution throughout Latin America. Cuba is being used as a funnel through which communists are infiltrating other American Republics. There can be no stability in Latin America so long as "The shadow of the hammer and sickle is darkening the Western Hemisphere." The communist objective is to isolate North America.

Less than fifteen years ago communism was not a powerful force in Latin America. Today it is not only strongly present there as an enemy to be reckoned with—it is openly allied with a government located on an island only about 90 miles south of Key West, Florida.



The only political party now functioning in Cuba is the popular Socialist Party—the Communist Party under another name.



It is authoritatively reported that by the end of 1958 there were 316 known communist or pro-communist publications in Latin America, the largest number being 55 in Mexico. About one half are newspapers and other periodicals. There were more than 150 communist publishing houses and bookstores. These activities have increased sharply since 1958. (South Wind Red, by Ray, p. 17.)



True to communist and dictator tradition, the Cuban government has deprived its people of the rights of a free press, free elections, and the protection of other fundamental human rights.
How did this situation come about? How is it possible for communism to be here and now moving into Africa, pressing upon all of Asia, threatening the Middle East and increasingly becoming a danger in the Western Hemisphere?



There are, of course, many reasons. Our apathy—our complacent indifference is a major cause. We have permitted ourselves to be pacified and lulled away into carnal security as Book of Mormon prophets predicted (see 2 Ne. 28:21).


As emphasized from this pulpit two years ago, we have a rich history to guide us. Think back with me a moment to the year 1823. In that year, James Monroe of Virginia was President. John Quincy Adams of Massachusetts was Secretary of State. These two men formed and announced a policy—the Monroe Doctrine—which has profoundly influenced the development of our entire hemisphere. (Here was the situation that called forth this policy—known as the Monroe Doctrine—in 1823.)



Several of what are now the Latin American republics had by force of arms newly won their independence from Spain and Portugal. Among them were Columbia, Mexico, Chile, and Brazil.
Meantime a number of the sovereigns of Europe were seeking to enforce the "divine right of kings" with the express purpose of putting "an end to the system of representative government."
This our government refused to permit. It said so plainly in the celebrated Monroe Doctrine. The heart of the Monroe Doctrine consisted of these words ". . . the American continents, by the free and independent condition which they have assumed and maintain, are henceforth not to be considered as subjects for future colonization by any European powers." The Monroe Doctrine, which should be and is an enduring cornerstone and living principle of national policy, stated further: "The political system of the allied powers is essentially different . . . from that of America."



Surely if it were true a century and a half ago that European monarchy was essentially different from our American system of representative government, it is even more true today that the communist system is totally different, totally incompatible, totally inimical to our free way of life.
This is a time of decision. Further vacillation will serve only to drive all of Latin America straight into communist hands. If action is not taken against the power-drunken bandit and his cohorts, the day will soon come when it cannot be done at all.



The Monroe Doctrine was first invoked against the Russian Czar Alexander. The Cuban menace represents the first time in one hundred years that a hostile foreign power has established a firm beachhead in the Americas.



The American people are deeply upset, frustrated, and angry at what they fear is a retreat from the time-honored Monroe Doctrine—a retreat which could now end in war.



President J. Reuben Clark, Jr., whose scholarly work on the Monroe Doctrine, as Under Secretary of State, is well known, in tracing our destiny said this:

"Then came our GREAT Monroe Doctrine which placed us of the United States squarely behind efforts of Latin America to gain freedom and against those European states who would thwart it.
"God again moved us forward towards the destiny He has planned for us. He was preserving the blessings He had given to us." (Memorandum on the Monroe Doctrine, Dept. of State Publication #37, December 17, 1928.)


President Joseph Fielding Smith in his ever timely volume, The Progress of Man, in discussing America's fortification against other nations makes this significant statement.
"The greatest and most powerful fortification in America is the 'Monroe Doctrine.' . . . It appears to the casual observer that this doctrine came by chance . . . but this is not so. It was the inspiration of the Almighty which rested upon John Quincy Adams, Thomas Jefferson and other statesmen, and which finally found authoritative expression in the message of President James Monroe to Congress in the year 1823 . . .
"It is generally understood . . . in the Church that the greatest and most significant principle by which this land is fortified against the encroachments and invasions of European and Asiatic powers is found in the Monroe Doctrine." (Joseph Fielding Smith, pp. 357, 466-467.)



This Monroe Doctrine widely accepted by the republics of the south, has been the continuing policy of our nation for almost a century and a half. It has been reaffirmed by many American presidents. We are on solid traditional American ground in demanding that the communists should not attempt to extend their political system to this side of the Atlantic Ocean.



If time permitted, we could show that in recent years, the principles of the Monroe Doctrine have been strengthened by various joint agreements among the American nations: These should be invoked. The longer we wait the more difficult will be the job.



It is almost unthinkable that any people would knowingly and wilfully take on themselves the yoke of communist oppression. No nation has ever done so yet. If large masses of the Cuban people have done so, it is because they have been duped or coerced.



As a people who have known only liberty, we are inclined to feel, it cannot happen here. We have become lulled away into a false security.


A most brilliant discussion of the Latin American problem, which appeared in the May 1961 issue of American Opinion, concluded with these words:



". . . history gives us one more chance. If the American people are too blind or too cowardly to take that chance, then, whether or not we as individuals deserve it, you and I and all that we hold dear . . . must suffer the doom that history mercilessly imposes on fools."



Why are we so timid in standing up to a Godless communist police state which can't even feed its own people, and whose economy, they know, will not support a major war. They "lead from weakness and we retreat from strength."



I say to you it can happen here. It is happening here. We have retreated from the Monroe Doctrine. Our liberty is in danger. But we go blithely and gullibly on our way. Some of us fall for the Kremlin line as planned by the mass murderer Khrushchev and call patriots "extremists" and accuse courageous liberty-loving citizens of "dividing our people."


As President McKay said at the close of the April general conference, quoting J. Edgar Hoover, "There is no place here in America for part-time patriots. This nation is face to face with the greatest danger ever to confront it, a sinister and deadly conspiracy which can be conquered only by an alert, informed citizenry. It is indeed appalling that some members of our society continue to deplore and criticize those who stress the communist danger. Public indifference to this threat is tantamount to national suicide. Lethargy leads only to disaster."


We must be vigilant. Let us unite. Let us join in our fight against the forces of anti-Christ.
Forgive me for being so blunt, but I feel most deeply on these matters. Possibly it is because I've seen at close range so much of this godless, treacherous conspiracy in the past few years in more than forty nations.



I realize that the bearer of bad news is always unpopular. As a people we love sweetness and light—especially sweetness. Ralph Waldo Emerson said that every mind must make a choice between truth and repose. Those who will learn nothing from history are condemned to repeat it. This we are doing in the Americas today.



As a Church we have a world message of salvation to deliver to our Father's children. The restored gospel can only thrive in an atmosphere of liberty. We are in a worldwide conflict. It is the first of its kind in history. It is between light and darkness; between liberty and slavery. It is a struggle for the souls of men. We must win this war.


In 1946 I stood in Czechoslovakia. The deadening socialist-communist philosophies were even then infiltrating that lovely country. Our church mission was thriving among these liberty-loving people. They too said it could not happen there. Only two years later it had happened. They had lost their liberty.



At the close of World War II while serving as European Mission President, I visited Stanislaw M. Mikolajczyk in Warsaw, the leader of the liberty-loving Polish people and former premier of the Polish Government-in-Exile. I had hoped we might do missionary work in Poland. Though Mikolajczyk was the leader of the indisputable majority of the electorate, he had to flee from Poland to save his life from the insidious encroaching communist police state.



I also talked to our Polish Ambassador, Arthur Bliss Lane. He told me of the tragic course of appeasement our government was pursuing in selling out the Polish people to the communists. Finally, unable to endure it any longer, Lane voluntarily resigned so he could tell the story. He titled his book, I Saw Poland Betrayed.



And so the pattern has been repeated in country after country.



Rather than impede communism our policies in their total effect have apparently helped promote it. And so the honest in heart, many of whom have probably already been murdered, are deprived of the message of the restored gospel—good people who would have responded to the words of truth from our missionaries.



Who then is to blame? What then can be done?



To some extent we Latter-day Saints and Americans every where must share some blame for we have not been awake to the warnings of the prophets. We have not exerted our righteous influence as citizens to stop this disastrous course. Our skirts are not entirely clean. Many of us have been asleep in Zion—the Western Hemisphere.



"But," say some, "why should we be so concerned. After all if the Lord wants them to get the gospel message, they'll get it."
Of course, if the Lord desired, he could this instant preach the gospel to every soul and do all our genealogical work. He could also right every wrong, feed the famished, plant our crops, train our children, etc. But his doctrine requires us to do our best ourselves in these areas and ask the Lord's help in our endeavors. After we've done all we can, then the Lord will cover for us.

Now what can be done? We have missionaries and Saints in South America. Those countries fall within the scope of the Monroe Doctrine. These countries are now being pushed in the direction of bondage—the loss of liberty.



What can we do to help meet this grave challenge from a godless, atheistic, cruelly materialistic system—to preserve our God-given Liberty?



We can encourage our government wherever we live, to stand firm at all costs against any further expansion of despotic communism.



We can support our government in keeping the flame of liberty burning in the souls of the oppressed—wherever they may be throughout the world.



We can heed the words of men like Edward Hunter who for twenty years has been reporting communist conspiracy and brainwashing from abroad and who recently wrote this:
"In Washington these days one hears a great deal of the word escalation but never the word honor.



"Escalation was the reason Americans had to stand by and watch with folded hands as a young man bled to death a hundred feet from them at the Berlin wall of shame, although we had every right to go in and stem his bleeding under wartime agreement.



"Imagine anyone telling an American, only a few years back, that he would stand by idly, witnessing a man die needlessly because he wanted to be free! . . .



"Escalation is why we stood by wringing our hands when the East Germans started building the wall, whereas is now known, their orders were to stop if we showed any serious resistance.
"Escalation, if continued, will complete our softening-up, until we 'bury ourselves,' as Khrushchev predicts . . .



"This soft escalation policy in Cuba, starting in 1958, permitted 'a small band of hoodlums, under the leadership of Fidel Castro' to conduct 'open warfare against the established government of Cuba, which was friendly towards the United States.' We have, thus passed the time for soft and easy action to protect ourselves," says Mr. Hunter. "We have only one course of action left: to destroy Communist power in Cuba by force of arms."



As I visited among the good people of Cuba in 1955, I had a secret hope we would soon be able to bring to them the truths of the restored gospel. What are our prospects now? People said in Cuba in 1955: It cannot happen here. We love liberty.

The insidious but rapid take-over of Latin America is drawing ever closer to the final showdown.
Unless godless communism is stamped out of Cuba, it is only a matter of time until like Czechoslovakia, other missions will likely close and more of our Father's children will be deprived of their liberty and the fulness of the everlasting gospel.



The message of salvation must move forward. God grant that every effort to stay its growth will be frustrated.



Courage and statesmanship are imperatively needed today. We must take chances for liberty. May God bless our national leaders in this time of crisis.



Yes, the effective preaching of the gospel can only thrive in an atmosphere of liberty. Yes, we all say, we love liberty. But that is not enough. We must protect and safeguard that which we love.


We must save liberty.


God grant us the wisdom and the courage so to do, before it is too late, I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Fleas

Isaac and Rachel were so excited to move into their new house on Friday, but by Saturday morning they weren't so happy.  The previous owners had not disclosed that the house was infested with FLEAS.

They have been battling them ever since.

Tonight the 3 kids and Rachel are sleeping over here while Isaac continues to bug bomb and vacuum and spray over there, then he is going to sleep at their old townhouse.

What a disappointment and frustration for them, when it should have been such an exciting weekend.

I showed my support

Last night on the way home from the temple, I stopped at ChickFilA and ordered a delicious shake.  UmmUmm good!  So glad to show my support and get rewarded with a tasty treat, all at the same time.

Hurray for the first amendment and free speech rights.  I am not ashamed to support the marriage between a man and a woman, and I honor Mr. Cathy's right to say he supports it too.

Two photos of Zac in "Business Insider" magazine!

Because of all the media attention on Mitt Romney, Business Insider decided to go to the Hill Cumorah pageant and do a big article about it.  And our son Zac has made it into a national publication!

http://www.businessinsider.com/book-of-mormon-guide-photos-2012-7?op=1

Zac is in the 4th photo.  "Lehi tries to warn the people of Jerusalem to repent."  Zac is 2nd from left, with the beard.

Scroll clear to the bottom of the article, to the last big picture, "Smith translates the plates."  Zac is on the right, with a dark cravat at his neck and a dark beard.

(Thank you to my college roommate, Jo, for sending me this link!)

Please read my Preparedness blog

I have just posted some links to articles about the severe drought, and I hope you will go to www.GottaWannaNeedaGettaPrepared.blogspot.com  and read them.

Marianne's Birthday

Marianne and Bryce at Niagara Falls.  We were on the American side.

Before the Hill Cumorah Pageant.  Here is Zac's costume for the opening scene, where he runs Lehi out of Jerusalem.

After the pageant.  Here is Zac's costume for the Restoration of the Gospel scene, where he plays one of the apostles with Joseph Smith.  He thinks he got this part because of his beard, which he grew out especially for the pageant.

We had a nice time with Bryce and Marianne last weekend, when we picked them up in Pittsburgh and took them with us to Niagara Falls, and Palmyra, New York to see the Hill Cumorah Pageant.

We wish Marianne a wonderful birthday, even though right now she is stuck in a hotel room in Pittsburgh waiting for their moving van to arrive.

Freedom of Speech only applies to some people

Office Depot stores can have posters for their "Be Brave" campaign, in support of the "Born This Way" foundation (which supports same-sex marriage.)

But the president of Chick-Fil-A can't say his opinion that marriage should be between a man and a woman.  He only said it, he didn't even put signs up in his stores about it.

It looks like the only people with Freedom of Speech are those who agree with the liberal agenda.

As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, I fear what is in the future for us, as we continue to be champions for marriage and family.

http://www.americanthinker.com/2012/07/the_left_tars_and_feathers_chick-fil-a.html

Youth Conference is over!

 Our stake put on an entire theatrical production in 3 days.  Previous to that weekend, the choreographer had gone to each ward and taught them their dance, and the music chairmen had taught the main characters their songs.

Then we got the 190 youth together onThursday, Friday, and Saturday, and they learned their parts and their places.  Each kid had 1, 2, or 3 different costumes.  Mireya and I were the costume
co-chairs.  And I survived!

After two whole days of announcing to the youth that they HAD to go to the costume department to get fitted or pick out costumes, we still had youth come up to us in the middle of the dress rehearsal asking, "Where is my _____ costume?"  When we asked if they had brought one or if we had ever assigned them one, they would say, "No, I thought you had one for me."  AAARGH! So we would have to scramble and just tie a scarf around their head or throw some strange skirt on them and send them on stage.  It made me very frustrated.

I put on weight eating the delicious food that Monte, Keeley, Brandon and Wayne cooked. Doing the costumes was so stressful that everytime I saw food I ate my troubles away.

I am very thankful I was able to help out with Youth Conference, it was inspirational to see the hard work put in by all the leaders and adults to make the conference enjoyable and spiritually uplifting for the kids.  We heard a lot of thank yous and also wonderful testimonies at testimony meeting, I think it was a good experience even if it was very stressful and I only got about 6 hours of sleep a night.

Home from trip, Youth Conference coming up

Friday-Monday: Wayne and I drove to Pittsburgh, picked up Marianne and Bryce at the airport.  We drove to Niagara Falls and to the Hill Cumorah Pageant in Palmyra, NY.

We saw the pageant's closing night performance, where Zac was in the Lehi Mob scene and the Restoration scene.

Sunday morning we attended sacrament meeting with all the cast, then took Zac home with us.

We stopped by Pittsburgh to return Bryce and Marianne to the airport, so they could rent a car. Bryce started his new job on Monday.  Their moving van is coming in a week, so they are living in a hotel.

Wayne, me, and Zac drove back to Morrisville on Monday.  We spent an hour at the New River Gorge visitor's center.

Tonight was a big costume meeting for Youth Conference, about a fourth of the youth showed up at the stake center to pick out and to try on their costumes.

Thursday-Saturday are going to be VERY BUSY, doing the last minute costume stuff.  Luckily most of the costumes are done.

Bad Economic Signs

http://www.shtfplan.com/headline-news/bad-economic-signs-2012_07182012

Great tip for buttering garlic bread

My husband cut partially through the loaf for each slice, and was trying to pry the pieces apart so he could spread butter and garlic salt on them.

He came up with this idea for laying the partially cut bread across a can, and then it worked like an accordian as he slid the loaf along the can.  Brilliant!

Museums in Raleigh

I took Elizabeth and Thomas to the NC Natural Science museum in Raleigh, and the NC Art Museum. We went with my friend Kay B. and her granddaughter.

There was a mirror on the ceiling above the walkway outside the Art Museum, so I took our portrait.

Half of NAACP convention gives Mitt standing ovation

Here's something the media didn't bother to tell us.  I kept seeing the headlines, "Mitt gets booed at NAACP", but they never mentioned that half of the convention gave him a standing ovation at the end of his speech.

Also they failed to report about the number of black churches which disagree with President Obama's policies on gay marriage.  Why didn't Obama speak at the NCAAP convention?  Rumor has it, that he was afraid he would get booed by those religious black clergy leaders.

http://www.americanthinker.com/2012/07/a_man_for_all_races.html

Tessa's birthday

 Tessa is one year old today!  I took these pictures in our church's foyer.

I think she looks like a Kewpie doll when she puts her eyes sideways like this.

Seth's 27th birthday

We had a family get-together for Seth's birthday, and AS USUAL, we didn't remember to get candles.  Seth scrounged around in the kitchen until he found this "2" left over from Tara's 20th birthday.  And then he just bent a candle to make a "7".  Because thats the way we do things around here.

Yummm!  Cheesecake Factory cheesecake!
It is interesting how Elizabeth is ALWAYS next to any birthday cake when the candles are being blown out.

We're in trouble now

I babysit Anson once a week, and today is the first day he has had the skills to stand against the stairs or attempt to climb them.  It will be only a matter of days before he is crawling all over the house, and up the stairs every minute.