"Stories on the Sabbath"

                                                                 A  Family  Affair

"I can see it now, six members of your family on a mission at the same time!  Wow!"  We grew up with a very mission-minded bishop, so when he said these words we thought nothing of it.  Looking back, we now know he was inspired.

There were eight children in our family.  I was number six.  As a girl of fourteen, I received an impression that I should go on a mission.   When I turned 21, I still had that desire.  My younger twin brothers, who were just about to turn 19,  had always planned to serve missions.  My older brother Phil, soon to be 23, had not served a mission;  he had been out of the Church for the last seven years. My parents never lost hope in him, and our bishop said he knew Phil would come back someday, because throughout his inactivity, he had continued to pay his tithing.

Through the course of a few short months, a change began to take place in Phil and  he felt a desire to return to the fold.  He started attending the young adult ward and then indicated that he, too, would like to serve a mission.  He asked the twins if they would wait for him so they could go into the Missionary Training Center (MTC) at the same time.  In three months, all three were  ready to leave for their missions. 

We teased our parents about how they would now be footloose and fancy free.  Their four oldest children were married and gone.  Now their four youngest children would be serving missions.  The new bishop, recently called to serve in our ward, asked to meet with my parents.  "What are you going to do with your time now that all your children will be gone?" he lovingly asked.  They told him they probably would just enjoy the peace and quiet.  The bishop asked them if they would consider serving a mission. Their children had saved all of their lives so they could pay for their own missions, and they knew money wasn't a problem.  After praying about it, they felt that it was the Lord's desire to have six members of the Sadleir family in the mission field at once!

After my three brothers left, I was to report to the MTC next. As I prepared to leave, I became very sick and had to postpone my departure date. The new date I was assigned to report to the MTC was February 14, the same day my parents were to report. The next eighteen months were glorious ones for our family.  As we exchanged letters from one mission to the other, the spirit we felt was ever so strong.  It was truly an incredible experience to be serving the Lord at the same time and in the same capacity.  Our letters were all on the same wave length, and we shared in the joy of service together.  During hard times it was an added benefit to have each other to lean on for encouragement, because each of us knew what the other was going through.  Our lives would never be the same because of being in the Lord's service.  We were already reaping a full harvest.

It just so happened that all six of us were scheduled to be released at about the same time.  At the end of our missions we went on a Church History tour together.  I had served near that area, and a family I had been teaching was now ready for baptism.  When they learned that my family would be coming to pick me up, they asked if my father would baptize them.  I called and told him to be sure to pack his white clothes.  It was a wonderful way to end our full-time service to the Lord.

When we returned home, all six of us gave our homecoming talks on the same Sunday.  Our older brothers and sisters came to support us and sang a special song.  While we were gone, our ward had been divided.  The two wards combined on that Sunday and we were given special permission to have a two-hour sacrament meeting, during which we shared some of our choicest experiences.

Ten months later, Phil was killed in a car accident.  We were shocked and saddened by this turn of events.  However, as we thought about his life during the past two years of service to the Lord, we were filled with a calm, peaceful feeling.  When Phil returned to church after his seven years of being away, he wanted to make up for the wrongs he had done.  We learned a great lesson as we watched him go through the steps of repentance.

On one occasion he was with a friend who stole an engine out of a car at a used-car dealership.  Before entering the mission field, he went to the dealership and asked the manager how much it would cost for an engine.  The manager looked puzzled and explained that they didn't sell just the "engine," but the whole car.  My brother knew that, but still wanted to know how much an engine cost.  When the manager told him, Phil wrote out a check for $1,000.00 and handed it to him.  He explained that several years earlier, he had been with a friend who had stolen an engine out of one of the used cars in the parking lot.  He wanted to put his life in order, and this was one way he was going about it.  What an example he was to us.

At Phil's death, we were able to feel the joy of his life and gratitude for his change of heart.  While on his mission, he was inspired to write beautiful poetry relating to the gospel.  He experienced a total rebirth, and his death seemed to be symbolic of this.  He had turned completely to Christ and had gone forward.  We were no longer sad.  We knew he was prepared to meet his Father in Heaven and would be able to continue to serve him.  Now it was our responsibility to live so that we would be reunited as missionaries beyond the veil, and together serve once again.
                                                           --Julie Sadleir, daughter of Wilma & Edward Sadleir
                                                                             (By Small & Simple Things)

A few changes on my Blog!

1.  FOLLOW BY EMAIL - First of all, there is a new bar in the top right that says, “Follow by Email”.  If you click on Submit, this is what will pop up.
FeedBurnerr - Email Address is a required field. Please enter a valid email address. We won't spam you. Honest! Email Subscription Request - Thank you for your request.  Your email address:  …will receive a verification message once you submit this form. FeedBurner activates your subscription to “The Cancer Chronicles” once you respond to this verification message.
Once you put your email address in, a verification message will be sent to your email.  You just click on that email and from then on, every time there is a new post on “The Cancer Chronicles” you will receive an email. You can view the new post in email, or click on the new post title highlighted in blue and it will take you directly to my blog.  If you want to see other posts, just click on older posts at the bottom.

2. COMMENTS – Many of you have wanted to make comments on my blog and have tried but were not able to, so you had to email me directly.  I just realized that I had not clicked the right setting and only members could post comments.  Now it allows anyone to comment.  So please, humor me the next little while and make a few comments.  Sometimes it’s hard posting week after week and never getting to know what people are thinking about some of the posts! Thanks :-)

3.  MY CHILDREN’S BLOGS – on the bottom right, underneath the pictures of my two books, are links to my children’s blogs.  If you are ever interested in checking them out, then all you have to do is click on the links and it will take you directly there.
(I also just added a few still pictures next to the video of my infected finger below.)

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger!

There’s a song by Kelly Clarkston called, “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”  The words of the chorus clicked with me the minute I heard them.  It seems that trials are sent our way to help us become stronger, if it doesn’t kill you first.  haha

This week has been a great week and I’ve been so busy with Tauna’s birthday, graduation and Ryan Stephen Rindlisbacher’s baby blessing. (See picture below).  We had other family members stay with us for several nights and we enjoyed their visits.  One of the problems with me feeling so good, is that I go and go until I’ve overdone.  But hey, it feels so good to finally be among the living again.  The main problem still is the neuropathy in my feet!  It still feels like I am walking on pins and needles all the time!  They say that I need to give it 6 months to a year and if it doesn’t go away then, then it is permanent.  We are hoping for a total recovery.

 

I have mentioned before that I was losing my fingernails with my chemo.  This last week I lightly smashed my finger between two bowls, but didn’t think a thing of it.  Until Sunday morning when I woke up, it was completely swollen and green.  I knew instantly that it was infected and I had been up during the night with it throbbing like a toothache.  So Craig and I went to Urgent Care to see what we needed to do about it.  I am not a doctor going kind of person at all, but when it comes to my compromised immune system, I have to be extra careful.

Urgent Care was swamped with people and after 1 1/2 hours, when the nurse saw my finger, she said that this was too serious for them to tackle.  She told me to go to the Emergency Room and they would probably have to “fillet” my finger open and probably take off my nail to get to the infection.  She also said that they would probably need to put me on an IV antibiotic.  UGH!  I told her that I had a grand baby being blessed in an hour and asked if she thought it could wait until after.  She said “YES!”  So off we went to the blessing. 

At the church, Craig talked to Steve’s father, Mark Rindlisbacher who is a podiatrist and asked him if he would look at my finger.  After seeing the condition it was in, he offered to “help” me get rid of the infection at home.  He said he had brought his stuff with him and could give me a shot to numb my finger and then drill the nail to relieve the pressure.  I decided I would rather do that, instead of spend the next 4-6 hours in the emergency room. 

Here are some pictures of my infected finger, then me getting the shot to numb my finger, then drilling my fingernail, then the release of the infection.  So cool!

 

For the viewing pleasure of those of you who like gross, graphic things, below are 2 short videos of Mark working on my nail and the infection oozing out!  :-)

Michele's Infected Finger

Thanks to Mark and his doctoring, I was able to feel immediate relief and stay for the family dinner.  I called my doctor the next day, thinking I might need to get an antibiotic, but since I had been soaking my finger in betadine (a disinfectant that doctors use) several times a day, the infection was totally going away.  What a blessing.  My finger is almost as good as new now, just a little orange.

Happy Birthday Tami!

 
Today is my sister Tami’s birthday.  She is my closet sibling in age and is 4 years older than me.  I don't know where to begin to pay tribute to a woman who literally “FEELS” my pain in a way that is almost worse than I am actually feeling.  To me, Tami is what the Lord meant when He asked us to be more like Jesus.  She loves so unconditionally, forgives without hatred, and accepts you for who and what you are.  What a privilege it is to call her my “sister!”


                            (Tami's the one in the middle)

“Stories on the Sabbath” - The Trough

                 "'We believe in the literal gathering of Israel and in the res-t-tution . . . ?' Oh brother, I will never get this one," he said with such discouragement. "I have all the rest of the Articles of Faith memorized, but I keep messing up on this one!"
                   "Come on, Kevin," I coached, "just a few more lines and you'll have them all memorized."

                   I had recently been called to be the Blazer A teacher in Primary. There were about six boys in my class, ranging in age from ten to eleven, and the bishop had challenged each of them to memorize the Articles of Faith. As an incentive, he told the boys that all who reached this goal would be treated to an "unforgettable ice cream experience" at the well-known Farrell's Ice Cream Parlor. The boys were thrilled! He knew the love boys have for food at this age. What an effective way to get them motivated!
                  I had a very normal class of boys for this age. They were very physical and rowdy at times, and it was often a challenge to get through a complete lesson and have them listen. Kevin was somewhat different from the rest, however. He was quiet and pensive at times, but I could always count on him to listen.
                    As I got to know Kevin's family, I realized that all of them seemed to be quiet. They had been through many trials, including poverty, and Kevin's father had been out of the country for a while trying to find work that he felt might be promising. The rest of the family was left to more or less fend for themselves. Kevin's mother was devoted to living the gospel and did the best she could to raise a large family on very little income.
                   Finally the appointed day arrived. Four out of the six boys had memorized all 13 Articles of Faith. They were excited and very pleased that they had reached this goal. The bishop gave each of them a gift certificate to be spent at this wonderful ice cream parlor. Because of another commitment, the bishop was unable to go and asked me if I would take the boys.
                   I loaded the boys into my car, and we started out on this long-awaited outing. On the way over, several of them began bragging about how they were going to order the biggest, most grandiose item on the menu, and one of them said he was going to eat so much ice cream that they would have to roll him out. All wanted to go for the "Trough," which was the biggest, gooiest ice cream sundae on the menu.

         
                    As the boys were ordering, my eyes were drawn to Kevin. Though he was as excited as the other boys, he hadn't said much. I was sitting across the table from him and watched him going up and down the menu, studying it over and over. I didn't know what he was looking for.
                    Near the exit of the ice cream parlor was a large candy counter. It had racks and barrels filled with candy. Some of the boys had brought money to spend in addition to the gift certificate from the bishop. They were intrigued by all that candy, and while waiting for their ice cream, decided to check it out. After they had left, Kevin leaned over to me and said, "Brother Garvin, I can't seem to find an ice cream cone on the menu. Don't they serve them here?" I looked and couldn't find one either, so I told him I would ask the waitress when she came over. They did have cones, but they weren't listed on the menu. Kevin found out that a cone would cost about half the amount he had on his gift certificate. He asked for one--the least expensive thing he could order! I didn't think much about it at the time. 
                                                    
                     Meanwhile, the other boys came back and their orders arrived. They were engrossed in eating their ice cream and getting it all over themselves and the table. Kevin was working very slowly on his cone. When we had finished and were getting ready to leave, the other boys headed out, but this sweet young man stayed behind.
                    It wasn't until then that I realized why he had ordered the cheapest thing on the menu. Previously I had thought he might be saving money for another trip to Farrell's. But as we started leaving, he said, "Brother Garvin, could you please come over here and help me?" He was going through the different kinds of candy and I now thought, "This is why he saved the money! So he could get himself some candy!" Then he asked, "Do you think my little sisters would like this kind or this kind? And do you think my little brother
would like this one?"
                                                       
                    Now I knew the real reason. He had ordered only a cone so that he would have the money to buy his little brother and sisters some candy. I was so touched by his thoughtfulness that I almost wept right there. At an age when boys are most interested in more food and more things, he was more interested in giving his brother and sisters the opportunity to enjoy a special treat too! He could have ordered a far larger ice cream treat, but ordered the smallest in order to be able to share!
                   I have seen many acts of service and sacrifice, but none to equal that of this young man. Every time I think of Kevin and what he taught me, I am inspired by his example of Christ like love for his brother and sisters. And I am prompted to go and do likewise.

                                                                   ---Bishop Kirk S. Garvin, serves as Stake President
                                                            (By Small And Simple Things - Michele Romney Garvin)

Our Baby graduated from BYU on her Birthday!

 

Happy Birthday Tauna and Happy Graduation – all at the same time!!!!!

 

Today is our baby’s 23rd birthday and she also graduated from BYU on the same day!!!! We are so proud of her. She has been such a joy in our life.  If anyone knows Tauna, they immediately LOVE Tauna.  She is full of life and love and has a heart of gold.  She also has a really cute sassy side to her personality.  I think she developed that to be able to survive her brothers!

Tauna graduated in Elementary Education and now she can bless the lives of many children as she continues her career in teaching school. The last year she has been teaching 4^th grade as an “intern” in the Jordan School District. It has given her a lot of good experience and the kids, as well as her “team” that she teaches with, totally love her. She currently is living in Herriman, Utah and teaches in Riverton. She just accepted a teaching position at Rosamond Elementary School and will be teaching 1^st grade next year. It will be quite a change for her, but she is excited for the challenge.

 

  

Just a keepin on going!

I'm hanging in there and trying to keep up with life.  I'm feeling better every day.  This last week I had Amy's three oldest kids for 2 1/2 days and I'm still alive to tell about it! haha - They are such cute girls, but they keep me busy.  I think this is part of running along side the wagon - because after having my grandkids, I am never so tired, but never as happy either!  Taking care of them keeps my mind off of my own problems.  It's also very rewarding after I've spent time with my grandkids, to hear what they tell their parents about the things they learned from Grandma.  Last night on the phone Amy said that whatever I say, seems to really sink in to her kids and so she requested a future teaching moment on "trust".  Last time I was with Charlene's kids for a week, we talked about "crying wolf" and the importance of being honest.  It makes me so happy when I realize that I have made a difference in my grandkids lives, because when I’m with them I can’t tell if I do or don't.

A while back Amy went to Natalie's first grade parent/teacher conference.  While she was there she looked at Natalie's journal and took some pictures so I could see them.  These pictures were right after I had surgery.  The kids had come down to the hospital and I was pretty sick.  They came into my room for a while and then Steve took them out to wait in the waiting room while Amy stayed a little bit longer with me.  I was concerned with how sick I looked to them, so I forced myself to get up and use a walker and have Amy help me walk to the lobby to show the kids I was okay enough to stand.  They were thrilled to see me walking.  These 3 pictures are her interpretation of that first hospital visit.
 
 
My fingernails are getting worse and are in the process of falling off.  I had been told that they would probably fall off, but I didn't know what to expect.  It's been interesting to see how my nails are dying on the outside tip near the finger and the new growth is coming from the bed of the nail.  I keep cutting it as it dies, so that it won't catch on things and get ripped off.  Thank goodness it is not painful like it was in the beginning.

Last week I had my follow-up CT Scan after the last treatment of chemotherapy.  It came back clean with no new growth of cancer.  We were pretty sure that it would – because of all the chemo.  I also had my CA-125 blood test taken and it is now down to 17!  Yippee!  Pretty amazing considering it started at 676 before surgery.  (Normal is 0-35). 

What happens next?  I am now on a 3 week maintenance program of Avastin for the rest of my “healthy life”.  Avastin is not a chemo drug and therefore I shouldn’t have bad side effects like I have had with the other stuff I’ve been taking.  Last Wednesday I had Avastin only for the first time and seemed to be okay.  I am still not back to normal with my tastebuds, but that should be coming along soon.  And yes, my hair is starting to grow back.  But much to my chagrin it is coming in as a “grey-like” peach fuzz.

"Stories on the Sabbath"

                   The Three Nephite Construction Company

            As Bishop David Bonham loaded up his six children into the van, he sighed with exhaustion at the prospects that lay ahead.  It had been three and half weeks since they had been home and now that their vacation was over and school rapidly approaching, he once again felt the anxieties that come with the beginning of a new school year.

            David and his wife, Cindy Bonham lived in Snowflake, Arizona where David taught English at Snowflake High.  Just six months earlier, their ward had been divided and Brother Bonham had been called as the new bishop.  It wasn't long before everyone soon felt the deep love and devotion that a small ward of saints can feel for each other.  Every one had unselfishly carried two or three callings and the bishop and his family had made everyone feel needed.  David and Cindy made the ward one of their  "highest priorities".  Bishop Bonham was known for his kindness and special love for the youth.  Many a youth in this short time had felt their lives touched by his wise counsel.           
            This year there had been many changes in the Bonham's lives.  One such change was the addition to their family of a new baby.  That now brought the total up to six children.  When David and Cindy had moved to Snowflake, they had not been able to find a home as big as they would like.  But luckily enough they found a two‑bedroom home that they could afford with the prospects of turning the garage into a third bedroom as they needed it.  As the years went on, and  their family continued to grow,  they knew they needed more room but their goal of adding on never materialized.  The bishop's wages had been frozen three times at the school for lack of funds and yet the cost of inflation is never frozen.  Still there was hope that with a little time and  elbow grease, it might eventually be done.  Now with six kids the need was more real than ever. However, the finances were not improving and since being made bishop, the time element wasn't there either.  David had been approached to teach released‑time seminary.  But in order to do that he would need to teach at least one hour of seminary every day for one year.  The only way to do accomplish that would be to teach an early morning English class at the high school.  The high school principal approved the proposal.  While the prospects were exciting, he knew that it would burn up more precious time, but still decided to give it a try.

            The Bonham's  were returning from a one‑month vacation to Canada, visiting some of Cindy's family.  The third week they had spent in  Provo attending the symposium for Seminary teachers at BYU.   Their children slept as they drove home, and David and Cindy once again discussed the dilemma of converting the garage.  The burden seemed even heavier.  Another summer had come and gone, and the garage wasn't started, let alone finished and the prospects of getting it done weren't any better than before.  It was about 4:00 a.m. as they pulled into the drive‑way.  It was pitch‑black as they made their way down the tiny lane.  It felt good to be home, but something felt different, very different.  Let's freeze this story for a moment and take you back in time, say about three weeks.

                                                                         *****

            Brother Evan Bingham, the first counselor in the Snowflake 9th Ward lived next door to the Bonham's.   David and Evan had many conversations about his situation, which left Evan with a  good awareness of their circumstances.  They were good friends as well as fellow‑laborers in the Church and their wives were also very close.  The Bishop had attempted many times to start the project but had been thwarted by lack of funds and time.  He also had the huge problem of having a garage full of household boxes with no space to store them.  The problem would only increase if the garage were filled in to make a new room for the kids.  The lack of space had caused some creative approaches to the problem.  The children slept on sleeping bags that could be rolled up so that the room could still be kept orderly during the day.  But even at that, there was not enough room and the dilemma had as many problems as it had solutions.  The main problems were money and time, two things the bishop had little of.  Evan was also aware that the bishop had tried time and time again to get a little lawn to grow in front of his house, but without a sprinkler system in the hot Arizona sun, it had only been an exercise in futility.       

It was the Sunday morning after the Bonham's left for their vacation.  Brother Bingham was conducting bishopric meeting.  Something had been weighing on his mind.  He had been waiting for the bishop to leave to present the idea to the bishopric.  "Brethren, you know how the bishop has us doing service projects all the time.  Well, I wondered what you'd think about doing one for the bishop while he is out of town?"       

The rest of the bishopric listened while Brother Bingham explained the situation.  Thoughts were presented that they could perhaps pick one of the projects to do because funds were somewhat limited among ward members.  Brother Paul Reynolds (second counselor) suggested that they present the project to the Priesthood Executive Council (PEC) to see what they thought. When the PEC members came in you could feel something in the air.  Later Brother Bingham would explain "I have heard of neat things like this before but have never been there first hand to watch what happened next."  As the idea was presented to the PEC the brethren caught hold of the idea like fire!  But there was not much talk about which part of the project to do, rather the emphasis was on who would do which project.            

One problem kept surfacing...what to do with the things that were in the garage. To put the boxes in a storage unit would become a financial burden.  So, more brain‑storming took place and it was decided that they would build a storage shed in the back yard and use the same garage door they had just removed.  Ladd Tenney, the elders quorum president said, "What the bishop needs is a shed to put all his stuff in.  We'll build that if you will just show us where and tell us how big you want it."  Gary Brimhall, the young men’s president, said "The young men will put in the sprinkler system and plant the grass, just show us where."  Larry Crowther, the high priest group leader, pledged that the high priests could fill in the garage in no time flat and it just took off from there. 

By the time church started the word was out.  Evan met with Kim Brimhall, the relief society president, and that was like pouring fuel on the fire!  A list was circulated of the needs and people were coming forward with offers of money and materials.  When sacrament meeting rolled around the ward was a buzz.  Paul Reynolds was conducting sacrament meeting and announced that operation "Bonham Surprise" would begin the next night for anyone who wanted to have a great family home evening experience.
The Bonham's lived on a one acre lot with a fair size orchard that needed some upkeep.  There was plenty to do and there were plenty of people to do it.  The next night as Brother Bingham plowed the Bonham's front yard to prepare for the sprinkler system and lawn, the project began to unfold.  He later recorded in his journal:  

"I have driven a lot of tractors in my life.  I have spent lots of hours on them and part of that comes from when I was a kid.   I lived on a farm and just loved driving them, I couldn't get enough.  But I have to say that Monday may have been the first time in my life that I have had a spiritual experience while driving a tractor.  People were coming out of everywhere.  As I watched the people busily doing all the yard work, etc. I was having a hard time choking back the emotion ...I just felt grateful to be a member of such a great church and of a wonderful ward."

As the people continued to show up the whole place was like a beehive.  The orchard was groomed and trimmed and the yard was shaping up.  There were young women and relief society members transplanting flowers out of their own gardens all around the home.  The flowers were pretty, but the people were what made the whole thing beautiful.  Only in Zion could there have been such a feeling of unity and unselfishness.  People who didn't have much money were donating with childlike faith, that whatever they would do for the bishop was a symbol of those things they would do for the Lord.

The project was almost like a wonderful disease!  Everyone caught it and everyone wanted to be a part of it. Someone had a spare window that matched the other windows in the Bonham home exactly.  Others donated tile for finishing the bathroom at the back of the current garage, lumber for the construction, light fixtures, pvc materials for the sprinkler system etc. 
One member was a carpet layer by trade and offered to donate the padding and then lay the carpet for free.  When his employer heard of the project he also donated the carpet.  A ward member who was in the road construction business donated the cement to pour a pad for the new shed and even sent workers to form it up.  Members donated bi‑fold doors, paint and labor.  Non‑members in the ward and others in the community heard of the project and donated time and money to fund the project.  Insulation was donated by a local business.  A school teacher who works in the summer as a painter heard of the project and offered to match the exterior paint as closely as he could and then provided the paint and labor free of charge.  The Forthsythe  sisters made curtains for the new room.  Someone donated two new single beds.  Another family donated a ceiling fan and did some creative talking to get a local store to donate the other fan.  Ben Arney, the bishop's executive secretary, was the "gopher" who would "go for" anything that was needed.  The relief society supplied the food for the work projects and any other things that came up. 

This was no ordinary "service project."  This one came from the heart.  There was no feeling of "have‑to" it was all "want‑to."  Families began stopping by to see what needed to be done next.  Primary children came with their families and brought their rakes and hoes and worked right along with their parents. Young men and young women came back again and again to help, but this time with their families.

The project became addicting.  Everyone who had a part in helping felt like this was their own project and wanted to be in on the latest happenings.  For those who could not donate labor or supplies, they donated money.  Many donated both.  There were so many that helped in so many ways that it would be impossible to name names.  A miracle was indeed in the making!

            A neighbor had been given the key to the Bonham's house while they were  gone.  However, everyone felt that they should respect their privacy and not bring all the workers in and out of their house.  So to honor this privacy, all the volunteers used the garage entrance.  When the garage door was taken down and a wall was put up in its place, everyone, young and old, climbed in and out of the window.  All the ward members had a wonderful feeling of respect as they served their bishop and his family.  All the details cannot be written, but about half‑way through the project Brother Bingham recorded in his journal:

"We moved all the boxes of stuff out of the garage and put it in a horse trailer and then parked it in Brian Brimhall's barn to keep the rain off while we worked.  People have been more than generous.  Some giving as much as $350.  The room is framed in and the sprinkler system has been put in.  We are still going to build a storage shed to hold all their stuff.  "I suppose that there is a chance that the bishop will be embarrassed and wish we hadn't done all this, and there is a very high likelihood that we have not done things the way that he would have done them if he were here, but the effect on the ward has been phenomenal!  Yesterday we had Bill Haelbig helping us.  He's a non‑member that just showed up to donate some cash and help install the sprinkler system.  We were calling him Brother Haelbig and he was calling us "Brother" so and so right back.  What a tremendous thing it has been!  I have seen young men who have given up doing things that they wanted to do just to be a part of this.  They have stuck it out and they will be blessed for every minute of it." 

"....The fact is that the project has been a little for the bishop but mostly it has been for the ward.....I think when it is all said and done, that over a thousand man hours will have been invested and the monetary value of just the materials will be over $1500.  While many materials have been donated, who can put a value on the feelings involved?  Paul Reynolds said it well when he commented that ‘this is just one of those cases when someone is being blessed for living the gospel.'  It has been a great experience so far and it's not done yet.  I'm grateful for the opportunity to get outside myself."

"....I will be glad for the Bishop's return because my load has increased considerably while he's been gone.  Leaders are neat things.  They give direction and are looked to more than we know to give vision.  This Church is a wonderful, tremendous, sensational, phenomenal thing!!!  God grant us the ability to carry on!"
            Soon the ground was leveled, cement poured and the next day a crew of men and boys worked for 12 hours.  The new shed was completely framed, roofed and ready for paint. Now with the new addition done and the new shed almost done, all that was left to do were the finishing touches.  They had three days left to put the garage door on, and finish painting.  The carpet and pad were installed.  The outside of the addition was painted to match the house.  New motion sensor lights were put on the outside of the house.  Things were beginning to look wonderful.  At the rate they were going they would be done by Friday, just in time for the Bishop to get home.  Then the bombshell hit in the form of a call.  Brother Evan Bingham had left the week earlier to attend the same symposium in Provo that the Bishop was attending and on Tuesday he frantically called to warn everyone that the Bishop was coming home two days earlier than expected.  Brother Bingham tried to talk him out of it, but it had been no use.  The Bonham's would be home late Wednesday evening.  That meant that they had one day left to finish everything.  Things kicked into high gear and the project neared completion when Brother Bingham called to say that the Bonham's were on their way home.

            A few relief society sisters chipped in to fix dinner for them for the next night.  One neighbor who lived behind the Bonham's decided that she would watch until she saw their light and then bring them breakfast.  Many, who had done so much found it hard to sleep.  The only comparable feeling would be that of waiting to watch your kids wake up on Christmas morning....only this was better!
            A man in the ward had brought in his landscaping equipment and cleaned up all the weeds and debris at the back of the acreage.  Fences were tightened, weeds were burned and the ground was manicured.  Any evidence of who had been there was gone.  Everything looked beautiful!  A great sense of accomplishment was felt by all those who had sacrificed their time, talents and money.  As the time approached for the Bonhams to arrive, the excitement grew.  The next-door neighbor noted that all Wednesday evening they saw the lights of cars driving by slowly, as if to inspect their work and in hopes to see if the Bishop and his family were home yet.

            This truly had been a miraculous experience.  The Snowflake Stake theme is to prepare to become a Zion people.  What greater thing could this people have done to strive to accomplish such a goal?   When several non‑member neighbors heard what was being done for the Bonham's, they were touched and wanted to be a part of it too.  Who can estimate the missionary work that can be accomplished because of such Christ like actions?

                                                                         *****

            Now it's time to unfreeze the story.  Its 4:00 a.m. and Cindy Bonham turns down her lane, exhausted ready for needed sleep.  But something feels different.  As she pulls into the drive way, the motion of her car sets off two bright lights above what used to be their garage.  In shock, Cindy looks up to see in its place a newly painted wall with a window and curtains.   At that moment David wakes up and for a minute or two they just sit there amazed and dumbfounded.  They aren't sure what they are seeing.

          As Cindy opens the car door to get out, she awakens the two older kids. David has already climbed out and is looking around.  His eye catches the glimmer of something where before had only been dirt and weeds.  As he walks closer in disbelief, he sees a brand-new shed.  By now Cindy and the kids are standing behind him in shock.  By now it is getting light, and everywhere they turn they find a new surprise.  It is like Christmas. 

Cindy is tickled to death when she sees the beautiful flowers that have been so carefully planted.  David sees some straw and fertilizer on the front lawn.  When he walks closer, he is able to see a few sprinkler heads sticking above the straw.

            This is all so amazing.  About all they can do is to shake their heads and pinch themselves to be sure they aren't dreaming.  By now all thoughts of sleep have left their minds.  For some time they just continue to walk around and marvel at the project.    One of the kids asks who has done all this.  No one can say for sure but there is a sign hanging on the front gate that leads into the front yard.  On it is written the words:

THE THREE NEPHITE CONSTRUCTION COMPANY

Call 1‑800‑ H‑E‑A‑V‑E‑N

or

1‑520‑B‑L‑E‑S‑S‑I‑N‑G‑S

                                                           (Out of Small Things)

Running Along Side the Wagon

Two years ago when Craig was offered the job in Utah, we were thrilled. We had just ended more than a year of working without a pay check ( a whole other story in and of itself!) and were very excited to move on. Little did we know that this job would not turn out to be what we had hoped. Since then, Craig has struggled almost daily with working there. Then to top this off, when he told his boss about both of our cancers and the need for surgery, Craig was  stripped of all of his management positions. Now he goes to work each day, not having any passion or even knowing what he can do to fill his time there. We have prayed, fasted, repented, expressed gratitude and gone to the temple as often as we can. We do not understand why we have not been able to find something more suitable. There have been side businesses that Craig has worked with people on, and then nothing turns out. Why? Or should we ask What should we be learning from these experiences? It seems that we are doing all we can but still WAITING for something to happen in our lives. We know the Lord is aware of us, but why is it taking so long? Then I read the following story by Emily Watts which helped me to realize that all of these trials are for our good and like the girl in the story, might actually end up preserving our lives in the long run.

In her book, “Confessions of an unbalanced Woman”, Emily Watts commented on how she recently had read that many companies of handcart pioneers made their way across the plains safely. She then wondered why we hear very little about those companies and the ones that are talked about and remembered are the Willie and Martin handcart companies, the ones that almost entirely perished on the plains. She then said, “I have a theory about the Willie and Martin handcart pioneers. I believe the Lord allowed a select group of people to lay everything they had on the altar so that we could understand the existence of that kind of faith.”

“Agnes Caldwell and her family traveled with the Willie Company and suffered terrible hardships with the others. When the rescue wagons came, they took on all the infirm and those who could walk no farther, but the able-bodied still had to press forward on foot. Nine-year-old Agnes and some of the other children decided to try to keep up with the wagons in hopes of being offered a ride. Sure enough, after a time one of the drivers asked her if she’d like to ride with him, an invitation she gratefully accepted. As she tells the story... ‘At this he reached over, taking my hand clucking to his horses to make me run, with legs that seemed to me could run no farther. On we went, to what to me seemed miles. What went through my head at that time was that he was the meanest man that ever lived or that I had ever heard of.’

I’ve tried to imagine this scene. I’ve pictured a little girl who had given everything she knew how to give for a cause she had been taught was dearer than life itself. I’ve wondered how it must have felt to finally be offered some relief and then have it just as suddenly withdrawn.

Agnes continues: ‘Just at what seemed the breaking point, he stopped. Taking a blanket, he wrapped me up and lay me in the bottom of the wagon, warm and comfortable. Here I had time to change my mind, as I surely did; knowing full well by doing this he had saved me from freezing when taken into the wagon.’ (Handcart Girl, Friend, Oct. 1997 p. 35)

“I have thought of this story many times when I find myself or my friends in what I would call “running-beside-the-wagon” moments. I have wondered if at such times, when we have given all we have to give, relying on the promise that the Lord will lift us up, when we are questioning why he doesn’t pull us into the wagon when we are about to collapse from the sheer exhaustion of it all—what if we stopped and listened to the Spirit? Perhaps we might hear him saying, “Wait. Wait just a little longer. You don’t know what I’m trying to save here.” Maybe the message would even be. “You don’t know who I’m trying to save here. You don’t know whose life might be eternally affected by your wiliness to hang on for one more moment, to keep taking step after step. I promise I won’t leave you to drop. I know what you can bear, and your trials will not exceed your capacity.” Emily's words touched me deeply.  I have trusted and will continue to trust that the Lord knows what he is doing with our life, even in those hard moments when we can’t possibly see what he has in mind.

"Stories on the Sabbath" - Happy Easter

"On this beautiful Easter Morning, I want to testify to the world that I know Jesus Christ lived and died for me personally!  As one who has been diagnosed with a terminal disease, knowing what my Savior did for me gives me the hope I need to continue living.  Because of Him, I am able to endure the pain and suffering that stage IV Ovarian cancer has brought into my life.  I know that nothing I have gone through, or will ever go through will be more than He has already suffered for me.  His atonement has become an "enabling" part of my earthly existence.  I will be forever grateful to Christ  to know that I can live again and be able to live forever with my family - what a priceless gift that is!"  (Michele Garvin)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, has launched a three-day advertising campaign this weekend in conjunction with Easter. The campaign will take place on YouTube and Facebook. The focus is to help those not of our faith understand that we believe in and follow Jesus Christ. The campaign features members of the Church sharing their beliefs about the Savior. We anticipate the ads will be viewed a minimum of 15 million times on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

A specially designed mormon.org/easter or facebook.com/mormon page has been created where visitors can share why Jesus Christ is important to them, learn more about our beliefs in the Savior, download the Bible videos app, or order a free Bible. Visitors to the mormon.org Facebook page will also be encouraged to share their feelings about Jesus Christ. It is hoped that thousands of Church members and nonmembers will express their testimonies of Jesus Christ during the Easter weekend. Please go to one of these sites and either add your testimony or read others.  Tears trickled down my cheeks as I read the different witnesses of our Savior.  I know it will bless your life too!

A fun week with the Johnson Family!

This week has been a very busy week for me.  Charlene and her family came down for their spring break and we were able to go to the Bean Museum at BYU.  Here are some pictorial highlights of our time together.

Thank goodness we got the wheelchair for “Grandma”!  haha

The animals looked so real!  At times I experienced “fear & trembling” when one of the twins decided that they wanted to have their turn “driving” Grandma around.  (Check out my face) haha

  We had a great time together.  What a supportive family I have!!!

 

"Stories on the Sabbath"

I really enjoyed the two Saturday sessions of General Conference.  I found a quote that really jumped out at me.  I think I have already felt the effects of this quote in the two sessions I've heard.  Hopefully it will be inspirational for you as well.

"Out of all we have heard (or will hear), there may be a phrase or a paragraph that will stand out and possess our attention.  If this occurs, I hope we will write it down and reflect on it until we savor the depth of its meaning and have made it a part of our own lives."  (Pres. Gordon B. Hinckley Nov. 2000 Ensign)

For "Stories on the Sabbath" I thought I would share a story that Sheri Dew recently told:

         Before each general conference I try to prepare myself spiritually so that I’ll hear whatever the Lord wants me to hear and apply it to my life in the way the Lord wants me to apply it. Several conferences ago, during the first session, I had a very clear impression: “Sheri, you have the TV on too much.” I almost said right out loud, “You’ve got to be kidding me. That can’t be my problem!” To tell the truth, it kind of bothered me. Now, the impression wasn’t about watching the wrong things, but about frequency. So I started thinking about it. “You have the TV on too much.” Because I live alone and am something of a news junkie, I began to think that maybe I did have the TV on more than I realized. So, by the end of conference, I had made a promise to the Lord that I would cut my TV time back dramatically, and I even promised Him a percentage.

         Two nights later I was teaching an institute class. We were having a general conference review, and one of the young women raised her hand and said she had had a remarkable experience with conference and she attributed it to the fact that she had prepared differently. From the time of the conference six months previous she had read a conference talk every day. She had read every talk from the last conference and then had gone further back. She said it had made a huge difference in the way she had experienced this conference.

         “Wow,” I told my class, “I’ve never done that.” I wondered how I could fit that into my life. Then I thought about the time in the morning when I had been listening to the TV news while I got ready for my day. I began going onto LDS.org on my computer and dialing into the conference talks. I found that I could listen to two or three talks in the time it took me to get ready in the morning. In six months’ time I listened to all the talks from the previous conference, then went back to others. Well, the combination of turning off the TV and tuning into talks from general conference was another way of saying, “I’m tuning out the world some and starting out my day listening to prophets, seers, and revelators.” I cannot even begin to tell you what the combination of those things has done for my life, for the presence of the Spirit in my home, and for the frame of mind with which I begin my work. It truly makes a difference, tuning out the world and tuning into the prophets (unpublished typescript in author’s possession).