Outing with the grandkids

 A couple of Saturdays ago, Wayne and I picked up two of our grandkids and took them out for the morning.  They loved to play with these pinwheels while we were driving around with the top down.  Elizabeth had to have a scarf tied around her head, because she hated her hair whipping her in the face. (just like her grammy.)

 Then we went to the mall and they rode the merry-go-round, and we ate in the food court.

We went to the pet store, and to the McDonald's playground.

It was fun!

I'm a Ham!

I passed my ham radio Technician license on Saturday!  This has been a goal of mine for over ten years.  Yea for me!

Now I've got to buy all the equipment.

Beatrice Snow Winsor's funeral program

To my kids:  Here is your great-grandmother's funeral program from 1973.  When I saw who spoke at her funeral,  I was amazed.  Of course, it shouldn't be too surprising.  Her best cousin was Spencer W. Kimball's wife, Camilla Eyring Kimball, and her next door neighbor at Eagle Gate apartments (with an adjoining back door and balcony) was Joseph Fielding Smith.

Blogger.com has gone insane

The bad news is that blogger.com just changed its whole interface and I can't figure it out at all.  Unless someone helps me, this blog will be empty from now on.  I am surprised I found this place to enter these few sentences.

If you see blogposts here in the next few days, just know that I preposted them weeks ago.  I can't find my "edit posts" area to get into them and even see what I have preposted.  I will be as surprised as you when something comes up.

Help me, Anybody!

Oh, and by the way, today was my birthday.  And it was a really good one!

Erastus Snow's son William Spencer Snow

For my children:   Here is the short version of one line of your pedigree chart.

Erastus Snow was the 2nd Mormon to enter the Salt Lake Valley.  He was a prominent leader in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

He married these four women.  

His fourth wife was Julia Josephine Spencer.  

She had six children, one of whom was named William Spencer Snow.

 William Spencer Snow married Emily Henrietta Eyring, and they had two children.

But unfortunately, he died very young.  Here is the family he left behind.

L to R:  Theresa, Emily, and Beatrice.  Beatrice Snow is my husband's grandmother.

Two great quotes about Prophets

[1] “We find ourselves often quoting the words of prophets, and, lest there be some doubt as to what a prophet is, we submit that it is one who, under the appointment and inspiration of the Lord God, speaks truth as the spirit moves him, regardless of what the world is thinking and regardless of what men would like to hear. “And, therefore, a prophet is seldom popular, and the cost of being a prophet is always great, for he may be called upon to say those things which are not pleasing, even unto himself, and he may find himself fighting against a tide of mass-misconception, and, as history records, be stoned, crucified, banished, ridiculed, shunned, or rejected. For the truth is not pleasing unto all men, and time has proved that majorities are not always right. … “It is not important that a prophet should say those things with which you and I are in full accord. But it is important that you and I should bring ourselves into full accord with those things which a prophet speaks by virtue of his office and calling.” (Richard L. Evans, 1939, E-42:672) [2] Prophets have always offended people. And no prophet was as offensive as Jesus. To the world, a prophet is a good fellow as long as he is dead or minds his own business. If he is dead we can play with his words and make them say anything we want them to say. But if he is living, he doesn’t always mind his own business. At election time we want him to keep still even though we acknowledge from time to time that elections are crucial events. But we do not want to believe God unless he tells us what we want to hear. We especially get upset if the prophets tell us what is true or false in the academic areas. We think they are not qualified to speak — at least not in our field. The experts on political science want the prophets to keep still on politics. The experts on evolution want them to keep still on Bible interpretation. So it goes: “‘Aren’t there enough things for the prophets to do without sticking their noses into our business? Let them see to their welfare programs and to the problem of sin. We will take care of the rest.’” So say the present day schoolmen.” (Glenn L. Pearson & Reid E. Bankhead, A Doctrinal Approach to the Book of Mormon, pp. 79-80)

Elder Ballard's talk brings me great comfort

I just read this great commencement speech by Elder Ballard April 6, 2012.  It gives me great comfort to find out that he says we have "a season, possibly a short season" left.  I have been convinced that the big economic collapse and dictatorship was all going to happen this fall or next year, so I am totally thrilled that I am wrong.  Hooray!!  We have some time left!

http://www2.byui.edu/Presentations/Transcripts/Graduation/2012_04_06_Ballard.htm

Brigham Young University-Idaho Commencement

April 6, 2012

Commencement Remarks

Elder M. Russell Ballard

Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

On this day, April 6, the anniversary of the founding of the Church and, as revealed in scripture, of the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ, and on this day, the day of your graduation, it is a privilege to be with you.

I am honored to be invited to speak to you. I understand from a friend of mine that the longest commencement speech ever given was six hours at Harvard in the early 19^th century. It was delivered in Latin, then Greek, and finally in English. The shortest was delivered by the late Nels Smith, former governor of Wyoming. When it came his turn to speak, he arose slowly from his chair, approached the podium, surveyed the rows and rows of gowned graduating students, and speaking slowly simply said, “You done real good.” Then he turned and sat back down.

Well, I can promise you I will not deliver my speech in Latin or Greek, but it will be a little longer than Governor Smith’s. As I look at you, my heart is overflowing with love for each of you graduates and for you moms and dads who have sacrificed so much to make this day possible. You are all to be congratulated.

I bring the love of our prophet, President Thomas S. Monson, the First Presidency, and the members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. We pray for you often asking Heavenly Father to bless you in your preparation for your future.

We have also felt your love and the sustaining power of your prayers. I can tell you, with a heart full of gratitude, it is because of the prayers of the Saints we are able to fulfill the demands of our callings, especially as some of us are not so young any more. Hopefully, in my 83 years of living I have learned a few things that will help you on your way.

This activity this evening is aptly called “Commencement” because you will now be moving on to the next phase of your life, a beginning or commencement, if you will. The conditions in the world you are about to encounter are filled with uncertainty and danger. The economies of the world and of the United States are unstable and unpredictable. The cherished values of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness are under attack by those who want to restrict agency and make you dependent rather than encouraging your skills and talents to create new and exciting ways of doing things. 

Standards of morality are failing. The family is under attack and is crumbling. Love in the hearts of men has waxed cold and is unnatural. There is a continuing breakdown in the integrity, honesty, and righteousness of political, business, and other leaders. Wars and rumors of wars between nations and creeds abound. And even more destructive than any armed conflict is the war raging between good and evil—a war for the very souls of men—between the Savior and His army of light against Satan and his evil minions of darkness.

President Gordon B. Hinckley described the world you are about to enter when he said, “We live in a season when fierce men do terrible and despicable things. We live in a season of war. We live in a season of arrogance. We live in a season of wickedness, pornography, and immorality. All of the sins of Sodom and Gomorrah haunt our society. Our young people have never faced a greater challenge. We have never seen more clearly the lecherous face of evil.”

You should not be surprised at all of these circumstances of our time because the scriptures and prophecies of our day testify of what will happen in the world if the people turn their backs toward God. And you know that we will yet experience some unpleasant things for the devil continues his attempts to accomplish his evil designs. At the same time, the prophets of old who saw our day, who saw your generation, knew this time—your time—would be an age of light and wonderment such as the world has never before experienced.

As I prepared for this talk today, I asked for guidance to know what message our Heavenly Father would want me to share with you. The calming and assuring words spoken by the Lord to Joseph Smith came to my mind: “Be of good cheer, for I will lead you along. The kingdom is yours…and the riches of eternity” (D&C 78:1.

What I believe the Lord wants me to tell you is that you should replace fear with faith—faith in God and the power of the Atonement of the Lord Jesus Christ. I can remember as a young 13-year-old boy coming home from priesthood meeting on Sunday, December 7, 1941, to learn from my parents that Japan had just bombed Pearl Harbor. This propelled the United States into a world war that had already been raging in Europe for two years. It seemed like life as we knew it was going to come to an end. There was much uncertainty as many young men were swept up into military service. However, now just as then, amidst all of the conflicts, struggles, and evil influences in the world, there is still much of good. 

As you think about your future, you should be filled with faith and hope. Always remember that Jesus Christ, the creator of the universe, the architect of our salvation, and the head of this Church is in control. He will not permit His work to fail. He will be victorious over all darkness and evil. And He invites us all, members of His Church and others who are the honest in heart, to join in the battle for the souls of men. Along with all else we will do in life, we must also dedicate and consecrate our heart, might, mind, and strength to His cause, walking in faith and working with conviction.

Face the future with optimism. I believe we are standing on the threshold of a new era of growth, prosperity, and abundance. Barring a calamity or unexpected international crisis, I think the next few years will bring a resurgence in the economy as new discoveries are made in communication, medicine, energy, transportation, physics, computer technology, and other fields of endeavor.

Many of these discoveries, as in the past, will be the result of the Spirit whispering insights into and enlightening the minds of truth-seeking individuals. Many of these discoveries will be made for the purpose of helping to bring to pass the purposes and work of God and the quickening of the building of His kingdom on earth today. With these discoveries and advances will come new employment opportunities and prosperity for those who work hard and especially to those who strive to keep the commandments of God. This has been the case in other significant periods of national and international economic growth.

Before the Savior’s second coming—and based on His divine timetable—the gospel must be taken to every nation, kindred, tongue, and people until it fills the whole earth. And as the Prophet Joseph declared, “no unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the great Jehovah shall say the work is done” (Documentary History of the Church, Vol. 4, 540).

As the gospel is carried to the billions of spiritually hungry souls, miracles will be performed by the hand of the Lord. Missionaries of many nationalities will serve the Lord throughout the earth. New chapels and many more temples will be built to bless the Saints as pre-millennial growth has been prophesied. 

You may ask, “Where will the financial resources come from to fund this growth?” The resources will come from faithful members like you through your tithes and offerings. As you graduates do your part, the Lord will bless you with prosperity and the wisdom to keep your mind focused on what matters most in your life: “But seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:13). 

So, for yet a season, possibly a short season, it will seem as though the windows of heaven will have truly opened so that “there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10). I believe you graduates sitting here today will be active participants in temporal blessings if you keep the commandments of the Lord. With prosperity will come a unique challenge—a test that will try many of you to your spiritual core. As you step into this new world of prosperity and engage in converting your education into financial success, you will always have to control wants vs. needs.

You will have two choices. Will your motivation to build and acquire the blessings of the Lord be for personal gratification, the recognition of men, for power, influence and self-aggrandizement? Or will your motive be to glorify God, working to help usher in the growth and expansion of His Church?

Those who seek riches to build up their own egos will find their treasure to be slippery and easily lost in unwise ways. The welfare of their souls will be in great jeopardy. Jacob, the obedient younger brother of Nephi warned us concerning this wealth:

“And the hand of providence hath smiled upon you most pleasingly, that you have obtained many riches…yet you are lifted up in the pride of your hearts, and wear stiff necks and high heads because of the costliness of your apparel…do ye suppose that God justifieth you in this thing? Behold I say unto you, Nay. But he condemneth you, and if ye persist in these things his judgments must speedily come unto you…let not this pride of your hearts destroy your souls! (Jacob 2:13-14,16).

Jacob then put our motivation to acquire wealth in the proper perspective with a promise:

“But before ye seek for riches, seek ye for the kingdom of God.

“And after ye have obtained a hope in Christ ye shall obtain riches, if ye seek them; and ye will seek them for the intent to do good—to clothe the naked, and to feed the hungry, and to liberate the captive, and administer relief to the sick and the afflicted” (Jacob 2: 18-19).

The Lord is not telling us that we should not be prosperous or that prosperity is a sin or is evil. On the contrary, He has always blessed the obedience of His people with prosperity. He is telling us that we should seek prosperity only after we seek, find, and serve Him. Then, because our hearts are right, because we love Him first and foremost, we will choose to invest the riches we obtain in building His kingdom.

If you choose to seek riches for the sake of riches, you will fall short. You will never be satisfied. You will be empty, never finding true happiness and lasting joy. The trial of your faith, my dear brothers and sisters, in the next few years to come will likely not be that you lack the material things of this world. Rather it will be in choosing what to do with the temporal blessings you may receive.

Of you and your generation, President Ezra Taft Benson said: “For nearly six thousand years, God has held you in reserve to make your appearance in the final days before the Second Coming…God has saved for the final inning some of His strongest children, who will help bear off the kingdom triumphantly…You are the generation that must be prepared to meet your God” (“Stalwart and Brave We Stand,” quoted by Marvin J. Ashton, Ensign, November 1989, 36).

Brothers and sisters, to be a vital part of the marvelous work and wonder in these last days, you must submit your will to God, letting it be swallowed up in His will. As you press forward “with a steadfastness in Christ,” with a “brightness of hope, and a love of God and of all men...feasting upon the word of Christ,” (2 Nephi 31:20) searching diligently, praying always, and believing, then, as the Lord promises, “all things will work together for your good” (see D&C 90:24).

So, I urge you to make a commitment to yourself and to Heavenly Father to dedicate your life and consecrate your time and talents to the building up of the Church of Jesus Christ in anticipation of the Savior’s second coming. Let the motive of your thoughts and actions be to glorify God and to bless your fellowman. Let this desire inspire you to greet each new morning with enthusiasm, let it fuel your thoughts and actions throughout each day. If you do this, you will be blessed in the midst of a world that is fast losing its way, and you and your loved ones will be secure and happy. This does not mean that you will not face trials and tests, but it does mean you will have the spiritual power to handle them with faith and trust in the Lord.

My dear graduates, the purpose of my message is to help you envision your future. Have faith and hope for the bright future you face as you leave BYU-Idaho and move on to your next great adventure. You young men are the future fathers, “a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9). You young women are the future mothers and nurturers of God’s own spirit sons and daughters.

For both men and women, one of your top priorities is to find your eternal companion, if you have not already done so. Marriage in the temple will provide you with a companion to help you stay on the right path that leads back to the presence of our Heavenly Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. You are the generation that will continue the preparation for the Second Coming.

Copyright© 2012 BYU–Idaho

All Rights Reserved.

Patrick Henry Hughes

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xwCG0Ey2Mg&feature=player_embedded

6:35 minutes long.

He is a blind musical genius, with an unbelievably devoted father.

Watch it, it will make your day.

Some of my kids are moving

Seth and Janette will be moving to Fayetteville where he got a new job.  I have been SO SPOILED with all my 5 grandchildren nearby for the past few years.  I am really starting to feel sad.  Our lives are all going to change so much, visits are going to be less frequent, and will be big deals instead of the casual visits we are so accustomed to.  Boo Hoo!    ("We fear change"- Garth Algar)




Bryce and Marianne will be leaving BYU in the summer, to move to Pittsburgh where he has found a job.  I am really thankful they are moving to the east coast, but again, Boo Hoo! that they are not closer.  I will have to deal with it.  I see TRAVEL in my future.

Happy Birthday Adam

You were my first darling, lovable, tiny baby.

I knew nothing about babies.  I learned everything I knew about babies from you.  My mother told me "babies come with instructions."  She meant, babies will let you know that they are unhappy, and you will learn what they want by trying different things until they get contented again.  You were a huge educational experience.

Now you have grown into a fine man,

with a wonderful wife and tiny darling lovable baby of your own.  I am so proud of you and your family.  I love you!  And happy birthday!

The Lord protected Zion's Camp

Here is another story from church history that I love: It is from “Church History in the Fulness of Times”, Religion 341-343 Institute manual, copyright 1989,1993, page 148-149. Quote: Events at Fishing River This happened during the march of Zion’s camp. Four hundred men had gathered to destroy the Mormons.... “but the Prophet promised that the Lord would protect (the saints). He declared, “Stand still and see the salvation of God.” “...a small black cloud appeared in the clear western sky....As the first ferry load of mobbers crossed the Missouri River to the south, a sudden squall made it nearly impossible for the boat to return to pick up another load. The storm was so intense that Zion’s Camp abandoned their tents and found shelter in an old Baptist meetinghouse nearby....” “...the beleaguered mobbers sought any refuge they could. The furious storm broke branches from trees and destroyed crops. It soaked and made the mobbers’ ammunition useless, frightened and scattered their horses, and raised the level of the Fishing River, preventing them from attacking Zion’s Camp. The Prophet recalled, “It seemed as if the mandate of vengeance had gone forth from the God of battles, to protect His servants from the destruction of their enemies.” “Two days later, Colonel John Sconce and (two members of the non-LDS militia) rode into Zion’s Camp... “I see that there is an Almighty power that protects this people” Sconce admitted.”

Our friend's novel: "Silverheels"

A man in our ward, who is a good friend of ours, has written a novel, and it is out as an ebook.

Read Ken Kuykendall's blog post, and see if you might be interested in buying a copy of the book.  It sounds hysterical, I've got to read it soon (but I don't have a Kindle so I can't yet)

http://www.silverheelsbook.com/

Electric plant employee gives some bad news

This doesn't make me have confidence in the electrical grid.

http://preparednesspro.com/why-i-prep/

"I worked with equipment that was 70 years old or more, some that no longer had instructions, or any information on how it worked or was installed.  Missing drawings, blueprints, schematics.  No parts available.  Work done and changed and never noted or drawn up, so no one really knows what’s out there.  


Training for new engineers and techs, that lacked any quality control, so new construction was always faulty, and needed to be reworked, hopefully before we blew anything up!  Sometimes, it came awful close….And I am pretty sure it isn’t the only power company like that.  


New equipment purchased with out any manuals, or training, so no one knew how to install or use these protection devices.  The line crew thought we did, we thought they did…and the purchasers were not within our reach…and protocol doesn’t allow us to speak to them…it is a nightmare.  Security is lame, that is why so many are stealing the copper wire we used.  


I could go on and on..but suffice it to say…when I worked there, I suggested everyone I met stock up on wood and candles.  And get used to not using power…because there is no way it can continue at the rate we are using it, something is going to fail."

Care for some moonshine?

In "The Civil War" documentary, by Ken Burns, it says that during the Civil War, the homemade liquor made by the troops was called, "Nockum Stiff", "Bust-Head", "Pop Skull", and "Oh Be Joyful".

On the "Beverly Hillbillies", they sometimes called it "White Lightning."

I think nowadays it is commonly called "moonshine."

 Here are some photos of the moonshine still the guys found in the backwoods of the Smokies.  I had never seen what one looked like before.  Wayne assumed this one was operating back in the 1930's, during prohibition.

My high school English teacher, Mr. Chessmore, taught us a little poem:

I had a little girl,

She lived on a hill,

She's a moonshiner's daughter,

but I love her still.

50-miler, er, I mean 32-miler

Wayne and Isaac and Zac set off Sunday, April 1st for the Smokies, to go on a 50 mile backpacking hike during spring break.  They expected to come home Saturday night.

Instead, Wayne and Isaac agreed that it was a great idea to end the hike at 32 miles.  (Zac could have gone on a lot longer.)  So they spent some money in Gatlinburg and came home a day early.  It was great to have them home on Friday night instead of Saturday night.

Here are the guys setting off on their adventure, crammed into Wayne's Mustang.  In the past they always took the van, but this time the gas is too expensive to have that luxury.

Here is the back view of Zac.

I could have sworn the guy in the green shirt was Bryce.  It is actually Isaac (Bryce is in Utah.)  Even Isaac said it looks like Bryce.  The bandana around Isaac's head makes him look like he has brown hair in the front.  (Click on the photo to make it bigger.)

Wayne took this picture to show all the beautiful flowers they walked through.

I wonder

Sometimes I wonder whether the world is being run by smart people who are putting us on or by imbeciles who really mean it. –Mark Twain


And,


I HATE DIRECTV!!!!!
I won't go into my long diatribe here, but that company is run by the biggest jerks in the world.  They completely lied to me, and then stole my money.  I have never been treated as badly by a company as by that company.  Don't EVER sign up with DirecTV for satellite.  Never, never, never.  Run the other way, quick.


And,


here is a good explanation of why I always throw my AARP membership solicitations in the trash.
http://www.americanthinker.com/2012/04/the_many_faces_of_aarp.html  (My first clue was when they lobbied for Obamacare.)

General Conference, Library Book Sale

I love the annual Wake County Library book sale, but unfortunately for me the cheapest days this year fell on conference weekend.  I won't shop on Sunday, so I had to go to the next-cheapest day, which was Saturday.

I arrived at the state fairgrounds a half-hour early to stand in line with my little grocery cart I brought from home.  I shopped from 10 am to 11:45, and bought about 20 books.

I stood in one spot and turned from left to right to take these two pictures.  

Thats a lot of books!

Then I drove to Seth's and Janette's apartment (they live closest to the fairgrounds.)

I watched the Saturday morning session of conference with them, and enjoyed watching Tessa crawl all over the room.  She has learned to crawl and to clap her hands since the last time I saw her.

I was impressed with the cute "fans" they had folded and hung up all over their living room wall. 

And see that gumball machine?  Seth made that in woodworking in middle school.

1999

Oh, back to my story.

Immediately when that conference session was over, I drove back to the fairgrounds and shopped for another hour and a half, and bought about 20 more books. (Hardbacks were $2, paperbacks were $1.)  I was SO THANKFUL that I brought my little grocery cart, I saw other people carrying cardboard boxes or heavy totebags full of books, and that looked painful.

Then I zoomed home and got there exactly three minutes late for the afternoon session of conference.

It was a hectic day, but I am so glad I was able to do it all.  I could have used another 2 hours at the book sale, though.  I really only got to look through about 7 subsections of Non-Fiction  (I love non-fiction), I didn't have time to look at any fiction or children's.