There and Back Again, Week 50!! Magic Moments with Famous People.

One morning I was coming out of the tool shed to get in the tractor when I saw a big tour bus unloading. As I paused to watch them unload I saw a man I recognized from YouTube! Tom Pettit from the "Beyond Come Follow Me" series! I wanted to run over to him and take pictures with him BUT I really had to get the West Lawn finished before their tour started. I jumped in the tractor and went as quickly as I could to finish the job, then dumped the bags (we have the chute and leaf/grass collectors on the tractor now woot woot) and hurried into our cottage to tell Elder Cullen that "TOMMY P" was IN CARTHAGE!! That's what we call him. lol. I raked the gravel and THEN allowed myself to be a ding a ling. We went into the visitor's center where he was waiting. He guides church history tours for people from all over the world From Sharon Vermont, to Palmyra New York, to Kirtland OH, and Pennsylvania, Missouri, Illinois and Utah. Very fun man with great stories. Anyway Elder Cullen and I were very excited to take a picture with him AND to share our testimonies with him. He was very kind and gracious.

ALSO, on this lucky day, we had our plumber come over and change the water filter because I was trying to problemsolve a medical issue I've been having and have been to the doctor's for and run tests etc. They all come back with "you're healthy as a horse"...so what the heck. Two days after the filter was changed, my problem which has been plaguing me for four months vanished. hmmmmmmm

The next day I was out raking leaves and ginko fruit off the lawn when I looked over and saw my old HIGH SCHOOL VICE PRINCIPAL, Mr. Sheppard!!!! I literally felt my eyes boink out of my head like a cartoon! I used to tutor his wife in math and helped her pass this big test she had to take...forty years ago LOL. They were both on a tour of church history sites. It was SO good to see them. Mr. Sheppard was good friends with my dad, who taught at Concord High. They loved each other like brothers. We talked about all kinds of memories and caught each other up. It was so sweet.

Since we got the chute and bags on the tractor we've had much bigger loads going to the burn pile. Our first load was SO heavy we actually couldn't pull it out on the tarp like we usually do... had to rake a bunch off then pull the rest...Live and LEARN.

Last Tuesday we had a very fun Zone activity where we each got to paint a Book of Mormon. The Young Sisters love to do this then write their testimonies in them and give them away. Does anyone want this one?? It was very therapuetic and fun to be painting and talking with our friends and admiring all the good work. It reminded me of being in fifth grade for some reason. Anyway, first one to ask for it gets it. It's meant to be given away.

I had an embarassing moment this week. I was using the push mower as a vacuum to suck up leaves and as I passed across the bricks from one lawn to another I noticed that the mat in front of the doors had a ton of leaves on it. So I thought to myself...well, it's much flatter than the lawn, it will be safe to push it over it and suck up the leaves...and at first it worked great...then as I was rolling off the mat to head to the lawn

the mat lifted up with the suction and the blades caught it and BAM! killed the engine...Now we have to buy a new mat. I was SO embarassed I had to breath a few times before calling the supply room...he just chuckled but I'm sure I'll be hearing about it from everyone in FM when we go to our meeting Monday...ughhhhh. To make up for that...I had an opportunity to share my testimony with a guest who had just joined the church. As I shared my story he suddenly said, "YOU are MEEK! Do you know what that means?" then he went on to tell me that MEEK was actually a word that was used to describe high quality WAR HORSES.... NOW in Chinese horoscope I am a Fire Horse and Elder Cullen is a Water Horse. I loved this definition. Here's a great video that explains it. So LAST but NOT LEAST....TODAY (Saturday) I was just finishing blowing the pavers and went to the pickup to dump a load of plant debris from when we cleared out the flower beds into the pickup. It was in my deep wheel barrow. I gave it a heft and decided this would break my back. I looked around for Elder Cullen but he was on the far side of the property blowing the parking lot. BUT I did see a little pick up with two men in it eating breakfast. It was an hour before tours started so they were just killing time. I asked them if, when they were done eating, they could help me lift the barrow and dump it into the truck. They put their food down and got out.

Then they also helped me dump the tractor bags which are darn heavy. Then they said, "Do you know who we are?" I paused...Oh heck were they some famous people from Salt Lake? Did I just ask some general authorities to help me dump yard waste?? LOL I guessed..."Uh you're Salt Lake FM workers?" They laughed so hard. They liked that.

"We're cousins and Joseph Smith Jr. is our third great grandfather" AGAIN, I felt my eyes bug out... OH MY! This does NOT happen every day. I asked them if I could share my testimony of the Book of Mormon and Joseph Smith with them. Then they shared their testimony with me. Then David looked right into my eyes and said, "I have a message from Joseph and Emma for you"

"They love you very much and they are grateful for all you are doing here and at home to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to the world." Then they gave me a hug and went to take the tour where their 3 greats grandfather sealed his testimony with his blood that Jesus Christ had restored his church to the planet. WHAT A DAY!!! I hope you all have a very blessed week.

There and Back Again: Week 49 New Tractor Skills, Autumn Visits, thoughts on Battling

This week was bittersweet as we put the flower gardens to bed for the cold weather and plant the bulbs for Spring in time for them to get cozy under the earth and settled for winter.

I have to say, I was a little concerned that with all the pots gone and the beds emptied, Carthage would look STARK.

When we went to the dump it was with great saddness. These plants were not sick, nor dying...it was just time to go. I literally stood over the pile and said, "I am SO grateful for your beautiful service. Thank you for your lives. I am so sorry you are not needed anymore."

Amazingly, people still stop to tell me, "This place is so beautiful!" and "You're doing such a good job here. It's beautiful" I just have to say, it's probably NOT us, NOT the flowers, and NOT the grass and trees. I believe it is the cleanliness, but it's more...it's the Spirit of God. It causes people to feel loved and accepted and at peace and they look around and say, "Beautiful"

To our great delight, Autumn stopped by on her way through to Kansas City. We spent a whole day together and the next morning she drove on.

Taran woke up early and helped with our yard chores. We went to a Native American Mound shaped like a turtle. The oral history of the decendants of this tribe remembers that they came across the great waters on 8 turtles. We stood on the head of this turtle mound and read about the Jaradites coming to the Americas in 8 barges that were light and floated on the top of the water and were tight like a dish.

The dates of the artifacts found in the mounds date back to the time the Jaradites arrived in America.

Then we went to Nauvoo and took a few tours then flew kites.

The JOY I felt watching the boys fly a kite for the first time was unexpected. Their joy and delight as they ran down the hill and saw their kite soar was contagious. It was their first time trying to fly a kite.

Then we went home and had homemade naan, curried lamb, and potatoes and watched a movie.

The next morning they left.

It was precious time. Then we got out the tractor and got to LEARN how to use the new front scoop. This was SO fun. We scooped up wood chips and deposited them around the trees on the property. It was like playing in a sand box.

Seriously it was hard to take turns...lol

We then went to the temple to perform ordinances for our beloved dead. This brings me to another topic. This morning as I was taking a break from spreading woodchips, the driver of one of the tour buses approached me telling me I was cute in my skirt as I worked. LOL...then went on to start quoting scriptures at me in a contentious manner to prove that I was in a lost and fallen state.

He did not allow me to express a complete thought. Very quickly I saw this was an unproductive conversation. No sharing was happening, just prideful and contentious condemnation.

As I tried to get a word in, I asked WHAT about people who have never heard of Jesus Christ? Are they damned? He said "YES". I asked, "Why would God do that to his beloved children?"

He replied that some people are NOT God's Children! It was so sad. I had to go to the dump with Elder Cullen so excused myself saying that Jesus was a God of LOVE and that if he (the bus driver) kept a prayerful mind he would come to know that. Later, Elder Cullen and I discused the situation. What could have been done in that conversation to de-escalate the hate? NEXT time I am entrapped with a scripture quoting, contentious person,

I am going to ONLY focus on Jesus Christ. I am going to tell them I am not interested in contention as that is a tool of the adversary and gives him power. I only want to hear how that person is feeling Christ's influence in their life.

I love to hear people of all religions share with me how they have found joy following the light they have received. Trying to "prove" people are wrong is prideful and contentious. We need to support each other in following the light we have already received. Heavenly Father will lead us along if we are sincere. We can invite each other to keep seeking.

Finally I want to bare my testimony that GOD DOES LOVE YOU and you ARE His child literally (in spirit). No one is lost to God. He provides temples so that even after you die, you have a chance to accept Jesus Christ. Have a GREAT WEEK!

Filled with Gratitude

This weekend our beloved prophet passed peacefully away at the age of 101! He was clear minded and skiing into his nineties!! What a wonderful man. It wasn't until his late nineties that he fell and hurt his back and exclaimed he had never had such pain in his life. WOW! I love our prophet, I know he was called of God. I did NOT agree with him over issues regarding COVID, but I thought to myself, is he a prophet only when I agree with him or is he a prophet? I struggled for a year over this and continued true and faithful and Heavenly Father rewarded me with a testimony that Russel M. Nelson IS a prophet of God. I look forward to our NEW prophet, Dallen H. Oakes, speaking to us this week end at our general conference and invite all to watch one of the sessions. Three on Saturday and two on Sunday. California time:SATURDAY 9am-11, 1pm-3pm, and 5-6pm, then on Sunday 9am-11, 1pm-3pm. below is the link to the Sunday Session If you've never heard a real prophet or apostle speak, you will love this.

This Week we have had a lot of fun as we have filmed, and spent hours editing several videos sent to us from small groups of missionaries called districts. Each group was assigned a book from the Book of Mormon and to do a little skit to highlight two or three events in each book.

We will be showing this creation of inspiration and giggles to the Young Sister Missionaries to help them learn and remember the highlights of the BIG PICTURE of the Book of Mormon. Elder Cullen plays Mormon at the end of the video. It's very fun and funny like a youth camp skit..hahah! BUT also enlightening... In other news.... A sister missionary here is very good at crocheting and made me this adorable little turtle! It reminded me of the turtles I have loved that were made by my friend Linda back at home

When Elder Cullen and I first got here we noticed a couple of signs on the outside of our historic jail property that were in our right of way. They are extremely shabby and not owned by the church but because of their proximity reflect on us. We talked to the heads of FM and they hummed and hawed and said hmmmm.

So I took a chance and looked up the "Looking for Lincoln" office for one of the signs. They were WONDERFUL. I sent them a picture of their sign and asked how I could help them make it worthy of their standards. Within 2 months it was replaced this week. I was driving the mowing tractor along the inside of the fence and glaced up and noticed the new sign going up. I stopped mowing and took a picture and CHEERED the men putting it up. They appreciated the applause and cheers with smiles.

I can't tell you how happy I am about this! Now I'm encouraged to address the OTHER sign owned by the state of Illinois but a different department. I think the two pictures really are an excellent example of RESTORATION. The first sign was so weathered and damaged by people touching it and from neglect that it literally could not be read or understood. It was replaced by the exact same thing only fresh and new and un altered by weather or humans. This is why we refer to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints as the RESTORED church of Jesus Christ. It is exactly like the New Testament Church: Lead by Christ Himself through a prophet (like Peter) and 12 Apostles, 70's, baptism by emersion, gifts of the spirit, etc. It is not a protestant church because it was not formed from protesting any other Church. It was just restored by Jesus Christ through Joseph Smith. I do hope you listen in to conference this week end and listen to our new prophet and apostles tell us what Christ would have us focus on for the next six months.

Here's a great quote from our late prophet Russel M. Nelson "Virtue will free you from anxious, troublesome thoughts. Brothers and sisters, as the world grows more wicked, we need to grow increasingly pure. Our thoughts, words, and actions need to be unfailingly virtuous and filled with the pure love of Jesus Christ towards all men. The great opportunity before us is to become the people God needs us to be." HAVE a GREAT WEEK!

There and Back Again: Week 48 After the Trial of Your Faith comes the blessings!

In a lesson in church this week this beautiful painting came up. It's of a young mother and father with their little children and all around them are angels...Ancestors and Future Decendants holding them up and strengthening them. I bare witness that each one of us has this help available to us! Heavenly Father and Mother and our older brother, Jesus and the Holy Ghost are all part of that loving help too. We can do all things in Christ if we call upon Him. This week We had the daunting task of pruning all the hedges and Sweeping all of dead leaves and spider webs off of them and then CLEANING up all the debris.

The sun was so hot. We wanted to quit and do it another day so many times, but I would say this prayer, "Lord, can you help me just finish this sections?" and I would get energy...then "Lord will you help me with THIS section?" and I'd get another 15 feet done. A few hours later it was all done, then I could really feel good about going inside my deliciously cool little cottage and take a nap! That's one example of a trial, and act of faith (perseverance), and the blessing.

We had a super fun surprise. The Moores from my childhood town, have come out on a mission. They were the Youth Leaders for my three best friends in highschool (Clark, Tom, and Brian). They know many of my immediate and extended family so it feels like I have COUSINS out here! LOL they are full of energy and joy. I'm so excited they're here.

We also celebrated the Autumnal Equinox with delicious food and sang the "If you love Autumn" song while waving out hands to the sky! HAHAH We're silly but we used to do that with our kids and we still do it! Here's some pictures of our Autumn Feast

LAST but not least our dear friends the Christiansens came to Nauvoo and Carthage and took us out to dinner. WE LOVE THEM! and it's so fun to see our loved ones.

I'm posting this finally on Sunday afternoon. The Carthage memorial booth we were in charge of was a BIG success. That's the second example of a trial, and act of faith (perseverance), and the blessing. To me the greatest thing was that 15 people took information for our FREE Emotional Resiliance Classes. If you are interested in taking one let me know. IT's SO good.

Speaking of emotional resiliance...we are fasting and praying for the victims of the Michagan shooting and burning of their chaple. Peace be Still.