Monthly Archives: July 2014

Sunday Best!

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“Today are we suffering the greatest of all the tests and temptations that we have ever been given?  The test of gold and affluence and ease, the like of which no people of any generation have ever experienced.  We are going through that today.  Is it necessary for us to be warned more than the Lord has warned the people in times past? That people who are slow to listen to the counsels of wisdom will have to be tried by pestilence, by famine, by earthquakes, and all sorts of destruction before they’ll be humble enough to listen to the the words of God?”– Harold B. Lee

Hope your Sunday is the Best! Love, Joy

A Beauty Appointment…For the Dog!

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I took Tayzie in to the groomers. She was a mess! We don’t mind giving her a bath every now and then, but we don’t want to do the rest.

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Tayzie hopped in the car, for a ride.

By the time we got to the groomers, she was not so sure about the car ride. I carried her in and told them how to trim her, and left. Four hours later I get the call, “She’s ready!!” As I waited for them to bring her out, I read the sign on the counter.

photo (12)I don’t have any problem paying the professionals for grooming the dog. 

photo (15)Isn’t she pretty? I think so!

Tuesday Adventure!

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We had a wonderful Tuesday!!! After a wonderful visit to the Bountiful Temple we drove to Temple Square in downtown Salt Lake City! It is one of my favorite places in the world! I love the feeling you get when you step onto the square. There is definitely a lovely spirit as you walk through and see the beautiful sights. photo 1

My sweetheart and I were married in this beautiful building (above). It is the Salt Lake Temple! It is my favorite because of that. It is a absolutely gorgeous building inside and out!

photo 3This building is the Assembly Hall. Our son, Riley, once sang with his high school choir in there. It is a very pretty building. And the statue in front of it is the Seagull Monument. It commemorates the miracle of the Seagulls.

The pioneers had recently entered the Salt Lake Valley and were trying to grow food when a huge infestation of crickets started eating the crops. There were so many crickets they were afraid that they would not have any food. So they prayed and asked God for help, and many Seagulls came and started eating the crickets. The Seagulls would fly away and regurgitate the crickets and come back and eat some more. The crop was saved and the pioneers thanked God for the miracle.

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Right next to the Seagull Monument is a beautiful bronze statue of some handcart pioneers. These pioneers where so valiant. They struggled more than most of the pioneers. Imagine putting everything you own in a small handcart like the one behind the parents in this statue. You would also need supplies and food. How could you fit everything? If someone got sick or injured they would have to fit in the handcart. An awesome movie that shares the story of the handcart pioneers is called 17 Miracles. I have 8 pioneer families in my ancestry, but none of them came by handcart. They used covered wagons. All of the pioneers were the most diligent, hard working, and stalwart people. I am so happy to read about my pioneer ancestors.

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Another view of the beautiful Salt Lake Temple!!! It is a sacred and holy place.photo 5 (5)

Then we went into the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. It was the Hotel Utah originally. Now it is a monument to a great prophet!! Joseph Smith restored the Church of Jesus Christ back to the earth. He was a wonderful man. You can hear about him here and here!photo 2 (4)It is a very beautiful building!!photo 2 (2)

Look at the details in the trim and the beautiful chandelier! 
photo 4 (2)It was a busy and fun day! We visited a few other places, but I will share those at a later time.

I love the gospel of Jesus Christ.

I am so grateful we were able to visit temple square. Oh, I almost forgot. One thing I do every time I visit temple square is hug as many sister missionaries as I can and tell them I love them! I hope someone is loving and hugging my sweet Emily on her mission too!!!

Out on a WIM #60

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EmilyStLucia2

Sister Emily shaking hands with her mission president!

#60

Hey what’s cookin fam?!

It sounds like you all had a wonderful week! I am gald you got to have a nice 4th of July!
To answer your questions:
Training? It is going very well. I love Sister S. She came pre-trained! I swear they all do. Really I am the one learning from them. Sister S. is not sure where she is going on her mission yet… She just turned 19. We teach well together. We have been working on teaching skills and asking questions and switching off. It’s been fun. Often times we will make lesson plans so we are both on the same page. But we are good at following the spirit and sharing what that person needs most.
Sister Training Leader stuff is going well. I skyped Sister K. and Sister J. this week and had a marvelous meeting and also talked to their ZL’s. I was able to help them work through some problems they have been having and set goals. Also to help them to be encouraged and feel loved. They are amazing Sisters!!!!!!! First ones ever in Suriname. Top notch stuff right there. I love them bad. I also had my first Mission Leadership Council Meeting this week. It was awesome!! Then the Zone Leaders and I taught it to the Zone on Friday.
Oh also something crazy that happened this week is we had another Sister come with us, named Sister S. We were in a trio for a few days. I thought she was going to come and take over the area but surprise!!!!!!!!!!!!! President M. called and said that he needs me in St. V. and that he is going close down the Sisters area here in St. L. for the time because there are not enough sisters… He also then told Sister S. she’d be going to a new area. HOLY CATS! So kinda crazy stuff!!! At the end of this transfer I am leaving to go to St. V. and right now I am just organizing my area trying to get everything ready to hand it over to the Elders.
Anyway things are pretty wild but I am doing great. I am just loving my mission and my life. I can’t believe I will be coming home in a few months. I don’t really believe it! Lately I have been feeling grateful for all that I am blessed with.
A cool experience that I actually had today was that our washing machine broke for some reason and it’s amazing how many things I learned from that. I automatically asked Sister S. if she had done something to it… Which I then realized it sounded like I was sort of blaming her. I need to be more careful at what I say sometimes. Also I decided well! I might as well not sit here, I will just hand wash my clothes… So there I am washing each and every piece of my clothing and thinking wow I am so much more grateful for each article of clothing then I would have been if they were in the washer. I also decided to look for the good, The dryer was still working! Sometimes there are small things that we can learn a lot from. Today was one of those things. I went right to my book of thoughts and wrote down the experience and what I learned from it. I need to be more humble. I need to be more grateful. I know I still have lots to work on. But the Lords knows I try my best!
Well family! Mom, Dad, Ri, Kels, Janny, Al, and everyone else. THANK YOU for your love and support. It is wonderful to me. I hope you all have a great week and keep being the great people you are. Don’t forget to thank the Lord for all things and be sure to let your lights shine!
I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!!!!
Love, Sister Emily

Sunday Best!

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“As precious as life itself is our heritage of individual freedom, for man’s free agency is a God-given gift. In sensing our responsibility to preserve it for ourselves and our posterity, let students and patriotic people ever keep in mind the warning voice of James Russell Lowell proclaiming: ‘Our American republic will endure only as long as the ideas of the men who founded it continue dominant.“There is a crying need today to have this truth heralded throughout the land that youth especially may appreciate and hold the freedom of the individual as sacred as did our revolutionary fathers” -David O. McKay
Hope your Sunday is the Best! Love, Joy
 

God Bless America!

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DSC02559I am so grateful for this wonderful country, The United States of America!

I am also grateful to all of the men and women who have fought to protect our freedom. I am grateful for the leaders who have served this country with integrity and honor throughout history.

I love this country!

Happy Independence Day!!!

Tender Mercies!

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BeautifulBirdWhen we were getting ready for Riley and Janet’s wedding, we spent many hours creating decorations. We were having lots of fun preparing! One of the things we were working on was some tree slices for the tables for centerpieces. We used some of the wood we had from a tree my darlin cut down. After he cut the first slices they started to split, and the bark was coming off. We realized we would have to do something different, or find some different wood and start over.

One other thing I need to mention is that two days after the wedding we planned on dropping Emily off at the MTC (Missionary Training Center). So we had a wedding on Monday and dropped our baby off on Wednesday. We would not see Emily for 18 months. Needless to say it was a very busy, exciting, and emotional time.

So, back to the tree slices. We called and checked around for possible replacements. My darlin had chopped down a neighbors tree a while before, so we called them to see if we could come see if any of the wood would work for our project. As I sat on the patio waiting to go to the neighbors, I started to cry. I said a little prayer, “Heavenly Father, please help things to work out.” Right after I said that, I looked near the bird feeder and there was a little puddle of water on the ground. In the puddle was a tiny little bird washing itself. It would flap it’s wings and move around. It was precious. The first thought that crossed my mind was, “Everything is going to OK!” I can’t explain why, but that little bird helped me to feel peace at that moment. I said a prayer of thanks, and we went up to the neighbors. We looked at the all the wood piled at the neighbors house, and there wasn’t anything really that we felt like would work. So we left and on the way back down the hill we noticed a long, perfectly straight log sitting underneath a tree in another neighbors yard. We passed by and both of us looked at each other and said, “Did you see that?” We turned around and my darlin went to the door and asked the neighbor if they were going to use the log. She said that she was just waiting for someone to come and take it away. Wow! We asked if we could have it. She was happy to be rid of it! That log made the most beautiful tree slices you’ve ever seen!! I felt so blessed, and loved to think that Father in Heaven had helped our situation to “be OK!”  In fact it was wonderful!

I love to watch for tender mercies in my life. I know Father is aware of me. He watches out for all of us, and blesses us. Our job is to notice the little things and give thanks!!