My husband and I are two different people who look at the world in two completely different ways. I am always scouting everyone and everything around me to see who might need help or if there is danger. Erik’s motto has been, “Nothing is ever as bad as it seems, and nothing is ever as good as it seems.” Whereas I take great delight in little things and in events. When he took a personality test at his job years ago during a course, Erik was basically a flatline in the middle of the chart. Nothing really bothers him, but then nothing ever gets him super excited. This week was a time of reflection for me and looking at how closely we can work together yet think very differently.

EFY (Especially for Youth) was back in Palmyra. The youth take great joy in coming to the temple. They tell me and their leaders that coming to the temple is the highlight of their week at EFY. On the first day, I was checking the youth into the session and while I was waiting for everyone to gather and make sure they had everything they needed, a young lad of fourteen years of age, says to me, “Hey, Cheryl!” This was done in a flirty manner and I was a little shocked! First of all, who is brave enough to say that to a woman in the temple and second of all, I am a grandma!! He had this look on his face of oh, oh, am I in trouble? Then I smiled at him and high fived him. That little imp needs to use his powers for good. I learned that he and a buddy had already caused a rucus at EFY and it was only day two. Their leader said that they had slept in the bus from the Hill Cumorah to the temple (a five minute ride). I said to her, “You know they were up all night and finally hit the wall?”

Being able to chat and share experiences with them is such a joy. One girl who drove with her mom from Mississppi, told me that she had been to a few temples but when she entered the Palmyra temple, she was immediately overwhelmed by the spirit of the temple. That is the power of Palmyra. Knowing what occurred only a quarter mile away in the Sacred Grove is what brings people to this area to feel the spirit.

The temple maintenance manager needed a couple of pairs of pants hemmed. There is a saying, “Don’t ever ask a quilter to hem your pants!” It didn’t take me long to decide to help him out. He had left a note on them about where the belt was compared to the floor. I called him and asked him what measurement his inseam was. Poor Brad wasn’t sure what that was so I talked him through it. Then Erik said that we should just drive up to the maintenance barn and see him in person. Brad had told me that he thought his inseam was 24 inches. I said, “I don’t think so because that would make you a gorilla!” We had a lovely visit with Brad and learned more about his life. I now know that I will hem the pants to a 28 inch inseam. He was close but four inches is a big deal, hahaha! I always look at people and notice the length of their torsos and legs. Many of us are very disproportionate to a degree and you will recognize that when you are shopping for clothes. The perils of being a seamstress and a quilter are always watching and figuring measurements out.

While walking around town this week, I spotted the most amazing tree. It’s called the Silk Tree also known as the Mimosa Tree. When I read up on the characteristics of this tree, it is simply a tree that we all could use for medicinal purposes, skin and garden. We couldn’t grow it in Alberta because we don’t have the growing zones for it.

On Friday, we decided to go to Penn Yan and scout around. That area is home to Amish and Mennonite communities. Erik and I went to Golden Lane fabric store first. This is a Mennonite store that supplies fabric for dressmaking as well as quilting. They also sell the men’s suits and hats, oh, so many types of hats worn by the Mennonites. Even women’s bonnets were for sale. I did purchase an apron pattern that the owner had drawn up and was selling for $1.70. I was able to purchase some hankies that had scriptures printed on them with beautiful artwork. I use them to wipe my brow and neck (like a lady, hahaha).

We went to another Mennonite grocery store/cafe called Oak Hill. I picked up a few grocery items and then we were on our way to another shop. You can find these little shops on the farms where they live. They will carry household goods as well as sewing notions, fabric and baby supplies as well as toys.

Then it was time to go waterfall hunting. Erik had Google Maps take us to Cascade Falls, but Google wanted to take us through a farm that led to a cliff with a two-hundred-foot drop to the falls. The farmer gave us correct directions, and off we went. We parked and walked to the falls. It was an easy walk, but it was quite humid because of the intermittent rain showers. There was a nice little pavilion that is at the bottom of Cascade Falls.

From there, we drove to the next point to see Seneca Mills Falls. The trail was quite well defined and made for good bike riding, horseback riding, walking, or running. This is part of the Keuka Lake Outlet Trail. I spotted some little red berry bushes and told Erik not to do any sampling. He was slightly offended and said that he had no plans to eat those berries. They are called Morrow’s Honeysuckle, with mildly toxic effects to humans if consumed. They are toxic to dogs and cats. These Finger Lakes are phenomenal, and it’s interesting to imagine what the glaciers did as they gouged out these areas.

On our way home we stopped at one more Mennonite store. This one was run by a single lady who does alterations and sells homegoods from the store. I loved the hitching post outside for the horse and buggies to be parked. It was laundry day for many families and the clotheslines were so picturesque. With the rain showers, many loads were getting a second special rinse.

Erik decided to bake a loaf of bread on Saturday after our shift. He said, “It’s not the prettiest loaf but it’ll be good anyway.” It was a very tasty loaf. I had made Dr. Berg’s recipe last week and those loaves were really good. I liked Dr. Berg’s recipe because it was very low carbohydrates. My blood glucose is not playing nice and I have arranged for extraordinary blood work to get the bottom of this issue and probably other issues. I will have to go to Auburn for the lab work but we must do what we can to stay healthy. Auburn is an hour east of us.

It’s amazing to think that we have been on our mission for four months. While I was in the temple, I met a lady who looked at my nametag and said, “There’s a Cheryl Naglis in Alberta.” I said, “That’s ME!” Her daughter had served two times in the Lacombe Ward while we were there. Then on the day that Sarah was married in the Calgary temple, I was working a shift and was able to see her in all her wedding finery. What a joy to see her on her wedding day! She told her mother-in-law and mom that I was the lady who told her not to settle for just any guy; but the perfect guy will find you and honor who you are. It was delightful to be able to visit with Sarah’s parents and get a photo outside of the temple together.

Take time to notice all the things in your life. It’s important to be aware and see where you can help another person. One of the measures of our manner of living is how we treat others when no one is watching. Kindness and love are the manner in which we need to live. Sweep the negativity right out of your door (not even under the mat). We need to not hide our light under a bushel but let it shine to the world.

Choose to be a light and have a wonderful week with joy and kindness.

It has been a week of feelings of inadequacy as well as tender mercies. Sometimes there are things that occur that make us shake our heads and wonder how we got ourselves into that pickle. We can blame ourselves and, of course the adversary wants us to have self doubt and think that we are failures. On the other hand, our father in heaven knows our potential and is so forgiving with our errors. So many times, I am shown the quote:

If you think you’ve blown God’s plan for your life, rest in this. You, my beautiful friend, are not that powerful.

Think on this quote and it’s a clear reminder that God’s plan will not be thwarted and you are His child and can overcome all things. God’s plans will always be greater and more beautiful than all your disappointments.

Our grandsons who live on Vancouver Island have been wanting a Ninja Creami for the past two years and they have been saving money to purchase one. Simultaneously, Erik and I both said, “Let’s buy a Creami for them!” Erik went online and found that Costco had them on sale and he ordered one and had it delivered to their address. Then we discovered that they were planning a trip to Alberta for a sibling get-together. The delivery was delayed by a day and we were anxiously waiting to see if the timing would work out. Meanwhile our daughter and son-in-law were purchasing a house on their street for additional rental income. Lots of stress was happening in their home as everyone was watching events play out that were mind boggling. When our daughter saw the UPS truck pull up, she took a photo and then was shocked to see the Ninja Creami box. She covered the box with a sheet and later the boys were able to uncover it and there was some serious joy in their household. Our daughter said that it was the perfect thing to happen while the world swirled around them and stress ensued. The next morning, they were on the ferry heading to the mainland.

We have been waiting for boats to stop in at the Palmyra inlet and Erik was able to catch one that was mooring for the night. He was able to chat with the couple and learned about their experience on the canal.

https://www.houseboating.org/Harriet-Houseboat

It’s a cute little houseboat and the website shows you what it entails with the details about the Erie Canal and what you can experience.

We received news that our grandpuppy, Jeff, had run his course on earth. Jeff was a Great Dane mix rescue puppy. Our son Braeden needed some companionship and brought Jeff home in February of 2019. He was born near the end of November 2018. We have many special memories of Jeff and his short life. Jeff was an epic dog and I have decided to write a book about him. We lived next door to Braeden and he would put Jeff in a crate for the day. I took it upon myself to bring him to us because I could hear him crying like a baby and would tell Erik to go get Jeff and bring him over. Erik and I were involved with a lot of his puppy training and socialization. He was presumed to be a forty pound dog at maturity and he well exceded that! Topping out at 135 pounds, he was a force to be reckoned with.

My heart was aching when I heard the news and then I saw Jeff through the veil looking back at us. Then, without all the pains of an earthly body, he started doing skippity hops and zoomies. I hope our other beloved pets are all together with Jeff.

Friday was a day for exploring. We headed south to Taughannock Falls just outside of Ithaca. This landmark was impressive and is the tallest free falling waterfall east of the Mississippi river. We opted to go to the overlook and it was awesome! You can also hike to the lower part of the falls but Wanda told me that the overlook had a better view of the whole picture.

From the falls we headed into Ithaca. I was on a double-fold mission. There was a quilt shop that I needed to find and I wanted to check out the ice cream made by the Cayuga Creamery. We drove downtown to the quilt shop and it was delightful. I had a specific pattern that I was shopping for and so wasn’t able to enjoy the whole atmosphere of the shop. An employee, Toby, was so wonderful to work with and we had a great time. The owner, Linda, came to chat with us and of course, the conversation turns to our nametags and how a best friend of hers, joined the church and now lives out west. Linda, herself has relatives in the Grande Prairie area of Alberta.

After leaving the shop, we headed to a Thai restaurant and ate some lunch before searching for the Ithaca Falls. They were spectacular!!! You can get up close and personal with them. On the way out, I saw a German Weimaraner dog. She came right up to me and leaned against me, just like how Jeff would. The owner expressed surprise and said, “I’m shocked, because she doesn’t usually go up to strangers!” I knew that Jeff was hugging me.

We drove according to the GPS and found the Cayuga Creamery. As we parked, I had a big shock. I saw a dog exactly like Jeff. A Great Dane with the identical markings of Jeff. I jumped out of the car and chased down the owner with his two dogs. I explained about Jeff and was so surprised to see his dog with the exact same markings. His dog’s name was Ollie and she was three years old. The Black Lab was Ellie and was four years old. Jeff had markings similar to a beagle but had spots (freckles on his legs). I tell you, there are tender mercies everywhere you look!

We bought our scoops of ice cream and then headed back to the car to go back to Palmyra. We drove alongside the west side of Cayuga Lake which is one of the finger lakes. It is 40 miles long; being the longest and second deepest of the finger lakes. We were driving along the scenic byway and it was so interesting to see the homes and farms along the way. I’ve posted a photo of the type of barn we are seeing with the stone foundation.

I struggled with my temple shift schedule although at first, I didn’t. Four sisters showed up that were supposed to be on my schedule but weren’t. I was devastated because I know these temple workers can drive from a considerable distance to come to their shifts. We look after the Wednesday shifts on the first, third and fifth weeks. I didn’t understand what I did wrong and why it happened. The next morning, I received a call from one of the workers and she told me what happened when she left. She offered to give another worker a drive home and they discussed some tender moments that have happened in their lives. When she called me, she reminded me that God is aware of me and that the schedule was out of my hands and that God was in control. Things do happen that we aren’t necessarily in control of. When I am in leadership positions, I really strive hard to do everything correctly and when things happen that change the course of the day, I start to blame myself and then start thinking, “There must be a reason for this.” That call was an incredible tender mercy for me.

The next tender mercy was to see Sister Jill Cosman at our Branch on Sunday. She is from the Lacombe Ward as well. She has had a rough start to her mission and we embraced for a long time and shared some tears. Her companion was given permission to come to a baptism on Sunday for William’s wife, Katrina. I was thrilled to see Sister Cosman and we were able to catch up and talk about the trials and joys of being on a mission. Another incredible tender mercy!

A new Elder just arrived in the Syracuse New York mission. He wasn’t assigned to a Spanish speaking mission but here he is on his first week and giving a talk in Sacrament meeting in Spanish. Elder Knox is a champ! He is from Arizona. We had Compartir (Linger Longer) after the baptism and I was able to ask William about the food in Venezuela. He told me that sometime, him and Katrina would love to visit Canada. My cupcakes that I brought were a hit and there were no leftovers.

This recipe really is awesome!

The website is: meaningfuleats.com/gluten-free-chocolate-cupcakes/ ( I can’t embed the url).

I know this exactly!

Elder Bednar has coined this beautifully. Tender mercies are given to us personally and are given to us for strength and guidance. I know that I am loved through these tender mercies. The peace they bring is so heartwarming and comforting. How we receive them are through faith, obediance and humility.

1 Nephi 1:20 But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance.

What a week! Many heartaches and many tears but in the end, so much joy.

Stay true and faithful, my friends. Enjoy your tender mercies and again when you receive them, have a little or a lot of Vitamin G. Gratitude brings even more mercies and blessings into your lives.

What a week of events! The big news in Rochester this week has been the mountain lion. So many memes have been created from this event. One fellow was interviewed for television and he is so funny with his retelling of the encounter. People are taking advantage of this rare event to promote their businesses.

The mountain lion was even made a parade marshall in a meme. In western Canada we wouldn’t have this much fun with a big kitty but hey, let’s enjoy the fun of it all.

On Wednesday, we decided to attend the Concert on the Beach to hear the Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra. One of the temple matrons, who heard our account of going to the park for the 60’s & 70’s band, said, “I told you guys not to go!” There is so much police presence now, that I think the ruffians are kept at bay and there were so many people who came to listen. I did a rough guestimate and came up with a couple thousand people. The theme for the night was beach/ocean music. They were so good and the conductor had a good sense of humor. People were wearing a paper headband that looked like a shark with an open mouth. That was my clue that we were going to hear water themed music. When the orchestra did the “Jaws” theme near the end, all the orchestra members put on the paper shark hats.

Did you know that you can use Google to identify not only photos of things but also use it to identify songs? Press the microphone button in the search bar and then press the search for songs or music icon. Bingo, bango, bongo…the song is identified and you feel so smart, hahaha! I used it to identify some of the songs. I recognised the song from “The Little Mermaid”, Under the Sea. My girls watched that VHS movie over many times and could sing the song, which I’m sure many kids from the 80’s could do. The theme from Pirates of the Caribbean was very well done as was all the music.

Erik had cut up a watermelon to snack on during the concert and we had a great time. We managed to get to the farmer’s market which is only a block from us and we met most of the vendors and chatted about their goods. Erik bought a little basket of Black Caps.

These are also known as Thimbleberry berries. They are wild and tiny in the woods. The berries had been picked by a young girl, and Erik wanted to support her entrepreneurial spirit. The family lived on a farm, and her dad told us about their family and his dreams for them. They are trying to be more self-sustaining by raising beef and are looking to add lambs to their mix. This little gal was the oldest of the children, and she wants a greenhouse for next year. The dad said that groceries are so expensive, and to raise a family, it isn’t easy. When he goes to the grocery store for breakfast items, he’s stressed about how much it costs. We commiserated with him and explained the steep rise of groceries in Canada as well. Dad sells one beef cow a month during the markets as well as pork. I love that they are working hard to figure out how best to live and survive.

I was also at a Mexican family’s stand, buying a big honeydew melon. The granddaughter was slicing chunks to give taste testers a try. I talked to her grandfather and discovered a Mexican run restaurant in Sodus. We will be going there. I told him that we were disappointed in trying to find good Mexican food and he gave us this tip. I looked at the menu and it does look promising.

We met a family from Alberta on the temple grounds. This is my first close encounter; the grandmother is from the same Ward (congregation) as our son, Lyndon and his family. Our cousin Janice (Wayne) Bunny are also in that Ward. The rest of the family is from the Riverbend Stake in Edmonton. Erik was able to take family photos of them in front of the temple.

This week EFY (Especially for Youth) was here at the temple for a couple of days. These youth come from all over the USA, including Hawaii. Again, I am in awe of their faith and reverence in the temple. I had the opportunity to talk with a couple of small groups about the Sacred Grove and the significance of symbols on the outside of the temple. As I am able to share some of my experiences with the youth, they are always grateful. I talk to them as if they are adults and treat them as adults. They appreciate that I don’t talk down to them or treat them like little children. Aren’t we all like little children to the Lord? We can all have spiritual experiences if we slow ourselves down enough to listen and to earnestly want to know what the Lord has to tell us. Many times, I think that we know what He’s going to tell us and then we don’t bother asking. You may be very surprised at what His answer would be. If I told you how many times, I am trying to wrestle out a problem and find a solution and the Lord reminds me, “Your ways are not My ways.” Then, I stop and ask what His solution is. Our hurry scurry lifestyles aren’t conducive to hearing His voice.

On Tuesday evening, we decided to go for a little hike but forgot that we came home from our shift later than usual and as we were driving, Erik notes that it’s already 8 pm. We went to a little hike along Ganargua Creek. It’s simply idylic and at spots you can get to the creek’s edge. It was hard to stop for longer than 20 seconds because the mosquitoes were out in full force and they were eager for a meal. Erik wanted me to take photos to identify some plants and I said, “Get your own app, I don’t want to be eaten alive!” Then he was randomly picking berries and popping them in his mouth!!!! AHHHHH; I thought he was crazy! He asked me what they were after eating them. Good heavens! The flora here is very different from out west and I think that we should err on the side of caution. We met a couple along the trail and Erik asked them if they knew what he was eating. We decided that the berries were Black Caps. As it was getting darker, we thought it prudent to head back to the car. Seeing the woman that we met previously, she explained that she had lost her key fob to the car and asked if we had seen it. Knowing the length of grass, I knew it was going to take a miracle to find them. We immediately started praying to find the key fob. I found a black axel cover but no fob. When we were at the cars, Erik looked around and under the car to see if it could possibly have fallen at the beginning of their hike. As I asked the Lord if the fob was near me, He said, “No.” Shortly, the woman appeared at the trail head and told us that she had found her key fob on the trail!! She told us that she had been praying for it and I told her that we were praying as well. She only had one key fob, but we were prepared to drive them to their home to get something figured out. Alls well that ends well.

I don’t have time to make cookies very often but this week I decided to try a new recipe. I’m not a fan of raisins so what I like to do is chop up dates into small pieces and replace the raisins with the dates in a recipe. They are amazing in cookies and it has been a happy experiment.

• https://www.fodmapeveryday.com/recipes/one-bowl-oatmeal-chocolate-chip-cookies/

I had to lend my guardian angels to Erik this week. He still isn’t feeling on top of his game. The sore throat has continued for far too long. He went to get it checked and it isn’t Strep throat. Maybe it’s the use of air conditioning when we aren’t used to it. I also asked for his ministering angels to get to work, please; swords and shields at the ready!! He felt much better the next morning and was able to work our shift at the temple.

The joy I felt when a member of our branch came to the temple with his dad, his son and a recent convert to the church! The dad wanted his grandson to perform the baptism by proxy for his brother that had passed away a few months ago. The dad told me that it was very exciting and emotional for him and brought tears to his eyes. When William, the new convert saw Erik in his white suit, he was in awe and impressed. We have watched the transformation of William since he started learning about the gospel. He has hope now and a sense of purpose. Being able to officiate in the sacrament ordinance has been very special for him. His wife will be getting baptized this coming Saturday. Their faith has grown by leaps and bounds and has made me appreciate how the Lord can work in each of our lives.

I am trying to listen and tune out the world. I know that what the Lord says and promises will come to us.

When you feel like you are hanging on to the last thread, it’s time to step back and take some deep breaths. Reflect on what God has promised you. I find great solace in reflecting on the covenants that I have made with God and what He promises me as a reward for keeping up my end.

In this world of turmoil and confusion, we can rely and must rely on the arm of God to lead us through it all. Look for the light which is the light of Christ that gives us all hope, peace and joy.

Stay well, be safe and show love where ever you can.

I have a story to tell you that started about four years ago. We were living in Calgary and had just come home from the temple. As I entered our office and went towards my computer, I noticed a necklace sitting in front of my computer. It was not anything that I had ever seen before and I asked Erik if he knew about this necklace. It was a carnelian stone with a hasp and attached to a very old chain. Neither of us had ever seen it before. You can guess what I did next; I asked God where this necklace had come from. He told me that my ancestors had brought it for me. So, I presumed that I was to wear it. The chain was very old and I was concerned that it wasn’t strong so I changed the chain out for a slim gold chain that I had. I wore it for a couple of months, taking it off occasionally and then being told to put it back on. I knew that my ancestors gave it to me for a reason and I researched the meaning of this stone. It is for courage, vitality and creativity. Historically it was used for healing and protection. In my heart, I knew that this stone was given to me for me to know that I was being protected. After a couple of months, I became worried about the hasp and it looked to me like it may release at any moment. After getting out of the shower one day, the stone did come out of the hasp. I thought to myself, “Is that the end of that protection?” No, of course not! I was at the Lacombe Farmer’s Market and found myself at a stone booth where the owner created bracelets and necklaces from stones. I was immediately taken with a carnelian bracelet that was made of carnelian beads. When I put it on, a peace came over me and I knew that I was to purchase this bracelet.

I never took that bracelet off for four years. On our journey to Palmyra, we stopped at a rest stop in Iowa and while getting back into the car, the bracelet broke apart and beads were shot everywhere. I tried to gather them up and found them under my seat, in my door storage compartment, in the console and even in the outer pocket of my purse. At first I was dismayed and disheartened about the loss of this bracelet. It took me three months to finally order some elastic cord to restring the bracelet. It turns out that two beads were missing. Both Erik and I went back over the car searching for the lost beads. Finally, he said that maybe a used jewelry store would have something that I could add to the bracelet to make it work.

We were walking down Main Street and we entered a store where they sell stones and other new age items as well as incense. I had been told not to go into the “witchy” store by someone here in Palmyra. I did check with the other side of the veil and they gave me the go ahead. I asked about carnelian beads and they showed me some bracelets already made, but nothing resonated with me. I spoke with the owner of the store and she noticed my missionary namebadge and made mention of it. We chatted and I explained about my bracelet breaking and she immediately said, “Your bracelet served it’s purpose.” I knew without a doubt that she was correct. I carried on looking at stones and came across a white stone bracelet. It called to me and I put it on and felt such relief. Upon reading the properties of moonstone, I understood why this bracelet was chosen for me. Moonstone is good for intuition, balance and protection. It can help with digestion and relaxation, deflecting negativity and easing emotional trauma. Moonstone has been worn by travelers for protection. The first night that I slept with this bracelet, I slept 11 hours! I really needed that rest.

I have loved the earth and it’s natural wonders as well as flora and fauna. I know that God created everything for a purpose and within each creation there is a natural frequency of energy. I will enjoy the blessings of moonstone and will watch to discern what is being shown to me. There is much more to be seen than what the naked eye sees and I was blessed with that gift to discern and learn of God’s mysteries.

Maybe I should have been a geologist! When we renovated our house on the Olds acreage, we bought a beautiful granite slab for the kitchen. I was overcome upon entering the granite warehouse and seeing the majesty of God’s creations. After the kitchen was completed, I would come into the kitchen every morning and kiss the granite and thank God for making something so gorgeous and full of beauty. There’s that Vitamin G in action; gratitude!

On Sunday, I was teaching family history in Spanish to the Branch. It was difficult because we are such a diverse group and I didn’t know what stage everyone was at. We have new converts who needed to find the FamilySearch app and others who were members but didn’t have a device to look at and then there were members with laptops and tablets. I wanted everyone to have the opportunity to have an account and be able to start searching. One of the many things I love about the FamilySearch site is being able to enter memories of events in our lives. I said, that because I was 62 years old, I have a lot of memories that I could be recording. We can enter photos and when I saw someone with photos, I had them go around the classroom to show others. Erik ran his laptop attached to the TV screen so that everyone could see the website. The Branch is trying to organize a temple trip and I reminded them that not everyone has to come and do an Endowment session; some people can do baptisms for their ancestors. Antepasados is Spanish for forefathers. Erik put a photo of his mom up on the screen and I was able to tell them about my relationship with her.

Erik has been able to connect with far away family members who are also doing geneology and they are sharing imformation. We are so excited to find family in Latvia and be able to add them to FamilySearch. A distant cousin of his went to Riga (capital of Latvia) and hand wrote the information and then returned home to enter it into a website. We are so grateful for her work. One day, I hope that our family will be able to go to Latvia to see where Erik’s dad was raised.

I was concerned that not much happened in the class but people did make progress and that was a good feeling. I love teaching but teaching in another language is a whole new ball of wax. As we show our willingness, the Lord expands our capabilities.

Sunday evening, we sat on the front porch of our house and watched the tours walking by. They are all headed to Alvin Smith’s gravesite. It was so hot, but they had air conditioned buses to get back onto.

On Monday, our landlord brought out his pressure washer again. The first time, there was no hose which makes it pretty difficult to use. But this time, everything was ready including a step ladder. The cobwebs were out of control around our house with lots of pollen trapped in the webs. Erik got to work and did the north side and east side of the house. It looks 100% better. The house has white siding and it really needed a washing. We came home and found a gift certificate to Cheesecake Factory in our mailbox as thanks for the work on the house. Now, it’s the gutters that need to be tackled, hahaha!

Our neighbors, the Gurrs, planted cucumber plants in two buckets and placed them at the front of the house. They have grown so much that Tonya and Rick scrounged up two resin trellis panels and tied them to the front porch. Erik was amazed at how big the cucumbers were already. Tonya told me that these are the variety she has grown at home and they are delightful. With gratitude, I look forward to tasting the bounty.

By then end of the week, we were looking forward to celebrating Independance Day with the temple missionaries. The cake that I brought for Canada Day was a big hit. Erik wasn’t well and ended up staying home that day. The photo was taken of the cake in the box so it’s not great, but you get the idea.

Since Friday was Independance Day, the temple was closed and we all gathered at the Stafford Road house for the get-together. They put a dual flag together of the American and Canadian flags and hung it in a bush. I made a dessert that was a combo of Blueberry Salad and Strawberry Pretzel Salad. I wanted something with red, white and blue in it. I may be more patriotic than the rest of them. I lead the cheer that was done in the movie, “Raising the Bar”, by T.C. Christensen.

For the Red – Hurrah! For the White – Hurrah! For the Blue – Hurrah!

Hands thrown in the air for the hurrahs. God bless America and the Canadians within it.

I thought I heard a cat meowing and went in search of it. The other missionaries couldn’t hear it but I was determined to find the kitty. Then I turned on my Merlin app to hear the birds in the vicinity. Lo and behold, one of the birds was a Grey Catbird! I was exchanging meows with a bird, hahaha! While looking for the cat, a fox scooted by to head to the little copse of trees behind the house.

On Saturday, Erik & I were the Baptistry coordinators and he started looking sickly the longer the shift went on. His eyes became watery and red and he developed a cough. He wondered if he had developed an allergy to our environment. On our way home from the temple, we headed to the drugstore and I bought some eye drops for allergies as well as some cold medicine and more cough drops. He was heading downhill fast and when we got home, he took something and laid himself down. The poor man was suffering; was it a “man cold”? It doesn’t matter, I made some soup and apple crisp for him on Sunday and he was starting to look a little better.

Yes, some days, we feel all of the above or any one of them, but there is hope in knowing that God’s love is for each of us, no matter where we are on the path of life. While we look for grace from God, may we also extend that grace to each other and ourselves. I saw a sticker on a car that was quite negative and then underneath that sticker was another that talked about not having hate. Don’t spew hate and then say you don’t have hate for anyone. We must be mindful of our thoughts and words as we navigate our journey here with others who are just as vulnerable and needing love as ourselves.

Be joyful, look for tiny miracles everyday in your life, have gratitude for all that comes your way despite it not always being what you were hoping for. The outcome will always bring you closer to your Heavenly Father as you work out your salvation before Him.