On Sunday 29 June we (Colleen, the boys, and myself) enjoyed our branch conference.  (Ward and branch conferences occur annually at the direction of and presided over by the stake presidency.)  We all sat in the overflow area.  Peggy Espersen, whom we home/visit teach, and her grandson were there, too.  Bro. Don Bivens is new Young Men president and Bro. Charles Bowen is new branch mission leader. 

Ellijay Branch

President Ryan Boland was our first speaker.  He spoke of his Toyota Tundra that he has had for seven years.  He mentioned the little things about it that he didn't like such as the gas mileage.  He said how he destroyed his truck by putting it in neutral and rolling it down a hill.  At the bottom he lit a match and had a bonfire!  Not really.  Then he spoke of letting friendships go by the wayside or becoming less active due to being offended by someone.  He quoted from Elder Bednar's talk in October 2006 General Conference about being offended.  We make the choice to be offended. We are to act and not to be acted upon.  We can choose how to respond.  1. Build a firm foundation on the basics of the gospel.  Make sure we're not just here to warm a pew.  2.  Swift to hear and slow to wrath.  His wife Jennifer (the branch seminary teacher) would run her seminary materials by him.  Natural man is an enemy to God, etc.  Mosiah 3:19.  Captain Moroni and Pahoran.  Alma 59-61.  Letters between the two of them.  What if Bro. Echard (the high priests group leader) sent us such a letter due to our poor home teaching?  3. Seek reconciliation with whomever offended us.  Those who should hear Elder Bednar's (or President Boland's) talk probably are not in attendance, so we should seek after those who have been offended and are not with us.

Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

The ward choir sang "The Lord is My Shepherd."  Brother Bowen solo'ed part of it.

President C. Watson Nichols, our stake president, spoke.  His parents are back here from Utah to visit.  His dad is 84 and in failing health.  His mom said to tell us in Ellijay that she loves us.  She doesn't know us but her ancestors in S. C. joined the Church over 100 years ago.  He spoke of his truck, too.  It had six seat belts which helped with Scouting.  It could pass everything but a gas station.  He said that Pres. Boland's topic was not assigned but his is similar.  He spoke on unity.  How do we become one?  Savior prayed that His disciples would be one.  In Enoch's time his people were one and were called Zion.  Saints were one in the primitive church and among the Nephites and Lamanites after Christ's visit.  We cannot be in full fellowship and yet oppose Church leaders.  He bore his testimony of President Monson's calling as a prophet of God.  He warned us that we need to be one and be united.  The answer to the world's problems is in the gospel of Jesus Christ.  Men seek not the will of the Lord but seek to appease one another.  We need to seek Him and establish His righteousness.  We must unify ourselves with our Church leaders.  We must be unified as a family.  Particularly in the gospel.  He misses his wife when she is away!  The bed is not made, there is a pizza box on the counter, and he knows that there are 38 glasses in the kitchen.  He testified of our branch president and our Church having the priesthood keys.  He testified of the First Vision and God the Father and Jesus Christ.  We must strengthen our faith in the Savior.

Colleen joined me in Gospel Doctrine for lesson 24, “Create in Me a Clean Heart” using 2 Samuel 11–12 and Psalm 51.  The purpose of the lesson was to encourage class members to be chaste in thought and action and to repent of their sins. 

Elder Richard G. Scott said:

“Do not take comfort in the fact that your transgressions are not known by others. That is like an ostrich with his head buried in the sand. He sees only darkness and feels comfortably hidden. In reality he is ridiculously conspicuous. Likewise our every act is seen by our Father in Heaven and His Beloved Son. They know everything about us. …

"If you have seriously transgressed, you will not find any lasting satisfaction or comfort in what you have done. Excusing transgression with a cover-up may appear to fix the problem, but it does not. The tempter is intent on making public your most embarrassing acts at the most harmful time. Lies weave a pattern that is ever more confining and becomes a trap that Satan will spring to your detriment” (in April 1995 General Conference).

Elder Richard G. Scott of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

President Marion G. Romney said: “David, … though highly favored of the Lord (he was, in fact, referred to as a man after God’s own heart), yielded to temptation. His unchastity led to murder, and as a consequence, he lost his families and his exaltation” (in April 1979 General Conference).

President Marion G. Romney when he was
second counselor in the First Presidency
(1897-1988)

The lesson manual states, "Even though David forfeited his exaltation because he arranged the death of Uriah, we can learn from his repentant attitude as he sought forgiveness for the sin of adultery. His words in Psalm 51 teach many aspects of true repentance."

Eileen's lesson in Florida would be lesson 22, “The Lord Looketh on the Heart” using 1 Samuel 9–11; 13; 15–17.  The purpose of that lesson was  to encourage class members to trust in the Lord rather than their own understanding.  They are two weeks behind Ellijay.

Elder James E. Talmage wrote, “Saul prepared the burnt offering himself, forgetting that though he occupied the throne, wore the crown, and bore the scepter, [he had] no right to officiate … in the Priesthood of God; and for this and other instances of his unrighteous presumption he was rejected of God and another was made king in his place” (The Articles of Faith).

Elder James E. Talmage of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
(1862-1933)

Elder Marvin J. Ashton said:

“We … tend to evaluate others on the basis of physical, outward appearance: their ‘good looks,’ their social status, their family pedigrees, their degrees, or their economic situations.

“The Lord, however, has a different standard by which he measures a person. … He does not take a tape measure around the person’s head to determine his mental capacity, nor his chest to determine his manliness, but He measures the heart as an indicator of the person’s capacity and potential to bless others” (in Oct. 1988 General Conference).

Elder Marvin J. Ashton of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles
(1915-1994)

New missionaries in the branch are Elder Burkinshaw (five days out of the MTC, i.e., Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah) and Sister Rueckert which she pronounces Rickert.  Sister Burgess transferred to Cleveland, Georgia.

President Stallings taught us in priesthood.  He had a clip-on microphone so that the investigator named Reggie and myself could hear him well.  "Hastening the work," "the work of salvation" is our topic today.  He referred to the covenants that we have made.  Being missionaries in our daily lives.  We need to be master inviters while the missionaries are master teachers.  Work together in faith and unity.  Branch president is responsible for everyone within the branch boundaries, member and non-member alike.  We need to invite others into our gospel-centered lives.  He quoted from Elder Ballard in October 2013 General Conference about allaying the fears of members in doing missionary work.  Ask and ye shall receive.  Kneel in prayer and ask for missionary opportunities.  Sharing the gospel is our responsibility.  Working with less-actives.  They often know very little about the gospel.  Is there someone on the other side of the veil calling to us to be found?  Pray that the missionaries will be able to teach 20 discussions a week.  We are all in this work together.  Prayer is the key.  "The power behind you is greater than the obstacles before you."  Elder Oaks.  "There is a way for everyone to participate in this great work." President Uchtdorf.  There are prophets of God on the earth today.  The power of the priesthood is real and will help us.  

Elder M. Russell Ballard of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf of the First Presidency

After the meeting I shared with Brother Bowen that even though the clip-on microphone that President Stallings was using was good for Reggie and myself, it is better to have the handheld microphone that can be also be passed to class members who make comments so we can hear them, too.

The branch presidency received my e-mails about the stake food drive.  President Boland is going to visit with the leaders of other local churches to invite them to join with us.  I recommended Hope Lutheran as they are so involved with our pantry.

Brother David Echard and I gave Peggy Espersen a blessing as she is going in the hospital tomorrow for heart surgery.

We enjoyed the potluck meal in the cultural hall after our meetings.

Colleen, Ashton, Spencer, and Tanner

At home I began packing for my return to Florida tomorrow.  I finished reading the 16 March Church News and discovered that I had forgotten to read the 9 March edition that I had brought back from Florida.

In the 16 March edition I had read that "The companionships of a spouse and of the Holy Ghost are crucial to Heavenly Father's plan of happiness."  This was stated by Brother Larry M. Gibson, first counselor in the Young Men general presidency, at a BYU campus devotional on 11 March.

Larry M. Gibson

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf spoke at the annual Church History Symposium on 7 March in the Conference Center in Salt Lake City. He drew his theme "Seeing beyond the leaf" from a quoted remark by novelist Michael Crichton: "If you don't know history, you don't know anything.  You are a leaf that doesn't know it is part of a tree."

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Elder M. Russell Ballard visited South America in February and remembered the prophecy of his grandfather Elder Melvin J. Ballard made in 1925: "The work (in South America) will go forth slowly for a time just as the oak grows slowly from an acorn.  It will not shoot up in a day as does the sunflower that grows quickly and thus dies.  Thousands will join here.  It will be divided into more than one mission and will be one of the strongest in the Church.  The work here us the smallest that it will ever be.  The day will come when the Lamanites here in South America will get the chance.  The South American Mission will become a power in the Church."  Today there are some 4.5 million members living in South America with fourteen temples from Caracas to Buenos Aires.

Elder Melvin J. Ballard (1873-1939)
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Elder M. Russell Ballard

There was a good article about family history consultant training from RootsTech 2014.

I finished reading chapter 15, "Keeping God's Commandments Brings Forgiveness," from "The Miracle of Forgiveness" by President Spencer W. Kimball. 

Late in the evening Eileen asked me to look for pictures of Sue when she was young.  I found one or two.  Then at Eileen's suggestion Colleen brought up a large packing box from the green room in the basement full of primarily old pictures and we found lots of Sue.  We did not FaceTime as Eileen knew we were going through pictures and I am leaving tomorrow morning.

Sue, Geoff, Heather, and Colleen with Eileen and Ben
at Ben's mom's home in Babylon, New York, about 35 years ago

On Monday 30 June I left home a little after 9 am.  It was raining hard even though the weather app said "partly cloudy" and the radar showed no rain!  As I approached Canton the rain ended.  I enjoyed breakfast at the Cracker Barrel in Morrow, my first time at that one.

I was disappointed to read about the latest Supreme Court decisions :(  And, of course, they were 5-4 decisions with the conservative judges being pro-corporation and anti-union, though I really have no opinion on the anti-union decision.  It is so sad that the 5-4 Supreme Court decisions have little to do with the Constitution and the law and everything to do with the justices' political views, be they conservative or liberal.

I got off of I-75 at exit 186 to head east via Juliette to Monticello.  I hit rain, sometimes heavy, but it stopped as I neared Monticello.  I got my picture of the Jasper County license plate and some nice old homes in the Historic District.  No rain on the way back to I-75.

I stopped at a rest area for a break.

South on I-75 was awful as I neared Vienna and Cordele due to road work narrowing the road to two lanes and, I heard later, a bad accident.  It was bumper-to-bumper with frequent complete stops and often barely moving at all.  At one point all of a sudden we were able to fly along at 60 for about a mile. Then bumper-to-bumper again!

I got off at exit 109 for Vienna.  I took a couple of pictures in Vienna of a home and a wall painting.

Then I was on US 41 South and it was bumper-to-bumper!! Two cars got out of line and headed north but I had no alternative.  It did begin moving somewhat.

I got back on I-75 further south and it was fine.  I took a break at Cracker Barrel in Cordele for supper.

Wall decoration in Cracker Barrel

I got my picture of the Crisp County license plate and an interesting shot of  watermelon-filled truck.

I got gas at Sam's Club in Valdosta for $3.399.  I reached Russ's in Brooker about 9 pm, so it took 12 hours with two meals, the side trip to Monticello, and the awful traffic on I-75.

I finished reading "Buttered Side Down", short stories by Edna Ferber, the famous writer of such works as "So Big," "Showboat," "Giant," and "Cimarron."  I had started it on 10 April.

Edna Ferber (1885-1968)

On Tuesday 1 July I left Brooker about 9 am and snapped a picture of the Spanish moss on a tree long the way.

I stopped at the Cracker Barrel in Gainesville for breakfast.  It was pretty crowded.

I got to Memorial Regional South Hospital in Hollywood about 3 pm.  Sue looked very good.  She is in room 452 in the Hospice by the Sea unit of the floor.  She was glad I was back!

Eileen in Hospice by the Sea unit

Memorial Regional South Hospital in Hollywood, Florida

We have several conch shells at home.

The food at this hospital is quite good!  Sue enjoyed her food and we liked our food in the cafeteria very much!

We returned to Sue and David's about 7:30 and I unpacked.

David surprised me with a container of mini-Chuckles.  He knows that I like Chuckles a lot, though the only places I have seen them nowadays is Cracker Barrel and Bed, Bath, and Beyond.  In the latter they are in what is called a theater box.  I had never seen mini-Chuckles before.

On Wednesday 2 July we were up early and returned to the hospital.  Sue was discharged in the afternoon.

I finished reading "A Daughter of Fife" by Amelia Edith Huddleston Barr which I began on 12 April.  I have also read "An Orkney Maid" by her.

Amelia Edith Huddleston Barr (1831-1919) 

On Thursday 3 July we were up early and I did some shopping for Eileen and Sue.

I finished reading "The Man Who was Thursday: A Nightmare" by Gilbert Keith Chesterton which I began on 12 April.  Known as G. K. Chesterton, he wrote the Father Brown stories.  "The Man Who was Thursday" was rather strange and bizarre, definitely a bad dream by the main character.  Wikipedia said, "The book is sometimes referred to as a metaphysical thriller."

G. K. Chesterton (1874-1936)

I ordered flowers for Geoff's girl friend Pat as she just got out of the hospital and she still isn't doing well.

I finished reading the 9 March Church News which covered the dedication of the Gilbert Arizona Temple, the Church's 142nd temple, and the youth cultural celebration that took place in a rain storm the evening before.

the Gilbert Arizona Temple

Presidents Thomas S. Monson and Henry B. Eyring

Youth in the rain celebrating

Youth in the rain celebrating

In the evening Eileen and I went for a ride as David and Megan were with Sue.  We stopped at d'Lites emporium for some soft sugar-free ice cream.

On Friday 4 July I enjoyed "The Ultimate 4th of July Quiz" in the Deseret News online and I have forwarded a copy to Colleen, William, Heather, David, Sue, Megan, and Eileen.  I got 16 of 25 correct.  The best so far was 18 by Heather's husband Tom.  Even our grandson Spencer got 16.

Eileen and I went to Whole Foods and then all four of us went to Russ and Gail's for a 4th of July barbecue.  Megan joined us there.  We enjoyed cheeseburgers, hot dogs, and lots of salads.

Russ and Gail's

I read an excellent article in the July Ensign about the growth of the Church in Brazil.  Following the revelation on the priesthood and the dedication of the first temple in São Paulo in 1978, 700,000 Brazilians joined the Church in the next two decades!

The São Paulo Temple

I had a nice talk with my sister Libby when she called about Sue.  I had emailed her last month but she never replied, so I emailed her again with the earlier email attached.  She doesn't know how she missed the earlier one.

Colleen and the boys left Ellijay this morning and just let us know (about 6:30 pm) that they arrived at Russ's place in Brooker safe and sound.  They sent more pictures of veggies from our garden including a little green worm that was enjoying a cucumber.

Tanner and zucchini

Pepper, cucumber, and squash 

We enjoyed primarily the Capitol Fourth on CBS and enjoyed the fireworks.  It was fun to see Frankie Valli performing at age 80.  He sounds the same as he did 50 years ago!  And Patti LaBelle is talented and beautiful at age 70.  Of course, there were a number of younger performers that I had never heard of before!  The finale of the 1812 Overture with the fireworks going off was delightful!

Frankie Valli

Patti LaBelle

Here is a link to the Capitol Fourth videos.  After clicking on the link, go to "Fireworks over Washington, D.C. accompanied by the 1812 Overture" video.

http://www.pbs.org/a-capitol-fourth/videos/

On Saturday 5 July I finished reading "Captain Blood," an excellent swashbuckling novel, by Rafael Sabatini which I began on 14 April.

Rafael Sabatini (1875-1950)

I booked flights for Geoff to fly here next Tuesday and return home on Friday.  Then I made a registration for him at the Comfort Suites in nearby Tamarac where Colleen and the boys had stayed.  Later I canceled it as Colleen said that Geoff could stay with them at their timeshare.

Colleen and the boys arrived about 4:30 pm and are staying at the Wyndham Palm Aire Resort in Pompano Beach, about 25 minutes from Sue.  They are on the fourth floor of the Areca Palm building.  It is a lovely suite.

Fountain Palm building where one checks in

Areca Palm building

Areca Palm building

View from the balcony

View from the balcony

View from the balcony

Colleen ordered pizza from a "nearby" Papa John's and I went to pick it up.

We received the weekly British Crier newsletter from our mission at the Family History Library and in it was a quote from "The Teachings of George Albert Smith" who was the Church's president and prophet from 1945 to 1951. 

 "In no other nation under heaven could the Church have been organized and gone forward as we have in this nation. The founding of the United States was not an accident. The giving to us of the Constitution of the United States was not an accident. Our Heavenly Father knew what would be needed, and so he paved the way to give us the Constitution. It came under the influence of prayer, and he guided those who framed that wonderful document." I posted it on Facebook.

President George Albert Smith (1870-1951)