Visiting Grandma Johnson in St. George
Following graduation, on Saturday morning, after assuring Nicole that we would not take the Cove Fort tour again (she asserts she has memorized the script), we headed south on I-15 toward St. George. We were pleased to see Grandma feeling perky and in good spirits. On Sunday we attended the branch sacrament meeting at her residence facility (an easy commute -- down the hall and around the corner) and enjoyed a home-cooked Sunday dinner prepared in Uncle Don's and RoseMery's kitchen and transported to the private dining room at the residence.
Grandma does not let her 92 years or her infirmities stop her from sharing the gospel. When she learned that another resident was from Santa Rosa, California (where Grandma served as a senior missionary) and was a member of the Church but not attending meetings, she invited her to come to sacrament meeting. When Grandma saw the lady was not present five minutes before the meeting started, she wheeled her chair down the hall, knocked on the lady's door, and persuaded her to come. Would that we all will endure as faithfully as Grandma!
Wedding Bells
It's official! Ashley has accepted Ryan Smith's proposal of marriage and they have set the date for 27 December 2008 in the Washington, D.C. temple. When Ashley arrived with her parents at the Salt Lake City airport thinking that she would meet Ryan in Provo, she heard her name paged with a request to go to the Southwest ticket counter. There Ryan appeared and spirited her off to a romantic dinner, a drive to the foothills, and a traditional bended-knee proposal. An eight-dollar WalMart ring (soon to be replaced) sealed the engagement.
Sara and her fiance Ian are also firming up their plans. They are looking to a destination wedding in Puerto Rico on February 24, 2009.
Education Week -- Our August Tradition
Along with Wendy, Steve, and Ashley, Mom, Dad, and Nicole had another stimulating vacation at BYU Education Week. After learning that a two-bedroom suite at the Residence Inn costs only a few dollars more than a one bedroom, we had the pleasure of being together more while lowering our vacation costs.
Happily, we found Aunt Jane and Uncle Jay among the 20,000 or so in attendance and were pleased to share some classes with them and to enjoy enchiladas together with them at Los Hermanos.
After Education Week, Wendy and Steve returned to Maryland. We checked out of the Residence Inn and moved up to the Spring Hill Suites at Thanksgiving Point where Ashley and Nicole were thrilled to share a real bed rather than share the living room sofabed. On Saturday, while Nicole was at her former roommate Janelle's wedding reception in Bountiful, Mom and Dad paid their respects at Grandpa Johnson's and Aunt Marilyn's gravesites in the cemetery there. We drove to South Jordan to visit Aunt Maurine, walked through Temple Square, and had a inspiring hour watching the Joseph Smith film.
On Sunday we went to Church with Dan and Nadine Olsen who are Holly's in-laws. We were delighted to see them and even more pleased to see how well Dan is doing. Then we had a nice dinner and visit with Maurine and her family.
Home Sweet Home Again
Holly (who seems to have become our official airport transporter) picked us at BWI on Monday evening. Ken Bowler, our stake patriarch, was also on the flight and accepted our offer of a ride home. We had the sweet surprise to find Sadie snoozing in car seat in the back. Our tired little girl managed a sleepy smile before drifting off again.
Except for the wild party that the deer had in our yard and garden reveling in the green beans, peppers, and hosta, we found all well at home and are happy to be back refreshed and assuming our familiar routines.
A Story of Love and Service
Levi Savage possessed great love. When the Willie and Martin handcart companies were discussing whether to leave for the Salt Lake Valley late in the year of 1856 or wait until the next year, Elder Savage tried to persuade these anxious saints to wait because he feared that bad weather would be encountered. He said, "What I have said I know to be true; but seeing you are to go forward, I will go with you; will help all I can; will work with you, will rest with you, will suffer with you and if necessary will die with you.
May God in his mercy bless and preserve us."
Thursday, August 28, 2008
Sunday, August 17, 2008
The Graduate
Nana is now a BYU graduate.
She was interviewed as a part of the graduation and then we participated in a luncheon. Nana had several still pictures taken and then was interviewed for about 15 minutes in a video shoot. The results will be used for spotlights to advertise the BGS program on BYU-TV and for BYU magazine. The Bachelor of General Studies program is still young and has a small enough number of graduates (about 70 or so for August graduation) that they can put on a celebration for graduates and family. We enjoyed a nice lunch, souvenir photographs, and lots of congratulations. Later that afternoon Nana joined the other graduates in the academic procession and the commencement exercise in the Marriott Center and heard a fine address by Elder Richard G. Scott.
Uncle Don's son Brad was also graduating and we celebrated that evening at Macaroni Grill with Brad and his wife Kim along with Don and RoseMery.
The next day we met and received congratulations from President and Sister Samuelson. Later than afternoon, Nana had the thrill of having her name called as she received her diploma in the College of Humanities convocation. Frederick G. Williams, Distinguished Professor of Luso-Brazilian Studies and a descendant of the original Frederick G. Williams (a counselor to Joseph Smith) delivered an excellent address on the family and the things of real importance in life.Congratulations to Dana for her hard work and diligence. Her dedication was a joy to see and her hard work has been rewarded. We are very proud of her.
We were glad to have Brett join us and we really appreciate his sacrifice of rising at 3:30 am to make his plane in LA so he could be here with us.
Grandpa's Testimony
Children and grandchildren, I want you to know that I have had many wonderful experiences in life and as a member of the Church. I have come to know, not merely believe, that God lives and he is literally our Father, he is the Father of our spirits. I know that Jesus is his Only Begotten Son in the flesh and is our Savior and Redeemer. I know that he restored his Church through Joseph Smith, the prophet.
Regarding these truths, I know them to be true and can say that these words of Alma are also my words when he speaks of what he knows to be true saying, "Behold, I say unto you they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself. And now I do know of myself that they are true; for the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit..."
I also know these things to be true because "the Lord God hath made them manifest unto me by his Holy Spirit."
Monday, August 11, 2008
Off to Utah
A New Visitor at the Pond
There is a park with pond across the street. We go there often to exercise in the mornings. We often see a few kinds of wild life there such as deer, this week we saw two fawns just lying down in the area. There are numerous turtles some of which are enormous, probably measuring 18 or 20 inches across. There are lots of birds, mostly doves, red wing black birds, Canadian geese, wild ducks and an occasional blue heron. This last week we a new visitor, a white heron.
Utah Here We Come
We leave in Wednesday, August 13 to go to Utah. We will accompany Nicole back to school, participate in Dana's graduation festivities, visit with Grandma Johnson, and other relatives and attend Campus Education Week at BYU. It will be a whirlwind of activity.
Each year when we do this, we leave just as the garden is producing at its peak. We hope that Holly will enjoy the produce while we are gone.
Other Family Doings
Mom and Nicole are happy to see Dad so enthusiastic about his birdfeeders. We know it will keep him out of trouble until the BYU football season engages his full attention.
Yum-yum, cheesecake! And sweet friends Mary Finnigan, Ninon McGinn, and Ann Bowler. Mary Finnigan arranged a celebration lunch for Mom at the close of her BYU classwork at the Cheesecake Factory. Even more honorifics came as the wait staff sang "Happy Birthday" (not having "Happy Graduation" in their repetoire) and presented a sweet morsel of fudge sundae. The whole afternoon was a wonderful treat. Two weeks later, BYU posted an "A" for Mom's final grade for her last course -- a very satisfactory closure for her academic career.
Our Michael noted that Nana's graduation will yield him some personal benefits. A request for a Friday night sleepover had to be denied because of the pressure to complete a research paper. He said, "Now that Nana is graduating, we can come over for sleepovers more." Then he added, "And when Grandpa gets released from stake president, we can come over even more."
Nicole had her last day of work on Friday. Steve Koncurat in our ward has been so kind as to give her employment at his office for the past two summers also gave her a generous gift card. Thanks to Nicole's earnings, she now has a healthy bank account to get her through this last year of school. On Saturday, she dragged the suitcases up from the basement, spread them out in the spare bedroom, and started sorting and packing. On Monday, we will take a quick trip to the outlets in Leesburg to pick up wardrobe essentials. Another summer has flown by all too quickly.
Nearly every Saturday Dad has been helping Steve finish their basement. Putting up sheetrock has been especially grueling but they have felt pressured to complete the work in time for Wendy to teach early morning seminary there by the last week in August. Last week Wendy called a sheetrock professional just to finish up the ceiling but he offered such a reasonable price to complete the whole job and worked so fast that he has put Dad and Steve out of business. Dad will miss his Saturdays working with Steve but we are sure we can find plenty of Saturday activities to keep him occupied.
Our blackberry vines are full of big juicy berries and Mom gathers a couple quarts every other day or so. Last summer a garden snake poked his his little green head out of the vines to say hello as she was reaching for a nice cluster of berries. Snakes must like berries, too, or perhaps they like the shade and the stalks to slither around in. Fortunately, Mr. Snake has not been seen this summer. Having all these fresh-picked berries inspired Mom to bake a blackberry pie that turned out heavenly and disappeared within hours.
Elder Bruce R. McConkie's Last Testimony
Elder McConkie had been suffering from cancer and as the end approached, so did General Conference. He was determined to speak one last time. Thirteen days before he did he spoke at conference about the life and atonement of Christ and he closed with this powerful testimony. "And now, as pertaining to this perfect atonement, wrought by the shedding of the blood of God-I testify that it took place in Gethsemane and at Golgotha, and as pertaining to Jesus Christ, I testify that he is the Son of the Living God and was crucified for the sins of the world. He is our Lord, our God, and our King. This I know of myself independent of any other person.
I am one of his witnesses, and in a coming day I shall feel the nail marks in his hands and in his feet and shall wet his feet with my tears.
But I shall not know any better then than I know now that he is God’s Almighty Son, that he is our Savior and Redeemer, and that salvation comes in and through his atoning blood and in no other way.”
There is a park with pond across the street. We go there often to exercise in the mornings. We often see a few kinds of wild life there such as deer, this week we saw two fawns just lying down in the area. There are numerous turtles some of which are enormous, probably measuring 18 or 20 inches across. There are lots of birds, mostly doves, red wing black birds, Canadian geese, wild ducks and an occasional blue heron. This last week we a new visitor, a white heron.
Utah Here We Come
We leave in Wednesday, August 13 to go to Utah. We will accompany Nicole back to school, participate in Dana's graduation festivities, visit with Grandma Johnson, and other relatives and attend Campus Education Week at BYU. It will be a whirlwind of activity.
Each year when we do this, we leave just as the garden is producing at its peak. We hope that Holly will enjoy the produce while we are gone.
Other Family Doings
Mom and Nicole are happy to see Dad so enthusiastic about his birdfeeders. We know it will keep him out of trouble until the BYU football season engages his full attention.
Yum-yum, cheesecake! And sweet friends Mary Finnigan, Ninon McGinn, and Ann Bowler. Mary Finnigan arranged a celebration lunch for Mom at the close of her BYU classwork at the Cheesecake Factory. Even more honorifics came as the wait staff sang "Happy Birthday" (not having "Happy Graduation" in their repetoire) and presented a sweet morsel of fudge sundae. The whole afternoon was a wonderful treat. Two weeks later, BYU posted an "A" for Mom's final grade for her last course -- a very satisfactory closure for her academic career.
Our Michael noted that Nana's graduation will yield him some personal benefits. A request for a Friday night sleepover had to be denied because of the pressure to complete a research paper. He said, "Now that Nana is graduating, we can come over for sleepovers more." Then he added, "And when Grandpa gets released from stake president, we can come over even more."
Nicole had her last day of work on Friday. Steve Koncurat in our ward has been so kind as to give her employment at his office for the past two summers also gave her a generous gift card. Thanks to Nicole's earnings, she now has a healthy bank account to get her through this last year of school. On Saturday, she dragged the suitcases up from the basement, spread them out in the spare bedroom, and started sorting and packing. On Monday, we will take a quick trip to the outlets in Leesburg to pick up wardrobe essentials. Another summer has flown by all too quickly.
Nearly every Saturday Dad has been helping Steve finish their basement. Putting up sheetrock has been especially grueling but they have felt pressured to complete the work in time for Wendy to teach early morning seminary there by the last week in August. Last week Wendy called a sheetrock professional just to finish up the ceiling but he offered such a reasonable price to complete the whole job and worked so fast that he has put Dad and Steve out of business. Dad will miss his Saturdays working with Steve but we are sure we can find plenty of Saturday activities to keep him occupied.
Our blackberry vines are full of big juicy berries and Mom gathers a couple quarts every other day or so. Last summer a garden snake poked his his little green head out of the vines to say hello as she was reaching for a nice cluster of berries. Snakes must like berries, too, or perhaps they like the shade and the stalks to slither around in. Fortunately, Mr. Snake has not been seen this summer. Having all these fresh-picked berries inspired Mom to bake a blackberry pie that turned out heavenly and disappeared within hours.
Elder Bruce R. McConkie's Last Testimony
Elder McConkie had been suffering from cancer and as the end approached, so did General Conference. He was determined to speak one last time. Thirteen days before he did he spoke at conference about the life and atonement of Christ and he closed with this powerful testimony. "And now, as pertaining to this perfect atonement, wrought by the shedding of the blood of God-I testify that it took place in Gethsemane and at Golgotha, and as pertaining to Jesus Christ, I testify that he is the Son of the Living God and was crucified for the sins of the world. He is our Lord, our God, and our King. This I know of myself independent of any other person.
I am one of his witnesses, and in a coming day I shall feel the nail marks in his hands and in his feet and shall wet his feet with my tears.
But I shall not know any better then than I know now that he is God’s Almighty Son, that he is our Savior and Redeemer, and that salvation comes in and through his atoning blood and in no other way.”
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Success at Last
Finally the birds have come to to bird feeder.I was nearly convinced that my bird feeder effort was futile. Finally, after 17 days of nothing, birds began to come and feed and they have been coming in bunches. It is nice to watch them.
One of the other things I did was to change the bird food. I started out with a mixture of wild bird food consisting of various seeds. Then, I put sunflower pieces in the feeder. It is clear that the finches prefer the sunflower pieces to the wild bird food mixtu
re. The finches also love thistle seed.I am convinced that, first, it takes time for the birds to develop an interest or awareness of the bird feeder and second, the change of food was also important in attracting them.
So far we have had house finches, yellow finches (the middle photo) and cardinals come to eat at the bird feeder. The the male house finch (the top photo) has a little red around his head and neck. The
female is entirely gray. The male cardinal (the bottom photo) is a bright red and the female is more the color of the wings of the male, much more gray in color.Here is what each of our visitors look like.
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