Teaching in the Lord's Way

I have been taking a series of classes one week a month during church on becoming a better teacher.  I am teaching the four and five year-olds in Primary.  It is fun.  We have been focusing on teaching from where the student is coming from.  Check out this brief discourse from Elder Uchtdorf.

Visit to "This is the Place" Pioneer Park

Joseph Smith and Brigham Young

My trip to Pioneer State Park was rushed, and it was mega hot, so I didn't go into the village but stayed in the store and the memorials outside.

Mormon Batallion

Mormon Batallion

This flag was above the store in the Visitor's Center

Handcarts

Memorial

This may commemorate the words of Francis Webster from the Martin Handcart Company

Memorial, explorers

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Pony Express

Pony Express cabin

Mormon Batallion

Mormon Batallion, letting go

The Ship Brooklyn

Substance of Faith

This is Hebrews Chapter 11, where Paul gives a profound lesson on faith.  This lesson starts with "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."  From there he gives many examples of faith.  Through these examples we gain a greater understanding of faith, and can then do some person reflection to see how we are doing in terms of faith.

Rooted in Christ: Elder L. Whitney CLayton

Here are some things to think about this Sunday, How rooted are we in Christ?  Elder L. Whitney Clayton gives a fantastic lesson on being rooted in Christ.  He compares our commitment to Christ to the roots of the scrub oak tree, which quickly go down in the soil where they can draw nourishment, and provide strength to the tree.  Our faith in Christ needs to be as those strong roots, which keep the tree strong.

Miranda and I Attended the Temple Saturday

The temple was so very full this past Saturday.  I have never seen them bring extra chairs into a session, and this was with already using one of the small rooms for over flow.  Every seat was taken and then there were a few extras added.  The women had the entire back row as they outnumbered the men.  (Isn't that usual?)  We got started a little late as they were trying to accommodate.  Mountain View Stake sent a bus.  Anthony's (son-in-law's) parents were there with the bus.  There were also many going through for themselves.  Maddie and Simon (who were getting married) saw me but I missed them.  The Celestial Room was very crowded.  This is a good trend, but it might be because the temple is closing for almost three months in a week.

The Triangle of the Gospel

I have hear this teaching a couple times in the past few months.  First was Simon McHenry in his homecoming talk, and then the youth speaker this week, Jeff Winn.  It is that in order to stay close to the church and keep your testimony strong three things are needed, prayer, scripture study and attending your church meetings.  It is really pretty simple.
Many years ago, Bishop Betts from Ballard taught the five-star points of the gospel, personal prayer, family prayer, personal scriptures, family scriptures, daily journal writing, and then a sixth for the center, weekly family home evening.  Bother pretty simple lessons, and basically suggesting the same thing.  How important it is to say our prayers regularly and read scriptures daily.  When I have struggled in my life, I am usually lacking one of these things.  I prayer regularly, but not a kneel -down kind of prayer which is often needed.  Scripture study is as needed for a lesson, or in relation to the current Ensign.

Simon and Maddie

Maddie is my daughter-in-law's sister (Caleb's sister-in-law) and Simon is Caleb's good friend from his high school garage band Hot Spud.  They were married Saturday in the Oakland temple.  We attended the wedding dinner and ring ceremony.  Annie sang a song as the wedding party entered.  Caleb and Annie sat with us during dinner, as did Paul and Jamyn, Annie's parents.  Paul told a story of how difficult it was for them to leave Maddie at BYUI a few years back.  It was also difficult for Maddie, and she was crying as they left.  They were concerned for Maddie, and called Simon to check on her.  Simon was able to report an hour or so later that Maddie was going to be OK.  It was very moving.  We had a good time.  The dinner was at the same gold course where Caleb and Annie had their wedding dinner.

Annie is singing in this picture

Couldn't decide if this is a heron or a crane

Idaho 2016

We traveled to Idaho to spend some time with Sheri's father and with Annie and Caleb.  Grandpa wasn't doing very well, and our second day there we took him to the hospital.  However we still had some fun.  We looked at many old family spots, including the home of Sheri's Grandparents in Iona as well as my grandparents on Lincoln Street.  I took the obligatory picture of the sugar factory.  I showed the kids the old Lincoln School, which no longer has slide fire escapes that were fun to play on.  We went to the Museum of Idaho in Idaho Falls.  We visited Rexburg and the BYUI gardens. We went to Mesa Falls.  We visited cemeteries.  It was really a good time, and we left grandpa in the hospital when we left but on the mend.

Pioneer Memorial for Captain Jefferson Hunt

Lava rock south of Idaho Falls

Iona Library statue

Trying to see the Tetons

Mesa Falls

Osprey feeding young on top of the tree log

Lincoln sugar factory, Grandpa Wright was boiler foreman

Lincoln home

Indian totem Idaho Falls

Museum of Idaho

BYUI gardens

Mesa Falls

Grandpa in the hospital

 

Grandma and Grandpa Scoresby

Iona home

Fort Hall

Twin Falls