The Tops of the Mountains

Over the past several weeks my thoughts have been drawn to the temple. Perhaps it is because we have recently attended the open house and dedication of the Draper temple. Or maybe it is because the Spirit of Elijah has once again filled my heart and I'm back searching out my ancestors, finding those who might have fallen through the cracks and are anxiously awaiting my discovery to seal them to their loved ones. Maybe my yearnings are because I know that soon I will have an opportunity to volunteer for the Oquirrh Mountain Temple open house.

Whatever the reason, I have turned much of my reading time to The Holy Temple by Boyd K. Packer and The House of the Lord by James E. Talmage. I'm feeling the necessity to acquaint myself more fully with understanding.

I have visited many temple sites without the opportunity of entering those sacred edifices. We stood on the site of the Nauvoo temple mere months before the announcement was made that it would be rebuilt.

As a child my first real acquaintance with temples was in Manti. We would drive to Sanpete County every summer to visit with my Dad's family. It was a contest among us kids as to who could see the spires of the temple first. As a result, I always wanted to be married in the Manti temple. Over the years I've seen many temples built in Utah and have been able to do ordinances in each of them. The spirit has attended me and my cup has slowly been filled with understanding.

It is always a thrill to add a visit to the temple whenever possible as we vacation.

Over the course of the years I have lived in the Salt Lake and Jordan River Temple Districts. Soon will will be assigned to the new Oquirrh Mountain district, just over three miles down the road. What a blessing!

Though I have had incredible experiences in each temple I have visited, the Salt Lake Temple will always hold a special place in my heart. It was in this temple that, as a 13-year old girl, I knelt at the altar and was sealed to my Mom and Dad. Nine years later I would return to receive my endowment as I entered the mission field. Finally, in 1976 I was married, through the sealing power of the priesthood, to my eternal mate, Clive.

In 1995, as the Young Women president I penned a verse that I hoped would give inspiration to the young women as they prepared for the temple. I share it as my testimony of my love of the temple and the sacredness of its purpose.

Sacred Tears

Peace and serenity
are mine to cherish
as I enter the portals
of the temple.
An immersion,
an endowment,
a family sealing
for myself or for others
gone on before
unlock the gate
into eternity
And I weep.
The tears I shed
are those of joy
for knowledge received,
prayers answered,
a testimony strengthened.
And as the angels rejoice
my heart fills
to overflowing,
smiling as I wipe away
my sacred tears.

Pay It Forward Talent Challenge

The Challenge!

My good friend, Janell, inspired me to try this challenge.

It sounds like so much fun!

The first three people to leave a comment on this post will receive, at some point during the year a handmade gift from me. What it will be and when it will arrive will be a total surprise! The catch is that you must participate as well. Before you leave your comment, write up a pay it forward post on your blog to keep the fun going. Then come back, let me know you're going to play and sit back and anticipate the arrival of your gift! Come and play!

Since I seldom get many comments, I'll expand my offer to more than 3, as long as it doesn't become too overwhelming!

aN unliKely obJect lesSon

Saturday was a wonderfully relaxing day. I travelled to Garland with a group of sisters from my Ward to soak in the healing waters of the hot springs. The air was frigid, but the pool was warm and the sun was shining. So why, on the trip home, did I feel discomfort and tightness in my neck and shoulders? As the night wore on the tightness moved to my chest and I felt a passing "sense of foreboding."
Sunday morning I awoke with a doozy of a migraine. It was bad enough that I knew I had to either forego my fast, eat, and take an Excederin or stay home. I chose the former and by the time our afternoon meetings began the pain was minimal.

In Relief Society our President was giving a lesson on Service and was asking for examples of service rendered by and in behalf of the sisters of our Ward. I was in the midst of offering some comments when an intense pain stopped me mid sentence. It felt like a demolition ball had smacked me in the back of the head and an explosion of pain was crushing my skull. I grabbed my neck with one hand and the chair next to me with the other to hold me up. I was in such agony that it was all I could do to ask that someone go find Clive. As a member of the presidency, I was seated in the front of the room, so I was in full vision of everyone. Suddenly, through my pain, I could detect a bustle of activity. I felt the loving hands of two sisters massaging my neck as another thrust some cold, wet paper towels into my hands to use as a compress. Another offered a beautiful prayer in my behalf. The magnitude of my pain was such that I couldn't move to another room, so my priesthood blessing was given in full view of the sisters. We had walked to church, so a sister whose car was parked just outside of the Relief Society room handed Clive her car keys and we were on our way to the Jordan Valley Medical Center.

Immediately upon arriving at the emergency room I was wheeled into an examination room, given an IV, hooked up to heart monitors, and given a dose of morphine for the pain and something for nausea. I was pretty sure that I was either in the midst of a stroke or a heart attack since I had symptoms of both. I passed a basic neurological test without difficulty, so began a grueling evening of tests to rule out stroke, aneurism, heart attack, and any other horrendous malady that may have taken over my sense of well-being. For SEVEN long hours I endured a CT scan, MRI, MRA, and lumbar puncture. In spite of three doses of morphine and anti-nausea medicine, the pain and vomiting never stopped or even decreased in intensity. Finally, I was sent home in the same condition that I had arrived with no relief in sight.



On Monday morning Clive took me to see our chiropractor to see if he could give me an adjustment that would relieve a little of the agony. It helped take the edge off, but we found that my C-1 was completely out of alignment ... seriously so. I HATE using drugs to cover up symptoms, but I was becoming desperate for relief, so Clive called our family doctor to see if he could prescribe something for me. It was Tuesday morning before the paperwork from the hospital finally arrived on my doctor's desk and I was able to be examined by him. He made an immediate diagnosis of Acute Occipital Neuralgia. Apparently the pressure and tension in my neck caused the nerves to become inflamed. Those nerves wrap all the way around the skull, thus causing the pain.

For the past week I have had daily adjustments and my C-1 is s-l-o-w-l-y moving back into place. I'm on steroids to reduce inflammation, Naproxen for pain, and a muscle relaxer to help me sleep. (I never did fill the prescription for Lortab.) The pain hasn't disappeared, but it has been reduced to a 4 or 5 on a scale of 10. The nausea is gone and my sensitivity to light and sound are much improved. On Tuesday evening I was engaged in a conversation with my Dad, siblings, and grandparents who have passed away, wishing that they would come for me. I was fairly certain that death would be a welcome relief. As of today, however, I'm thinking that just being pain-free might be enough.

I'm bored to tears from lying around, unable to do anything, but can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. I've been served by my family and friends and am grateful for all the faith and prayers that have been offered in my behalf.

Next time, however, I think I'll choose NOT to be the object lesson!

Verda's Girls

We've missed our Girls' Days and decided that with the new year we would get back on track.

I made a monthly schedule and sent them out, hoping that we might be better at reserving one day a month for getting together.

Wanting to follow the counsel of the Prophet, we decided to begin the new year by doing some dry pack canning to increase our food storage.

Of course, there are always conflicts, so our group of eight was reduced to three ...

Lorie Jo had a Stake Women's Conference assignment ...

Marisa was basking in the sun on the beaches of Hawaii ...

Melanie was ill ...

and Nancy and Mom weren't able to join us.

So ... Sheryl, Kristen, and I set out to can up a storm.

We weren't the only ones anxious to start out the new year on a note of obedience and industry, so we had a bit of a wait before we could get started.

My neighbor, Michelle, was alone, so we asked her to join our team.

Together we filled nearly 100 cans, filling our own orders as well as those of Melanie and her parents. Mars arrived from Logan just in time to pay for his goods and help transport boxes and bags back to the house.

It was a great way to spend a Girls' day.

We can't wait for next month when we'll gather to make aprons and nursing covers.

OUT with the OLD & IN with the NEW!

Change is inevitable.
We always know it is coming.
Sometimes we even look forward with anticipation to something new and exciting!
However, often the changes come when we are least expecting them.

I've been driving a 1994 Toyota Camry for the past 6 years.
It has been a great car for me and I've become quite attached to it.
Because of its age and excessive miles (206,000+), I knew it was time for a trade-in.
I planned to make a new purchase sometime this spring or summer ...
AFTER I found a buyer for mine.
After all, it would make a great student car and bring me in a little extra cash.



A couple of weeks ago my heater stopped working
and I noticed some steam coming out from under the hood.
We figured a trip to the auto shop would be a quick fix for my trusty car.
Imagine my dismay when our mechanic called to announce that my little Camry was DOA.
Only a new engine would give it even a remote possibility of survival.
I knew that the cost of resurrection was too great, so we solicited the help of my brother-in-law, Scott, who buys cars on the auction.

On Wednesday we drove to Ogden where I wrote out the biggest check I've ever written to purchase my new
2006 Pontiac Grand Prix.
It is in excellent condition and has more power than I'll ever need.
I'm still trying to figure out all the gizmos and gadgets.


And thus ends another era.

Sibling Gathering

It isn't very often that we have all of my siblings WITH their spouses together at the same time.
So...when we knew that Jo and Rendal were going to be in town for Christmas, we made sure to plan a day for us all to be together.
We met at Nancy and Bruce's and enjoyed an entire afternoon and evening of chatting, laughing, and exchanging gifts.


I gave the pillows I had made, which were a big hit. Nancy gave Jolene and me some fun aprons, and Jo made us all a photo birthday calendar. Mom got some new bed sheets from us, an up-to-date Atlas from Jo, and Nancy organized all her photos into incredible albums. It was truly a gift of time and love. I'm still awestruck by all the work she put into the task.
Since Jo, Nancy and I laugh so much when we're together, I bought a laughing monkey key chain for each so that we'll be reminded of all the good times when we can't be together or just need a good chuckle in our lives.
I hated for the evening to end and look forward to our next get-together.

Christmas With the Family

It was almost a relief when Christmas finally arrived.
It meant that anything that wasn't done wouldn't get done.
Now all the preparations and projects were in the past and I could settle down to enjoy the moment.


The family gathered for our traditional Christmas Eve feast.
I tried once to change the tradition and was nearly disowned on the spot!
We all dress up, pose for a family portrait, eat a dinner comprising of honey baked ham, potatoes, veggie, hot rolls or bread, rainbow Christmas jello salad, and peppermint ice cream dessert.
This year Spencer's girlfriend, Kirsti, and his roommate, Terry, joined us.
Our program consisted of a tap dance by Avery & Gracyn and a guitar solo by Jayden. It was splendiferous!
After a short video presentation of The Women Who Knew Jesus, the sibs and grands exchanged gifts.
Clive and I were given gift certificates to Hale Centre Theatre and The Cracker Barrel and a framed family portrait. What truly awesome and appropriate gifts!
Spencer knew that Clive and I were going through withdrawal our first year as empty-nesters, so thoughtfully spent the night at our house so that we wouldn't wake up alone. He doesn't know how much that meant to me.


Just as we awoke on Christmas morning (6:30 am), the electricity went out. I lit candles in every room of the house and Clive lit a kerosene lantern and read next to it all morning. Finally, after two hours we decided that we could probably see well enough to go to the basement to open our gifts. Kevin & Kristen arrived at 9:00 and by 10:30 the electricity was back on. It had affected 42,000 homes. Mars, Melanie, and the girls arrived about 11:00 and we all enjoyed our Christmas morning sticky buns, hot chocolate, and scrambled eggs. The weather was horrid all day ... constant snow and high winds. After a much-needed nap, we ventured out to Lehi to see Sheryl's family. Marisa and Jonathan braved the elements and drove to Nevada to see the Larsen's.
Our gifts were accepted and appreciated, but all in all, having my loved ones near was the highlight of the day!