Just 3 Words

BRIGHAM CITY TEMPLE

Tim and I had a wonderful day yesterday. We enjoyed a pleasant drive to Brigham City where we toured the new temple there. I can't believe there are now 14 temples in Utah, with 138 worldwide (3 under renovation), 14 under construction, and 14 announced!

There it is!

Such a beautiful setting.

The temple is located at Main Street...

directly across the street from the historic Brigham City Tabernacle. 

The workmanship on our temples is always of the highest quality and this temple is no exception.

I love the white limestone and the meticulous landscaping. There are fruit trees planted all around the temple grounds. Everything about the architecture is designed to honor God and complement the local community.

Temples are used solely for the performance of sacred ordinances and religious instruction aimed at strengthening members’ relationships with God, their family and others around them.

All are welcome to visit the temple during the open house. The temple will be dedicated for its holy work on September 23, after that only worthy members of the church can enter. 

Temple services bind families together forever, teach the purpose of life and explain God’s plan of salvation. 

“At the temple the dust of distraction seems to settle out, the fog and the haze seem to lift, and we can ‘see’ things that we were not able to see before and find a way through our troubles that we had not previously known.”
—President Boyd K. Packer

Go here if you want to know more about temples: http://www.lds.org/church/temples

Wordless Wednesday - Grandpa showing Cash his bugle

Quote for the week - Better

you are better than you think you are 

Remind yourself regularly that you are better than you think you are. Successful people are not superhuman. Success does not require a super-intellect. Nor is there anything mystical about success. Successful people are just ordinary folks who have developed belief in themselves and what they do. Never -- yes, never -- sell yourself short. ~ David J. Schwartz

Just 3 Words

It all adds up to I can never have enough Cash... I seriously can't get enough of this boy! He has the sweetest personality, is smart as a whip and just a delight to be around!

Wordless Wednesday - newborn diapers!

A Golden Night

I registered and got "golden tickets" again, this time for President Monson's birthday gala! Our seats were on the main floor, the Plaza and we had a great view!

We arrived in time to hear the choir warming up. The stage was decorated with hundreds of yellow roses. One of President Monson's favorite quotes is "God gave us memories so we might have roses in December." ~ J.M. Barrie

Steve Young and Jane Clayson Johnson narrated the evening.

The guest soloist were stellar. They sang songs that were favorites of President Monson. The Mormon Tabernacle Choir also performed songs he loves. I especially enjoyed hearing them sing "Consider the Lillies."

Stanford Olsen sang one of my favorites, "The Holy City." At one point he became emotional and had to pause, he regained his composure and finished strong. It gave me chills.

Rebecca Luker sang “Tomorrow” from Annie, it was perfection.

Dallyn Vail Bayles sang "Bring Him Home." It was a fitting tribute to President Monson’s ministry of rescue to those in need. At the conclusion we all jumped to a standing ovation, including President Monson!

We also enjoyed pre-recorded tributes from Elder Jeffrey R. Holland and others who respect and love President Monson.

Elder Jeffrey R. Holland said that for his half a century of service “no one that I know has ever worked harder, worked longer hours, gone more places, sought out more people, taken the extra load the extra assignment and the extra travel to fulfill his callings than has President Monson.” He said that he has been so totally devoted to his calling that he has set a very lofty goal for all of us who have tried to follow along in his footsteps.

President Uchtdorf said that someone said friends are born, not made. Speaking of President Monson, he said, “You were definitely born a friend. You are claimed as one by millions of members of the Church all around the globe.”

He also said that President Monson has always been a friend to the German people. “You blessed our people and country behind the Iron Curtain with prophetic promises that seemed impossible at the time. Your faith stretched ours. That faith was rewarded and we witnessed the literal fulfillment of your blessings.”

President Henry B. Eyring remembered a moment with President Monson beside a desert road in Arizona when they were there together for the dedication of the Gila Temple. A couple stood along side the road, hoping to see the prophet, and he asked his driver to pull over so he could shake their hand. Though not a house was in sight, more families began to appear and President Monson greeted them all with a sunny smile. It was only when arriving cars began to clog the narrow road that President Monson gave the direction to return to the cars. “The prophet had given 100’s of people a golden moment to be remembered forever."

President Eyring said we can honor the prophet by serving others as he has. “I’ve been the subject of his love and I’ve tried to follow his example.”

 
This was thrilling when scouts holding flags marched down the aisles and onto the stage singing the Trailbuilders’ Hymn, a tribute to President Monson’s service to scouting.
 

President Monson greeting some of the well-wishers.

We also got to sing "Happy Birthday" to President Monson... a prophet we all love!

We got to share this golden evening with our dear friends, Rod and Lorie. 

Happy Birthday President Monson and many more!

Quote for the Week - Enough

“If you are not enough without it, 

you will never be enough with it.” 

I heard this quoted in one of the classes I attended at Education Week. It comes from the comedy classic "Cool Runnings" ... the movie about the Jamaican Bobsled team. The coach in the movie is played by John Candy and throughout the movie he is the exact opposite of what you would expect from a “great coach.” He’s not very disciplined. He doesn’t even try hard. As the move progresses you learn that he got kicked out of the sport he loved, bobsledding, for cheating. 

It's a funny movie that keeps you laughing and then it finally transitions to that pivotal moment. The central character in the movie finally has that “heart to heart” talk with the coach and asks him “Why did you cheat?” The laughable, fool hardy, undisciplined coach finally opens up and shares “I let the pressure get to me. I felt like I HAD to win. Don’t let that happen to you. If there is one thing I want you to know” and here is the line, “If you are not enough without it, you will never be enough with it.”

Just 3 Words

Education Week 2012

I love Education Week, I only attended one day this year but it was a doozy! So many great presenters and classes. I can't believe Education Week is in its 90th year!

I also love this year’s theme, taken from Proverbs 29:18, “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”

My friend Lorie and I spent the entire day running from class to class. Our last class was a presentation by our friend and neighbor Howard Rainer.

Howard is a Taos Pueblo-Creek Indian from Taos Pueblo, New Mexico. He has been a professional photographer for many years. His work has been featured in Native Peoples Magazine, This People Magazine, New Mexico Magazine and Southwest Art and has published several books of his photography and poetry. Howard recently retired as the administrator of the Native American Education Outreach Programs at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah. He is considered one of the leading Native American trainers in providing workshops in building self esteem and enhancing motivation among Native American adults and young people. He has given his entire career to making life better for Native Americans. I am in awe of his service.

Beckie (Howard's wife and my dear friend) ~ Lorie ~ Howard ~ Me

Howard's presentation was titled "Through the Lens of a Camera: Seeing the Greatest of God". The photos were breathtaking. The first segment was in black and white, the second was taken in the Fall and last was all eagles. He described how difficult it is to capture an eagle in flight.  Many of the photos were taken in Alaska. He has a gift and really does see the greatness of God in all creation. It's great to have something you are passionate about. The beautiful images were set to his brother John's haunting flute music. You can also here Howard singing in his native language and playing the drums. I have had the privilege of hearing him in person. The language is not written down, it's passed down from generation to generation.

I wish I could show some of the images. He is the process of publishing them in a book. I will be first in line to get one! 

Howard shared some of my favorites scriptures during the presentation:

"all things denote there is a God; yea even the earth, and all things that are upon the face of it,..." Alma 30:44

"Yea, all things which come of the earth, in the season thereof, are made for the benefit and the use of man, both to please to eye and to gladden the heart;" D&C 59:18

Howard says the elements of being a good photographer are:

1. Light 
2. Intuition
3. Heart
4. Get out there and get the picture you want 

 He has inspired me, and I want one of these!

Wordless Wednesday - London Olympics Rhythmic Gymnastics 2012

Happy 29th Birthday Mark Joseph!

It's a mystery to me how it could possibly have been 29 years ago that Mark entered the world. I think the birthday's of our children are just as much a celebration for themselves as it is for their mom! 

I get emotional thinking about that day 29 years ago. My beautiful 7 pound 8 1/2 ounce blond, hazel eyed baby boy entered the world.

Whew... how can I be old enough to have a child who is 29?! 

Cash with his prayer bunny, it's so sweet to see him fold his arms for the blessing on the food!

 Something was funny!

Cash helping Daddy open his gifts.

Time for our traditional balloon release.

We may have a real athlete in the making!

Cash loves a good game of Frisbee as well as soccer and golf!

What's that face?!

It was fun celebrating your birthday on Sunday! 

(P.S. I can't wait to meet your second son in a few weeks!)