Opening hymn was #92, "For the Beauty of the Earth," by Folliott S. Pierpoint (1835-1917), his most famous hymn. I love the chorus, "Lord of all, to thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise."
Sacrament hymn was #172, "In Humility, Our Savior," by LDS hymnwriter Mabel Jones Gabbott. Three of her hymns are in our hymnbook and she wrote any hymns in the Church's Primary Children's Songbook.
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| Mabel Jones Gabbott (1910-2004) |
I helped pass the sacrament.
Sister Lori Wade spoke softly about not being compelled in all things. D&C 58:26-29. We are here on earth to do the will of our Heavenly Father. 1 Timothy 4:14-16. A lot of action words in the scriptures. We should take the initiative and Heavenly Father is probably happy when He sees us do this. James 4:17. Alma 32:19. We sure be actively engaged in a good cause. How much time do we spend on meaningless activities and how much do we do the will of Heavenly Father? We are greatly loved. Father wants us to succeed. We should remember the love of our Savior Jesus Christ. She bore her testimony.
Intermediate hymn was #340, "The Star-Spangled Banner," by Francis Scott Key. Our National Anthem was appropriate as in two days is Veterans' Day.
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| Francis Scott Key (1779-1843) |
Brother Harry Spooner was our concluding speaker. A year and six days ago he was released as branch president. He spoke of Elder LeGrand Richards and Elder Charles Callis. He related Elder Richards' proposal of marriage and how Sister Richards accepted his proposal when she was second in his life following the Savior. Brother Spooner said that he was amazed that Elder Richards could speak for hours when he only knew five scriptures verbatim. Those scriptures were the Old Testament, the New Testament, the Book of Mormon, the Doctrine & Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price. (Laughter).
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| Elder LeGrand Richards (1886-1983) |
Psalm 103:17-18; 90. Hebrews 1:10-12. D&C 3:2; 35. And many other scriptures he quoted about God the Father. Nine generations while Adam was alive heard of God from Adam himself. Listed attributes of God. We and God have no beginning or end. We were intelligences, then spirit children, now here in mortality, and after this life we will continue. Related Joseph Smith and the First Vision. He knows us by name and he knew Brother Bill Godwin by name (who passed away on Friday). Isaiah 49:15-16. Think of the price that the Savior paid! We keep His commandments. "If ye love me, keep my commandments." This talk is Brother Spooner's testimony. He quoted the fire in Jeremiah's bones (which is our Gospel Doctrine lesson today). Think of all we have to look forward to, i.e., the sealed portion of the Book of Mormon and the writings of the 10 tribes.
Closing hymn was #60, "Battle Hymn of the Republic," by Julia Ward Howe, another hymn appropriate to Veterans' Day.
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| Julia Ward Howe (1819-1910) |
Gospel Doctrine with Claire Bowen was lesson #41, “I Have Made Thee This Day … an Iron Pillar”
using Jeremiah 1–2; 15; 20; 26; 36–38.
The purpose of the lesson is to encourage class members to remain faithful in times of opposition and adversity.
1. Jeremiah is called of God to be a prophet.
The Prophet Joseph Smith said, “Every man who has a calling to minister to the inhabitants of the world was ordained to that very purpose in the Grand Council of heaven before this world was” (History of the Church, 6:364).
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| The Prophet Joseph Smith (1805-1844) |
2. Many people oppose Jeremiah and try to prevent him from fulfilling his mission.
In Jeremiah 2:13, what two evils did the Lord say his people had committed? (They had forsaken him, the fountain of living waters. And they had made for themselves broken cisterns that could not hold the Lord’s living water, meaning they had sought fulfillment and security in worldly things.)
Elder Marion D. Hanks said: “Material objectives consume too much of our attention. The struggle for what we need or for more than we need exhausts our time and energy. We pursue pleasure or entertainment, or become over-involved in associations or civic matters. Of course, people need recreation, need to be achieving, need to contribute; but if these come at the cost of friendship with Christ, the price is much too high.
“‘For my people have committed two evils,’ said the Lord to Israel; ‘they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.’ (Jer. 2:13.)
“The substitutions we fashion to take the place of God in our lives truly hold no water. To the measure we thus refuse the ‘living water,’ we miss the joy we could have” (in General Conference, Apr. 1972).
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| Elder Marion D. Hanks (1921-2011) |
3. Jeremiah is strengthened in adversity by his love for the word of God.
The Book of Mormon prophet Nephi said to “feast upon the words of Christ” (2 Nephi 32:3).
Additional Teaching Ideas
The prophet Jeremiah was teaching and warning the people of Judah at the time Lehi left Jerusalem. Both Jeremiah and Lehi prophesied that Jerusalem would be destroyed.
We began priesthood with hymn #339, "My Country, 'Tis of Thee," by Samuel F. Smith.
The lesson today was from chapter 21 in "Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith" entitled "Proclaiming the Gospel to the World."
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| Samuel F. Smith (1808-1895) |
The lesson today was from chapter 21 in "Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Joseph Fielding Smith" entitled "Proclaiming the Gospel to the World."
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| President Joseph Fielding Smith (1876-1972) |
“We have tasted the fruits of the gospel and know they are good, and we desire that all men shall receive the same blessings and the same spirit that have been poured out so abundantly upon."
I must admit that I slipped out of the high priests group just as the lesson was about to start. The brethren are terrible teachers. All we do is read the lesson from the manual. I had already read it to Eileen and with my hearing I only hear the teacher somewhat and nothing that the other high priests might contribute. The high priests group leadership should attend Relief Society sometime to see how a lesson should be taught. Eileen said Nell Huston did an excellent job in Relief Society.
I scheduled with Teri Grace to come visit on Wednesday after the funeral service. I had given her her family file cards after sacrament meeting that we had taken to the temple for her.
When we got home Eileen called Diana Stephens who called back later. We rescheduled when she is coming over due to the lunch on Tuesday for the Godwin family. And Eileen coordinated with her about helping with the lunch.
We enjoyed yummy leftovers for supper. I worked several hours on my George and Fanny Baily/Bailey family which included their son George, his wife Sophia, and their four children.
I also discussed our time-share vacations with Eileen.
I called FamilySearch and learned a great deal from the missionary to whom I talked about Family Tree.
On Monday 10 November I called for an appointment with Dr. Raisig and called Interval International (I. I.) to arrange using our time-share next April in Gatlinburg, Tennessee.
We stopped at the dump on the way into town and did some shopping. We saw Peggy Espersen at Walmart and stopped at Ingles.
At home Eileen began work on the macaroni and cheese for the dinner tomorrow. She made two 9x13 dishes and they look delicious! I finished researching the Bible videos on lds.org so I know which ones I have watched already.
I researched who have not looked at the Jacquie Lawson greetings that I have sent over the last year or two and deleted them from my calendar.
I made our tossed salad for supper and Eileen surprised me by covering the salmon with what was left of her dad's scrumptious tomato sauce. She relaxed watching "Pioneer Woman" with Ree Drummond.
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| Ree Drummond |
I worked a little more on my George and Fanny Baily/Bailey family and on my blog.
At bedtime I read "The Sacrament - Renewal for the Soul" by Sister Cheryl A. Esplin, second counselor in the Primary General Presidency, to Eileen.
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| Cheryl A. Esplin |
On Tuesday 11 November we wish all the veterans Happy Veterans Day!
We went to our physical therapy appointment at 11 am and then took the two dishes of macaroni and cheese to church.
The luncheon for the Godwin family was very nice and Eileen's macaroni and cheese was delicious! Most of it was later sent to the funeral home for those who would like some. We brought home some for supper. Aside from helping with tables and chairs, I was in the family history center where Eileen joined me. Then we were joined by Michelle Ramick, Olga Knight, and Diana Stephens. Harry and Shirley Spooner (he is our former branch president) attended the luncheon and Shirley visited us in the family history center, too.
I showed Olga how to access Ancestry.com and showed her on Family Tree that she could seal her grandparents.
Ann Godwin, Bill's widow, came to the family history center and thanked us for being there.
We enjoyed driving home and relaxing for a little while. We each had an open-face peanut butter and jelly sandwich (Eileen liked her sugar-free orange marmalade and I found a jar of no-sugar-added cinnamon pear preserves) and nibbled some of the macaroni and cheese.
Then we went back into town for my 4:30 appointment with Dr. Raisig. He said that the problem with my right ear is densely packed ear wax! He recommended Debrox which we bought later at Rite-aid. He was concerned about the clear rectal discharge which has been going on for several days. He is scheduling a colonoscopy for me.
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| Young Dr. Raisig |
We enjoyed leftover salmon, green beans, and leftover macaroni and cheese. Later we each had a small bit of no-sugar-added vanilla ice cream with a dab of whipped cream on top.
We relaxed and watched "Finding Your Roots" which I recorded on my third try last night. Then we watched "Great Houses of Scotland" about Kincardine Castle near Aberdeen.
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| Kincardine Castle |
Eileen began my twice daily Debrox drops in my right ear, once in the morning and once at bedtime.
At bedtime I read "Rescue in Unity" by Elder Chi Hong (Sam) Wong of the Seventy to Eileen. During general conference he delivered his talk in Cantonese.
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| Elder Chi Hong (Sam) Wong of the Seventy |
On Wednesday 12 November we stopped at the post office to mail the Children's Mathematics magazine to Colleen. Our odometer reached 86768. Then we went to church for the funeral service for Bill Godwin.
Opening hymn was #292, "O My Father," by Eliza R. Snow.
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| Eliza R. Snow (1804-1887) |
Sister Gail Godwin spoke first. She spoke on being meek and lowly of heart, of having faith and love. Christlike attributes are gifts from God. Christ said, "Learn of me and be meek and lowly of heart." She quoted from President Lorenzo Snow. Jesus Christ lives and He is our savior.
Brother Steve Godwin spoke. He thanked us all for all we've done for the family. He spoke of Bill's life. He loved ice cream and was a Tarheel. He is confident that all this attention would make Bill uncomfortable. How did Bill spend his "dash" between 1928 and 2014? He served in the Air Force for four years. He loved everyone except politicians and basketball referees. He was a CPA and served as a financial clerk in the church. He even allowed his predecessor to train him as a clerk, and didn't tell him of his credentials as a CPA, and thanked him for the training. He was a "be at" man! He was to be at church, be at a meeting, etc. He loved the members of his family, his wife Ann of 61 years, especially his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He loved the Lord and the Restored Gospel. He quoted John 11:25-26. "Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?"
Intermediate hymn was #300, "Families Can Be Together Forever," by Ruth M. Gardner.
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| Ruth M. Gardner (1927-1999) |
President Steven Posey, Atlanta Temple president, spoke.
He has known Bill Godwin 36 years. This is a solemn and sacred time. We invite the Spirit to help, teach, and comfort us. He spoke of meeting the Godwin's from Thomson, Georgia. He was a good and faithful counselor in the branch presidency. President Posey was a mission president in Texas from 1995-1998. He needed a couple to serve in the mission office and was inspired to call Bill and Ann back in Georgia. They served for 24 months. President Posey testified of the Savior and His Restored Church. The Priesthood has been restored and God speaks to His prophets. He read from D&C 4, the epitome of the life of Bill Godwin. Bill was tight but never tight in the service of the Lord. He spoke of Christ's mission in the hereafter after His crucifixion. There He taught the gospel. He organized the preaching of the gospel to the prisoners. Why don't we have a cross on our churches? It is the symbol of the Lord's anguish and death. We celebrate the open tomb, the resurrected Christ. "Draw near unto me." "Take my yoke upon you." Death is a bittersweet experience. Bitter for those left behind because of the separation of loved ones. Sweet to leave behind our old body and enter into the spirit world. Marriage is for time and all eternity. The great and glorious gospel we know to be true. Families are forever.
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| Nancy L. and Steven D. Posey |
He has known Bill Godwin 36 years. This is a solemn and sacred time. We invite the Spirit to help, teach, and comfort us. He spoke of meeting the Godwin's from Thomson, Georgia. He was a good and faithful counselor in the branch presidency. President Posey was a mission president in Texas from 1995-1998. He needed a couple to serve in the mission office and was inspired to call Bill and Ann back in Georgia. They served for 24 months. President Posey testified of the Savior and His Restored Church. The Priesthood has been restored and God speaks to His prophets. He read from D&C 4, the epitome of the life of Bill Godwin. Bill was tight but never tight in the service of the Lord. He spoke of Christ's mission in the hereafter after His crucifixion. There He taught the gospel. He organized the preaching of the gospel to the prisoners. Why don't we have a cross on our churches? It is the symbol of the Lord's anguish and death. We celebrate the open tomb, the resurrected Christ. "Draw near unto me." "Take my yoke upon you." Death is a bittersweet experience. Bitter for those left behind because of the separation of loved ones. Sweet to leave behind our old body and enter into the spirit world. Marriage is for time and all eternity. The great and glorious gospel we know to be true. Families are forever.
President Ryan Boland spoke of Bill Godwin who was his home teacher. When Bill had been in the hospital and when he was back at home, still weak and not able to attend church for a while, he apologized to Ryan for not being able to visit as his home teacher.
Closing hymn was #152, "God Be with You Till We Meet Again," by Jeremiah E. Rankin.
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| Jeremiah E. Rankin (1828-1904) |
We dropped off the paperwork from the Red Cross with Dr. Raisig about why they would not accept her blood donations.
We returned home and enjoyed kale sandwiches for lunch. Teri Grace did not show up at 1 pm. Later Eileen saw an e-mail from Teri that she had received while we were at the funeral service. She said that she would not be able to make it. We called Diana Stephens and she was able to come at 2:30 instead of 3 pm. We worked together for two hours.
Eileen made chicken fricassee from the recipe that I had found online. Delicious! We stopped at Rite-aid for a new curling iron and got to church at 6 pm to staff the Family History Center.
While there I called my home teaching families to set up appointments before we leave town on the 21st. I worked a lot on my North Georgia History Museum blog entry.
We are very concerned about our son-in-law Sean, Colleen's husband in Arizona. He has a mass on his kidneys that is being evaluated.
We watched the program on the Science Channel about the landing of the Rosetta probe's lander Philae on the comet 67P. It is an amazing project as the landing was accomplished successfully today! The Rosetta orbiter and the Philae lander will both be conducting scientific experiments and the scientists need to make sure Rosetta stays near 67P.
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| Rosetta probe with comet 67P |
We watched "Finding Your Roots" which I recorded last night. It featured Sting, Deepak Chopra, and Sally Field.
On Thursday 13 November before hitting the hay I read "The Adventure of the Cheap Flat" by Agatha Christie, A Hercule Poirot Short Story.
In the morning we drove to Jasper for my appointment with Dr. Frank Lopez, a gastroenterologist. I put our son-in-law Sean on the prayer rolls of the Atlanta and Washington D. C. Temples.
We made an appointment for my colonoscopy for 1 December. So it doesn't affect our plans for Raleigh and only delays our departure for Arizona.
We shopped at Walmart (where we saw Diana Little who also volunteers at the food pantry; she told us it was a madhouse yesterday as they had 179 patrons, probably a record!) and Ingles, dropped off one suit and picked up another at the dry cleaners, got gas for $2.649, and went by R&A Orchards.
At R&A we got Gold Rush and Pink Lady apples, some hoop cheese, the Times-Courier which had our picture with the newspaper at the Ringling Circus Museum and our new sister missionary Sister Burge, and Eileen and I shared a cheeseburger. Yummy!
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| Cutting the hoop cheese |
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| Lots of apples |
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| Ben and Eileen at the Ringling Circus Museum |
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| Sister Burge |
Our mail included a box with the three mathematics books Eileen had ordered. "Teaching Student-Centered Mathematics" for Pre-K-2, Grades 3-5, and Grades 6-8. She will send the two lower grades to Colleen.
We went to the Lions Club for me to donate blood. I did the double red cell donation which is similar to a whole blood donation, except a special machine is used to allow me to safely donate two units of red blood cells during one donation while returning my plasma and platelets to me. It takes about an hour for this procedure.
Eileen enjoyed one of her new books. We saw Emil Harvey there and when he said hello to Eileen and found that she was reading a math book he was amazed. When she told him it was fascinating he was really floored!
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| Donating blood at the Lion's Club |
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| Donating blood at the Lion's Club |
We enjoyed cheese, crackers, and chicken salad for supper, then went into town for the third time today as we visited Peggy Espersen.
Back home again we watched "Great Houses of Scotland" about Dumfries House south of Glasgow.
And a documentary about the Blue Ridge Parkway.
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| Dumfries House |
And a documentary about the Blue Ridge Parkway.
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| Along the Blue Ridge Parkway |
At bedtime I finished reading "Free Forever, to Act for Themselves" by Elder D. Todd Christofferson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles to Eileen.
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| Elder D. Todd Christofferson |
I finished reading chapter eight of "Gospel Doctrine" by President Joseph F. Smith entitled "The Church and the Man."
On Friday 14 November we attended the Kids Ferst meeting at the Head Start building in Ellijay. Over 75% of the children in Gilmer have been registered! Eileen brought up that grandparents can sign up grandchildren wherever they live to get a book a month from Kids Ferst. We stayed afterwards as the women made decorations for the Kids Ferst Christmas tree that will be at the Gilmer County library. Judy Harvey said that the final count at the pantry Wednesday was actually 178.
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| Kids Ferst meeting |
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| Making decorations for the Kids Ferst Christmas tree |
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| Making decorations for the Kids Ferst Christmas tree |
We stopped at Rite-aid for my colonoscopy prep stuff. Ugh!
I called Westgate Smoky Mountain Resort at Gatlinburg and a note was put in that we need an entry level unit or one with an elevator. Our vacation will be 10-17 April.
I published my blog entry of our pictures from the North Georgia History Museum and began working on the 19 October blog.
Our new grandson Weston William Bailey was born today in Gilbert, Arizona, at 7:07 pm. He is 7 lbs 2.6 ozs and 20.75 inches long. Our daughter-in-law Erin is doing fine.
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| William and Weston Bailey |
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| Weston W. Bailey |
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| Weston W. Bailey |
I finished reading "The Surprising Adventures of Baron Munchausen" by Rudolf Erich Raspe which I had begun on 11 April.
On Saturday 15 November we went to the Atlanta Temple and did sealings, which included four couples of ours. On the way just south of Ellijay we hit 86968.
On the way home we enjoyed a visit to d'Lites Emporium where Eileen got Snickers with almond and vanilla while I got a small Snickers with almond. We also bought small containers of mango and pumpkin pie ice cream.
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| Atlanta Temple |
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| Atlanta Temple |
On the way home we enjoyed a visit to d'Lites Emporium where Eileen got Snickers with almond and vanilla while I got a small Snickers with almond. We also bought small containers of mango and pumpkin pie ice cream.
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| Ben at d'Lites Emporium |
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| Inside d'Lites Emporium |
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| Inside d'Lites Emporium |
As we headed north we saw 87078 followed by 87087.
We visited Walmart and Eileen had a nice chat on the phone with her sister Jane in New Jersey.
At home with supper we enjoyed watching two episodes each of "America's Test Kitchen" and "Cook's Country" that I had recorded earlier in the afternoon. We normally eat supper together in the reclining sections of our sofa unless I am having something that takes a good deal of cutting at which time I will sit at the dining room table.
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| Christopher Kimball and Julia Collin Davison |
I finished the 22 June edition of the Church News. I enjoyed reading about Elder Jeffrey R. Holland visiting Cuba and creating the country's second branch,
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| Church members and friends in Havana, Cuba, pose for a photograph with Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, center. |
about the Paris France Temple,
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| Youth in stakes in the Paris, France, area gather for a special devotional during a visit by Elder Neil L. Andersen and Bishop Gérald Caussé. |
the rededication of the Guatemala MTC,
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| Exterior of the Guatemala City Missionary Training Center |
the presentation on the Dead Sea Scrolls at the Los Angeles Temple Visitors' Center,
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| Dr. Donald Parry, member of the Dead Sea Scrolls translation team and BYU professor, speaks during a program in the Los Angeles Temple Visitors' Center |
and the beginnings of the Hawaiian Mission with Elder George Q. Cannon.
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| Chad Orton of the Church History Department speaks about George Q. Cannon and the beginnings of the Hawaiian Mission. |
I also enjoyed the article by Sister Carol F. McConkie, first counselor in the Young Women General Presidency. She started by saying, "Last year, Oxford Dictionary officially designated 'selfie' as the word of the year." So I took a 'selfie' after getting dressed to go to the temple! It didn't look good enough to show here.
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| Sister Carol F. McConkie |
We enjoyed Facetiming with Weston, Erin, and William. It was pretty neat!
At bedtime I finished reading "Receiving a Testimony of Light and Truth" by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf to Eileen. That finished the Saturday morning session of October general conference that we missed when the White's were here.
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| President Dieter F. Uchtdorf |
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