On Sunday 22 March Eileen enjoyed the Book of Mormon discussion in the book of Alma chapters 43-50 with Brother Robert Millet on BYU-TV and we enjoyed attending our Ellijay Branch. Our odometer read 98589 shortly after leaving home.  That means we drove 600 miles since last Sunday morning!

Opening hymn was #269 "Jehovah, Lord of Heaven and Earth" text by anonymous and music by Oliver Holden.  He was an American composer and compiler of hymns.  Wikipedia.

Oliver Holden (1765-1844)

Brother Trevor Cornell was sustained as a priest in the Aaronic Priesthood.

Sacrament hymn was #181 "Jesus of Nazareth, Savior and King" text and music by Hugh W. Dougall.  He was a Latter-day Saint hymn writer.  He was born in Salt Lake City to William B. Dougall and his wife the former Maria Young. His mother was a daughter of Brigham Young.

He served an LDS mission in the Souther States Mission from 1894-1896. Among hymns by Dougall are "Jesus of Nazareth, Savior and King" and the music to "Come Unto Him". His song "The Bridge Builder" was used extensively by the Young Men's Mutual Improvement Association in the early 20th Century.

He also served as music supervisor for Utah's Public Schools and was also involved with the Salt Lake Opera Company.  Wikipedia.

Hugh W. Dougall (1872-1963)

The first speakers were our new senior missionaries Elder and Sister Rumsey from Utah who bore their testimonies.

The Rumsey's

The next speaker was Sister Donna Robbins.  Moved from Ohio 16 years ago.  Prepare temporally and spiritually.  Shared food storage to provide a meal for sick sister they home taught.  They were relying on food storage themselves at the time.  Gifts of the scriptures and prophetic teachings.  Promised blessings beyond measure stated President Monson.  Be of good cheer if we walk uprightly.  D&C 27.  Lift up our hearts and rejoice.  Study the scriptures daily.  Parable of ten virgins.  Take comfort in the scriptures.  D&C 1.  Joshua.  Luke.  Psalms.  Nephi.  Words of Christ will tell us what we should do.  Quoted President Joseph Fielding Smith, President Spencer W. Kimball, and Elder Bruce R. McConkie.  Heed the prophets.  Their counsel is of utmost importance.  Gave examples of prophetic revelations in recent years.  "God is at the helm.  Do not doubt it." President Hinckley.  

Intermediate hymn was #92 "For the Beauty of the Earth" text by Folliott S. Pierpoint (1835-1917) and music by Conrad Kocher (1786-1872).  Pierpoint was a hymnist and poet.  This hymn was his most famous hymn. Wikipedia.  Conrad Kocher wrote the hymn tune DIX, to which we sing "For the Beauty of the Earth." He was born in Germany in 1786. He studied piano and composition in St. Petersburg, Russia, then went to Rome, Italy for further study. Returning to Germany, he served as organist and choirmaster in the Stiftskirche in Stuttgart. Kocher was interested in the reformation of church music in Germany and founded the School of Sacred Music in 1821, which popularized four-part singing in churches. He received an honorary Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Tubingen in 1852. Songsandhymns.org.

The concluding speaker was Brother Brian Robbins of the stake high council.  Convert at age 23.  Practicality of the Gospel.  Spiritual backing.  Providentliving.com.  Eight areas 10 years ago.  Added emergency preparedness, finances, food storage, fitness and exercise, etc.  D&C 89.  Keep and do these things.  Why don't we do these things?  Daughter on Czech mission. She was a changed person.  Saw how smart he was!  God wants us to be happy, to have joy.  Live your life with a purpose.  Quoted an Elder Goslin.  Make a start on these things. Have an abundant life.  Other daughter served in Lithuania.  Prophet Joseph Smith had an abundant life.  Begin with the end in mind.  Visualize who you want to be.  Have the faith to do these things.  When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.  "The Theory of Everything" about Stephen Hawking.  

Closing hymn was #63 "Great King of Heaven" text by Carrie Stockade Thomas (1848-1931) and music by Leroy J. Robertson.  Robertson was an American composer and music educator.  He is best known for his Oratorio from the Book of Mormon, which premiered in 1953.  In the LDS hymnal there is one hymn with words by Robertson and eight hymns for which he wrote the music.  Wikipedia.

Leroy J. Robertson (1896-1971)

Gospel Doctrine with Darlene Burgess was lesson #11, “He Spake Many Things unto Them in Parables” using Matthew 13.

The purpose of the lesson is to help class members develop “ears to hear” so they can understand how Jesus’ parables apply to them 

1. Jesus presents the parable of the sower and explains his use of parables.

What is a parable? (A symbolic story that teaches gospel truths by comparing them to earthly things.) What did Jesus say was his purpose in teaching with parables? (To simultaneously teach his message to his disciples and conceal it from unbelievers.)

How might people react when they hear this parable without any explanation of its meaning? (Some people might become frustrated because they do not understand it. Others might understand it but think it does not apply to them. Others might ponder it and ask questions until they understand it and know how to apply it in their lives.)

The Prophet Joseph Smith said: “The multitude … received not His saying … because they were not willing to see with their eyes, and hear with their ears; not because they could not, and were not privileged to see and hear, but because their hearts were full of iniquity and abominations. … The very reason why the multitude … did not receive an explanation upon His parables, was because of unbelief”.

The Prophet Joseph Smith Jr. (1805-1844)

2. Jesus explains the parable of the sower. 

Seed = word of God

Wayside = people who hear the word of God but do not understand it

Stony places = people who hear and receive the word of God but do not allow it to take root in them

Thorny places = people who hear the word of God but are distracted by the cares of the world

Good ground = people who hear the word of God, understand it, and do works of righteousness

3. Jesus uses parables to teach about the kingdom of heaven on earth (the Church of Jesus Christ).

The Prophet Joseph Smith taught that the parables of the mustard seed and the leaven are about The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Jesus explained his parables to those who sought understanding. As we study Jesus’ parables with a sincere desire to understand, we will see how they apply in our day.

Between meetings Jay Hanks and I gave Darlene Burgess a priesthood blessing for her upcoming surgery on Tuesday.

The hymn in priesthood was #27 "Praise to the Man" text by William W. Phelps and music from a Scottish folk song.  According to Wikipedia, he was an early leader of the Latter-day Saint movement. He was a printer, editor, song-writer, scribe to Joseph Smith, Jr., and assistant president of the church in Missouri.

William W. Phelps (1792-1872)

The baptismal trip yesterday was wonderful with nearly 200 baptisms.  The youth then went to a six-stake fireside and dance.  The 2nd counselor in the General Young Men presidency spoke.

The priesthood lesson is "Teachings for Our Time" using Elder Joerg Klebingat's General Conference talk last October entitled "Approaching the Throne of God with Confidence."

Elder Joerg Klebingat and his wife Julia

"By applying the Atonement of Jesus Christ, you can begin increasing your spiritual confidence today if you are willing to listen and act."

I read, "Whenever the adversary cannot persuade imperfect yet striving Saints such as you to abandon your belief in a personal and loving God, he employs a vicious campaign to put as much distance as possible between you and God. The adversary knows that faith in Christ--the kind of faith that produces a steady stream of tender mercies and even mighty miracles--goes hand in hand with a personal confidence that you are striving to choose the right. For that reason he will seek access to your heart to tell you lies--lies that Heavenly Father is disappointed in you, that the Atonement is beyond your reach, that there is no point in even trying, that everyone else is better than you, that you are unworthy, and a thousand variations of that same evil theme.

"As long as you allow these voices to chisel away at your soul, you can’t approach the throne of God with real confidence. Whatever you do, whatever you pray for, whatever hopes for a miracle you may have, there will always be just enough self-doubt chipping away at your faith--not only your faith in God but also your confidence in yourself. Living the gospel in this manner is no fun, nor is it very healthy. Above all, it is completely unnecessary! The decision to change is yours--and yours alone."

Elder Klebingat shared "six practical suggestions that, if heeded, will dissipate these evil voices and restore to you the kind of peaceful assurance and spiritual confidence that is yours to have if you only want it.

"1. Take responsibility for your own spiritual well-being.

"Spiritual confidence increases when you take responsibility for your own spiritual well-being by applying the Atonement of Jesus Christ daily.

"2. Take responsibility for your own physical well-being.

"Elder Russell M. Nelson has taught that we should 'regard our body as a temple of our very own' and that we should 'control our diet and exercise for physical fitness'.

"President Boyd K. Packer has taught 'that our spirit and our body are combined in such a way that our body becomes an instrument of our mind and the foundation of our character'.

"Spiritual confidence increases when your spirit, with the help of the Savior, is truly in charge of your natural man or woman.

"3. Embrace voluntary, wholehearted obedience as part of your life.

"Abraham Lincoln rightly said, “When I do good I feel good, when I do bad I feel bad”

"Spiritual confidence increases when you are truly striving, for the right reasons, to live a consecrated life in spite of your imperfections!

"4. Become really, really good at repenting thoroughly and quickly.

"Spiritual confidence increases when you voluntarily and joyfully repent of sins, both small and great, in real time by applying the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

"5. Become really, really good at forgiving.

"Spiritual confidence increases when you know that the Lord knows that you bear no ill feelings toward another soul.

"6. Accept trials, setbacks, and “surprises” as part of your mortal experience.

"Spiritual confidence increases when you accept that 'often trials and tribulations are allowed to come into [your life] because of what [you] are doing right' " (Elder Glenn L. Pace).

After our meetings we had nice visits with Elder and Sister Rumsey.

We had a quiet afternoon at home preceded a yummy pork chop and tossed salad supper.  I had gotten our family file cards from Sister Charmet Chester and started entering the ordinances into PAF.  Colleen called and chatted with Eileen while "Music & the Spoken Word" was on in the background on my laptop.

Eileen and I began working on our latest Church Service Mission assignment researching English military collections in Ancestry. We spent one hour 15 minutes each.

I finished reading "Louis Agassiz: His Life and Correspondence" by Louis Agassiz.  It was very interesting about the great naturalist of the 19th century.  He was a Swiss-born and European-trained biologist and geologist recognized as an innovative and prodigious scholar of Earth's natural history. Wikipedia 

Louis Agassiz (1807-1873)

On Monday 23 March my blood glucose reading was 92!  No carbs and no sugar in my diet is working very well.  We went to Bryant Physical Therapy to work out for an hour.  

Then we drove north to Mineral Bluff to meet Ralph and Holly for lunch.  We rode with them to Hiawassee and enjoyed lunch at The Chophouse in Hiawassee.

Holly, Eileen, and Ralph

After leaving Ralph and Holly we got gas at Ingles for $1.929 with discount. We found where Darlene had left her car and I drove it to her home. Back in Ellijay we mailed the Easter bunny cake molds to Heather at UPS. We stopped at North Georgia Diamond so Eileen could ask them to modify some earrings. In chatting with Amanda we learned that her husband had passed away recently.  

Eileen and Amanda

We invited her to church on Sunday as we're speaking.  We shopped at Walmart and Ingles.

In the evening we enjoyed watching "Who Do You Think You Are?" with Angie Harmon (recorded the night before).  I finished entering the ordinances into PAF and e-mailed the Farr's to see how many family file cards they would like.

With Tom Ballew's help on the phone locating the correct circuit breaker, I replaced the faulty light switch in our master bathroom.

On Tuesday 24 March I wished Eileen a very happy birthday!!  Eileen loved my birthday card which brought tears to her eyes.

We called Darlene Burgess at the VA Medical Center in Decatur and learned that her surgery went well yesterday. Eileen called three relatives whose numbers Darlene had given us to notify about her surgery.

We drove to Jasper and turned in our car at Jasper Paint & Body to get our back bumper repaired/replaced.  Their slogan is "Quality...It Doesn't Cost, it Pays!" Enterprise Car Rental is trying to find a rental car for us :( Our odometer was at 98689.

Enterprise didn't have a car for us!  So after Jasper Paint & Body had the car bumper off to see what they had to do when parts arrive, they put it back on and we drove to Gibbs Gardens in Ball Ground.  We walked around a bit and then rode their tram, admiring all the daffodils and jonquils.  After getting off the tram we walked to see the nearby cherry blossoms which were beautiful.

Eileen at entrance to Gibbs Gardens

Returning to Jasper Paint & Body we called Enterprise and they promised that they would have a car for us tomorrow morning.  We'll have to forego the food pantry unless we can get back to Ellijay quickly after dropping our car off at Jasper Paint & Body.  Heck of a way to run a car rental business! I told the young fellow at Jasper Paint & Body all about Gibbs Gardens and he said "yes" to my two Book of Mormon questions.

Returning home we found a gift from the Dowd's and flowers from Colleen on the front porch!  Very nice!

I selected 12 male and 15 female family file cards to send to Bud and Jan Farr in Mesa, Arizona.  They enjoy doing temple work for Eileen and myself.

Eileen talked to Colleen, Heather, and William for her birthday.  We had wonderful news from William as he begins his new job with Tor Engineering in Phoenix.

I called FamilySearch and found out what I needed to do when I want to share names with the temple that have already been reserved.  I shared 33 male names.

On Wednesday 25 March we drove to Jasper (odometer 98789) and turned in our car at Jasper Paint & Body.  Enterprise Car Rental finally had a rental car for us, a Chevy Captiva.

We returned to Ellijay and went to the food pantry.  The sister missionaries couldn't make it as they had a teaching appointment but Elder and Sister Rumsey were there!  Being the fourth Wednesday we only had about 75 families coming for food.

Just before 3 pm Darlene Burgess called and said that she was being discharged from the VA Medical Center.  So we headed for Decatur in our rental car and were back home about 9:30 pm!  After picking her up at the hospital, we brought her home to Blue Ridge and then we returned to Ellijay.  We got more gas for the rental car but didn't fill it up for $1.929 with our Ingles discount.

We had a late little snack of cheddar horseradish cheese and olives (and Eileen had some jalapeños).

On Thursday 26 March I finished "Peril at End House" by Agatha Christie.  Excellent Poirot!

Agatha Christie (1890-1976)

Eileen and I went to our dental appointments with Dr. Codelli in Blue Ridge for our teeth cleaning.  Martha Galloway did my cleaning.  Kathy Rankin, who handles the billing, said "yes" to my two Book of Mormon questions.

Mountain Periodontics 

Inside Mountain Periodontics 

Back in Ellijay we mailed the family file cards to the Farr's, dropped off three bags of recyclables at the dump, and got this week's Times-Courier at R&A Orchards. Our picture in Nassau, the Bahamas, was in it.

Ben and Eileen

At home I finished reading the 5 October issue of the LDS Church News. I enjoyed reading about obituaries being more available through an agreement between FamilySearch and GenealogyBank.com. I enjoyed the talks reported on from the General Women's Meeting of 27 September. They were President Dieter F. Uchtdorf's 'Live the gospel joyful'; Sister Linda K. Burton, Relief Society General President, on 'Prepare for the temple', Sister Neill F. Marriott, second counselor in the Young Women general presidency, on 'Sharing your light', and Sister Jean A. Stevens, first counselor in the Primary general presidency, on 'Sacred covenants "connect us to Him'. 

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf

Sister Linda K. Burton

Sister Neill F. Marriott

Sister Jean A. Stevens

Of special interest was the 'Pennsylvania Project', the last major historic site of the Restoration of the LDS Church to be developed, of the restoration of the Aaronic Priesthood in Oakland Township, called Harmony in 1829.  When we drive north on the fall we will be sure to visit there.  

Filming is underway on a feature film that will be shown in the visitors'
center in Okland Township, Pennsylvania.

Replica of a Pennsylvania cabin once lived in by Joseph and Emma Smith

Rendering of the Isaac and Elizabeth Hale home
in Harmony (now Oakland), Pennsylvania

Site plan for the Priesthood Restoration Site in Harmony (now Oakland), Pennsylvania

Rendering of the Joseph and Emma Smith home
in Harmony (now Oakland), Pennsylvania

'A brief history of general conference' on the centerfold was very informative and 'Ecuador woman blesses lives through her cooking' was delightful.

I called the New York Times as one of my daily e-mails from them at stopped coming as of Monday, yet all the others kept coming.  Hopefully it is squared away.

Eileen spent time practicing for her art class tonight with the brushes and paints that she got from Heather and Tom for her birthday.  She had received lovely flowers from the Cubberley's.  And David sent the 500 brochures for Kids Ferst that he printed free of charge for us.

After a delicious supper of salad, hot dogs, bockwurst, and sauerkraut, I took Eileen to her art class in Ellijay.  On the way into town traffic was backed up on GA 52 due to an accident.  I turned around and drove across country to Yukon Rd., getting to Gilmer Arts by 6:10. Then I went to Roger Widmann's to help him with his family history from 6:30 to 8:10 pm.  Afterwards I picked Eileen up from her class at 8:30 which she enjoyed.  Pictured here are three of Eileen's paintings.

Gilmer Art Center classroom

Eileen in classroom

Eileen and others in classroom

Roger Widmann's

On Friday 27 March we went to Bryant Physical Therapy to work out for an hour.  Then Eileen had her appointment at Barbara's Hair Designers.  We had gotten a text and as we pulled into Bryant's parking lot we got a phone call that our car was ready in Jasper.  We were glad for the Chevy rental car but we'd never buy one.  It's not nearly as nice as our Avalon.

Leaving Barbara's we drove to Enterprise Car Rental to return the rental car.  The manager there said "yes" to my two Book of Mormon questions.  We were taken to Jasper Paint & Body where we were delighted to get our Avalon back!  They had cleaned the car inside and out after repairing it!

Returning to Ellijay we shopped at Walmart for salad stuff for the pot luck after church on Sunday and also supper for Peggy Espersen who had eyelid surgery yesterday.

After another delicious supper of salad, hot dogs, bockwurst, and sauerkraut, I finished adding articles from the April Ensign to my talk for Sunday, reading it to Eileen to check on its length.  Then I worked on the Kids Ferst newsletter for May and sent it off to the fellow at Ferst Foundation.  Below are pages one and four which I was responsible for.

Eileen called Darlene Burgess to see how she was doing and learned the wonderful news that she will getting disability.  I called Peggy Espersen and we will take her supper to her tomorrow.

On Saturday 28 March I began working on our taxes.  I finished reading "Paul Clifford - Complete" by Edward Bulwer-Lytton.  This is the book with the famous beginning line "It was a dark and stormy night." I began reading it on 21 June.

Edward Bulwer-Lytton  (1803-1873)

In the afternoon we went to North Georgia Diamond to get my ring that Eileen had given me for Christmas.  The black onyx stone had fallen out a few weeks later and we just got it back at no charge.  We took supper to Peggy at her daughter's in Coosawattee as she is recuperating from surgery on both eyelids.

Eileen made two desserts for the pot luck after church tomorrow, lime bars and pecan bars.

I got a very nice e-mail from Jan Farr about the Rome Italy LDS Temple and forwarded it to all of my LDS friends.

After a yummy turkey roast and salad for supper, I took Eileen to church for an ice cream social followed by the General Women's broadcast from Salt Lake City.  I ran over to Ingles for a few things and returned to church.

On the way home Eileen told me of the social and how much she enjoyed the broadcast.  At home we worked together to make a big salad for tomorrow.