Thursday, October 30, 2008

I HATE POLITICS-- my views of Tuesday's election

I've said before and I will repeat, I HATE POLITICS, no matter what the outcome on Tuesday, next Wednesday will be my favorite day of the year because it is all over. On Thursday I will start to worry if I need to.
To preface my comments on this post let me tell you, My Dad took me to register to vote on my 18th birthday (Dec 1975), he took the day off from work to do it because registering to vote was that important to him. I registered as a Democrat that day and have voted for the Democratic Presidential candidate in every election since 1976, until this year. Maybe I am growing up, maybe I have more informed friends that I trust enough to listen to and believe when they talk about politics. Its even possible that 6 years of living with Leanne has worn off on me. What ever it is, I can't bring myself to support the Democratic candidate, this time.
My biggest worry of course is Barack Obama winning. It scares me how many otherwise intelligent people are willing to buy what he is selling. His policies and ideas will cause havoc, and plunge us as close to communism as we can get, hopefully without going over the edge.
As time goes on I keep learning newer and scarier things about what this person wants to do.
As much as I am against the war in Iraq, now that we are there, I believe pulling the troops out now would be wrong, and a slap in the face of the families that have sacrificed to have our troops there. I am also opposed to drafting women to fight in combat. I have serious questions about "Share the Wealth". Whose wealth are we sharing, in our house we have no excess wealth, I don't know anyone that does. Is it Obama's wealth we are going to share? I would seriously doubt he and his rich friends will be willing to share what they have. I believe people should work HARD for their money and what they have. If they don't, they should do without.
This story comes from http://www.candacesalima.blogspot.com/. Candace is a very intelligent woman who has spent a lot of time researching and blogging about the issues of this election.

THE ANT STORY
TRADITIONAL VERSION: The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away. Come winter, the ant is warm and well fed. The grasshopper has no food or shelter, so he dies out in the cold.
MORAL OF THE STORY: Be responsible for yourself!
MODERN VERSION
The ant works hard in the withering heat all summer long, building his house and laying up supplies for the winter. The grasshopper thinks the ant is a fool and laughs and dances and plays the summer away. Come winter, the shivering grasshopper calls a press conference and demands to know why the ant should be warm and well fed while others are cold and starving. CBS, NBC, PBS, CNN, and ABC show up to provide pictures of the shivering grasshopper next to a video of the ant in his comfortable home with a table filled with food. America is stunned by the sharp contrast. How can this be, that in a country of such wealth, this poor grasshopper is allowed to suffer so?Kermit the Frog appears on Oprah with the grasshopper, and everybody cries when they sing, 'It's Not Easy Being Green.' Jesse Jackson stages a demonstration in front of the ant's house where the news stations film the group singing, "We shall overcome."Jesse then has the group kneel down to pray to God for the grasshopper's sake. Nancy Pelosi, Barack Obama, John Kerry & Harry Reid exclaim in an interview with Larry King that the ant has gotten rich off the back of the grasshopper, and both call for an immediate tax hike on the ant to make him pay his fair share. Finally, the EEOC drafts the Economic Equity and Anti-Grasshopper Act retroactive to the beginning of the summer! The ant is fined for failing to hire a proportionate number of green bugs and, having nothing left to pay his retroactive taxes, his home is confiscated by the government.Hillary Clinton gets her old law firm to represent the grasshopper in a defamation suit against the ant, and the case is tried before a panel of federal judges that Bill Clinton appointed from a list of single-parent welfare recipients. The ant loses the case. The story ends as we see the grasshopper finishing up the last bits of the ant's food while the government house he is in, which just happens to be the ant's old house, crumbles around him because he doesn't maintain it. The ant has disappeared in the snow. The grasshopper is found dead in a drug related incident and the house, now abandoned, is taken over by a gang of spiders who terrorize the once peaceful neighborhood.
MORAL OF THE STORY: Be very careful how you vote November 2008 .

Check out this video clip. Even though the case was dismissed it is disconcerting that we have a potential president who may not even be a Natural Born Citizen.


I have already voted. I have made my choices for better or worse.

I fully believe that Heavenly Father loves this country and won't let anyone lead it down to destruction yet, but he will allow us to suffer for our bad judgement if we elect unrighteous leaders. If you haven't voted, pray and fast about the choices you have to make, and go to the polls on Tuesday to make your vote count.

"Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Alaska anymore."


Wednesday, October 29, 2008

THE SENATOR

This has been around for a while but it is still funny.

While walking down the street one day, a senator is tragically hit by a truck and killed. His soul arrives in Heaven and is met by St. Peter at the entrance.
"Welcome to Heaven," says St. Peter. "Before you settle in,it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around these parts, you see, so we're not sure what to do with you."
"No problem, just let me in," says the senator.
"Well, I'd like to, but I have orders from higher up. What we'll do is have you spend one day in Hell and one in Heaven. Then you can choose where to spend eternity."
"There's no need! I want to be in Heaven," says the senator.
"I'm sorry, but we have our rules." And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator, the doors open, and he rides the elevator down, down, down. When the doors open again,the senator finds himself in the middle of a beautiful green golf course. In the distance is a club, and standing in front of it are all his friends and other politicians who had worked with him.
Everyone is very happy and in formal dress. They run to greet him, and they reminisce about the good times they had while getting rich at the expense of the people. They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster and caviar.
Also present is the Devil, who is a very friendly guy who has a good time dancing and telling jokes. They are having such a good time that, before the senator realizes it, it is time to go. Everyone gives him a big hug and waves while the elevator rises. The elevator goes up, up, up, and the door reopens in Heaven where St. Peter is waiting for him.
So 24 hours pass with the senator joining a group of contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and singing. They have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours have gone by, and St. Peter returns.
"Well, you've spent a day in Hell and another in Heaven.Now, you must choose where you want to spend eternity."
He reflects for a minute and then answers, "Well, I would never would have thought it, I mean Heaven has been delightful, but I think I would be better satisfied in Hell."
So Saint Peter escorts him to the elevator, and down, down,down he goes into Hell. Now, the doors of the elevator open,and he is in the middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage. He sees all his friends dressed in rags,picking up the trash and putting it in black bags. And it's hot, hot, hot, and the odor is just horrible.
Sweltering hot. Hot and miserable. The Devil comes over to him and smoothly lays his arm around his shoulder.
"I don't understand," stammers the senator. "The day before I was here, and there was a golf course and club, and we ate lobster and caviar and danced and had a great time. Now all there is is a wasteland full of garbage, and my friends look miserable."
The Devil looks at the senator, smiles, and says, "Yesterday we were campaigning. Today you voted for us."
Received from George McLaughlin Jr.d for a while but it is funny and timely.

Sunday, October 26, 2008

PROPOSTION 102




"ONLY THE MARRIAGE OF ONE MAN AND ONE WOMAN SHALL BE VALID OR RECOGNIZED IN THIS STATE."

It is very simple, it is the way marriage has been defined for 2000 years and it is God's way.

When you vote on Nov 4, please remember vote Yes for Prop 102 in Arizona.


MYSTERY FIRESIDE

We were told today to cancel all of our appointments for this evening and come to the Stake Center for a fireside presented by the General Authorities. In asking the people on LDS Forever Friends,if anyone else knew of this fireside, I discovered our stake would apparently be the only ones involved.
As happens with anything unexplained, there was a lot of speculation about the topic .

In Arizona, like in California, we are trying to pass a proposition (Prop102). Prop 102 simply states "Only the marriage of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as marriage in this state."
Our Stake has been very active in promoting Prop 102, from yard signs to door hangers. During the week the Stake Presidents in Arizona got a DVD that they were instructed to show to the adults in their Stakes. Our President chose to show it right away.
We started off watching this clip from a Prop 8 website.



Once the clip was done we watched the DVD from the church. It contained talks by M Russell Ballard and Quentin L Cook, given in California a few weeks ago. They talked about our need to do all we can to encourage people to vote for traditional marriage, to talk about it, to express our opinions, in a kind and respectful way.
Elder Ballard gave a very powerful talk , I wish everyone could hear it.
A lot of the text of the talks were taken from http://www.newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/commentary/the-divine-institution-of-marriage .

Friday, October 24, 2008

FAMILY HISTORY FRIDAY

MARY BULLOCK
Part 2


(This is the end of the part of Mary's story she wrote herself. From here her daughters pick up the story.)Mother did quit school but later went back to nursing school for two years and had to quit again because of her eyes. The nursing training really came in handy in later years. It saved our lives many a day and also helped the neighbors a lot in times of illness.She married Carbon Dewey Donohoo who lived in Lonetree with her and grew up with her. They were married 21 September 1923 in Evanston, Wyo. They lived in Lonetree for awhile. When she was pregnant with her first child she went to Ogden to be with her mother for his birth. That baby was Adelbert Ross born Dec 3, 1924. Dad went down later and brought her and Ross home. That summer they moved to West Yellowstone and lived there for a year. Two an a half years later Ella Mae was born in Mountain View, Wyo. Later they moved to Lapoint where Barbara Ann was born on Oct 15, 1929.In 1930, Dad got into a coal mine accident and lost his eye and damaged one side of his face. He had to go to Denver to the veterans hospital. That left mother with chores to do and three small children. After he recovered from the accident, they moved to Logan, Utah so Dad could go to school. Shortly after, David was born on Dec 15, 1933 in the house on the corner of 1st South and 5th West. Dad was baptized a member of the LDS church on the 2nd of February 1934, the same day David was blessed. They were sealed in the Logan Temple for time and all eternity on July 7, 1936.In 1934, the family moved to North Logan to an old house without a bathroom or running water or any of the conveniences. We had to haul water in from outside to wash with and we had the outhouse that we had to use all the time. While there, mother taught the ten year old boys in Primary for awhile and was also the secretary to the primary for several years. She was very talented in the skills of sewing, knitting, crocheting, quilting and rug making.When they started regional storehouses in the church, one was opened in Logan and the Relief Society sisters were asked to work at the storehouse to help the work to get started. Mother went to work and they were making men's overalls with patch pockets as there was no one who knew how to set in pockets. Mom showed them how to set in pockets. They asked her to come back to teach others how to set in the pockets. She worked there for a few weeks. She made all of the family's clothing from clothing that was given to her and she would tear them apart and make clothes for whomever was in the most need.Summers were especially busy for mother. She spent the whole summer collecting food and canning it for the winter.From the time the first berries were ready until the last of the harvest was in, she was out early gathering food to put away. We weren't able to go out and buy our produce so she picked fruits and berries on shares and when the peas were being harvested the fields were mowed and there was always a wide strip around the edges that couldn't be mowed. The farmers would let people in to pick the peas that were left in the fields. Many a year, mother and dad went to the fields at sunrise and picked all the peas they needed and then came home and spent the day shelling them and cooking them in the pressure cooker. Ruth and Lavor Allen would also be there and they would put us kids to bed and they played cards all night while they kept the cookers going.Mother would go out and pick strawberries and make jam. I remember some summers that she would get extras and make jam for Uncle Owen's family. Then when the sheep were sheared in the fall, there would come a nice wool blanket for us. Mom knew exactly how much produce she needed to fill the bottles for winter. She figured 13 peaches in each two quart bottle (when there were only six of us). That left one extra in case of company. The summers were just one canning project after another. All sorts of berries for jam and jellies, also fresh cherries, currants and some summers we went to the canyons and picked choke cherries for jam. All kind of pickles were also made. Most of this was raised or Mom would work hard at gathering it from other sources.Mother being the youngest of the family never had any of the childhood diseases as she was growing up, so she had all of them with her children. She had the measles when David was just a baby. The Allen family came down with scarlet fever just before Christmas one year and Dad went down to help them. A few days later he was down with it and was just getting over it when the other five of us all got it at the same time. They quarantined us for six weeks. Dad got some books from the public library and read to us. The neighbors would bring our food and leave it outside for us and knock on the window and let us know it was there. Because we were quarantined, we couldn't go out to the store. Each of us had a side effect from the illness that was worse than the disease. Ella Mae's was the worst and she missed the whole year of school. David was just a small child at the time. Eldon Lamar joined the family on May 14, 1941. A year later the family moved to Logan. The war had started and Ross enlisted in the Army. Mary Karen completed the family on Aug 27, 1943. Mother really enjoyed babies and when her two little ones came along when we were all older, she really enjoyed them. She especially loved to sew for Karen and she would pick up little remnants when she was shopping to make her little dresses. Karen was a rather sick baby. She seemed to have a lot of kidney infections, but her biggest problem was she didn't like to sleep. When she got to be a year or so old, if we let her nap past three in the afternoon, she would be up until very late in the evening. Mother spent many nights rocking to get her to go to sleep.When Karen was nineteen months old, Mother's gall bladder ruptured. She passed away on April 10, 1945. At the time of her death, there were a dozen wool quilting batts and the tops to go with them. She had been saving wool clothing for years and working on tops so she could make all new bedding for us. The Relief Society came in to help us get the house in order for the viewing. Dad gave all the quilt batts and tops to the R.S. to use as he knew we would never get them made up. Come Christmas the R.S. sisters were at our door on Christmas Eve with the quilts all made up for us and pajamas for all of us plus all kinds of food. She was buried on April 13, 1945 in the Logan Cemetery.She was a good mother and a very good person. She always taught us the right thing to do. She was an active member of the LDS church and was a good example to us. She tried to teach us the things we needed to know to live in the world. We were very poor but we never felt poor. That in itself speaks highly of the way we were raised. We never went to bed hungry. For many years our supper was bread and milk but we loved it so it was not a hardship. Being a farm family we always had our dinner at noon and a good breakfast. We had warmth in the winter (in the living room and kitchen). We dressed next to the kitchen stove most mornings. I'm sure Mother and Dad had many difficult years keeping things going around us but we were relatively happy.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

TAGGED

I was tagged by my cousin Cindy so here goes.

The rules of the tag are as follows:
1.Post the rules on your blog.
2.Write six random things about yourself.
3.Tag six people at the end of your post.
4. If you are tagged, JUST DO IT, and pass the tag along.

1. I only sleep 4 hours a night. Now matter what time I go to bed I am wide awake in 4 hours (5 if I'm really tired).

2. I love LDS Fiction, and usually buy new books as soon as I can after they are published. Right now I have enough books waiting to be read that if all of my favorite authors stopped writing I could still read for an extended period of time, but please don't stop writing, I'll catch up someday.

3. I eat Pop tarts on the way to work every morning while I drive to work. I only like traditional breakfast foods like Bacon & Eggs in the evening for supper.

4. I don't like attending Relief Society. I never have. The aversion to RS comes from when I was a teen in Worcester Ward. Fortunately I have worked in Primary most of the time since my 12th birthday. I was called to the Nursery for the 1st time right after my 12th birthday and except for the times I was in Student wards in Utah, I have had Primary callings. I still do my Visiting Teaching.

5. I have a mental block against Math especially Algebra and Geometry. I can balance my checkbook, but anything more than that....... I'm pretty sure I got mercy passing grades so I could get out of High School.
One of my assignments at USU was to tutor a boy in Math----talk about Irony.

6. I hate doing anything that makes my hands dirty, and yes I do know they wash, but I just can't handle anything on them, and I can't work in gloves. I don't paint or garden for that reason.

If you are on my blog list or you stop by and read this consider yourself tagged. Have fun with it.

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Monday, October 20, 2008

BREAKING NEWS

FBI FILE CALLS PRESIDENT HINCKLEY A LOYAL AMERICAN


October 20th, 2008 @ 6:08am By Mary Richards

FBI agents investigated President Gordon B. Hinckley of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1951, long before he became church president.

Apparently the government wanted to see if he was a spy, and the answer was no.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports the FBI did a background check in case President Hinckley received a job with Voice of America, a radio network run by the State Department.

The FBI file, which was released last week, shows investigators found out he had above-average grades at the University of Utah, and former supervisors and friends called him a hard worker and loyal American. There are no disparaging remarks in the file.The bureau also looked for an arrest record, but did not find one. It's not clear whether Pres. Hinckley was offered the job.

E-mail: mrichards@ksl.com(The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved--~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~

Friday, October 17, 2008

FAMILY HISTORY FRIDAY

MARY BULLOCK
part 1
The first part of this story was written by Mary Bullock herself.
Out on a lonely homestead in the corner of the North eastern part of Utah, on the 30th day of January, 1903, the stork left a wee bundle in the arms of a tired mother, who had as her only care an old midwife. This wee bundle turned out to be me. I was named Mary after my mother. I was the tenth baby to come to this home; there were four sisters and three brothers who waited for my safe arrival. There was one baby brother and sister who had been called back to our Father in Heaven to make their home.My mother was Mary Alice Webb, daughter of Pardon Webb and Clarissa Jane Lee. She was born June 1st, 1859, at Payson, Utah.Her parents started with one of the first company of pioneers acrossed the plains, but stopped over at Winter Quarters to make wagons, as Pardon Webb was a very good wheelwright. They arrived in Utah in 1848.I was the daughter of Isaac Bullock Jr., who was born at old Fort Supply, Wyoming, on September 19, 1857. His father, Isaac Bullock Sr., was president of the company of settlers who had been sent there by President Brigham Young. When my father was eight days old, a messenger brought word that Johnson's army was coming, so they burned the fort and put my father and his mother, who was Electa Wood Bullock, into a covered wagon and drove into Provo, Utah.There was no church in Lonetree so I was a big girl before I was blessed. I must have been five or six years old, but I can remember going to church and two or three men taking me up on the stand and I knelt down on the stand and I was sure frightened when they laid their hands on my head.I was baptized when I was sixteen years old. I was living in Ogden, Utah going to school, so when they set a date for baptisms, I got a recommend and went. It was done in the first ward of Ogden; each ward had their own font where they did the baptisms of their own ward. I was baptized on the 23rd day of October in the year 1919 by Frank E. Newman, and was confirmed the same day by William E. Newman. I will never forget the thrill it gave me when the brethern laid their hands on my head to confirm the gift of the Holy Ghost. It seems as if I was being transformed. I have never had a Patriarcal blessing yet, but I am planning on getting one soon now. The little community got its name Lonetree from a big cottonwood tree that stood alone right close where the first postoffice building stood. The town was made up of one general store and postoffice, with H J Gregory, the caretaker's home in the rear of the building, and a school house and dance hall in one. In the early days there was a saloon there but I do not remember that. For a good many years there was just one teacher for all eight grades.This was the first school I attended. Part of the time I rode the seven miles horseback, and part of the time I would board with some of the neighbors who lived close to school, then when it was the coldest I would try to stay home and study but that didn't work so well. Then when I was in about the 3rd grade went to live at Lyman, Wyoming, which was about 25 miles from my home, at the home of Jim Phelps, an old batchelor, who was a very dear friend of ours; his neice and her family lived with him. They were good to me. The next two years I boarded with friends in Lonetree and went to school. One of my brothers would come on his horse and get me on Friday night and take me home, and then he would take me back to the place I was boarding either Sunday night or Monday morning. When I was in the 6th grade, I went back to Lyman to school. I went to live with my sister who with her husband was working for Jim Phelps. I only went about a half a year that year. They had some trouble with the teaacher and they went without a 6th grade the rest of the year. The next four years, I went to Ogden to school, part of thr time I lived with my sister and part of the time mother and I rented a furnished room. I skipped half of the 6th grsde and all of the 7th and went into the 8th and from there into high school when my eyes got so bad that the doctor told me I would have to quit school or I would go blind.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Monday, October 13, 2008

Out of the Mouths of Babes

Yesterday was our Primary program. It was a little earlier than usual because out chorister is about due to have her baby.
It might have been one of the best programs I've seen for a long time. It was very organized, right from when the children went out in the foyers and lined up to walk in and up to the stand.
The kids were where they needed to be, they knew their parts, knew the words to the songs and sang with volume and gusto.
The cutest moment in the program came toward the end when one of our little Sunbeams was asked, "What keys does President Monson hold?" His answer, "His car keys."

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Family Birthday Party

Last night we had our September/October Birthday Party. We celebrated the birthday's of Hunter, Darrin, Erin, DE, Victoria, Kathy & Doug. Not all of the birthday people were able to come to the party. It is always nice to see everyone, especially the babies who change so much between parties.




Danny Carson & Lyndi

We did normal birthday stuff last night, everyone blew out candles on our fake cake.








Darrin, Erin & DE

These are the birthday people, Victoria moved so fast all I got was a blur, maybe next birthday I'll do better.
We had cake and ice cream and Presents.

Alicia's Cake


And visiting.



Cindy & Leanne

It was a fun evening, and we will be doing it again on Halloween.

Family Reunion Elephant Stew

1 elephant
brown gravy
Salt & Pepper
2 rabbits, optional



Cut elephant into bite sized pieces. This should take 2 -3 months. Cover with Brown gravy and cook over Kerosene fire about 4 weeks. If more guests drop by, the 2 rabbits may be added. Do this only if necessary, as most people do not like to find hare in their stew. Serves 3800.

FAMILY HISTORY FRIDAY

AN OPEN LETTER FROM DEWEY DONOHOO


This was written 10/18/82 by Dewey Donohoo. Most of you have read this, but he wanted it shared with the family, so here it is again,I remember milking cows when I was about 9 years old. Even before that, I helped milk and herd the cows. There were about sixteen of us and we lived together in a 3 room log house. We lived up in the mountains and we gathered a lot of wood to saw up for heat and cooking. We had a special kind of dirt which we soaked and put on the roof. It held up all winter, but in the summer we had to patch it up some. After we did our chores (carrying wood, milking cows, feeding animals, taking care of chicken--- and still more) we played some games like hide and seek. Our beds were homemade from quilts, made into matresses which were filled with hay then sewn together. We lived right near the road and people going by sometimes stopped for the night. Our Dad tied up their horses. We raised most of our food-- pigs, lambs, chickens and we canned berries and vegetables. My Mother died when I was about nine, and my sisters worked hard cooking-- Martha, Ella, Lucy, Suzie. We hauled all our water from the creek. We were all healthy, never got sick. We lived about one mile from school and the stores and while we were in school we would bring home the the mail and some groceries. Dad was older than our Mother- he was a Civil War veteran and he had a hearing problem. He was still alive until we all grew up. In spite of losing my Mother and my Wife at early ages, its been a real good life. Love from Dewey

Monday, October 6, 2008

The Parable of the Chocolate Chips


In a small kingdom called Rayad, lived a king who had one child, a daughter, named Cerine.

One day the King said, "My daughter, it's time for you to leave the palace and choose for yourself. When you choose wisely you will one day have a kingdom of your own."

Before the princess left, the king gave her much counsel. When he was finished, he gave her one final warning. "You may notice that in Rayad, we don't eat chocolate cake. Do you know why?"

"Because chocolate tastes bad?"

"No, actually, Chocolate cake is delicious, but eating it is dangerous to us. If any Rayadites ever eat chocolate cake their spirits become weakened, and eventually they become trapped by Zynock.

"Trapped how Father?" she asked, "And who is Zynock?"

Before you were born, a wicked sorcerer named Zynock promised the people of Rayad, if they would follow him they could have all of the chocolate cake they wanted. Many people followed Zynock into the woods. That was Zynock's trick to make them his captives. Zynock is jealous of the peace we have in the kingdom, and wants to destroy Rayad and the people who live here. So I banished him and his followers."
"But, father won't you let them come home?"

"Only if they choose to come back. Always remember Zynock is a liar. The things he promises don't bring happiness. If you stay away from chocolate cake, you will be safe."

"Father, I promise, I won't eat chocolate cake. Why would I want to do something that would make me unhappy?"

The king pulled out a perfect little star that glowed with an inner light. "This star will help you remember the promises you made. If you need me, throw it in the air and I will come for you."

The princess tucked the star in her pocket and left the palace.
Zynock watched the princess envying her happiness and many friends. He had to think of a plan. "Hobdob," he croaked to his servant," I've got it. All we have to do is get the princess to eat chocolate cake. I know just how to do it." Hobdob didn't move. He had once been very happy, now he was a weak shadow living on nothing but chocolate cake and he felt sick all the time.

"Hobdob," Zynock said, "If we can get the princess to eat chocolate cake, all of the children will follow her into the woods. We must be very shrewed about this. These Rayadites won't eat chocolate cake immediately, we must first create a taste and longing for chocolate."

The next morning ten shiny bakery trucks drove to Rayad.

"What is that heavenly smell?"

"Chocolate chip cookies," said the bakers, "You've never tasted anything as good as these cookies."



That day the bakers didn't sell a single cookie.

The next day they were back. This time, the younger Rayadites dared each other to try a cookie. "There is nothing wrong with cookies. Its not chocolate cake."

Watching her friends, the princess became curious. She wondered what chocolate tasted like, and if it really mattered if she tried it as long as it wasn't chocolate cake.

As the bakers drove off the princess saw a small box of cookies fall off of the truck. The princess made sure no one was watching and she picked up one cookie. "It couldn't hurt to take just one little bite."

The next Morning, the trucks returned, this time there was a picture of the princess eating a chocolate chip cookie.

The Rayadites clustered around the trucks. "Its not chocolate cake and look how much our princess likes it!"

Zynock was plotting. "Now that they like cookies, Hobdob, we'll double the amount of chocolate chips in each one. They won't even know the difference."

Soon the people were eating more and more cookies and things were pretty much as normal.


"Stay away from those cookies with chocolate chips," some of the older Rayadites pleaded.

"Their just old. They don't want us to have any fun," mumbled the Young Rayadites.

The princess heard the warning, she knew it was right, but the people eating cookies were more popular than the ones who weren't.


One day the princess was invited to a party. "What are you doing at the party?

"Just watching movies on Lu's new big screen."

"What kind of movies?" "Good ones, scary ones, people eating chocolate cake and stuff. They don't make movies these days without a little bit of this."

The princess went to the party, and was barely in the door, when she was handed a cookie. It looked almost completely chocolate.




"Don't worry so much. There are bigger things to worry about than cookies."

She ditched the cookie in a flower pot and walker outside. She mossed her father and wanted to go home.


"They'll never listen," the princess looked around and saw Hobdob. "Pretty soon chocolate will be everywhere."
"How do they know?" asked the princess.

"Zynock is at the party. Your friends will be eating as much chocolate cake as they want. They'll follow him into the woods and they'll be gone."

"But, how can we stop them?"

"They won't listen to me," sighed Hobdob. "They might listen to you, but it's probably too late."

They princess pulled out the star, She threw the star in the air then walked back to the party. Inside Cerine noticed everyone was eating chocolate cake, someone put a plate in her hands.





At that moment the princess heard a voice behind her. "Cerine," her father said softly. "Is this what you want?"

The room became silent as everyone waited for her response. Shaking her head Cerine whispered, "No, no, no, This is not what I want." She turned to her friends, "Come home with me, Please."

"Why would we want to come home with you? We're having fun here."

Cerine took her father's hand and whispered, "Take me home, Daddy. Please take me home." As she turned to leave three of her friends ran to her. "Take us with you, Cerine. We don't want to be here."

Outside the king spoke to his daughter. "Cerine, I am happy you chose my kingdom. That was a brave and difficult choice you made."

"Thank you father for coming to get me. May I ask for one more thing?"

"And what might that be?"

Cerine walked over to the curb. She helped Hobdob to his feet. "I'd like to bring one more friend with me."
The group silently walked home. "Oh my goodness" Cerine broke the silence. "This light was on when I was running to the party." As they neared the shop, they saw the most amazing chocolate confections ever. Everything but chocolate cake.



The princess looked toward the glowing palace. It looked so warm and comforting that the princess wanted to run to it.
AND SHE DID!


.
CREDIT: This story was taken from "The Parable of the Chocolate Chips" written by Sharon Larsen. The full story is published by Deseret Book.




Friday, October 3, 2008

FAMILY HISTORY FRIDAY

I chose Rebecca Turner this week because of the amazing lady she was. And all of the trials she went through from childhood and throughout her life.
REBECCA WILLARD TURNER 1834-1885


Rebecca Willard Turner was born July 18, 1834, in South Saint George, Knox County, Maine, a daughter of Nathaniel Hupper Turner and Elizabeth Barter. She was the middle one of three children who grew to maturity. An older brother, Henry Barter Turner, was born December 10, 1832 in South Saint George. He died in Winter Quarters around 1848. A younger brother, David Seavy Turner, born July 20, 1836, in Herin Duck, Hancock County, Maine, lived to old age. Three other children born to the Turners died in early childhood.About the year 1842, Mormon missionaries visited Maine where they converted Nathaniel and Elizabeth Turner to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Almost immediately, the family decided to gather with the Saints in Nauvoo. They sold their modest home in South Saint George and amid the protest of devoted family members, brothers, and sisters, left Maine for the far west to be with the people of Zion. Their funds were meager and the trip across country was difficult, but they managed to reach Nauvoo.The Turners were proud people and fiercely independent, characteristics that they passed on to their children. They were also a very close-knit family, each concerned about the welfare of the other members. In Zion they soon ran into difficulty. Their independent spirit kept them from asking for help. They tried desperately to maintain themselves; but they were shipbuilding folk, fishermen from the coast of Maine, not farmers. The summer had been spent in traveling and winter found them in destitute circumstances. By the end of January 1843, the mother of the family sickened and on the 22nd day of the month she died of a disease that the Saints referred to as "Black Tongue"-- no doubt a deficiency disease.The following February 6, 1843, Nathaniel, the father , died of the same illness. Very likely the parents had deprived themselves of necessary nutrients in order to give to the children, for neither of the latter seems to have been affected.Word was sent back to the family in Maine. Nathaniel Turner was an only child, so it remained for the family of Elizabeth Barter Turner to decide what to do with the orphan children. Accordingly, Elizabeth's brother, Samuel Barter, started for Nauvoo, Illinois, to bring the orphaned children home to Maine. but Samuel died before he was able to reach the Mormon city. Two years later another brother, William Barter, started for Nauvoo, but he also died en route on March 5, 1845. It is thought that he died in Buffalo, New York, but that is not certain. In their determination to get the children, Elizabeth's youngest brother, Cyrus Barter, left his wife and family and embarked on the journey to Nauvoo. However, he died April 13, 1845, without reaching the children. Fate had decreed the children should remain with the people who were members of their parent's faith, to be reared in the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.The children were placed in various homes. Rebecca, who was nine years of age by this time, became a member of the family of Benjamin Covey and his wife Almira Mack Covey. Almira was a daughter of Steven Mack, niece of the prophet Joseph Smith's mother. David Seavy Turner, a child of seven, went to live with a family by the name of Barlow. It was a bit different with Henry. Born about 1832 in South Saint George, Maine. Henry had , in childhood, been stricken with infantile paralysis and was a cripple, his right side never having developed properly. By this time he was 12 or 13 years of age and considered able to care for himself. He worked around from family to family wherever he could find something to do, sustaining himself and always visiting the other children and keeping them cheered and conscious of their family unity.When the time came, in 1846, that the Saints had to leave Nauvoo, the children were evacuated with their respective families, Henry probably traveling with his sister and the Coveys. The years in Nauvoo had been exciting-- some of them good, but the last of them sad. Rebecca remembered the intimacy she enjoyed with the Coveys and the close relationship they had with the Prohet Joseph.She was in his presence often and recalled the magnetism of his personally and radiance of his being. She saw the bodies of Joseph and Hyrum as they were returned to Nauvoo after the assassination. She was in the congregation when Sidney Rigdon made his impassioned speech setting forth his claim to the presidency. She saw Brigham Young come into the meeting and listen patiently until Sidney was through speaking. When he stepped forward to speak, she saw not Brigham Young at the pulpit but the Prophet Joseph. She heard Joseph's voice speaking to the people for few brief moments and testified often of the manifestation she witnessed that day.In the spring of 1848, the Covey and Barlow families joined the company of Lorenzo Snow that was preparing to cross the plains. Rebecca, a winsome lass of 14, knew that she would help to drive the family cattle on the long trek. David, a robust child, could negotiate the crossing, walking all the way; but the decision was made that Henry, the crippled boy, would wait until a later train when there would be room for him to ride. The trip from Nauvoo to Winter Quarters had pointed out his weakness and inability to stand a strenuous journey.The children hated to be separated, but the day of parting came. Henry went out with them the first day and camped that night. The next morning very early, the three children stood alone on the edge of the prairie and wept their farewells. Henry wanted so much to go with them but expressed joy that the two children were privileged to go with the body of the Saints. Henry stood on the campsite watching and weeping for his family until they disappeared over the rolling hills. Several times Rebecca came to high ground and looked back over the trail to see him limping along until his form became a mere speck in the distance. That picture never dimmed in her memory. The consuming passion of her life became the desire to work or do something that would enable Henry to cross the plains. About two days out on the trail, Rebecca met a young man two years older than she. He, too, was driving cattle for another party so they might let his widowed mother ride to Utah. She and this young man became very good friends. After they arrived in the Great Salt Lake Valley, Rebecca spent much of her time with him and his mother. The mother was always glad to see Rebecca and did such nice little motherly things for her. They were very near and dear to each other; but when the chilling blasts of the second winter in Salt Lake swept down upon them, this mother became ill and succumbed to the rigors of pioneer life.After she was laid to rest, the son said, "Rebecca, we are too young to marry and anyway I am not in a position to take that step. I have no job and no home, so I have decided to go to Nevada to the gold fields to seek my fortune. Who knows? I might strike it rich. If I do, I'll come back and we'll build a home together. You take all of Mother's belongings-- her feather bed and pillow, etc.-- and keep them as your own." For two years Rebecca waited and prayed for his return, but she didn't hear from him. She thought he must have died in the desert country. Eventually she despaired of ever hearing from him.One day Jacob Workman, a well known neighbor who had been a member of the same company of pioneers, came to the Covey home and asked for the hand of Rebecca Turner in marriage. He was 22 years older than Rebecca. His first wife, Nancy Reeder, by whom he had seven children, had died in Mt Pisgah, Iowa. There he had married Fanny Harris, widow of Mr Morrison who had also died in Mt Pisgah. Together they had crossed the plains and she had given birth to two more children.Rebecca was a little nonpleased, thinking no doubt the thoughts of any young girl who desires to be the "one and only" in the life of her prince charming. But Jacob had a trump card which he did not hesitate to use. He needed a wife to help with the responsibility of a large and growing family. While Rebecca was deliberating, he said, "If you will marry me, together we will find a way to bring your brother Henry across the plains." That was enough for Rebecca. She would do anything to help her brother. She consented and the day was set. Accordingly, on the 3rd of January 1852, Rebecca became the wife of Jacob Lindsay Workman. She received her endowments that day in the Old Endowment House and stood proxy while Jacob was sealed to his first wife. She then in turn became his wife for time and all eternity.About six months after her marriage, Rebecca's young lover came to town. The Coveys told him that she was married, so he left without making any effort to see her.For a time Rebecca lived in the small Workman home and did all she could to make the establishment run smoothly. But it was far too small for the people it had to house. On the back of the lot Jacob had built a small cabin in which his father lived.After the father died in 1855, Rebecca moved into the cabin with her small son, Abram, who had been born on October 29, 1852. Life was a bit easier now than it had been while living simply as a maid in another's home. She had more time for her baby, more time to do things she enjoyed doing to build a home, and it was a pleasant home-- one that Jacob enjoyed being in with her.Mary and Elizabeth, twin daughters, were born on December 26, 1853, but Elizabeth died on December 28 and Mary on December 30-- such brief lives. On January 13, 1855 another daughter, Hannah, was born. She lived only until July 24, 1855.Rebecca had lived in her own home less than a year when in 1856 Jacob L. Workman was called on a mission to the Lamanites. He was to travel without purse or script, and each wife would be responsible for maintaining herself and family. This was a real challenge in a country where food was at a premium as it was among the Saints that year. The time came when Rebecca found that she had nothing in her home to feed herself and son. She took a pan and went out to try to find some flour, offering to work for the commodity. It was all to no avail, until she came to the home of Elder Ezra Taft Benson. Apostle Benson was in England on a mission at the time. Sister Benson said, "I cannot sell you any flour, but I will lend you a pan full."A few months later Jacob was released from his mission. He brought three flour sacks of wheat home with him. As soon as the wheat was ground, Rebecca took a pan full of flour to Sister Benson. It was now Sister Benson's turn to feel thankful to the Lord. She said, "you came just in time. I am entirely out. I have nothing in the house to eat." Then, aside to her daughter, Sister Benson quoted, "Cast thy bread upon the waters; for thou shalt find it after many days." (Ecclesiastes 1:11) In 1857 Johnston's Army came to Utah. While Jacob was in the militia and spent most of his time in the canyons and mountains, prepared to defend the home of the Saints, he was released long enough to move his families south to Provo. The first trip he took the elder wife and family to the retreat, then the second trip moved Rebecca and her household to the comforting home of relatives in the southern city. There they pitched camp in the hospitable yard and waited for the call to return home.There were two healthy young children in Rebecca's family now; for on July 27, 1856, a daughter, Martha Jane, had been born. She was a rollicking, happy child and had cheered her mother's heart in the moments of trial. She made this trial seem a happy event and Rebecca didn't mind at all. The whole thing seemed like a wonderful outing with her children. Jacob returned as often as he could to bring fish and game to feed his family, and all went well.Son Cornelius was born soon after the return of the Saints to Salt Lake on July 27, 1858. Nancy joined the family on April 2, 1860, and another son, Isaac Nathaniel was born on February 26, 1862-- the son that bore the name of his maternal grandfather.The year 1862 was a momentous one, for in the spring conference Jacob and his family were called with others to leave their comfortable Salt Lake homes and pioneer the Dixie country. Jacob had a brother who was already settled in Hurricane, Utah, and he wrote glowing reports of the country and its climate so it was with high hopes that the family prepared to move south.They didn't go to the St George area, as did so many , but elected to settle in the mouth of Zion's Canyon in a spot known as Virgin City, named for the unpredictable river which wound its way down the valley floor.Not long after the arrival the arrival in Virgin City, it was decided that Fanny and family would remain in town, but that Rebecca and her family would go further up the river where Jacob had purchased a farm known as "Gould's Ranch." The children of the first wife were grown by this time and had elected to stay in Salt Lake.Not long after they arrived in Southern Utah, the call came from Brigham Young for all those who could do so to donate wagons and teams to return to Winter Quarters to aid more of the Saints to gather in the West. In counsel with his wives, Jacob decided to sent a wagon with the stipulation that Rebeccca's brother, Henry, should be included in those to come in this wagon. It was a glorious time for Rebecca. At last her dream of years was to be fulfilled and she would see her dear brother again. The months of waiting seemed so long! She thought about the happy day when she would clasp him to her bosom and take care of him as she had longed to do. She was doomed to disappointment, however, for when the wagons returned they brought the news that Henry had died some time before the wagons had reached the gathering place.In Virgin City eight more children were born to Rebecca:Henry T born Dec 21, 1863 died Dec 25, 1863Erastus Snow born Nov 20, 1864Ella Rebecca born March 3, 1867Lucy Marinda born June 26,1869 died April 23, 1871Adelia Mariah born July 16, 1871Nettie Percena born Jan 14, 1873George Albert born Aug 23, 1874Lorenzo born Aug 22, 1876There were happy times in Virgin as the children grew and as is in any family where love abounds, but there were difficult times too. Many times there were threats of Indian invasions and there was a constant need to be on guard. Rebecca watched her eldest son prepare to be a scout and messenger for the militia. Lovingly, she sent him out to join the militia to chase Indians back across Lee's Ferry when they had come on a marauding party.When her son, Abram, married she helped him to furnish his modest home; and after his wife died, she cared for his two children as if they had been her own.Faithfully, Rebecca tended her husband during his illness; and when he died on July 28, 1878, he found herself still with rather a large family of young children. Isaac Nathaniel was the oldest child at home (a boy of 16). All the older children had married and most of them lived in scattered communities. Her youngest child was only four years of age.For a time Rebecca and the children cared for the farm and did all they could to make ends meet. It had always been difficult to provide enough food and clothes for so large a family. Now it seemed almost impossible. Reports were being circulated that life was far more exciting to the south in Arizona. There was land to be had for the taking. There were forests and streams just waiting. Isaac Nathaniel (or Than, as he was called by this time) was in his adventurous years, and it just seemed that the grass was so very green across the fence. "Look, mother, we could leave all this behind. You've known so much trouble here. We could leave Aunt Fanny and her demands and really be on our own. Oh, mother, it would be so wonderful, if we could just go out by ourselves and really make it big." he seemed to say.At last Rebecca succumbed to the importunities of her growing sons. The farm was sold and shared with Fanny; they loaded their possessins into a wagon and moved south again. This time their journey took them to somewhere between Fort Apache and the town that is now known as Show Low, Arizona. The boys set out immediately to find the work that was to bring them such an abundant life, but found it even more difficult here than it had been in the established community of Virgin. True there were things that could be done at the Fort now and again. There was wood to cut and sold for fuel but there was not much of a market for it. They boys wanted to build a home for their mother and the children, but they were so busy trying to earn enough for food that they didn't get around to it. In letters that have recently been found, we learn that Rebecca made her home on the bank of a creek under a grove of trees. The wagon box was the only house she was to know in Arizona but she didn't complain. She wrote happy letters to her married children telling of the fish that could be caught in the stream at her doorstep, of the children and their activities. She never mentioned the times that she went hungry so that her children could eat.In 1884, two of her daughters married men they had met at the Fort who promised to provide them with a home and take them out of poverty-- and no doubt for love too. Ella Rebecca was 14½ years of age at marriage and Adelia was 12½. What heartstrings must have ached as a mother saw her young girls embark on lives of terrible responsibility at such tender ages!Rebecca grew weak and ailing. The boys took her in to Fort Apache to see a doctor stationed there. He examined her, shook his head and said, "She only needs good wholesome food and rest. There is nothing I can do for her." In the spring of 1885, a charming young girl came to the area. Than fell in love with her and asked her to marry him. He and his bride intended to live there and still take care of the mother and younghildren. But in the impetuous way of youth, wrapped around with love and the security of new adventure, yielded to his wife's desires and took her to visit her parents. The visit was extended for months-- an extension that Than was to regret the rest of his life.Things became so desperate for the pioneer mother that she finally had to consent for the children to write their eldest brother to explain their plight. As soon as Abram heard how desperate they were, he gathered a team and wagon and dispatched his younger brother, Cornelius and his wife (they had no children then) with instructions to "bring mother home."When Cornelius and his wife arrived at the wagon-box home they found Rebecca too weak to be up. When she saw her son for the first time in several years, tears streamed down her face as she said, "I knew my sons would come!"Cornelius gathered up the children and what possessions they still had left, made a bed in the wagon for his mother and prepared for the return trip. The first night out the family prepared for camp, doing everything they could to make the mother comfortable. They fed her warm soup and listened as she poured forth her love and appreciation to them, the they retired for the night feeling that "Mother seems better!" The next morning when they went to awaken her for breakfast they found her dead.Rebecca is buried on a hillside overlooking a beautiful, serene lake in the tops of the mountains near Show Low, Arizona, dressed in the temple clothing that signified her faithfulness in life. She had paid her last farthing. She had kept the faith, never wavering in her testimony of the Gospel and her thankfulness that her lot had been cast with the Latter-Day Saints. Gentle, sweet, uncomplaining, she is a blessing to all her descendants.


Thursday, October 2, 2008

DON'T FORGET TO REGISTER TO VOTE

We are a little more than a month away from the Presidential election. If you aren't registered to vote yet, you have a few more days.



In Arizona the last day to register online is Oct 6. http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1352578267/bctid1749436976

I borrowed this from my brother's blog.

Besides the all important presidential election, which has the potential to change the country for better or worse, in Arizona we have Prop 102.

Prop 102 simply says :

"Only a union of one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in this state."

A yes vote will change our constitution, to prevent our supreme court from allowing same sex marriage in the future, which has happened in other states.

I borrowed this from my brother's blog too , because it has an important message:

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid1352578267/bctid1784521903

Remember

Register to Vote & encourage others to register

Pray

Vote your Values



New Dollar Bill

Given what's happening with the economy these days, the TreasuryDepartment has issued a new dollar bill...


Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Sarah Palin

Sarah Palin
I heard on the TV last night that not only are Sarah Palin style glasses selling like hotcakes but there are now Palin style wigs on the market....

Some people will do anything to get elected