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.

When I think back over the past week, it has been a week of incredible highs and lows. Which reminds me that we have opposition in all things. 2 Nephi 2:11 For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things. If not so, my firstborn in the wilderness, righteousness could not be brought to pass, neither wickedness, neither holiness nor misery, neither good nor bad. Wherefore, all things must needs be a compound in one; wherefore, if it should be one body it must needs remain as dead, having no life neither death, nor corruption nor incorruption, happiness nor misery, neither sense nor insensibility. As I was pondering on the events of the week, one morning my scripture reading had me in Alma 17, where the sons of Mosiah had been on missions for fourteen years. In Alma 17:5, I read, Now these are the circumstances which attended them in their journeyings, for they had many afflictions; they did suffer much, both in body and in mind, such as hunger, thirst and fatigue, and also much labor in the spirit. As I was reading this, it gave me pause and I realized that I am not exempt from suffering while on my mission. I’ve only been on this mission for three months and it’s been a whirlwind thus far. When I got to verse 10, And it came to pass that the Lord did visit them with his Spirit, and said unto them: Be comforted. And they were comforted. It’s true, I have felt the comforting hand of the Lord this week. While the winds of the world are swirling and pushing against us, we can have comfort in knowing who we are as children of God as well as knowing that we are capable of overcoming when we turn to Him.

Monday brought heat warnings again and it was 34C with high humidity so we decided to stay home in the air conditioning and try to stay comfortable. The usual chores were done and we stayed cool. What an incredible blessing to have air conditioning! Our friends, the Stevens do not have central air conditioning and their apartment is a heat box. They have a little floor unit in their bedroom that attaches to the window. It was so hot they wanted to get a thermometer to see how hot it was in their bedroom upstairs.

Another round of sugar ants arrived. During the last round, I pulled one out of my ear and I was ready to move. I saw one on my arm and I was about to lose my shizel. My belief is that bugs can live outside and I will live inside. Each to their own environment! We laid down an ant trap and watched the frenzy occur. Is this to desensitize me? I have received bug bites here which I think are spider bites and I’m wondering what my guardian angels are up to when stuff like this happens.

On Monday night, I experienced pain as I was going to bed and I knew what it was. Around one in the morning, I was whimpering and decided to call upon my ministering angels. Sure enough, the pain eased so that I could sleep. I explained to them that I needed help because I was going to work a shift first thing in the morning and needed help. I arose in the morning and prepared for our shift. I could feel that I wasn’t well but the pain stayed away during the shift. I was reminded that I needed to go to urgent care and get this issue looked after. On the drive home, I was feeling more unwell. I told Erik that we were heading to Newark to the urgent care. I was seen quickly and received a prescription for an antibiotic. I learned a hot tip from my fellow temple workers. There is a product in the USA that is over the counter in the pharmacy, called AZO. AZO has a line of products that deal with menopause, urinary and bladder relief, yeast infections. Some products in the USA need a prescription that we don’t need a prescription for in Canada and vice versa. Tuesday ended with me feeling like I had been tossed around a barrel and I was ready for bed.

Wednesday was a lovely day where I had an incredible experience in the temple. I was told that there was a disabled lady who would need some help during the endowment ordinance. I told the shift coordinator not to worry because the Lord knows her needs and that He would send her to me. Sure enough, I was able to look after her and I had the distinct impression that it was like I was presenting perfection to the Lord. Was I worthy to do that? I was weeping as the Spirit overcame me while I was helping this sister to complete the ordinance. The next endowment session was starting, and I was told that the same sister would be in the session and again, I knew that I would be helping her. Sure enough, I had the second opportunity to present perfection to the Lord. Our temple recorder talked with me later and said, “You were having quite the experience!” There are no coincidences in life; everything is according to a grand design and we must choose our path.

Wednesday evening, we headed to Rochester with Wanda and Mark Stevens to attend a free event for Concerts in the Park. It was held at Ontario Beach Park. The park itself was very well built, with lots of picnic shelters. My first impression was of the heavy police presence. We arrived around 6 pm to set up our lawn chairs. Many people were already there. The band was to start at 7 pm.

Poor Mark had a headache and wasn’t feeling well. The band was to play 60’s and 70’s hits. Wanda and I sat together and tried to decipher each song. Do you see where I am going with this? It turned out that watching the crowd was far more entertaining than listening to the poor band struggle. There was a dance area in front of the bandstand and many people filled it. This experience reminds me of a Leanne Morgan comedy bit about her and her husband attending a Journey concert not too long ago. Look it up because what she described in her video was pretty acurate for this evening. Lots of walkers and canes abounded along with motorized wheelchairs. Marks’s prediction was that the evening would be over by 8 pm. Erik got up and scouted out the beach. Wanda headed to the washrooms. I told her, “Don’t talk to anyone and keep to yourself!” Mark decided that he better accompany her. There were food vendors doing a hopping business (ice cream, hotdogs, etc.)

Sure enough, at 8 p.m., we saw people starting to pack up and leave. By 8:15, I couldn’t take it anymore, and we decided en masse to pack up, take our chairs to the car, and walk to the beach. It was wild walking past drug induced people and the smell of Mary Jane everywhere. Mark wondered how we were going to explain ourselves to the temple president. What a weird predicament to get ourselves into!

We also saw a group of moms and daughters selling Girl Scout cookies. Because we enrolled our daughters in the Girl Guide organization, Erik wanted to support the Girl Scouts and went off to buy some cookies. He came back with a gluten free version and Caramel deLites (Samoas), which Wanda declared were the best flavor. There was not a better crowd to sell to, a concert full of grandpas and grandmas!

The beach was a lovely sand beach but when we arrived at the water, the odor that I had been smelling went to a whole new level of disgusting, then to gagging. All along the shore, it looked and smelled like sewage from an outhouse. It makes me gag, even writing about it. There were beach volleyball games going on and we decided to walk along the boardwalk. I needed to get more steps in for the day. Along the way, I stop and talk to locals and ask about the effluent in the lake. My advice was, “Don’t get in the lake!!!!” Farther along, there were people swimming and I thought, “Wow, they must be immune to the toxicity!” More Mary Jane as we walked along and finally decided to head back to the car and leave the city. Dan Nabrotsky warned me not to go to downtown Rochester but he didn’t say anything about Ontario Beach Park. The heavy police presence is for the fighting. Oye! But what a beautiful sunset sky we saw.

Thursday dawned with me having eye issues. My left eye was very swollen and the surrounding tissue was red. I was cleaning the tub and bent over to get into the corner of the tile and the tub and hit my head on the tub controller. But the irritation in the eye started a couple of days ago and I don’t think that thumping my head off of the controller helped at all. I had bruising on my left cheek bone and everything hurt. I held warm compresses to my eye for awhile and then we headed off to the temple. By Friday morning, I arose, looked in the mirror and determined that I looked like an ogre. I better do something about this issue. I am not inclined to share a photo of my latest predicament!

Erik had made arrangements for us to go to the Wilson’s home (Bob and Ivana). Ivana is from Slovenia and they are hoping to serve a mission there. I have been learning some phrases in Slovenian. Grandmother is Babica, similar to Russian (Babushka).

We went to pick cherries. They have both sour cherries and sweet cherries. I was also able to pick some strawberries whilst Erik was on the ladder picking cherries. Their highbush blueberries will be ready in a couple of weeks. One of my loves is eating fresh asparagus and Bob invited me to snap off what I wanted and I ate them in the garden. Neither of them like asparagus and I asked why they were in the garden. Bob’s great grandparents planted them. The Wilson’s are in their early 80’s. Imagine how long ago those asparagus were planted! The farm used to be much larger but Bob started selling off farmland and they have 10 acres remaining. Many varieties of apples are grown on their acreage.

On the way home, we stopped in Newark for groceries and I went to the pharmacy looking for Polysporin eye drops. No such thing is to be found; need a prescription. Off to the urgent care again! The doctor said that I came in just in time. Eye issues progress rapidly and I didn’t have pink eye but instead Blepheritis. The whole eye socket was now involved and painful. I must have scratched my eyelid or inside my eye at some point to start this problem. I was now prescribed another antibiotic (for someone who shuns drugs as much as I can, I was overwhelmed at this point). Antihistimine drops were to be used as well. By my Saturday shift, I had a lot of explaining to do, hahaha! While working with patrons, I had to explain that I was not contagious. One of the patrons told me that she knew the moral of this story; don’t do cleaning! Another missionary said nearly the identical thing, “I think that you need to learn to not do cleaning!”

Two weeks ago, we were involved in an outside tour of the temple for a Stake Youth Conference. Erik and I were assigned to the Celestial Room Window and that side of the temple. We went to the temple to scope out our responsibilities and I ended up practicing on a family with young children. They were a delight and I felt that we would be fine. Two more families sidled up to us to catch what we were saying and we shared the presentation again. In our Celestial Room, the stained glass has a representation of the “Tree of Life”. There are 12 round crystals representing the fruit on the tree. We also have moon phases representing different events. In the middle of the wall above the Celestial Room window, the moon phase shown is of April 6, 2000. This is the date that the Palmyra Temple was dedicated. The moon phases are depicted avery two weeks going around the temple. Even when I have the opportunity to meet patrons in the foyer, I tell them a little about the exterior and what to look for. It helps to extend their experience amongst the Church historic sites.

What a week! Tears of joy and of sorrow were happening. I needed to prepare my family history lesson for our Spanish Branch. Erik seemed more worried than I was. I was trying to survive one day at a time. We decided to bring a Canada Day cake to the temple for July 1. That will need to be ordered. Times roll forth and we look forward to another week of learning and growth.

When life hands you difficulties, where do your thoughts lead you? Many years ago, I learned to think that there was something that I was to learn from the situation. So, this past week, full of ups and downs, I pondered on what I was to learn. It will be ongoing as I try to decipher the messages from the Lord.

This is very true! No matter the obstacles, we can find a way. The Lord does remind me on occasion that my ways are not His ways and I need to slow down and consider another way that I may not have thought about. There are days that I think that I am worrying about things in my life needlessly. Fear does not come from God. I put my trust in Him and know that He holds my eternal welfare in His hands.

Much love and gratitude to you all; be well, be kind to others, and definitely to yourself!

This has been a beautiful week of connecting and opening hearts to others. We love serving in the house of the Lord and with that comes incredible experiences of joy and love. I especially enjoy when the Lord puts me in the path of others that will uplift and strengthen me. I hope that I am able to do the same for them. This week, I met a wonderful woman who was celebrating her 60th wedding anniversary by coming to Palmyra and performing sealings in the temple with her husband. I had a few minutes to visit with her and she told me the story of her wedding and it was incredible. She was married on the same day as her friend and she says that she borrowed the day with her friend. The two couples were sealed in the Mesa temple in the sealing room; one after the other. Unfortunately, her friend passed away two years ago. I pondered on the fact at how connected those two families are. The daughter of the woman who passed away, made sure to call this lady and had the opportunity to talk about the anniversary and her mom who is now on the other side of the veil. The 60 plus years that these two families have been joined on earth continues on the other side.

We are enjoying the special groups who book baptistry sessions in the temple. They come from all over the United States. It is so surprising to me because in Canada, I only know of Stake Baptistry days done in the temple of their district. My biggest temple trip as a youth was when we lived in Ontario and the closest temple was Washington, D.C. where we travelled to once a year. It was a really big deal and I still have in my memory the drive at night coming along the parkway and seeing the temple all lit up as if it was rising into the night sky. We would travel in cars with our leaders. Today many tour buses drive up to the Palmyra temple and unload our eager patrons. One of our groups this past week was all boys on their High Adventure camp. They told me it was for the boys to experience hiking and camping in a area that provided an experiece that stretched them and helped them to learn new skills. I was a little worried about how they would arrive, but they were all showered and dressed as if they were ready to pass the sacrament on a Sunday. They were incredible young men. I noticed the tie of a 12 year old and how uniquely he had created the knot. I asked him about it and he said that he designed it himself. It was so beautifully done! As they were leaving, they reminded me that I still had to explain what a “Cream Can” dinner was. That was a unique conversation to be having in the foyer of the temple!

This is a way to cook for a family without a lot of work. Erik and I bought three of these items for a family reunion. Ours are a little bigger and can feed 15 people from each one. The above model will feed 10 people. This is an updated version of the old milk can cookers used by ranchers and farmers to cook meals over campfires while everyone worked. My first experience was at a dinner held at the home of Premachuk’s, west of Olds. We were shocked to learn that we didn’t need to bring anything beyond either a salad or a dessert. This is seriously, one of the best tasting meals! To me, everything tastes better eaten outdoors. Fresh and flavorful, food cooked in this unique cooker maintains its natural flavor because the steam does not leach away the flavors and nutrients. Because it works over any heat source, the CanCooker works great on campfires, camp stoves, propane stoves, charcoal or gas grills, turkey fryers, stove tops, and more. And because you simply load it up with food, put it on the fire, and wait about an hour, you can keep working or playing until your meal comes out hot and ready to eat! Once the cooking time is finished, you simply empty the can cooker into a large bowl and everyone serves themselves.

We put the following foods into ours which is the 10 gallon can. Cut recipe in half for the smaller can.

• 12 -15 potatoes, washed and cut in half
• 6 onions, left whole (I do quarter my onions)
• 12 carrots, cut into 3 to 4 inch chunks
• 2 heads cabbage, quartered
• 1 whole stock of celery
• 12 ears corn on the cob, cut in half (stand them up on the bottom of the can)
• 12 bratwursts (Italian sausages are good, as are spicier versions.) or
• 12 other sausages (Italian sausages are good, as are spicier versions.)
• 1 liter of broth of your choice, beef, chicken stock or water.
• 1 bottle of Italian salad dressing
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Layer potatoes, onions, carrots, cabbage, corn and sausages in the cream can in the order listed.
2. Pour in the liquids and season with salt and pepper. (Can also add garlic, Montreal Steak seasoning, or whatever other seasonings you prefer.).
3. Cover and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat and steam on propane burner for about one hour, or on grated fire pit, make sure it steams well. There is a vent and you start timing when the steam is coming out of the vent. Ours usually take about 40 minutes after coming up to temperature.

Don’t just use one kind of sausage and don’t be afraid to add at least some spicy sausage as it will add some nice flavor. It is not absolutely necessary to cook the sausage before adding to the can, some people say it will taste better if you grill it beforehand (if it is not already cooked when you buy the package). We have used Kolbassa and Farmer’s Sausage. You can also add broccoli and cauliflower to the recipe if you want.

Do not overcook,  it will cook the flavor right out of the meal. The can doesn’t need to be spewing steam like a locomotive, just nice steam output. You want some good pressure, but not enough to blow the lid off.

There are so many different recipes to use in the can cooker! We’re pretty boring and keep doing the same thing because we enjoy it so much. Tis the season for getting the can cookers out and creating memories with your family and friends.

This week we thought it best to use our museum passes because the end of the month is nearly here. We headed over to the Palmyra Historical museum. We were able to experience more than 200 years of history in this former hotel and tavern, built in 1826. This museum features 23 themed rooms so that there is something for everyone.

One of the most interesting to me was a small display about Increase Lapham, born and raised in Palmyra in 1811. He is considered the “Father of the U.S. Weather Service”, which is based upon his lobbying of Congress and the Smithsonian Institute to create an agency to forecast storms on the Great Lakes and both coasts. When the agency was created through the U.S. Secretary of War, Lapham made the first such accurate Great Lakes storm warning from Chicago.

One of the rooms was a display of so many dolls. I really, really don’t like them and find them incredibly creepy and disturbing. I was not much of a doll person as a child and this room verified that nothing has changed!

Another room had beautiful embroidery of samplers and other household goods. Oh, the days when every young woman must learn to stitch and create samplers to show off her work. We have a beautiful large sampler framed and hangs in the Bride’s room in the temple.

The last part of the museum tour was the Coverlet museum. Incredibly fascinating. They have a short video with history of coverlets.

I did purchase a modern coverlet produced in a factory that has all the historic buildings of Palmyra on it. It is a great piece to remind me of our stay here. Erik found a Christmas ornament with Lock 29 on it which also came home with us.

The heat and humidity is rising sharply and it feels like the coast of southern Mexico. I am extremely grateful for the air conditioning in our apartment. I am grateful for dresses and skirts and blouses. After what felt like interminable rain, we are now under heat warnings. Thus meal salads have become a staple and cool smoothies.

https://www.eatyourselfskinny.com/tropical-green-smoothie-bowl/#wprm-recipe-container-15196

This is delightful dish for breakfast; something light and refreshing.

One of the other temple missionaries (whose website I included a few weeks ago), found an art studio in Canadaigua and went for studio time to work on a painting. She had a great time and I feel incouraged to put paint to paper and try out some ideas that have been floating through my mind.

Oh, Walmart…the store where you can buy fireworks, haha. We ran into a couple of guys who saw our nametags and stopped for a chat. The one fellow said that he had better things to spend his money on than fireworks that last 2 seconds and cost a lot of money. I agree with him on these store bought fireworks.

So much truth in this quote! This is how I try to live my life. Where I am on the path isn’t the same as you but we can certainly help each other along this journey of mortality. As Craig Mills once said to my husband, “Cheryl has skills and gifts that you don’t have and you have skills and gifts that she doesn’t have. That is why you make a great couple!” We work together to fill in the inadequacies of each other. By having love in our hearts instead of judgement, we can help each other along the way. So, my friends, a little less Judgey, McJudgey pants and a lot more lovey dovey kindness. I am always working on this. Thank goodness that God sees my imperfections and forgives me for them as we should forgive others.

Have a wonderful week, stay hydrated and be well!

Our usual Sunday took us to Rochester for church. It was Relief Society and Elder’s Quorum meetings first for us and then Sacrament meeting afterwards. To be honest, I still get nervous because I am still trying to understand the Puerto Rican accent. I am worried that I am not keeping up with what is happening in the class. This week we had a different teacher and she actually had more discussion going on than other teachers. We each get a copy of the conference talk and then take turns reading paragraphs. She started the conversation with asking, “Who knows about Sinbad?” I’m not a movie buff so, I sat and listened because I was wondering if she was really asking about Sinbad the movie. Oh, yeah, she was! She was comparing characteristics between him and us.

Erik is going to have to bless the sacrament in two weeks (in Spanish). I am going to record the prayers in Spanish for him (slowly) so that he can try and do it. I have an interview with the Branch President next Sunday morning. Oh, dear! We are stretching and growing.

Monday dawned with beautiful sunshine but we knew the forecast was for thunderstorms and possible flooding in the afternoon. We still have not gone to Hill Cumorah or the Sacred Grove because the weather has not been dry enough. At the temple, when groups tour the Sacred Grove and then come to the temple, we end up with bits of the Sacred Grove in the temple on the floors.

This morning we started our laundry and headed to Hill Cumorah. Erik made some granola this morning and then we headed out. I am sadly lacking hiking pants and had to wear a skirt and a t-shirt for our jaunt. We went to the newly renovated Visitor’s Center at Hill Cumorah. They have had their soft opening and some features were not available on the displays but we did watch the film in the theater. Then we headed on the trail to the monument of Moroni on the top of the hill. We veered off onto a dirt trail and I made sure to watch the tree roots so that I could stay upright. Getting to the top, a lovely young lady offered to take a photo of the two of us in front of the monument. We decided to take the paved path back down the hill. Again, I was recording the birds on the hill. I am so fascinated by the variety of birds and really enjoyed hearing them.

Indigo Bunting, Song Sparrow, Black-capped Chickadee, Common Yellowthroat, Chipping Sparrow, Northern Cardinal, American Redstart and Red-eyed Vireo.

We moved on to the Welcome Center at the Smith Farm. The tours run every fifteen minutes and we signed up for one and then while waiting decided to go to the Sacred Grove. If I get in the woods, I want to stay and wander amongst the trees. There are many trails and benches to explore and to be able to sit and meditate. I saw a family of boys entering the grove with notebooks to write their experiences in. The birds here were different than just up the road at the Hill Cumorah. I saw many chipmunks today and also came close to a deer in the grove. The grove was beautiful and was easy to stay in and experience the calm and peace of the woodlands. We missed our scheduled tour and signed up for the 12:15 pm tour.

We started at the log home which actually sits in Wayne county. The Smith farm was 100 acres. I love the fencing that marked their land. The article below explains the history of the farm.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/history/topics/sacred-grove-and-smith-family-farm?lang=eng

The humidity was at 80% and I was soaking wet by the time we had hiked Cumorah and hiked through the Sacred Grove. My electrolytes went down quickly and I was ready for a refill of fluids. We headed for home to prepare ourselves for our week of service at the temple.

Our Friday jaunt took us to the George Eastman museum in Rochester. His company was Eastman Kodak. I am entralled with the architecture of this State and it was a delight to see the home turned into a museum. The George Eastman Museum is located in Rochester, New York, on the estate of George Eastman, the pioneer of popular photography and motion picture film. Founded in 1947 as an independent nonprofit institution, it is the world’s oldest photography museum and one of the oldest film archives. The museum holds unparalleled collections—encompassing several million objects; in fields of photography, cinema, photgraphic cinematographic technology, and photographically illustrated books. The institution is also a longtime leader in film preservation and photographic conservation.

After purchasing the 8.5-acre East Avenue property in 1902, George Eastman hired architect J. Foster Warner (1859–1937) to build a Colonial Revival mansion based on the design of the Root House in Buffalo, New York. Warner, Eastman, and landscape architect Alling S. DeForest (1875–1957) created an urban estate complete with working farmland, formal gardens, greenhouses, stables, barns, pastures, and the 35,000-square-foot, fifty-room residence made of reinforced concrete. It was finished in 1905, which I thought was an incredible feat considering the size of the home and the details that went into it. It cost George, $335,000 USD to construct this home. In today’s dollars, it would be over $12,000,000. We were allowed to tour the main floor and the second floor.

Eastman’s house presented a classical facade of decorative craftsmanship. Beneath this exterior were modern conveniences such as an electrical generator, an internal telephone system with 21 stations, a built-in vacuum cleaning system, a central clock network, an elevator, and a great pipe organ, which made the home itself an instrument, a center of the city’s rich musical life from 1905 until Eastman’s death in 1932. Eastman was involved in every aspect of the construction, paying close attention to detail and requiring the use of high-quality materials.

There was an interesting story told about the elephant head in the conservatory. George had gone on a couple of safaris in Africa and brought home a few animals that he had shot. An elephant head with only one tusk was brought back to Rochester. The single tusk was mounted on a stand while the elephant head received two new tusks, carved out of wood. Eventually, the elephant head was donated to the local zoo for exhibiting. The head was lost and Eastman commissioned a replacement head, made of plaster, to be put back into the conservatory. Talk about “the elephant in the room!”

We were able to view a few of the galleries showing special exhibits, and then had lunch in the restaurant. Erik had a signature dish which was the Corn Mash | Roasted corn seasoned and mashed with roasted red pepper on sourdough. Hot, open with melted cheddar, apricot BBQ glaze, french fried onions. He chose a side of ginger pickled carrots. It was something we had never seen before. I had what they call “Over Greens”. You choose a sandwich filling and they simply serve it over greens. We also enjoyed country fair style lemonade with a Butterfly Pea flower shot. Everything went down well!

I decided to finally make pickled red onions and they turned out very well; we are both big fans of them. We are putting them on sandwiches, tacos, and salads. I did put the beet in mine and the jar contents turned a beautiful red color.

https://pinchofyummy.com/recipes/quick-pickled-onions-easy

Erik is not a fan of raw onions whereas I can eat them like an apple. I was surprised that he liked them but then again, they are pickled. Give them a whirl!

Earlier, I decided to try making two loaves of bread at the same time. My KitchenAid was pretty warm by the time I finished kneading the dough. I will probably go back to making one loaf at a time in the mixer. I let the loaves completely cool, slice them and then put them in bread bags for the freezer. We simply take out a slice or two at a time.

It was my mom’s 83 birthday this week. I have a tradition for my family where I sing a couple of birthday songs for them. Since my mom doesn’t have a phone, I recorded a song and sent it to my sister who I asked to show it to mom. Dad tells me that they had a birthday party for her and it went well.

I love this quote because a lot of us run around trying to prove our worth to someone, some group, some job, something, maybe ourselves. My sister, Tracy and I had a short conversation about this. As we try to prove ourselves, I think that we need to understand that our worth is within us already. As you stand and deliver, others will see your worth. If you are afraid of standing and delivering, it will be difficult to progress. I love that God knows us individually and provides for us along our journey. Our actions do not need to be some huge, grandiose expression. Living each day to the best of your ability is sufficient. I had a conversation in the temple this week about hair with another lady. As I am losing so much hair off the top of my head, I remember that God promises us that we will be restored. In Luke 12:7 it says, “But even the very hairs of your head are numbered. Fear not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.” Then there is a scripture in Alma 40:23, “The soul shall be restored to the body, and the body to the soul; yea, and every limb and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost, but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame.” So, while we age and things fall apart, I have hope in the resurrection and being restored.

The lady that I was talking with told me that she had been asking and praying about this very thing. I have been blessed to receive a vision of myself as an exhalted being and I live for the day that, yes, my hair will be restored. I have seen it and I know that God is aware of each of us. This lady was so grateful that we had the conversation about hair. There are no coincidences, we are put in people’s paths for a reason and they for us.

I know that my worth does not depend on whether I have hair or not. My worth is how I choose to live as the Savior lives and follow His example; having charity, love and compassion for my fellowman.

Stay well, do well and breath deeply.

Neal A Maxwell has told us, “God does not begin by asking us about our ability, but only about our availability, and if we then prove our dependability, he will increase our capability” (“It’s Service, Not Status, That Counts,” Ensign July 1975). I have loved this quote for many years because I have a loyal heart. I am loyal to God, family and friends. Because of this loyalty which in turn can also be dependability for me, I stand in amazement at how God increases my capabilities to do things that I wonder how on earth I could possibly do them. There are days in this past week that I thought to myself, “Are you sure you can pull this off?” The gentle reminder is that I am not on my own and neither are any of you. Yes, there are days that I am gobsmacked by what I have accomplished and have a knowledge that those instances where I felt overwhelmed, heavenly hands stepped in to help me.

Erik and I have been asked to fill in as shift coordinators at the temple on Wednesday evening shifts. Thanks to our experience in the Calgary temple, we have an idea of what needs to be done. This means that we will prepare the shift schedule with all the assignments for the workers on that shift. We oversee the shift and in my own terms, “We are good at putting out fires.” When unusual circumstances pop up and they do regularly, Erik and I are versed in how to handle situations quickly and kindly.

We had our first Wednesday evening shift this week and praise God, everything went well. It gives such a feeling of peace and happiness to know that we are stepping up and using the skills and talents that we have been blessed with.

This week we have switched Saturdays with our neighbors. They will work a double shift this week and we will work a double next Saturday. That gave us the opportunity to book a walking tour in Palmyra which also allows us into 5 museums this month. We started at the Pal-Mac Aqueduct Canal Park.

During the presentation, we learned about the aqueduct and how it was used. Palmyra-Macedon Aqueduct Park is a tribute to the remnants of past iterations of the Erie Canal, which continues to pass through here, just not in the same manner as before. In the early 1800s, engineers had to segregate the canalway from natural waterways—to control flooding. At this very spot, a wooden aqueduct with stone abutments, carried the canal over Ganargua Creek (often called Mud Creek).

As the years went on, and the canal was rebuilt larger and more advanced, other flood-control measures made aqueducts like these unnecessary, and they were dismantled. The canal was moved slightly to the north, and a portion of the former aqueduct was modified into a flood-control outlet that dumps into Ganargua Creek. This outlet is the waterfall. The stone abutments still stand, covered in greenery and crumbling. The southern canal towpath now serves as part of the Canalway Trail, carrying hikers and cyclists over the creek.

We learned that the waterfall is no longer in use and they brought in tons of rock to fill in where the aqueduct was crumbling and disintergrating. There is a power house built where the creek goes through just south of the Erie Canal. It amazes me that the original canal was called Clinton’s Ditch (named after the Governor, Dewitt Clinton) and all 96 miles were dug by hand. There is a bridge which is the orginal bridge built over the ditch but now I call it the bridge to nowhere. The canal used to flow there and now because of diversions, it’s a bridge to nowhere. The park is kept up nicely and the bridge has a fascinating story of how flooding moved the bridge into a farmer’s field and his cows were using the bridge. It was decided to move the bridge back and restore it to it’s former glory instead of being a cow’s footbridge.

We are loving living in Palmyra, “The Queen of Canal Towns”. Good fortune smiled upon us whilst on the walking tour. I heard a klaxon and wondered what it could be. It seems a boat had called ahead to use the lock. Our group waited and chatted with the lock operator. He used to be an operator down at Lyons where there is another lock. It was absolutely fascinating to watch the boat enter the lock and then pull up alongside the edge of the canal. Then the lock operator closed the lock behind the boat and once the water had finished rushing through the lower part, the next part of the lock opened so that they could carry on towards Lyons. I chatted with the men on the boat as they were moving the boat for an uncle.

Someone thought they saw a snapping turtle in the canal, but when I went to look, the realization hit that said turtle was actually a dead raccoon. I thought I saw air bubbles coming from the “turtle,” but in fact, it was a decomposing raccoon.

Notice that I am sparing you the photo of the “turtle”. In New York State, we see opossums and raccoons on the road, not surviving the impact of vehicles. So different from Alberta, where we see porcupines, skunks, and gophers on the road. The deer are smaller here and yes, unfortunately, are casualties as well.

We watched a trio of kayakers coming through the creek side which later merges with the canal. They were paddling with a young child and had gorgeous weather for their journey. The Canada geese were also paddling down the creek with their goslings. A glorious day, it was!

On Monday, I had an appointment Canadaigua with the nurse practioner. Erik dropped me off and I went into the clinic. Funny thing, they weigh you every appointment! I know that I’m fluffy, but I actually appreciated that my weight was lower than the previous month, hahaha. After the appointment, we drove to the pier and walked down the boathouse row. The hot dog vendor told us that back in the 70’s, boathouses sold for between 5 & 7 thousand dollars. Now they sell for $250,000. Now, they are fixed up and are quite nice inside, enough that a person could live there. We’ve been told that Canadaigua lake is the warmest of the Finger Lakes.

Erik and I wanted to drive along the shore line and look at properties and the views that they had. It was spectacular and brought tears to my eyes to see the beauty and serenity of that area. We drove far enough that we ended up turning around at Wegman’s organic farm. It’s interesting that the grocery store supplies it’s own organic produce. What a lovely day!

There are a few ice cream shops around and I said to Erik that we were going to Pulcini’s on highway 21, just a couple of miles north of Palmyra. We ended up chatting with the owner, Dave, and he explained how he got into the business and how he is set up. His family orginated from Italy and I asked him how they ended up in Palmyra. Everyone has a story and I love to learn about everyone’s life. Dave was the only boy in a family with 5 sisters! The set up for the business is in the countryside and he even has a little trail to walk the property. Erik and I opted to walk after having our ice cream. We saw fruit trees, a little grape orchard and a large garden. A delightful place to stop with wet wipes available for cleaning up and plenty of picnic tables and shade. I already know what I want to try on our next stop at Pulcini’s.

https://magichouserecipes.com/recipes/best-broccoli-salad-bacon

This week was a broccoli/cauliflower salad week. I made a large salad and it stays well in the fridge. Next week, Erik asked for 7 Layer salad, another of our favorites. We popped up to Walworth to the Tops grocery store for a few needed items and now we are set for another week. I’m trying to decide what to cook for Erik for Father’s Day. So, far he has requested tacos. I’m also thinking of a brownie cheesecake to end the meal (and of course, carry on throughout the week).

I was super excited to have a couple of dresses arrive by post. I’m obsessed with April Cornell clothing and have learned to pace myself to shop the sales. The weather is trying to warm up and unfortunately, the air quality has alerts because of the fires in Canada. Warmer air is wonderful and our walks allow us conversation with locals as people get out and sit on their porches.

I had to learn a hard lesson this past week. It was like a perfect storm of things that conspired against me. I am trying to figure out how I should proceed. Everything is for my good and as uncomfortable as it was, I will use it to better myself and help others. The doubt can creep in or it may simply body slam you into thinking that you have erred from a place of no return. Thank goodness for the atonement of Jesus Christ that allows us all to come back. We may need our moments of reflection to consider our way and choose our path but He is always standing there with His hands outstretched waiting for us to join Him.

Have a week of joy and stay safe!

On Sunday, May 25, was our big day for giving talks in Rochester 5th Branch. We were both speaking about the temple. Erik was worried that our talks would be much the same but they were not. He spoke in English with Sister Hall being his translator. I spoke in Spanish. The slight glitch was that 2nd Ward took too much time in the chapel and we got a late start. Erik’s talk took 20 minutes and I knew that my talk was at least 15 minutes. We had an intermediate hymn and President Hall spoke for a couple of minutes, so my time was pretty tight. I received the tap on the elbow that my time was up and I wrapped it up quickly. As we were leaving the building, Brother Perez came up to us and thanked us for our talks and said, “You were speaking to a General Authority!” I was still shaking from giving my first talk in Spanish, getting cut off, and now to hear that a General Authority was in the congregation, was too much!

Erik was speaking with a gentleman before sacrament meeting and I sidled up to my husband and joined the end of their conversation. The man was impressed that I taught myself Spanish with an app. I replied that I simply make time for it and do it diligently, but he didn’t want me to brush it off and told me again that what I have accomplished was very impressive. We didn’t know his name and Erik had asked him if he was visiting and he replied, “Yes, with my family to see the historic sites.” It turns out that he is Elder Uceda! He sat in the congregation with his family. Brother Perez asked him if he could introduce him and he didn’t want to do that. A very humble man in our midst.

When Monday rolled around, I asked Erik what he wanted to do. He mentioned that he would like to do a challenging hike. I was quite fine with staying home and creating some art. Plans changed and we ended up on another fantastic hike in a top rated American State Park. We travelled with the Stevens’ again. Letchworth State Park is ranked as number one by popular vote in all of America. It’s like the Grand Canyon of the east.

Our morning prayer included having the opportunity to talk about our mission and the gospel today and I knew that wouldn’t be an issue for me. It takes nearly two hours to drive to Letchworth State Park. A we drove through the towns on the way, we noticed parade line ups and in one town we were held up by parade participants finishing their route. It was Memorial Day in the USA.

It was a glorious sunny day and we were very happy for that. This hike is a completely different experience from Watkin’s Glen. This park does not allow park goers to get close to the water in the areas where we were. You can hike along a trail between the Lower, Middle and Upper Falls. As well, you can choose to drive between the falls, park and go to a viewing area. This park allows dogs and I was in dog heaven.

We started out from near the middle falls and decided that we needed a group photo. I asked a Spanish lady if she would do that and then when I was speaking Spanish, she realized that she attends the same church as us when she saw our nametags. She noted a special rock with a plaque that we needed to make sure that we saw. She was the only one in her family who spoke Spanish and was grateful that I spoke to her.

The scenery was spectacular and impressive. It’s hard to catch the majesty of the surroundings on an iPhone. As we started descending, I said to myself, “What goes down, must come up!” There were tricky tree roots and worn stone slab steps. My short legs have a challenge to deal with trails like that. I did remember to bring my walking poles and they help for stability.

I love to help people take group photos so that they are all included, so I spent time meeting people and helping them with their shots, making sure to include the beautiful scenery with them. One fellow that I met, gave me a guitar pick with his band name on it. He saw my nametag and said, “Oh, if you watch some of our videos, there’s some bad words, be careful!” How sweet and considerate of him! Thank you Richie, for telling me about your life and how you handle the challenges and the good times.

The sweetest puppy came by me and of course, I turned into a puddle of mush, baby talking to him and loving on him (with permission). He was 11 weeks old and his name was Titan. He was a Saint Bernard mix with all of his puppy fluff intact, no adult fur yet. He pressed himself into me as I told him that he was such a good kid and deserved all the love. Titan’s mother rejected the litter when they were only 3 days old and the owners took him when he was only 5 weeks old. Such an incredible little fellow, who won’t be little for long.

The next dog was a miniature Schnauzer. She was a little old lady of 13 years. She too, relished the break time and pressed into me for some love. I was enjoying every second of loving on her too.

I saw a large doodle type dog doing multiple rounds of the hike; his owner said that the dog loves to hike and just keeps going. Once was enough for me!

A funny incident but not really was an Asian couple who were carrying a little Yorkie. The woman was very upset with her husband and would give him a piece of her mind and then stride away, carrying the dog. The poor husband would catch up and then she would haul him behind a tree and give him what for all over again. I sure hope that was a momentary incident that they corrected. Talk about airing your laundry in public!

Since it was Memorial Day, there were a number of people at Letchworth but nothing that made it unbearable. We met an artist set up, painting one of the scenes in front of him. Another couple came to pick up an original painting that a fellow had commissioned for his bride to be. It was the scene where he had proposed to his bride. What a great gift!

We started for home and wanted some lunch but surprisingly, not a thing was open. This is the difference between rural and city. The city always seems to be open and going, whereas rural areas take time to rest and play. We drove all the way to Macedon which is the closest town to Palmyra and stopped at a diner that was just opening. I wasn’t sure if I would get a safe meal there but we decided to try it. Lyndon told us that the thing in Rochester, NY was the Garbage Plate, known for it’s unique blend of ingredients. It’s essentially a plate piled high with various sides like home fries, french fries, macaroni salad, or baked beans, topped with a meat choice (burgers, hot dogs, sausages, etc.) and Rochester-style meat sauce. 

Erik chose the hamburger version and Wanda chose the hot dog version. They each chose home fries (which in Canada, we call hash browns, large cut), and the macaroni salad. Erik’s take was that it was diner food and since we were in a diner, that’s what you are going to get. To me it looked like a dog’s breakfast. If you were in an upscale restaurant, you would have a nicer version and could make some healthier choices. One Garbage Plate under our belts (hahaha).

We were back to rain, rain and more rain during the week. I don’t mind because we are in the temple during the week and it’s the best place to be. Our normal Friday off was not to be this week because we had a large tour of 3 tour buses and we were required to work from 1 pm to 6 pm. We arrived at the temple at noon and ended up staying until 7 pm. The tour group was fantastic. 150 youth who had just graduated from high school arrived with very organized tour leaders. If all the young people of the world were like these kids, I know the world would be in good hands. They were very courteous and polite and were very thankful for our service for them in the temple. One young man made sure to read my nametag, looked me in the eye and thanked me by name for helping them. I always read people’s nametags and thank them personally for helping me in stores, so I really appreciated that he did that.

When I went out to the waiting room to check on the next group to come in, I asked some of the young men about their mission calls. The first young man was called to serve in the Mexico City South East mission. I said something to him in Spanish and he just looked like a deer caught in the headlights and I said, “Oh, you’re waiting for the MTC (Missionary Training Center)!” If you need a foreign language to be taught to you, you’ll spend a little more time in the MTC, being taught the language. Another young man asked me how I learned to speak Spanish and I told him that I use Duolingo. He was incredulous that I could speak so well with just the app. Then our conversation became really funny because on Duolingo there is a feature called a Streak, which is how many days in a row you do lessons. He asked me if I had a 100 day streak and I said, “Much higher!” He guessed 200 days and I again replied, “Much higher.” “400 days?” “Higher!” “1000 days?” “Higher still.” Finally I told him that on that day I had a 2685 day streak. The first young man quickly did the math on his phone and said, “Sister Naglis, that’s 9 years!!!!” “Yes, of not missing a day.” They were so impressed and I hope that I inspired them to enjoy and continue their language journey. So many young men had already received their mission calls and it was fun to hear about where everyone was going. What a fantastic group of young people!

On Friday morning before heading to the temple, I had to go and get some bloodwork done. It was incredibly easy. I had asked the clinic if I needed a paper requisition to get it done but they had already put it in their system and said that when I arrived, they would know who I was and what was needed. We drove to Newark to the lab and bingo, bango, bongo, in and out in no time at all. No waiting; simply check in and into the lab for the blood draw.

By Friday night, my body was very tired and sore from being on my feet for 7 hours. There’s a saying, “I feel like I’ve been rode hard and put away wet!” If you’re a horse person, you know this saying. I need a massage!!! I need my Karen Taylor!!! Karen has been my massage therapist for over 15 years and she is the best! Erik rubbed my feet for a couple of minutes and that helped a little.

Saturday morning, I was again assigned to the Baptistry and spent the shift helping patrons until 1 pm. I had some patrons personally thank me for being so courteous and helpful and so organized. It means a lot to me to hear that. It really is joyful to help people and help them feel the love of God in His house.

The new blooms of the week are still a mystery to me. There are enormous green leafed trees now sporting white blooms. The ground is starting to look like snow has fallen. Every week there is something new to marvel at.

Birds that I have heard lately: Gray Catbird, Yellow Warbler, Northern Flicker, Chimney Swift, Mourning Dove, Common Yellowthroat, Red-winged Blackbird, Song Sparrow, Blackpoll Warbler, Brown-headed Cowbird, Northern Cardinal, House Finch, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, and of course the American Robin. Isn’t that amazing? Beautiful songbirds and I am fascinated by the variety.

Sometimes, I receive this reminder from the Lord. Last fall He told me to get out of the way and let Him do his job. I need to let go of the doorknob and allow God to do His will and let myself follow His path. It’s a fine line for me because I know that He loves effort and so I try hard to do good and do well in all things. When He reminds me that I need to let go and let Him intercede, the peace is so calming and lets me feel like I can breath again.

Okay, friends, Let Go of the Doorknob and have a fantastic week!

We are having a most unusual May here in New York. The locals have told me that this is very unusual weather. It is normally hot and muggy already. Instead we have been experiencing a lot of rainfall and cloudy cool days. Coming from the land of sunshine in Alberta, I enjoy seeing blue skies and lots of sunshine. I imagine that normally, people would have their outdoor pools up and running by now. Erik says that he didn’t bring any long sleeved shirts because the weather should have been delightful by now. Alas, we are still running the furnace and trying to keep warm with wearing slippers in the house.

I finally wore my fancy cowboy boots to church. One, because it was cooler, and they give me some warmth. Two, because I just felt like dressing up a little more. Members at church noticed my boots and told me that they really liked them.

We were privileged to have a Temple Workers devotional on Sunday evening. Elder Mathias and Sister Irene Held spoke to us as well as our temple President and matron, the Kimblers. All the talks were so good and well prepared to touch our hearts. The closing hymn was, “The Spirit of God”. There were probably about 100 people in attendance. When the opening notes started playing, the chapel felt different and when the singing started, I immediately noticed that there were at least 300 to 400 people singing. Heavenly angels were singing with us. The organist was spectacular and she let it fly for the last verse; all the bells and whistles were in operation for that verse. At the close of the meeting, I turned to the ladies around me and said, “Did you hear that song with the angels joining us?” They had noticed it too! It was a very special experience.

Afterwards, there were cookies for a treat. My glucose monitor had been signalling me for the past hour and I wasn’t going to eat a thing with high blood sugar. One of my fellow temple workers started bringing me glasses of water and then we started walking laps in the cultural hall. It didn’t improve much at all, so another sister who is nurse, suggested that I go home and eat some protein. We returned home, I ate some protein and bounced on the rebounder for 15 minutes to see if it helps and thankfully, it did! I was able to go to bed with peace of mind.

One of the things I noticed this week is that public buildings don’t have handicap accessible doors. When I saw someone with a walker trying to get into the temple, I wondered why they weren’t using the handicap button. It turns out, there is no button. I hurried to the door to help the patron. Then, I started looking at other buildings and saw no accessibility. Very interesting to me, considering that we are not allowed to give a cough drop to someone because that is considered medicine and we’re not a doctor. Some laws are mystifying! I don’t know how a wheelchair is supposed to get into a building.

It was mainly rain and cool weather this week. We did have a fun event to look forward to on May 25. Of the temple missionaries, there will be a birthday this week so someone decided that we should have a surprise party for him. I will report next week on how it turned out.

Erik had an appointment with the dentist to put on the permanent crown but after the office called to reschedule the time, the day flew by and he forgot about the appointment. Rescheduled again for Tuesday the 27th. Well, the temporary crown fell off the day before the appointment so, he is looking forward to the real deal.

The buses have started arriving! The buses are here! Palmyra is a destination temple and tour groups book well in advance to secure a spot in our baptistry. We have been told about how to bring a group in and the process of having them in the temple and trying to have everything go smoothly. We were scheduled to work Saturday evening from 6 to 8 pm for a bus load. There were six of us temple missionaries scheduled to work with a member of the presidency and his wife. Erik and I were the coordinators and we were happy with how things went. We debriefed after the session to discuss what we could have done better and any changes that need to be made. Our toes have been dipped and now it’s into the thick of it for the rest of the summer.

Some temple missionaries have families arriving starting in June and so there is a shuffling of workers as we try to help each other out with the schedule. There is a lot to see in New York and it is incredibly beautiful. There are many choices to be made as to places to go and things to experience.

This year is the 200th anniversary of the Erie Canal. In 1825, New York State opened the Erie Canal. It was an engineering feat parting forests and hills to link Albany to Buffalo, which is a whopping 363 miles away. This was a significant shift in a young nation’s development. New York transformed from a frontier to a force. The canal shortened shipping times which then catapulted New York City into global prominence and helped new towns across the state spring up almost overnight.

The days of mules and weigh locks may be over, but the canal’s spirit of movement lives on. The Empire State Trail, completed in 2020, follows much of the canal’s historic route, drawing walkers, runners and cyclists from around the world. I got so excited to learn about a song that was written in 1912, titled, “Low Bridge, Everybody Down”. I learned that most children educated in New York State probably learned the song sometime in their youth. I looked it up and it’s quite catchy. In 1954, Pete Seeger recorded the song and it became even more popular.

The funny thing is when I asked the temple presidency about it, our Matron started singing it and I sang along with her. She was raised in New York State! Her husband was raised out west so he doesn’t know it.

The canal runs a block from our home and it’s inspiring to think of the history behind our house here in Palmyra.

One of my fellow temple missionaries is also an artist and I admire her work. The other Utah missionaries went to her home and were able to see all her artwork hanging on the walls of her home. Being present and seeing it in person would be wonderful. Check out her website to see her creations.

Welcome

A post from @saltandhart (IG)

Have you ever paused to think about those who came before you?
The ancestors who prayed, sacrificed, and walked paths you now stand on?

Maybe lately you’ve felt them close.

You’ve noticed moments when strength came you didn’t expect, or peace entered your heart right when you needed it most.
Those feelings might be them.

Your ancestors are not far away. In fact, they might be nearer than you think.

Through the Savior Jesus Christ and sacred temple covenants, families are bound forever.
Death cannot erase love or promises.
Your ancestors are still offering sacrifices in your behalf.
They are cheering you on, standing beside you, and reminding you that you don’t have to carry your burdens alone.

They are a legacy that still speaks into your life.

And as you honor them, the Spirit will bring you added strength, comfort, and peace.

You are part of their eternal story.
And they are still part of yours.
Your ancestors still care deeply about you. And they are still helping you come closer to Jesus Christ.

I can attest to this! I love to think about my ancestors and their lives, their families, the things they prayed for, their dreams and hopes. Always remember that you are never alone, although unseen, they are your biggest cheerleaders.

Have a glorious week, be kind, be courteous, be loving and generous.

This week started off with an early drive to Rochester for choir practice. Today we were going to be singing our Mother’s Day song during Sacrament meeting. Sister Neckles had the music all arranged in plastic folders and placed paper clips on each page to make it easier to turn the pages during the performance. There were nine pages and I really appreciated her efforts for us. We sang our song and Erik remarked that the ladies held up their portion of the choir really well. Considering that there were only 6 of us singing, I hoped that we could do it properly. I have a meso-soprano voice and I am always cognizant of not over powering the other members of the choir. During practice, Sister Neckles told me that I was holding back too much. Oye, oye, oye! It’s a fine line.

Driving home, Erik said that we were going to drive a different way home that would take us along the shore of Lake Ontario. We went south to the 104 and then headed east. Using my sense of direction, I directed him to drive along certain roads and then we ended up on the Great Lakes Seaway Trail. It was beautiful and I saw an interesting phenomenon on the lake within the water. It’s fascinating to see the homes along the waterfront. Some are beautifully developed (mansions) and others are properties that have been held in families for generations and they are the original lakefront homes, overgrown and neglected. It reminded me of Gull Lake and the village which has the same thing going on.

I had the joy and honor of video calls with 4 of my children and their children. Technology makes life so enjoyable with being able to see all their faces and converse with them. I learned a cute story about our 14 year old grandson, who in science class, was told that whoever memorized the periodic table would receive a cake. I don’t think she knew that in our family, we have identic memories that really helps us to learn quickly. Our grandson memorized the table in two days and then presented to his teacher. She got a funny look on her face and at the end, he asked her if he did something wrong. She replied, “No, it was perfect!” She wasn’t expecting to have to buy a cake for anyone but, surprise, surprise, Carter was able to bring a chocolate cake home for his efforts.

Our 2 year old grandson spent his first night away from his mother. Her Mother’s Day gift was a night at a hotel all by herself with her books, and peace and quiet. He wasn’t very happy with his dad and sure didn’t want his mama to not be at home where he expects her. There was a lot of ballyhooing going on late into the night. Our son is a wonderful pickleball player and our grandson watches carefully what his dad does and teaches but he took a long back swing with a paddle and destroyed the television. Neither dad or son was incredibly happy with each other. It had been a rough night! The good news is that his baby sister to come is healthy and doing well in mama’s tummy.

Our Calgary grandchildren decided to go rogue and stripped off their clothing, leave via the front door and ride their bicycles through the neighborhood. My dear daughter was exasperated and embarrassed. I told her that it runs in the family and that they came by it honestly. My dad tells me that when we lived in Germany, I stripped off my clothing and headed outside. My parents found me in a dirt pile in the neighborhood, happily playing and getting dirty. I think I was saving laundry for my mother!

Monday was a day that Erik and Mark planned for us. We were heading to Watkin’s Glen State Park for a hike. We took the Gorge Trail. It was incredibly beautiful (huge understatement)! The park attendant took one look at us and suggested that we go partway and then return along the same trail. Watkins Glen State Park is the most famous of the Finger Lakes State Parks, with a reputation for leaving visitors spellbound. Within two miles, the glen’s stream descends 400 feet past 200-foot cliffs, generating 19 waterfalls along its course. The gorge path winds over and under waterfalls and through the spray of Cavern Cascade. Rim trails overlook the gorge. Campers and day-visitors can enjoy the Olympic-size pool, scheduled summer tours through the gorge, tent and trailer campsites, picnic facilities and excellent fishing in nearby Seneca Lake or Catherine Creek, which is renowned for its annual spring run of rainbow trout. It would be amazing to camp there.

We entered via the south entrance. Wanda & I decided to visit the ladies room before the hike. It’s not a long hike and would probably only take us just over an hour. We decided to take a little bit of toilet paper with us in case of emergencies. Little did we know, that there would be zero chance of having any privacy anywhere to have a break. Both Wanda and I are not fans of height and as we entered the gorge, I thought to myself, “This may be a little or a lot crazy!” The trail is only 1.5 miles long but has an elevation climb of 500 feet with over 800 stone steps. The trail is not very wide but is passable by two people, side by side.

We stopped at the point of no return and talked with some people from Brazil. They were young and I said that they could easily do the last 180 step climb to the end (which I was questioning if I should do it, thinking back on the park attendant). They came back and said that they decided not to do the climb. We rested at this point and this is where we learned that Wanda, Erik and myself are all 62 years old and graduated from school the same year. Mark is the older brother of the group being 6 years older than us. Then we decided that we were going to give it a go. Erik is like a mountain goat and he would have no issues with the 180 step climb. Surprisingly, my 7 day a week workouts made it easier that I thought. When you are dragging around excess weight, you have to work hard to do things. I have built up so much core strength and leg strength that I didn’t struggle like I thought I would. Along the trail are signs with reminders about calling 911 for emergencies. We joked that hopefully we wouldn’t have to use it! It was 27C today and it was really nice to be in the shade in the gorge for our journey.

We made it to the top and then realized that unless we all hiked the gorge back, the car was sitting in the lower parking lot and we were stuck. While we were trying to decide which route to take back to the car, Erik made the decision to go back, get the car and return for us. He ran the south rim trail in 17 minutes!! He stopped to take a photo of the top of the waterfalls because he said that his heart rate was a tad too high and he needed to rest for a bit.

We loaded up and went into Watkin’s Glen for some lunch. This is a fascinating little town. It is the home of the Watkins Glen International. There is an automobile track near the village. It hosted the Formula One United States Grand Prix for twenty years (1961-1980). It has hosted road racing of various classes, including the World Sportscar Championship, NASCAR and IndyCar. The track is currently owned by NASCAR. In the sidewalk, along main street are plaques commemorating various race car drivers and their wins. A person never knows what they will come across in their travels.

Lunch was spent at a lakeside hotel/restaurant with a pier in front. I had a glorious salad with delicious veggies and roasted apples. Seneca Lake is one of the Finger Lakes where this village is located. It’s very picturesque and quaint. I found a lovely shop and was able to buy a small Nativity set with woodland animals. We picked up information about a sailboat tour and will probably make plans to come back for that. It’s called the True Love.

After our trip, we finished up our usual Monday chores (laundry and cleaning). We slept really well Monday night, hahaha!

While walking about the neighborhood, I met new people who had a sign on their lawn that I got a big kick out of (D.O.P.E.), The Department of Palmyra Efficiency. Of course, I had to stop and talk to them. I learned that Linda had run for the position of Mayor and that Rick was a hunter and fisherman like Erik. We discussed the affairs of the town and the area. We told them where we were living and that we are in Palmyra for a year.

The blooms of the week are outstanding! Japanese Wisteria, Japanese Snowball Bush, Hydrangea, and Iris’. A new bird that we heard was the Chimney Swift.

Chimney Swift

We were blessed to have a great week serving in the temple. Tender mercies abounded and I feel so blessed to be here with kind hearted and loving workers and patrons who come to the temple. God does know us and knows where we need to be and when.

On Saturday, we headed to another grocery store that the Whiteheads gave us a heads up about. It’s called TOPS and we were delighted to find it. We receive weekly flyers about specials and sales and it was great to be able to go and see what they had. We had gone to a Trader Joe’s on Friday and I was underwhelmed. Too much packaged products; too much that I don’t need in my life.

We look forward to the Temple Workers devotional on Sunday. Each time it is a joyful and rich experience. We will have the opportunity to hear a General Authority speak to us.

Considering that we are near the home of Kodak, I wanted to share this quote with you:

Life is like a camera, focus on what is important, capture the good times, develop from the negatives, and if things don’t work out, take another shot.

Have an amazing week, don’t sweat the small stuff, enjoy the rays of sunshine and let joy enter your heart. Let your spirit be guided by good and you will be richly rewarded.

Off to Rochester we go! Early Sunday morning, I had a choir practice to attend. Erik decided to go to Rochester 2nd Ward for sacrament meeting while I was in choir practice. The dear man wanted a meeting in English. In choir, we are singing a Janice Kapp Perry number about mothers (My Mother’s Love). There is no Spanish translation so it’s a bit tricky. I was getting confused because we weren’t singing the correct notes at times and I was feeling lost and wondering what on earth was going on. It was a strange morning; I left the house without my name tag (no companion check), and Erik forgot to bring my sacrament bread.

One of the sister missionaries had some stains on her top down her left side and when her companion mentioned it, I said, “You obviously didn’t do your companion check before leaving the house!” My friend, Anne Dale always said to me that we needed to do a look over each other before going into public. She told me that if I look bad, it makes her look bad. If I look good then she looks good. Anne has given me some very sage advice at times. For instance, my eyebrows are thin and very blond so that it looks like I don’t have eyebrows. Anne told me that if I don’t look like I have eyebrows, then I don’t have a face. It’s true, that we look better if we have a border, so to speak, above our eyes. Thus, every morning, I make sure to put some eyebrow tint on my eyebrows to give me a face, hahaha! So, Erik didn’t do his companion check before we left the house.

We attended Spanish Sunday School together and it was a fun lesson taught by the Branch President. We all had to introduce ourselves and tell our names, where we were from and something that we like to do. I said my name and that I was from Canada. I told the class that I love to cook Mexican food. Erik introduced himself and said that he likes to eat the food that I cook. Then we were divided into 3 groups to decide what we needed for a trip to the moon. Afterwards, we discussed all the things that were needed and it was interesting that each of the three groups had some different items. A sister from Venezuela, who is very intelligent, gave a detailed answer to what one of the items was, that their group was bringing to the moon. The discussion led to Doctrine and Covenants sections 41-44, also discussing things that are needed in the members of the church, the laws that govern us and our responsibilities.

Then we moved on to Fast & Testimony meeting. Erik & I were asked to give the opening and closing prayers. I felt impressed to write some ideas down for testimony meeting. When you have a small branch, there is ample opportunity to share your testimony. Erik prayed in English and I prayed in Spanish. I was able to share my testimony:

Quisiera compartir mi testimonio de amor por nuestro Padre Celestial y su hijo Jesucristo. Se que Dios vive y que si hijo vivio y murio por nosotros. Se que mis bendiciones provienen de un Padre Celestial amoroso. Agradezco todo lo que el Padre me da, tanto en los momentos dificiles como en los buenos, para que pueda aprender y progresar y ser mas como Cristo. Agradezco a mi familia y amigos, y se que todos podemos ayudarnos mutaamente a ser mas como Cristo. En el nombre de Jesucristo, amen.

The more I try to speak, the easier it becomes. Reading the scriptures in both English and Spanish is very enjoyable for me because I am learning even more vocabulary.

There is a person with a good sense of humor who is in charge of the electronic signs along the highway in Rochester. Because it was May 4th (may the force be with you), a few of the signs read:

Han says, “Solo down!”

Light speed can wait, buckle up young Skywalker.

Slow down you may, Arrive safe you will.

Monday is laundry day. Our washing machine sounds and feels like it’s shaking the entire house. Our landlord bought some anti-vibration pads to put under the machine. Erik helped him get them situated and hopefully they will help.

I got rebounding and Erik went rucksacking. He was thinking that maybe he’ll order a heavier pack but came home huffing and puffing and I said that the 20 pound version is plenty of weight for him unless he shed 20 pounds of body weight and then he could add more weight. He agreed, thank goodness!

This year will be 43 years married and Erik noticed that we each have picked up traits from the other over time. Erik was the most shy person that I had ever met and it was painful trying to have a conversation with him when we were dating. Over the years I have watched him bloom and now he goes on his own to start up conversations with people and meets many new individuals. I have become more of a home body and don’t mind spending hours on my own, creating art, cooking, cleaning and sewing.

This was a great week at the temple. We were very busy as usual and had the opportunity to connect with many new people. Plus, we are able to train others and help them feel more comfortable in their assignments. We are starting to gear up for the summer season where the baptistry will be incredibly busy with patrons. Busloads of people will be arriving to come to the temple. Having the stamina to keep up is important. I tell people that rebounding has given me abs of steel and this week, I really noticed my obliques are tight and strong.

I had a really unusual experience this week. It all started when my biological father contacted me when I was 16 years old and I learned that I have a half brother and half sister who at that time where living in B.C. I never really thought seriously about the whole situation but a few years ago and decided to do a couple of DNA tests to see if anything pops up, family wise. If anything, I had more mysteries arise.

This week, I felt like I should check my lists as I received an email saying new relatives have shown up. If you have done any geneology, you understand that it’s like a rabbit hole. One discovery leads to another and you keep checking information. I felt impressed to look at my DNA matches with the highest percentage of match. I messaged one of the matches and received an answer. She is one of my cousins! It seems that the family had no idea that Ross (my biological father) had any children, let alone three. He left home young and no one heard much from him. Then that night I received another message from a lady, stating that we were cousins and our grandmothers are sisters. I was able to give them what information I knew and they shared what they knew. The family believes that he was killed in conflict in a foreign country. I know that he married a woman from Nigeria and he told me that he was moving there with her. In this day and age of information available, it is amazing that no one can find a trace of him. When his mother died, a private investigator was hired to look for him.

An exciting piece of news is that my great-grandparents came from Belarus and farmed in Saskatchewan. Now I know why part of my DNA is from Eastern Europe. Plus it’s probably why I find it easy to learn Russian. I had a hard time going to sleep that night because of all the excitement.

Every week here in New York state, another type of tree is in bloom. I did learn about some of the trees. This week, I identified: Norway Maple in both green and red leaves, Japanese Maple, Japanese Cherry, and Evergreen Azalea. It’s really interesting to see so many colors at the start of the season. Imagine what the fall will bring!

The birds this week were: Yellow-rumped Warbler, Chipping Sparrow, American Robin, and Northern Cardinal.

Yellow-rumped Warbler

Chipping Sparrow

About an hour away from us is Cornell University and the app, Merlin was developed at Cornell Lab. We have plans to go to the Corning Museum, where if you make an appointment, you are able to create a piece of art from glass. There is a lot to see in New York state besides the glorious countryside. Some days this week were chilly and I even put my fuzzy jacket on to go out. By this weekend, we will have weather in the higher 20’s. Someone told Erik that Mother’s Day seems to be a turning point for weather here. After Sunday, warmer temperatures should be gracing us.

We hosted a dinner for our friends, Mark and Wanda (who are from North Carolina). We had enchiladas and Mexican chopped salad. For dessert, I made a chocolate Tres Leche cake.

Ingredients for the dressing:

• ¼ cup fresh lime juice
• 2 tablespoons honey
• ½ teaspoon cumin
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• freshly ground black pepper
• taste and add salt if needed

Ingredients for the tortilla strips:

• 6 6- inch corn tortillas
• 1 ½ tablespoons canola oil
• ½ teaspoon sea salt

Ingredients for the salad:

• 1 medium head romaine lettuce, chopped in approximately ½ inch pieces
• 1 medium bell pepper, diced in ¼-inch pieces, any color (I used orange)
• ½ medium red onion, diced in ¼-inch pieces
• ½ medium jicama, peeled and diced in ¼-inch pieces
• 1 medium zucchini, diced in ¼-inch dice
• 4 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced into ¼-inch dice
• 4 ears corn, if fresh corn is not in season, substitute 1½ cups of sweet, tiny frozen corn
• 1 ½ cups canned black beans, drained and rinsed
• ½ cup finely chopped cilantro, plus whole cilantro leaves for garnish, if desired
• instructions

Instructions 

• For the dressing, combine lime juice, honey, cumin garlic and salt.
• In a slow, steady stream, add the oils, stirring continuously with a fork or small whisk.
• Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed. Set aside.
• For the corn tortilla strips, preheat oven to 400˚F.
• Stack corn tortillas on a cutting board. Cut in half. Cut each stack of halves into thin strips, widthwise, about ¼-inch thick.
• Transfer tortilla strips to a sheet pan. Drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with salt and toss to coat.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, or until light golden brown and crisp. Set aside to cool.
• For the salad, place corn, two ears at a time, in the microwave and cook for 3 ½ minutes.
• Remove from microwave with a hot pad and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
• After cooling, cut bottom end of corn off, about 1 ½ inches from end. Pull back husk and silks (almost all of the silk should easily pull away). Cut kernels from husks and set aside.
• Combine corn and other salad ingredients in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Add dressing and stir to coat all ingredients. Garnish with cilantro leaves, if desired.
• Serve with tortilla strips on top or place a bowl on the side and let guests help themselves.

Side note: I’m not a fan of Jicama in Canada or USA, so I substituted radishes. Mexicans eat a lot of radishes in Oaxaca. The salad was sooo very good and we had left overs to eat for lunches. I was able to find corn chip strips at a grocery store, so I didn’t have to make them. I will be making this salad again and again.

Erik found a little Mexican grocery store in a small town 6 miles north of Palmyra. It’s called Ranchis Fiesta and it felt like I was walking into a little tienda in Mexico. I was super exited to find Jamaica leaves to make Agua Fresca de Jamaica. I was able to buy the ingredients to make salsa verde. They have a food truck outside and the young man running it, who didn’t speak english but no problem. I found out that he was from Mexico and I told him that I was too, hahaha!

Some really good news is that I was able to connect with a clinic in Canadaigua and get an appointment with a nurse practioner who can write prescriptions. I was able to get sensors to moniter my blood sugar. Freewheeling is not for the faint of heart!

Canadaigua is on one of the finger lakes and is so beautiful! Erik discovered a steam paddle boat that does tours of the lake. We’ll definitely be doing that excursion.

We packed so much into this week that it feels more like 2 weeks worth of news but I am one day late in posting because of Mother’s Day.

Here is a quote to remind yourself that courage is what counts. Each day, I pray for my family to have courage to do the hard things and choose the better way. Life can be hard and full of things that challenge us in the most unimaginable ways. We are children of the most High God and because of that, we are capable of so much with His help and guidance. Face forward and let the shadows fall behind you; have a fantastic week!