Traces of Time . . . March 14-20, 2016

Traces of Time . . .

This week 

~ March 14, 2016 
to 
March 20, 2016

in IDAHO ~

March 14, 2016 - Monday ~ ~ 

  This morning we woke up to snow.

Lon and Nancy Thompson drove over to Burley from Jerome and we rendezvoused with Dave and Marilyn Gibbons to have lunch together.

My camera card went biserk and instead of loading the 6 or 7 photos I took today it keeps insisting that there are "2086" current photos to load.

  So I guess the photos I took from Friday to Monday will be frozen on the camera card.

I think Nancy is going to send us the one photo from the Canton Asian Buffet she took of we six having lunch together.

It's always great to be together with those temple missionaries who served with us in the San Salvador El Salvador Temple during our time there from July 2011 through October 2014.

For Family Home Evening most of the time I spent on getting the invitation out for our Serendipity Book Club this Thursday.

Walt and I did have a good conversation with each other about family matters.  We love being together and are sad that not all married couples enjoy being with each other.

March 15, 2016 - Tuesday ~ ~ 

I had been asked to bake and bring a 2-layer cake to the Burley 3rd Ward Relief Society Dinner tonight.  I was hoping to have it baked and frosted by noon, but that didn't happen.

I could only find one round cake pan, so dashed over to King's and got a set of new ones.  And then I drove out to Walmart to buy a new camera card.

I did have the cake ready to go by 6:00 for the 6:30 start of the festivities.  Walt snapped a photo of me just as I was ready to leave.

Bonnie Fronk was in charge and had five sisters bring nice table settings for 8 at the round tables to serve 40...and that's

just how many came.

These are the sisters who were there when I arrived.

Left to right: Bonnie,  Alice, Marilyn, Karen, Philipa, Megan, Emily.  
Diane Fluckiger had decorated this beautiful table.

Here is Diane packing her treasures away after the dinner is over.

Here is another lovely table, that was decorated by Bonnie Fronk.

This third elegant table was decorated by Alice Hansen. I wish I had shown the entire centerpiece.  It was a bouquet of purple flowers on the top of three beautiful gold boxes.

Here is Alice as she had just finished carefully packing her dishes and goblets to take home after the festivities were over.  Now you can see the flowers.

This next pretty table was decorated by G'lenn Bloxham.  
G'lenn is a wonderful new addition to our Burley 3rd Ward.

G'lenn told me that the hats were her grandmother's and mother's, along with their gloves and pearls that they wore when they were dressed up to go to town.  Karen Garner, who chose her grandmother to talk about as her "woman of strength" told how her grandmother would dress up in her hat, gloves, and mink or squirrel stole to go to town.

This next fun table was decorated by Marilyn Gibbons.  She is in the first photo I took of these festivities.
We appreciate these sisters going the extra mile to pack and carry their nice dishes, silverware, goblets, and centerpieces over and back to add such glamour to our Relief Society Birthday Dinner tonight.

Here are some of the sisters during the dinner.  A delicious chicken salad was served with croissants, orange wedges, and fresh veggies.  (I must have hit some wrong button on the camera to get this "rose-colored" hue.)

They also wanted a less-formal pose.  My camera wasn't doing the lighting correctly for some reason...but then for the rest of the photos it was okay.)

Here is another table of sisters dining.  Sister Kathy Marker was given some nice compliments about how she always makes sure everyone is included and is willing to help wherever needed.

The sisters enjoyed being together and talking to each other during this special Relief Society Birthday Dinner.

Sister Michelle Gerratt, our bishop's wife, (on the front right) gave a touching talk on "The Strength of Women," by sharing how she had put her whole trust in the Lord during a stressful time in her life.  She also quoted from President Russell Nelson's talk about "Sisters" from the October 2015 General Conference.

Sister Gerratt shared 1 Nephi 17:    that she said helped teach her where we women get our strength -- from the Lord!

The inspirational program had several sisters tell about a woman of strength in their life.

Karen Garner chose her grandmother, ________?Duncan.

Lois Detton chose her mother, _______ Merrill.

Alisha Burgess chose her mother-in-law Janiece Burgess.

Sister Detton began her remarks by reading about "My Mother's Apron."

Here's a couple of versions of "Mother's Apron."
This is most like what Lois read:

This is the same idea in an actual rhyming poem "Mother's Apron."

Sister Bonnie Fronk ended the program by showing us the painting of a woman with all the angels who are helping give her strength.   She asked us to each write a note of gratitude to a woman of strength in our life.

We were strengthen as women, being together and hearing these women from our ward teach and inspire us at our Relief Society Birthday Dinner.

And several of us received fun "birthday gifts" as we answered questions about the Relief Society organization.

How many years since it has been organized? 174 I won the gift for that -- some nice note cards with scriptures on them.

When was it organized? March 17, 1842 

Who organized it? Joseph Smith

Who was the first president? Emma Smith

Who was made the Relief Society president after they arrived in the Salt Lake Valley? Eliza R Snow

   And several other questions.
Who was chosen as the Relief Society President in February 1978 when parts of 5 wards were joined to make a new Burley 3rd Ward? -- Ruth Melling.  Marilyn Gibbons won that.

We thank Sister Bonnie Fronk, her committee, and our wonderful Burley 3rd Ward Relief Society Presidency for this outstanding evening together.  Photo: Front l-r: Bonnie Fronk, LaNada Kerba; back row-Megan Helms, Emily Hill, Amber Grayson.

And then, with all the sisters pitching in to help clear the tables and gather everything up....our Burley 3rd Ward Relief Society Birthday Evening was over.   ...But happy memories will linger on, as we continue to remember to be 

"Women of Strength!"

Thanks for the inspirational evening and memories . . .

March 16, 2016 - Wednesday ~ ~

We rendezvoused with Dale & Connie at the temple for a 3:00 p.m. session.

Connie took a photo of Walt and me.  Then we had supper at The Outback.  It was still light when we got home at 8:00.

March 17, 2016 - Thursday ~ ~ Happy St. Patrick's Day

Walt wore his green shirt...

 ...and I wore my green shamrock shirt that Jen bought for me.

Walt showed me that not one leaf was left in the lilac bushes after Tom and Irene cleaned them out as a surprise for us while we were gone to Utah.  What great neighbors!

Tonight was our Serendipity Book Club...
Bonnie Fronk, Karen Robins, June Tilley, and Karma Lambert shared what they learned at Time Out For Women at Idaho Falls last week.
The conclusion was that we are all women of unity, women of one heart.

Here's 13 of the 14 gals attending.  
The three in front are: Bonnie, Judy, June. 
In back: Karen, Delores, Karma--our hostess, Terri, Marilyn, Jennie, Ilene, Carol, Kathy, Bonnie.

Karma served delicious, nutritious green smoothies as we each arrived that her daughter Susan Kloepfer came over and made.  And I can't believe I didn't take a photo of them.

Recipe for one batch: 1 can concentrate apple juice, 2 bananas, a handful of fresh spinach, and ice cubes.

Here are the same gals while Bonnie took the photo with me on the left end of the second row: Eileen.

March 18, 2016 - Friday ~ ~ 

Walt worked on the fence again today.

He puts boards up and then takes some down that aren't in the right position.

I hung out the sheets and pillow cases on the clothes line, even though I had dried them in the dryer.  A little time there gives them that wonderful, fresh outdoor fragrance.

March 19, 2016 - Saturday ~ ~ 

Ready to work some more on the fence.

It's going to be finished someday.

I keep throwing coal and fire wood back up on the pile so Walt won't trip on it.  Walt put up this thin rope to help hold onto so he doesn't fall.

We watched some of the NCAA March madness basketball games...then Lawrence Welk before getting to bed early.

    On Brian's family and friends NCAA "It's March Ya'll"--out of 14, tonight I'm #7, and Walt's #14.  And I'm the one who tries to be last, so no one else has to be at the bottom.

March 20, 2016 - Sunday ~ ~ 

Happy First Day of . . .

We watched Music & the Spoken Word before breakfast this morning.

This is what we saw going into the south entrance of our 3rd-7th Wards building:

After our Church block for Burley 3rd Ward from 10:50 to 1:50, we had a quick dinner, then went home teaching to David and Alice Hansen.  Ethan was also there with them while his Mom, Christine, is out of town for an educational seminar.

    

David & Marilyn Gibbons picked us up at 4:30 to drive to Twin Falls to the annual Temple Devotional.

It was very inspirational and increased our faith.  I didn't get any photos.  Sometimes I have a brain freeze and forget I have my camera with me.

So when we got home, I got this photo of Walt as he took off his tie he has had on since 9:30 this morning.

Walt took this photo of me...

Here is the sunset as this first day of Spring was nearing an end as we drove back to Burley from the Twin Falls Temple.

As this Sabbath Day ends, we share our testimony, along with several others we have heard this day...
    ...including from our Relief Society teacher Bonnie Fronk and Elaine Anderson (who was a counselor to Bonnie several years in our Burley 3rd Ward Relief Society).

Bonnie gave a great lesson today on the Atonement and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Heavenly Father lives and loves each one of us.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, also lives and loves us.  He and His Father know each one of us and know us by name.

The Holy Ghost, the third member of the Godhead, also loves and guides us personally.

Joseph Smith is the Prophet of the Restoration.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been restored to the earth in its fullness.

President Thomas S. Monson is the living Prophet today for the whole world.

The Book of Mormon is another Testament of Jesus Christ.
The Bible is the word of God as far as it is translated correctly.

We are here to be tested, help our fellowman, and have charity and love in our hearts for everyone.  It's also a blessing if we can marry and bring Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother's spirit children to the earth.

Heavenly Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost are waiting to help us in all our needs.  They are waiting for us to ask them, come unto them, and always follow them.

Because of the restored Temple Priesthood ordinances, we can be together with our families forever.

Of this we testify, in the name of Jesus Christ.  Amen.

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