Beneath the Wraps

  There is a great difference between Black and white Day and night Sunshine and Rain Happiness and Emotional Pain There is also a tremendous difference Between the church and the gospel of Jesus Christ Sadly there are those who base their testimony upon historical figures or other members of the church, and when imperfection is revealed there are many that have gone astray.   There appears to have been some big hoopla lately about the plural marriage among some of the brethren in Church history – particularly Joseph Smith who doesn’t appear to have been honest with how it was done. Joseph Smith was the first prophet in this dispensation.   The Church of Jesus Christ had not been on the earth for 15 centuries.   Cut the guy a break.   What example did he have to follow?   God had given him instructions.   Sometimes he followed them to the letter.   Sometimes, unfortunately, he felt that he knew better than God...

Every year my family would go on vacation.   Mom and dad would sit us down and ask us what we’d like to do and we were allowed to give our input.   I think Corey was only eight or nine the year that we decided to go up through Canada.   We decided what Providences we would visit, what sites we would see and the route we would travel.    I think we hit Seattle, Washington the second day and Corey had added seeing the Space Needle to our agenda.   Corey had obviously researched it out.   Apparently he had a map in his head and kept on saying: “We need to do this.”   “We need to do that.” None of us had ever been there before and didn’t know what to expect – but Corey was determined and it was because of him that we were able to explore the shadow room, and the echoed phone, and the pulley and a bunch of cool stuff that we would have not even known was there – but Corey was well read.   He became our tour guide...

Earlier this week, Jenna came home all excited and folded an open box into a closed one, added a face and the hearts that she and her friend had cut out of colored paper.   She said there was a contest and she came up with the idea of turning her box into the school mascot. On Wednesday she was crying when I picked her up – disappointed that one class did not collect all the needed points and thus they wouldn’t be having the Valentine’s party she had so looked forward to.  On Thursday I said she should take   her box and prepared Valentines anyway – just in case. She threw up in class and so was taken to the office and put in the sick room to wait until somebody arrived. My phone was in my pocket.   Unfortunately it had been turned off.   Roland was on his cell phone talking to someone.   Randy was in class.   Carrie was at work.   Evidently the staff had gone through ev...

         I don ’ t know how old I was when Grandma showed us the game Mr. Ree.   I vaguely remember seeing the game.   I don ’ t know if my cousins and I attempted to play it – I think we did, but soon became bored with it.   We didn ’ t really understand what we were supposed to do.          As I have researched the Internet to learn if there were really any similarities between Mr. Ree and Clue,   Mr. Ree sounds like it may have been more challenging or fun to play – but I could be wrong.   I just remember thinking the layout of the Mr. Ree board was similar to the mansion set for clue. Of course there are different versions of each game – changing design and pieces every decade or so for whatever reason.   This is what I remember from my childhood:     Recently my son, Tony, and his wife gave me a new addition of clue...

Recently Jenna and I checked some books out from the library.   One of these books was called Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Tai – a story written in a free verse and dated as would a journal or diary.   The experience of Ha (the narrator) reminds me of Thuan Huynh’s own life as recorded in April Rain – a book I received for a birthday almost seven years ago.   At the time Thuan was working at the same office as Roland.   He autographed the book for me and I started reading it and was intrigued with his life’s journey and for the huge sacrifice that his mother had made for him and his sister and for the love he had for his family members – particularly his mom and his sister.   And for the courage that each of them endured Though it is an easy book and can hold the reader’s interest to move quickly through the pages, I am still quite a slow reader (though I did read it quicker than most books while it was in my possession).   I s...

My brother just recently shared this post on his facebook page: When Mom was 13 her parents divorced. When she was 16 her mom remarried. Both of these events were very difficult for Mom for reasons I won't go into here. In this entry of 1982 she says the following: "It was also during my teens that I made some vows: 1) I would never raise my children in an apartment 2) With all my heart I would do everything to avoid a divorce 3) I would do my best to be home with my children 4) I would try not to lay guilt on my children 5) My children would be involved in family councils in which they could present their ideas." Check, check, check, check, and check, Mom. Well done! I remember mom clipping coupons from the back of the carton of Highland Milk.  Even on a budget, those coupons provided us opportunity for going to the zoo, amusement parks, and so forth.  Mom and dad held strong family ties and taught us values – though we didn’t know ...

Our theme for this month is on the plan of salvation.   I had wanted to get the class members’ input if there was a certain topic each would like to focus on.   Subject suggestions were on faith, agency and music to name a few.   I absolutely LOVE music and the concept behind the hymns and how to use the hymn book and so forth.   But as the month started, I just didn’t feel inspired to do the lesson on music.   I actually had one beam at the subject of music.   That was the same week of ward conference.   The musical number was beautiful – a medley of “Come Follow Me” and “Lord, I would Follow Thee” Very uplifting.   Scott got up after the musical and made comment that he hates going after the musical number.   I can’t say as I blame him.   The Spirit is often felt quite strongly through music.   When I returned home from the meeting I felt impressed to create a “Name That  Tune Hymn ...

  All three or my boys were in high school at the time.   (I don ’ t remember if I had given birth to Jenna yet) They were 15, 16, and 17.   My husband often referred (and still does) to the 15 year old as Casper as he had a way of disappearing for every chore. One night Biff and Tony were washing dishes when Randy went on one of his disappearing jaunts.   He had excused himself to get music – or perhaps it was already playing – his idea of music anyway. Biff and Tony listened to Soft Jazz and oldies.   Randy listened to what kids his age would listen to – I guess.   Still listens to bizarreness with no beat really.   I don ’ t care for what he thinks of as music.   Apparently neither did his brothers. As Biff and Tony (who are both older than Randy – but only by one of two years) continued to do dishes they went into discussion about how Randy was of another generation.   I started laughing.   So they trie...

I think most counties in Utah use a numbering system surrounding their “main street” I don’t actually know what the focal point is in Logan or Provo for example, but I do know that Temple Square is the central point in Salt Lake city and its surrounding areas.  Surrounding Temple Square are four streets called South Temple, West Temple, North Temple and Main Street.   Each street is numbered thereafter according to whatever direction – but starting in the three digits.       For example 1 st north is also 100 north.   I know, it’s confusing for those who don’t drive it everyday, but for those of us who live here, it is what it is. So if I grew up on 311 E 7980 S, I would be approximately 80 blocks south of the temple and a little over 3 blocks east. My mom grew up in San Francisco but still had family in Utah.   She used to feel sorry for children in Utah having to learn a difficult address like 2530 S 500...