On Sunday 20 September Eileen enjoyed "Music & the Spoken Word" and the Book of Mormon discussion on Mosiah 18 on BYU-TV.  We enjoyed attending our Ellijay Branch.

This blog entry is without pictures which I will add later.

Opening hymn was #66 "Rejoice, the Lord Is King" text by Charles Wesley (1707-1788) and music by Horatio Parker (1863-1919).

Sacrament hymn was #188 "Thy Will, O Lord, Be Done" text by Frank I. Kooyman (1880-1963) and music by Robert P. Manookin (1918-1997).

The first speaker was young woman Naomi Boland. She spoke about being in the world but not of the world.  She quoted Elder Cook.

The second speaker was Julie Cribb. She spoke on who influences us the most.  It is so easy for the Adversary to influence us.  She quoted Elder Scott.  She spoke much too softly for me to get much from her talk.  She quoted from Elder Lynn G. Robbins' talk from last October general conference entitled "Which Way Do You Face?"  

Intermediate hymn #224 "I Have Work Enough to Do" text by Josephine Pollard (1834-1892) and music by William J. Kirkpatrick (1838-1921).

The concluding speaker was Zach White.  He spoke on tithing and its importance.  He went over the basics of the tithing slip and to whom the tithing should be given.  He told of how tithing can be paid online now.  He spoke on the end-of-year tithing statements and tithing settlements with President Boland.  He shared the blessings of paying tithing.  He quoted from "An Honest Tithe, a Great Blessing" by Oscar Alfredo Benavides in the February 2011 Liahona magazine.  He bore his testimony of the importance of tithing.

Brother Stanley shared a few comments as we still had a few minutes remaining.  He spoke of the parable of the laborers in the vineyard of the Lord.

Closing hymn was #247 "We Love Thy House, O God" text by William Bullock (1797-1874) and music by Leroy J. Robertson (1896-1971).

Gospel Doctrine with Harry Spooner was lesson #35, "Be Ye Reconciled to God” using 2 Corinthians.

The purpose of the lesson is to encourage class members to be true disciples of Jesus Christ through applying Paul’s counsel in 2 Corinthians.

Elder Henry B. Eyring spoke about receiving counsel from prophets: 

“Don’t discard the counsel, but hold it close. If someone you trusted handed you what appeared to be nothing more than sand with the promise that it contained gold, you might wisely hold it in your hand awhile, shaking it gently. Every time I have done that with counsel from a prophet, after a time the gold flakes have begun to appear and I have been grateful” (in General Conference, Apr. 1997)

1. Overcoming tribulation

Elder Neal A. Maxwell assured us that Jesus Christ will help us through our afflictions: 

“When we take Jesus’ yoke upon us, this admits us eventually to what Paul called the ‘fellowship of [Christ’s] sufferings’ (Philippians 3:10). Whether illness or aloneness, injustice or rejection, … our comparatively small-scale sufferings, if we are meek, will sink into the very marrow of the soul. We then better appreciate not only Jesus’ sufferings for us, but also His matchless character, moving us to greater adoration and even emulation. 

“Alma revealed that Jesus knows how to succor us in the midst of our griefs and sicknesses precisely because Jesus has already borne our griefs and sicknesses (see Alma 7:11–12). He knows them firsthand; thus His empathy is earned. Of course, we do not comprehend it fully any more than we understand how He bore all mortal sins, but His Atonement remains the rescuing and reassuring reality” (in General Conference, Apr. 1997)

2. Forgiving others 

President Gordon B. Hinckley said: 

“We see the need for [forgiveness] in the homes of the people, where tiny molehills of misunderstanding are fanned into mountains of argument. We see it among neighbors, where insignificant differences lead to undying bitterness. We see it in business associates who quarrel and refuse to compromise and forgive when, in most instances, if there were a willingness to sit down together and speak quietly one to another, the matter could be resolved to the blessing of all. Rather, they spend their days nurturing grudges and planning retribution. … 

“If there be any who nurture in their hearts the poisonous brew of enmity toward another, I plead with you to ask the Lord for strength to forgive. This expression of desire will be of the very substance of your repentance. It may not be easy, and it may not come quickly. But if you will seek it with sincerity and cultivate it, it will come. … 

“… There is no peace in reflecting on the pain of old wounds. There is peace only in repentance and forgiveness. This is the sweet peace of the Christ, who said, ‘blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.’ (Matt. 5:9.)” (“Of You It Is Required to Forgive,” Ensign, June 1991).

3. Feeling godly sorrow for our sins

President Spencer W. Kimball explained: “If one is sorry only because someone found out about his sin, his repentance is not complete. Godly sorrow causes one to want to repent, even though he has not been caught by others, and makes him determined to do right no matter what happens. This kind of sorrow brings righteousness and will work toward forgiveness” (Repentance Brings Forgiveness [pamphlet, 1984]).

4. Becoming reconciled to God

Elder Bruce R. McConkie taught: “Reconciliation is the process of ransoming man from his state of sin and spiritual darkness and of restoring him to a state of harmony and unity with Deity. … Man, who was once carnal and evil, who lived after the manner of the flesh, becomes a new creature of the Holy Ghost; he is born again; and, even as a little child, he is alive in Christ” (Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 3 vols. [1965–73], 2:422–23).

Encourage class members to remember and follow Paul’s counsel in 2 Corinthians.

Brother Spooner called upon me to give the benediction.

The hymn in priesthood was #319 "Ye Elders of Israel" text by Cyrus H. Wheelock (1813-1894) and music by Thomas H. Bayly (1797-1839).

The priesthood lesson was #17 from "Teachings of Presidents of the Church: Ezra Taft Benson" entitled "Keeping the Law of Chastity."   It was taught by Brother Hanks.  Eileen said that Kitty Parker did an excellent job teaching the same lesson in Relief Society.

“The moral code of heaven for both men and women is complete chastity before marriage and full fidelity after marriage.”

The Young's and Dorsey's had food for the food drive at church.

After our early supper we drove to Jasper to help Terry and Judy Dorsey with their family history from 4 - 6:45 pm.  Eileen helped Judy and I helped Terry.

Holly Hughes called to cancel out lunch date for tomorrow as Ralph is not doing well.

We got three gallons of gas at Kroger at $2.169.

In the evening we both worked on our Maine Town Clerk project for about an hour-and-a-half.  I did 11 towns and finished Androscoggin County.  Eileen did six towns and has three to go in Sagahadoc County. 

On Monday 21 September while Eileen slept I finished chapter 22 of "Gospel Doctrine" entitled "Auxiliary Organizations."  I finished reading the 12 July issue of the Church News.  I enjoyed reading several pages about President Boyd K. Packer who passed away on 3 July.  I enjoyed reading 'Episcopalians give service at Welfare Square'; two articles about the Mission Presidents Seminar, "'Go forward with zeal' and 'Lord sustains, supports'; "'Cradle of liberty' about the Atlantic Coast Tour of the Mormon Tabernacle Choir; the obituary of Elder John Sonnenberg who died at age 93; new stakes from districts in Nigeria and Chile; and 'What are we thinking about?' by Sister Linda S. Reeves of the Relief Society General Presidency.

I called Coloma Frozen Foods in Michigan to order two bottles of their tart cherry concentrate.

I mailed 10 family file cards to Bud Farr.

We left home and dropped off the food we had gotten at church yesterday at the food pantry.  Then we dropped off three bags at the dump and went to Bryant Physical Therapy.  The receptionist, Cathy Burke, declined wanting to hear more about the Book of Mormon that I had sent her.

Our Avalon got a good cleaning at the Squiggles car wash.  We almost filled up the car using my Walmart gift card.  Gas was $2.049.  We shopped for a couple of things at Walmart and then got several items at Ingles.

On the way home we stopped at R&A Orchards and got a half peck of apples.

In the evening Eileen finished Sagahadoc County and did all 16 towns in Piscataquis County.  Ben began Aroostook County and did six towns.

I got an Ancestry message from Deanna Turton inquiring how I was related to her father-in-law Arthur Austin Turton. It took me a while to research and found that a Turton had married a Darrell who was related to my great-grandparents Richard and Leonora Darrell.

Colleen visited the Farr's in Mesa, Arizona, and gave them 52 of the 62 family file cards we had left with her in June.  She had her ward members do the baptisms and confirmations for her.  She kept 10 for herself.

On Tuesday 22 September we drove to the Atlanta Temple where we did four sealings of couples and helped with numerous other sealings.  I had the cards printed from a Family Ordinance Request form and Sister McKenna saw how I had lost a lot of weight.  So I filled her in on how we did it.

We saw Jim and Lynda Speidel as we were leaving and it was very nice to see them.  They are from our stake and were instrumental in us going to Salt Lake City for our first mission.  While we were on our mission they returned to the Training Zone for their second mission there. 

We drove north on GA 400 to Jo-Ann Fabrics where Eileen bought some fabric.

Near home we checked out Burt's Pumpkin Farm and Hillcrest Orchards with Liam's visit in mind in October.

After supper we watched lots of episodes of "Cake Boss" on TLC.

I prepared 24 family file cards to mail to Bud and Jan Farr for baptisms and confirmations.

I published my blog entries up thru 16 August though I have to add pictures later.

On Wednesday 23 September we enjoyed volunteering at the food pantry.  It was the fourth Wednesday of the month and we assisted 82 families. 

We stopped at R&A Orchards for newspaper.  No pictures of anyone holding the Times-Courier for three weeks!

I read Eileen an enjoyable obituary about "Daniel Thompson, Whose Bagel Machine Altered the American Diet, Dies at 94".  The link is http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/22/business/daniel-thompson-whose-bagel-machine-altered-the-american-diet-dies-at-94.html?emc=edit_th_20150922&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=25953900&_r=0

We got out the big Tonka truck in the garage and took it out back to wash it off in preparation for Liam's visit next month.

I published my blog entries from 7/12 to 8/16/2015 without pictures.

We drove to church to staff the branch Family History Center from 6-8:30 pm.  Curtis and Joyce Bond spent the entire time with us.

I finished the text of my blog entry for 8/23.

Eileen continued watching lots of episodes of "Cake Boss" on TLC.

On Thursday 24 September I didn't hear the alarm and woke at 9 am, very unusual for me!  116200. We drove to Blue Ridge for our dental appointments with Dr. Codelli.

While I waited in the car, Eileen ran into 3 Sisters Fudge for sugar-free fudge and then further along the street the Chocolate Express for sugar-free chocolates.  We filled up at Ingles for $1.899 and stopped at Taste of Amish.

Back in Ellijay we went to Ingles for grape Fruit-2-O that we forgot in Blue Ridge, Rite-aid for the price of Breeze 2 test strips, and the post office to have them hold our mail while we're away.

I started packing the car and we finished installing the hardware and new curtains in the green room in the basement.

Eileen continued watching lots of episodes of "Cake Boss" on TLC and the packing of the car continued.

The tart cherry concentrate didn't arrive :(  It always comes in two days.

On Friday 25 September we headed north at 9:40 am with our odometer at 116273.  We filled up a few more gallons at Ingles in Blue Ridge at $1.899.

The weather was pretty awful with lots of heavy rain.  There were two accidents on I-40, one going east and right after that a bad one with a car on its side going west.

At 1:45 we stopped at a rest area and our odometer was 116464.  116 x 4 = 464 and our house number in Maryland was 464.

Between Winston-Salem and Rocky Mount we saw our next palindrome of 116611.

We reached Rocky Mount about 5:15 pm and checked into the Comfort Inn.  We had supper at Hema's Italian Restaurant, a fairly simple local place that got reviews of only some 4's and mostly 5's on the Internet!  One never sees a highly rated restaurant without somebody saying it's terrible!

Eileen enjoyed HGTV and sudoku while I did more research on some cousins, relatives of my 2 x great grandmother Mary Ann Shipton Baily.

On Saturday 26 September we had breakfast and left the hotel about 9:45.  The desk clerk said "yes" to my two Book of Mormon questions!  We filled up for $1.999 shortly thereafter in Boones Mill.

About 1:30 we reached Bluegreen Getaways Shenandoah Crossing and checked in right away.  116839.  We are in cabin 87 which is quite nice except for the stairs to the front deck and entrance.  It would have been pretty bad for the White's!

We went to Food Lion in Gordonsville for some suppers while we're here.

After supper we watched the General Women's Session of the 185th Semiannual General Conference on BYU-TV on Eileen's laptop at 8 pm.

I have a separate note on my iPhone for the General Conference talks.

I finished reading the talk "Latter-day Saints Keep on Trying" by Elder Dale G. Renlund from April general conference to Eileen.  It is the "Teachings For Our Time" lesson at home tomorrow in priesthood and Relief Society.  Little did we know that he would be one of the new apostles!