Shhhh...It's a Secret....

Please don't tell anyone,

but, I accidentally flushed my pinky CTR ring down the toilet...

YIKES...

I'm so sad.

I guess I will never be able to Choose the Right again!

Shoes

Sister M loves SHOES!

When I told her that I only had 4 pair that I wear on a regular basis,

My shoe collection is definitely VERY boring; all black except my newest pair which I bought a year ago while looking for a pair of red shoes.

she was aghast; she went home and counted: she has 38 pairs of shoes!

I've got a lot of catching up to do.

Two Significant Events in One Day

Cytha came in to ring the bell.  She raised it high and rang it loud.

We all stopped whatever we were doing and cheered very loudly...SHE GOT JUST THE VERY JOB SHE WANTED!  HOORAY FOR C!

She has worked just a few days and has been asked to apply for assistant manager....way to go, Cytha!

Today was Sister Taylor's last day...she is 83, loves to golf, travel, eat out.  She is one totally awesome sister missionary and I will miss her dearly.  She's headed to Star Valley for the summer where she can golf 6 days a week, if she wants.  She has a Kindle Fire, inputs jobs on the computer, dresses great, and has a powerful testimony of the Gospel.  She's an inspiration.  I will miss her!

WHY & HOW?

WHY do people do drugs in the first place?

AND..

HOW can we convince our youth it will be the almost stupidest thing they will ever do!

I always think I've heard it all, and then there's one more story that's worse than the one before.

More heart breaking, more tragic, more sorrowful, more wretched.

Oh, Please, Dear God, I plead that my children and grandchildren will not be just another sad story.

C and the JOB!

She started coming to the LDS Employment center soon after we started our mission.  She was assigned to RAH.....

That was six months ago.  Since then, nearly every Tuesday, she comes in to see RAH for advise, help, inspiration, and just to talk.  She has made him her confidante, her friend and mentor.  She has told him of her sorrows; two sons in prison, desperate for money, no business in her reality work.

 RAH was busy with another person last Tuesday, so she talked to me and she was so happy to share the good things happening to her daughter.  I was happy for her.

BUT, behind it all, she came in looking/hoping/praying for a JOB!  She was finally close, after many disappointments; an employer had her take the drug and background check; oh, she was so hoping.

And, then the email to RAH;

SHE GOT THE JOB!

We are all rejoicing.  And, I'm so thrilled for this 69 year-old woman who has been persistent and determined.

Hooray for you, C!

I am beyond overjoyed for you and your success.

A Saturday Morning Breakfast

So, here's what was in today's drink, but I forgot to photograph two carrots and two grape tomatoes.  Pretty healthy, eh?  Sad to say, the almond milk tickles Allen's throat.  Also, there weren't as many greens as usual, but, still, it's gotta be healthy, right?!?!?!

Add a piece of freshly made whole-wheat bread from freshly ground whole-wheat flour and
 it's a pretty good way to start a day.

And, to just add a little extra health, try some hummus with little mini toasts...yum, yum.

The Friend

Judi found out in November that she had colon cancer.

She has been undergoing treatment after some major surgery.

She has lost 85 pounds and laughed about being able to buy new clothes...much much smaller sized clothes.

She was so inspiring to talk to and then she told me this:

I decided that when I went to chemotherapy, I would try to make someone else happy that day.  I would try very hard to help someone who was scared, sick, frightened, nervous, lonely.  So, every time I go, I speak to the nurses, the patients, the workers.  My goal is to not let this get me down and to lift others up.

Oh, my dear friend, Judi, you are so inspiring to me in so many ways.  You always have been since we met many years ago, and you are even more so now.

May God Bless you on this challenging journey, but if positive attitudes count,

YOU WILL SURELY BE THE VICTOR!

A Memorable Missionary Moment

The letters sat side by side on the mantle....

And, everyone wondered....

Where will they serve?

The tension in the room mounted as we waited for family members to get online so they could share in the moment with us.

There was a large map on the wall with predictions and guesses by family and friends;

FIJI,
NEW ZEALAND,
CALIFORNIA,
AFRICA,
RUSSIA,

And, then it was time to actually open the envelopes.

The twins made an interesting decision; they would each open the other's letter...

They did rock, paper, scissors to decide who would go first - and then the calls were read:
Stockton to Chile
Landon to Argentina...

What a memorable moment....

They will be AWESOME missionaries....

Good luck, Elders.

TIE One On

They are called ELDER....

And, they are all Elderly.

But, they are smart, knowledgeable, helpful, pleasant, happy, teasers, kind,  and most of all dedicated to serving the Lord at the LDS Employment Center.

Oh, they are good.

And, I love being there with them each Monday and Tuesday.

Thank you for this great blessing, Heavenly Father.

The Closet Alcoholic

She met him online.

She left a good, high-paying, high-profile job in California to marry him and live in a small Western town.

He was a prominent church-going doctor in the town.

But, he had a terrible secret.

He was a closet alcoholic.

And, in the third week of their marriage, he beat her....to within an inch of her life.

She lay in the hospital for a month and a half.

And, then, in a twist of fate...she became a closet alcoholic to escape the horrors of what she had lived through.

Her addiction was rampant; it affected every aspect of her life....

And, then she met a kind man...a friend...someone she could trust; not in a romantic relationship, but a mentor.

And, she is trying to get back on track, get back to her former strong, confident self.

With DM's help, she is likely to succeed.

She will no longer be a closet alcoholic.

Question of the Week?????

They come in day in and day out.  And....

They have absolutely NO MONEY, (which is fine, I'm not meaning to be critical of their financial situation,)

but they have a plethora of tattoos....everywhere......

so, how do they afford them?

And, that's my question for today and this week.

How Badly Do You Really Want a JOB?

The minute he opened his mouth, I knew he was from the South...

Alabama to be exact.

And, he was/is desperate for a job.  He's never had such a difficult time in getting a job as he has since he moved to St. George.

He's had experience as an emergency room technician, setting up triage, etc.  But, he can't get a job.

Oh, and did I mention that he has a long braid down his back, wears his Harley Davidson black leather jacket, bandanna, etc.

But, he WILL NOT change who he is to get a job.

It makes me wonder,  since he WILL NOT change his image to get a job, how serious about getting the job is he really?

It's a puzzle to me because should it matter what he looks like if he's good at what he does?  Should it matter if he wears black leather if he is competent?  Should it matter if his hair is in a long pony tail if he knows what he is doing?

Well, apparently around here, it does matter.

What the Well-Dressed Sister Missionaries Are Wearing....

A totally fun, colorful shoe:

An awesome bracelet as a gift from a daughter:

And, a new necklace as a gift to myself, thank you very much.....

And, that's what some of the sisters were wearing today.

But the clothes are not really the important item....

It's really all about,

Were we able to help anyone today?

JOY From the Garden...

Heard some sorrowful things today while visiting with family/friends;

It saddened me that there are so many hard things in the world.

And, I got feeling just a tad sorry for myself because of some sad things in my life/family.

Then we walked in the door of our lovely home, which I had worked hard to clean this morning...

And, out through the back window were some ROSES that took my breath away.

I was overcome with gratitude for the absolute BLESSINGS I HAVE in my life.

Thank you, Heavenly Father......

The Morning Gym Routine

It's early; not too many people have arrived yet.

I wish I hadn't.

But, they say it's good for a person.

Today, I pedaled FAST and burned 53 calories.

Whoop-de-doo.

The Burdens People Carry

She is 32, beautiful, happy, and good.

But, her burdens are heavy.  

She has a handicapped child; and he wears her out.  She has three other children, as well, so she is often exhausted and overwhelmed.  But, whenever you see her, she is smiling.  And, her SS lessons are inspiring.  They are honest, from the heart, and show her diligent preparation.  

How does one ease the burdens of women like DP?

She is young, beautiful, and good.

But, her burdens are heavy.  

Her husband had testicular cancer and he has severe anger management issues.  He is not a MAN any more and it is a heavy burden for him and his wife.  Her smile is beautiful, but behind the eyes, there is a lingering sadness as she thinks of her two sons and the fear they have of their father; perhaps his anger will flare up at any moment.

How does one ease the burdens of good women like NO?

I'm at a loss as to how to help, and yet, that is our call; to bear the burdens of our sisters.

I plead for help in knowing HOW to help, what to do.

Their hearts are secretly heavy and because their hearts are heavy, so is mine.

Playing Around With the Camera Phone

RAH was in the doctor's office getting his monthly allergy shots.

It's right across the street from the temple.

And, I had a new App on my new IPhone that Kro had told me about.  So I played around a little...these are the results:

So fun, eh?!?!?!?!

Helping Hands

Sister McMicheal
Sister Fhye
SIster Peterson
SIster Tripp
Sister Crown
Sister Kohler (the transient bishop's wife)

These are the hands that help each Tuesday....they give comfort, type resumes, hug a sorrowful divorced mother, clap with glee when someone gets a job.  They bring goodies, clean the tables, set up the classroom, answer phones, and fold in prayer and worship.

Oh, these are the hands that serve the Lord on Tuesdays and most other days also.

I'm so grateful my hands get to serve with these.....

Mission Monday

She called to say she got the JOB!

And, I was humbled.

Because I had called her last week to tell her about the JOB....

but, wait.

I may have called her, but the Lord inspired me to call her specifically - out of 60 people on my list - to tell her about the job.  And, she got it.

That was exciting.

And, I was so happy for KC.

And, I am grateful for inspiration.

In Their Footsteps...

What kinds of shoes do the sister missionaries wear each day on their missions?

Here's today's shoes and the wearers:
Sister Taylor
Sister Crown
Sister Anderson
Sister Fhey
Sister McMichael

These are some mighty big feet to follow in.

Some Things Just Can't Be Believed!

I mean, really?!?!?!?!?

The Lady from Michigan

It was just a chance meeting as we were driving through a neighborhood.  She was out working in her yard, and RAH stopped to ask her about a plant.

She is a snow bird...

from MICHIGAN.

So, how did she end up in Southern Utah?

Her daughter moved to Salt Lake City, and in a visit to their daughter, they flew to Las Vegas and drove through Southern Utah.  They immediately loved the red rock, the desert, and they bought a home near Snow Canyon amidst the red, red rock.  It's in a stunning section of town.

Now the thing that was so interesting to me about this story, is that they already had a winter home in Florida; right by the beach in a beautiful setting.

"Why would you give that up?" I asked.

"Way too crowded, humid, huge crowds everywhere you went.  We just LOVE it here."

Ah, I'm with you there, lady from Michigan.

Saturday at Snow Canyon

It's amazing to me that we live in such a unique area and I don't really take advantage of it very well.

So, I was glad to go for a short hike in Snow Canyon on Saturday....it was perfect weather, and a perfectly amazing place to see such unique beauty.

Beauty All Around

In the summers, RAH spends lots of time outside.

He totally beautifies our yard.

This is the view from my kitchen window.  Soon those bushes will be filled with grapes.

This is a view out my office window - it a flower RAH gave me for my birthday - there are a couple of petunias in there also.:

There is beauty all around.

And, Speaking of Fathers

"When I was little," Connie told me once, "I always wanted a rich father.  My neighbors got new clothes with name brand labels, fancy Easter baskets.  They seemed so rich and I wanted that.

"In high school, I always wanted a rich father.  We could never afford Jantzen sweater sets.  I didn't drive a car to school or wear fancy clothes, our vacations were simple, but fun.

"Then when I went to college, some of the girls told me about their fathers; alcoholics, abusive, absent, mean, indifferent.

"And, it suddenly occurred to me, I did have a RICH father; rich in honesty, hard work, integrity, rich in dedication to his family.

"And, with that realization came the startling fact; I was RICH indeed."

Ah, Connie...so, so true.

Happy Birthday to a GREAT, GREAT Man!

My dad.

He died in 2006; it's amazing how much I still miss him and think of him.

Back row: Merrill, RAH, Preston, Gavin (my three brothers and husband)
Front Row: Loni with Justin on lap, Merrill with Jeremy on lap, Dorothy with Jenni)
BTW, this is early photoshopping at its finest; my two brothers on the end were not actually there, so someone, MOI perhaps, cut out a picture of them from another source and glued it onto this one.

He loved his family, and they loved him.  My brothers and I often talk of the idyllic childhood we had under the guidance and love of my parents.

He was a great, great man, and I'm eternally grateful that I was his one lucky daughter.

Happy Birthday, dad, to a man without equal.

Frustration PLUS

I've always had the problem.

But, it's just getting worse.

I am trying so hard to be/get organized.

BUT, I put stuff away and then can't find it...it's scary.

Or, I will put pictures in my computer somewhere and can't find them.

Or documents in my computer.

I am SO FRUSTRATED at myself....

I need a personal secretary.

First ROSE of the Year!

Oh, so beautiful...

is there any flower quite like a ROSE?

Thanks, RAH, for planting, pruning, watering, tending, nurturing...

We have an incredible yard thanks to YOU!

Question for the Ages

Is it really CLEANING if you just move something from one room to another?

If I move a box from the bedroom closet to the garage, have I really cleaned?

If I transfer the papers from the drawer to the file cabinet, have I gained anything?

It's puzzling.

(Just a side note: both of these pictures make me break out in a cold sweat....they cannot even be real, can they!??!?!?!)

A Few Good Men

Today:

I learned of the death of our son-in-law's father:  Ralph David Fisher

He was a good, good man.  Always faithful to his God and his country.  He raised three wonderful daughters and two good sons.

We also attended the funeral of another good, good man:
Bob Perry:

I have never been to a funeral like Bob's, but it was one of those rare events that leaves you a better person.  His son and daughter spoke, then it was open mic for anyone to come up and tell stories of Bob.  It was wonderful.  I already knew of his goodness, kindness, fun, talents, etc., but others confirmed for me even more what a great man he is.

And, so Heaven is a better place today with the arrival of a few good men.

The Drama Queen

Her life is always like a soap opera.

And, I love hearing the stories.

SO, today, I got distracted and didn't work very efficiently.  I will make up for it by inputting jobs tomorrow at home.

WOW, how do some people's lives have so much drama?

Mission Monday

Over 300 jobs on the website.

That is the good news.

Many people still needing jobs.

That is the bad news.

Still too hot for some, too cold for others.

That is just the in-the-middle news.

And, the really GOOD NEWS:

It's such a great place to spend some time each Monday and Tuesday.  I am grateful.

Lunch with the WOWZA Sisters

Sometimes you meet someone and you just say...

WOWZA!

That's what I said when I met Janet a few years ago.

Then, on Friday, April 5, I met her sister, Linda,  from Kansas, and I said,

WOWZA again!

Oh, my goodness.  Two incredibly awesome W.O.W.Z.A. women.

Two women of strength, character, goodness, a sense of adventure AND fun.

Thanks, Janet for thinking of me and inviting me to lunch and to meet your sister.

I am totally inspired by you both.

decisions, decisions, decsions

I just wish I didn't have such a hard time making up my mind.

on just about everything.

I want to be decisive like Fred was.  He would make up his mind, and never look back.

But, I can't decide if I really want to be like that or not.

The Wal*Mart Dilemma

Many years ago, a good friend told me that she will never shop at Wal*Mart because of their unfair practices to their employees, overseas workers, etc.

Then, just recently a friend told us about a rather disturbing movie called; WAL*MART; THE HIGH COST OF LOW PRICES.

And, last week on our mission, a man came in who had worked for  Wal*Mart for 8 years and was fired because of a very simple mistake he made just one time....no chance to redeem himself.

It is all upsetting and points out that  Wal*Mart is not really a place that I should support.

HOWEVER, and it is a BIG however, it's so hard to NOT shop there because of their prices.

Yesterday, on my way home from exercising, I shopped at a local Utah food chain; clean store, great produce section, tremendous selection of fresh meats, but their prices are so very HIGH, HIGH, HIGH.  My bill was $106 (we are feeding some grandkids, so I bought more than I normally would!)

I feel quite confident that had I shopped at  Wal*Mart, my bill would have been at least ten dollars cheaper and over time, that adds up.

It's just so hard because I want to support local.  I don't want to give in to  Wal*Mart's outrageous business model, but the bottom line for me - on a fixed income -

I need to save money!

Happy Christmas

To Latter-Day-Saints, today is Christmas.

Merry Merry Christmas, everyone!

Going Paperless

On my desk this morning:

2 genealogy sheets
photos from my parent's never-ending photos that I am scanning in(one of these is very significant as it shows the Nuremburg Trial Bench in German in1948, but my father is not in the picture)
my finance ledger
3 folders with genealogy sheets that I am going through
conference packets for my visiting teaching sisters 
a receipt from Chick-fil-a to enter in the computer to get a free chicken sandwich

Ha, it just makes me smile and think of Sharon.

For you see, Sharon would NEVER have this stuff - any of it.  And, it always makes me wonder...

HOW DOES SHE DO IT?  How does she go totally paperless?  I think I want it.

I'm responsible for lots of tree loss in my lifetime...sad to say.

Where There Are Women There is Drama!

My missionary niece wrote in her weekly letter home that the previous week had been filled with the most drama she had ever encountered in her life.  The sister missionaries were involved in arguments, fights, disagreements, etc.  It was very emotional for her.

Elder Larkin told me last week that when he was a young missionary, the Elders in his mission didn't want the sisters in their district: too emotional and way too much drama.  He told an amazing story about one sister who just stirred up the entire mission with her emotions and drama.

Today, M told me about a fight she had with a senior sister missionary this morning at the LDS Employment Center.  (I don't go to the center on Thursdays, so sad to say, I missed the entire thing!)  Imagine,   age 60 - or over -  and we women still have the drama!

I'm curious to know what heaven will be like - IF there will be any women who can make it there!

Elder Larkin, Elder and Sister Tripp, Elder and Sister Peterson in morning prayer meeting

Elder Peterson, Elder Bryd, Sister Feyh. Sister McMichael getting ready to sing

Hard to believe any one of these would be involved in drama?!?!??!?  Right?

Anyway, I love all these good, good people; they have so enriched my life.

Thank you, Heavenly Father, for the good good people at the LDS Employment Center.

It's An Issue of Food

Don't get me wrong.

RAH and I try to eat healthy as often as possible.  Very often we have blended green smoothies for breakfast; they are loaded with greens, a smattering of fruit, yogurt, almond milk, flax seeds.  Nuts are a part of our diet.  We eat meat sparingly and we don't really buy or cook a lot of red meat.

RAH also juices fruit and veggies in our juicer.  We eat fresh fruits and veggies, rarely canned fruits.
Soda is an occasional treat for RAH...I seldom drink soda.

And, I am concerned about artificial/engineered foods.  It is a sad commentary that we no longer eat real food.

So, having said all that, I can't see a connection between ill health and diet.

Here's why; some people live to be in their 90's; some die in their 40's.  Can you ever REALLY say that longevity or early death is the result of the food choices people have made?  Can we empirically prove that food is the cause of ill health?  (I know that we can say it is the cause of diabetes, obesity, etc., but I'm talking death, diseases other than diabetes, etc.)  Aren't many of the things people suffer a result of genetics, irregardless of what they eat?

Anyway, I guess I'm feeling guilty because I LIKE sweets, I eat carbs (probably too many), I cringe at the thought of eating salads every single day.  So, I'm trying to defend my own bad habits by pointing out what I see as non-proof of poor food choices.

One thing is for sure; as Americans, we all need to eat less, eat more fruits and veggies, and cut out soda.

Of that, I am very positive.

Hot and Cold

Brother Larkin says,
"Man, it is so HOT in here...Brother M, can you turn the heat down?"

Sister Peterson says,
"I'm freezing in here...I'm going to wear my winter clothes next week!"

Ah, it's hard to please everybody!

Mission Monday - or Where IS hitler REALLY Buried?

Her name is M.

She comes in every day now.  The Employment Center is a good place for her to be.  It's probably very lonely in the  small trailer where she lives. And, she can use the computers, make copies, print things, all in a warm inviting environment.  She stays all morning, then disappears into the bowels of St George.

She's adding some final pages to her book about the Sundance Kid.  It will be made into a documentary this summer - according to M.  Good for her; I hope it works out.  She has told us before that she could really use the money as she is totally broke and relying on investors in her books.

But, the most fascinating thing about M is her OTHER book.

For you see, M has absolute proof that Hitler is buried in Utah!  And, that, ladies and gentlemen, is the subject of her 2nd book.

I've told you a mission is very interesting.