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| Mormon Tabernacle Choir |
It was a sad morning! After having the White's here from 1-11 October I gained 10 pounds, more than I do on a cruise! In helping to get rid of leftovers from two restaurants my blood sugar was the highest, I believe, it has ever been at 174! Back on the straight and narrow, for sure.
Just as we left home and got on Big Creek Road, our odometer reached 84948.
When we arrived at church, David Ashworth told me of seeing the picture and caption of Elder Kuoha in the Pickens Progress newspaper.
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| Elder Samuel Kuoha from Burley, Idaho |
Opening hymn was #41, "Let Zion in Her Beauty Rise," by Edward Partridge. It was in the first LDS hymn book in 1835.
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| Edward Partridge (1793-1840) |
Jay Hanks was sustained as 1st counselor in the Young Men presidency.
President John Bennion and his wife Sondra are the new Atlanta Georgia North Mission president and wife.
Sister Bennion spoke first. People who have influenced her life, beginning with her dad from Idaho. Joined the army and landed at Normandy. Injured by tank mine. Gave himself a priesthood blessing in the hospital. Lost left eye. Blind. Loaded with shrapnel. Lot of therapy. Job in Baltimore. Factories hired blind veterans when he showed that he could do the job. Corresponded with old female friend in Idaho. Her parents did not want her to marry him, though he was a great guy. They had eight children in 10 years. Was a bishop and youth loved him. Mission to England when retired. Served as stake patriarch. We are on the winning team.
Daughter Christine. One of twins, the second girl Christine is severely handicapped. Take one day at a time. They had eight children. Family Home Eveneing virtually daily. Techniques for reading scriptures. They are here on their mission with Christine. Girl from Tonga called to a mission to Georgia. She loves her valiant obedient missionaries. She loves the Lord. Grateful for the Prophet.
Special musical number by branch choir. "Cast thy burden upon the Lord."
President John Bennion was the concluding speaker. D&C 1. Weak and simple. 230 missionaries. Reads e-mails from all of them weekly. We are living in the time when the gospel is going to all the earth. Shared an e-mail about teaching an investigator. Members and missionaries coming together with investigator. Investigator who had dropped the missionaries brought around by bumping into member. Taught plan of salvation to couple who had just come back from a funeral. Teaching in a member's home. Knocked at a home of someone impressed by other members. Bumped into lady crying who asked for prayer. It was Sister Culp's sister who was never interested in the church. Sister missionaries visited less-active sister whose language was from Laos. The member accompanying them spoke that language! Clayton preparing for his mission takes elders to talk to a cop when all other plans had fallen through. Very good friend of ward mission leader! "What church do you go to?" "I'm a Mormon. I love being a Mormon. It has had such a wonderful impact on my life. Would you like to know why the Mormon church has been so wonderful for me?" The Lord is waiting to bless us. Work with me in the vineyard. Jacob 5.
Closing hymn was #216, "We Are Sowing," with text from "Pure Diamonds" published anonymously in Cleveland in 1872.
Gospel Doctrine was in the Relief Society with Sister Claire Bowen teaching. The lesson was #37, “Thou Hast Done Wonderful Things” using Isaiah 22; 24–26; 28–30.
The purpose of the lesson was to help class members come unto Christ through recognizing some of the wonderful things he has done.
1. The Savior opens the door to Heavenly Father’s presence.
Isaiah 22:22 says that the Messiah has “the key of the house of David.” This is a symbolic way of saying the Savior has the power to admit or exclude any person from Heavenly Father’s presence. (See also Revelation 3:7–8; 2 Nephi 9:41.)
2. The Savior shows mercy for those in spirit prison.
What prison is referred to in Isaiah 24:21–22? (Spirit prison, the place where the spirits of some deceased mortals go while awaiting the Resurrection.)
What did the Savior do for the spirits in prison? (See Isaiah 42:5–7; D&C 138:29–37. He organized righteous spirits to teach them the gospel.) How did this demonstrate the Savior’s love and mercy? (See Isaiah 49:9–10.)
3. The Savior is a strength and a refuge.
In Isaiah 25:1–4; 32:1–2 he wrote of the Savior strengthening us during the storms, tempests, deserts, and heat of our lives.
4. The Savior will prepare a feast and destroy the “vail.”
One interpretation of Isaiah 25:6–7 is that the mountain is a symbol for the temple (see also Isaiah 2:2; D&C 58:8–9). What is the feast mentioned in Isaiah 25:6? (A feast of the words and teachings of Christ.) How can temple attendance be like a feast?
A veil is a thin covering. Symbolically it often represents the unbelief that prevents people from truly coming to Christ (Moses 7:26). How will the “vail” that is over the earth be destroyed? (See Isaiah 25:7–9.)
5. The Savior wipes away our tears.
See Isaiah 25:8.
6. The Savior will bring the Resurrection.
Isaiah prophesied that when the Messiah would come, he would die and be resurrected (Isaiah 25:8). Who else will be resurrected? (See Isaiah 26:19; 1 Corinthians 15:20–22; Alma 11:43–44. All the children of God who have lived on the earth will be resurrected.)
The Prophet Joseph Smith said: “When the voice calls for the dead to arise, … what would be the first joy of my heart? To meet my father, my mother, my brother, my sister; and when they are by my side, I embrace them and they me” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, sel. Joseph Fielding Smith [1976], 295–96).
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| The Prophet Joseph Smith (1805-1844) |
7. The Savior is our sure foundation.
See Isaiah 28:16. What does Isaiah tell us about the Savior by referring to him as a “tried stone”? (See Mosiah 3:17.) How is Jesus Christ our “sure foundation”? (See Helaman 5:12.) What can we do to build on this foundation? What does the Lord promise if we build on this foundation? (See D&C 50:44.)
8. The Savior will restore the gospel to the earth.
What did Isaiah foresee about the latter-day restoration of the gospel? (See Isaiah 29:4, 9–14. He foresaw that it would come at a time of spiritual darkness. He also foresaw the coming forth of the Book of Mormon.)
Isaiah said that the Book of Mormon would help the spiritually deaf and blind to hear and see (Isaiah 29:18, 24). How has this prophecy been fulfilled? How has the Book of Mormon helped you see and hear better spiritually?
9. The Savior knows our trials and directs our paths.
What does Isaiah 30:19–21 teach about adversity? What do these verses teach about what the Savior will do for us when adversity comes? (See also Alma 37:37.)
Priesthood meeting was in the cultural hall as the Primary was using the chapel to get ready for their upcoming Primary presentation. I thanked those who were involved in the youth temple trip on 27 September and then went to the young women's group to thank them. Eileen thanked the sisters in Relief Society.
The priesthood lesson today was from the "Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith" lesson 19 on "In the World but Not of the World."
“While we are in the world, we are not of the world. We are expected to overcome the world and to live as becometh saints.”
I read the following: “I met a number of young men who said, ‘We came in the Church because of the lives of these young men and because they taught us the principles of the gospel.’
“They are doing a good work. There might be one or two that may be careless, but those young men with whom I had the privilege of meeting, talking to, would bear their testimony of the truth and were walking humbly.
“And as I met with the officers and chaplains … , universally they said, ‘We like your young men. They are clean. They are dependable.’”
President Smith admonished members of the Church to be—like these young servicemen—“different from the rest of the world.” In such sermons, he often spoke about keeping the Sabbath day holy, obeying the Word of Wisdom, respecting the names of Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, dressing modestly, and keeping the law of chastity. He assured the Latter-day Saints that the blessings they would receive if they would forsake the evils of the world and keep the commandments would “exceed anything we can now comprehend.”
I got the key from Carol Messina for the building and Family History Center which I need for Wednesday evening and can also use for cleaning the building on Friday.
Ron Fisher changed our Tuesday appointment from 14 to 21 October due to their going to see the LDS movie "Meet the Mormons" in Kennesaw. We will go see it, too.
Teri Grace will come to our home on Friday 17 October to work on her family history. We will visit Terry Dorsey at his home in Jasper on Monday 20 October to work on his family history.
We chatted with Janie Alley and hopefully she will come to the Family History Center Wednesday evening.
At home we enjoyed some of Eileen's leftovers (pork tenderloin with a horseradish topping she made and some red potatoes) and she took a nap while I worked on my laptop, e-mailing Teri Grace and Diana Stephens among other things.
After Eileen awoke she watched the next episode of "Lark Rise to Candleford," season three episode five. I worked on publishing the week of 28 September on my blog and I continued with the pictures of the White's visit.
The Echard’s came by about 7 pm for a visit as our home teachers. After they left Eileen and I enjoyed some of her leftover stuffed cabbages. There are a few left for tomorrow evening. I finished the White’s pictures for 10 and 11 October in my iPhoto albums.
I finished chapter 21 of "The Miracle of Forgiveness" entitled "The Church Will Forgive."
I was delighted to see that the St. Louis Cardinals got a run in the bottom of the 9th inning to beat the San Francisco Giants, 5-4.
On Monday 13 October we drove to Cherokee Toyota in Canton for service. Our odometer hit 85058. The front end shimmies badly when hitting the brakes at high speeds. We were delayed getting there as we needed some gas and the gas stations whose prices were $2.799 and $2.899 were out of gas! The Apple Festival attendees on the weekend must have all filled up their vehicles at those wonderful prices! I put in a few gallons at Walmart for $3.019.
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| Cherokee Toyota |
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| Cherokee Toyota waiting room |
They did the front brake job replacing the front brake pads and resurfacing the brake rotors, did the brake fluid exchange, replaced the car battery and air filter, and changed the oil and filter (for which I had a coupon).
After getting home we finished the stuffed cabbages and Eileen watched "Lark Rise to Candleford," season three episode six.
Later Eileen made dinner. We finished the leftover Italian sausages with Eileen's dad's sauce and Eileen fried the Chinese okra which was delicious!
I sent David the fourth file of the e-mail condolences for Sue's passing that we had received from friends.
We did not attend the Family Home Evening at church as we were both rather tired. We do enjoy going!
I read "The Tragedy at Marsdon Manor," a Hercule Poirot short story.
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| David Suchet as Hercule Poirot |
On Tuesday 14 October we went to our physical therapy appointment at Bryant Physical Therapy on Progress Road in Ellijay. Eileen was put on a piece of exercise equipment while I went to a room with a table to lay on. Pads were put on my lower back by Kelly and electric pulses were applied for 15 minutes.
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| In Bryant Physical Therapy |
We mailed an envelope to David at the post office and filled our gas tank for $2.799. We stopped by Ingles for a few items.
At home we enjoyed our Church Service missionary training session with Jane Colmenares which lasted only 15 minutes. We will be working in the parishes of Yorkshire, England.
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| Location of Yorkshire in England and Wales |
Eileen made a yummy supper. We had Amy's Organic Pasta and 3 Bean Soup with delicious cheese sandwiches on rye.
We got tickets for "Meet the Mormons" via Fandango for cinema in Kennesaw.
We got tickets for "Meet the Mormons" via Fandango for cinema in Kennesaw.
We drove down there (85158) and while waiting for the movie to begin, I finished chapter six of "Gospel Doctrine" entitled "The Purpose and the Mission of the Church," by President Joseph F. Smith.
The movie was delightful, especially since we lived near Annapolis and knew the Niumatalolo's well. Barbara was from Guam and I helped her with her family history. Ken had been in the bishopric of the Broadneck Ward. I knew a lot about Gail Halvorsen, the Candy Bomber of the Berlin Airlift.
When we got home at 8 pm, Eileen put on PBS and we enjoyed watching "Finding Your Roots" which I had recorded.
I copied all of the pictures in iPhoto of the White's visit onto three CDs.
On Wednesday 15 October we went to Ingles to pick up Sisters Rueckert and Sullivan to take to the food pantry, our first time there (except when we took the White's there for a visit) since 17 September.
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| Sisters Sullivan and Rueckert at the pantry |
I offered the prayer after the morning meeting. We were busy as the number of families helped was nearly 110. I shared with Judy Farmer about the movie "Meet the Mormons."
After dropping the sister missionaries off at their car by Ingles, we went to the court house for a copy of the ballot as early voting has begun for the upcoming elections. Then we drove to North Georgia Diamond to drop off a necklace of Eileen's to get a better clasp on it. We looked at new French Door refrigerators at Ace Hardware and Lowe's as Eileen would like to replace our current fridge. Our odometer reached 85258.
We stopped at R&A Orchards for the Times-Courier newspaper and also bought some pickled baby beets and pickled asparagus.
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| Busy during apple season |
After getting home I called ETC as the groups in my address book on Etcmail are empty! I discovered this yesterday. The same thing happened a couple of years ago when they made big changes to their website and they were able to repopulate my groups. They recently made big changes to their website and the same thing happened again.
We were at church in the Family History Center from 6-8 pm. We both spent about an hour-and-a-half working on the Yorkshire parishes in the Wiki in our CSM duties.
It was exciting and sad that the Kansas City Royals beat the Baltimore Orioles to win the American League pennant in a four-game sweep!
I finished reading "An Irish Country Doctor" by Patrick Taylor to Eileen which I had begun on 10 August.
On Thursday 16 October we visited Peggy Espersen at 10 am so that I could give her a priesthood blessing as she was heading to her doctor to work on her swollen knee.
We went by the post office to mail some things to Colleen including the Great Locomotive Chase DVD from the museum in Kennesaw and the four CDs to the White's containing the hundreds of pictures of their visit here.
Then we went to our physical therapy appointment at Bryant Physical Therapy at 11 am. I dropped Eileen off at North Georgia Diamond to pick up her necklace with the new clasp on it and I went to Walmart for two items. We saw that Walmart (Murphy) was finally under $3 for gas at $2.989.
Diana Stephens arrived a little after 1 pm and I worked with her for three hours on her family history. Meanwhile Eileen worked two hours on the Yorkshire parishes.
In the evening I finished the 25 May Church News and I worked about 45 minutes on the Yorkshire parishes.
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| Elder Bruce C. Hafen |
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| St. George Utah Temple |
On Friday 17 October we attended the Kids Ferst meeting at the Head Start building in Ellijay.
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| Eileen, Joan Blomquist, and Eileen Below prior to the Kids Ferst meeting |
Then we went to Ingles for a few things and on to church for the cleaning of the building. Most of the team came so we got a lot done. We met Roger Widmann for the first time. Darlene Burgess was there and we took her to Chick-fil-a afterwards to do our home teaching. We were disappointed that they no longer have caffeine-free diet Coke! We thought all Chick-fil-a's carried it but apparently not. They had to come into compliance with other Chick-fil-a's which did not carry it. Eileen was able to have diet lemonade.
We relaxed at home. We decided to visit our daughter Heather and grandson Liam in Raleigh next weekend as our son-in-law Tom will be away. I can relate what I did the rest of my day with the following from an e-mail to Tom:
After helping a number of our church members as my church calling is the branch family history consultant, Mom said, "how about looking at Tom's request?" Mom and our friend from California Allen White had been looking into your family history. So I sat down after we got home from cleaning our church building this afternoon and got on it. I began with the censuses that you had found, i.e., the 1910 and 1915 censuses. 1940 was also readily available, too. You had told us of Bernadette Irene Dowd and she was on the 1940 census. Do you know if she died a spinster? I found Bernadette I. Dowd's Social Security Death Index with her birthdate 26 Oct 1919 and her death date 19 Dec 2004 with last residence in Brooklyn. I also found a U.S. Public Records Index record for Bernadette I. Dowd with birthdate 26 Oct 1919 living in Ridgewood, NY, New York, NY, and Brooklyn, NY. Then I was pretty much stymied after using Ancestry.com and FamilySearch.org.
I began working on My Heritage which is a subscription website. First I found Bernadette Dawd on the 1930 census with Joseph, his sister Mary, and other children John J., Mary C., and Thomas. Using the Dawd spelling I then found them in Ancestry.com. Then on My Heritage I found Joseph Dadd on the 1920 census with his wife Annie, and children John, Mary, Thomas, and two-month-old Bert, erroneously listed as a son! Using the Dadd spelling I then found them in Ancestry.com. The next challenge was the 1925 NY census which does not appear to be on My Heritage. So in Ancestry.com I searched for Joseph using a wild card which is an asterisk you can insert in place of letters. I looked for Joseph D*d but I was told that produced too many results. I looked for Joseph Da*d to no avail. Then I looked for Joseph Do*d and bingo, I found Joseph Dond with Anna, Mary, Joseph (and, of course, John was John J. on the 1910 and 1930 censuses), Thomas, Buenadett, and sister Mary.
Tom was elated! He called me the "Mr. Miyagi" of genealogy.
I also e-mailed Allen White an edited version of my e-mail to Tom.
Eileen worked on the Yorkshire parishes for an hour and I did 20 minutes.
On Saturday 18 October we had Teri Grace come by at 11 am to help her with her family history. Then we drove to the Talking Rock Heritage Day Festival. Our odometer reached the palindrome of 85358. Here are pictures from the festival.
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| Barbecue equipment |
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| Rumely Oil Pull Tractor |
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| Quilts on a line |
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| Pickens County Engine 70 |
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| Wayne's Train |
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| Woodworking |
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| Entertainment |
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| Rumely Oil Pull Tractor |
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| Antique engines |
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| Florida Flywheelers Antique Engine Club |
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| We had some homemade peach ice cream. |
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| We had some barbecue wings. |
We enjoyed walking around the little festival in Talking Rock and had some barbeque chicken wings and homemade peach ice cream, chatting with some folks at the picnic tables. We shared some about the Church with one southern gal as we ate our chicken wings.
We passed R&A Orchards which was very busy as was the traffic on GA 52 due to the second weekend of the Apple Festival!
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| Heavy traffic on GA 52 approaching R&A Orchards |
Returning to Ellijay the traffic was still a bit heavy but nowhere as bad as earlier. We shopped at Ingles and enjoyed pulling into our garage!
We sang "happy birthday" to a dear friend Nora Moulder who served with us on our LDS mission.
We watched five episodes of "America's Test Kitchen" and "Cook's Country" which we had recorded today.
After enjoying the barbeque chicken wings and homemade peach ice cream at the festival, we just nibbled some of Eileen's fruitcake from last Christmas. It has been in the chest freezer and is now half eaten.
We invited Bobby and Brenda Malone to Sunday dinner tomorrow. Eileen made slow-cooker stout beef stew (without the stout), a Trisha Yearwood recipe. For dessert she made lime bars. I made a tossed salad and put it in the garage atop the chest freezer.
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| Trisha Yearwood |
Eileen worked on the Yorkshire parishes for the two hours that Teri was here and I did an hour and 20 minutes this evening.
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