BYU Keynote Speaker Message

I read a few comments from Elder Steven Snow given as the commencement address. i have been a more faithful journal keeper but as of late I had other things get in the way. It is time for me to REPENT! Here are some highlights I read in the Deseret News online this morning:

“Some of the most inspiring history comes from the diaries and journals of everyday people like you and me,” he said. “You need not be a prominent church leader and a copious journal keeper … but your story is important. Contribute to our body of history by keeping your own story.”

Although one’s journal may not be highlighted in some future display, it will be treasured by one's posterity for generations to come.

“Truth of the matter is if you don’t write your story it may not get written,” he said. “Worse still it may be told by someone else in a way you do not desire. The one who has the last word is the one who writes it down. Remember to keep a journal.”



Left photo was of a surprise visit of my younger sister, Linda with her daughter, Mina and husband, Nick and my sonm,Hank
Right photo: Our district after our weekly meeting in the East Kennewick Branch (WKM)
with Elders, Dexter, Tuttle, Schulz, Hall, Elder Walser, Hermanas Griffin, and Kidd

I am so thankful I took the time to note these events pictured above

Question: How does one go back and retrace our unwritten entries?

Answer: Apologetically, WE can't!! I just need to start over and go forward!

Old House, Home in Chicago

I thought for sure I had posted this photo of my childhood home in Chicago. We lived on the south side as far as I know. We lived about two blocks from my elementary school. Actually it had kindergarten through eight grades. Both my brother attended the same school as I did. Charlie in the seventh grade,with Beeb ein the sixth grade.

We used to walk up the alley to the Marcy Center a recreational center. I remember learning crafts, how to make lanyards and how to make biscuits in a cooking class. It also had softball fields. It was there when I was in first grande that I was hit with a flying baseball bat while standing too close to the batter. The day before the last day of school I ended up with my right cheek and stitches for that last day of school. And eventually had a scar on my cheek.

Marcy Center sponsored the two week summer camp at Camp Rheinberg my brothers and I went to in the summer. It was my first experience away form my parents. I remember two weeks is a long time for a seen year old being separated from home/family!! Our parents came to visit us on the week end in between the two weeks.
Me, at seven years old

My grade school: William Penn as it looked back then.

Blessing Overflowing

The last couple of months we have been so focused on our moving in and organizing the house that we had not been to the St George Temple. Then when we wanted to go the temple was closed for two weeks. we were able to make it this week and it was like an oasis in a dry desert. The feelings there are phenomenal. While there we are not rushed or worried about the worldly events and feel such a peace inside within those holy walls.

We took time to have lunch there downstairs in the cafeteria. There is a choice of two entrees and we chose the Talapia and vegetables. I love that one of the benefits of attending the temple regularly is receiving answers to things we are doing or need to do. It was almost as if I needed to have a paper and pen handy to write down what I was given to know what to do at this very time. I repeated in my head several things as I was hearing that "still small voice" tell me instructions specifically pertaining to some of my concerns of a list of projects I want to do and when to proceed to do them.

I had clarity in my mind given to me that I had not had before in exercising those options. I am thankful to know how much my heavenly father loves me, is present and aware of me to let me know in what order to best carry out my goals. It seems like we could try [on our own] to go in all directions at the same time and accomplish nothing. I felt an "ah hah moment" at the counsel I was given knowing I would not have to worry and to keep things in the order that was most beneficial first.

Over that last month or so I have felt some pressure to do a project that has been waiting and wanting to do for years. I started going to the Family History Center to scan certificates, birth and death records of my ancestors with the goal to compile it altogether and make a very large book for our family this year. I have many dozens of family photos also that I hoped to include in that (huge) book project. I have felt opposition and overwhelmed in managing the files and figuring how it was going to play out. I know now I can put that aside and work on the one that is more beneficial at this time.

I am at peace to know the best way to approach my goals for now.

Bringing Up To Date. . .

It has been a couple of months since I last posted on this blog. Shame on me! Time just keeps rolling by and I realize how important it is to keep tabs on myself and share!

We have been in the midst of a major life change and bought another home in Utah. Yes! But Southern Utah. We are still several hours away from most of our family. But still a little closer. We kept our home in Mesquite only for the convenience of not having to worry about it and renting it out in the meantime of when to sell or keep it.

We like that there are options to have a good garden area with the weather a bit cooler to plant what Ron's loves most, raspberries and blackberries. The heat in Mesquite was too much for raspberries/blackberries to survive. Ron has ordered a lot of fruit tress (20) to plant in Spring. Some are the same but different varieties to mature at different times in season. He has already put a lot of hours into preparing the yard, i.e moving rocks and pulling out plants that we don't need. We are very grateful that a grandson, Jordan was able to come stay several weeks to help us with the move. He was worth hi weight in GOLD! We loved having him here and sad to have him return to his home in Washington.

I recently had a nice break to go to a RootsTech Conference in Salt Lake City. I was an educational experience learning all the new ways to keep a Family History. i loved it. I roomed with Patty, my sister-in-law and a couple of other ladies that we knew and had a great time. I absorbed the information and gleaned a lot from the speakers that participated. Alex Boye, Laura Bush, former first lady and her daughter, Jenna. Donny Osmond. I didn't attend the one David Archuleta perfomred. I was over i the Exhibition hall making the most of my time and ordered a genealogical Fan Chart I should receive any day now. All in all I felt like I learned a lot and can apply now on a regular basis and get my Family Tree going and add to it. We topped our week experience by attending "Music and The Spoken Word." And also attending Sacrament meeting in the Joseph Smith Memorial building across the street from Temple Square.

Preserving family photos of my mother as a child with her brother Albert and Uncle Naco.

Pondering . . .

I went to sacrament meeting by my self today. Ron was a little under the weather with a cold and bad cough. He didn't want to cough during church, so he stayed home. It was Ward Conference. we had good speakers, our Bishop and the second counselor spoke. They reminded us how important tithing is and the blessings of paying it. The bishop noted that during tithing settlement, even though someone isn't declaring their own tithing, he makes a declaration anyway in those cases.

President Daily told us to be sure to fast and pray this next week for Fast Sunday for moisture and rain that is much needed for our area, and is almost a drought he said. well, I think we got a good start of things to come since we woke up to snow!! Interesting. We need it yes, but hope the budding blossoms on the apricot trees are spared and will still have fruit to bare.
We had Sunday school with a stake leader teaching the lesson. He taught on the Miracles of Jesus. I appreciate hearing and knowing of all that the Savior did while he was on the earth. I know he did what he did through the power of God within him, and his divinity. We are blessed with the power of the priesthood to heal the sick and bless the blind to see and raise those who have dead and are called back. I know it has been done and what a blessing to enjoy having the priesthood restored and manifested through our faith and worthiness to receive those blessings.

Scriptue Power

I can honestly say I can feel a difference in my day when I skip reading my scriptures in the morning! The day seems to go better when I read the Book of Mormon before I start the day. I started reading on a schedule I received in Relief Society. I started where I was and have kept up six days out of seven!

The scriptures are so uplifting and give me the needed personal revelation promised and needed. Some days just a simple resolution comes when I least expect it. I am so grateful for the guidance of the Holy Ghost as well.

There is power in staying the course and following the counsel of the Spirit from reading my scriptures. I see the blessings of making it a priority to pray each morning and evening together, reading the scriptures in seeking "first the kingdom of God."

Temple attendance is another way to seek first the kingdom of God over pleasure and bring to pass the blessings of immortality and Eternal Life for our kindred. I am amazed at how much more there is to be discovered in my family genealogy through new.familysearch.org. I feel unseen hands guiding me and helping me find files, photos and remembering stories to write about my personal history and that of my children.

An interesting side note:

About two weeks ago I was watching on TV a special program that was in commemoration of the entertainer, Elvis Presley's birthday (January 8). He was doing his gyrations and singing ballads and love songs as so many have attempted to mimic over the years.His performance that was shown was some of his first shows in Las Vegas. I watched his manner and remembered that when he had died, my Tana was about four years old. Then months later there was something on TV about him, perhaps his birthday or the year mark of his death. Tana saw and heard who it was and knowing he had died asked me, "hs he been resurrected?"

What else might a four year old [with her Primary and Family Home Evening lessons] know about Easter and Christ's resurrection might think and say? She owned it and made me laugh at her innoent insight and her question about him looking like he was alive on TV and in fact be resurrected?

Old Fashioned Water Closet Toilet

Is it possible for me, to recollect some of the 'olden days?" i must hve been at east two years old and potty training. My grandmother's house on Pinto Street in San Antonio had a bathroom with an old fashioned water closet toilet. It was one tat had the tank up high over the toilet seat and up next to the ceiling.

My earliest memories are of my Aunt Celia who was about twenty years old standing in front of me while I sat on the toilet seat. I think she was just talking me through the process and encouraging me to potty in the toilet. I was terrified of when the toilet was flushed and the sound of the water flushing and making me think the water was going to come down on my head! The tank was wooden, made out of a dark stained wood.


The house was where my father grew up as a young boy after they moved to town from the cement plant where his father lived, at Portland Cement. His parents were separated for a lot of years from the time Carlos, my dad was about twele or thirteen years old. He said he took the separation quite hard, as did is mother, Cuquita. He told me that Nane as my grandmother was called would shake and cry and the kids had to hold her arms and hand down at her side so she wouldn't hurt herself out of grief of her and their children in the separation and eventual divorce.

i have a group picture of the family in 1931 to post soon.