1997 Antioch III Ward Relief Society Friendship quilt found in closet at the Rio Grande chapel

This quilt was made in 1997 by the Antioch III Ward Relief Society.  We are now the Antioch II ward as a few yeaars ago we were combined with Antioch II Ward and had a name change.  Bishop Ronald Hawkins was bishop of both wards Antioch III and Antioch II.  He was bishop wat the time of the change.

Martha Fox, the Relief Society President in the Antioch I Ward, gave this friendship quilt to me at the Stake Relief Society Conference on Thursday evening, January 25, 2018.  She had found it in one of the closets at the Rio Grande Building when she was cleaning it out.  She felt Antioch II Ward should have it.  The quilt was made in 1997 according to the signature of Cecila Mecham who put '97 under her signature on her block.  It has been fun to have other members of the ward help me identify blocks with only initials on them.  I have posted the blocks individually with the name of as many of the individuals who made them as can be identify.  Lots of memories for me in one small quilt. 

The quilt is 41" X 36" in size and consists of 42 blocks.

 Linda Sandifer

 Diane Hawkins

 Helen Urruita

 Luetta Koberstein

 Eva Crowshaw

 Misty Mecham

 No name-possible Mary Ivie

 Gayle Smith

 Jeanne Hampton

 Kim Garner (Hamblin)

 Bernice Kentner

 Margaret Wright

 Melissa Hammer

 Cecilia Mechan

 Thalame Wilkes

 Alyce Terry

 Sheri Schunman

 Carol Griffin

 Gail Mauss

 Vicky Bean

 Millie Peterson

 Janeen Rockwell-Owens

Ermile Dansie 

 Liz Kane

 Sue Mills

 Mary Haggard

 Betty Hawkins

 Julie Cullimore (possibly)

 Sandi Roberts

 Nancy Murphy (possibly)

 Deanne Langford

 G.N.

 No name

 Lynn Sorvari

 Trisha Morris

 Tracy Christiansen

 No name

 No name

 Mildred Gibbs

 Irene Bonds

 Marilyn Nielsen

Francoise Boden

Temple trip September 6-25, 2017

I love to see the temple

They are places of learning (Logan, Utah)

 About my Heavenly Father (Brigham City, Utah)  

They are like a university (Ogden, Utah)

 Filled with knowledge from on high. (Bountiful, Utah)

For my family here on earth and those who went before. 

(Salt Lake City, Utah)

They give me the opportunity (Jordan River, Utah)

To serve my family (Quirrh Mountain, Utah)

In ways that they cannot do. (Draper, Utah)

I love to see the temple (Timpanogas, Utah)

I love my family (Provo, Utah)

I love those who came before (Provo City Center, Utah)

I love those who follow me. (Payson, Utah)

 Thank you for the temple and- (Manti, Utah)

 The opportunities they provide (Cedar City, Utah)

For those who fill their walls (Saint George, Utah)

With faith from on high (Las Vegas, Nevada)

Service is a Blessing to the Giver

Today my visiting teacher brought be this beautiful pink rose from her garden.  She shared a message from April 2017 General Conference by Bonnie H. Cordon, second counselor in the Primary General Presidency.  I want to share one of the stories Sister Cordon shared about Amy Wright.

"On October 29, 2015, I found out I had cancer.  My cancer had a 17 percent survival rate.  The odds weren't good.  I knew that I would be in for the fight of my life.  I was determined to give it everything I had not just for myself but, more important, for my family.  In December, I began chemo.  I was familiar with many of the side effects of cancer fighting drugs, but I did not know that I was possible for someone to be so sick and still be alive.

"At one point, I declared chemotherapy a human rights violation.  I told my husband that I was done.  I quit!  I was not going back to the hospital.  In his wisdom, my sweetheart patiently listened and then responded, 'Well, then we need to find someone to serve.'"

What?  Did he miss the fact that his wife wad cancer and couldn't take one more bout of nausea or one more moment of excruciating pain?

Amy goes on to explain:  "My symptoms gradually worsened to where I generally had one or two 'OK' days a month (when) I could somewhat function as a living breathing human being.  It was those days when out family would find ways to serve."

On one of those day, Amy's family distributed chemo comfort kits to other patients, kits filled with items to cheer and to help relieve symptoms.  When Amy couldn't sleep, she would think of ways to brighten someone else's day.  Some ways were big, but many were just small notes or text messages of encouragement and love.  On those nights when her pain was to great to sleep, she would lie in bed with her iPad and search for ordinances that needed to be completed on behalf of her deceased ancestors.  Miraculously the pain would subside, and she was able to  endure.

"Service," Amy testifies, "saved my life.  Where I ultimately found my strength to keep moving forward was the happiness I discovered in trying to relieve the suffering of those around me.  I looked forward t our service projects with great joy and anticipation.  Still to this day it seems like such a strange paradox.  You would think that someone who was bald, poisoned, and fighting for *her) life was justified in thinking that 'right now it is all about me.'  However, when I thought about myself, my situation, my suffering and pain, the world became very dark and depressing.  When my focus turned to others, there was light, hope, strength, courage, and joy.  I know that this is possible because of the sustaining healing, and enabling power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ."

Amy came to trust in the Lord as she come to know Him.  If she had leaned even a little to her own understanding, she might have rejected the idea that she serve.  service enabled her to withstand her pain and afflictions and to live this scripture "when ye are in the service of your fellow beings ye are only in the service of your God."

I am grateful for the opportunities that I have been given to serve others in my life.  Service helps me see the good things in life and count my many blessings. 

Christmas 2016

It is hard to believe that another years has passed.  This year as we put up our family Christmas tree it brought back memories from long ago.  I decided our tree is a memory tree.  Some of the memories found on our tree that are special to me are reminisced about in this blog post.

 The star at the top of the tree is a memory star.  Our first year in Wisconsin we had one little boy who was about 18 months old.  We had no money so decided to not have a Christmas tree.  Our friend, LaRee Maughn, worked in the office at the Oconomowoc High School.  When school was out for the year she brought the office Christmas tree, lights and all to our home for Christmas.  The top decoration had been taken home.  It look funny without a traditional star on top.  Terry helped me cut out a  six point star from a cardboard box.  We covered it with tin foil and found a picture of the manger from a Christmas card we had received.  This funny Jewish style six pointed star has graced our tree ever since that Christmas in 1971.

 One of the years in Wisconsin the Waukesha Ward Relief Society Homemaking activity was making candy cane bead ornaments for the Christmas tree.  They were simple to make.  Three or four year old children were successful.  We have enjoyed these candy canes ornaments every year since.  Notice the red and green bead candy cane on our tree this year.

While in Wisconsin I had the opportunity to make toy soldier ornaments in homemaking.  These were made out of match sticks and cloths pegs.  They have decorated our tree all these years though some have lost arms in the battles of the Christmas tree with little hands in control.

As our children started school we had Christmas ornaments come home for our tree.  This gold ball is one that Lynn made in Kindergarten.

Gwen has one of her Christmas ornaments still on our tree.

Cheryl brought home this Rudolf the red nose reindeer from Brownies many years ago.   

Weston made this green Christmas tree ornament in second grade.  

Louis made this red Christmas bell ornament in first grade.

Wooden train ornaments made by all 5 of our cub scout sons hang on our tree.  Do you think this one was made by Jonathan?  Some have names on them and some of them don't. 

Daniel brought this ornament home from the primary nursery at church.  Love the picture of him there.

Our children married and started to move away and start their own homes.  They sent home special memories from their new locations.

Our grandchildren have added to our tree.  This snowflake was painted by Kimberly when she was very young. 

The Rudolf was made by Lydia.  Notice she traced her hand to made Rudolf.

Today our mailbox was fulled with one more special ornament and memory from our life.  An ornament made from the wood of our dead apricot tree.  Thank you Joe. 

I have wondered about trading our old Christmas tree for one much smaller but as I look at the memories it contains., I think it is a keeper for another year.

Merry Christmas

And best wishes for the 

2017 New Year

Man's Work, God's Work

Have you ever wondered what mans work on earth is according to our Father in Heaven?  The Doctrine and Covenants 11:20 states, "Behold, this is your work, to keep my commandment, yea, with all your might, mind and strength."   

God also tell his children what his work is.   The Pearl of Great Price, Moses 1:39, states, "For behold, this is my work and my glory-to bring to pass the immortality and eternal life of men."