Beneath the Wraps

           Tithing is definitely NOT a logical commandment.  But oh what tremendous blessings follow if we follow the promptings.           Two examples of tithing shared in Testimony meeting last week.   The first is a recent convert who upon talking with his sister learned that his niece would be turning 11 on her next birthday.   She wanted a violin.   The speaker didn’t know why she had mentioned it as she was aware of his financial struggles and so of course a violin was out of the question.           He wanted to pay tithing but did not have the finances to do so.   As he was headed out the door to go to church, he grabbed his piggy bank on an impulse.   He said he offered his tithing in all the change that the piggy bank held – about five dollars – maybe more.   It was all that he had.       ...

                We left the Marino Valley at 4:00 a.m.  We managed to miss any signs of congested traffic.  The heaviest we saw was going through Pasadena – but it was on the other side.  Our side was okay – the entire way home.  How blessed we have been!   We stopped at Santa Nella.  Richard recognized the town we were in.  He pointed out Anderson’s split pea soup restaurant where we had eaten two and a half years ago when we had gone on our Disneyland (extremely hot) vacation. We saw tons of hazelnut trees during our drive And got several pictures of Mount Shasta. This was taken about four hours before we got home This was taken on the day we left Oregon and let us not forget the countless rest stops we saw

  After church we returned to the house to change and drove toward Casa Grande as it is the halfway between Kevin’s house and Tucson where Richard’s sister is.   We met them for dinner at Cracker Barrel.   Met Sue’s new husband and her therapy dog, Pita.   Conner finally had the opportunity of opening all of his presents.     On Monday morning Kevin and Richard left the house as Kevin had arranged for Richard to have a job interview.   A second interview was set up for later that afternoon.   We said our good-byes and left for the second interview.   I was to wait in the car but managed to pop in and out as it was rather warm and the interview went for an hour and a half.   I don’t know if we’ll be moving to Arizona or not.   But need to keep in mind the message of Tracy Browning’s talk and how it made me feel.   I am ready to take that leap of faith. We chose to go back through California as it provided more places to st...

       Twice a year the presidency of either Elder’s Quorum or Relief Society (at least in our ward) are asked to pick out three talks from the latest general conference that will most benefit the members.   I’ve been in the presidency for six and a half years under three different presidents and have always picked Tracy Browning (well, since she's been in) as one of the talks I would like to see taught in Relief Society. Since she was ordained to the primary in April 2022, Sister Browning’s talk has made the list . . . except for this last Conference. I was the only one who had picked it. And yet I had several opportunities to slide it in.   Each time thinking, “ This is a great talk but maybe one that won’t resonate with the sisters; another talk may provide them with what they need.”       We went to Kevin’s ward on Sunday February 23. I think the chapel and Relief Society Rooms squished together were the same size of our entire build...

                Kevin had asked Richard if he would consider visiting him at his house in Arizona.  Kevin’s plane wasn’t scheduled to leave until after 5:00 pm.  But Richard and I left the hotel at 5:30 a.m.  Kevin said his good-byes and returned to bed.  Reagan did not even know we were going.         It took us maybe five or six hours before we made it to Kevin’s house.   We had made a detour to fix a chip that was made in our windshield.   It hadn’t occurred to me that it was Saturday and most auto-glass places seem to be closed. Thankfully the chip didn’t spread to cracks. We were able to visit with Tara and the two older boys.   Tara had to go grocery shopping and took Richard and the baby.   I stayed with the boys.   We colored.   They showed me their room and their toys.    It was Conner’s birthday that day but as Kevin and Reagan weren’t home the opening of g...

  Friday was my favorite day that we spent in Vegas . I don’t know whose idea it was to go to IHOP but Kevin found one that we could walk to.   We left the hotel and walked to the corner of Sahara and Las Vegas Blvd. and headed north.   Reagan was the only one who had a sweatshirt but the rest of us could have dressed warmer as the wind was blowing cold.   In Las Vegas.   Who would have thunk? The gift shop was closed on our way to eating, but we managed to hit it on the way back – well – three of us did.   Kevin returned to the hotel to meet with his “buddies” and a group of followers.   Reagan chose to hang with her grandparents that she hardly ever sees (maybe four times in nine years?   That’s pretty sad) souvenirs for Jaime I don’t know how long we were there.   We purchased socks and cards for Jaime.   I got a hat as my ears were cold and Richard purchased a sweatshirt.   I also got a tee shirt and a pair of matching high ...

 Though Richard and I had been there before, Kevin and Reagan had not.  Thank you to my brother, Steven for getting us tickets.

          My son, Kevin, has a youtube channel called “The Racing Game” (see here ) and his purpose for being in Vegas was for the die cast convention held at the Ahrens.   As we arrived a day before he did we had experienced two different rooms.   Our first one was nicer overall.   The bed was larger but the refrigerator was only half the size as the second room.           I did not get a huge amount of pictures of or at the hotel.   We picked Kevin and Reagan up from the airport. Before we went out to eat we went to the Omega Mart where Steven works. I did take quite a few pictures at the Omega Mart and Area 15.

 Before entering into the Omega mart, one must pass through Area 15.  Here are some pics taken both inside and outside Area 15