On Sunday 26 January we were up early and enjoyed breakfast at the Comfort Inn.  We checked out and returned to the Marietta East Stake center for the Sunday morning session of stake conference.  It was unusual in that it was not a local stake conference.  It was taking place in Orlando, Florida, and being transmitted to multiple buildings in 48 stakes in Florida, Georgia, and South Carolina.  It was being presided over by Elder Russell M. Nelson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.  Elder Erich W. Kopischke of the Seventy conducted. 

Elder Russell M. Nelson

Elder Erich W. Kopischke 

Elder Robert C. Gay of the Seventy spoke.  He spoke of the wiles of Satan and how prevalent they are today.  He told of the parable of President Hinckley's about the Indian boy and the poisonous snake.   

President Gordon B. Hinckley

A member in Soweto, South Africa, told Elder Gay how the absolute power of truth blessed her life.  He told of a woman who fought very much against the Church.  Her husband who loved her was a faithful member and took their children to Church.  They and their children were active and went on missions.  One grandson, aware of his grandmother's feelings about the Church, fasted and prayed month in and month out, even throughout his mission, that an angel would come to her to correct her way.  Finally an angel appeared to him and told him to write his grandmother with what he would tell him.  He did so and sent her the letter.  His grandmother read it and it contained things from her life that only she knew.  It touched her heart and she prayed.  Heaven was opened and she knew that she was loved by God.  But she still did not want to rejoin the Church.  Further prayer took place and the answer was that the Church is the Kingdom of God on Earth!  She returned to full activity after years of hostility. 

Elder Robert C. Gay

Carol F. McConkie, 1st counselor in the General Young Women a Presidency, spoke.  Keeping the commandments helps us to know the truth.  D&C 76:5 "For thus saith the Lord—I, the Lord, am merciful and gracious unto those who fear me, and delight to honor those who serve me in righteousness and in truth unto the end. 6 Great shall be their reward and eternal shall be their glory. 7 And to them will I reveal all mysteries, yea, all the hidden mysteries of my kingdom from days of old, and for ages to come, will I make known unto them the good pleasure of my will concerning all things pertaining to my kingdom. 8 Yea, even the wonders of eternity shall they know, and things to come will I show them, even the things of many generations."

We are guided by a living prophet, President Thomas S. Monson.  

President Thomas S. Monson

"Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God." Prophet Joseph Smith Jr.

Prophet Joseph Smith Jr.

She spoke of a young sister missionary who was always so happy and smiling when they headed a mission.  Keeping all the commandments unites us with God.

We are a covenant people.  Keeping the commandments are the path of safety and peace.  D&C 93:1 "Verily, thus saith the Lord: It shall come to pass that every soul who forsaketh his sins and cometh unto me, and calleth on my name, and obeyeth my voice, and keepeth my commandments, shall see my face and know that I am."

Carol F. McConkie

Elder Kopischke spoke.  Living outside of Europe for the first time.  Feels so welcome and at home in the South.  Celestial network of salvation.  Jesus Christ is the personal savior of you and me.  Joseph Smith, the Prophet of the Restoration.  The Lord's Kingdom reestablished on the earth is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints preparatory to the Second Coming of the Messiah.  

Amos 8:11 "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: 12 And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it."  The Lord is hastening the work of salvation.  We will be embraced by a spirit of urgency.  We are participating in the preparation for the Second Coming of the Savior.  This includes family history and temple work.  Invite others to come unto Christ as often as possible.  Be more worthy of the companionship of the Holy Ghost.   2 Nephi 32:3 "Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ. Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ; for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things what ye should do."  Spoke of the hike by a sister where he and his family gave her a ride.  They only saw her because they took a detour.  She sent a Christmas card explaining how they were angels in answer to her prayers.  He spoke of President Kimball's asking the members to pray for the softening of the hearts of leaders behind the Iron Curtain.  President Monson recently asked members to do something similar.  Pray with more precision.  He bore his testimony. 

Elder Nelson spoke.  Thanked the great choir.  And those others who spoke.  He spoke of Church growth.

A good strong heart is required by a large church just as by a large person.  Elder Nelson spoke of his anguish over the inactivity of his parents when he was in medical school.  In their 80's they were active and sealed in the temple.  Loving care is essential to bringing people into the waters of baptism and bringing people back to their covenants.  Spoke of "doctrine" and "doctrines."  The latter is often negative in connotation.  The doctrine of God and the doctrine of Christ.  Nine doctrines (he spoke on each): the Godhead; Plan of Salvation; the Atonement of Jesus Christ, to include the experience in the Garden of Gethsemane, the Crucifixion, and the Resurrection; Dispensation, Apostasy, and Restoration (gathering Israel, sealing all together, and preparing for the Second Coming); Prophets and Revelation; Priesthood and Priesthood Keys;  Ordinances and Covenants; Marriage and Family (reread The Family: A Proclamation to the World) ; Commandments (are to protect and bless His children).  Nine facets of the Diamond of Doctrine.  He hopes we will love the Lord and be one of His true disciples.  He gave us his apostolic blessing.  He bore his testimony.

Closing hymn #157. "Thy Spirit, Lord, Has Stirred Our Souls." 

We then headed south on our trip to Eileen's brother Russ's second home in Brooker.  We stopped at Sam's Club in Valdosta and filled the gas tank for $3.069!  There were a couple of stops at rest areas.

Seen at the rest stop

As the passenger Eileen was able to admire the scenery and she often saw mistletoe in the trees alongside the roads.  

Mistletoe

Multiple mistletoe

We left the stake center at about 12:15 pm and arrived in Brooker about 5:40 pm.  A little while later Russ and our daughter Sue arrived from Sunrise, Florida. The clouds in the sky were beautiful! 

Russ's home in Brooker

After supper I worked on my blog for last week.

I read the Book of John chapter 7 and watched "The Baptism of Jesus" which you can view at this link:

http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2011-10-024-the-baptism-of-jesus?category=bible-videos-the-life-of-jesus-christ&&lang=eng

On Monday 27 January we were up very early (5:15 am) and took Sue to her procedure at Shand's Cancer Clinic at 7 am.  She left us at 8:35 to have the procedure done, this time by Dr. Vogel.  

We enjoyed a bite to eat in the Clinic's Atrium with pita chips, hummus, and artichoke dip.  Then I got a phone call that Sue was back on the Patient Holding area at 11:45.  Dr. Vogel came by to visit Sue about 1 pm.  We left the hospital at 4:15.

We enjoyed supper that Russ made and I published my blog for the week of 19 January.

On Tuesday 28 January I got up and watched three Bible videos.  I watched "Jesus Turns Water into Wine," "Jesus Cleanses the Temple," and "Jesus Teaches of Being Born Again."  Here are the three links if you would like to watch them:

http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2011-10-023-jesus-turns-water-into-wine?category=bible-videos-the-life-of-jesus-christ&&lang=eng

http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2011-10-039-jesus-cleanses-the-temple?category=bible-videos-the-life-of-jesus-christ&&lang=eng

http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2011-10-028-jesus-teaches-of-being-born-again?category=bible-videos-the-life-of-jesus-christ&&lang=eng

I tried to do some Family Search indexing but there are no batches available at the beginner level.  When I have tried the intermediate level in the past, the batches have been very difficult to read.

I went for a ride with Russ to his local dump.  They do not have "single stream" recycling.  They have  three very large dumpsters, each one for certain types of recyclables.  They also have the facility to dump used oil, electronic equipment, etc.

Sue got a call from Shand's and they are still not comfortable doing the radioactive seeds for the cancer as they feel that her system would allow the seeds to roam to other parts of her body.  There are alternatives, so now she waits again for the doctors to discuss what can be done.

I worked some more on the Stubbs' genealogy, using familysearch.org, ancestry.com, and google.  I found some interesting published histories by googling.

We learned from an e-mail from Judy Farmer that the food pantry will be closed tomorrow due to the bad weather.  I called the sister missionaries and they've been told not to venture out tomorrow unless it's just nearby on foot.  I replied to Judy about us coming home on Wednesday.

I read the Book of John chapter 8.

On Wednesday 29 January we got a reply from Judy that conditions were terrible in North Georgia.  She said, "Atlanta is in total gridlock.  People have been on north bound I75 sitting since yesterday.  If I were you I would stay in Florida.  I 575 is closed at BigUns BBQ to Ellijay.  Most of 52 is closed.  Hope you are staying in Florida at least one more day."  So we decided to stay one more day but Russ and Sue would head home to Sunrise.  

Then Sue got a phone call from the hospital that they wanted her to come in to show her what they would like to do.  We jumped in the car and drove to Shand's.  So now we're staying longer and Sue will have another procedure on Friday!  We'll probably be here until Sunday.

So we stocked up on lots of meat, cheese, etc., at the deli at Publix.

After lunch I remembered to call the post office in Ellijay to hold our mail until we return this weekend.  Then Bill Kazy called as he and Kimberley wanted to see how Sue was doing.  We visit (home teach) them every month.

Our oldest son Geoff texted us and later called.  His back has been bothering him and he texted that he has a bulging lower disk which is pinching his nerve.  So his left leg is numb "from the butt to the foot."  He is considering surgery at the hospital in Annapolis.

We went to the Conestogas Restaurant in Alachua with Russ's neighbor Tom for supper.  It's our favorite place to eat when we visit Russ's place in Brooker.

Eileen and Sue at Conestogas

I worked a lot on the Stubbs's genealogy and began working on Family Tree in familysearch.org.

On Thursday 30 January we read all about the debacle in Atlanta when we got up in the morning.  What an awful wintry disaster for the folks there!  We took Sue to get her nails done and we shopped at Sam's Club for meals.

I worked a lot on the Stubbs's genealogy.  I called Family Search at the 866 number because when you request temple ordinances for an individual, that individual shows up in the temple ordinance list but when you return to the detailed information for that individual and click on ordinances it still shows that you need to request the ordinances.  Only if you get out of familysearch.org and then go back in do the ordinances in the detailed information appear correctly, i.e., with yellow squares for the ordinances showing that they've been submitted.

We had delicious salmon for supper.  I posted the following to Facebook:
"God’s word out of the Holy Bible is very relevant to each one of us. The teaching of this divinely inspired book will ultimately lead us to Christ and salvation. I believe that people of faith who read and ponder biblical teachings in their lives form the moral underpinning of society.” D. Todd Christofferson

On Friday 31 January we were up at 5 am to take Sue in to Shand's for her second procedure of the week.  She had to be at the hospital at 6:30.  The electronic display board up on the wall behind the reception desk in surgery made me smile.  The times use the 24-hour clock, yet they still append AM and PM so people aren't confused.

The procedure went well and Dr. Vogel is optimistic that the appointment can be made for the radioactive seeds to be implanted to combat the tumors on her liver.

While at the hospital Family Search called back and wanted me to talk to technical support.  Since I was not by my computer, we made arrangements for them to call me tomorrow at noon.

We got back to Russ's about 4:45 pm and enjoyed supper, though Sue only ate a little white rice as she can't eat much after her procedure.

On Saturday 1 February we just hung out as Sue wasn't feeling too spiffy.  I did a lot of work on the Stubbs family on Family Tree, adding many to the Temple Ordinance List.  It was interesting that parts of the family had their temple work done in the 1930s and in the Palmyra Temple in 2004!

Family Search called back and refreshed my memory that Internet Explorer is the problem.  When I switched to Firefox as my browser, I had no problems with Family Tree.

I read the Book of John chapter 9 and watched the Bible video "For God So Loved the World," probably the most precious video I have watched in this series so far!  You can view it at this link:

http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2011-10-042-for-god-so-loved-the-world?category=bible-videos-the-life-of-jesus-christ&&lang=eng

On Sunday 19 January we attended our Ellijay branch.  Sister Debby Van Gelder and Brother Brian Blattner from the stake high council spoke in sacrament meeting.  Debby spoke of the meekness of the Savior.  Brother Blattner covered a number of subjects but what stood out was the story of a prisoner in a German detention camp at the end of World War II.  That prisoner had all the reasons to hate the Germans but he had understood that the effect that hatred had on a person was so detrimental that he would not allow it to be part of him.  Brother Blattner also spoke of the capabilities of the Savior.  He quoted William G. T. Shedd who wrote "A ship is safe in harbor, but that's not what ships are for." 

William G. T. Shedd (1820-1894)

Gospel Doctrine (the adult Sunday School class), as I have said previously, is on the Old Testament this year and so we are currently studying the Books of Moses, Abraham, and Genesis.  

Class member study guide

The Books of Moses and Abraham were revealed to the Prophet Joseph Smith Jr.  “The book of Moses is the first of several documents in the collection of sacred writings published as the Pearl of Great Price. A quick look at its origin, development, and content can help us more fully appreciate what the book of Moses is, how it came to be, and why it is a unique witness for Jesus Christ.  The material constituting the eight chapters of the book of Moses is an extract from Joseph Smith’s translation of the Bible. More precisely, chapter one of Moses is an account of a revelation given to the Prophet Joseph just prior to, or at the commencement of, the translation, while Moses chapters two through eight constitute his translation of Genesis from chapter one through chapter six, verse thirteen.  The Joseph Smith translation of the Bible began with Genesis and continued through the entire Bible to the book of Revelation. The initial draft of his Bible translation was made between June 1830 and July 1833. However, the short excerpt that we recognize as the book of Moses, being the early part of Genesis, was completed in its first draft by February 1831.”  (How We Got the Book of Moses by Robert J. Matthews in the January 1986 Ensign magazine).

“Among the invaluable records the Lord promised would be restored in the latter days, the book of Abraham, given through the Prophet Joseph Smith, is a unique and priceless gem in our treasury of revealed scripture.  Truly, it is a most remarkable book—an authentic ancient record that immediately plunges us back into a specific time and place in the Near East, and yet, at the same time, opens to us the wide expanse of the physical universe. It is so dynamic that it can reveal the historical and cultural origins of ancient Egyptian civilization, and yet, in the turn of a phrase, teach us profound truths about eternity. The great power of the book is sometimes overlooked precisely because its five chapters offer tantalizing tidbits about subjects that may seem mysterious or forbidding—Egypt and the universe. But the book of Abraham is a powerful, Christ-centered text that has as its main themes the eternal nature of the Abrahamic covenant, the preeminence of Jesus Christ as represented even in the vast scheme of planets and stars, and the role of Jesus Christ in the three great events of the plan of salvation—the Creation, the Fall, and the Atonement.” (The Book of Abraham: A Most Remarkable Book by Andrew Skinner in the March 1997 Ensign magazine).

Priesthood and Relief Society today discussed the teachings of President Joseph Fielding Smith about the Savior Jesus Christ.  President Smith was the prophet from 1970-1972.  

Joseph Fielding Smith
(1876-1972)

One of the questions raised had the comment "Consider what you can do to increase your love for the Savior."  I felt at that time that I needed to read again the Books of John in the Bible

and 3 Nephi in the Book of Mormon, the latter book containing the visit of Jesus Christ to America.  

At home after church Eileen was on her iPad watching videos downloaded from www.lds.org,

lds.org home page

some from Primary and some from the LDS Church's Bible videos at biblevideos.lds.org.  I decided that it would be very beneficial for me to watch the Bible videos.  Doing that has been on my to-do list for quite some time.

Introductory video

Nap time in the afternoon for Eileen while I worked on the Niagara Falls blog. Delicious salmon for supper!  Afterwards we enjoyed two episodes of Father Brown.

On Monday 20 January I worked some more on the Niagara Falls blog.  I have reached the LDS Church sites in Ohio.  Then I worked more on the Stubbs' genealogy using familysearch.org and ancestry.com. 

familysearch.org home page

Eileen was enjoying the Food Network and got some Chinese recipes from a show called "Kelsey's Essentials."  Kelsey is LDS and was born in North Ogden, Utah, graduating from BYU in 2007.  

Kelsey Nixon

It was time for a break and I began reading the Book of John, reading chapter 1.

After a delicious steak for me and yummy tuna salad with yellow peppers for Eileen for supper, we watched the talk from October General Conference by Elder Timothy J. Dyches of the Seventy.

Timothy J. Dyches

We received a nice e-mail from Bob and Judy Bertagna.  They served in our mission in Salt Lake City and now are on a mission to Chile.

Judy and Bob Bertagna in Chile

In the evening I watched the introductory video to the Bible videos followed by the video "A Gift to the World".  "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." John 3:16.  You may watch "A Gift to the World" at the link:

http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2011-10-001-a-gift-to-the-world?category=bible-videos-the-life-of-jesus-christ&&lang=eng

I am not much for poetry but this evening I began reading "An Orkney Maid" by Amelia Edith Huddleston Barr.  Near the beginning of the book is the heading "Motto" followed by a poem.

“You can glad your child, or grieve it,

You can help it, or deceive it,

When all is done,

Beneath God’s sun,

You can only love, and leave it.”

How very true!

Amelia Edith Huddleston Barr (1831-1919)

An Orkney Maid

On Tuesday 21 January we had another quiet day.  I published our Niagara Falls vacation on our blog.  Whew!  Next is our U.K. vacation.

I read the Book of John chapter 2 and I worked more on the Stubbs' genealogy, researching back into the 18th century using familysearch.org. 

In the evening we watched the end of season 2 of Sherlock Holmes with "The Reichenbach Fall" followed by the premiere of season 3 with "The Empty Hearse."  Quite good but the Brits are hard to understand.  They don't produce their shows with the viewers in mind when it comes to the audio :(  We probably won't watch it again. 

The latest Watson and Holmes

We got a phone call from Sister Childs that her missionary companion Sister Wilcox had an accident on her bicycle.  She had a concussion!  So they did not make it to the pantry the next day.  She has been in our prayers.

On Wednesday 22 January we went to the food pantry to help out.  Several people asked where the sister missionaries were.  Eileen suggested a new route for the "shoppers" in the aisles of the pantry and it was implemented.

It was 12 degrees this morning and the number of those we helped at the food pantry was lower than normal.  Cars probably wouldn't start!

We wondered last week how long the police car would be across from the pantry with his lights going.  Well, he wasn't there today.

In the afternoon I watched the video "The Nativity."  It was very similar to "A Gift to the World."  Then I watched "Mary, the Mother of Jesus."  You may watch "The Nativity" at the link:

http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2011-10-067-the-nativity?category=bible-videos-the-life-of-jesus-christ

and "Mary, the Mother of Jesus" at the link:

http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2011-10-027-mary-the-mother-of-jesus?category=bible-videos-the-life-of-jesus-christ&&lang=eng&order=alpha

I read the Book of John chapter 3, highlighting especially the words of Jesus in chapters 1-3.

We did Facetime on Eileen's iPhone with Colleen and Tanner in Arizona for his 6th birthday, which included singing "happy birthday" to him. 

Tanner age 6

We enjoyed watching Rick Steve's tips to traveling in Europe "European Travel Skills" part 2 and an episode of Father Brown.

On Thursday 23 January we headed south about 10 am.  We stopped at Hallmark in Canton to return the Jim Shore Christmas item that was missing a piece.  Hallmark couldn't find another, so I ordered one for Eileen on the Internet. 

Then it was on to the Atlanta Temple where we sealed seven couples and nine sons to their parents.  Latter-day Saints believe that one of the temple ordinances is the sealing ordinance, in which husbands and wives are sealed to each other and children are sealed to their parents in eternal families. This means that if we are faithful to our covenants, our family relationships will continue for eternity. People sometimes also refer to this ordinance as “temple marriage” or “eternal marriage.”  In addition to receiving these ordinances for ourselves, we can receive them for our deceased ancestors. In this way, people who died without receiving essential ordinances such as baptism and confirmation, the endowment, and sealing have the opportunity to accept these ordinances after they have heard the Gospel preached to them in the hereafter.  Another of the ordinances we receive in the temple is the endowment. The word endowment means “gift” or “bestowal.” As part of this ordinance, we are taught about the purpose of life, the mission and Atonement of Jesus Christ, and Heavenly Father’s plan for His children. We gain a glimpse of what it will be like to live in His presence as we feel the peaceful atmosphere of the temple. 

Atlanta Georgia Temple

While we were away, the fellow from A1Roofman came by our house to clean all the gutters, downspouts, etc.

From there we went to the antique mall in Marietta to drop off two of our living room clocks that have not worked for a while, one that belonged to Ben's mom and the very first one we bought in Bavaria in 1969. 

We then met the fellow Marion from Atlanta Photo Restoration, also in Marietta.  We have a picture of one of Eileen's paternal great-grandmothers that needs restoration. 

Sophie Sorensen (before)

Sophie Sorensen (after)

While we enjoyed Eileen's potstickers

Potstickers

and some kimchi for supper, we watched part 3 of Rick Steve's "European Travel Skills" and an episode of Father Brown.

“Kimchi is a traditional fermented Korean side dish made of vegetables with a variety of seasonings. It is often described as "spicy" or "sour".  In traditional preparation kimchi was often allowed to ferment underground in jars for months at a time.  It is Korea's national dish, and there are hundreds of varieties made with a main vegetable ingredient such as napa cabbage, radish, scallion, or cucumber.” Wikipedia

A while back on Facebook during the presidential campaign I made some remarks about the good voters  of Georgia because they had voted for Newt Gingrich in the Republican Primary.  Now in this week's Times-Courier newspaper were the results of a poll in which 299 local readers responded.  The question was "Should students or adults with a weapons permit be allowed to carry them on campus or in a place of worship?"  I'm sure the newspaper meant carrying weapons and not just the permit.  273 or 91% voted "yes"!  Can you believe that?

Eileen got her Superstone La Cloche bread maker from Williams-Sonoma. 

La Cloche bread maker

In the evening I watched "Mary and Elizabeth Rejoice Together."  You may watch it at the link:

http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2011-10-003-mary-and-elisabeth-rejoice-together?category=bible-videos-the-life-of-jesus-christ&&lang=eng

I read the Book of John chapter 4.  And I worked more on the Stubbs' genealogy.

On Friday 24 January I went to the post office, bank, Food Lion, and Ingles while Eileen made bread with her new bread maker and shrimp lo mein for supper. 

Quick peek under the cover of the bread maker

The finished product 

Shrimp Lo Mein

I watched "Secrets of the Dead" “Deadliest Battle” on PBS about the Battle of Stalingrad in 1942 in WWII, Hitler versus Stalin.  The numbers of military and civilian dead dwarfed the total losses of the American Civil War. 

The shrimp lo mein for supper was delicious and spicy!  The bread was yummy and we finished the jar of clotted cream on the bread. 

English Luxury Clotted Cream

I watched "Good Tidings of Great Joy: The Birth of Jesus Christ."  You may watch it at the link:

http://www.lds.org/media-library/video/2011-10-043-good-tidings-of-great-joy-the-birth-of-jesus-christ?category=bible-videos-the-life-of-jesus-christ&&lang=eng

I read the Book of John chapter 5.

On Saturday 25 January we awoke to no water!  None anywhere in the house so apparently the well mechanism is frozen.  The temperature was down to about 16 degrees last night.

By noon still no water so I applied hot air from Eileen's blow dryer to the pipe underneath the well cover and that did the trick almost immediately! 

Well cover

Well cover tipped over revealing the pipe

This is what I heated.

We left home and headed south at 2:45 pm.  Got gas at Walmart for $3.099.

We checked into the Comfort Inn in Kennesaw and went for dinner at the nearby Penang Malaysian/Thai restaurant.  We shared crispy golden fried squid (calamari).  Eileen got the Pad Thai which is stir-fried noodles with tofu, shrimp, and bean sprouts in spicy Thai chili sauce sprinkled with ground peanuts.  I had the General Tao's chicken which is crispy golden chicken topped with sesame seeds. Different than a Chinese restaurant but very good! 

Comfort Inn in Kennesaw

Penang Malaysian/Thai restaurant

After changing into our Sunday best we drove to the Marietta East Stake center for the Saturday evening session of stake conference.  

“A stake is an administrative unit composed of multiple congregations in the Latter-day Saint Church.  A stake is approximately comparable to a diocese in some Christian denominations. The name ‘stake’ derives from the verse ‘enlarge the place of thy tent; stretch forth the curtains of thine habitation; spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes’ (Isaiah 54:2).

“Each stake will hold a stake conference twice a year under the direction of the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The stake president is usually instructed to preside in the absence of a general authority or to organize the conference under the direction of the general authority that will preside. The conferences are used to conduct stake business (primarily the appointment and sustaining of stake officers) and to disseminate counsel and guidance from the stake presidency. Speakers at stake conferences generally include the three members of the stake presidency and other stake members, called upon by the stake presidency, to speak on assigned topics. When a general authority of the church presides, he is the featured speaker.

“The general session (for all members of the stake) is usually held on Sunday and  is held in the stake center. A session for all adult members is generally held on the preceding Saturday evening. A priesthood leadership session is also held in on Saturday prior to the adult session.

“A general authority is a member of the highest levels of leadership in the church who has administrative and ecclesiastical authority over the church. A general authority's jurisdiction is church-wide, in contrast to the responsibilities of a local authority or an area authority, which relate to a particular area, unit, or department of the church. As a group, the general authorities are often referred to as ‘the Brethren.’” Wikipedia

Following the opening hymn #96 "Dearest Children, God is Near You," prayer, and stake business, a combined missionary choir of elders and sisters sang "We'll Bring the World His Truth" (Army of Helaman) by Janet Kapp Perry whom we met while on our mission.

Janet Kapp Perry

The following are my notes for the talks of each speaker:

President David Stallings, 2nd counselor in the stake presidency, shared with us his conversion story.  Thanks to a girl, her family, and the Holy Ghost, he joined the Church. He served a mission in San Diego before marrying that girl 35 years ago.  And their son has served a mission in the Philippines.

He was followed by Greg Shoham of the Woodstock Ward.  He said he was Jewish, a Christian, and a member of the Kingdom of God on earth.  He also told us his conversion story.  At age 17 he saw "The Greatest Story Ever Told" and that made a strong impression on him, which he did not share with his Jewish parents.  He told of his contact with Mormons over the years while in the Navy. He was impressed when he read the New Testament and later received a Book of Mormon from a 13-year-old.  He was an ornery Jew but kept being "home taught."  He was touched by the Spirit even though he resisted.  This was all in the Kirtland, Ohio, area.  He attended a wonderful fireside and President Spencer W. Kimball spoke.  (President Kimball was the twelfth president of the LDS Church.) He began to live as a Latter-day Saint and gained a testimony.  He read "A Marvelous Work and a Wonder," the Standard Works (The volumes of scripture officially accepted by the Church, including the Holy Bible, the Book of Mormon, Doctrine and Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price), and "Jesus the Christ."  He knew the Church was true!  

Spencer W. Kimball (1895 – 1985)

A Marvelous Work and a Wonder

Sister Wendy Gagnon, the Young Women president of the Shallowford Ward, spoke next.  "The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well."  Ralph Waldo Emerson.  Spoke about missionary work. 1) "remember the worth of souls is great in the sight of God" D&C 18:10  2) "the Lord God doth work by means to bring about his great and eternal purposes; and by very small means the Lord doth confound the wise and bringeth about the salvation of many souls." Alma 37:7  3) "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment." Matthew 22:37-38 4) the Savior told Andrew, "come and see." 5) Everybody's doing it! "Ask the missionaries! They can help." She, her daughter Chloe, and the elders attended a midweek Bible study.  She quoted Brigham Young and Pres. Monson, and bore her testimony.

Ralph Waldo Emerson
(1803-1882)

We stood and sang #250 "We Are All Enlisted."

President Jared Marcom, 1st counselor in the stake presidency, spoke.  "Come, Follow Me" youth curriculum.  "Hastening the work."  Invite all to come unto Christ and be perfected in Him.  Spoke on reaching out to our less-active members.  "Tigger and Eeyore." 1) Be a friend.  Stay present in their lives.  "Nevertheless, ye shall not cast him out of your synagogues, or your places of worship, for unto such shall ye continue to minister; for ye know not but what they will return and repent, and come unto me with full purpose of heart, and I shall heal them; and ye shall be the means of bringing salvation unto them." (3 Nephi 18:32) 2) Pray for them.  Told of Philip and Nathaniel meeting Christ.  3) Come and serve.  When one person is lost or is found, this trickles down for generations.  (D&C 18:15-16). Act on promptings by the Holy Ghost.

Our closing speaker was President Watson Nichols, our stake president.  God loves His children and desperately wants them to be happy.  Theme for today given by President Boyd K. Packer, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. We are involved in a great work (Nehemiah 6:3). "Behold, I will hasten my work in its time." (D&C 88:73).  What is truly the desire of your heart re missionary work?  1) Pray for missionary opportunities.  Pray that you'll know who to approach.  2) Pray for the missionaries serving in our [branch] that they can teach 20 lessons a week.  Pray for the investigators by name.  3) Be prepared to act.   Showed us his "man purse," his European briefcase, and its contents.  Church Handbook, Book of Mormon, New Testament, Mormon.org cards.  Miracles didn't cease in Biblical times.  Today's technologies are to further the work of the Lord.  Pres. Nichols knows that God loves His children.  "Book of Mormon" musical coming to Atlanta.  "Have you seen it? No, but I've read the book! And it's better than the play."  "Why are you the way you are?  I made a promise to my mother, to my God, and to my wife.  And I keep my covenants."  Closed with his testimony.

Hymn #219 "Because I Have Been Given Much"

After that wonderful meeting I ran into Elders Cleverly and Jensen and Sisters Childs and Wilcox from our branch and asked them each for a list of their investigators next Sunday 2 February.  We would be praying for these investigators.

We returned to the Comfort Inn and prepared to hit the hay.  The fellow at the front desk, whom we had met on previous visits here, asked about the Union Jack pin on my suit jacket.  We told him about our mission on the British floor of the Family History Library in Salt Lake City.  

I read selections from the Book of Alma in the Book of Mormon, the Book of Moses (for our Sunday School lesson), and the Mitford book "In This Mountain" to Eileen.  

Lastly, after she went to sleep, I looked at USA Today and did its crossword puzzle.  (Sometime in the last year or two Comfort Inn switched from USA Today to the Wall Street Journal.  I complained and a lot of others must have complained, too.  They switched back fairly quickly.)  Then I read the Book of John chapter 6.