Boyd K. Packer - President Quorum of the Twelve Apostles - He spoke about patriotism. We should be a patriotic people and pass this on to our children. We must have faith in Christ in these perilous times and always follow the laws of the land.
Russell M. Nelson - Quorum of the Twelve Apostles - Marriage between a man and a woman is sacred. Temple marriage is the highest and most enduring marriage. Temple marriage allows families to be together forever. Marriage between a man and woman is a divine commandment. Marriage is a partnership with God. Harmony in marriage comes after much loving selflessness. Temple marriage will continue to grow after this life - until it is perfected.
William D. Oswald - Second Counselor Sunday School General Presidency - When we learn how to teach, all of us can do it. Every position in the church requires an effective teacher. We have a sacred responsibility to learn some basic principles of teaching. We can watch other able teachers to attend leadership training meetings. "Teaching No Greater Call" is an excellent book for teachers to refer to. Christ was the master teacher. We can learn from the scriptures how He taught. He cited 3 principles essential to good teaching - 1. Show love to those you teach and call them by name. Greet your students by name. Show that you care about them individually. 2 - Teach from the scriptures. 3. Encourage the pondering of gospel truths. Ask students to ponder what they have been taught so that they might understand. Pondering involves not only using our head, but our hearts also. This invites personal revelation to come into the hearts of your students.
Eduardo Gavarret of the Seventy - Spoke of gathering together in our homes with our families. Home is a refuge. We can feel this same way by gathering together in our wards and stakes. He encouraged those who have left the church to come back and feel this refuge. He encouraged us to let our less active friends know that they are needed. We should "feed His sheep" and invite them to "come unto Christ".
Carlos A. Godoy of the Seventy - Sometimes we think that to have a testimony of the church we need to have some big, spiritual experience. Most times that isn't the case. Our testimonies can come to us in a whisper or a still small voice. The spirit doesn't usually get our attention by shouting. It is usually so quiet that if we are preoccupied, we can't hear it at all. He encouraged us to nurture our testimony and to share it with others.
Quentin L. Cook - Quorum of the Twelve Apostles - Heavenly Father cares for us in our times of need. We will all experience trials and tribulations in our lives. This life is not always easy - nor was it meant to be. Sometimes the things that are best for us seem the most bitter and the things that are forbidden seem to be the most desirable. Every cloud we see doesn't result in rain. The rain falls on the just as well as the unjust. He encouraged us to find someone who is having a hard time and do something for them.
Thomas S. Monson - President - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints - He asked us to remember the messages given during this conference. He urged us to study the messages and to ponder them. He reminded us that Heavenly Father is mindful of us and loves us. He asked us to be good citizens and good neighbors. He asked us to have integrity, to provide for those in need, to remember the youth and the lonely, to extend a helping hand and a loving heart. He bore his testimony and asked us to strive each day to follow the Savior's example.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
- MOVING ALYSSA
Today, while Kurt was at the General Priesthood Meeting, I helped Alyssa move some more of her things from her old apartment to her new one. She's taken a load over every day this week, but there's still quite a bit to move, including her kitchen table, book case, desk, and couches.
We loaded my car up with a lot of clothing, shoes, bedding and her stereo. We stopped at Deseret Book for Ladies Night and then went to Taco Bell for dinner.
Angie wanted some pictures of her apartment. This is the living room - minus the furniture.
Here is the dining room - minus the table and chairs.
The kitchen
Her bedroom - it's a one-bedroom apartment.
The bathroom. It's a really cute apartment. Small, but nice and clean and in a good area.
We watched a movie on her makeshift couch after we were done unloading my car. I'm still wondering where they'll put all of Alax's stuff when he moves in in January. She's taken over both closets and all of the bookshelves. Should be interesting ;)Saturday, October 4, 2008
- CONFERENCE NOTES - SATURDAY MORNING SESSION
I remember my Grandma always quoting the old Mormon cliche - "When the Saints meet, the Heavens weep." While that's usually the case in Utah during the General Conference of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it was also the case here in Placerville this morning. We woke up to rain. We're watching Conference on the BYU channel all cozy and warm on our couch. I love hearing from my church leaders and always come away feeling spiritually uplifted and wanting to be a better person. Below are notes of what stood out to me:
President Thomas S. Monson - President Monson opened the conference by saying that 3 new temples have been dedicated since last conference for a total of 128 temples around the world. He announced that 5 new temples will be built in Calgary, Alberta Canada - Cordova, Argentina - Kansas City area - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Rome, Italy. There was a pause and audible roar of the congregation. Rome, Italy!?!?!?!? How awesome is that?
L. Tom Perry - Quorum of the Twelve Apostles - Talked about life's tests, cycles of ups and downs and the stresses and strains of life. He encouraged us to remain positive and optimistic and to have hope that "the best is yet to come." He talked about simplifying our lifestyles. He said we have 4 basic needs - Food, Clothing, Shelter and Fuel. He expanded on each item. Food - He talked about the Word of Wisdom - Section 89 of Doctrine of Covenants. Clothing - He encouraged us to wear simple and modest clothing. He encouraged us to stay away from the latest trends and to be neat in our appearance. Shelter - He spoke of the current housing crisis. He encouraged us live within our means and stay out of debt. He said it's a good idea to earn interest rather than to pay it. Fuel - He related this to spiritual fuel. We should have plenty of spiritual reserves so that when we have tests and trials we won't lose our faith during difficult challenges.
Silvia H. Allred - First Counselor Relief Society General Presidency - She spoke about missionary work and how we can be better missionaries. She shared her conversion story and experiences from her mission. She said if we understood the far reaching impact of one person's conversion we would be more willing to share the gospel. It continues to bless for generations. God loves all of His Children. Our message of the gospel is the most important gift we have to give. She encouraged us to be good neighbors and friends, to be happy and smile.
Neil L. Andersen, Presidency of the Seventy - He talked about finding our spiritual footing and how to deal with inadequacy and doubt. He suggested that step-by-step and line upon line is the best way to grown spiritually and to gain knowledge. He said we don't have to know everything, we just need to know enough. He said that the most priceless piece of spiritual knowledge that we can have is the knowledge that God loves us.
Marcos A. Aidukaitis of the Seventy - He spoke of his father's conversion and baptism in 1940. He said this event changed his life. He expressed gratitude for his father's decision to join the church in spite of the difficulties he faced. His said his father's conversion was because he read the Book of Mormon prayerfully. He talked about how powerful the Book of Mormon is in changing lives and bringing us to Christ. He encouraged us to read the Book of Mormon and ponder it's message, to pray with faith to receive a testimony of it and to act upon the things we learn by reading this book.
Dallin H. Oaks - Quorum of the Twelve Apostles - Spoke about the ordinance of the Sacrament. He said that Sacrament Meeting is the most important meeting in the church. He talked about individual reverence and worship in Sacrament Meeting. We should prepare ourselves to participate in the ordinance of the Sacrament by bringing a broken heart and a contrite spirit to Sacrament meeting. We should be seated before the meeting begins. Sacrament meeting is not a time for conversation but of quiet meditation. We should dress appropriately when participating in the ordinance of the Sacrament. We should dress as if we were attending the temple. We should concentrate on worship and refrain from other activities. It's not a time for reading books or magazines. We shouldn't text message on cell phones. Music should be for worship and not for performance. Those who prepare, bless and pass the sacrament should do so reverently. They should be worthy to participate in this ordinance. They should be well groomed and modestly dressed (white shirts preferred).
Dieter F. Uchtdorf - Second Counselor, First Presidency - Spoke about how to move forward in the face of discouragement, fear, worry or loneliness. His answer was to have hope. He quoted the scriptures on the importance of hope. Hope is a gift of the spirit. Hope is a commandment and we have the responsibility to make it a part of our lives. Despair is the opposite of hope. The adversary uses despair to drain from us all hope. Hope is a like a beam of sunlight. It pierces the darkness. Hope is not knowledge but an abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill his promises to us. It is believing that our prayers will be answered. With hope we can have happiness. We should hope for things that are beyond the horizon of mortality. Hope leads to good works. There will be times when we are required to have hope when all around us contradicts this attitude. The brighter our hope, the greater our faith. The stronger our hope the purer our charity. Faith, Hope and Charity work together to lead us to good works.
President Thomas S. Monson - President Monson opened the conference by saying that 3 new temples have been dedicated since last conference for a total of 128 temples around the world. He announced that 5 new temples will be built in Calgary, Alberta Canada - Cordova, Argentina - Kansas City area - Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Rome, Italy. There was a pause and audible roar of the congregation. Rome, Italy!?!?!?!? How awesome is that?
L. Tom Perry - Quorum of the Twelve Apostles - Talked about life's tests, cycles of ups and downs and the stresses and strains of life. He encouraged us to remain positive and optimistic and to have hope that "the best is yet to come." He talked about simplifying our lifestyles. He said we have 4 basic needs - Food, Clothing, Shelter and Fuel. He expanded on each item. Food - He talked about the Word of Wisdom - Section 89 of Doctrine of Covenants. Clothing - He encouraged us to wear simple and modest clothing. He encouraged us to stay away from the latest trends and to be neat in our appearance. Shelter - He spoke of the current housing crisis. He encouraged us live within our means and stay out of debt. He said it's a good idea to earn interest rather than to pay it. Fuel - He related this to spiritual fuel. We should have plenty of spiritual reserves so that when we have tests and trials we won't lose our faith during difficult challenges.
Silvia H. Allred - First Counselor Relief Society General Presidency - She spoke about missionary work and how we can be better missionaries. She shared her conversion story and experiences from her mission. She said if we understood the far reaching impact of one person's conversion we would be more willing to share the gospel. It continues to bless for generations. God loves all of His Children. Our message of the gospel is the most important gift we have to give. She encouraged us to be good neighbors and friends, to be happy and smile.
Neil L. Andersen, Presidency of the Seventy - He talked about finding our spiritual footing and how to deal with inadequacy and doubt. He suggested that step-by-step and line upon line is the best way to grown spiritually and to gain knowledge. He said we don't have to know everything, we just need to know enough. He said that the most priceless piece of spiritual knowledge that we can have is the knowledge that God loves us.
Marcos A. Aidukaitis of the Seventy - He spoke of his father's conversion and baptism in 1940. He said this event changed his life. He expressed gratitude for his father's decision to join the church in spite of the difficulties he faced. His said his father's conversion was because he read the Book of Mormon prayerfully. He talked about how powerful the Book of Mormon is in changing lives and bringing us to Christ. He encouraged us to read the Book of Mormon and ponder it's message, to pray with faith to receive a testimony of it and to act upon the things we learn by reading this book.
Dallin H. Oaks - Quorum of the Twelve Apostles - Spoke about the ordinance of the Sacrament. He said that Sacrament Meeting is the most important meeting in the church. He talked about individual reverence and worship in Sacrament Meeting. We should prepare ourselves to participate in the ordinance of the Sacrament by bringing a broken heart and a contrite spirit to Sacrament meeting. We should be seated before the meeting begins. Sacrament meeting is not a time for conversation but of quiet meditation. We should dress appropriately when participating in the ordinance of the Sacrament. We should dress as if we were attending the temple. We should concentrate on worship and refrain from other activities. It's not a time for reading books or magazines. We shouldn't text message on cell phones. Music should be for worship and not for performance. Those who prepare, bless and pass the sacrament should do so reverently. They should be worthy to participate in this ordinance. They should be well groomed and modestly dressed (white shirts preferred).
Dieter F. Uchtdorf - Second Counselor, First Presidency - Spoke about how to move forward in the face of discouragement, fear, worry or loneliness. His answer was to have hope. He quoted the scriptures on the importance of hope. Hope is a gift of the spirit. Hope is a commandment and we have the responsibility to make it a part of our lives. Despair is the opposite of hope. The adversary uses despair to drain from us all hope. Hope is a like a beam of sunlight. It pierces the darkness. Hope is not knowledge but an abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill his promises to us. It is believing that our prayers will be answered. With hope we can have happiness. We should hope for things that are beyond the horizon of mortality. Hope leads to good works. There will be times when we are required to have hope when all around us contradicts this attitude. The brighter our hope, the greater our faith. The stronger our hope the purer our charity. Faith, Hope and Charity work together to lead us to good works.
CONFERENCE NOTES - SATURDAY AFTERNOON SESSION
Joseph B. Wirthlin - Quorum of the Twelve Apostles - Spoke about learning from our difficulties. He quoted his mother who was known to say, "Come what may and love it." He said the way we react to adversity can be a major factor in how happy and successful we can be. He suggested a few things we can do when things get tough: 1- Laugh. You will extend your life and make the lives of those around you more enjoyable. 2- Seek for things eternal. The Savior told Joseph Smith that his afflictions would be but a small moment.... 3- Understand the principle of compensation. The Lord compensates the faithful for every loss - maybe not at a time that we desire, but the compensation will come. 4- Put our trust in Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ. Heavenly Father wants us to be happy. He will comfort and strengthen us if we put our trust in Him.
Jeffrey R. Holland - Quorum of the Twelve Apostles - God uses Angels to convey love and concern for His children. Usually such beings are not seen - sometimes they are. Sometimes they have messages for many - other times their messages are very private. He spoke of the troubled times in which we live and testified that angels are still sent to help us. He asked us to take heart and have faith. The latter days are not a time to fear and tremble. Angels will bless us in times of need. He reminded us that angels are not always from beyond the veil. Some of them walk with us daily (friends, parents, spouses, etc). God never leaves us unaided and alone. He never has and He never will.
Gerald Causse of the Seventy - Spoke of the principle of knowledge. The glory of God is intelligence. God adapts Himself to the level of our understanding. We should become as little children. Children understand with faith, simplicity and clarity. We should become humble as a little child. Our knowledge of God doesn't depend on the amount of information we accumulate. Knowing God is a matter of opening our hearts. It's having a testimony of His existence. It's accepting Christ as our Savior.
Lawrence E. Corbridge of the Seventy - Shared his testimony of Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father. We should keep the commandments. The gospel is the source of joy, peace, knowledge and every good thing. Everything depends on getting and keeping the power of the Holy Ghost in our lives. The Lord's way is not hard - life is hard. We have 2 choices - we can follow the Lord and have His help or we can go it alone without His support. Which way is easier? He encouraged us to get on the path and never give up. Jesus Christ is the way - every and any other way is "madness".
D. Todd Christofferson - Quorum of the Twelve Apostles - Today the Lord's people are gathering. The Lord calls upon us to be beacons of righteousness - that others will desire to gather with us. We should become a Zion people. Zion = One heart and one mind, dwelling in righteousness with no poor among us. Zion is the pure in heart. We must rise to this standard. We must become unified. We must become individually and collectively a Holy people. We must care for the poor and need to eliminate poverty. Are we free from strife and contention? Do we measure up to the stature of our true potential? The Prophet Joseph said, "We ought to have the building up of Zion as our greatest object."
David A. Bednar - Quorum of the Twelve Apostles - Discussed how prayer becomes more meaningful as we counsel with the Lord in all our doings. We are commanded to pray always to the Father in the name of the Son for all that is right and good. We can receive revelations and knowledge through prayer. We should have meaningful morning prayer. It sets the tone for our day. In our prayers we should recognize our weaknesses and pray for strength to do better. We should keep a prayer in our hearts throughout the rest of the day. We should humbly recognize answers to our prayers and then express gratitude to our Heavenly Father. Our evening prayer builds upon and is a continuation of our morning prayer. Our prayers throughout the day are not separate events. They should be linked together. Prayer becomes more meaningful as we express heartfelt gratitude. We should give thanks in all things. The most meaningful and spiritual prayers are prayers of sincere gratitude. We should confess His hand in all things. We should periodically offer prayers where we ask for nothing and only express gratitude with all the energy of our hearts. Prayer becomes more meaningful as we pray for others with real intent and a sincere heart. We are blessed when we pray for others. Do our spouses, children and others feel the power of our prayers when we pray for them in faith and sincerity? Our families should hear our prayers in their behalf.
Jeffrey R. Holland - Quorum of the Twelve Apostles - God uses Angels to convey love and concern for His children. Usually such beings are not seen - sometimes they are. Sometimes they have messages for many - other times their messages are very private. He spoke of the troubled times in which we live and testified that angels are still sent to help us. He asked us to take heart and have faith. The latter days are not a time to fear and tremble. Angels will bless us in times of need. He reminded us that angels are not always from beyond the veil. Some of them walk with us daily (friends, parents, spouses, etc). God never leaves us unaided and alone. He never has and He never will.
Gerald Causse of the Seventy - Spoke of the principle of knowledge. The glory of God is intelligence. God adapts Himself to the level of our understanding. We should become as little children. Children understand with faith, simplicity and clarity. We should become humble as a little child. Our knowledge of God doesn't depend on the amount of information we accumulate. Knowing God is a matter of opening our hearts. It's having a testimony of His existence. It's accepting Christ as our Savior.
Lawrence E. Corbridge of the Seventy - Shared his testimony of Jesus Christ and Heavenly Father. We should keep the commandments. The gospel is the source of joy, peace, knowledge and every good thing. Everything depends on getting and keeping the power of the Holy Ghost in our lives. The Lord's way is not hard - life is hard. We have 2 choices - we can follow the Lord and have His help or we can go it alone without His support. Which way is easier? He encouraged us to get on the path and never give up. Jesus Christ is the way - every and any other way is "madness".
D. Todd Christofferson - Quorum of the Twelve Apostles - Today the Lord's people are gathering. The Lord calls upon us to be beacons of righteousness - that others will desire to gather with us. We should become a Zion people. Zion = One heart and one mind, dwelling in righteousness with no poor among us. Zion is the pure in heart. We must rise to this standard. We must become unified. We must become individually and collectively a Holy people. We must care for the poor and need to eliminate poverty. Are we free from strife and contention? Do we measure up to the stature of our true potential? The Prophet Joseph said, "We ought to have the building up of Zion as our greatest object."
David A. Bednar - Quorum of the Twelve Apostles - Discussed how prayer becomes more meaningful as we counsel with the Lord in all our doings. We are commanded to pray always to the Father in the name of the Son for all that is right and good. We can receive revelations and knowledge through prayer. We should have meaningful morning prayer. It sets the tone for our day. In our prayers we should recognize our weaknesses and pray for strength to do better. We should keep a prayer in our hearts throughout the rest of the day. We should humbly recognize answers to our prayers and then express gratitude to our Heavenly Father. Our evening prayer builds upon and is a continuation of our morning prayer. Our prayers throughout the day are not separate events. They should be linked together. Prayer becomes more meaningful as we express heartfelt gratitude. We should give thanks in all things. The most meaningful and spiritual prayers are prayers of sincere gratitude. We should confess His hand in all things. We should periodically offer prayers where we ask for nothing and only express gratitude with all the energy of our hearts. Prayer becomes more meaningful as we pray for others with real intent and a sincere heart. We are blessed when we pray for others. Do our spouses, children and others feel the power of our prayers when we pray for them in faith and sincerity? Our families should hear our prayers in their behalf.
Early this morning I taught seminary. I have the wonderful opportunity to substitute occasionally when the regular teachers have in-service meetings etc. This morning we played a scripture mastery review game that the kids love - "In The Box". I forgot to take my camera! We had a great time and reviewed quite a few of the New Testament scripture mastery scriptures. Little did I know that later in the day these same students would be on lock-down at the high school when someone reported that a student had a handgun and was planning to use it. The students were asked to stay in their classrooms, in the dark, while police searched for the alleged gunman. I'm sure the 2 + hour ordeal was a very scary experience for the students there. I'm happy that nobody was hurt and that everyone is safe.
After seminary Kurt and I went to Home Depot to get supplies for a shelter for Rusty and Rolly. Yes, we're spending MORE money on our goats ;) The rain is supposed to start this afternoon so Kurt wants to make sure they have somewhere to stay dry. (Their previous owner told us that they hate the rain and will cry, whine and bleat until it stops).
Home Depot is Kurt's favorite place to hang out. I went with him this morning to help him focus. He's been known to spend hours there just browsing.
Trying to find some straight 2x4's.
In the load zone.
Hurry, hurry Kurt. The rain's coming!
Well, he didn't finish it completely before the rain sent him running for cover, but it'll keep the boys dry.
Rolly and Rusty - snug as bugs in a rug.
Meanwhile, back in the house, I have a little construction project of my own. I assembled a new CD holder I bought this morning.
Later I organized, by category, some of my CD's. I love music!
When Kurt came in, he helped me assemble this TV stand for our bedroom. Our DVD player has been sitting on the floor for months. It's always interesting when we have to point the remote control at the floor to change the channel on the TV.
We decided to stay in for date night tonight. It just seemed like the right thing to do with the nasty weather and all. We made homemade pizza dough and sauce and made a combination pizza....
and a chicken alfredo pizza. They were delicious!
For weeks now, Kurt has been hinting that he's craving pineapple upside down cake. In our 28 years of marriage, I never knew he loved this dessert. I've never made one before, in fact, I've never tasted p.u.c. before. I found a recipe on allrecipes.com and made one tonight. It was OUT OF THIS WORLD! We served it with whipped cream. Kurt was a happy camper. Below is the recipe:PINEAPPLE UPSIDE-DOWN CAKE
- 1 (10 ounce) jar maraschino cherries, drained
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup flaked coconut
- 1 (20 ounce) can sliced pineapple, drained with juice reserved
- 1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained with juice reserved
- 1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat the bottoms and sides of each 9 inch round cake pan with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Sprinkle the bottom of each pan with 1/2 cup of brown sugar.
- In one of the pans, sprinkle coconut over the brown sugar. Lay pineapple rings in a single layer on top of coconut. Place a cherry in the center of each ring. In the other pan, spread the drained crushed pineapple.
- Mix the cake as directed on package, but substitute reserved pineapple juice in place of water. Divide batter between the 2 pans. Remember which pan has the pineapple rings in it.
- Bake for 40 to 50 minutes in the preheated oven, or until a toothpick inserted into cake comes out clean. Cool in pans for 20 minutes.
- While the bottoms of the cake pans are still warm to the touch, invert the layer with the crushed pineapple out onto a serving dish, then gently invert the layer with the pineapple rings on top of it for a dazzling two layer pineapple upside down cake.
Friday, October 3, 2008
- BLACK BEAN SALSA
This morning I got up early and made black bean salsa to take to work. It was a big hit. This is a recipe my mother-in-law gave me. It's always a favorite at our house and everyone always asks for the recipe.
BLACK BEAN SALSA
1/4 to 1/2 bunch cilantro (I use 1/4 - but whatever you prefer)
1 bunch green onions
6 roma tomatoes
1 can black beans (drained but not rinsed)
2 avocados (soft but not ripe)
1 envelope Good Seasons Italian Salad Dressing Mix (prepared according to package directions - 1/4 cup vinegar, 3 TBLS water, 1/2 cup vegetable oil)
Chop cilantro and onions and roma tomatoes. Add beans, chopped avocados and italian dressing. Mix well and chill until ready to serve. Serve with tortilla chips. This is VERY addicting!
Thursday, October 2, 2008
- HALLOWEEN DECORATIONS
Tonight, after work, I drove down to Rancho Cordova and went with Tara to a vinyl workshop. Her friend from church has a vinyl lettering business and teaches a monthly workshop. We made these cute Halloween decorations. It was a fun night. Can't wait to see what she has up her sleeve for next month!
You can check out her website at:
http://christensenvinyl.com/
You can check out her website at:
http://christensenvinyl.com/
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