June 23, 2016

Last Friday we were planning on attending the Temple when Elder Merrill received a call from a couple that were interested in buying one of the cars he has for sale.  They came and tried out a Toyota and a Subaru and they decided that they wanted the Toyota.  He now has 4 cars left to sell. 

We went to a few garage sales on Saturday with the Spencer’s.  We have had over 2 weeks without rain and the forecast doesn’t show signs of rain either.  We are sad that everything is getting so dry and yellow.  Elder Merrill mentioned that he would need to buy a sprinkler for the hose at our home and the next sale had one just perfect for us.  We have had to run the water to keep things a little green.  We are praying that more rain comes soon. We have noticed that some places do have sprinkler systems (the mall) and that they have resorted to using them.  There are some farms around with circles and they are being used this year also.  We hope it rains so the pageant will be green and lush!

On Sunday we left church after Sacrament meeting and went to Buffalo to the VA hospital to visit with one of our home teaching brothers.  He had been given medication for knee replacement and then he already had lots of other meds.  They found out that he was taking 18 different medications and that they didn’t all work together.  They began to adjust his medications and he began to feel better.  We had a nice visit with him and we can now say that we have been inside of a VA hospital.  (huge from the outside, but very plain inside)

On Monday Elder Merrill helped President Francis by going to Dansville to pick up two of the Elder’s that were returning home.  That evening we prepared a meal for them.  We served baked chicken, potatoes and gravy, corn on the cob, green salad, rolls, and lemon pound cake with ice cream.  They liked it so well we made it on Tuesday night for the new missionaries arriving.  When they come to the mission they go to the mission home and eat and stay overnight.

Tuesday morning all the missionaries being transferred meet at the office and drop their bags off in the spot marked for their new destination and then when their car arrives, they load up and go.  Wow, that sounded super simple.  WELL, it is more like this—“your ride is here now, let’s get your bags loaded and you can leave”  “Really, now it’s time for your to load your bags and LEAVE”.  They love to get together and it’s really hard to make them quit visiting and go back to work.  The President showed up and he cleared the parking lot in short order.  That makes me wish that I had that kind of power to make things happen. 

On Tuesday after the rush of all the missionaries wanting supplies and asking questions and eating treats here at the office, the UPS man showed up with 19 boxes of supplies for me.  I decided to help him out by propping the outside door open.  I didn’t realize that the sidewalk had a slope on it and I put the wedge down in front of the door and gave it a pull to get it tight enough to stay propped open.  Well, the door went right over the wedge and caught my right big toe with a thud.  The toenail went back and they I looked down at my toe bleeding quite a bit.  Elder Merrill has been so sweet in taking care of my injury and it hasn’t hurt too badly, but it is a bother.  I can’t get anything on my feet, but sandals because of the swelling and bandage.  I’m pretty sure that I will lose the nail too.  Oh well, stuff happens!  It is amazing how our bodies heal themselves.  We listened to a talk by Elder Nielsen a few days ago and here is what he had to say:

"Our Heavenly Father loves His children^.  He has blessed each with physical and spiritual gifts. Let me speak of each type. When you sing “I Am a Child of God,” think of His gift to you of your own physical body. The many amazing attributes of your body attest to your own “divine nature.”  Each organ of your body is a wondrous gift from God. Each eye has an auto focusing lens. Nerves and muscles control two eyes to make a single three-dimensional image. The eyes are connected to the brain, which records the sights seen.  Your heart is an incredible pump. It has four delicate valves that control the direction of blood flow. These valves open and close more than 100,000 times a day—36 million times a year. Yet, unless altered by disease, they are able to withstand such stress almost indefinitely.  Think of the body’s defense system. To protect it from harm, it perceives pain. In response to infection, it generates antibodies. The skin provides protection. It warns against injury that excessive heat or cold might cause.  The body renews its own outdated cells and regulates the levels of its own vital ingredients. The body heals its cuts, bruises, and broken bones. Its capacity for reproduction is another sacred gift from God.  Be we reminded that a perfect body is not required to achieve one’s divine destiny. In fact, some of the sweetest spirits are housed in frail or imperfect bodies. Great spiritual strength is often developed by people with physical challenges, precisely because they are so challenged.  Anyone who studies the workings of the human body has surely “seen God moving in his majesty and power.” Because the body is governed by divine law, any healing comes by obedience to the law upon which that blessing is predicated.  Yet some people erroneously think that these marvelous physical attributes happened by chance or resulted from a big bang somewhere. Ask yourself, “Could an explosion in a printing shop produce a dictionary?” The likelihood is most remote. But if so, it could never heal its own torn pages or reproduce its own newer editions!  If the body’s capacity for normal function, defense, repair, regulation, and regeneration were to prevail without limit, life here would continue in perpetuity. Yes, we would be stranded here on earth! Mercifully for us, our Creator provided for aging and other processes that would ultimately result in our physical death. Death, like birth, is part of life. Scripture teaches that “it was not expedient that man should be reclaimed from this temporal death, for that would destroy the great plan of happiness.” To return to God through the gateway we call death is a joy for those who love Him and are prepared to meet Him.  Eventually the time will come when each “spirit and … body shall be reunited again in … perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper frame,” never to be separated again. For these physical gifts, thanks be to God!

On Wednesday the new missionaries and taken to the Sacred Grove and a few other stops and then they come to the mission office and meet their new companions.  They have a meeting called 12 week and we then gave them sack lunches and sent them to their areas. 

We were so happy when Elder Cashmore (now Blake) came into the office on Wednesday with his parents.  He is showing them around his mission and I could see the happiness they had in their son.  They were so happy to be with him and so proud of him. He did more than his part in placing Book of Mormons for the mission goal. He placed several cases himself. The mission total now is near 11,000 within a year. We love this great missionary.  He is getting married in August in Salt Lake and we plan to attend the wedding.  He is marrying one of sister missionaries (no, they didn’t realize they liked each other as missionaries) 

Congratulations to Kylee and Burke on the birth of their new little boy!  It’s wonderful to see babies that are so loved!

June 12, 2016

What a great week!  We had our office meeting on Monday and after President Francis said that he wanted to take us all out for lunch because we had missed doing anything for Elder Merrill’s birthday.  We had lunch with the staff at a Mexican food place close to the office and enjoyed visiting with everyone. 

On Tuesday we worked diligently to get ahead so we could spend more time with my parents.  It poured rain all day and then cleared up.  After work we did a few things and then drove over to Buffalo to pick mom and dad up at the airport.  It was such a blessing that dad felt good enough to travel.  We had a good visit and hated to go to bed because it was so good to see them.

We went over to Palmyra on Wednesday after we stopped into the office to do a few things.  We went to the Grandin Printing Press and had about half of the tour.  There was a large bus load of people that came in during our tour and we decided that we would come back when it wasn’t so congested.  A lady from the tour talked to us and she was from Rigby, her maiden name was Peggy Walker.  We went out to Hill Cumorah and showed them the art exhibit by Liz Lemon Swindle.  It is so beautiful!  I think I like it more each time I see it.  She has so much talent! 
It was windy and we decided that we would wait to take them to the top.   Last week was so warm and we had so much humidity.  This week it has cooled down and there isn’t much humidity.  I think that this is a blessing because it is easier to put on a jacket than try to keep cool.  We went back to the Grandin and finished our tour.  It is such a great place and always humbles me to realize that there were so many little things that happened to bring about the Book of Mormon and the restoration of the gospel.
We had something to eat at the Yellow Mill and then we drove around and looked at a few other things (the Erie Canal, the mushroom house, Trader Joe’s, and Wegman’s).  We played lots of games and had a good time hearing about those at home.  We really hoped that we didn’t wear them out with all the things we did.

On Thursday we went to the Smith Farm, the Martin Harris home, and the top of the Hill Cumorah.  We also attended the Temple in the evening.  We found really good fresh corn at Walmart for 20 cents an ear and had a nice supper at home.

On Friday, after some time in the office, we drove up to Lake Ontario and looked around.  We also went to High Falls and drove through Highland Park.  Everything is so beautiful and green.  We ate a good sandwich at DiBella’s.

On Saturday we went over to Fayette and toured the Whitmer Farm. They have a new movie there and I really enjoyed it.  I can always see President Kimball standing behind the table in the Whitmer home and talking during conference.  It is great to remember when they dedicated it in 1980.  We also went to the camp at Seneca Lake and enjoyed seeing all of the beautiful things there.  We also went into Sauder’s and looked around their unique store. 

We got up early on Sunday (as usual) and drove over to Batavia for church.  The members were so excited to meet my parents.  I had lent Chuck Lehman my book, Belonging to Heaven, about Hawaii (because they had lived there several years).  He read it in 1 week and said that it took away his manhood; because he cried like a baby.  I liked the book, but it wasn’t that sad to me.  I think that he was really attached to the good people he knew in Hawaii and he related the book to them.  He loved it!

After church we drove over to Attica and looked at the State Penitentiary (they call it a correctional facility).  It is huge and looks like a place you don’t want to go.  We noticed 2 other ‘facilities’ in other towns nearby.  We thought that maybe they weren’t quite as bad of places to go.  I can’t think of the term right now.  Step downs, less mean, I can’t think of what it is to go to a place that isn’t so bad.???

We drove to Letchworth Park after we ate our picnic (we had made one at home before church and put it into the cooler).  We enjoyed seeing everything there and it was a nice day.  We found out after we visited that a family had fallen into the river the evening prior and they had all gone over the falls and that 2 of the children were still missing.  They had been hiking in a restricted area and one of the kids had slipped and started a shale slide and they had all gone with him.  There were 5 rescued and a 5 year old boy and a 7 year old boy were drowned.  We felt so bad about hearing of this tragedy.  They have all been found now.

We went into the office on Monday and had our office meeting.  There were many things to do and we didn’t get home until about 1:00 to see how mom and dad were fairing.  They looked pretty fresh, having caught up a little bit on sleep. (we hoped)  They were ready and we loaded up and went to Pittsford and ate a burger at Tom Wahl’s.  The burgers there are always delicious!  We especially like the buns they use. 

After lunch we drove to Greece and then down Ridge Road.  We went to the lighthouse on Lake Ontario and then to the cemetery in Albion and Dennis decided to climb to the top of a tower there.  He said the view was very pretty, but that the climb was a little difficult.  It had a circular stair case and got more and more narrow the closer you got to the top. 

I'm waving to Dennis from the car

We went over to Oakfield and showed them Lamb Dairy and we enjoyed watching the cows ride the merry go round for awhile.  It is one of those things that is kind of mesmerizing. 

We then drove to Buffalo and checked into the hotel and relaxed for a little bit.   We stayed at the hotel with them and for some reason none of us slept that great.  We didn’t make noise (snore) or roll around all night, but for some reason we didn’t sleep that well.  The alarm went off at 5:00 and we got ready and went to the airport to get them onto the 7:00 flight.  It was so much fun and we hated to see them go.

Mom wanted crab legs after seeing the ones Doug got for his birthday!

Happy Birthday this week to Doug Johnson, Heidi Merrill and Andy Atkinson!  Make it the best day ever!

Blessing:  Having parents that love and care for us and want the best for us.  Being raised with good values and work ethics; knowing right and wrong and how to make good choices.  Thanks Everett & Janice Mueller and Glen and Ranae Merrill! 

June 5, 2016

Our granddaughter, Summer, graduated from high school last week.  We can’t believe that she is 18 already and out of school.  We are so proud of her!

We began our week with a picnic in Batavia at the Kiwanis park.  The day was beautiful and warm.  It was so nice and relaxing.  We stayed quite a while and visited with most of the people there.  We found a picture of Steve Aldrich as a soldier in Vietnam and decided that this would be nice for a Memorial Day tribute. 

Our friend, Chuck Lehman, wore his marine stripes on Sunday to church.  The Spencer’s went through a small town close to Mendon and stopped when they noticed a parade.  They were really surprised at how patriotic they were and that they sang, as a community, God Bless America.  There are lots of good people here.  It is hopeful that there are people that love the Lord and our country out there.

We had a good week in the office.  We were busy all week, but I can’t recall what we actually did.  On Thursday evening we went over to Palmyra and went to a fireside put on by Terrill and Fiona Givens.  He has published several books and their talks were called, The Christ who Heals.  I took a few notes and hope that I can remember how they were presented.

In the pre-existence it was secure and we were happy there.  We had to be strong to come to earth and to the future.  We didn’t know what was in store or what to expect.  We were strong!  In mortality our healing comes in various ways.  Some touched his clothes, some were let down into the house, some were held in His arms.  How are we healed?  We need to know the nature of God.

• He is our ‘real’ father
•  God weeps (he has body, parts, and passions)
• He is vulnerable (he has set his heart upon us—he wants us back)
• He is selfless (his goal is to bring to pass our immortality)
•  He is forgetful (our sins are forgiven and forgotten)

Love liberates the giver, frees the recipient.  True love is irresistible!

How far does HIS love reach?

In the scriptures it talks about the blindness of their mind and eyes and he said replace that word for woundedness.  We are all wounded, we need to be healed. 

Knowledge means experience

May we be perfect (whole) through the atonement.  Perfect is another word for whole.  Whole is to be healed.

On Friday we served the Missionary Leadership Counsel lunch (MLC).  We had a big salad bar and we made homemade lemon ice-cream.  It was all really good.  Every time our President and his wife are always last in line and we asked the missionaries to make sure that they were first this time.  This was his last MLC in the mission.  He was surprised when he went through first and asked why we had asked that he do it.  We told him that he deserved to be first once on his mission.  He acted really appreciative.

On Saturday we went to a few garage sales and we found a few treasures (a White Jeans Machine; sewing). 

Any one want a tiki?

We also went to Fairport days.  They closed off their main street and vendors were set up and down the sidewalks and there were musicians singing and playing.  It was a hot day and there were lots of people; does this sound like fun?  We did have a good time but didn’t stay long.  The Eastern Star ladies gave us a tour of the Masonic Temple (where they also meet) and told us what they did and their purpose.  It sounds a little like Relief Society (because they do serve).   The Temple was made from an old show house and had lots of room.  I thought that I could still smell the popcorn in the foyer. 

We had several visitors today in church.  Tourists are beginning to come to New York and we had 2 couples from Preston today.    The Christensen’s and the Gilbert's’ (and they both know the Harris’s)  It’s fun to see people from the West.

The baby geese (goslings) are out!  They stop traffic here.

Last Monday Grandpa and Grandma Mueller called and said that Grandpa wasn’t feeling well and didn’t have any energy.  He didn’t know how much they would be able to see when they came.  He felt that he needed a stent.  I told them to get to the Dr.,  but they wanted to wait until after the trip.  The girls (my sisters) got him right in the next day and tests began.  He ended up getting a stent and new medication for A Fib.  His mitral value has a leak, but they think that doesn’t need to be done at this time.  He is home and feeling better.  I am so excited that they will still be able to come visit next week.