Opening hymn was #79, "With All the Power of Heart and Tongue," by Isaac Watts.
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| Isaac Watts (1674-1748) |
We had the confirmation of Tom Payton as a member of the Church as he was baptized last Sunday.
Sacrament hymn was #180, "Father in Heaven, We Do Believe," by Parley P. Pratt.
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| Parley P. Pratt (1807-1857) |
Today is our fast and testimony meeting. Brother Craig Chester began the testimonies. Don Bivens, Jan Pardee, Roy Dunn (told some war stories), Curtis Bond, Debby Van Gelder, David Echard, Loretta White, Cindy Bozeman (it is almost a year since Mitchell Bozeman passed away), Richard Callahan, and Sandy Greene bore their testimonies.
Closing hymn was #137, "Testimony," by Loren C. Dunn.
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| Elder Loren C. Dunn (1930-2001) |
Gospel Doctrine with Darlene Burgess was lesson #40, “Enlarge the Place of Thy Tent” using Isaiah 54–56; 63–65.
The purpose of the lesson is to encourage class members to strengthen the stakes of Zion and prepare for the Second Coming and the Millennium.
President Ezra Taft Benson said: “The term stake is a symbolic expression. Picture in your mind a great tent held up by cords extended to many stakes that are firmly secured in the ground.
“The prophets likened latter-day Zion to a great tent encompassing the earth. That tent was supported by cords fastened to stakes. Those stakes, of course, are various geographical organizations spread out over the earth. Presently, Israel is being gathered to the various stakes of Zion” (“Strengthen Thy Stakes,” Ensign, Jan. 1991).
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| President Ezra Taft Benson (1899-1994) |
As we strengthen the stakes of Zion and share the gospel with the world, the riches of eternity await us. We can look forward to the Second Coming of the Savior and the peace and joy that will exist during the Millennium. The prophecies of Isaiah encourage us to remember that it is a privilege to serve the Lord and that he blesses his disciples.
We did not attend Gospel Doctrine class as we were in Gospel Principles class. Elder Kuoha had asked me last Sunday to teach the last portion of the class on family history work. I taught the last 20 minutes of the lesson. Eileen said it went well :)
Of course the new missionaries were in the class and they are Elder Johnson and Sister Burge (pronounced Burge as in Burgess without the "ess"). Eileen took their pictures and we got their first names and where they're from to send to the newspapers.
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| Elder Johnson |
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| Sister Burge |
The priesthood lesson today was on the talk by President Thomas S. Monson in the October 2013 general conference priesthood session entitled "True Shepherds."
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| President Thomas S. Monson |
"Home teaching answers many prayers and permits us to see the transformations which can take place in people’s lives."
President David O. McKay admonished: “Home teaching is one of our most urgent and most rewarding opportunities to nurture and inspire, to counsel and direct our Father’s children. … [It] is a divine service, a divine call. It is our duty as Home Teachers to carry the … spirit into every home and heart. To love the work and do our best will bring unbounded peace, joy and satisfaction to [a noble,] dedicated [teacher] of God’s children.”
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| President David O. McKay (1873-1970) |
We made family history appointments with Janie Alley, Terry Dorsey, and Jan Pardee.
I got a key from President Boland for the building and Family History Center!!
At home we got comfortable and both worked two hours and 15 minutes on the Yorkshire parishes.
We watched an episode of "Georgia Traveler" and Rick Steves' Europe in Normandy.
On Monday 3 November we received a text from Heather thanking us for her birthday cards and how much Liam enjoyed the musical one. So we called her and sang "happy birthday" to her and chatted.
We visited Janie Alley in Jasper to help her with her family history. Our odometer was 86268.
We shopped at Walmart and Ingles on the way home. I enjoyed delicious bratwurst for supper and Eileen her mussels. We then went to church and enjoyed the empty-nester Family Home Evening as we studied Jacob 1-4 in the Book of Mormon.
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| Ellijay meetinghouse |
After we finished I quickly showed Janie Alley in the Family History Center how to get onto Ancestry.com via Familysearch.org and where the videos are in Familysearch.org.
At home Ben worked two hours and 50 minutes and Eileen worked three hours and 10 minutes on the Yorkshire parishes.
On Tuesday 4 November we went to physical therapy at 11 am. I read a lot of "The Fortunes of Nigel" by Sir Walter Scott.
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| Bryant Physical Therapy |
We reached the palindrome of 86368. Exactly 100 miles we drove yesterday! Very happy we are paying $2.649 a gallon for gas rather than nearly $4 a gallon. I find it interesting, although not surprising, that the Republicans lambasted President Obama when the gas prices were high but are mum about gas prices now. With the mess that his predecessor left for him and the total negativity about everything under the sun by the Republicans, I think President Obama has done an excellent job though I disagree with him on a number of issues.
Then we drove to Blue Ridge to home teach Darlene Burgess. We shared part of President Boyd K. Packer's October general conference message about "Our Reason for Hope." She told us of her concerns about her neighbor who is being evicted.
We drove home, went to Lowe's, got some tools, and returned to Darlene's to secure her trap door in her hall ceiling so her neighbor could not gain access.
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| Darlene Burgess' home |
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| Secured trap door |
Our odometer reached 86468. We treated ourselves to supper at the El Rey Mexican restaurant in Ellijay. We like this restaurant yet we haven't been here since before our mission!
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| Eileen in front of El Rey |
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| Our table |
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| Inside El Rey |
We stopped at Ingles as Eileen wants to make meatballs for the pantry volunteers tomorrow.
We got home and watched the election results. My sister Lib called as she heard our birthday greeting on her answering machine. Eileen worked two-and-a-half hours on the Yorkshire parishes.
I scanned and e-mailed Colleen the seven pages of British military records about Eileen's great-grandfather William Henry Slee. My desktop in the office is not getting the Internet so I copied the scanned pictures to my flash drive and then to my laptop to e-mail them. I also told her about my Uncle Robert T. Bailey and sent her a picture of him in the Navy after World War II. He is the third sailor from the left in the second row. He was a photographer. This is all for Spencer's Primary presentation on 23 November.
I scanned and e-mailed Colleen the seven pages of British military records about Eileen's great-grandfather William Henry Slee. My desktop in the office is not getting the Internet so I copied the scanned pictures to my flash drive and then to my laptop to e-mail them. I also told her about my Uncle Robert T. Bailey and sent her a picture of him in the Navy after World War II. He is the third sailor from the left in the second row. He was a photographer. This is all for Spencer's Primary presentation on 23 November.
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| USS Antietam in 1952 |
Well, it wound up being a Republican wave. The foolish electorate! Foolish that so many voted Republican, not understanding what the GOP really stands for. Foolish that so many did not vote, when so many of us have served and many made the ultimate sacrifice to protect our freedoms and the non-voters don't care enough to exercise their right to vote.
On Wednesday 5 November we picked up the sister missionaries at Ingles at 8:50 as the food pantry is starting a half hour earlier today and next Wednesday due to the Thanksgiving season and the turkeys we have on hand. About 155 families were helped today! And Eileen's meatballs were a big hit afterwards as the volunteers enjoyed lunch.
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| Gilmer Community Food Pantry |
After returning the sisters to their car at Ingles we filled up our gas tank for $2.649.
We relaxed at home, both napping in our recliners. We enjoyed kale sandwiches for supper with kale from our garden. I finished my two bratwurst with the sauce from Eileen's meatballs. Yummy!
I e-mailed photos of our new missionaries to the Pickens Progress (Elder Johnson) and the Gilmer Times-Courier and Fannin News-Observer (Sister Burge). It is our first submission to the Fannin paper.
We watched "Great Houses of Scotland" about Inveraray Castle and the Duke and Duchess of Argyll, heads of Clan Campbell.
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| Inveraray Castle |
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| Entrance for Queen Victoria |
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| Duke and Duchess of Argyll |
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| Chief of Clan Campbell |
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| Dining in Inveraray Castle |
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| Weaponry in Inveraray Castle |
President Boland called concerned about Peggy Espersen. I called her and it appears that President Boland's concerns were unfounded though it was good as I learned that she had fallen a few days ago and had banged herself up a bit. She was going to check into those things that he had heard to make sure that his concerns were indeed unfounded.
Ben worked two-and-a-half hours and Eileen worked 45 minutes on the Yorkshire parishes.
In my reading to Eileen I finished the October issue of the Church magazine the Ensign.
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| October Ensign |
We enjoyed "Family History for the Rising Generation";
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| A young adult working on her family history |
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| A fan chart of your ancestors |
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| Elder David A. Bednar of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles |
On Thursday 6 November we went to physical therapy at 11 am. Then we drove north to Mineral Bluff to Ralph and Holly's to ride with them to Cleveland, Tennessee.
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| Ralph and Holly's in Mineral Bluff |
After getting into Tennessee we took US 64 west which was the Ocoee River Scenic Byway. It was lovely!
Gas at Walmart in Cleveland was $2.569 although Ralph didn't need any.
An hour-and-a-half to drive to Chili's!! I could hardly believe it but the ride was beautiful! And the food was very good!
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| Eileen, Holly, and Ralph |
We visited for a while when we returned to Ralph and Holly's. Our odometer reached 86568. Back in Ellijay we stopped at Food Lion for some sale items. Eileen craved some dessert, so we had some of her fruit cake from our chest freezer.
I finished and published my 12 October blog entry!
Then I prepared the two Book of Mormons to send to the two gals who work at Bryant Physical Therapy. I also got the property tax payment ready to go.
Having finished the October Ensign, I began reading the November issue to Eileen and that is the issue containing all of the October general conference talks. I read "Welcome to Conference" by President Thomas S. Monson.
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| President Thomas S. Monson |
On Friday 7 November we were up early and visited Terry Dorsey in Jasper to help him with his family history.
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| Terry Dorsey's home |
We shopped at Walmart and I helped Jan Pardee with her family history at our home. Jan had dinner with us. Eileen cooked delicious chicken breasts in a mushroom gravy and made a yummy huge apple tart.
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| Eileen's apple tart |
After Jan left, Eileen made cookies for the Relief Society function tomorrow morning.
At bedtime I read "Our Reason For Hope" by President Boyd K. Packer to Eileen.
On Saturday 8 November we went to church for the Relief Society function making blankets. There were a goodly number of sisters there, most of them young enough to be on the cultural hall floor with the material and some like Eileen doing it on the large tables.
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| President Boyd K. Packer |
On Saturday 8 November we went to church for the Relief Society function making blankets. There were a goodly number of sisters there, most of them young enough to be on the cultural hall floor with the material and some like Eileen doing it on the large tables.
I spent my time in the Family History Center working on my blog on my laptop and Ancestry.com on the PC there. We received the sad news that Brother Bill Godwin of our branch had passed away last night.
We stopped at the Blue Ridge Olive Oil Company in Ellijay. I filled up the car for $2.599.
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| Blue Ridge Olive Oil Company |
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| The proprietor |
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| Inside the Blue Ridge Olive Oil Company |
I spent several hours working on the James and Clemmy Brown family for Diana Stephens.
We had a wonderful supper of leftovers! We watched episodes of "America's Test Kitchen" and "Cook's Country" that I had recorded earlier today.
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| Christopher Kimball and Bridget Lancaster |
I finished reading the 15 June Church News. I enjoyed reading about Elder Russell M. Nelson receiving the Surgical Alumnus of the Year from the University of Minnesota, about the organization of the first stake in Jamaica, and about the travels of Church leaders in Eastern Europe and Asia.
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| Elder J. Devn Cornish, Jamaica Kingston Mission President Kevin G. Brown, and Elder Jeffrey R. Holland at the organization of the Kingston Jamaica Stake, the country's first stake. |
We watched "Great Houses of Scotland" about Rosslyn Chapel just south of Edinburgh. It was made famous in the novel "The DaVinci Code."
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| Aerial photo of Rosslyn Chapel |
At bedtime I read "Which Way Do You Face?" by Elder Lynn G. Robbins of the Presidency of the Seventy to Eileen.
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| Elder Lynn G. Robbins |
I finished reading "The Brothers Karamazov" by Fyodor Dostoyevski which I began 11 March 2013, over a year-and-a-half ago!
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| Fyodor Dostoyevski (1821-1881) |
