Traces of Time . . .October 30 - November 5, 2023

 Traces of Time . . .             {Last week: Scroll to end and click "Older Posts" at bottom right.}          "Time moves slowly, but passes quickly.                               The Color Purple” by Alice Walker, 1982

"The magical, supernatural force 

that is with us every second is time.

We can't even comprehend it.

 It's such an illusion, 

it's such a strange thing."

— Anthony Hopkins 

 Note from Eileen: You will notice I call                              my blog: "Traces of Time..."

On this blog I share with family and friends my daily thoughts, doings, what interests me, and--at times--tributes to my eternal sweetheart, Walt, who graduated to heaven on 8-21-2020.

Dedicated to our seven children--Janie, Gary, Steve, David, Julie, Brian, Jen, their spouses, our 39 grandchildren, 6 great-grandchildren, and posterity to come.

THIS WEEK- 

 OCTOBER 30-NOVEMBER 5, 2023

      MONDAY, OCTOBER 30, 2023

Family is Everything..                            

Sunrise: 7:47 a.m. 

Sunset:  6:36 p.m.

 Julie's fb post today:                                                 I love this quote. I’m so grateful for my children

I love each one of our 

children, too. I am proud of

the honorable adults they are now.

I know Walt feels the same way.

*** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** *** ***

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2023

               Family is Everything…

Institute Manual 

"Jesus Christ and the

Everlasting Gospel"

not "Jesus Christ and

His Everlasting Gospel"

Chapter 9

The Savior's Matchless Life

and Infinite Virtue

H A L L O W E E N

288 scones raising...

All creatures...

...great and small

Meanwhile...Halloween in Tennessee

Brigham Young University athletic director Tom Holmoe is pictured at a press conference in Provo on Thursday, Jan. 27, 2022. Holmoe, known for going all-out on Halloween costumes, conjured up another winner this year. | Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News.

He conjured up another winner this year, dressing up to the nines as the wise old Hogwarts headmaster Albus Dumbledore from the “Harry Potter” series.

“Great man, Dumbledore.

 ‘S long as we’ve got him, I’m not too worried.”

Before we leave Halloween 

until next year...I was

thinking about a poem

so I looked it up...

Mary Howitt

1799 - 1888

 

The Spider

 and the

 Fly (1829)

"Will you walk into my parlour?" said the Spider to the Fly,
"'Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy;
The way into my parlour is up a winding stair,
And I have many curious things to shew when you are there."
"Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "to ask me is in vain,
For who goes up your winding stair can ne'er come down again."

"I'm sure you must be weary, dear, with soaring up so high;
Will you rest upon my little bed?" said the Spider to the Fly.
"There are pretty curtains drawn around; the sheets are fine and thin,
And if you like to rest awhile, I'll snugly tuck you in!"
"Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "for I've often heard it said,
They never, never wake again, who sleep upon your bed!"

Said the cunning Spider to the Fly, "Dear friend what can I do,
To prove the warm affection I've always felt for you?
I have within my pantry, good store of all that's nice;
I'm sure you're very welcome–will you please to take a slice?"
"Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "kind sir, that cannot be,
I've heard what's in your pantry, and I do not wish to see!"

"Sweet creature!" said the Spider, "you're witty and you're wise,
How handsome are your gauzy wings, how brilliant are your eyes!
I've a little looking-glass upon my parlour shelf,
If you'll step in one moment, dear, you shall behold yourself."
"I thank you, gentle sir," she said, "for what you're pleased to say,
And bidding you good morning now, I'll call another day."

The Spider turned him round about, and went into his den,
For well he knew the silly Fly would soon come back again:
So he wove a subtle web, in a little corner sly,
And set his table ready, to dine upon the Fly.
Then he came out to his door again, and merrily did sing,
"Come hither, hither, pretty Fly, with the pearl and silver wing;
Your robes are green and purple–there's a crest upon your head;
Your eyes are like the diamond bright, but mine are dull as lead!"

Alas, alas! how very soon this silly little Fly,
Hearing his wily, flattering words, came slowly flitting by;
With buzzing wings she hung aloft, then near and nearer drew,
Thinking only of her brilliant eyes, and green and purple hue–
Thinking only of her crested head–poor foolish thing! At last,
Up jumped the cunning Spider, and fiercely held her fast.
He dragged her up his winding stair, into his dismal den,
Within his little parlour–but she ne'er came out again!

And now dear little children, who may this story read,
To idle, silly flattering words, I pray you ne'er give heed:
Unto an evil counsellor, close heart and ear and eye,
And take a lesson from this tale, of the Spider and the Fly. 

Poem © Out of copyright

 

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2023

                     

Family is Everything…

xxx

xxx

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2023

                     

Family is Everything…

November Family Birthdays

02 - Lizzy Brewer "14"

07-  Elliott Petersen "14"

07 -  Shawn Fisher "63"

09 - Adam Brewer "11"

19 - Isaac Petersen "18"

21 - Ashley Fisher Fonua "23"

23 - Pono Kaneao "32"

Steve took a day and a half off work to

drive me to a special family event. 

Our granddaughter's husband was

made a major in the Air Force.

He is young to achieve this honor, so

it is even more of a big deal.

Steve drove me to Rexburg.

We left Saratoga Springs

at 1:45 and pulled in to

Fisher's home at 5:30

Right at a 4-hour drive.

Janie served 11 of us

there yummy Chinese

food before the

ceremony for Michael Mecham

at the Rexburg Legacy Air Force Museum.

Promotion Ceremony for

Michael S. Mecham

to a Major in the

U.S. Air Force

Aimee pinned the official

Major insignia on

Major Mecham's uniform. 

Shawn did a great job

of conducting and M-C-ing

the ceremony.

*** *** *** *** *** *** ***

I was out of town 

and not able

to go to

Lunch Bunch at

 

The Thai Village in

American Fork

     Thank you to Nadine for 

taking photos of the seven

who were able to be there.

*** *** ***

*** *** *** *** *** 

 Our Wednesday night movie with Gary 

 was cancelled for tonight

*** *** ***

Bok of Mormon - Alma - CHAPTER 29

Alma desires to cry repentance with angelic zeal—The Lord grants teachers for all nations—Alma glories in the Lord’s work and in the success of Ammon and his brethren. About 76 B.C.

"1 O that I were an angel, and could have the wish of mine heart, that I might go forth and speak with the ^atrump of God, with a voice to shake the earth, and cry repentance unto every people!

"2 Yea, I would declare unto every soul, as with the voice of thunder, repentance and the plan of redemption, that they should repent and ^acome unto our God, that there might not be more sorrow upon all the face of the earth.

"3 But behold, I am a man, and do sin in my wish; for I ought to be content with the things which the Lord hath allotted unto me...

"7 ... Why should I desire that I were an angel, that I could speak unto all the ends of the earth?

"8 For behold, the Lord doth ^agrant unto ^ball nations, of their own nation and ^ctongue, to teach his word, yea, in wisdom, all that he ^dseeth fit that they should have; therefore we see that the Lord doth counsel in wisdom, according to that which is just and true.

"9 I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do ^anot ^bglory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy.

"10 And behold, when I see many of my brethren truly penitent, and coming to the Lord their God, then is my soul filled with joy; then do I remember ^awhat the Lord has done for me, yea, even that he hath heard my prayer; yea, then do I remember his merciful arm which he extended towards me..."

The Church of Jesus Christ 

Will Create 36 New Missions 

in 2024

ByChurch Newsroom

November 1, 2023

To accommodate rising numbers of missionaries (now at more than 72,000), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will open 36 new missions on July 1, 2024. This puts the total number of missions at 450 — the highest number in Church history.

Church leaders will create these new missions from existing missions. This adjustment will allow mission leaders to have more interaction with missionaries and more missionaries to be assigned to wards and branches.

More missionaries are serving now than the 69,000 who were sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ just before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The increase is thanks in large part to Church President and Prophet Russell M. Nelson’s April 2022 call for more missionaries

 The number of young teaching and service missionaries and senior missionaries has gone from 56,000 at the end of 2021 to 62,500 at the end of 2022 to today’s more than 72,000 (of which nearly 5,300 are senior missionaries). They serve in more than 150 countries and teach in more than 60 languages.

New missions are coming to 18 of the Church’s 22 areas around the world. These additional areas of service will be created in the following locations, effective July 1, 2024:

Africa Central

1.   Democratic Republic of the Congo Kinshasa South

2.   Democratic Republic of the Congo Kolwezi

3.   Kenya Nairobi East

Africa South

4.   Madagascar Antananarivo North

Africa West

5.   Ghana Accra North

6.   Ghana Takoradi

7.   Nigeria Calabar

8.   Nigeria Port Harcourt North

9.   Sierra Leone Bo

Asia

10.           Cambodia Phnom Penh East

11.           Thailand Bangkok East

Asia North

12.           Japan Sendai

Brazil

13.           Brazil Manaus South

Caribbean

14.           Dominican Republic Santo Domingo North

Europe Central

15.           Germany Hamburg

Europe North

16.           Portugal Porto

México

17.           México Mexicali

18.           México Puebla East

North America Central

19.           Montana Missoula

North America Southeast

20.           Florida Tallahassee

21.           South Carolina Charleston

North America Southwest

22.           Nevada Henderson

23.           Texas Dallas South

24.           Texas El Paso

North America West

25.           California Modesto

Philippines

26.           Philippines Dumaguete

27.           Philippines General Santos

28.           Philippines Tuguegarao

South America Northwest

29.           Bolivia Cochabamba South

30.           Ecuador Quito West

31.           Perú Lima Northeast

South America South

32.           Argentina Tucumán

33.           Chile La Serena

Utah

34.           Utah Salt Lake City East

35.           Utah Saratoga Springs

36.           Utah Spanish Fork

 *** *** ***

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2023

                     

Family is Everything…

 Steve and me...

...heading back from... 

Idaho to... 

 

...Utah.

THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2023

Steve taught a Home Building

course in Ogden 

for home builders

to keep their license current.

We got to Saratoga Springs

at 4:30. Thank you, Steve

for driving me to this milestone

for Michael and Aimee,

*** *** ***

A thank you note...

...from Karen Taylor.

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 3, 2023

                     

Family is Everything…

                                  Family Book Club --

Jen's choice 

Is Atheism Dead?

By: Eric Metaxas

SALEM BOOKS / 2021 / HARDCOVERt of 5 stars for Is Atheism Dead?5 stars 

In 1966, a famous Time magazine cover provocatively asked, "Is God Dead?" Now Metaxas responds with a question of his own by logically making an astonishing case; presenting new evidence and arguments against the idea of a Creatorless universe; and outlining why he believes atheism is implausible, unrealistic, and intellectually indefensible.

*** *** *** *

vs the 1966 Time Magazine cover story.

*** *** *** ***  

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2023

                     

Family is Everything…

 Funeral for Sandi Warren

She had asked her children to

sing a song from "My Turn on Earth"

My Turn on Earth by Carol Lynn Pearson January 1977

 ♪♫♪My Story ♪♫

~~lyrics by Lex de Azevedo  

"I'm the one that writes my own story.
I decide the person I'll be.
What goes in the plot, and what will not
is pretty much up to me.

And just in case I need to erase,
it was figured out before.
A thing called repentance can wipe out a sentence,
a page or a chapter or more.

Ev'ryone that writes his own story
now and then will make some mistakes.
But given some care, they needn't stay there.
And this is all that it takes.

You must know you've done wrong, and so
you feel very bad and then,
don't try to hide it. Do try to right it,
and vow you won't do it again.

This book of mine is very important,
and so someone is waiting right there,
To help with my story, He's been here before me
and always as close as a prayer.

We will write each day and night,
and do it well and faithfully.
A wonderful story of sadness and glory.
It's written by Jesus and me.

A wonderful story of sadness and glory.
It's written by Jesus and me."

Six of the Lunch Bunch

friends were able to

attend Sandi's funeral --

Linda Bright,

Eileen Petersen...

Kaye Wyler,

MaryAnn Mardesich...

 Sharon Howell, and

LeAnn Hunt. 

I didn't get photos of us at the

funeral, so got them the next day.

*** *** *** *** *** *** ***

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2023

Steve and I thought we were going 

to watch BYU play a football game

with West Virginia, but BYU didn't

really show up, which the sad score

of 37-7 testifies to.

Steve made us some 

yummy Nachos with hamburger,

medium nacho cheese,

salsa, and Tostitos.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2023

                    

Family is Everything…

 Saratoga Springs 3rd Ward

Even after Bishop Cheney

asked for the testimonies to

be simple and short...some

do not get it so we only

had time for 5 adults.

Maybe next month...

*** *** ***

Here are some of my 

ward friends...

Linda...who is Rigdon's

Primary teacher.

Kaye and MaryAnn, both 

moved here from California.

Sharon moved here from Seattle,

but had grown up in Pocatello.

LeAnn grew up in Salt Lake.

 Gospel Doctrine

covered Hebrews.

3rd 

Our teacher, Clyde Witham made

this Ark of the Covenant...

...and the sacred items it carried inside:

the tablets of The Ten Commandments,

the vessel filled with manna, and

the Rod of Aaron.

We had waffles today 

instead of crepes...

Brian sent me these photos

of Olivia with her fiancé.

I told him I needed to have a 

photo of them.

These two words are borrowed directly from French, in which language they have equivalent but gendered meanings: fiancé refers to a man who is engaged to be married, and fiancée refers to a woman.

Olivia Doak and David Parsons

got engaged in July.

The wedding will be

May 11, 2024.

SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 5, 2023

                    Steve's Supper...

Carter, Michael, Seth, Sarah,

Grama Petersen

These three carried on the

dinner preparations Steve had

started earlier in the day...

Seth and Sarah arrived...

...they jumped right in to help, also.

Cousins together...

When everything was ready...

there was a minute or two of 

this ball being kicked about...

Everything was delicious:

Roast, mashed potatoes and gravy,

corn, stuffing, tossed salad,

fruit salad, rolls, and

missionary punch.

For dessert was ice cream

with chocolate sauce, and

brownies. Bananas were also

a choice to go with the ice cream.

Everyone also jumped in 

to help clean up.

Seth gathered things

from the table...

As good as the food was, the best part

of the evening was the conversation.

Two main questions were asked:

What is your favorite thing about BYU?

Least favorite?

Then: What have you learned about

life recently that you hadn't known before?

I will ask each one for permission,

before I share.

It was nostalgic to see

the lawn turtle from

our Burley yard.

 

*Thank you to Steve,

Carter, and Michael

for helping me get up

and back down the 20 steps 

to Steve's beautiful

second-floor apartment

in Riverton.

*** *** ***

* *I am so thankful for The Plan of Salvation and the Atonement of  Jesus Christ that makes this Great Plan operational.

At the end of this November 5th,

I pray you have had a

restful , peaceful, and spiritual

Sabbath Day...

I share these truths as my testimony to you...

Heavenly Father lives and knows us each by name. He loves us and wants us to return to Him and Heavenly Mother when we leave this mortal existence.  

He loves us just 

as we are at this very moment. 

He knows what our potential is.

*** *** ***

Jesus Christ came to earth as The Only Begotten of the Father and fulfilled the Atonement. He is the Redeemer of all.

*** *** ***

I am thankful for the guidance of the Holy Ghost as the third member of the Godhead. 

Walt said to me once: "I look forward to thanking the Holy Ghost in person when I get to Heaven. I don't think we give Him enough credit for all He does."

***  *** *** *** ***

Joseph Smith was foreordained to be the Prophet of the Restoration.  He is the Restorer of all things.

*** *** ***

President Russell M. Nelson is the Living Prophet today for all the world. 

*** *** ***

The Bible is "the Word of God as far as it is translated correctly" and is a Testament of the Divinity of Jesus Christ.

*** *** ***

The Book of Mormon is the Word of God and is Another Testament of Jesus Christ. It is the most correct book of any book on earth.

*** *** ***

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the True Church on the earth today.  Because of the restored Temple Ordinances families can be sealed for eternity.

*** *** ***

Of these truths I testify in the Name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Eileen Petersen

November 5, 2023

Next week Nov 6-12, 2023