Turtle on the log Turtles near the canal in the wetland.
As I pondered the Come Follow Me lesson for the past week and my experiences, I know that God knows each one of us. We are his children and he loves us. We may have moments of wondering if that’s true when we seem to be wallowing in the pits of despair. Life can feel impossible sometimes and we think about how we got into a certain situation as well as where do we go from there.
Like most everyone, I’ve had some difficult experiences in my life and the one thing that I have figured out is that “It’s not over until it’s over.” I just do an about face and look at things from a different perspective. Many years ago, I started saying to myself, “What does God need me to learn from this.” When I step away from the emotion of a situation, it allows me to have perspective and find a solution that wasn’t the way that I had been proceeding. God’s ways are not our ways and if something feels strange in that it isn’t the way you normally handle something, maybe getting a little uncomfortable is what you need.
I have gotten a LOT uncomfortable to be able to learn many skills. I don’t fear failure, I look forward to learning something new. I love languages and I think the reason why is that I enjoy communicating with others. Every day I practice at least two different languages to keep my brain learning and progressing. Because of that diligence, I am able to communicate with people and I feel good.
I reached a 3000 day streak on Duolingo this past week. Plus I use Spanish Dictionary to keep my Spanish going.
This came in handy on Saturday at the temple. Patrons have the opportunity to do temple ordinances in their language of choice, by wearing a headset with the translation. A patron asked me for a headset to be able to use Arabic for her ordinance. Later on, I was able to help her with a language card and I know that God put me in her path because of my language skills. I don’t read Arabic but I was able to follow along with her to help her. There have been unnumberable tender mercies given to me as I have served in temples.
Many years ago, I was going to have my Swiss friends bring their horses and wagon to Olds for the Mountain View County Fair parade. I was going to decorate the wagon with my quilts from my store and basically advertise my business. At the last minute, my friends received a request for their horses and their fancy wagon for a wedding party. They arranged for me to borrow a tractor from a local dealer and pull another wagon. I arrive at the farm implement store and go in to discuss my predicament. The gentleman at the desk asked me if I knew how to drive a tractor. I replied, “No, but I’m about to learn!” He rolled his eyes and took me outside to the tractor. After some instruction, I climbed up and with the wagon hitched, I drove to the parade route line-up. During the parade, one young lad yelled out, “HEY, Girls don’t drive tractors!!” I yelled back at him, “Well, this one DOES!” It was a great day and despite being thrown into a tricky situation, I was able to learn and progress.
This past week, I made some chocolate covered strawberries to take to the Wednesday evening shift. They were a big hit and only one strawberry was left to take home. It was also a night to do some training for the Allred’s to take over from us.
Dark chocolate strawberries
Have you ever seen such a large roll of toilet paper? My goodness!
Thursday was Erik’s birthday and we had a gift certificate for The Cheesecake Factory to be used so off we went and were pleasantly surprised at how gluten free friendly they were. Then we headed to Wegman’s for some groceries. The Wegman’s in Pittsford is their flagship store and it’s massive. I was buying a cake and ice cream to take to the temple for Erik’s birthday. There were so many people running around with their faces glued to their phones and shopping carts whipping by as if the zombie apocalypse was immanent.
My big strong handsome man!Here’s the old man in him struggling with his phone (haha)
On Friday, we went with the Allred’s and the Bliss’ to take them to Sauder’s Mennonite store and to the Whitmer Farm.
Elder Allred & Elder Naglis Sister Allred and I trying out the gliders.
Check out the ice cream; NFL team with their own flavor of ice cream!
Later on we headed to Cafe 19 (XIX) for lunch. Their Mexican salad was delicious.
Allred’s , Naglis’ and Bliss’ at the Whitmer FarmWhitmer Farm
Sunday morning snow was coming down which was quite shocking after our lovely 24C days previously. We headed to Auburn for church. Where we sat, in front of us was Dottie with her service dog, Sam. Dottie’s daughter says that Sam is quite spoiled. He was quite content to make googly eyes at us and smile all the while.
Sam the service dog
Remember that when you have an extraordinary moment that makes your heart sing, that is God’s way of letting you know that he is aware of you and loves for you to be happy.
As we step into Holy Week (Semana Santa), we can follow along with the days leading to our Savior’s crucifixion and triumphant resurrection. It was a lovely week as we stepped back into our service at the Palmyra temple. This week we had two new couples who are starting their year long mission at the temple; the Allred’s and the Dayton’s. The Dayton’s are our new neighbors on the other side of the house. I was also given the opportunity to train a new worker who serves as an Historic Site missionary. It is a wonderful blessing to overlap with the incoming missionaries!
We are seeing many new people at the temple this week due to Spring Break in schools. As I spoke to one family, they mentioned how surprised they are at the many different types of missions there are for senior missionaries. I remember thinking the same thing last year as I met many senior missionaries along our path. There are hundreds of diverse, flexible senior missionary opportunities. They may be full-time or part-time and can be tailored to specific skills and interests, often focused on humanitarian aid, education, Church operations, and family history. I love that service is available while living at home or traveling to locations worldwide.
Key Types of Senior Missionary Opportunities
Humanitarian Aid: Providing humanitarian aid, welfare, and self-reliance services.
Family History & Temple: Working with FamilySearch (in-person or online) or serving in temples.
Education & Training: Assisting with BYU-Pathway Worldwide, Seminaries and Institutes, or education programs.
Mission & Area Office: Serving in administration, legal, or mission office roles.
Member Support & Member Leader Support: Assisting with local unit needs, member engagement, and mission offices.
Church Operations & Facilities: Working at bishops’ storehouses, canneries, farms, ranches, and maintaining property.
Healthcare & Specialized Professionals: Supporting medical missions or using specialized skills for specific church needs.
Visitor Centers & Historic Sites: Guiding and interacting with the public
There are so many ways to add fulfillment to your life and we have certainly enjoyed our year in Palmyra. I was really nervous about being sent to a city or metropolitan area and have thoroughly loved being in a rural setting. If you are thinking about service, there are so many opportunities that, certainly, something will suit your needs.
We were looking forward to General Conference again. Before the Saturday morning session, Erik and I headed south to the Peter Whitmer farm and to Sauder’s (Mennonite store). We needed to be back by noon for the first session (EDT). Our first stop was Sauder’s and while I would have loved to have taken time to check out everything, I was pressured to get hopping and move along quickly, getting what we needed. Sauder’s is a large store and they have a mezzanine level with a railing where they hang quilts for sale. The quilts are so pretty and are priced at an amazingly low cost. My friend Sister Annette Moser (FM missionary) went to Sauder’s with her husband and purchased all the quilts on display, not once but again and again. She ended up buying 40 queen size quilts. The Moser’s do have 37 grandchildren and these quilts will be a legacy gift to them and the Moser’s children. I told Annette, that she was my hero! She replied, “I appreciate the talents that you quilter’s have and this is the way that I can support you.”
I’m pretty sure that Erik has kept me out of Sauder’s so that I don’t buy any quilts! I did get my Bee Cream and other groceries that we needed so that I could prepare food for Conference weekend. From Sauder’s, we went to the Whitmer farm. This is a unique building because the Visitor’s Center is attached to the Fayette Ward building. I was more curious about the church building and as I wandered, I saw artwork that I have never seen in any other church building. Bishop Thibert was there setting up the chapel in case anyone needed to see Conference at the church. The Bishop and I visited for awhile and he explained how their congregation is involved with the community. He took me to the display cases where photos show the work that has been done.
One of the service projects was done at the Ovid Union Cemetery. The Young Men from the Fayette Ward went every week last summer to restore headstones and clean the cemetery. These young men bonded and worked side by side to create a lasting memory for themselves and the community.
The project was so successful that they have been asked to help at three other cemeteries. For some of the headstones, they had to excavate them and prepare a new foundation for the headstone while cleaning and for some putting headstones back together.
The Ward also participates in a canned food drive (ExtravaCANza), organized by the local Rotary Club. Each organization that brings cans, creates a design out of the cans and Fayette Ward has won two years in a row! They have photos of their designs and it’s amazing. Maybe this year will be their third win.
Our Gen Con watching station
We drove home and were set up within a couple of minutes for watching conference. Sessions are streamed in over 70 languages. The feat to put on this type of event is massive. I loved the theme of Easter and the opportunity to participate in a Solemn Assembly. As the speakers each gave their talks, I was impressed by the feeling that each and everyone of them experiences trials and hardships and some are so hard to imagine going through. They are not exempt from the problems that everyone faces in their lives. The inspiration comes as they tell how they are handling the problems and what is getting them through it. The common denominator is Jesus Christ. By faith in him, we can face all adversity. Elder Ulisses Soares said, “Remaining connected to the True Vine is not merely desirable; it is essential.”
The night before His suffering and death, Jesus Christ declared, “I am the true vine … ye are the branches” (John 15:1, 5). Through this “beautiful and moving” metaphor, the Savior taught that He is the true, trusted and essential source of spiritual nourishment.
“Therefore, just as the branches cannot bear fruit of themselves unless they remain connected to the vine, neither can we reach our full spiritual measure unless we abide in Him and His gospel.”
Abiding in Christ is a constant, conscious and sacred choice. It doesn’t remove life’s burdens, but through His grace, those burdens are made lighter.
“As we place ourselves in His loving care and take upon us His yoke, we receive the spiritual power to endure and overcome the trials, weaknesses and sorrows of mortality — burdens often too heavy to bear without His redeeming help and healing influence.”
The world is full of voices, some good, some lacking in substance and some that deceive. Over time, these voices can grow into “tangled vines” that lead to spiritual loss and sorrow.
“In a world of many voices, remaining connected to the True Vine is not merely desirable; it is essential to our spiritual survival.”
This is part of just one of the talks delivered at General Conference. I love to reread each talk and be able to more fully study and get more understanding of the messages. In fact that was a directive given to us by our prophet, President Oaks, to reread and study these talks.
We ate Cowboy Caviar while watching General Conference. Plus we had leftover jello salad from the Missionary Easter dinner. After the Saturday sessions, we gathered at the Hill Cumorah Visitor Center for a dinner and program. The first wave of Sister missionaries had just arrived. One of the Sisters has been assigned to the Edmonton Canada mission after her four months of service at the Historic Sites. Keep an eye out for Sister Dever! The program after supper was so wonderful. We sat with the new temple missionaries and later someone asked where they were serving and Sister Allred replied. “We’re the God Squad! We’re at the temple!”
Erik rose and was able to catch this sunrise photo from our parking lot. Plus I want to share this photo of us at the Washington D.C. temple.
Palmyra sunrise Washington D.C. temple
The memes and GIFS come out so quickly about themes and talks of Conference. One of my favorites is Will Ferrell, “Everybody love everybody!! Come on!!” A play on what President Oaks is asking of us. Be kind and get along!
We love this served with tortilla chips. Erik has freeze-dried this to take backpacking. This was our Conference snack on Sunday.
Above all, follow the Savior and be kind to everyone. We don’t know what anyone is going through as evidenced by the speakers in General Conference. We clean up, dress up and put on our happy faces even though inside we may feel like curling into a ball and hiding in a corner. I know that the best cure for my ills is to serve and help others. This takes away my pains and helps me to feel more connected to the Savior.
Spring is hopefully on it’s way. It’s coming in fits and spurts but one day it will be here, just like our Savior’s return to govern our earth. Have a beautiful week!
It’s been a roller coaster the past two weeks. It all started with my mom being moved from her care home to hospice care. She declined very quickly and then passed on March 3. I was thrilled to have her visit me two hours before she passed away. When I heard the news that mom was being transferred, the question arose as to whether I would return home. I spoke spiritually with my mom and asked her if she wanted me to come home. She replied, “Absolutely not! You are where God needs you and besides, by the time you get here, I will be gone.” Thus my decision was made to stay in the mission field and complete our mission.
Earlier in the day on March 3, we learned that one of the six month missionary couples had to cancel their mission due to illness. I immediately told the temple president that we would be willing to stay. In fact my exact words were, “PICK ME, PICK ME!” (With both arms straight up in the air). He had conferred with his contact in Salt Lake City and they thought that it would be a good idea for us to stay because we were already here. Erik and I thought about it for a few minutes and discussed what it would mean for us. We agreed to stay another six months. The following day, that extension was denied by Salt Lake City and we were heartbroken. We went out for lunch with President and Sister Kimbler and waited on what was to happen next.
The next day, we received news that President Kimbler had authority to extend our mission by one month, until the end of April. The other news is that we would have to move to make space for the next set of year long temple missionaries. I dreaded the thought of packing everything for one month. Erik thought that it would be a good way to figure out how the car would look with it packed and see what we downsize.
We checked with the temple recorder (who is in charge of temple missionary housing). Brother Fergus decided that it would be best if we stayed where we are now and the other couple will be housed in another apartment until we left. I was very happy to hear this!
The Gomez family 5th Branch Missionaries
With our one month extension, we are being reassigned to another church unit. We have been attending the Spanish Branch in the Rochester Stake. My, dear, sweet, persevering husband has been using Google Translate to listen to meetings. I was devastated to leave this Branch because they have been like our family. I always get super excited to see them when they come to the temple. We were asked to share our testimonies on Sunday, and as well, I was asked to give the closing prayer in Sunday School. Being in the Spanish Branch has been good for my Spanish and speaking spontaneously. There were so many new people that the missionaries had brought to church. It was a very emotional day (the roller coaster continues).
Our Branch gifted Erik and I special gifts as a farewell. He received a new tie and I received a beautiful scarf, hair clips and a mug that says, “Con Dios, todo es possible”. I will treasure their thoughtfulness. Their kindness and friendship meant the world to us.
We were blessed to attend a farewell dinner at the Kimbler’s temple house. The Parker’s and Gurr’s were leaving to head west in the morning. I made table runners for them using the fabric line, “I Love New York”. The Kimbler’s gifted us beautiful prints of the Palmyra temple. President Kimbler asked each of us to share what serving in the Palmyra temple meant to us and it was wonderful to hear everyone’s stories. We had Sister Fergus take some photos of our group.
Elder & Sister Parker Elder & Sister Gurr
This morning we said goodbye to our dear, neighbors, the Gurr’s. I will really miss them and I think Erik will miss the treats from Tonya (gluten buns, cookies etc.) After we drove around doing errands today, upon coming home, my eyes welled up because I knew we wouldn’t see Gurr’s car anymore parked in front of ours.
While walking in the Sacred Grove this afternoon, I spotted clumps of daffodils springing up. Soon we will have green leaves and see the blossoms. When we left the house it was 21C and then the temperature started sinking like a rock. In the Grove it was 9C and windy. We have cold weather coming in for the next few days.
Spring is coming
Being in the Sacred Grove helps me to think on the role of our Savior in our lives. Easter is soon approaching and personally, Easter is a very sacred time of the year. To think on the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ as sobering and brings gratitude to mind.
I know that I am loved by Heavenly Parents and a Savior who gave his life for me. This past two weeks of ups and downs has been a trial at times and full of joy at other times. I know that God has a plan for us and I will keep my eyes and heart heavenward to see the greatness of the blessings and joy provided for us. Our worth is eternal and great. I can reflect the Savior’s love through my acts and compassion for others. Let us be the mirrors of love that Jesus Christ shows to each one of us.
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18) I love to witness the moments of joy in my life and give appreciation for them. When you look carefully and thoughtfully, you will find joy in your life. I witnessed this throughout the past week.
Having joy is a choice to find deep contentment in faith, rather than a denial of pain. I love these scriptures because to rejoice always is an invitation to find strength in God during trials like stress, fatigue or conflict.
To pray continually gives me a constant connection to God’s strength. Giving thanks in all circumstances is a practice that I found to shift my difficulties to gratitude. Through this practice I have helped myself build maturity, patience and a deeper more resilient faith.
As taught by President Russell M. Nelson, true joy is a spiritual state, not merely fleeting happiness, that can be maintained regardless of whether one is experiencing a bad day, week, or year.
We had the opportunity to assist a family who were being joined together in marriage this past week. As members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we believe that families can be together forever in the eternities. While the couple were being married, the youngest children were getting impatient and could hardly wait to go into the sealing room. After the sealing of the family was done, the children were heard exclaiming, “THIS is the BEST day of my life!! We are an eternal family now!!!” I was so touched by their gratitude and joy at being joined together. I don’t remember seeing such joy from children before as they understood the importance of being together forever.
As well, the grandparents were so grateful and full of joy, and that joy spread throughout the temple. Family had flown in from across the country to be together and witness this marriage and sealing of family. What a beautiful day! Another miracle was that the sun was shining and they were able to take photos outside the temple together. The sun doesn’t shine very often in the winter here in New York. One person told me that this sky color is called “New York Gray”.
Here we are; best of the goofing around photos
Our home Ward has asked us for a photo of the two of us and a scripture to go on a plaque to commemorate our mission. Erik and I never sit for a professional photographer and thus we kept forgetting to get a photo done. We wanted one outside of the temple, but the weather didn’t cooperate. We finally went next door to the Gurr’s and asked them to take a photo of us. The next problem is that we don’t seem to take photos very seriously and it’s more of a comedy scene than anything else.
It’s hard to take this seriously!
Erik has been fine tuning his spreadsheet for our journey home. If there is anything you have seen in the USA that you would recommend for us, let me know. So far, we are planning on going to Lancaster, Pennsylvania to see a play at the Sight and Sound Theatre. This year the play is called Joshua. I’m really looking forward to it!
Sight & Sound® began nearly 50 years ago in rural Pennsylvania when a dairy farmer went from producing milk to producing live entertainment with a purpose. Now with two state-of-the-art theater locations, an online streaming platform, and a film studio, Sight & Sound brings powerful stories from the pages of Scripture and history to life on stage and screen.
Whenever I think of Gettysburg, I think of Bruce Blumell. Bruce has a deep love of history and for one Empty-Nester family home evening get together, he gave a presentation on Gettysburg. I have been to Germany to the concentration camps and felt the horrors of those places so I have mixed feelings about Gettysburg which had over 51,000 casualties in three days. This was one hundred years before I was born. This battle was the turning point in the American Civil War.
I am on the final projects for quilting and Erik is starting to get nervous that I won’t get them done. Today I have the final large project ready for the long arm quilter. Binding is made and ready to apply to the quilt when it gets back to me. I laid out fabrics for the next two projects and am feeling confident.
The lost sock
My missing sock has been found!! I bought some socks from North Carolina and they are based on using recycled wool. Each pair is made with the same pattern but the colors may not be in the exact same places in each sock. I was sad, wondering where my sock could have wandered off to. Erik (the official laundry person) said that it was probably stuck inside of some piece of clothing. Today he decided to cut up one of his collared T-shirts and found my lost sock inside of it. I am so grateful that he didn’t cut the sock!!
Next Sunday, Erik and I have been asked to give our final talks in our Branch. We will be talking about the blessings of the temple. When an English speaker uses a translator, the time is as if there were two talks given, so, we will have to be cognizant of the time (well, Erik will have to).
Tonight we are going to join up with the Historic Site missionaries for a Valentine’s Day meal. Their new Mission Leader for the Historic Sites will be joining us. There has been a two week break between the last Mission Leaders leaving and the new leaders arriving. Next month the new sister missionaries will start arriving as well to prepare themselves for the tours. They memorize the scripts for the tours and do a fabulous job.
I found an Instagram page called “mormon_food_review”. It’s really cute because these men who drink beer and cook chili decided to feed the missionaries. They edit their salty language but it’s so nice to see people being kind and helping the missionaries. They are from New York (Rochester) and I recognized two missionaries who have served at the temple. One of the videos show them in a restaurant being fed “Garbage Plates” which are famous in Rochester.
I am bringing my seven (or more) layer salad to the dinner tonight. Erik cooks the eggs and the bacon and opens the can of water chestnuts for me. I chop and grate and get the salad put together. The good thing is that I used up two jars from the fridge, plus a can, haha! The Gurr’s showed us their food left and it’s not much at all. They are doing much better than us at reducing our food pantry. We’ll get there eventually!
I may sound like a broken record but I really believe that where we focus our lives will determine the joy we experience. The world around us is going to pieces, we need to be a righteous people who will receive the Lord when he returns. I encourage you to be part of creating Zion, having joy, keeping your covenants and stand ready to have Zion in your hearts.
We have spent the last two Sundays in Palmyra because of the snow. Unbeknownst to us, Palmyra Ward was having Ward Conference on Sunday. As I looked around at the people who were attending as well as the Stake leaders, Erik and I realized that we know many of these people. It was beautiful to meet together for the purpose of renewing our baptismal covenants.
I was overcome by the strength of the congregation renewing our baptismal covenant through partaking of the sacrament. We were one in Christ. Then I thought about all the saints world wide doing the same thing and was reminded of the great strength there is in doing so. What do we covenant at baptism?
We renew these covenants each week as we partake of the sacrament.
Come unto the fold of God (become a member of the church of Jesus Christ).
Be called His son or daughter (take upon me the name of Christ).
Bear others’ burdens, that they may be light; mourn with those that mourn; and comfort those in need of comfort (help others).
Stand as a witness of God at all times and in all things and in all places (testify of Christ and set a good example at all times).
Serve God and keep his commandments.
When I keep my baptismal covenants the Lord covenants to:
Forgive my sins.
Pour his spirit more abundantly upon me (give me the companionship of the Holy Ghost).
Redeem me that I might be numbered with those of the first resurrection and have eternal life (permit me to enter the celestial kingdom to live with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ).
Can you imagine the power that is available on earth when we collectively renew our covenants? I loved thinking about this while sacrament was being passed to the congregation.
Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are a covenant making and keeping people. In both our Relief Society and Priesthood meetings, we had discussions about the covenants that we make in our lives with God. The feeling of unity was beautiful and it made me think of the life that we have developed and lived the past year. We have made so many new relationships with hundreds of people. The first month of our mission brought a feeling of being overwhelmed for me because I love to meet people and learn all about them. I was thrust into a new situation and was trying to process how I was going to accomplish the integration of all these people into my brain.
Last week, I looked back at the year and am thrilled with all my new friends and love to greet them by name as they come to the temple. One sister arrived on a Thursday for an initiatory session. Then I saw her again with youth from her ward to do a baptistry session. She was surprised to see me and said, “Are you always here?” I told her that, “Yes, we are here at the temple nearly everyday”.
I always think that we work with the best people at the temple. Temple workers are trying so diligently to live up to their covenants and thus we feel so blessed to be together. They truly are kind, sweet people who love to serve and be in the Lord’s house.
I had the opportunity to visit with a young lad (approximately 14 years old). He is one of a set of quadruplets. His other siblings had come the previous day but he had the opportunity to come by himself with other ward members. We had a great discussion about the Savior and I shared some experiences that are sacred to me with him. The following day, a sister that I was working with filled me in on some background of that young man and it quickly became apparent that God had put him and I together the day before. There are no coincidences in this life. Our experiences have a purpose and we need to pay attention to understand what the Lord has for us.
The south side of our house
So, it seems that winter has followed us to New York. While our western friends are living life in the balmy breezes well above freezing, we have actually reached minus 20 Celsius. Whenever the groundhog predicts six more weeks of winter, I usually think that, of course we do, it’s Canada! Hopefully in a month, it will look a little different here in New York. Erik has been plotting out our route for going home. We are heading south to avoid the blizzards that will be streaking across the continent. The first thing that Erik found to do, is bass fishing in Guntersville, Alabama. We do have other things lined up first on the recommendation of our friends. Stay tuned for those adventures!
This week I managed to get all the quilt blocks done for a quilt. I can hardly wait to see this quilted. Then I am on to table runners. My sewing machine still has two more weeks at the “spa”. I’m very grateful for my loaner machine!
Making heart blocks
This past week, I was prompted to do an endowment session in another language. I ended up doing a French session and it was delightful. I have never done a French session before and I was surprised because we have been attending a Spanish branch and my Spanish has greatly improved by doing so. I have been working on my French for a few months and it went very well. I am also working on my ASL skills and I’m so tickled to be able to keep learning new languages.
I am selecting recipes to try for my sweetheart. We enjoy our chocolate so I will try this one.
I can testify of this! We are absolutely walking different paths. Working together makes this life easier.
I was thinking about the city of Enoch. They were all taken up. No one on the earth has been perfect save the Lord, Jesus Christ. I think of this city and in years past, I thought that they were taken up to the Lord because they were near perfect. Now, I think the important thing is that they were all facing the same direction. Having our hearts knit in unity with Christ is important. We are all so diverse and facing different challenges, yet, we can be unified by facing towards Christ.
So, let us walk upright before God and with one another. We will receive help from the other side to give us succor on our journey. As we continue in our imperfections and foibles may we be ever blessed with help from each other and from our savior, Jesus Christ.
Snow Squall blowing through A respite from the squall
I love to give gifts and this past week had me reflecting on gifts of various types. Do you ever wonder about the gifts you have been given and want to know more about your gifts and abilities? I have been thinking about the gifts of the Spirit. Through the power of the Holy Ghost we can be blessed with gifts of the Spirit. These gifts are given to those who are faithful to Christ. “All these gifts come from God, for the benefit of the children of God” (D&C 46:26). They help us know and teach the truths of the gospel. They will help us bless others. They will guide us back to our Heavenly Father. To use our gifts wisely, we need to know what they are, how we can develop them, and how to recognize Satan’s imitations of them.
The scriptures mention many gifts of the Spirit. These gifts have been given to members of the true Church whenever it has been on the earth. (Mark 16:16-18).
Gift of Tongues: I think about this and rejoice in my ability to learn languages. It does take effort and I am quite happy to practice and learn more.
The Gift of the Interpretation of Tongues: I have experienced this while sitting with people whose language I do not know well but yet, I receive the message. It’s miraculous!
The Gift of Translation: I think about my mom for this one because my mom is a rock star in genealogy. She prepared nearly 1 million names for genealogy. She told me how she specialized in German and specifically Old German Script. My mom could look at the script and translate it while to others, it looked undecipherable.
The Gift of Wisdom: Of course, I immediately think of Solomon who was blessed with great wisdom and was world renowned for it. The first scripture that comes to my mind is from James 1: 5-7. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.“ But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. “For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord”. The Lord said, “Seek not for riches but for wisdom, and behold, the mysteries of God shall be unfolded unto you” (D&C 6:7).
The Gift of Knowledge: The Lord revealed, “If a person gains more knowledge and intelligence in this life through his diligence and obedience than another, he will have so much the advantage in the world to come” (D&C 130:19). One day I was sewing a complicated set of pillowcases for my sister. I struggled with the order of the sewing. The pillowcases had ties, ruffles and layers. That night I had a dream and the Lord showed me the method of creating the pillowcases. I got up in the morning and followed His instructions and they went together perfectly. I immediately gave thanks and said, “Heavenly Father, you REALLY do know everything!!”
The Gift of Teaching Wisdom and Knowledge: President David O. McKay taught: “It is given unto some, says the Lord in the Doctrine and Covenants, to know by the Holy Ghost that Jesus is the Son of God and that He was crucified for the sins of the world [see D&C 46:13]. It is to these I refer who stand firm upon the rock of revelation in the testimony that they bear to the world”.
The Gift of Believing the Testimony of Others: By the power of the Holy Ghost we may know the truth of all things. If we want to know whether someone else is speaking the truth, we must ask God in faith. If the thing we are praying about is true, the Lord will speak peace to our minds (see D&C 6:22–23). In this way we can know when someone else, even the prophet, has received revelation. Nephi asked the Lord to let him see, feel, and know that his father’s dream was true (see 1 Nephi 10:17–19).
The Gift of Prophecy: Those who receive true revelations about the past, present, or future have the gift of prophecy. Prophets have this gift, but we too can have it to help us govern our own lives (see 1 Corinthians 14:39). We may receive revelations from God for ourselves.
The Gift of Healing: Some have the faith to heal, and others have the faith to be healed. We can all exercise the faith to be healed when we are ill (see D&C 42:48). Many who hold the priesthood have the gift of healing the sick. Others may be given a knowledge of how to cure illness.
The Gift of Working Miracles: The Lord has blessed His people many times in miraculous ways. When the Utah pioneers planted their first crops, a plague of locusts nearly destroyed them. The pioneers prayed that the Lord would save their crops, and He sent seagulls to devour the locusts. When we need help and ask in faith, if it is for our good the Lord will work miracles for us (see Matthew 17:20; D&C 24:13–14).
The Gift of Faith: Moroni promises, “Whoso believeth in Christ, doubting nothing, whatsoever he shall ask the Father in the name of Christ it shall be granted him” (Mormon 9:21). I love that promise and I believe that it can happen!
The Lord has said: “For all have not every gift given unto them; for there are many gifts, and to every man is given a gift by the Spirit of God. To some is given one, and to some is given another, that all may be profited thereby” (D&C 46:11–12). I always wonder how I can help others with the gifts I have been given. Of spiritual gifts, the Lord said, “They are given for the benefit of those who love me and keep all my commandments, and him that seeketh so to do” (D&C 46:9).
Our Patriarchal blessings are a font of knowledge for our lives. I remember our Patriarch from the Calgary West Stake giving us instructions on how to receive more knowledge and wisdom regarding our blessings. It was fantastic because it taught us to open ourselves to direct communication with God.
As we start the year, it’s a great time to reflect on what we would like to accomplish and better ourselves in. Are there gifts of the Spirit you would like more of? Are there skills you would like to learn?
This past week has been so wonderful with all the birthdays and anniversary of my parents. They celebrated their 61st Wedding Anniversary. My mama has had so many struggles in her life that this many years together is an incredible blessing.
Papa Moe & Mama Joan – 61 years together.
I like to sing birthday songs to my children and grandchildren. I record myself and then send it to them. The Primary birthday songs are so fun and personalized. I also give them a little message of love. One granddaughter turned 4 and their family has a delightful tradition of each member carrying a lit birthday candle into the birthday person’s bedroom to awaken them on their birthday. The birthday girl woke up and blew out all her candles; it’s very precious!
I was very grateful for all the messages and notes to wish me a happy birthday. As I think on each person, I love remembering our times together. This is a banner year; turning 63 and being born in 1963. Good things should be happening!
Yesterday, I sat beside the Espinoza family during compartir. They have three little boys, 8 years old and under. Those boys told me so much stuff; I learned a lot about them and their family. The oldest boy likes vegetables more than meat. The two youngest are not fans of veggies but love their meat. When their dad let them have some cake, the middle son, takes a bite and says, “It’s okay (chocolate cake) but carrot cake is far superior!” He turned to me and placing his hands on either side of his head, says, “My first time eating carrot cake…it blew my mind!” So, so cute to listen to them and get to know them better.
My sister-in-law shared a great recipe with me on my birthday.
Renate told me that her and Hans eat this a lot. It’s a quick and easy recipe with delicious taste. If you aren’t a fish person (oh, well, hahaha). You could also substitute smoked salmon in the recipe. I am now on my third batch of the Russian Pickled Cabbage salad. I’m not tired of it yet. A loaf of bread was baked today as well, a batch of almond flour is in the oven, dehydrating.
Oh, the day to day striving! My big take away from the Come Follow Me lesson was that God didn’t create the world in one day or the snap of His fingers. It took days and in our time thousands of years. I shouldn’t get frustrated when I don’t achieve my goals in a short time. Line upon line and precept upon precept will get us there. Enjoy your week; stay healthy and chin up. Stand in holy places keeping your eyes on the prize.
We went through a snow day and then a no-snow day, then rain, then more snow and then more rain. It melts away as the temperatures are still above freezing during the day. The groundskeepers put these fiberglass stakes on the edges of the lawns and islands in the parking lot. I think it’s a smart idea to not run a snowblower over the lawns or run a snow plow into an island. This week, our groundskeeper at our house also pounded stakes into the edges of the lawn. It also frightens me that we could possibly receive enough snow to warrant these stakes. The ones around the island are great because they also have reflective tape on them to warn people coming into the parking lot.
I bought Erik some merino wool leggings to wear under his pants for his winter excursions. They are midweight and for now the temperatures are still warm enough that light weight would be better. We are enjoying the cooler nights and are able to leave a bedroom window open instead of running the air conditioner at night while sleeping. The European way (and Scandanavian) is to bundle your baby in lambs wool fleece and put them in their prams for an afternoon nap outside your house or a cafe where you may meet up with friends. The fresh air is excellent for them and helps to boost their immune systems and promotes healthy sleep habits.
I can attest that being cocooned and then having fresh air blowing over me makes for a great night’s sleep. Personally, I love the connection to nature and it’s healing power.
Being on a mission is all about service. Years ago, our daughter, Leah said to someone that her parents were very hardworking people who love to help others. It’s true, we do try to jump in and give a hand where we can. Being on a temple mission is definitely about service because we help people everyday as they come to worship in the house of the Lord. We are fortunate to have the skills to help out in whatever area we are needed. It was a lovely surprise and joy to see members from our Spanish Branch come to the temple. They are our family here and what joy fills my heart to see them.
I met a gentleman this past week who knows a friend from Alberta. He asked me where I was from and I usually tell people, “Western Canada.” “Yes, but where?” he asked. I told him that our home Stake was Red Deer now. He told me that he knew someone from Olds. Imagine my surprise when he mentioned a dear sister’s name? He has known her for decades. I didn’t know that she was from New York! Our connections are incredible and I feel blessed to know so many people from all the places that we have lived.
This past week, I spent time in the celestial room again and I had specific requests and questions for the Lord. I feel extremely blessed to have those requests answered and dealt with as well as knowing what we are to do when we get home. One of my friends told me, “Cheryl, people aren’t like you and how you receive such specific direction from the Lord. They don’t receive answers like you do.” I was surprised when she told me that because I have been blessed my entire life to have my questions and pleas answered and I thought that it was the same way for everyone.
Erik and I had the priviledge of performing a sealing ordinance for his great grandparents on the Latvian side of his family. His great grandparents are Anton and Marija. As I knelt, I felt Marija put her arm around my shoulders as she knelt next to me. Immediately, the tears started flowing and I felt her love for the service that I was providing. It was a great experience!
We received our assignments for the missionary Thanksgiving dinner. Each couple is to bring a couple of dishes. I agreed to bring a vegetable dish and a dessert. Thus far, I have come up with a spiral veggie tart and pecan pie bars. The next week will determine if any changes need to happen to my plan. I might need to practice beforehand. My children will say, “That’s never stopped you before! You always practiced on our guests!”
My eating style now is grain free so I look for recipes to fit the bill or that I can adapt.
This is what I baked today, Keto Cranberry Orange bread. It turned out well and is a go-to for fresh cranberries.
I’ve decided to sew Christmas pillowcases for the youth and children in our branch (there’s only 7 of them).
There are a variety of poems that you can print and attach when giving them as gifts. I looked on Pinterest and found a few that were appropriate. Here is one:
December brings a magical time, with all sorts of colors, smells and rhyme. Sugar Plum fairies will dance over your bed if you put this special pillowcase under your head. The reason it’s special as you will soon see, is because it’s made with LOVE for you from me. Dreaming of candy canes, Santa and family. Magical times to celebrate daily.
But my favorite is:
This is the poem that I attached to the pillowcases that I gave. So many to choose from!!
I have a quilt with the long armer now. I am excited to get it back and put the binding on. Oh, oh, Erik pressed two bindings for me today. I told him that I’ll make a quilter out of him yet, hahaha! He did say that the binding seemed to go on and on, hahaha!
Don’t you love this? Sometimes it’s hard to get out and give service physically but this quote by Cheryl Esplin shows us that service goes beyond that. Simply doing these things is service. I remember that shortly after getting married, I wanted to set a personal goal and it was to become more patient. I know that you’re all laughing now because you know how that goes. The Lord puts patience testing times in front of you to teach you patience. It didn’t take me long to recognize what was going on and that I was learning. “Oh, I see what you did there, Lord!” seemed to be a familiar thought that was going through my mind. Well, patience was learned.
Maybe pick one thing that you know you could work on to improve. It’s fun to see how the Lord helps you to learn a skill to be of service. Remember that old dogs can learn new tricks; they just have to have the desire to do so and receive the reward of a job well done. To be told by the Savior that I have done a good job is the reward that I look forward to.
Enjoy your week! Stay safe in wintry conditions and put a smile on your face. With a smile on your face, people will wonder what you’ve been up to. I know that my friends choose well, and I love you for that!
Monday the 30th of March came and I realized that we have been in Palymra for seven days. I like to start my day by drinking two cups of water and settling in to read my scriptures. Reading each day gives me strength and courage to go forth and try to be a better person. My personal reading schedule finds me in Alma in the Book of Mormon and in Acts in the New Testament. Plus I am studying the Come Follow Me program in the Doctrine & Covenants this year. It’s a lot to take in and process but I love being able to disect gospel principles and receive a confirmation.
Today was the day to meet the temple presidency. President and Sister Kimbler are from the Rochester area. The counselors are President and Sister Wozniak as well as President and Sister Lau. We met at the Kimbler’s home (the temple presidents have a home close to the temple) and Sister Kimbler made a beautiful luncheon for everyone. It was lovely to meet everyone. Brother Fergus, the temple recorder was also there and the Gurr’s. We were able to chat a little over lunch and afterwards we headed over to the temple for our orientation.
The Palmyra temple is one of what I call, “The Hinkley Temples. President Hinkley had built many temples according to this floor plan. They were called the small temples, usually just over 10,000 square feet. The Palmyra temple is all on one floor and is 10,900 sq. feet. There is a window in the main reception area that overlooks the Sacred Grove. I can’t wait to see it when the trees are leafed out. The trees that are there are a variety of the following: Sugar Maple, Tulip Poplar, White Ash, Black Walnut, Norway Spruce, Douglas Fir, Hemlock, Catalpa, Kentucky Coffee Tree as well as a variety of Oak species. Basically a hardwood forest covers the area.
The stained glass work in the temple is so beautiful. Looking back towards the main door, you see through a series of stained glass that looks like you are looking through the local forest, as to being in the Sacred Grove. This is the grove where Joseph Smith as a 14 year old boy, went to pray and ask God what to do as to religion. There were many different religions vying for members at this time; a religious revival. Joseph received his answer and it was not what he expected but he had been reading in the book of James. Chapter 1, verses 5 & 6. 5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
6 But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed.
I love his faith, being of a young age of a boy. I love these verses and from these I know that God loves us all and wants us to receive knowledge and understanding. Thus in 1820, he went to this grove of trees on the family farm and knelt to pray. In the Pearl of Great Price (a book of scripture), Joseph recounts the experience in the grove. It is titled Joseph Smith History. To be here in Palmyra where this account occured as well as other important events in history is inspiring and touching.
We received our missionary name badges and temple name badges as well as our scheduling for working. This week we will work 3 days. Our neighbors teased us about having a 4 day weekend. We finished orientation and left to go home and absorb what is ensuing for us.
Tuesday dawned and we checked outside to see what the weather is bringing. So far, spring season seems to be typical. Showers and clouds, wind and not yet warm enough to do short sleeves. I seem to be missing my Alberta blue skies. Sister Kimbler reminded me to take my vitamin D. I did my workout on the rebounder and then Erik decided that we should go shopping so that he could find some hiking shoes. We drove some back roads to a mall. The landscape here is stunning, beautiful acreages and homes, surrounded by woodlands. We reached the mall, parked and entered the mall to find shoes. Immediately, I found Williams Sonoma and told Erik that I needed to go in. It was heavenly! Erik spots a $400 toaster and says, “This is not a store for us!” I was not to be deterred, haha! I perused the knife section, drooling over the knives that I could imagine cooking with. Our little apartment has 3 knifes, dull as anything. Then I moved on to the rest of the store. I did purchase a couple of Victorinox knives and a micro-planer. We taste tested their Bunny Bark; quite delicious.
Walking on, we cruised the entire mall to find the shoe store that he wanted to go to. He found a pair of Merrell hiking shoes, and off we went for lunch. Finding a Mexican restaurant, we decided to try it. It was okay, but the horchata was exquisite. I had Erik drive me to the Hobby Lobby so that I could get embroidery floss for my Nauvoo cross stitch pattern. I can’t say Hobby Lobby without saying it like my friend, Carol Keller. It’s her midwest accent that I will never forget.
Arriving back at the apartment, I was feeling exhausted and wondered if it was wise to do a workout and then walk all over the mall and now have to work a shift at the temple. Maybe a nap? Erik got his nap in while I sat with my feet up. We packed a protein bar to go the temple and headed there. It’s a four minute drive; pure bliss! It was wonderful to be welcomed to the temple family and learn the procedures that the temple uses. Can you say, completely shattered? That’s how I felt after completing our day. Because of our jaunt around the countryside, I hadn’t done my Spanish lesson and had to do it at 10 pm that night. Lesson learned both ways; do it much sooner in the day.
Wednesday was a rain day; all day long and into the night. We went looking for a couple of items and ended up driving to Newark which is east of Palmyra. The highway travels alongside the Erie Canal. I spotted a Tractor Supply store which is just like Peavey Mart in Canada (the Peavey Mart that went into bankruptsy and is no more). I helped me feel like home and was able to find a shoe horn for Erik. I had the opportunity to chat with a couple of ladies in Marshall’s because they asked me about my name badge.
Spanish lesson was done early! We decided to do an early supper because we need to be at the temple by 4:30 pm. Discovering that our shifts do not have lunch/dinner breaks, we decided to change up our schedule. I am including the recipe for our supper. Adapt as you need for dietary needs.
The temperature was dropping and the rain was slushy and collecting in the spring plantings at the temple. I must invest in a umbrella as I learned that it rains frequently here. We met a whole new shift of workers. When you are an Historic Site missionary, you are able to work 2 to 3 shifts per month in the temple. We also were able to meet Sister Lau, as she had been in Idaho visiting grandchildren. Erik and I were also able to meet President and Sister Hall, who attend the Spanish Branch that we will be in. They were very excited that I spoke Spanish and already told us that we will be speaking in May. Jump right in with both feet. I had told Erik earlier that I can help him with translating a prayer and a simple testimony into Spanish and that he could have it at hand to go when needed. President and Sister Hall loved that idea. That idea was thanks to President Spackman from the Calgary temple. He told me that when he was a mission president in New York, he had a missionary translate a prayer for him so that he could memorize it and use it when needed.
One of the temple workers has a quirky sense of humor. While I went to the break room for a drink from my water bottle, he opens the freezer section of the fridge, looks in and then closes the fridge. He looks at me and says, “The temple missionaries always keep the freezer stocked with Turkey Hill.” I asked him what that was. It turns out that it’s ice cream. Haha, good luck with that! His wife told me at the end of the evening that she’s too cheap to buy that expensive brand of ice cream. It was nice to go home and put feet up. The rain was still coming down and in the middle of the night, the wind had to have been blowing fiercely because the building was shaking. Thunder, lightening and sirens, oh, my!
The weather forecast for Thursday was bringing warmer temperatures. It was going to be 20°C and still cloudy. I had a slow start to my day; standing on the marble floors for 3 hours straight made my bones a little achy. But after getting moving, life started to feel better. Erik wanted to do some ruck sacking while he was trekking around Palmyra. I remember Lyndon doing it when he lived in Calgary. He would load up a backpack and head out for a walk. There is a company that actually sells supplies to do rucksacking but Erik says they are very expensive. Rucksacking is just walking with weight on your back aka backpacking. I never wanted to be a Sherpa thus I never was interested in doing backpacking. It reminds me of Sister Marjorie Hinckley when she said that both her and her husband Gordon wanted to do different things for vacation, so she went off doing what she wanted and Gordon did his choice. She said that it made for a happy marriage. So, I bounce on the rebounder and have a little dance party all by myself, six days a week.
Pounding bass music was coming from a pickup truck parked across the street. It went on for what seemed forever. Dare I ask the Lord again for the favor of making the music stop? Well, I did, and it did too. We prepared for another evening shift at the temple. Yet again meeting new workers and missionaries. When I put my water bottle in the break room, it seemed that every surface was covered in some kind of treat. There was a really big cake on a table, decorated with the 25th Anniversary of the Palmyra temple, April 6, 2000. There were donuts, cookies, etc. When I opened the freezer to tell the tale of Brother Wilson’s request, There had to have been 7-8 tubs of ice cream in the freezer! Brother Wilson was going to be thrilled. He came in shortly and made himself a plate of cake and ice cream.
After a lovely evening working in the temple, it was time to head back to our apartment and have a snack and prepare for bed. We have the Canadian Government sending us voting ballots to mail in. Hopefully it doesn’t take too long. Everyone needs to use their voice in the election.
On Friday, April 4th, Erik made some plans after his walk-about, to take a drive to see Sodus Point. I had done my rebounding and thanks to my friend, Janet, I added a song to my playlist. It’s called, “Good Day” by Forrest Frank. He does worship music and this song is a great way to start our days.
We stopped at the Martin Harris farm on our way. There isn’t a building to tour but there is a monument with a map of the farm. He was an early supporter of Joseph Smith. He lived on a 300 acre farm outside of Palmyra. He received this portion from his father’s original 600 acres.
Martin mortgaged 240 acres of his farm to be able to secure payment for the printing of the Book of Mormon. Martin authorized E.B. Grandin to sell the land at auction to cover the debt if Martin defaulted. Eventually, he was required to sell 151 acres in order to pay the debt. This home in the photo is not the original but was rebuilt and is privately owned.
We headed north of Palmyra to get to Sodus Point. In 1794, this was the first settlement of European-American. Before the settlers came, the area had been for centuries, the territory of the Onondaga Nation. During the War of 1812, the village was burned by a British raiding party. This left only one building but the village was rebuilt. This village is on the shore of Lake Ontario on a point of land on the northeast edge of Sodus Bay. The name was derived from a native word meaning, “gleam on the water.” Another possible origin is from the Iroquois, “Land of silver waters.”
Sodus Point Museum Lighthouse monument within the original footings.Volunteers look after the gardens at Sodus Point.
The area became an important port on Lake Ontario in the 19th Century. As the Erie Canal shifted state transportation patterns, the village’s function as a port declined. In the later 19th century, it became a popular vacation resort, especially for people from Chicago and other cities during the summers. We really noticed this as we were driving around. There were a lot of vacation homes and vacation rentals. It was fun to see all the boats in the shipyard. The museum was not open yet for the season but we took a few photos and tried not to freeze to death. The wind coming off of Lake Ontario was frigid but the view was beautiful. Erik brought out his binoculars so that we could see the Chimney Bluffs, which were spectacular.
Straight up!Chimney Bluffs (not for scaredy cats like me)
This area is also known for it’s apple orchards and is only second in production in the USA behind Yakima County in Washington state. They call it the Finger Lakes Apple Country. We saw so many orchards being prepared for the coming season. It looks so different than anything we’ve seen before in Canada.
Leaving Sodus Point, we went to the Chimney Bluffs State Park. I went to the beach to see the stones, while Erik went up the hill to the cliff edges. Some of you may know that I am not a fan of heights and Erik even said that I wouldn’t have liked it where he had gone. The stones are famous here for buildings. If you look closely at the Martin Harris farm house, it is built in that manner. It was amazing to see them up close because of the colors.
Beach of Lake Ontario Erik on the beach of Lake Ontario
Heading back south we made it home and then I realized that we needed some groceries for the weekend. Off to Wegman’s we went to procur nourishment to sustain us during General Conference. For my gluten free/celiac friends, I may try a recipe from the Loopy Whisk for a baking project. I used to always make cinnamon rolls (it feels like a million years ago) for General Conference weekend. I’m feeling brave. We’ll see how it goes. Most importantly we are looking forward to the messages. Oh, I just realized that we are not in the same time zone. It’ll be odd but it’ll be awesome to be fed spiritually and feel the joy of the gospel.
cherylnaglis 