It's been awhile since I last sent a post, but a lot has taken place within the family and here at home in Monroe. We have recently enjoyed the visit of Travis and his children, Drew, Kali, and Megan. They spent almost a week with us and hurried home to miss a huge snowstorm in the Colorado Rockies. Erin and Kate also joined us for a few days while they were here as Weston was vacationing in New York City??

While Travis was here I was in the midst of my first stake conference. What an awesome responsibility and worry. What if you scheduled a conference and no one came? Well that didn't happen and we had wonderful participation in our temple, priesthood leadership, adult, and general session on sunday. Our theme was "We Should Be a Temple Loving People" and the talks and music so wonderfully supported this theme.

Also last tuesday Travis and his children and Pam and I went to the Lehman Caves on the edge of the Great Basin National Park in Nevada. Pam and I have been to the caves before and we thought Travis and his children would really enjoy it and they did. Lehman Caves is a beautiful marble cave ornately decorated with stalactites, stalagmites, helictites, flowstone, popcorn, and over 300 rare shield formations. Once the guide mentioned the shield formations the kids search diligently for all of the over 300 shield formations from location to locations. There was only 7 in our group and we got a lot of personal attention and it was very enjoyable and the time just flew by.


Now on a more somber tone we were very saddened to hear that Benjamin was taken back to the hospital again yesterday and we hope and pray that the tender care by the hospital will quickly solve the problems he was facing. As we fast today our prayers are centered on him and also for Alex and Tom that they might find new employment soon.

These are trying times and we hope and pray that provident living will be implemented each day as we face these lousy economic times. The one thing the Lord has promised us is that if we will trust in him and pay our tithes and offerings he will open the windows of heaven. The evidence is many and varied, but always the same end result--the Lord blesses us with what we need.

Well enough preaching. We love you all and look forward to seeing you all soon.

It's been awhile since I posted, so thought I would add a thought or two. January and February just seemed to fly by and we have been busy here in Monroe. Winter is slowly ebbing away with cold nights but fairly warm day temperatures. Almost golf weather again!!

Pam is looking outside and thinking she needs to get in the flower beds, but then we have a day of rain or a cold day and hurrah we don't have to go out quite yet. She has been busy sewing however, either for humanitarian projects or quilt tops for Aunt Win. It has almost been a full-time job for her. This last week she did a first on ebay--sold her first item. She sold a serger and it went well and she was happy with the price and the process. Maybe she will sell some of my things!!

Last tuesday we had a very interesting event happen with the stake presidency. I received a letter from the temple presidency inviting the three of us and our wives to dinner at the temple. We met with President Harless (temple president) at 5:00 pm and enjoyed a few minutes in his office and then went to his private dining room and had a lovely dinner, but most importantly got to listen to the president talk about the temple, temple work, and programs that could boost our stakes attendance.

After dinner we were escorted to sealing room #6, which is the lower room in the west tower frequently called the "Wells Room" where President Wells and his wife lived while he was the temple president. We got to the room by climbing the north circular stairwell and it was beautiful as usual. In the sealing room we did sealings for an hour and a half and that was very enjoyable. We did couples, daughters and sons, so enjoyed that variety and renewing our vows that Pam and I had taken over 40 years ago.

Finally we stopped doing sealings and president Harless visited with us in that room for awhile and then we climbed up the north stairwell again and entered the priesthood room. Strangely enough the priesthood room has no lights, so we were bathed in the exterior lights of the temple and it was so beautiful to sit on the north side seats and look up and down that beautiful room. President Harless told us of the history of that room and in specific the last Solemn Assembly that had been held there in 1979 and also the re-dedication in early 1980. Both my counselors LeRon Ware and Craig Mathie had attended one of the dedication sessions. We returned down the south circular stairwell from almost the top to the bottom.

It was a wonderful evening and one that will probably never be repeated in our lifetime. There is nothing quite like the Manti temple and while many people theroize about turning it into a film temple, I just don't think that would every happen. Many years ago Presient Packer was given a top to bottom tour of the temple and as he reached the foyer at the bottom of the circular stairwell he was reported to have said "Don't you ever let them do anything to this temple."

I guess that is how we feel also. Well Pam and I are fine and are in for a busy March with Stake Conference coming up, but we are happy and well.