This week
~ August 10 to August 16, 2015 ~
in IDAHO.
Normally August is sweltering hot....but last week and this week have been cooler...in the 70's.
It seems just a week or two ago that we were welcoming summertime!
First we ran some errands this morning.
We ordered flowers for Don Melling's funeral.
We paid our city utility bill.
We took our 2007 Buick Lucern in to Goode Motor because the "Service Air Bag" light has been coming on for a month or two.
We tried to get strips for the (blood test machine)--for the fourth time--at the pharmacy but it has to be a written prescription not a called in one for Medicare to pay for them. (The red tape is so tiresome).
Then we got some things at Wal-Mart that we can't find in any of our home-town, local stores. (We don't count Wal-Mart as a home-town, local store because it has shut down most of our Burley family stores in the downtown area--as we understand has happened throughout the U.S.A.)
We had a quiet afternoon, with a short thunderstorm about four o'clock.
For family home evening we went over our schedules for the rest of August and in to September.
WHERE HAS THE SUMMER GONE?!
Then we listed seven "To Do's" for our lives.
1. Get an appraisal on our home.
2. Sign up for water aerobics at the....well it used to be called the Raquetball Club....but I think the new name is "Impact Athletics."
3. Call the two new sisters that the bishop has asked us to
teach the Temple Preparation class to and arrange the
day and time for their lessons in our home.
4. Go see some old friends - The Ellinghams.
5. Go see some old friends - The Cutlers.
6. Work on family history more.
7. Read scriptures more time each day; we do read daily but
feel we could take more time.
After FHE I started the post for this week.
August 11, 2015 - Tuesday
Dad had a Holter Monitor put on this morning to test his heart rate for 48 hours. (He gets to take it off Thursday morning...just before Don Melling's funeral begins.)
Dad took a snapshot of his chauffeur.
We are really enjoying listening to the book The Wright Brothers by David McCullough
as we drive around on errands.
We're on CD #3 of the 10, just
at September and October 1903.
It's so revealing to learn the "story behind the story"
and all the hard work over several years
of their inventing the first aircraft to actually fly.
Then we went to the Paul Produce Company where we buy those great Idaho potatoes. Today it was $7.00 for 25 pounds.
We usually get a 50 lb. box,
but Walt didn't think he could carry it in to the house.
LaRae Crane picked me up at 12:30 to go visiting teaching.
Great lesson this month on the Attributes of Christ: Humbleadd photos from July 6
This afternoon I had an appointment with Dr. Ted Rea, a Gastroenterogist from Twin Falls who comes to Burley Tuesdays and Wednesdays. He did the preliminary check for my having a colonoscopy on Aug. 26.
He comes highly recommended to us by our Internist, Dr. James Spackman.
We like him a lot! His parents lived in San Salvador several years in the 1970s when his father was there for the U.S. Government AID program, keeping animal diseases in check to not spread to the U.S. -- like that disease that cows get...I think it's called brucolocus...or something like that.
I forgot to take a photo, but here's one from a website.
We had just finished supper, when two women rang our door bell to tell us they had been outside at the Lutheran Church just now and a gigantic limb came crashing down from our Chinese Elm tree. There was no wind or anything.
So we immediately went to check it out.
If it has to be cut down, we will miss it being there, and the shade it has given us all these 44 years we have lived here.
Here's a view from the other side of the fence.
As we were going back through the gate to the backyard we noticed this "FOR SALE" sign at the front of the Lutheran Church lots that have been vacant all these years.
Wonder if it will be developed into houses?
Now we're going to watch some more of the "Madame Curie" 1942 movie that we started last night. It's about the many years it took for this scientist to isolate a new element that she named "Radium."
Hope you all have had a good day.
August 12, 2015 - Wednesday
This morning we drove to the Twin Falls Temple to do sealings for our Burley 3rd Ward High Priests' assignment.
When we got back, I had a quick nap while Walt got a haircut.
John & Marielle Melling and their 3 cute kids came about 4:00 to put their things in the two back bedrooms on the second floor. Their little girl remembers when they lived here for 6 months after we'd gone to El Salvador, before they left for John to start medical school. How fun they can come to be with us tonight as the Mellings' home is overflowing with all their family here for the viewing and funeral.
At the same time they were unloading their things, Julie, Jacee, Jackson, Maddie, Rigdon, and Max got here from Saratoga Springs.
We always love having Julie here with her 4 darling kids!
Just as we were ready to leave for the viewing about 5:40...Gerald & Ruth Budge drove up to visit with us. It's always great to be with them. They were planning to come this weekend for their 60th year Burley High School Class Reunion. So they came a couple of days early for the viewing and funeral of a dentist peer
of Gerald's.
It was a fun surprise to talk with Paul and Barbara Brown who drove up from Orem, Utah. Dr. Brown, I think, was the dentist who helped Don come to Burley to start his dental practice.
Don looked serene and peaceful. Ruth told us he had looked even more serene the minute he died. She said all of the stroke look was gone from his face.
It's always hard to lose a loved one, but when they start suffering like Don was, it's a bitter sweet time.
About 7:10, here came Julie and Steve. They waited in line with us, but also talked with friends and some of the Melling spouses.
At 7:30, as Gary texted Julie that he was just leaving, David stepped up to where we were in line.
Even though he's tripled booked in his ophthalmology office from having been on vacation with Julie, Josh, and Anna for ten days, he decided toward the end of his office day that he just couldn't stay away from seeing the Melling family.
He talked with Chris Fronk, whom he had been in school with here.
so he should be home exactly at midnight. (He texted after he was home that he had pulled into his driveway at 11:51 p.m.)
We pray for his safe drive home.
Gary came at 11:15, so I was left praying for David's safe return. I am always nervous when our kids and/or grandkids are driving long distances.
August 13, 2015 - Thursday - Funeral for Don Ray Melling
We got up early to get over to Charlie's Café for breakfast before it was time to go to the funeral. When I suggested to Walt maybe we should just have cereal and he passed that on, our kids asked: "How can we be in Burley and not have breakfast at Charlie's?!" So we went.
Janie and Shawn, who drove down that morning from Rexburg, were in line for the viewing and we saved seats in the chapel. We had four of our children there--Janie and Shawn, Gary, Steve, Julie,...plus the night before David had driven up and back from Salt Lake City for the viewing. Brian and Jennifer are in Minnesota and Tennessee.
Kayden Troy Melling--son of Kirt and Lezlie--set a peaceful tone with his playing the prelude music so beautifully on the piano.
With only the "photos in our hearts" Ruth, her six children, and the 27 grandchildren followed Don's casket into the chapel, along with extended relatives. They were all seated at 5 minutes before 11:00, so the funeral began exactly on time. Don would be very happy about that.
The grandchildren sang "A Child's Prayer" It was a heavenly beginning to one of the nicest funerals I have ever attended.
[Bonnie Hansen said to me in before Relief Society on Sunday: "Don Melling's funeral was like General Conference! It was really something!"
JaNaé's husband, Steve Black, continued the peaceful tone with his opening prayer. The two daughters--Kaye and JaNaé--did a splendid job sharing the life sketch.
I am going to do a separate post on Don's funeral, so will just summarize the rest here:
The other outstanding speakers were: Kirt Melling, Scott Melling, David Melling, and Bishop Gerratt. John Melling sang "How Great Thou Art," accompanied by his wife Marielle McDonald Melling. (We had no idea John was such an outstanding singer.)
A calming benediction was given by Kaye's husband, Brady Benham.
Don will be buried in Cedar City, Utah, Monday, August 17. The dedicatory prayer for the grave will be given by an uncle, Kent Dover.
Ruth asked us to come to the luncheon following the funeral.
A delicious chicken dinner was prepared and served by the sisters of the Burley 3rd Ward Relief Society with Gloria Graham, Ellen Peterson, and (sorry I can't remember her name) being there to oversee everything.
August 14, 2015 - Friday
Kathleen Hedberg came to help us with familysearch.org
August 15, 2015 - Saturday
We had a delightful reunion with our first four San Salvador El Salvador Temple missionary couples and the Area PEF missionary couple when we gathered at the Gibbons' home.
It was nostalgic greeting everyone.
These three gals--Nancy, Diane, and Marilyn--all wore something they got in El Salvador.
Dave and Marilyn served a delicious biscuits 'n strawberries breakfast as always.
Wish I had gotten a photo of Dave's homemade biscuits. They are the lightest, fluffliest, highest, most scrumptious biscuits we have ever had!
Here's a photo when he made them for us in San Salvador.
Dave and Marilyn Gibbons - live in Burley, Idaho
After they returned in January 2013, he was called in to the Idaho Twin Falls Mission Presidency. She took a class in Spanish at the Burley branch of College of Southern Idaho.
They are temple workers for the Wednesday evening Spanish shift. They keep up with their kids' and grandchildrens' lives.
to Twin Falls, Idaho and are hoping to become temple workers in the temple again.
They have been living in Louisiana near their daughter, her husband and their grandchildren since they returned in January 2013.
Arlene was called to teach the primary 8-year-olds, then was moved up the next year to teach the same class when they turned 9. She loved them and had a hard time leaving them.
Trent was called as the ward mission leader, and then served on the high council over family history and temple work.
They have now moved back to Twin Falls where they are fixing up their home.
"We don't know where we will live when we grow up," Arlene concluded.
Lon and Nancy Thompson - live in Jerome, Idaho
In our post of July 12, I told about the Thompson's homecoming talks from their temple mission to Guatemala after they finished their 23 months in the San Salvador El Salvador Temple--July 2011 to June 2013.
For most of their second temple mission, Lon was asked to serve in the Temple Presidency and Nancy served as an assistant to the Temple Matron. They served there Dec 2013 to June 2015.
They have been busy redoing their home and having kids and grandkids come visit them.
Lon golfs two days a week and now they are serving in the Twin Falls Temple on Wednesday evenings and Friday mid-day.
Frank and Diane Wall - live in Salem, Utah.
They returned from serving in the San Salvador El Salvador Temple from July 2011 to May 2013. They had extended four months. This was their second mission. We had served with them in the South America South Mission in Argentina where they were Humanitarian Missionaries from Dec. 2008 to June 2010. Soon after they returned from El Salvador, their darling daughter, Amy, was married.
A fun surprise happened for them at the "Salem Days" the first part of August. "The Frank and Diane Wall Family" was chosen as the Family of the Year, and led the Parade. Congratulations to this outstanding couple and family!
Richards and Joanne Hall - live in Sacramento, California.
The Halls were the Area Perpetual Education Fund Missionaries when we arrived in El Salvador and did an outstanding job!
They returned home April 29, 2013, and have been visiting their children and grandchildren, along with being called to work in the Sacramento Temple. They were also called to teach a Senior Missionary Preparation Class, among other callings.
They were called as temple workers in Sacramento and then Elder Hall was called as a sealer and now he has been called to serve as a counselor in the Sacramento Temple Presidency beginning November 1.
Joanne has been taking some classes online from BYU-Idaho including math, finding it challenging but rewarding.
Rich added that she got all A's on a program for seniors called "Path----" (forgot the full title).
Walt and Eileen Petersen - live in Burley, Idaho
Then we told about what we are currently doing. We have been home for almost 10 months. Walt is healed from his total hip replacement surgery of February 20 after he tripped on a curb and fell the evening before. However, because his left leg has no feeling from a ruptured disc in his back in April 2012, he uses a walker for balance to keep from falling again.
He is still a sealer, without a specific assignment, but has been asked by a couple to seal them and their children the end of August.
We drive to the Temple in Twin Falls each Wednesday where we rendezvous with his brother and sister-in-law, Dale and Connie Petersen, to do an endowment session.
We have just returned from being with our daughter and husband, Jen and Jerry Brewer, for the baptism of their son Joshua. We had also enjoyed five days with them and our daughter Julie and her children at Island Park and Yellowstone Park five weeks ago.
We also enjoy visiting with our other children and grandchildren.
The Halls surprised everyone with the delicious individual pecan pies he bakes. They were good at coming up with these great serendipities in El Salvador, too. For one example, one of our Thanksgiving Dinners they couldn't come to but Joanne made darling little candy turkeys from oreo cookies and candy corns to put by each person's plate.
Looking for photo of Hermana Hall's candy turkeys.
Here we are all together. Trent Kitley and Diane Wall are going to send me photos of everyone taken from the tripod.
It was wonderful being with our temple missionary family again.
It makes us miss our local San Salavadorian friends all the more...like Presidente y Hna. Majano - Rafael y Aida
José and Ana Ruth Peña and Gabriel and Karla Méndez
Dale and Lisa Wegkamp.
Later that afternoon Dave came over to teach us how to use a glucometer to test my blood. He is such a good neighbor!
"That was an especially good program," Walt said of this week's broadcast.
Mr. Welk did these shows live from about 1955 to 1987. Since then they have been re-broadcast on the Public Broadcast Network.
Their slogan is "Over 50 Years on television."
Some of the songs from this week's show were: "You Make Me Feel So Young,"♪♫ "Young at Heart,"♫♪ "
August 16, 2015 - Sunday
We got to Church early. Just before Sacrament Meeting began, Christine Willich Heiner came in and told us that one of our dear neighbors had tripped on the curb and fallen. Her husband immediately took her home.
Walt called them as soon as Sacrament Meeting was over to see if she was all right. He said she had a big bump on her forehead, but was doing okay.
We hope she is doing better.
Tate Garrard gave a great talk as the youth speaker. He talked about James 1:5-6
James 1:5-6King James Version (KJV)
"5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
"6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed."
Tate gave some good points about prayer and ended with:
"I know if I pray in faith, I will receive answers."
Tawny Crane, a young mother of three, said she was given the scripture of Alma 60 to speak about. She shared a story of her losing her husband's ring in the grass as a family reunion. As she looked and looked for it, the thought came to her that she needed a metal detector.
Her reaction was that that was a crazy thought because no way did she have access to a metal detector.
She worried all night about it, then after prayer again, she pulled up on her phone "Boise - metal detector" and a name came up. She was able to hire his services and they went back out to by Anderson Dam Reservoir where the family reunion had been, and within five minutes the ring was found.
She said that Alma 60 talks about prayers being answered and she testified that her prayers have been answered.
McKay Gerratt played a medley of hymns on the piano. It was so well done and added to the spirit and peace of the Sacrament Meeting. His mission president is going to not only receive a great missionary when "Elder Gerratt" serves, but the bonus of one that plays the piano so well! McKay will be entering BYU in Provo soon. He is the outstanding son of Bishop Steve and Sister Michelle Gerratt.
Robert Watts was assigned to speak on "How Does Our Savior Know Me Personally?" and a talk by Robert Bateman from the Oct 2005 General Conference entitled: "A Pattern for All."
Brother Watts said he gained a strong love of the Gospel and his relationship with the Savior really blossomed on his mission.
He said the Savior joys in our strengths and sorrows in our weaknesses. He has known us for a long time; we are part of His Flock. He knows each one of us personally.
He concluded by sharing his testimony that the Book of Mormon is true, and that the Gospel is true, and that the Savior knows him personally.
Since there was 15 minutes left, Bishop Gerratt asked LaNada Kerbs, our new Relief Society President (since July 12) to come and share her testimony.
Sister Kerbs said she loves being in this ward of great people. She is grateful for the scriptures, which she reads morning and night. She is grateful to be worthy to go to the temple and do the temple work for people who are waiting on the other side for their temple ordinances to be done.
She is grateful for the Prophet, President Monson, whom she is learning about his amazing life by currently reading his biography.
She is grateful to serve in the Relief Society which is "more than I've ever been asked to do."
She is grateful for the restoration of the Church and knows that she can turn to the Savior in all her tribulations and trials.
Bishop Gerratt took the remaining few minutes to ask us to prepare for learning about what the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles have determined that the members of the Church need the most right now: proper Sabbath Day observance, all Sunday long.
He said that next Sunday the Priesthood and Relief Society lessons will be from a talk by Elder Russel Nelson on the Sabbath Day.
Then on August 30--the fifth Sunday of the month--Bishop Gerratt said he will also be teaching about the Sabbath Day.
The bishop promised us that if we prepare ourselves for this instruction we will receive revelation to each one of us specifically for our keeping the Sabbath day holy so that when the pressures of life build, we will be prepared.
Bishop Gerratt took the remaining few minutes to ask us to prepare for learning about what the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles have determined that the members of the Church need the most right now: proper Sabbath Day observance, all Sunday long.
He said that next Sunday the Priesthood and Relief Society lessons will be from a talk by Elder Russel Nelson on the Sabbath Day.
Then on August 30--the fifth Sunday of the month--Bishop Gerratt said he will also be teaching about the Sabbath Day.
The bishop promised us that we will receive revelation to each one of us specifically for our keeping the Sabbath day holy so that when the pressures of life build, we will be prepared.
Sister Fronk taught our Gospel Doctrine class for the last time. She has the gift to draw great discussion from many different class members. We all learned more about "God Is No Respecter of Persons" showing how the Gospel is for everyone on earth, not just a chosen few.
I had forgotten about how Peter was miraculously freed from prison by an angel. [Acts 12:6-10]
In Relief Society, Ann Harper did a good job giving her lesson from Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Ezra Taft Benson, Chapter 16: "The Elderly in the Church," of which both Walt and I are definitely part of at ages 81 and 76.
Here is the quote from the beginning of the lesson:
“May these golden years be your very best years as you fully live and love and serve. And God bless those who minister to your needs—your family, your friends, and your fellow Church members and leaders.”
Brother Watts said he gained a strong love of the Gospel and his relationship with the Savior really blossomed on his mission.
He said the Savior joys in our strengths and sorrows in our weaknesses. He has known us for a long time; we are part of His Flock. He knows each one of us personally.
He concluded by sharing his testimony that the Book of Mormon is true, and that the Gospel is true, and that the Savior knows him personally.
Since there was 15 minutes left, Bishop Gerratt asked LaNada Kerbs, our new Relief Society President (since July 12) to come and share her testimony.
Sister Kerbs said she loves being in this ward of great people. She is grateful for the scriptures, which she reads morning and night. She is grateful to be worthy to go to the temple and do the temple work for people who are waiting on the other side for their temple ordinances to be done.
She is grateful for the Prophet, President Monson, whom she is learning about his amazing life by currently reading his biography.
She is grateful to serve in the Relief Society which is "more than I've ever been asked to do."
She is grateful for the restoration of the Church and knows that she can turn to the Savior in all her tribulations and trials.
Bishop Gerratt took the remaining few minutes to ask us to prepare for learning about what the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles have determined that the members of the Church need the most right now: proper Sabbath Day observance, all Sunday long.
He said that next Sunday the Priesthood and Relief Society lessons will be from a talk by Elder Russel Nelson on the Sabbath Day.
Then on August 30--the fifth Sunday of the month--Bishop Gerratt said he will also be teaching about the Sabbath Day.
The bishop promised us that if we prepare ourselves for this instruction we will receive revelation to each one of us specifically for our keeping the Sabbath day holy so that when the pressures of life build, we will be prepared.
Bishop Gerratt took the remaining few minutes to ask us to prepare for learning about what the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles have determined that the members of the Church need the most right now: proper Sabbath Day observance, all Sunday long.
He said that next Sunday the Priesthood and Relief Society lessons will be from a talk by Elder Russel Nelson on the Sabbath Day.
Then on August 30--the fifth Sunday of the month--Bishop Gerratt said he will also be teaching about the Sabbath Day.
The bishop promised us that we will receive revelation to each one of us specifically for our keeping the Sabbath day holy so that when the pressures of life build, we will be prepared.
Exodus 20:8-11King James Version (KJV)
8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
9 Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work:
10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates:
11 For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day, and hallowed it.
Sister Fronk taught our Gospel Doctrine class for the last time. She has the gift to draw great discussion from many different class members. We all learned more about "God Is No Respecter of Persons" showing how the Gospel is for everyone on earth, not just a chosen few.
I had forgotten about how Peter was miraculously freed from prison by an angel. [Acts 12:6-10]
In Relief Society, Ann Harper did a good job giving her lesson from Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Ezra Taft Benson, Chapter 16: "The Elderly in the Church," of which both Walt and I are definitely part of at ages 81 and 76.
Here is the quote from the beginning of the lesson:
“May these golden years be your very best years as you fully live and love and serve. And God bless those who minister to your needs—your family, your friends, and your fellow Church members and leaders.”
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