Beneath the Wraps

             As a former sister missionary I remember introducing non members to strong members to be fellowshipped. Finding strong priesthood members who would remain in the ward long after the missionaries had gone.   Wouldn’t it be more meaningful to be baptized by a fellow member and still have that connection down the road.   I remember one of my brothers making it a goal NOT to physically baptize those he taught but to pass the reign onto another.   Not that it’s a choice for just anybody to baptize.   One must have authority and has to be interviewed the same at the individual to be baptized.           Missionary baptisms are handled by the missionaries while primary baptisms arrangements are made by primary leaders and/or parents depending on the size of the ward or stake and the amount of children being baptized.   I remember making the arrangements for Jaime’s baptism bef...

         Four grandchildren were added to George and Peggy Bird‘s list of grandchildren in 1998.   I believe all four were in September.   Three biological and my niece who was an honorary member as Ellen and Kimball did not have cousins on either side of the family before Candy was born.   I think she was the eldest of the four cousins. I know she was the largest.           Before Christmas, Birds had held their annual Christmas pageant.   Ellen reluctantly played Mary (as the only two other girls at the time were babies) and held one of the twins in her arms.   He was wailing.   I remember someone saying that Baby Jesus wasn’t being very reverent.     Sarah Fitch - LDS clipart           Corey and I had to excuse ourselves from the pageant as we had another commitment – I don’t even remember what.   Whatever it was...

          I can't even seem to pinpoint the month when Marva and Shelly came back into our lives - or even why. Roland would cram gospel truths down their throats and Marva really did want to learn.  Shelly was more interested in having a father-figure in her life.  Unlike her mom, she is not interested in boys.  But neither of them are in relationships.  Marva is usually quite positive but doesn't know when to give her mouth a rest.  Shelly is too needy and clingy.            I believe the Elders started teaching her in November.  We had set up an appointment in our home.  We were stood up twice when she was having the discussions in our home.  I don't know how many more times she was stood up after they moved her to the church.  In this case, it was Marva who had chased after the Elders rather than the other way around. She begged for them to start teaching her ...

                     Today’s challenge is to think about the best parts of my life while waiting in line or at a stop light.  I am done waiting in line this season.  There is one traffic light in Myrtle Creek and one in Tri-City.  I am never at either light long enough to reflect my life.  The best part of my life may be now or since we moved to Oregon because I am not so uptight.  I miss my sibs and families, but overall, I really am happier living in Oregon.                 Day four I had a problem.  I wrote a lot of detail about why.  Roland wanted to go shopping.  I don’t like shopping.  I try to remain positive.  It was a Saturday in December. He wanted to go furniture shopping.  He wanted to take Jenna with us.  The idea of shopping with both Roland...

          There was a Relief Society luncheon yesterday afternoon.  The tables were decorated so nicely.  There was LOTS of food.  I'm quite certain that there were leftovers, but I had gone back home to give Roland a message as he wasn't answering his phone.           I had returned to assist with the clean-up but was told I wasn't needed.  There were several who had helped clean-up the food table to redecorate for Vanessa's shower.  It's fortunate that both were scheduled so closely together as I don't believe the luncheon would have received the turn-out that they did.  At least half who had attended were there for Vanessa's baby shower - which received a good turn-out as well.           I almost didn't go to the shower as we are down to only one car and Roland had a need greater than my own.  But Sister...

                   We went to a primary baptism on Saturday.   I was surprised to see Azure’s dad dressed in white. According to Hannah, her husband had been inactive for eight years.   Evidently Azure had talked him into coming back so that he could baptize him – which he did.               The baptism was a lot more reverent than the last primary baptism Jenna and I had attended.   Roland actually went with us to this one. There was still the visiting between the confirmation and the baptism though everyone seemed to be more respectful and non visiting the two times we had waited in the chapel.   I don’t know why the visitation bothers me so much, but it does.               Jenna had brought along an activity book to keep herself entertained. ...

I don’t know who suggested to the primary children to stand at the front (in Sacrament meeting) with their arms folded to set an example for those that were entering the chapel. I didn’t have a problem with it – except when Parker would try to outrun whatever other child was headed to the stand.  But as long as the children were on the stand with their arms folded, there really was a reverence there – though it seemed to vanish the minute they sat down. A visiting high councilman had given the command to the bishopric that he didn’t want the children up there.  Maybe because he knew on a first hand account that some of those standing there ordinarily do NOT represent reverence – though the three in particular (the three most irreverent – actually there are four – which is just about half of the primary) come from very devout homes, it’s just that reverence has taken a back seat.  The more we try to enforce it, the stronger the misbehavior becomes.  I say “...

          My mom said that when she was baptized, she wore a white slip and panties.  She said it was embarrassing. She was almost nine.           I find it odd that mom has no such records of the baptisms of her own children.  I don’t recall having seen a single photograph of any of us.  And yet it seems like it would have been important enough to get at least the two younger of my sibs.             I remember what I was wearing.  How pertinent – huh?  Mom had made a pair of white culottes – they were short, not the standard length they have today.  She might have made them because she didn’t appreciate having only worn a slip and panties herself.           She also made a yellow gingham maxi dress which I wore to Church the next day. That is the sum of all...

          This month started off with a funeral.  Roland’s eldest sister had passed away unexpectedly.  But our final moments with her were spectacular.  We had gone to visit the family to celebrate mom’s birthday (which I have mentioned in an earlier post .)                  We are all so much grateful that Roland was able to return and that we have been able to meet our expenses – though it has set us back in other ways.  We have been blessed. And yesterday represented new life as Jenna entered into the waters of baptism.  Something she had been looking forward to for well over five months, as we have attended several others.  She didn’t think it fair that all her friends were getting baptized before she was – although that hasn’t really been the case.  (Have I mentioned that my little girl is quite the drama queen?...