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Happy Birthday, Mama! Some of us in the family are doing a joint/continuous gift across the year of blog posts for you, so here is the first of mine. Thanks for always making so many memories with us and caring about our own experiences, and I hope this feels like an extension of “birthday season” throughout the year. I figured I’d start with an earlier memory that connects our family. I remember you reading a LOT of books to us. And specifically, I remember that we read books in the car on car rides. I’m not sure if they were our car rides down to Florida, but Have distinct memories of sitting in the captain seats in our Toyota Previa, surrounded by books and Legos and other toys that kept me entertained, and seeing you in the front seat, holding a book and reading to us. I think we read Where the Red Fern grows over the course of multiple days of travel, and it was a beautiful story. I think that’s the only time I read that book, but I remember the whole car getting choked up at the...

 Happy Birthday Mama! You always say a blogpost is the best gift we can get you, and since I can't be there this weekend for your birthday, I figured this might be the next best thing ;) I think I'll start with something that kind of relates to Gordon, but is also a compliment to Mommy. Obviously, Gordon is not the most creative person. This is pretty obvious in basically every aspect of his life. The way he dresses, the way he lives, the way he looks at life, almost all are done with an analytical outlook. That's fine, many of his best qualities are because of that way of thinking, but it is interesting to note that because of his analytical nature, he has very few outlets. He plays DnD, chess, and I think he watches a LOT of Youtube. I would say one of his only creative outlets is baking, and lets be honest, that makes perfect sense as baking is a skill that requires reading instructions and following them closely to get a desired result.  Anyway, this all relates back to...

I've now been working in the temple office for four years.  In that time, there has been a change in the temple presidency.  It was a joy getting to know the former temple presidency and matrons (Pollard, Lund and Doot), but the current presidency will always be very special to me. I remember Sister Jones as an ordinance worker.  The reason she even got on my radar was that a woman in Chelsea Ward mentioned that her aunt worked in the temple who just happened to be Sister Jones.  So I struck up a conversation with her about her niece and the Chelsea Ward.  I was delighted when she was called as the temple matron although I didn't know her husband at all. Working in the office, I have the chance of working shoulder to shoulder with the three matrons, and it is an understatement to say it is a privilege, but there is something very special about Sister Jones.  I have seen her reaction in many different situations, and every time she responds with patience and...

Working/serving twice a week in the temple has taught me how important the temple should be in my life.  Like a missionary armed with a Book of Mormon and a testimony, I wish I could convince others to join me in my testimony of the temple. President Nelson said in the October 2022 General Conference : " The reward for keeping covenants with God is heavenly power—power that strengthens us to withstand our trials, temptations, and heartaches better. This power eases our way. Those who live the higher laws of Jesus Christ have access to His higher power. Thus, covenant keepers are entitled to a special kind of  rest  that comes to them through their covenantal relationship with God.  I promise that increased time in the temple will bless your life in ways nothing else can." I am a planner, and along with that personality trait, comes a side-helping of worry.  I am rarely overcome with anxiety or any kind of debilitating worry, but things nag me in the back of my m...

All last week, I was feeling like I needed to visit Glo in Utah, but I kept pushing the feeling down because a) it's expensive, b) I don't like Utah, c) Glo and I don't always get along when I go out to visit her which makes me question the decision in the first place, and d) John doesn't like me gone.  However, Saturday night John turned to me and said, "I think you should go visit Glo next week." Now granted, some of this could've come about because John had questioned me traveling with the girls this spring which led to a large fight between us, and possibly he was feeling guilty.  However, when he suggested it, I felt like it was the Spirit pushing me to do what He had been suggesting I do for the past week. I was exhausted from a shift in the temple, but I pulled out my laptop and like magic, everything came together in about an hour.  I had enough e-credits on Delta that the $1,200 last-minute flight only cost me $226, John had enough points saved up...