Beneath the Wraps

                In April I was asked to outline the RS lessons to correspond with Come Follow Me lessons.   I had only my notes and the titles of the 2020 “Don’t Miss This” Episodes. It was right after general conference and so I didn’t have the titles of the talks we had picked, only the speakers. Of course I prayed for inspiration on where to put the 11 or 12 conference talks that we had picked for our lessons.   There were six that were definitely set in stone but wasn’t quite certain how to place the other talks.   This week’s theme was spot on as the reading in Come Follow Me was on the Strippling Warriors (starting here ) and the RS lesson was from this talk .  

                 I have had ideas for posting  – but have not made the effort to                 communicate what ’ s in my brain to  my fingers to type out what I thought.              It ’ s usually gone before the  computer has booted.   I am so out of it during                                the summer.   Either fatigued  due to the heat or knocked into  a coma by the wind, fan and/or air conditioning.                   Summer came early this year.                   It was in May.      And now it ’ s August, but it             ...

           It has cooled off severely.   High today is supposed to reach 67.   How awesome is that?     I wish that were the high all year long.

                 Since moving to Oregon I have taken a fitness each summer except for 2020.  The class has averaged 10 – 16 people except for this year.  Mass turnouts.  Each week we have had an average of two to six people who are new to the class or haven ’ t attended for several years.  If everybody that came to class at least one time this year were to show up for a pool party, I suspect we ’ d have between thirty and forty people (I am guessing closer to forty) Fortunately not everybody who has attended all summer long turns out every day because that is a lot of people for a workout group.         I don ’ t recall which year the instructor decided to introduce the “ pool party ” idea that would take place the last Saturday before the lifeguards returned to school and the pool closed.   I have only gone to two.   Last year the pool party was closed due to the hazardous ...

                I have been quite lame about posting to my blog this summer.  The weather wipes me out.  Either I am so hot that I can’t think or I’m being sent to a coma by the a/c or fans . . . . or winds.  I have been feeling blessed with the lack of smoke that we have seen this month – although the last two days have brought a haze that I can barely see.  Richard and Jaime can smell it but I cannot.  I’ve had the windows open and just thought it was overcast.                I’ve been checking the fire map and have not noticed any fires along I5.   Richard says this is blowing from the east of us and is the worst fire in all of Oregon history.   All the fires have been given names – usually after the area it is burning.   This one is called the Durkee Fire – just west of Boise, Idaho ( here ).   Oh, my heck!     ...

             The last ward we attended in Utah was called Granger 14 th .   Boundaries were exceptionally weird, but we did have enough activity that there were two adult Sunday Schools. I don’t recall anyone having multiple callings.   It was a good ward.           We had only been here for a couple of years when we returned to Utah for my late daughter-in-law’s funeral.   We had been invited to stay for a linger longer at the Granger 14 th .   A lot of people had moved out of the ward in that two years time.   A LOT.   I asked someone if a lot of members were on vacation.   Looking around she claimed that most of the ward was in attendance.   The ward had shrunk.           When Jaime and I had gone back for a visit last year we were told that the Granger 14 th had dissolved. That's too bad.  Understandable, but s...

  According to my Cryptogram puzzles Pope Francis said “God Never gives someone a gift they are not capable of receiving . . .” referring to the gift of Christmas, but I took it to another level and posted the following to the RS page: “ God never gives us gifts that we are not capable of receiving. He never gives us a calling that we are unable to fulfill. If we are willing and ask in faith for His loving guidance we can perform as an instrument in His hands. We can go from an unpopped kernal to desirable popcorn that we were meant to be. ” The last part of the quote comes from Ben Wilcox “Come Follow Me” lesson for next week ( here )           I know that there are people who struggle with their callings as they feel inadequate in the position due to their lack of knowledge or being able to relate to those they serve or those they serve with.   I do not foresee that in my current position or presidency, but I know when I was...