Saturday, August 29, 2026

Looking back: Baptism and Birthdays

October 2021:   We visited Omaha for Camberly's baptism and while there celebrated her birthday, as well as Hayley's and Anthony's which are a couple weeks later. 


Texas sheet cake


After the baptism there was a reception on the back porch with ice cream and cake.

Mesa Temple Open House, November 2021

 We went to the Mesa Temple Open House and ran into Aunt Juneve.  She and her son were just ahead of us in line.  


The temple was beautiful.  In the baptistry there were murals of the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood.  There were other paintings of local landscapes, Native Americans,  the creation, and many more artworks throughout the temple.  Many seemed to be original.  They have you register so as to spread visitors out but they never asked us for a ticket.  We parked at the church and they gave us a ride over.




Friday, August 28, 2026

Artwork at Omaha Central Library

 There are many art works at the Central Library.  Some of the pieces extend through al three tories of the library.  

Cindy Well

Steele and Bead sculpture, Angie Seykora


Cast Iron sculpture, Lee Running


Wood sculpture, Todd McCollister


Prairie Madness, cotton and linen fabric, Shelby Seier






wood and steel installation, Sarah Rowe


Where We Meet, photograpphy, Dana Damewood









Bronze sculptures, Littleton Alston



Bronze sculpture, Richard Chung

Mixed media quilt, Celeste Butler



Thursday, August 20, 2026

Logan Canyon Labor Day Weekend 2021

 We traveled to Logan for camping for Labor Day weekend.  We stopped at Angie's first off for breakfast with scones.  Then to camp (Spring Hollow, second campsite up the canyon) to get set up, Mark and Dianna's (who have moved to North Logan) for shopping and a temple trip, and then back to camp.  Miranda joined us after work.  Kelly, Connie and Jed came to see us and brought a cake for dessert for our tinfoil dinners.  Saturday I was able to go for a short walk.  The trailhead for the Logan River hike was next to our campsite.  This is a three and a half mile hike down to Logan.  We only ventured as far as third dam, so made it a short hike.   It was fun to relax there.  The river was flowing over the dam.  Just before this there was a spring flowing into the river.Mark and Liz were going to join us Saturday the canyon was closed for a motorcycle fatality.  Miranda went with us to Pizza Pie Cafe.  They had the most spectacular strawberry pizza.    Sunday we went to church with Mark and Dianna; and after Dianna fed us ham dinner.  We stopped and visited with Mark on the way south.  






 

Tuesday, August 18, 2026

Talk in Desert Willow Ward

 Talk given 9/12/21. Some of it is outlined and some written down.  If we want details I can provide them.  


9/11 memories Tabernacle Choir presentation

KRISTEN CHENOWITH

I believe there are angels among us Alabama song

When life held troubled times and had me down on my knees

There's always been someone to come along and comfort me

A kind word from a stranger to lend a helping hand

A phone call from a friend just to say I understand

But ain't it kind of funny at the dark end of the road

That someone lights the way with just a single ray of hope


[Chorus]

Oh I believe there are angels among us

Sent down to us from somewhere up above

They come to you and me in our darkest hours

To show us how to live to teach us how to give

To guide us with the light of love

[Bridge]

They wear so many faces show up in the strangest places

To grace us with their mercy in our time of need


There have been angels in my life, from a man who pulled me out of a creek when I had gotten stuck, or another who pulled me home when my father’s truck wouldn’t start to a dear friend Ken McNeil, who had a reputation for rescuing, from loaning a car to someone in need, to paying bail for a church member in jail after a car accident; and rescued me and my family when we were stranded at the airport in Philadelphia, because the car rental place did not want to take our debit card.  

And also a dear friend, who is actually my fourth cousin, Vern Wardle.  We did not know him until he moved into our ward in California.  He taught me about service, and about love.  He taught the three squeezes, four squeezes back.  This is three squeezes I love you, and four squeezes back I love you too.


As Jesus dined with his disciples at the Last Supper He said,


John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.

35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.


As I have loved you, with sign

Another primary song teaches an important lesson

I’ll Walk with You

If you don’t walk as most people do,

Some people walk away from you,

But I won’t! I won’t!

If you don’t talk as most people do,

Some people talk and laugh at you,

But I won’t! I won’t!

I’ll walk with you. I’ll talk with you.

That’s how I’ll show my love for you.

Jesus walked away from none.

He gave his love to ev’ryone.

So I will! I will!

Jesus blessed all he could see,

Then turned and said, “Come, follow me.”

And I will! I will!

I will! I will!

I’ll walk with you. I’ll talk with you.

That’s how I’ll show my love for you.


Jesus also taught at the last supper:  John 13: 15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.


Water to wine

10 lepers

adulterous woman

man with palsy

issue of blood

Feeding the 5000 gospel of John 6, 5 loves and 2 fishes boy


Our journey through life is based on People helping people: everyone in their turn, sometimes the giver and sometimes the receiver

Brigham Young The Rescue. Franklin Richards

I will now give you the subject for those who speak today

Reaction

Isaac Wardle Langley Bailey story

Whitwick

Langley rescued swimmer

Langley becomes sick

Blessing in Florence

Trying to get away

Isaac left bloody tracks in the snow

Isaac collapsed and had to be revived

Forced to gather wood

Langley weighed less than 80 lbs upon arrival in slc

Letter: Isaac J. Wardle Esq

My Dear Most Respected Old Friend. How are you.

You and me are in much better condishions than we were at this time 60 years ago, I can remember one morning every tent was blowed down but ours. You did stake our tent down strong and firm. My dear Brother I honor and respect you much more than I Can explain. You and my brother John (he was only a boy 15) hauled me on the handcart for hundreds of miles Can I forget you. Can I ever repay, for your kindness No. No. ...

When Isaac passed away, Langley attended the funeral in Idaho and was heard to say, see my old friend I have outlived you.


Francis Webster story

Francis Webster was paraphrased as saying of the handcart trek,…everyone of us came through with the absolute knowledge that God lives for we became acquainted with him in our extremities. “I have pulled my hand cart when I was so weak and weary from illness and lack of food that I could hardly put one foot ahead of the other. I have looked ahead and seen a patch of sand or a hill slope and I have said I can go only that far and there I must give up for I cannot pull the load through it. I have gone on to that sand and when I reached it the cart began pushing me. I have looked back many times to see who was pushing my cart but my eyes saw no one. I knew then that the Angels of God were there. “Was I sorry that I chose to come by hand cart? No. Neither then nor any minute of my life since. The price we paid to become acquainted with God was a privilege to pay and I am thankful that I was privileged to come in the Martin Hand Cart Company.” 


Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin Said:

“Kindness is the essence of a celestial life. Kindness is how a Christlike person treats others. Kindness should permeate all of our words and actions at work, at school, at church, and especially in our homes.


As we live a Christ-like life, based on kindness and service; it is natural for us to desire the blessings of the gospel for others.  This is accomplished through the ministering program visiting and loving others.  This is by sharing the gospel with our friends.  We all play a roll, the neighbor befriends and invites, the missionary teaches, and we all fellowship. I also find that family history is a way to share the blessings of the gospel and is the epitome of serving others.  In Malachi we read: ¶ Behold, I will asend you bElijah the prophet cbefore the coming of the dgreat and dreadful eday of the LORD:

6 And he shall aturn the bheart of the cfathers to the dchildren, and the heart of the echildren to their fathers, lest I come and fsmite the gearth with a hcurse.

And when John the Baptist brought the Aaronic priesthood to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery he said:  Upon you my fellow servants, in the name of Messiah I confer the Priesthood of Aaron, which holds the keys of the ministering of angels, and of the gospel of repentance, and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins; and this shall never be taken again from the earth, until the sons of Levi do offer again an offering unto the Lord in righteousness.

 

This offering refers to the great work taking pace in the temples; Where young people open the door to salvation through baptism for the dead, for none can enter God’s kingdom except they be born of water and the spirit.  Older people help complete the ordinances resulting in the sealing ordinances of children to their parents, and husband and wife to each other.  The sealing ordinances open the door to exaltation. We all can participate in family history work based on our own abilities.  To some it is given to support temple building through tithing, some work in the temple, others do indexing, some take what has been indexed and attach this to the tree.   Others attend the temple and complete the ordinances.  Such was the case a month ago when the youth of our ward visited the temple for baptisms.  That day they competed the baptism and confirmations for over 115 people.  This work literally blesses both the living and the dead.  The living are instructed in the temples as the saving ordinances are completed. They are touched with the spirit in helping with this important work


in the last general conference Elder Gary E Stevensen said: I find abiding peace in knowing that “the Lord is my shepherd” and that each of us is known by Him and under His kind watchful care. When we confront life’s wind and rainstorms, sickness and injuries, the Lord—our Shepherd, our Caregiver—will nourish us with love and kindness. He will heal our hearts and restore our souls.



He took upon Himself our sins, our guilt, our depressions

Our faults, our needs, our indiscretions.

He went below all things

He carried our sorrows.


He suffered for us all, if we would repent;

Which suffering caused that God the greatest of all

Should tremble, and shrink in pain

And suffer both body and spirit,

And bleed from every pore

As it where, great drops of blood

Which fell down to the ground.


As we serve others and have charity towards all men, we will feel the Savior’s love, for Charity is the pure love of God.  As we serve each other, when we face trials, we can turn to Jesus for peace.  He has gone below all things; He has carried our sorrows.  Of this I testify in the name of Jesus Christ Amen 

Sunday, August 16, 2026

Our Backyard in Kingman


Our back project in Kingman was completed in September 2021.  We had concrete for pickle ball and basketball (We used an above ground basket and it fell over several times bending the rim.)  We had a couple trees planted for shade with hopes of growth.  (They did grow a little.)  We had a turf for the kids to play on.  The trampoline was set up.  We had gravel with a cover to keep the ants and the weeds down--and the dust.  By the gate we have a compound which is suppose to compact and provide some protection.

I brought some rocks home and made a walkway from the pickleball to the grass.  I also put a border around the trees using quartzite I find on my buggie rides.  Sheri hoped to put some planter boxes in the back corner.  There were a couple water lines laid, one going to the trees and the other is for the planter boxes or pots.

We got a container for the sports equipment.  We set our barbecue on the back porch with the gas line coming from the house.  We also had to put in a propane tank.