"When persons manifest the least kindness and love to me, O what pow'r it has over my mind." Joseph Smith

We feel so blessed by the over whelming kindness that has been shown to our family by friends, neighbors and secret Santas. It has been as a balm of Gilead, helping to heal our wounds and bring feelings of peace and love. I hope and pray our feeble attempts of service have helped to ease the heavy burdens of others as our burdens have been lifted.

Thank you,

Thank you

Thank you

We Had A Lot Of Fun On Grandma's Feather Bed

Melissa, remember when you and your siblings sang this song?
Austin and Braxton love to sleep in our room. We lie on my bed tell stories(Scripture stories, family stories and remember the alligator stories?), talk and sing songs. As soon as they fall asleep Dad puts them down on mats at the side of our bed. When the first glint of sunlight hits the window I hear, GRANDMA, WE ARE HUNGRY, WAKE UP! Love it!

O Holy Night

Thanks Melissa for remembering all the music, dance and voice lessons. We love you!

Suzy's Toe, Good Friends, and Feeling Peace

Suzy's Toe
Your poor baby sister Suzy. Now that she is 18 she feels like an adult..
She decided she wanted to see a doctor about her broken toe. She felt so grown up making her own doctor appointment, driving herself to the doctor and even paying the doctor bill herself...Makes a mama proud and makes your daddy happy it wasn't his seventy dollars...

Melissa it is so fun listening to you and Suzy taking law!


Thanks Jackie and Michell

Jackie and Michell called this morning and invited me to go to the temple with them. It was a great experience. It was the first time in a long time I felt at peace. Jackie said the night before she was praying what she could do to help me and the prompting came to invite me to go to the temple with them. I loved visiting with them. Jackie is a wise and good friend. Grateful for her example. Michell is a sweetie, she will be an awesome missionary. Love my beautiful Christmas candy dish too!


Thanks Mona

Love all my Christmas goodies from you and for being Santa's helper. Love the honey. Tom was so happy to see it on our door stoop!....You are a great friend!


Making Peace With The Lord

It was a tough weekend. So much inner turmoil, guilt (still working on that one...) and having my faith tested. Grateful that even during that time I made myself pray, read my scriptures, go to the temple and to church and do my callings. Monday as I was praying the prompting came to me to let it go. The Lord knows the truth. He knows the mistakes others made, He knows the injustices. He understands the pain. I felt the weight of all the consequences of other's actions that I can not change be lifted off my shoulders. Thank you!

...and he will take upon him their infirmities, that his bowels may be filled with mercy, according to the flesh, that he may know according to the flesh how to succor his people according to their infirmities.


(Book of Mormon | Alma 7:12)


14 And I will also ease the burdens which are put upon your shoulders, that even you cannot feel them upon your backs, even while you are in bondage; and this will I do that ye may stand as witnesses for me hereafter, and that ye may know of a surety that I, the Lord God, do visit my people in their afflictions.

(Book of Mormon | Mosiah 24:14)

To Celebrate Chanukah You Can Crochet A Yamaka

Ok... it doesn't look like a yamaka, but I wanted to show you the hat I crochet for your dad.
Isn't he cute!


This video is for you Melissa and Star! Love you girls! Have a happy happy Chanukah!

“Good days are just for living, bad days are for growth.”

It was a fun weekend hanging out with family and friends. I love talking with you Melissa and Star. It is so fun talking with the little boys on Skype. Dad said it is like communicating with monkeys. I must add they are adorable, charming, smart and funny monkeys. Sunday your sisters did a wonderful job in their YW presentation in Sacrament. They are good girls with good hearts. Saturday Dad and I visited the boys. They are good together. Saturday night The Carter's took us out dinning and dancing..it was a blast.

Ugh. I started crying uncontrollably in the temple on Saturday and Sunday during Sacrament meeting the tears started flowing again. I don't mean for that to happen. I fight it. I pray that I can control it and not make a fool of myself and not make others feel uncomfortable. Oh well, I guess part of God's plan for me is to completely strip my stubborn soul of pride.

In the temple, a lady sitting next to me was also crying. I gave her a mint. How silly was that....I would have handed her a tissue but mine were all soggy...In the dressing room she thanked me and told me, “Good days are just for living, bad days are for growth.”

So what did I learn from my bad days? My trial is keeping faithful to my testimony of the restored gospel of Christ and keeping my covenants with the Lord ...no matter what. Having this trial because of the very institution I have revered and trusted, is at times more than I can bear. However, this is the test. It is easy to say you believe when times are good. It is easy to believe in forgiving others, it is hard to actually do it. Life is not suppose to be easy. We are here to be tried and tested..

I learned how real the adversary is and how hard he is working to make us miserable. Lehi's dream has become very real to me, traveling through the midst of darkness, having to press forward and holding fast to the iron rod.


I also learned how much the Lord has blessed us. Every good thing in our family is because of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.


I am grateful for my Savior Jesus Christ and for our Heavenly Father. I am grateful for our family. I am grateful for loyal friends. I am grateful for the kindness and charity we have been shown.

I am grateful for honorable priesthood leaders. Our priesthood leaders carry a heavy load with their own imperfections, weaknesses and personal struggles, their own family and work problems plus having to bear the burdens of their stake and ward members. You know they are called of God because no sane person would volunteer for that. I appreciate their efforts to bless the lives of those in their ward and stake.

In Christy's talk she said, "Often God does not take away our trials, instead He gives us the strength to handle them."

We will continue moving forward with faith....

How To Crochet A Hat

Diane and I made caps for chemo patients.

They turned out so cute. We donated them to the American Cancer Society.

Melissa, do you want me to make you a hat?

Star, remember that cute red scarf I made you when you were on your mission? You silly goose. You wore it as a turban....It did look good on you!

The first video shows in detail how to make a hat. Star and Melissa, I included the second video because she cracks me up and reminds me of you guys.


Love you girls!

http://www.crochetspot.com/how-to-crochet-a-beanie/

http://www.headhuggers.org/patterns/patterns.htm