Weekend of March 13 to 15th

 This is a journal entry for this week.  A couple things I have already written about but a couple other things I missed.  

The weekend started early as we decided to have movie night on Thursday instead of Friday.  we watched Zootopia 2.  This freed up Friday for me and I went to the Croatian Community Center fish fry and also took cardboard to the recycles and saw San Nicholas Serbian Orthodox Church.  Friday also my sister called to inform us that her son had passed away.  He was found up Logan Canyon by some snowmobilers and had frozen to death.  The police found his car stuck by Tony Grove Lake 3 1/2 miles from where his body was found.  His death changed our travel plans as we decided not to go camping in California but to go to the funeral in Logan, Utah.  Consequently instead of leaving on Sunday we left on Wednesday.  Ironically my sister was at a gender reveal party for her daughter Natalie when the police called.  She is having a girl.  

Saturday the 14th started with a pie-for-breakfast Elder's Quorum activity at the church.  I had a lemon pie and a chocolate pie.  I also had good conversations with other members.  Sad part is that the Kanes are moving to England.  

Sunday was my first time leading the music in church.  I went well but one sng the down bat as always off.  After the first verse I realized I was beating 4/4 for a 3/4 song.

We had dinner at our house on Sunday.  It was cold and freezing, nd we had had a skiff of snow.  Consequently the road was so frozen Miranda and Anthony couldn't get up the hill outside our house.  They had to go down and around to the next road which isn't as steep.  

Memorial Day Weekend: Oakland Temple Open House

There are weekends that you wish would never end, but inevitable they do.  Memorial Day Weekend (we got an extra day) started Friday.  Mark and Elliott, Natalia and Ayden all flew in that day, and we met in San Jose for the Cupertino High School Spring Concert.  They kids had a chance to reacquaint with Mr. Aron.  And we enjoyed a good show.  They presented, as is their fashion, four mini concerts.  The men’s choir did Elvis Presley, The women, Hairspray, the advanced women’s Frozen and the cappella choir Grease.  It was a great show, and then after the kids spent time with Mr. Aron, and pictures were taken. 

Saturday Caleb also arrived.  Sheri went and gathered him from the airport, while Jeremy and Mark and boys went on a hike.  I mowed the lawn.  That evening Sheri and I watched grandbabies while all our kids did a sibling trip to an escape room in Modesto.  They ate ice cream after. 

Sunday Charity had arranged for she and Caleb and Jeremy and Natalia to sing in church with Miranda playing the piano.  They sang, “I Stand all Amazed.”  We had a family barbecue with Anthony and Caleb manning the hamburgers and hot dogs.  The Normans were out.  They too had a big weekend as Heather went through the temple for the first time in preparation for her wedding in August.  So we met her fiancé and Mark, Diana and Anna were also here, along with all our kids and 8 of 13 grandchildren. 

Monday we toured the temple with all of our children.  Mark went through with Elliott and it was fun to see him explain the pictures, including John the Baptist baptizing Jesus.  Jeremy and Kayla were able to tour the sealing rooms where hopefully they will return soon.  Haley Dawn and Camberly Rose were all dressed up in dresses.  It was a fun tour, and then pictures after.  We also did the walk around the top.  The Visitor’s Center was too crowded so we missed there.  It was a fun time. 

We went home separately as Mark and Caleb were headed back to the airport.  Natalia and Ayden stayed a few more days.

A Strange Sunday

On the way to church about a month ago, Tony kept asking what the water was?  I couldn't see any water, thinking he was perhaps referring to a puddle of water.  But what he was seeing is the big elevated fire hoses.  There were two of them, about a mile away when Tony first saw them.  We saw them very well as we drove past some apartment buildings that have been going up in Manteca.  The fire hoses were spraying lots of water, and had gotten ahead of the fire,, but not before two apartment buildings were totally destroyed and a couple more damaged.  I went over the next day to get a picture of the area, but it was mostly all cleaned up.  This is by Atherton Drive and Van Ryn Avenue. Here is a picture from Manteca Bulletin.
 
That same day it was windy in the afternoon.  Our tree blew over.  This was or tallest tree that offers shade in the afternoon.  It just blew over, sheered right at the bottom almost level with the ground.  It didn't do much damage other than taking out some white plastic chairs.

Bowling: Logan Fun House

Bowlng and Fun House in Logan.  It took me a while to warm up, but I ended with a lot of spares.  Don't think I ever got a strike. However I did end well over 100, and was the top scorer for our group.  However Caleb let Todd take a couple turns, and if not for that he would have won easily. 

I am not sure if the little kids preferred bowling or the jungle gym.  The really enjoyed the long slide. 

Mom's 89th Birthday

Mom was very happy with her birthday party.  She at times struggled with remembering who everyone was, and that she was 89, but it was a good day, and a good time.  It was good to see so many nieces nephews and loved ones.  Even Cassidy was there, at the end so not in pictures.  Five of mom's granddaughters are now pregnant, Rachelle, Amber, Linsey, Charity and Annie.

Saturday Afternoon Session of General Conference

This is the first time Sheri and I have actually attended general conference.  This is the first time I have attended conference in the Conference Center.  We were sitting in the balcony, three rows from the front.  e could have sat in the front, but Miranda said it would make her dizzy.
      The Saturday afternoon session is when the sustaining votes were called for the general authorities of the church.  It included the calling of five new brethren to the presidency of the seventy.  (It was the morning session where the solemn assembly took place sustaining the new First Presidency and two new apostles.)  This replaced the two members of this group who had become apostles.  The Young Women General Presidency was also reorganized.
      After the sustaining votes, while people were taking their seats on the stand, someone from the audience yelled three times: "Stop Supporting Sexual Predators."  It sounded to us like a man, but later was reported to be a woman who was asked to leave.  The person was seated not too far from us.  I figure this had reference to my former mission president who has been in the news.
We were favored with some excellent discourses.  This included Elder Devin Durrant, Sister Bonnie Oscarson, Elder David Bednar and Elder Dale Renlund, Elder Kevin Jergensen, Elder Taylor Godoy and Elder Taniela Wakolo.  Jeremy found us a couple times in the TV feed.