Sad News

12 May 2018

We learned on Tuesday that our friend, Nancy Pyne, died unexpectedly on Monday night. We had just seen her eight days earlier at her 70^th birthday party, and she looked great.

​

It was a real shock to hear she had died. I guess the pneumonia that caused her death hit her hard and fast. It’s still hard to take in the fact that she is gone. We grieve for her family. Everyone who knew Nancy loved her, and she will be missed.

When I was talking with her at her birthday party, she reminded me of something fun from when our daughter, Susy, was in high school and spent time at their house. The Pynes had a dog named Susie, so, in order to distinguish which one they meant when they were talking, they called our Susy, “Susy-two-legs” (and their dog, “Susie-four-legs.”) :-) 

On another note, I was walking through the lobby of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building the other day and saw Mitt Romney being filmed and interviewed. I couldn’t hear what was being said, so he may have been making a political ad. I don’t know. Since I couldn’t hear anything, I have no context. My photo isn’t very good because I just grabbed a quick shot on my way by. . . (poor lighting from my angle)

One of the sisters in our zone, Sister Pace, gave the sweetest spiritual thought this week and I want to share part of it with you. She talked about how her grandparents joined the church in Germany in 1901. Her father was born in 1907, and he had one older brother. His parents worked hard so that their family could eventually come to America. (She also spoke of some of the difficulties they faced during World War II because they were German. But, they forgave and moved on.) Then she talked of how much she loves the temple and what a privilege it is to do the temple work for our kindred dead. From Sis Pace: “I have had the privilege of searching out my parents’ ancestors and taking their names to the temple, saying to them, ‘Here are my hands—make covenants with them. Here is my mouth—speak holy words with it. Here are my eyes—see the beauty of the temple with them. Here are my ears—hear the promises and blessings of the Lord with them. Here are my knees—kneel at an alter with them.’ What a glorious experience.”

As the hymn says, “Sweet is the work. . .”

Cowboy Poetry

5 May 2018

It’s May!! Hooray!!!

In only three more months we’ll be at the beach in NC! But, we’re trying not to get too trunky. J

​

Today, I’m including a quiz I found while zoning an old newspaper. Where in the Bible does it say that egg whites have no flavor? (See the answer at the end of this post.)

I’m also including a fun poem that was shared by Elder Baker, a missionary who’s here from Wyoming. He said it was his Dad's favorite. I did some checking, but couldn't find the author's name.

The poem reminds me of some of the ones we heard last fall when we attended the Western Music and Cowboy Poetry Festival – and I thought you might enjoy it, too.

Jake’s Prayer

Jake, the rancher, went one day to fix a distant fence.

The wind was cold and gusty, and the clouds rolled gray and dense.

As he pounded the last staples in and gathered tools to go,

The temperature had fallen; wind and snow began to blow.

When he finally reached his pickup, he felt a heavy heart.

From the sound of that ignition, he knew it wouldn’t start.

So, Jake did what most of us would do if we’d been there.

He humbly bowed his balding head and sent aloft a prayer.

As he turned the key for the last time, he softly cursed his luck.

They found him three days later, frozen in his old truck.

Now Jake had been around in life and done his share of roaming.

But, when he saw Heaven, he was shocked --- it looked just like Wyoming!

Of all the saints in Heaven, his favorite was Saint Peter.

(Now this line ain’t really needed, but it helps with rhyme and meter.)

So, they sat and talked a minute or two, or maybe it was three.

Nobody was keepin’ score - in Heaven time is free.

“I’ve always heard,” Jake said to Pete, “That God will answer prayer.

But, the one time that I asked for help, well, He just wasn’t there.”

“Does God answer prayers of some, and ignore the prayers of others?

That don’t seem exactly square --- I know all men are brothers.”

“Or, does he randomly reply, without good rhyme or reason?

‘Cause it’s that time of day, or the weather, or the season?”

“Now I ain’t trying to act smart. It’s just the way I feel.

And I was wondering, could you tell me, what the heck’s the deal?”

Peter listened very patiently, and when Jake was done,

There was a smile of recognition, and he said, “So you’re the one!”

“That day your truck, it wouldn’t start, and you sent your prayer a flying,

You gave us all a real bad time, with hundreds of us trying.”

“A thousand angels rushed to check the status of your file,

But, you know, Jake, we hadn’t heard from you in quite a while.”

“And though all prayers are answered, and God ain’t got no quota,

He didn’t recognize your voice and started a truck in South Dakota.”

---------------------------------------

I had another up-close apostle sighting. I was by myself, waiting for an elevator, and when the door opened, the only person on the elevator, and who was getting off as I was getting on, was Elder Ronald A. Rasband! He smiled and said, "Hello." so I responded in kind. :-) Made me happy to have that tiny little one-on-one experience.

--The answer to the quiz is: Job 6:6