On Sunday 31 August we were up early as I attended the branch council meeting at 9 am to brief everyone on the progress of the upcoming stake food drive.

We were glad to see Frank and Linda from the food pantry in our meetings today.

Brother Chester spoke to the branch about the stake food drive, emphasizing reaching out to local friends, neighbors, stores, and churches.  He also announced the youth temple trip on 27 September.

Our opening hymn was #77, "Great Is the Lord," a hymn we don't sing all that often.  It was written by Eliza R. Snow (1804-1887) with music by Ebenezer Beesley (1840-1906).  It was included in the first LDS hymnbook in 1835.

Eileen was sustained as the branch public affairs specialist.  The callings of branch assistant finance clerk and branch assistant membership clerk were changed as Scott Pierce and Paul Woodward were released and Zack White and David Ashworth were sustained.

Sister Cheryl Dawson was our first speaker.  She spoke about gossiping and judging others.  Scripture about mote and beam.  Quick judgements about people.  Jesus visiting home of Mary and Martha.  "I am the resurrection and the life."  Martha and Lazarus.  Use good judgement about Martha.  Elder N. Eldon Tanner about judgement.

President N. Eldon Tanner (1898-1982)

The prophet Samuel in choosing the king.  Lord looketh on the heart.  Gossiping is the worst form of judging.  The tongue is a deadly weapon.  Elder Marvin J. Ashton about bashing others.  We already know of our weaknesses and don't need to be bashed.

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

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf.  "Stop it!"  April 2012.  Remember "my way is not the only way."  It is hard to be negative when you are smiling.

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Elder Tanner.  Suspend judgement.  President Thomas S. Monson.  Women's broadcast 2010.  Charity that manifests itself when we are tolerant, patient, compassionate, and merciful.  Have patience with someone that has let us down.  Real charity you make part of yourself.  Forgive someone that had hurt us.

President Thomas S. Monson

"If you judge people, you have no time to love them." Mother Theresa.  Do not judge wrongfully.  

Mother Theresa (1910-1997)

Brother Don Bivens was our concluding speaker.  Brother Tony Stanley visited him in his home and asked him to give a talk.  He struggled with the subject of his talk.  None of us are judges except President Boland.  One day we will all be judged.  We have one purpose in life and that is to live with our Father and Jesus.  Heed the prophets.  Our ancestors can accept the gospel and they are already in the spirit world.  Satan tempts us throughout our lives.  We have to work and be responsible for ourselves, exercise our agency.  Listen to the Holy Ghost.  He has been around since the time of Adam.  Christ told his disciples that the Comforter would be with them.  The Holy Ghost will witness to you what is right.  We can hear His voice or other times just a still, quiet whispering.  You have to listen.  Heed your bishop or branch president with the mantle that they have.  Pray to know what is the truth.  Ignore the adversary.  Two young boys from California taught him the truth 32 years ago.  We are all being tested, every one of us.  We have to discipline ourselves.  Be like Jesus.  Endure to the end.  Keep on the right path and hold to the iron rod.  Recommend that you read the scriptures, two books that talk about Christ.  We should care about ourselves.  If we do, we can ignore the adversary.  Read the Bible and the Book of Mormon.  Learn what Jesus would have us do.   The Church is true.  Heavenly Father loves us.  The Bible and the Book of Mormon are true.  The priesthood has been restored.  Temples allow us to do the work for our ancestors.  Start now and you will be blessed.  You are where you should be today.  Where will you be tomorrow?  Get your life in order and listen to the Holy Ghost.

Although Don's talk was fine for the members, it was felt to be a bit hard for visitors such as Frank and Linda.

Gospel Doctrine was in the chapel with Sister Bowen teaching.  The lesson was #33, “Sharing the Gospel with the World" using Jonah 1–4; Micah 2; 4–7.

The purpose of the lesson was to encourage class members to fulfill their responsibilities as latter-day Israel to love all the people of the world and share the blessings of the gospel with them.

In 1979, President Spencer W. Kimball spoke of the need for more missionaries who could preach the gospel to people in all parts of the world. He declared:

“I believe the Lord can do anything he sets his mind to do. But I can see no good reason why the Lord would open doors that we are not prepared to enter” (“The Uttermost Parts of the Earth,” Ensign, July 1979).

President Spencer W. Kimball (1895-1985)

During his earthly ministry, the Savior spoke about the “sign of the prophet Jonas [Jonah]” (Matthew 12:39). What did this sign mean? (See Matthew 12:39–41. Jonah spent three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish and then was brought forth alive. The Savior would spend three days and nights buried in the earth and then would come forth resurrected.)

Through his prophets, the Lord has repeatedly commanded every worthy, able young man to serve a full-time mission. He has also encouraged senior couples to serve as full-time missionaries if they are able.

In 1842 the Prophet Joseph Smith Jr. declared, “No unhallowed hand can stop the work from progressing; persecutions may rage, mobs may combine, armies may assemble, calumny may defame, but the truth of God will go forth boldly, nobly, and independent, till it has penetrated every continent, visited every clime, swept every country, and sounded in every ear, till the purposes of God shall be accomplished, and the Great Jehovah shall say the work is done” (History of the Church, 4:540).

Prophet Joseph Smith Jr. (1805-1844)

Since we have served as senior full-time missionaries and hope to be able to do it again, I have included the following from Elder David B. Haight:

“In behalf of the Brethren, this is a call for retired couples to seriously consider serving a mission. We desperately need more couples to help meet our needs. … Less than 50 percent of the requests for couple missionaries from [our] mission presidents are being filled. …

“The Brethren hope that many, many more couples will make themselves available for full-time service to the Church. The need is great! Hundreds of thousands of new members join the Church each year, and they need to hear a friendly voice of support and comfort from experienced members.

“The refrain, ‘I’ll go where you want me to go, dear Lord’ (Hymns, 1985, no. 270), should be more than a hymn we sing on Sunday. It should be our own prayer of faith as we serve wherever the Lord has need of us” (“Couple Missionaries: ‘A Wonderful Resource,’” Ensign, Feb. 1996).

Elder David B. Haight
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles (1906-2004)

Our opening hymn in priesthood was #163, "Lord, Dismiss Us with Thy Blessing," with the words by John Fawcett and music by Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778), whose "political philosophy influenced the French Revolution as well as the overall development of modern political, sociological, and educational thought."  Wikipedia.

The priesthood lesson today was from the "Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith" lesson 16 on "Bringing Up Children in Light and Truth."

“The first duty pertaining to the training of the children of the Church belongs in the home.”

1. To withstand the influence of the adversary, parents must bring up their children in light and truth.

"The importance of family unity—love and consideration for one another in the family—cannot be overemphasized. Spiritual solidarity in family relationships is the sure foundation upon which the Church and society itself will flourish."

2. Parents are primarily responsible for the teaching of their children.

"The Father has never relinquished his claim upon the children born into this world. They are still His children. He has placed them in the care of mortal parents with the admonition that they be brought up in light and truth. The primary responsibility, and fundamentally so, is upon the parents to teach their children in light and truth."

3. The Church helps parents in their efforts to teach their children.

4. Parents should do all they can to help their children understand and live the gospel of Jesus Christ.

"Individual, personal testimony is and always will be the strength of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A testimony is best nurtured in the family setting. … The gaining and the keeping of testimonies should be a family project. Do not neglect anything that will help to strengthen the testimony of any member of your family."

While at church I spoke with Brothers Dorsey and Usry about helping them with their family history,

After our meetings Eileen was set apart by President Boland as the branch public affairs specialist and they discussed some of her duties as he perceives them.

At home I called several neighbors about the food drive and left several messages.  Greg asked me to put the plastic bag in his and DJ's mailbox.

I finished reading the 20 April issue of the LDS Church News.  I enjoyed the article "Christian leaders meet with U. S. president at the White House.  President Uchtdorf represented the Church with five other religious leaders on 15 April.  It was remarkable to see the U.S. chief executive “preach to the preachers and quote scriptures,” President Uchtdorf said. “You could see he knows the scriptures and he uses them wisely.”

In his remarks at the Easter prayer breakfast, President Obama said, “This Easter Week, of course we recognize that there’s a lot of pain and a lot of sin and a lot of tragedy in this world, but we’re also overwhelmed by the grace of an awesome God. We’re reminded how He loves us, so deeply, that He gave His only begotten Son so that we might live through Him. And in these Holy Days, we recall all that Jesus endured for us — the scorn of the crowds and the pain of the crucifixion, in our Christian religious tradition we celebrate the glory of the Resurrection — all so that we might be forgiven of our sins and granted everlasting life.”

President Obama 

The article about the open house of the Fort Lauderdale Temple was very nice as we had been there.

Fort Lauderdale Temple 

I enjoyed reading about the new General Authority Elder Joerg Klebingat from Zweibruecken, Germany.  The article stated, "It was at that first Church meeting that he heard of the Book of Mormon. His friend gave him a copy with his testimony that it was true. 'I thought, ‘Wait a minute, you want me to read and pray about it? Don’t you want to convince me it’s true or preach to me?’ My friend left it up to me and trusted in Moroni’s promise.' Elder Klebingat left that day determined to find out for himself.”

Elder Joerg and Sister Julia Klebingat

He had a wonderful experience just after he was baptized in the Church.  He said, “I felt prompted to make a trip to the site of the undedicated temple in Friedrichsdorf, Germany. It wasn’t open yet, but I really wanted to see it. As I explored the site, I found out someone was watching me from a neighboring building. Soon a tall, white-haired man in a suit approached me and said, ‘I’ve been watching you, and you’re different. You want to see the temple, don’t you?’

“I told him, ‘Yes. I’m a new member, and this is the first time I have come to a temple.’ The old man drew out some keys and asked me to take off my shoes. He then took me on a private, twenty-minute tour of the undedicated but finished temple. It was an amazing experience, and I knew God was aware of me.”

This was so similar to the experience that Colleen and I had in 1995 when we visited the Carthage Jail site in Illinois after it was closed for the evening.

A favorite scripture of the Klebingat family is Mosiah 2:41 which I posted on Facebook.

"And moreover, I would desire that ye should consider on the blessed and happy state of those that keep the commandments of God. For behold, they are blessed in all things, both temporal and spiritual; and if they hold out faithful to the end they are received into heaven, that thereby they may dwell with God in a state of never-ending happiness. O remember, remember that these things are true; for the Lord God hath spoken it."

Lastly was a very nice article entitled "Mesa Easter Pageant features beauty of the Savior's teachings" which was very nice as we had been there.

We enjoyed a nice dinner and watched the new Hercule Poirot mystery "The Big Four" with David Suchet.

David Suchet as Hercule Poirot

While Eileen napped I finished "The Spy" by James Fenimore Cooper which I had begun on 21 November 2013.  I have also enjoyed "The Last of the Mohicans" and "Old Ironsides."

James Fenimore Cooper (1789-1851)

We watched the Atlanta Braves defeat the Miami Marlins, 1-0, with a sterling performance by pitcher Alex Wood.

I read chapter 19 of "The Miracle of Forgiveness" by President Spencer W. Kimball entitled "As We Forgive Our Debtors."

I finished reading the August edition of the Ensign magazine to Eileen.  We enjoyed the First Presidency message from President Dieter F. Uchtdorf entitled “God’s Harvest” which we shared with those whom we home taught in August.  The article “Why We Share the Gospel” by Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles was very good.  “As Latter-day Saints, we each have a missionary purpose - to invite others to come unto Christ.”  Our branch mission leader emphasized this article on numerous occasions.

Elder D. Todd Christofferson
of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

“Technicolor Isaiah” was instructive.  “Jesus commanded us to search the words of Isaiah (see 3 Nephi 23:1).  Following is one suggestion on how we can do this - identify themes in Isaiah and mark each one in a different color.”  “Becoming Children of Light” by Elder Craig C. Christensen of the Presidency of the Seventy was very good.  “To become children of light means to reject the power of the adversary and to choose daily to follow the Light of Christ."

Elder Craig C. Christensen
of the Presidency of the Seventy

On Monday 1 September we visited Ingles, Walmart, Food Lion, and Piggly Wiggly.

At Ingles we reminded the store manager about the boxes for the food drive and asked about having the youth outside the store on 10 September promoting the food drive.  He said that he would check with his superiors.

We had gotten a phone call and voice mail from Jordan, the assistant manager at Walmart.  So we visited her and made more definitive plans about the food drive.  At the photo center she made two enlarged posters for us at no charge (normally $8.86 each) to put on the boxes.  Jordan approved having the youth outside the store on 10 September promoting the food drive.

Eileen bought strong plastic containers to store our pasta in as the bugs can get into the boxes in the closets in the garage.

We went to Food Lion for the first time about the food drive and they agreed to put a box with poster for donations.

We went to Piggly Wiggly for the first time about the food drive and the assistant manager said that she would check with the manager as he was not there.

At home I pulled up lots of weeds in our front yard this morning.

"Mushrooms" on the stump
in the front yard

Squirrel enjoying the corn cob
in the front yard

Autumn wreath on our front door

I continued to harvest tomatoes from our garden and pulled up the remains of the zucchini and cucumber plants.

About 3 pm Tom and Dianne Ballew came by so Tom could take a look at our master bathroom toilet tank.  He showed me how easy it will be to replace the deteriorated flapper as the one that he brought was too small.  We had a very nice visit together on many topics.

Tom and Dianne Ballew

They gave us the sad news that the Marietta Fish Market was now awful!  They had told us about it several years ago and we took Allen and Lynda White there a couple of times when it was excellent.

We gave them a bag and card about the food drive and explained how the food pantry works, clearing up misconceptions that he had about the pantry.  He has known Ken and Judy Farmer from the pantry for years.

In lieu of going to the Marietta Fish Market, Tom told us about the Last Catch Seafood Restaurant in Jasper and we made tentative plans to go there together once it finishes its relocation and expansion.

We told them about the Back Porch Bistro in Ellijay.

After they left about 4 pm, we had a delightful supper of corn on the cob, hot dogs with natural casings on rolls with Eileen's sauce from her dad's recipe that I had found buried in our chest freezer, and tortilla rounds with her homemade salsa.  She had a yen for hot dogs with the skin and we found them in the deli section at Ingles recently (bratwurst and knockwurst, too).

We enjoyed watching "Pioneer Woman" on the Food Network starring Ree Drummond.

Ree Drummond

On Tuesday 2 September we visited Lowe's and got a new flapper for our bathroom toilet tank.  We went to Piggly Wiggly and the store manager agreed to set up a box for the stake food drive.

We went to Walmart for more plastic containers to store our pasta.  We were delighted to see boxes for the food drive inside both store entrances.

We stopped at North Georgia Diamond where we asked them to help with the food drive.  They readily agreed and Bill Craig immediately got on Facebook and put a copy of the small card about the food drive on his North Georgia Diamond Facebook page!  While there Eileen purchased a silver tree of life necklace.

North Georgia Diamond

When we got home, I installed the new flapper in our bathroom toilet tank.  Unfortunately that still didn't solve the problem, so Tom Ballew will come by tomorrow afternoon.

I received the book "My Ancestor Settled In ... The British West Indies" that I had ordered from the Society of Genealogists in England.

I finished reading "The Mysterious Affair at Styles" by Agatha Christie that I began two days ago.

Agatha Christie (1890-1976)

Eileen made me two delicious homemade cheeseburgers and corn on the cob for supper.  She had two of the Boar's Head Natural Casing frankfurters.  

Later we had shared a slice of naan with two different kinds of hummus.  We were surprised some months ago at one of our Monday evening scripture studies at church, where snacks are brought for after-study refreshments, that the Southerners in attendance had no idea what hummus was.  Its annual sales in the U. S. have gone from $5 million to $400 million.  Of course, they might not know what naan is either.

Hummus is a Levantine food dip or spread made from cooked, mashed chickpeas blended with tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and garlic. Today, it is popular throughout the Middle East, North Africa, and in Middle Eastern cuisine around the globe. Wikipedia

naan bread

hummus

Eileen enjoyed watching "Barefoot Contessa" with Ina Garten while I took a nap.

Ina Garten

I finished and published the week of 10 August on my blog.

We watched the Atlanta Braves lose to the Philadelphia Phillies, 4-0, and this was after being no-hit by the Phillies the night before, 7-0!

On Wednesday 3 September we were up early and picked up the sister missionaries at Ingles as we all volunteered at the food pantry.

Our neighbor Judy Pearce returned our phone call last night and I filled her in on the food drive.  So we dropped off a bag and card on her front door handle this morning for her to give us a food donation.

We had a good morning at the pantry as about 91 families were helped.  That is rather low for the first Wednesday of the month.  Families can come one Wednesday a month and the first Wednesday is usually about 150 or more.

Volunteer Bob Morrow said he could come by our church on 13 September to pick up the food from the food drive.

We (the sisters and I) had a nice chat with Linda who had been at church with her husband Frank on Sunday.

Gilmer Community Food Pantry

Eileen and I chatted with Judy Farmer and Betty Perry, both of whom have known Tom and Dianne Ballew for years.

We got home and Tom arrived a moment later.  As I thought, the toilet's flush valve was bad and he took the overflow valve as a piece of that was broken, too.

As we drove home I noticed the odometer was 81648.  Of course 81 goes into 648 eight times.

I finished reading "The Stark Munro Letters" by Arthur Conan Doyle which I had begun on 23 March.  Of course, I have read his Sherlock Holmes stories over and over during my life.  I have also read "The White Company," "The Lost World," "A Desert Drama," "Sir Nigel," "The Green Flag," and "Through the Magic Door." "The Stark Munro Letters" is the first of his that I've read this year.  Conan Doyle was not a Christian but how perceptive was he in this excerpt from "The Stark Munro Letters:"

“I don't pretend to know what truth is, for it is infinite, and I finite; but I know particularly well what it is NOT. It is not true that religion reached its acme nineteen hundred years ago, and that we are for ever to refer back to what was written and said in those days. No, sir; religion is a vital living thing, still growing and working, capable of endless extension and development, like all other fields of thought. There were many eternal truths spoken of old and handed down to us in a book, some parts of which may indeed be called holy. But there are others yet to be revealed; and if we are to reject them because they are not in those pages, we should act as wisely as the scientist who would take no notice of Kirschoff's spectral analysis because there is no mention of it in Albertus Magnus.  The Almighty has not said His last say to the human race, and He can speak through a Scotchman or a New Englander as easily as through a Jew. The Bible, sir, is a book which comes out in instalments, and 'To be continued,' not 'Finis,' is written at the end of it.”

Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859-1930)

On Thursday 4 September we drove to Blue Ridge and visited Christy at Walmart and the manager Jeff Harris at Ingles about placing boxes for the food drive.  We went to lunch at Christy Lee's Courtyard Grille on Main Street.  The BumbleBee Cafe closed at 2 pm and the Horizon on Main restaurant was closed due to work on their kitchen.

Eileen outside Christy Lee's Courtyard Grille

Eileen inside Christy Lee's Courtyard Grille

My prime rib sliders au jus

Eileen's spinach wraps and fries

Eileen at Christy Lee's Courtyard Grille

Then we visited Darlene Burgess as her home teachers.

Darlene Burgess' home

We returned to Ellijay and checked the food drive boxes at Walmart.  The one on the grocery side of the store was almost full and the one on the pharmacy side was empty.  We put the bags of food in the car. Then we bought some groceries and split them between the two boxes.

At Ingles there were no boxes yet as the manager was away at an all day meeting yesterday.  He told the customer service manager to put the two boxes out right then.  We shopped for groceries to put on the boxes and waited for the boxes to show up.

We checked at the Ingles pharmacy for the quadrivalent flu vaccine but they only had the trivalent now.  So we went to Rite-Aid for the quadrivalent vaccine.  The pharmacist asked if we wanted the Fluzone High-Dose vaccine and I told her that Consumer Reports advised against it as one was more liable to have reactions to it.  Another gentleman waiting for his flu shot immediately changed from the High-Dose to the quadrivalent!

As we neared home our neighbor Judy Pearce called and told us of the bag of food that she had put on our front porch for the food drive.  She also told us of the 400 pound black bear that was on her back porch last night!  We'll start bringing in our bird feeders while it's still light out in the evening.

We enjoyed three kinds of hummus and naan as well as bread rounds for supper.

On Friday 5 September early I was excited to read that the Yankees hit two home runs in the bottom of the 9th inning last night against the Red Sox top closer to win 5-4!

I finished "The Kidnapped Prime Minister A Hercule Poirot Short Story" by Agatha Christie begun two days earlier.  A delightful little story in the book of short stories entitled "Poirot Investigates."

We met Ralph and Holly Hughes at Walmart at noon and rode with them to Jasper where we enjoyed lunch at the 61 Main restaurant.  It was very good and much less expensive than Christy Lee's Courtyard Grille yesterday.

Holly, Ralph, and Eileen outside 61 Main

Our power went out at 3 pm and the generator kicked in.  Power came back on about 5 pm.

I did a lot of research on Sabrina Bayless' maternal ancestors.  Her grandmother was a Wesser and I discovered that her maternal great-grandmother was a Stanglen.

At 7:30 pm a representative called about our time-share at Oak Plantation with a companion website at join.me.  It took an hour-and-a-half to hear the spiel and tell them no.

On Saturday 6 September we packed for our overnight stay in Kennesaw for stake conference this evening and tomorrow morning.

We left home and checked for boxes for the food drive.  Piggly Wiggly had not done it yet and I encouraged the manager to do it.  Food Lion had a box but nothing in it yet.  At Ingles no boxes yet so I talked to assistant manager T. J. and she got right on it.  At Walmart the donations were such that we didn't need to empty the boxes yet.

Food drive box at one of Walmart entrances

I finished "The Great Events by Famous Historians Volume 5" which I had begun on 8 January.

We reached Marietta and had a late lunch at Cheeseburger Bobby's.  We had seen their billboards along I-575 for years and finally visited one of them.

Cheeseburger Bobby's

We stopped at JoAnn Fabrics and then checked into the Comfort Inn on George Busbee Parkway in Kennesaw a little after 4 pm.  We saw a cute Jets pizza billboard (my son-in-law Tom Dowd is an avid Jets fan).

Comfort Inn in Kennesaw

Then we left the hotel at 4:50 after changing into our church clothes and visited the d'Lites Emporium in Marietta which is about 30 minutes from the hotel.  Eileen had cheesecake and German chocolate cake and I had chocolate salted caramel pretzel and lemon.  The only other one in Georgia is in Savannah.  From there it was 18 minutes to the stake center back towards the hotel.

d'Lites Emporium in Marietta

Inside d'Lites Emporium

We got to the stake center at 6 pm just as priesthood leadership meeting ended.  The Echard's were already there so Caroline sat with us and chatted with Eileen.  I spoke to President Boland and Ron Fisher.  I saw Craig and Connie Reichert and chatted with them.  

Just before the session began

Stake center on Trickum Road

Stake food drive display

President Jared Marcom conducted this session of conference.

The opening hymn was #5, "High on the Mountain Top," one of my favorites.

There was a special musical number by the youth choir which filled all the seats (behind the first row) on the stand!  They sang "Let Us All Press On," which is hymn #243 by Evan Stephens.

Evan Stephens (1854-1930)

Brother Charles Bowen from Ellijay referred to the article in the August Ensign by Elder D. Todd Christopherson.  Conference theme "Hastening the Work."  His conversion story.  High school reunion in Dalton, Georgia, and he wondered if his future wife Claire would be there.  He canceled his participation and went to the reunion.  She was with a date and didn't remember him.  Christmas Eve of that year they were wed.  In grad school and his professor Dr. Madsen was LDS.  He gave seminar to them about marriage.  Together forever?  Invited to the Madsen's to hear the gospel.  Baptized on 6 April 1976.  They continued to teach him to develop his testimony.  He met Brother Millet.  Book "Steadfast and Immovable."

Didn't know that Joseph Smith was a prophet.  Several months later he had gained a testimony.  People stayed with him and helped him.  "Doubt our doubts, not our faith."  President Uchtdorf.  "Great redemptive work."  President Kimball.  Millet's took them to the Washington D. C. Temple in 1980.  D&C 18:10, 13-16.  Spoke of another couple, the Wright's, brought into the Church by Madsen's.  Later their daughter married the son of the Bowen's.  The Lord is hastening the work.  Are we willing to keep up?  Elder Bednar.

Sister Mildenhall spoke of visiting a girl friend who introduced her to the Church.  Baptized in 1995 when she was 13.  Alma 32.  Desire to believe. Saw the consistency of the ward members with Sunday worship and their weekly activities.  Her bishop and young women leaders helped her.  Elder Scott in April conference.  Members are focused on the gospel and share it.  She felt joy and peace when reading the scriptures.  Quoted from President Hinckley.  Parable of the seed in Alma 32.  Experienced the fruits of the Spirit.  Acting on the promptings of the Spirit can be a challenge.  Elder Robert D. Hales about new converts.  Her mother was not convinced that this was good for her.  Fasting, attending seminary, tithing, and keeping the Sabbath day holy.  Elder M. Russell Ballard.  A real and abiding testimony.  Elder Bednar about our consistency.  Laying the foundation of a great work.  Elder Scott.  Testify of the Savior.  Serve others.  Bore her testimony of the Savior and His sacrifice.  

Sister Bergman awed by so many of us here, even cameras.  Having a missionary-minded family.  Friend of her daughter coming to dinner.  Trevor became a frequent visitor, especially on Sundays.  Came to church and took part in their FHEs.  Read "For the Strength of Youth" booklet.  

Family set goals for the new year and his was to read the Book of Mormon.  Anxious to be baptized.  Parents not supportive but was baptized in 2012.  Branch mission leader in Big Shanty Branch.  Entering the MTC this week to serve in the Utah Salt Lake Mission.  D&C 18.  Raising the bar for us as well as for the missionaries.  Now is the time for members and missionaries to work together. President Monson.  Youth in missionary work and family history work.  "By small means..."  Alma.  1. Family dinner.  2. FHE.  3. Group activities, family and youth.  4.  "For the Strength of Youth" booklet.  5. Fasting together.  6. Reading the Book of Mormon.  President Romney.  Righteousness will increase.  Life is a mosaic of memories.  Help others see the joy in the gospel.  Friends with the Dixon family.  Go with sister missionaries to see Emma Dixon's family.  Her mother had noticed the change in her.  She had looked at lds.org.  Baptized January this year as son Bryce baptized Emma.  In March a Dixon sibling and her parents were baptized.  D&C 18.  Lifelong friends brought into their lives.  Bore her testimony that we are living in the Fulness of Times.  The Lord has blessed them.  

The intermediate hymn was #81, "Press Forward, Saints."  Verse 1 begins "Press forward, Saints, with steadfast faith in Christ."  Verse 2 begins "Press forward, feasting on the word of Christ." Verse 3 begins "Press on, enduring in the ways of Christ."

New Georgia Atlanta North Mission president President Bennion spoke.  The missionaries e-mail the mission president each week about their efforts.  Chris goes with missionaries to visit Edgar.  Went wrong way at first.  Praying with neighbor who they learned later was a sister of a faithful member.  She was now receptive tho she had never been before.  Clayton to go out with elders.  He says they should talk to a cop in his car on duty.  Super good friends with their ward mission leader!  Gave him a Book of Mormon.  Greatest work in the world is saving souls.  Missionaries all stood and recited that they are disciples of Jesus Christ.  3 Nephi 5:13.  Thankful to be here working with us.

President Marcom spoke next.  October 1997 President Hinckley said no member had done all that they should until they have been to the temple.  Plans to have 100 temples.  April 2011.  President Monson.  Obligatory stories of members who made great sacrifices to go to the temple.  Now 85% of members live within 200 miles of a temple.  It is a sacrifice to go to the temple.  Do we have a goal to attend regularly?  President Hinckley and his seven B's.  Nine B's for temple attendance from President Marcom. One from the Old Testament.  Laughter.  1. Be taught.  2. Be inspired.  3. Be forgiven.  4. Be powerful.  5. Be missionaries.  6. Be converted.  7. Be protected.  8. Be a savior.  Elder Cook told of letter from Elder Heber C. Kimball to his wife Vilate (or vice-versa) while he was on his mission about work for the dead.  In 1994 from President Hunter about use of technology.  9. Be exalted.  He has been to the temple often and has heard stories about answers to prayers but not received them himself.  But in the temple he knows that God lives and loves him.  At peace from the cares, woes, and troubles of the world.  Kinship with those for whom he is doing the work.  The hand of the Lord will be evident in our lives.  We can all be saved.  He bore testimony of President Monson and of President Nichols. 

Stake president President Watson Nichols was concluding speaker.  Bore testimony of what has been said.  Spoke of the missionaries opening their mission call to Georgia Atlanta North Mission.  Just as he felt when he learned he was being transferred here!  Father joined the Air Force and went to Arizona. The new stake president Gibson had been the missionary who taught President Nichols' mother for six months before WWII and he was called home.  Thought his short mission was a failure.  Like his dad trying to land a plane.  Do something!  Missionaries should do something and the Lord will magnify their efforts.  He believes in Jesus Christ and he believes Jesus Christ.  He testified to us in the name of Jesus Christ that we can have missionary experiences.  He strove to do the same.  Connoisseur of cheeseburgers.  With friend Bill.  Waitress having problems.  Visited with them back and forth.  Took a pass-along card and Book of Mormon to her.  A new job a few months ago.  Was losing his job.  Found a wonderful job.  "Are you involved in your church?" from fellow worker.  Needed good Christian counseling.  Be prepared.  We worship a God of miracles.  Our prophet holds all priesthood keys.  Crisis of faith on our parts on occasion.  Son a med student called to be 2nd counselor in YM presidency.  President Nichols questioned that calling and his wife told him to hush!  Two BYU grads in their study group.  Inspired to study in a different manner.  Organization formed by Christ has been restored to the earth.  Told the wives of bishops and branch presidents "thank you, you are wonderful."  God knows you and loves you.

The closing hymn was #156, "Sing We Now at Parting."

Chapel after all have departed

Cultural hall full of chairs ready for Sunday

We promptly returned to the hotel, skipping the yummy refreshments.  We did our usual nighttime reading as I read more of the September Ensign, lesson 17 of "Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith," finished reading 2 Nephi 25, and finished chapter 16 of "An Irish Country Doctor" to Eileen.

She worked on more sudoku in Sue's sudoku book and I read more of my iBooks, i.e., "The Life of Napoleon Bonaparte."