Time Travel

copy of email to my granddaughter Acadia, serving a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Oregon

I did a little time traveling Monday, President’s Day.  Mt. Vernon Memorial Park and Cemetery (which hosts the best Memorial Day Observance every year)  sponsors American Heritage Day on President’s Day. The year was the first I heard of it and decided to check it out.  I had just had a nice chat with a lady making bond lace - wow! What patience! - and was observing a Buffalo Soldier talking to some people, when I heard, “Hi, Grandma!”  Ruth and the kids ! Together we enjoyed a conversation with a Revolutionary War soldier who demonstrated how to load his musket, looked at vintage cars, visited with the Mormon Battalion who had the kids act .  out loading and firing a canon, and rendevouzed with Mountain Men. I plan to make this a tradition.

Teresa, Miriam, and I spent a couple of hours in the 1800’s Tuesday watching “Little Women”.  A charming movie. However, I am not sure it matched my high expectations after all the wonderful things I heard about it.  And, as is the usual, it was not quite as good as the book. I had just read a whole string of Louisa May Alcott books in anticipation of seeing the movie. Maybe that was a mistake.  LOL The disappointment was minor, and it was a delightful movie. 

Continuing the time theme, but this time time and all eternity.  I attended the sealing of a friend and his wife Thursday evening.  How beautiful are the promises made in the temple!

The temple ceremonies have been slightly modified since I first went so many years ago.  Perhaps most of all, the initiatory. I was a bit startled my first time and it took me a long time before I went back to do that work for the dead.  It is now a bit simpler and less startling. Now I love doing them. One of my favorite things is to do a few initiatories and then do a session. Teresa and I try to go to the temple every Friday morning.  Sometimes we do a session, sometimes iniatories and then a session, or when we feel short on time, just initiatories. We are so blessed to have a temple so close. When they announce a temple in a new country, I am so happy for those people!

Amazon does this Treasure Truck thing.  Once a week they send a text telling you what is on the Treasure Truck near you that day.  If you are interested, you order and pay online and they tell you the pick up details. Last month I got a Deebot, a little robot vacuum.  I haven’t used it yet, but Joseph has. We joke that it is his pet. Last week I got a chrome book. I am typing on it now. My laptop is showing signs of age (and having been dropped a time or two).  But, of course, I cannot get rid of it for a while. It has years of pictures on it.  

Andrew spoke in Sacrament Meeting.  He was told to be prepared to be flexible as he was the 3rd speaker.   Well, the first two were youth speakers. Maybe 5 minutes all told. So he gets up, introduces himself, and informs the congregation about the waning.  So he tells them the essence of his talk in one word, “daily.” He leans forward and looks at the clock. He has a good half hour. “Well, since I seem to have a few minutes, we’ll go a little deeper.”   Andrew spoke a 20 minutes and held the congregation rapt. The bare essentials: Satan attacks us every day. We need to fight him every day. Prayer, Scriptures, Repentance. Every day, every day, every day. 

Sweet Home

copy of email to my granddaughter Acadia, serving a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

 

Dear Beautiful Granddaughter, Acadia, Sister Roser,

It was with a mild amount of apprehension, I went to my first Threads of Gold luncheon. Threads of Gold is a monthly(?) potluck for sisters 55 and up (although no one is going to card you if a younger sister chose to attend). It was quite pleasant. There was plenty of good food and containers were thoughtfully provided for sisters to take home leftovers. Conversation was pleasant. Without fanfare there was a booklet available to help plan for end of life or incapacity. I enjoyed it. Not really much to write home about – or write to a missionary – but pleasant. I am undecided about making it a regular thing. Although, I rather think I ought.

 

Partly for my personal development and partly as assignment, I am trying to be better about noticing, validating, and uplifting other sisters. (and other people) Many sisters feel unseen and unimportant to anybody. Even sisters who attend and participate regularly may feel that – as I well know! I am particularly trying to notice the ones on the fringe so to speak. I am making progress, I think. It is not necessarily natural for me to make friendly with people. I am not UNfriendly, I just seldom make the first move. 

A week ago I sat by a sister in Sacrament Meeting whom I did not recognize. (Was I early? That’s a miracle in itself with my household!) But we had time to share names, each confess to being terrible at names and faces, and have a little chit chat. Since then Kathy and I have seen each other probably 3 times and delighted in confirming that each remembered the other’s name. 

This Sunday, we Patch people were late and sitting in the foyer. Miriam always does because she needs to minamalize time on her feet and she must sit in comfort. A sister I didn’t recognize sat by her and soon Miriam had to move because she was bothered by the woman’s fragrance. Concerned that the sister might be offended, I made a point to go up to her as soon as Sacrament Meeting was over. Mele (Tongan – Mele in Tongan is like Mary in English) apparently is a member and lives in the ward, but it was only her 2^nd time here. We chatted, went into RS and sat together, and I introduced her. So, I think I am making progress in learning to socialize and to welcome other sisters. 

 

My apprehensive ventures continuing, I attended ARP – Addiction Recovery Program. I do not have any of the classic terrible addictions and I am not sure I want to give up the addictions I do have – can we say chocolate? And clutter, ok I want to lessen that one! - but the invite from the Stake said “anyone who wants to improve”, I do have to learn to be better at DOING the things I ought to do, and I want to be able to help and encourage people I care about who are struggling. Everything about those meetings is confidential, but the program focuses on learning to understand and apply the Atonement of Christ. Who does not need that?!

In somewhat the same spirit of apprehension, that I attended our Relief Society activity night. Laughter Yoga. I have never been attracted to yoga. However, as RS secretary I feel some obligation to go – both as a quasi member of the presidency – be supportive, set an example, fellowship the sisters, all that – and as secretary with the duty to write the RS history. And the event was billed with No Mats, No Yoga Pants. That was promising. Have you heard of Laughter Yoga? Laughter Yoga is a modern exercise involving prolonged voluntary laughter. It is based on the belief that voluntary laughter provides similar physiological and psychological benefits as spontaneous laughter. Not giggles or chuckles but full, out loud belly laughs. There are classes, certified Laughter Yoga instructors, and clubs. With warm ups and more or less guided laughter exercises interspersed with quiet deep breathing. In RS the quiet breathing lasted mere seconds before someone burst out laughing spontaneously. Intentional laughter can, indeed, lead to spontaneous laughter. All kinds of benefits are claimed and, for the most part, I believe them. We have heard before about seriously ill people vastly improving their condition, sometimes even complete healing, with laughter. Watching funny movies and comedians, telling jokes, being silly. Even the intentional laughter gives you a mood boost. It can help your immune system, is exercise for your body core, can relieve stress and depression, and energize you. Something like 20 minutes of intentional laughter is recommended. Believe me, that is a nice little work out. I am not sure that I am ready for classes and clubs. However, I confess that sometimes alone in the car, I intentionally laugh. Then, wondering what other drivers might think of me, I spontaneously laugh. 

 

Valentine’s Day was Graham Cracker Cottage decorating day. Miriam had been trying to get us people together since before Christmas. This was almost perfect. Sadly Debi & company were unavailable. Benjamin, Bethany & babe couldn't come.  But! Joseph took off work early, Andrew has Fridays off, Teresa came and helped, David came direct from work. Ruth and Tom dropped the kids off and enjoyed some couple time including a picnic in the park and overpriced, but very good, ice cream. We let the kids play outside for a bit, had pizza, and then decorated the cottages which Miriam had put together. Great fun.  - pictures below

More grandma, aunt, and uncle time! Saturday Ruth and Tom went to Oakland for a late celebration of Tom’s folk’s anniversary. The plan was temple and enjoy the Bay Area. Good plan which worked well except without the honorees, Steve and Linda. Their car broke down and they didn’t make it. Ruth and Tom enjoyed the temple and the beach. The celebration will be rescheduled. Meanwhile Esther and Jared were invited to a dinner party with friends followed by going to the dance at Mormon Center. So we Patch people spent the afternoon and evening with the younger Hinds. Joseph is amazing at playing Museum Statues. I am quite pleased that both Friday and Saturday we managed the many hours almost totally without screen time for the children. (Miriam worked on some RS stuff on her computer) The kids - No movies, TV, or computer. Except little Peter wanted to look at pictures of the family on my phone. Oh, Naomi did go online and looking at Google Pictures could see what her parents were up to in pretty much real time. “They went to the beach without me!” she exclaimed. At one point Saturday, remembering that someone had mentioned the possibility of watching Toy Story 4, I announced that if they wanted to watch the movie, it must be started now or there would not be time before it was time to get ready for bed. (And with 9am church, there could be no staying up late!) They kids opted to keep playing instead. Yay! And got ready for bed nicely when requested. 

 

I hope your week was as pleasant and productive and that the next will be so as well. 

(Acadia only got some of these pictures.  and there are still more on Facebook) 

Naomi did some little shows.  In this one she was doing magic.

Sam's cottage.  He did not want his picture with his cottage.

Miraim's Star Light Stable.  (or was it Star Fire?)  The horses are Star and Stella.

Joseph's cottage

Love, Grandma Barbara

Do I not have the most beautiful and creative grandchildren?!

growing things

email to my granddaughter Acadia who is serving a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints -

I love your beautiful video of you and your companion playing “Our Savior’s Love” Just wish we could see more of you, 

 

Jacob Bruce Robarts was blessed by his father Benjamin yesterday. Later we all went to Grandpa Bryce and Grandma Roberta Tanner’s for potluck Hawaiian Haystacks. Bryce is a retired ER Doctor. They have a beautiful custom built house on a nice piece of land a bit out in the country. Besides family events they have hosted many ward activities (not my ward, alas, but for a while they and Hinds were in the same ward. Hinds think they and their place are awesome.). They are so friendly and gracious. Ruth’s kids ran all over the place in and out. Loud noises emanated from the play room. The Tanner’s didn’t turn a hair. They can’t make a bigger mess than the grandchildren do, they said. 

 

We attended Jacob’s blessing – same stake, different ward – and then hurried to our own ward for 2^nd hour. We were having Ward Conference and there had been some speculation about big changes, some people thinking that Bishop’s term was about up. Also, I knew that the Stake President and the Stake RS President had requested time to speak to RS and I wanted to hear their message. Well, the speculation was off. No big changes. Many sighs of relief, but not from the Bishop's house.  

 

Both Presidents spoke to us about ministering.  

    President Holly Foell: To minister to our sisters, we need to be humble and ask the Lord. The Lord will not force us to learn. “Since the Lord will not force you to learn, you must exercise your agency to authorize the Spirit to teach you.” Richard G. Scott

    President Wayne Langford: In our ministering we need to learn to work by the spirit. Take the time to seek revelation about individuals.

Same stuff they teach you missionaries, eh? And parents, teachers, and leaders. 

 

David, Teresa, and I went to a Master Gardener Open Garden event. I learned tips about choosing power tools for your garden – find a family of tools you like and always buy that family so the batteries are interchangeable. Usually, it is worth paying a little more to get a lighter weight, especially as we age, so we can enjoy working and work longer without hurting ourselves. There were beautiful vegetable garden beds, but the asparagus bed was NOT beautiful. The asparagus was cut all the way back with just two little spears coming up. Small ugly stumps, brown mulch. A Master Garden told me how hard asparagus is to grow. I was pretty much resolved to get mine from the grocery store and complain less about the price. Then another lady told me about letting some of the asparagus grow to maturity and the pretty feathery plumes. Also interplanting it with pretty plants instead of dedicated beds. I guess I need to do a little research. So far all I grow is WEEDS, and bless their chlorophyll, Narcissus or Paper Whites, and green onions which start really well from the end you cut off when you get them at the store. I saw some attractive native plants at the Open Garden I might consider. 

Blessings on you as you plant seeds of truth, nourish tender testimonies, and hopefully, see many enjoy the precious fruit.

Love, Grandma Barbara

small and simple things

email to my granddaughter Acadia serving a full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

Miriam and I watched Sam and Peter again Friday while Ruth ushered for the Elk Grove Musical Theater Company performances. When we arrived Sam had just turned on the movie Willie Wonka with Gene Wilder. I kind of don’t get it. As they enter the first room, Wonka tells them everything is edible. Everyone starts chomping away at the landscape. I am not sure why it is a problem that Augustus drinks from the chocolate river. It doesn’t seem to me that he broke any rules at that point. Then he was told to stop and didn’t, but still. I am also not clear on whether he fell or Wonka nudged him into the river. I didn’t think he was likeable, but he hadn’t broken any clearly stated rules until he was slow to stop drinking out of the river. Later Charlie and Grandpa knowingly and deliberately disobeyed when drinking the fizzy drink. Apparently the redeeming quality for Charlie was when he gave back the gobstopper instead of selling it to Mr. Slugworth. Did the bratty kids get an opportunity to pass that test? I am not sure. As a morality tale, I think it is a bit weak. In the kids’ version, Charlie confesses to breaking the rules and declares himself ineligible to win, thereby proving his character and winning. But the performing kids had fun, developed friendships and talents, and did a great job.

Sam and Peter were pretty good for us, too. Sam resisted going to bed slightly, but not at all as badly, loudly, or long as in the past. Peter even went to bed easily despite having had his pacifier taken away a couple days before. A long, but pleasant evening.

I donated platelets and red blood cells this week. Not sure I made the wisest choice in what to watch. I watched two episodes of Mercy Street. A PBS Civil War drama about a Union hospital in occupied Alexandria, Virginia. Strong feelings, blood, misery. Kindness, , craven behavior, and noble. It is good. It is gripping. Not very relaxing. But my donation went well.cruelty

After introducing us to the Liahona, Nephi says that shows how by small and simple things, the Lord makes great things come to pass. What? To me a magical, complicated compass appearing out of nowhere in the middle of the wilderness is not a small and simple thing. There’s a lot of wow factor there.

I am now going to mix up some of the small and simple things that changed some of our Sunday School class members’ lives with some of the testimonies from testimony meeting. It was a great meeting – theme seemed to be redemption.

Sue Altop was a wild, rebellious teenager who caused her parents a lot of grief. When she was 18 or 19, the missionaries taught her and changed her life and the lives of her posterity. Now her granddaughter is serving a mission (coming home in April) near where one of Sue’s missionaries lives.

Scott suffered great heartbreak and loss of faith when he lost someone he loved. He turned to the wrong things of the world for comfort and fell away. It got worse when his sister died. Now he is on the comeback trail. The sins and things of the world did not bring peace or comfort, there is peace to be found in Christ. Subsequent speakers welcomed him back.

Valerie spoke of falling away, coming back and being welcomed, but falling again. She is now on her 3^rd or 4^th return and praying to get it right this time. She is grateful for the acceptance and support of members.

Don was laid off for a few months, but he needed to earn money. He job hunted every day, usually going back to the same places. One day, the spirit prompted him to go to the Army Depot. He resisted, but the Spirit insisted. He asked the woman if they might have any opening for a Machinist. She told him No. As he was leaving, the Spirit told him to read the overseas job opening board. He was not going to go overseas, but the Spirit told him to read it. He read all the notices. None of them suited him. When he was done, the Spirit told him to go back and ask about a job again. A different woman told him that they just got word of an opening that morning. She sent him to go talk to a man who turned out to be a good friend and brother from the ward. Don said he was hoping for an interview for the job. Wes said, you’ve got it. Soon they asked him if he wanted to do overtime. He did. When Aerojet called him back to work 7 months later, he left with enough savings to buy a 7-11 and “teach his kids to work.”

A couple of years ago, Jon’s Stake President counseled him to go on a date every week. Where do you find 52 people to date?! A year later, still no prospective wife. A friend urged him to try a dating app. Second swipe there she was. Now they are married with a baby and he is a counselor in the Bishopric.

I think there were more good story testimonies/class shares, but how quickly I forget.

The Lord can use simple things and guide us to needed changes in any aspect of our lives.