Hard Frost

It seems a little early to welcome the frosty air, but it's here.  Unfortunately our corn never matured and now it is gone.  However, we did cover our tomatoes and peppers.  Maybe this cold snap is just a trick and there will be still more warm days to enjoy.  I hope so.

This week is homecoming for Madison High.  Catherine secured a jeep from Stones Town and Country Car Dealership to ride in the parade with her Distinguished Young Women buddies.  It's pretty fun to ride in these sweet autos every once in awhile.

Janay Busby, Catherine, and Annie Brown

Annie Brown, Catherine, and Brittany Hymas

Janay Busby, Brittany Hymas, Kaylee Anderson, Catherine and Annie Brown

Connections With Scotland/Ireland

Since receiving her mission call, we have found a few people who have interesting connections to Scotland and Ireland.
Something that we found hard to believe was that our friends, Doug and Carol Ladle, had just left for this same mission a few weeks previous to Sarah's call.  We first met Doug and Carol after a ward boundary change almost 14 years ago.  They welcomed our family and street into the ward by delivering popcorn to each house.  Shortly thereafter, I was called to serve as Young Women president, serving as leader to their daughter Joy, one of our laurels.  We became good friends at that point.  Doug also served as our home teacher for a year or so, then our ward boundaries were changed again and we were placed in different wards.  Doug and Carol didn't let ward boundaries stop us from being friends.  He remembered all of our birthdays, contributed money towards family activities and basically became grandparents to our children here in Rexburg.  I also taught Carol piano lessons and she helped us paint our upstair walls in our home.  We have been so lucky and blessed to be their close friends and recipients of much kindness.  Now Sarah gets to serve her mission knowing some very dear friends are close by.

Kate Prescott, a friend from our stake and fellow dancer received her call to Scotland/Ireland.  She leaves in December.  Her father Larry teaches photography at the high school.  Dave considers him a great friend.

Tara Fitzgerald, Kirsten's former piano teacher and Dave's former choir student, served in this mission several years ago.

My grandparents, Clyde and Sarah Viola Thompson, served in the Ireland mission.  When Sarah opened her mission call she sat at the piano in our living room.  Just above the piano hangs an oil painting depicting 19 red roses arranged in a glass vase.  This piece of art was painted by my grandmother Thompson.    On the back of the painting is written "for Julie Anne on her wedding day".  My grandmother had already passed away when I was married but her handwriting and acknowledgement of my wedding day has always been special to me.  And then last Wednesday as I watched Sarah open her call the picture reminded me of their service and that special connection they now have with their great-grand daughter Sarah.  I'm sure that my grandparents will be watching over Sarah as she serves in their same mission.

Mary Schwendiman's father served in Ireland and just last year Mary, her mother and 2 sisters visited Ireland.

We have many ancestors from the Scotland area.  I want to post their histories on this blog so we can all be more familiar with their stories.

Another member of our stake, Will Evans, is serving in this mission.

Our new neighbor, whom we have yet to meet, grew up in England.  His father is Elder David Baxter of the first quorum of seventy.

My second counselor in the Young Women has a nephew that just returned home from there.  Sarah met him last Sunday as he was visiting his aunt in our ward.

So we can draw upon many experiences as Sarah makes her preparations.

Exciting News

A mission call was found in our mailbox this past Wednesday, September 3rd.   Sarah Elizabeth Hinck was called to serve in the Scotland/Ireland Mission.  She is to arrive at the England MTC on January 15th.  We are thrilled and excited for this next step of life for Sarah.  She will start school in a week allowing her to get one more semester accomplished before she leaves.

2014-09-05

As part of the mission call process, Sarah was asked to write a letter of acceptance to the Brethren in Salt Lake City.  The following is her letter:

Dear Brethren

I cannot express the joy and comfort I felt when I received my call to the Scotland/Ireland mission. I am ready and willing to commit my time and energy to serve the Lord and preach his gospel for the next year and a half. I promise that as I serve a mission, I will serve with all my mind, heart, and strength. Because my Savior, Jesus Christ, has done so much for me, this is my opportunity to thank him. Although serving a mission can only repay a small portion of my debt to him, I know that it will lead to many spiritual opportunities in my life that will draw me closer to Him. Since I graduated from high school, I have wanted to serve a mission. During my first year of college, the mission age was changed, and the idea of going on a mission became very real. I am the first child in my family to serve a mission. I want to set a good example for my younger brothers and sisters in hopes that someday they may choose to serve a mission as well. Although I do have fears, I am confident that with the Lord's help, my mission will be a success. Because I have seen Heavenly Father's love throughout my life, I know that he will be there to answer my prayers and guide me when I need help if I open up my heart to him. I know that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true. Heavenly Father loves me unconditionally and wants me to be happy. I know that Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith in the sacred grove. Here, the truthfulness of the Gospel was revealed and then restored. I know that the Book of Mormon is true. As I have had the opportunity to read and reread its words, I have felt the spirit strongly. I have prayed about its teachings and the Holy Ghost has confirmed to me that they are true. I am thankful for the restoration of the Priesthood and worthy Priesthood holders. Because of the Priesthood, I have seen many blessings throughout my life. I know that if I am faithful, I can have the companionship of the Holy Ghost at all times. He is available to me for guidance and comfort. I know that the Lord reveals his teaching to latter-day prophets, even Thomas S. Monson. I am thankful for the blessing of an eternal family and the knowledge that I have that there is life after death. Finally, I know that Jesus Christ suffered and died on the cross for me. I know that because of the Atonement, I am able to repent and become clean again so that I may someday live with my Heavenly Father and family in the Celestial Kingdom.

Sister Sarah Hinck

Elder Christofferson and Elder Batt

Last spring, Dave was asked to serve in the Rexburg 4th Young Single Adult Stake as a high councilman.   He has had various responsibilities associated with the calling but really it has been quite a low-stress position.  He is over music, serves as a committee member of the missionary and activity groups and speaks in a Sacrament meeting once a month.  Most of the time he is able to attend church with us, which I love.  Really it isn't too bad.  His stake was privileged to have Elder Christofferson and Elder Batt speak today in a conference setting today.  I love learning from men of God.

Elder Batt taught us to filter out that which brings us sadness and to replace it with goodness.  He said we are a more attractive people when We can make a contribution to the world around us when we serve. Today is the day to serve.  Your quality of life will be better.  Elder Batt told a story about he and his mother.  He grew up in a home where his mother was devoted to serving others.  In fact many times delicious food would leave the home and end up at a funeral or be given to someone who was sick.   On one occasion he had a dream.  He was dreaming that he was going to die soon.  He was laying in his bed preparing for death when the wonderful smell of chocolate chip cookies infiltrated his bedroom.  He stumbled out of bead and hobbled down the floor towards the cookies. When he reached the kitchen, he reached out to grab a cookie only to be stopped by his mother as she was slapping his hand, saying "Don't eat those cookies, they are for your funeral."  The audience erupted in laughter and Elder Christofferson followed up by saying that he wouldn't soon forget the very funny accounting of that dream.

Elder Christofferson

Elder Christofferson visited us because he was in Rexburg for training on Saturday and Presidnet Monson has asked them to attend a gathering with one of the stakes the next day. And the fourth stake was selected to have him speak to them. He said once a reporter asked him what were the duties of a modern-day apostle? He answered by saying 1. Feed my lambs. 2. Proclaim the gospel 3. A witness of Christ.

Feed my lambs: Nurture them with the good word. We all share this responsibility. Be watchful over each other and sustain each other. On Thursdays, the apostles meet in the temple with the first presidency. They each give an accounting of their previous week. Every week, President Monson reports on a personal visit to a nursing home, hospital, funeral etc. He never forgets the individual and finds opportunity to personally administer. Elder C. said that President Monson is particularly troubled that he can't reach everyone. This fear could paralyze him, but President Monson doesn't allow that to happen. 

Proclaim the gospel and teach all nations. Weighty responsibility when you consider the entire planet. Our missionaries are 80,000 strong.

Witness of Jesus Christ:  After the Savior ascended to heaven, he asked the 12 apostles to wait and receive the Holy Ghost before proclaiming the gospel to the world.  They had spent 3 years at the Savior's feet.  What more would they need?   But yet they were not ready, they needed the Holy Ghost.  They needed the spirit to help them fully understand and really grasp the full magnitude of what they learned and bring things to their remembrance.  They needed the Spirit to help them with the right words and they needed the gifts of the spirit.  

That is a little of what I took in this morning.  It was a great meeting.  I felt the love and concern from the brethren and sisters as they spoke, and was thankful that I could be a witness to their strong testimonies.

Valentine's Day

Love to my sweet family!  You mean everything to me.  I love each and everyone of my family members and I hope that I can be a better daughter, wife, mother and friend this next year.  Today I traveled to Pocatello to take my neighbor, Chantell Winegar to a doctor appointment.  The office is unique because illnesses are treated in an all natural way using vitamins and minerals.  She is being treated for rheumatoid arthritis.  It was a fun drive and afterwards she treated out entire family to sandwiches at Gator Jacks, a restaurant which she owns.

Wild Wednesday

Wednesday is a busy day for me.   I normally teach piano students in the morning beginning at 7:15 a.m.  I finish up at 8:15 and head to BYU-I where I teach the Music 158 students their piano lessons.  Depending on the semester, I usually finish up in the early afternoon.  I return home to a couple more piano students, walk our neighbor's dogs for 40 minutes and then begin thinking about dinner.  This evening I also had our Young Women's activity.  In my ward, I currently am serving as the president of our Young Women's group.  I was sustained in September and since then have been kept quite busy on Sunday and Tuesday night.  This evening we attended a pep band performance of one our Laurels, Runae Smith.   She attends South Fremont High in St. Anthony.  Her mom teaches at the school so they have chosen to attend in that district.  It was fun to go to a small town basketball game especially because they were playing a big rival. Sugar-Salem.  Tracey Wynn, our laurel advisor and two of our laurels, Catherine Hinck and Laura Spencer attended the game with me.  I love the laurels.  It is fun to associate with young women that are on the brink of becoming young adults.  They show a lot of maturity and are also just so enjoyable to be around.

Trudy Budge

I have been hoping to get back into the record keeping mode.  So I am making an attempt here on Feb. 11.  When I checked my face book account this morning, I noticed that a high school friend had posted a video memorializing a classmate who had passed away on Feb. 9.  The acquaintance was Trudy Hatch Budge.  She was stricken with a rare form of cancer.  In high school, she was bubbly, pretty and an outgoing cheerleader.  I guess I never had any classes with her because I just didn't know her that well, but I did watch her fun, spirited personality as she cheered at games and participated in other high school activities.  She married another class mate, Carl Budge.  This video encompassed an explanation of who she is and put her in real situations with her family.  She described her children's personalities and talked of how much their family had been blessed as the disease took it's toll on her body. She discussed the atonement and how she came to understand the significance it plays in each of our lives.  Today, I have thought nonstop about Trudy's experiences and the strength and love displayed by Carl and her.  It has given me much to think about and ponder.

The link to the video:https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=475711329199767&set=vb.474457292658504&type=2&theater