Traces of Time . . . April 24-30, 2016

Traces of Time . . .

This week 

~ April 24, 2016 
to 
April 30, 2016

in IDAHO ~

April 24, 2016 - Sunday 

Janie, Shawn, and Ashley stayed overnight from Ashley's Jazz dance competitions yesterday here in Burley at the King Fine Arts Center.

Ashley had arranged with Grampa to receive her Patriarchal Blessing from him today.

Grampa hasn't given a Patriarchal Blessing since December 2013, so he was apprehensive about his ability to receive what he needed from the Holy Ghost.  As he began, it was evident that he was receiving all he needed.
Ashley received a wonderful Patriarchal Blessing from her Grandfather as he was mouth piece from the Lord.

Ashley, age 15 (will be 16 in November) with her Grandparents.

Ashley with her parents, Janie and Shawn Fisher.

We then attended Stake Conference.
    We love learning from our Stake Presidency, the Mission President, the Temple President, and the other speakers chosen by the Stake Presidency.
 President Chad Jones, First Counselor Tim Preston, and Second Counselor Tracy King were called in April 2010  before we left for our 3-year calling in 2011 to the San Salvador El Salvador Temple.  So they are over half-way to the average time of 9-years for a Stake Presidency.

I didn't take one photo at Stake Conference. It was cold, so we dashed right home to have dinner.

Our traditional Mormon Sunday Dinner - Roast Beef, Mashed Potatoes and Gravy, Corn, Tossed Salad, Jell-o Salad, Hot, Homemade Rolls, Ice Water, and today instead of the Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake and Ice Cream the dessert was Strawberry Shortcake.
As usual, we were all too full for dessert.  Walt and I had some later that evening.

After dinner, the Fishers headed home to Rexburg.

It's always special to have our family come to be with us. And always hard to see them drive away.

A couple of hours later we gave a Temple Preparation Lesson.
It's such a blessing to teach someone who is so excited to learn about going to the temple for the first time.

That evening we went to the 16th Annual "Celebration of Faith Through Music" which has Gospel songs from the many denominations from the Mini-Cassia area.  It was a spiritual performance which we enjoyed.

We give a shout out to three of our family members who have birthdays today...

Happy Birthday to Gary; John; Kimble 17.  Kimble's young enough to give his age.

Gary...

John...

Kimble... " 17" He is a junior at West Lake High School and one of the top swimmers on their Swim Team. (Steve and Natalie's son.)

April 25, 2016 - Monday

Happy Birthday, Jerry Brewer.

Our monthly Neighborhood Empty Nesters' Family Home Evening at our home was a "Luau."  We served Hawaiian Hay Stacks.  Thanks for all the side dishes everyone brought.

Front: Scott and G'lenn, Walt, David, Marilyn, Dan, Gary, Colleen Bonnie, Ken.

Here is the same group with Bonnie taking the photo so I could be in it.

The Ormonds had another FHE group scheduled for this fourth Monday.  I guess ours is supposed to be the third Monday.  Bonnie Hansen was ill and Ken didn't want to come without her.  And Ruth still doesn't feel like coming alone.

April 26, 2016 - Tuesday

LaRae Crane and I went visiting teaching to Cindy, Karen, and Debbie to share the message that teaches us that we are truly "Daughters of our Heavenly Father [and Heavenly Mother] and that He knows us by name.

This evening Walt and I went home teaching to Marizza.

April 27, 2016 - Wednesday

Our grandson, Ben Brewer, got braces today in Rochester, Minnesota, at the Mayo Clinic where his Dad, Jerry, is head of the Dermatology Surgery.

Walt cut some lilacs to bring to me.

I wish lilacs would bloom all summer long. We get to see and smell their pleasant fragrance only a little while in parts of April and May.

We rendezvoused at the Twin Falls Temple 

with Dale and Connie.

It's true, we learn something more 

about the ordinances and covenants 

of the temple each time we attend a session.

Walt chose our San Salvador friend, Jaime Lopez's 

favorite restaurant to have dinner.

We all got something different today...

Omlet, Chicken Fried Steak, Hamburger, and Turkey.

And perhaps you thought they just served pancakes.

April 28, 2016 - Thursday

Today I had an appointment with my dietitician nutritionist, then Walt and I went home teaching.  The first part of April went slow for us, but the last two weeks zoomed by.  We really usually get these assignments done earlier.

In the afternoon we went home teaching to our neighbor, Dan Black.  Dan lives just six houses north of us on Burton Avenue.  We enjoy so much visiting with him.  He does a great job as the president of our Sunday School class.  He is also part of our ward's high priest leadership group.

That evening we went home teaching to Alice and Dave who had a quick, fun trip to see their son Rodney in San Francisco.  They drove down on Friday (had to get chains to get through the snow on Donner Pass), were there Saturday and Sunday, then drove back this Monday.  We always love visiting with them, and the five others we have the privilege of being assigned to.

April 29, 2016 - Friday

Kathleen came this morning to help us with family history.  It's so enlightening to learn all that we can do in finding family members on familysearch.org.  Today the search for more of Walt's Swedish ancestors wasn't as fruitful as it has been in past weeks, but as Kathleen said: "It's worth it to keep searching."

Brent Larson from Burley Electric came to fix two burners on our 14-year-old range.  We are so thankful for his expertise and that we don't have to buy a new stove.   I thought it was a lot older than it is.  He told us that it's a 2002 model.

Also, Mr. Coltrin came to give us an estimate on replacing our old rain gutters.  He also saw that the ends of the shingles on our roof have curled up and water in getting in under them.

Isn't there a song about "♫♪This old house is a gettin' older, this old house is a wearin' out...  ♪♫

In the late afternoon in a light rain, we drove over to the Paul Potato Company (not sure of the right name) to get a box of potatoes, but by the time we got there it was such a downpour that we didn't want the workers to get wet carrying the box out and then we would also have a wet box of potatoes.  So we turned around and went back.  

We dashed in to Redder's Appliance because the rain had let up to a sprinkle.  We had had Brent check the funny sound our refrigerator was making.  He said the compressor is about to give out.  When he checked the serial number he told us that our fridge is 26 years old.

So it has been cost effective lasting that long!

We, our house, and appliances are about to give out.

I think I mentioned somewhere: "We are older than dirt!"

April 30, 2016 - Saturday

It rained almost all day today.  We stayed in all day...doing some computer work, washing sheets, and doing a little genealogy.  I'm so thankful that I researched and wrote 39 life sketches for the 1989 Gooding County Historical book that was published for the Idaho Centennial Year of 1990.

I have been re-typing these for the "Stories" Section of familysearch.org.  With each story I'm also putting a photo of the person or couple.

We listened to our Saturday evening tradition "The Lawrence Welk Show."  Then we know that Saturday is winding down and another week is ending.

Traces of Time . . . April 17-23, 2016

Traces of Time . . .

This week 

~ April 17, 2016 
to 
April 23, 2016

in IDAHO ~

  

April 17, 2016 - Sunday 

Happy Birthday to Walt - 82 today.

Our tradition is to have donuts and chocolate milk on birthday mornings.

Then we open presents... just what he asked for: cowboy boot puller uppers. And what he didn't ask for: a new Western shirt.

Here's the official name of those cowboy boot things: "boot hooks."

Our Church block is from 10:50 to 1:50.

Good talks were given by Koby Prescott--youth speaker, spoke about the priesthood and its impact on his young life.

Wendy Watts spoke on her feelings about the temple and testified how her currently learning how to research and take her own family names to the temple is having a spiritual impact on her life.

A vocal duet by Chris Jackson and his young daughter Reagan "Gethsemane" accompanied by Deborah Jackson continued to focus our thoughts on our Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ.

The High Councilor, Jeff Jackson, taught us about our pre-mortal life.  We don't remember it because a veil has been drawn between our life there and our life here on earth and our memory of our pre-mortal world has been withheld.

Some parts of our pre-mortal life are taught to us from scripture and by Prophets and Apostles.

In Sunday School we learned about King Benjamin and his discourse to all the families gathered around the temple.  He taught about the future birth of Jesus Christ, the son of God, who would come to this earth.  

In Priesthood and Relief Society the lesson from Howard W. Hunter was Missionary Work.  Bonnie Fronk, who taught our Relief Society lesson, always does an outstanding job.

Walt said Bro. Heinze also taught an excellent lesson to them in Priesthood.

We teach a one-hour Temple Preparation class in our home

from 4:30-5:30.

Here is our friend Debbie.

Our friends, Dave and Marilyn Gibbons, came over with a cute card and gift for Walt.

For Walt's birthday dinner, he got to grill his own T-bone steak.

His steak was so big, he shared it with me

His kids both e-mailed and called to wish their Dad "a Happy Birthday."

Walt got not only a birthday cake...

...but a birthday blackberry pie, also.

We were both so full from the birthday dinner, that we didn't really have a piece of either.   (There's always tomorrow!)

As we come to the close of Walt's birthday on this Sabbath evening, we share our testimony that...

Our Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother took the intelligences--as we existed in the pre-mortal world--and gave us spiritual bodies, which we are fathers and mothers on this earth have been asked by our Heavenly Father (actually it uses the verb: "commanded") to bring His spirit children to earth in physical bodies.  This is the why we are here to gain experience and be tested during this probation called our "life time" on the beautiful planet created for us by Jesus Christ under the direction of His Father.

Jesus Christ, as the only begotten Son of God on this earth, was sent to become our Redeemer and Savior, because Heavenly Father knew we would make mistakes.

We are thankful for this Plan of Salvation that we can repent and be forgiven and work toward perfection (which actually will not come until the life hereafter) to return to our Heavenly Parents.

We are thankful for the Prophet Joseph Smith restoring all the truths of the Gospel taken from the earth during the Apostasy after the death of the original Twelve Apostles following the Crucifixion of the Savior, Jesus Christ.

We are thankful for our living Prophet on the earth today, President Thomas S. Monson, and all those called to help him at this time.

We are thankful for the Bible as far as it is translated correctly.

We are thankful for the Book of Mormon being written and saved to come forth in these latter days as Another Testament of Jesus Christ.

We are thankful for our family and the love and support they are to us.  We or our family are by no means perfect.  We pray each day for guidance and forgiveness of those things in which we error.

Of this we testify . . .

In the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen

Walt and Eileen Petersen - Burley, I D A H O

This photo of us came up on face book for Walt's birthday three years ago when he turned 79.  It was taken after our 9-hour morning shift at the San Salvador El Salvador Temple that day -- 5:15 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.  
When Walt had called on me to say a few words in preparation meeting I had told them it was President Petersen's birthday, but that he was still young because he was just turning "79."  Then I added: "But next year when he turns "80" he would be older than dirt.
(That phrase "older than dirt" was not something they really understood in their culture.  I also may not have said it quite right in Spanish.)
Notice that I have the same dress on then that I had on today.  Walt's favorite color combination is black and red, so I do often wear it on special days.  His tie matched better in this photo than the tie he wore today, which he got at D.I. because lavender is my favorite color.

And we pray you have had a peaceful and restful Sabbath Day, and have a great week coming up.

April 18, 2016 - Monday

We puttered around the house, did a little work outside, caught up on some computer things, and ran some errands.
At Cal-Ranch Walt exchanged the "long boot hooks" he got for his birthday for the "short book hooks." They really work well for getting his cowboy boots on easier.

He wore the new Western shirt I got him for his birthday. He likes it a lot, and so do I.  We got a couple of trellises for our two plants....I think they are clamidia (?sp).

Walt having a piece of his birthday cake for our FHE treats after a lesson from the next Sunday School.  You can see the Western shirt better here.

April 19, 2016 - Tuesday

We figured out when we're going to get our  6 home teaching families scheduled.

I went to our educational evening once-a-month Relief Society.  Bonnie Fronk always does a great job with anything she is over.  Vicki from Vicki's Garden Nursery came to teach us about how to make gardening easier with weed killers, herbacides, fertilizers, and potting soil.  Most of us didn't know that potting soil has no nutrients in it.
Then she also explained how to plant our own hanging planters and flower pots.

I was sad that only 17 came out to learn these great tips on gardening. Most of us were sitting on the back row.

Kathleen Hedberg brought Kenna Durfee as a guest.  We miss seeing Kenna since she moved out of our ward several months ago.

Here are the sisters I got a photo of at the end.  
Lizzie, Megan, Emily, Marilyn, Bonnie.

Delicious spring desserts were served.

April 20, 2016 - Wednesday

We went to the temple today to rendezvous with Dale and Connie.  We did the 3:00 afternoon session.

As I was handing the opened camera to Dale and Connie to get a photo of Walt and me, I dropped the camera with the lens down.  The lens wouldn't open all the way after that and this is what we got.

I thought I had ruined my camera, but when we went for lunch at Maxie's on the southeast end of Twin Falls, Walt got it fixed.  He can fix anything! What a guy!!

After some delicious lasagna, we drove home via Highway 30 since we were so near it.  We love seeing all the crops growing that way.  And since our last driving that way, a lot more of the pot holes have been fixed.

April 21, 2016 - Thursday

SERENDIPITY BOOK CLUB 2015-2016

                        

S E A S O N S . . .

Ecclesiastes

3: 1-8 King James Version (KJV)

    ⁸ A time to love, and a time to hate;

a time of war, and a time of peace.
{"Seasons" is our theme for this year.}

Thursday, April 21, 2016

at the home of Eileen Petersen

2457 Burton Avenue

 at 7:00 p.m.

Program: Eileen Petersen

In This Together by Ann Romney
Published in September 2015

Whet your Appetite:  Bonnie Fronk

Refreshments: Susan Young

 Please come.

It’s always nice

to bring a friend.

 And you know what April brings . . .

April 22, 2016 - Friday

Norma Fewkes funeral was at 11:00 a.m.

Leave after funeral for Utah getting there just in time for Carter's soccer game.

Carter's soccer game at Westlake High School 5:15 p.m.

Carter played a great game and their JV beat Pleasant Grove 2-1.

Here are Carter, in the white shirt, with his brother Kimble.
Next year they will be at the Westlake High School together--Carter a sophomore and Kimble a senior.  What great boys they are!

After the game ended at 7 o'clock we all had supper at Cafe Rio with Gary joining us.

Steve took this photo of Walt and me.

April 23, 2016 - Saturday

Here's John getting ready to go to a shooting competition today.  This is his birthday present -- his birthday is tomorrow, April 24.  And it's also Gary's b-day and Kimble's b-day.

We think John's favorite thing next to his wife and family is to go shoot.

We stopped to see Janice and Jeff in Midvale this morning.

It's always fun to see Janice and Jeff.

We then drove on home, pulling in to Burley at 2:15 this afternoon.

Our home teachers came by at 4:00.

Stake Conference - 7pm Stake Center

Ashley here from Rexburg for a workshop with her Jazz dance class, then to compete at the King Fine Arts Center this evening..  Janie and Shawn are coming, too.