Barbara Henry 1959

Good evening my dear family and friends.  I didn't get to my blogging yesterday but here I am on Monday evening.  It has once again been a wonderful week.  It amazes me how fast the time is passing by.  It seems it is Monday and we are having our special Monday devotional and then almost immediately it is Friday and we are finishing up the week and looking forward to the weekend.  Of course the weekend passes like lightening and it is Monday again.  On June 1st I will have been out on this mission for 4 months.  What have you done with the last four months?

I feel so sad and empathetic for President Thomas Monson who lost his beloved wife this week.  They had been married for a very long time.  He will be so lonely without her.  I know!  Even with lots of people around all the time it won't fill the loneliness of loosing your eternal companion.  The funeral will be at noon on Thursday in the Tabernacle.  My thoughts and prayers have been and will continue to be with President Monson and his family.

Today's Monday devotional has been one I have long dreaded.  All missionaries are required to give a three minute biography of their life.  Today was my day! I was the fourth speaker.  I am going to publish my talk here on my blog.  It is a very succinct few paragraphs of 72 years of life.  I hope it won't bore my readers but this blog is a part of my mission journal and I think it should be included here.

 

Winkie Family following temple sealing 1981

Barbara Winkie – 3 minute profile for May 20, 2013

Good morning, I am Barbara Winkie.  I was born in Rochester New York and was raised by a great, single parent, mom.  I have 3 siblings that I am close to but who are not members.  After graduating high school I worked as a long distance telephone operator.  The day before my 20^th birthday I was on the 2^nd day of a 48 hour Grayhound bus trip from Florida.  There was a layover and bus change in Scranton, PA.  My seat mate on this bus was a nice looking young soldier.  We married 3 months later.  He loved to tell people how we met and delighted in adding “and Barbara was a pick-up.”

Don served for 26 years in the United States Army and we moved a lot.  Two sons were born a year apart during my first tour in Germany.  Another son was born in Virginia and a 4^th son was born in New York just before Don went on his 2^nd tour to Vietnam.  While on a two year assignment to Korea our family was enlarged when we adopted 3 little girls.  How blessed we were.   Don always liked to get a rise out of people when he would say that our children were 2 Krauts, a Yank, a Reb and 3 Gooks.  We were a military family and were proud of it. 

Don and I were married in a Lutheran Church and on our 10^th anniversary we renewed our vows in a Methodist Church.   Four years before we adopted our daughters we were stationed in Germany for our last tour.  We had been married for 15 years and life was good but it was about to get better.  I borrowed a book from our library called “The Restored Church” donated by the LDS Chaplain that served the needs of the 96 families in our little housing area.  That book converted our family.  Soon we were baptized and exactly a year later all 6 of us were sealed for time and eternity in the House of the Lord in Bern, Switzerland.  Now we were REALLY married.  The girls were sealed to us in the Washington, DC temple.  When Don retired from the Army we moved to Las Cruces, New Mexico. We were there for 9 years and it is where I went to college.   We moved to Missouri in 1993,

Our family fulfilled a long held dream when we purchased our 80 acre farm in Caldwell County Missouri.  When people asked Don what he was going to raise on our farm he would say “grandchildren.”  We made many memories with our 32 grandchildren and 14 greats.  We also raised meat goats and at one time we had about 500 breeding does.  Our eldest son has named his new restaurant in Pennsylvania “Eighty Acres” in honor of his dad. 

Through the years  my husband sustained and supported me in the many leadership and teaching callings I have had.  Most of that time he was a ward or branch clerk and did it all.  When he died two years ago, just 7 weeks before our 50^th anniversary, our children and friends all said that the Lord must have needed a dependable clerk.  Don embraced computer technology way back to the Commodore 64 from Radio Shack.  We always had a PC in our home.  When I graduated in 1988 Don gave me my first laptop.  It really came in handy when I returned to the university 2 years later for my Masters in Social Work.  Countless times I called Don at work and he would walk me through my newest computer glitch.  A good friend, who is now the mission president in Greece, told me that Don would serve this mission with me.  Every day when I turn on my computer Don is with me.    I think he continues to give me prompts in my work in Data Quality. 

I love this church and I know that the work we do is so vital to Heavenly Father’s and Jesus’ plan.  I love my mission and am so grateful to be able to serve in the “Happiest Zone” in the mission.  In Jesus’name, Amen.

That's it for this week.  I have been very busy with my work in the Data Quality Zone.  I do wish I could explain in detail what a special week it was.  It truly was!  Just know that I am doing the Lord's work like all missionaries but I just can't talk about it.  Too sacred.  Not secret but confidential.  

Oh, I must mention that I had two grandchildren, Miranda and Jonny, who graduated high school this week. Jonny is planning on serving a mission and Miranda has already enrolled in Avilla College.  I am so proud of them.  Both of them are brilliant students and the sky is the limit for what they can do.  My granddaughter, Reanna's husband, Zach, graduated from college since last I wrote.  He managed to support a wife and 4 daughters while he worked hard for his degree.  I am very proud of him.  He has already been accepted into graduate school.  My granddaughter, Jessica, will soon have her first baby.  His name is Kai and is due in June.  She will be a super mom.  Grandson, Michael Ivan, a Marine in California was married on May 11th.  I welcome Vicky in the family and pray they will always be as happy as they are now.  I love all my grandchildren so much.  Hugs and kisses to you all.  Have a wonderful week everyone.  "Upward and Onward now!  Sister Winkie

The Arthur Henry family

It has been two weeks since I have written and I don't know where to start.  On May 3rd I went to the Draper, Utah temple for the marriage of my nephew, Tyler.  His bride is Megan and it was a wonderful affair.  Tyler is the stepson of my brother, Arthur Henry.  Yes, my maiden name was Henry.  There was a lovely luncheon after the picture session outside the temple..  It was a truly beautiful day.  Enjoyed being with family.  On Saturday Art, Maurine and two of the out-of-town wedding visitors came to Salt Lake City to tour Temple Square.  I joined them for lunch at the Lion House and a walking tour of Temple Square.  I took them to my office and showed them around.  It was nice to have family visit me here in SLC.

Emily Henry

The beautiful young lady is Art's daughter, Emily.  She  sang a surprise song for the bride and groom.  She has a lovely trained voice.  She is only 15 and does a professional job.  The groom is in the grey suit.  The kid on the left is 17 and is about 6'6" and is Art's son.

On Sunday I attended Music and the Spoken Word with my monthly activity group.  It was a beautiful program (of course) and afterward we went to the North Visitor's Center to hear a presentation about the Christus statue given by Elder Jay Schvaneveldt who served a mission in Denmark.  I asked Elder Schvaneveldt for a copy of his talk and I will include it here.  I think it is very interesting.

This is my activity group - Elder Schvaneveldt is in the light grey suit

I am having trouble with the cutting, copying and pasting.  I am sorry for the spacing but I don't know how to fix it.  I apologize for the cropping of the head of the Christus but the photographer did it to get all the group in the shot.  It is a truly beautiful statue.

On April 30th we attended a program put on by the young sisters on Temple Square.  It was called "Sounds of Music from Around the World.  There are 191 young Sister Missionaries, representing over 40 different languages.  They are amazingly talented young women and the whole production was mesmerizing.  I especially loved the two grand pianos arranged facing each other with two pianist on each keyboard.  They played The Stars and Stripes Forever by John Philip Sousa.  It was like dueling pianos and each trying to out perform the other.  I just loved it and so did the audience.  They came to their feet clapping, whistling and cheering.  Wow, I can see and hear it now in my memory.  The young women sang, danced, played violins and the piano.  They began the program by marching in carrying flags of their respective countries and singing "Called to Serve."  It brought tears to every-ones eyes.  Of course all this fun also included 35-40 hours a week at my desk in the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.  I am so busy learning my new project and doing my special Monday project.  They are very intense using all the computer skills I have and constantly learning new ones.  I will be a whiz when I come back home

I will have a couple occupying my home in Missouri for a few months.  They sold their home in Kansas City and are looking for a new one.  They probably will only be there for the summer.  It is great timing because they are Steve and Stacy Hansen and Steve has been the principal lawn mower at my place for several years.  He is son, Wade's best friend and I call him one of my sons.  Stacy and Steve will take good care of my place.  I have decided I really miss the beautiful sunrises and sunsets at my farm.  I don't think I have seen either one since I moved to Utah.  Well that is all for now.  I will try to not skip anymore weeks but sometimes it just can't be helped.  I keep in great health and continue to absolutely love my mission, my work and all my new friends.  Life is so good.  I hope all of my readers this week are happy and healthy, too.

I

Draper Temple

I just can't believe how fast the time is flying by.  I know it must be for you, too.  It has been three months since I left Kansas City for my mission.  Accepting a call to serve a full time mission is one of the best decisions I have ever made.  It is amazing to me that senior members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints can be called and set apart to serve missions where they ARE REALLY NEEDED and fulfill assignments that are IMPORTANT.

I have begun my training for a new assignment in Data Quality.  It is very challenging and complicated with many things to remember.  I would like to ask for your prayers in my behalf as I strive to master what I will be doing.  It is important work and must be done accurately.  My trainer is Sister Freeman who is a retired neo-natal nurse.  She worked for 32 years in neo-natal intensive care.  She has a lot of patience and is an excellent teacher/coach.

I had a very nice discussion with the Unit Manager (paid Church staff) on Friday.  He went to RIT and lived/worked in Rochester, New York for many years.  He loves Rochester (where I was born and raised) and is taking his family there the end of May as part of a two week vacation.  It was fun talking about my hometown and reminiscing about so many things that I know and love.  He told me about a menu option in several restaurants in Rochester called "a garbage plate."  Does anyone reading this know of the "garbage plate?"  I have never eaten it.  Shon can't wait to introduce his family to this "culinary delight???".

On Wednesday evening I went to the Church History Museum to "Museum Alive."  There were docents dressed in pioneer costumes at the various displays and you could ask questions and watch them work.  You could pull a handcart or experience log cabin living.  Brigham Young was walking around shaking hands with everyone and a typesetter  of the Book of Mormon explained what he was doing.  There was a woman who make pioneer bonnets and even had one that could sell for $500 in the 1800s.  It was very enjoyable and after we explored the gift shop.  So many neat items for sale.

 Pam Cox and Sister Winkie

Went to a fireside about how the Nauvoo Temple came about.  I am talking about the new one.  The fireside happened to be on the day of Charles Allyn's funeral.  He made all the windows for the Nauvoo Temple.  He was a very talented man and had been a for Bishop or Branch President in Cameron, Missiouri.  This was just prior to our moving there.

On Saturday Sister McKnight and I drove to the Draper and Mt. Timpanogos Temples.  What a wonderful day.  We attended both temples and met some wonderful people.  My old friend, Pam Donaldson Cox is an ordinance worker at the Mt. Timpanogos Temple.  She and I met up for a short time before her shift began.  She and I served in a Primary Presidency in Las Cruces, NM over 20 years ago.  What a joy it was to visit with her and get a great big hug.  We plan to meet again real soon

Mt Timpanogos Temple

We really enjoyed visiting these temples.  As you can see it was a beautiful spring day with blue sky and sunshine.  The spring flowers and blooming trees were everywhere.  I have decided that I miss my beautiful sun rises and sunsets at my farm.  I don't see them living in the city.  As you can tell I continue to do very well.  I am happy and healthy.  I did get a call from son, Wade, on the way home from the special stake conferences held in Kansas City area.  He updated me on the events and later Kathy typed up her notes and emailed them to me.  I was especially impressed when I read what she wrote about what Elder Halstrom of the 70 said.  He was speaking of reverence and said "that it means more than being quiet.  It also means to have profound love and respect for Deity.  Don't confuse reverence with being quiet.  That's part of it.  Whatever we do in our lives needs to be reflective of the love we have for Heavenly Father and Jesus.  What we say, think and do should be reflective of what we believe."  I don't know if I am quoting Elder Halstrom or Kathy's paraphrasing him but the words are very important nevertheless.  Until next week may the Lord bless you and keep in His loving care.  Love, Sister Winkie (mom/gramma)

Today is the beginning of a new week and I don't know where the last one went.  It has been incredibly busy here, for me and all of the staff and missionaries.  Tuesday the Church successfully launched the much awaited Family Tree to accompany FamilySearch.  Considering it launched worldwide in the ten core languages there were no major glitches.  I know there were issues and it is something new to learn but I know the Lord is pleased with the efforts of the engineers and other technicians who labored long and hard over it.

I thought the picture I choose depicted this world wide launch.

This past week I attended a Fireside presented by Daniel Rona.  It was wonderful.  He is a Jew born in Israel, immigrated to the United States with his father as a child.  He and his father were converted to the LDS Church and moved to Salt Lake City.  As a married man he and wife and three children moved back to Israel.  So his story is very interesting as a Jew, Latter-day Saint, Israelite and an American.  Wish I had time to tell  you more.

I attended a Spring Chorale Concert at the Tabernacle on Saturday evening.  It was amazing.  Especially the piece called simply "Lullaby."

I gave the inspirational thought in our prayer meeting on Thursday.   I talked about "For as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he."  Proverbs 23:7  Wish I had time to tell you more.  Maybe next week.

I am being trained for more responsibilities at my work and have many meetings to attend.  Life is grand and wonderful.  I am so thankful for a healthy mind and body to be able to be a part of this important work at my age.  I love the people I labor with and we have a lot of fun, too.

I am not writing very much today as I am pressed for time.  Just know that I love you all and the Lords work is rolling forth and nothing will stop it.

I pray for all of you and ask the Lord's blessings on you.  I will be going to the temple on Thursday if anyone has names for the prayer roll.  The Lord loves you and he loves me, Of that I am certain!  Sister Winkie

April on Temple Square

Hi everyone,
Just came home from "Music and the Spoken Word."  All of it was wonderful but I especially liked "The Sound of Music."  It was such a pretty rendition that induced peace and calmness.  The message from Lloyd Newell included "While music affects us very personally, it is also communal; it unites people in a way few things can.  As we sing or play together and listen together, we somehow connect on a deeper level."  I think that is very true.

What I see to the left when I come out the door
at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building
I think I love this picture most of all.
The Lord loves all His children and He wants them all to come unto Him

On Thursday I attended a lecture at the Assembly Hall presented by Joseph Fielding McConkie.  Brother McConkie spoke on the following topic: "Bruce R. McConkie; a Special Witness."  It was very interesting.  Brother McConkie displayed a great sense of humor as he talked about how it was for him being raise by this great man.  At the conclusion he fielded questions from the audience.  This part proved to be as interesting as the prepared talk.  Brother Joseph McConkie told of his being an LDS Chaplain serving in Vietnam during the war.  He was in charge of a Regional Conference for LDS service people from all over Vietnam.  It was held in a huge quonset hut, like a airplane hanger.  He was expecting Ezra Taft Benson to be the visiting General Authority.  He was at the podium conducting and speaking killing time waiting for Elder Benson.  On-be-known to Chaplain McConkie, at the last minute, Elder Benson decided not to go to Vietnam and gave his ticket and assignment to Elder McConkie.  When the big door opened at the far end of the Hanger there stood his father.  The Chaplain stood there watching his father walk through a sea of service men and women toward the stand.  He came up to where his son stood.  He gave him a big hug and a kiss on the cheek then he said for him to get on with the business of the conference.  Elder McConkie was first a father and then a general authority.  What a special story.

View I have when I look to the right when I exit my building
when I leave work at 4 O'clock

One day last week I took my camera to work so I could take some pictures on Temple Square.  It was in full bloom for Spring.  It was a sensory experience!  Looked and smelled wonderful.  I spent an hour taking pictures to show what I saw as I walked home every day.  I hope you enjoy my photography.  Temple square, comprised of 35 acres of ground, is seen by many as sacred ground.  Joseph F. McConkie said that he has traveled a lot in the world and had been to the Holy Land but he feels that Temple Square is the Holiest place to walk on Earth.

On Monday we had our Aloha Dinner where new missionaries are welcomed and departing missionaries are sung to.  It is a bitter sweet occasion.  It is a pot luck dinner and the tables were groaning under the weight of the tasty and appealing dishes brought by all the missionaries.  We are loosing a lot of Elders and their wives and senior sisters.  We even had entertainment of a group of Latter-day Saints that wrote and sang original songs of praise.  We all enjoyed it.

On Friday I had a wonderful surprise.  Wayne and Ilse Kuehne from Orem came to Salt Lake City to visit me.  They came to my work and got a tour of my space and met several of the other missionaries.  I took them to the chapel on the Mezzanine and showed them the presidents room.  It is a room with portraits of all 17 of the presidents of the church.  It was a special time being with these special people in my life.  For those of you reading this blog who don't know who the Kuehnes are I will explain.  In the 70s my husband, Don, and I with the four boys were stationed in Germany.  We lived in a very small housing area called Weierhof.  The Kuehnes moved there about a year after we did and they lived at the other end of our building.  Wayne was the non-denominational chaplain assigned to our little housing area chapel.  He spoke German as he had served a mission in Germany.  His wife, Ilse, is German.  We became good friends.  Wayne and Ilse are LDS.  Wayne donated some books to our little library and I checked out a book called "The Restored Church."  That is the book that led Don and I to request the missionaries on the first Sunday in January 1976. So now you understand why these people mean a lot to me.  I have been asked to train for a new job in my zone and I was feeling pretty stressed about it.  I called Wayne and asked him about giving me a blessing.  They came the next day!  He gave me the blessing in the Presidents' Room.  How cool is that?  They then took me to dinner in the Garden Restaurant on the 10th (top) floor of the Joseph Smith Memorial Building.  It is a beautiful space looking out over Temple Square and the Temple.  Good food and very stimulating conversation.  I am so very blessed for so many things.

Soon after I come from my building this Statue of a
mother and son always catches my eye and
makes me think of my wonderful sons.

The Assembly Hall with the beautiful flowering trees.

The Assembly Hall
I love the architecture of this building.

  

This is the entrance to the Family History Library.
People come from all over the world to research their family origins.
Lots of wonderful stories come from visits here.

 I will end my blog with is quote "Every family has ...valuable keepsakes.  These include genealogies, family stories, historical accounts, and traditions.  These eternal keepsakes also form a bridge between past and future and bind generations together in ways that no other keepsake can."  Dennis B.  Neuenschwander.

Please write out you stories!  They are your children and grandchildren's legacies.  Make a goal to start writing the stories one at a time.  I used to tell my clients that "...you can't do such and such all at once but you can do it one piece at a time."  Like you can't eat an elephant at one meal but you can over time - eat it one bite at a time.  WRITE YOUR STORIES AND DO IT NOW!

The First Presidency of the LDS Church
Presidents Eyring, Monson and Uchtdorf

As you know I missed writing my blog last Sunday.  I went to spend Easter with my brother, Art Henry, and his family.  They had leased a condo in Park City for a week and it was fun joining him, Maurine and the children - Tyler and Emily.  Met Tyler's fiance, too.  They will be married in Draper, Utah on May 3rd.  I will be there.  I arrived home so late and too tired to blog.  I made the decision to skip the week although it was very eventful.

I want to share something that occurred on March 28, 2013.  I went to the Church Office Building (COB) with a co-worker/sister missionary.  I had brought my lunch but I just agreed to join her so she wasn't alone.  When we exited our building into the parking garage that connects the COB, JSMB and the Church Administration Building we noticed security outside the door.  We then remembered that it was Thursday and that perhaps the general authorities were on their way back to their offices after having their weekly meeting in the temple.  Sister Arrington and I spotted another sister from our zone a few feet away and we went to join her.  We were only about 6 feet from the sidewalk where the 15 leaders of our church would walk if they indeed were coming.  We waited only a few minutes when we saw a four-seater golf like cart coming down the walkway.  Yes, it was the First Presidency with a driver.  They smiled at us as they drove by.  President Eyring was in front with the driver and President Monson and President Uchtdorf were in the back.

The Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Then we saw the 12  coming toward us.  First was Elder Packer in a wheelchair being pushed by someone.  Then Elders Scott and perhaps Elder Ballard in another cart.  Next was L. Tom Perry leading the remainder of the brethren.  Elder Nelson thrilled us by giving us a salute and another brother asked "Are you here to watch the parade?"  They were all smiling and some waved.  Afterward the three of us senior sister missionaries were so excited and comparing notes of what we heard and saw.  We really felt very blessed to be only a few feet away from these very special and beloved men of God.

This incident served to prepare us for us for the experience of General Conference this weekend.  I took about 50 pictures and will caption the ones I selected to share with you

Conference Center waiting for the leaders to come in and begin conference

Sister Elaine Dalton and her counselors were release from the Young Women's presidency.
 I captured them in a group hug.  That is Sister Dalton in the orange jacket.

 We weren't allowed to take pictures during conference so that is all that turned out good from inside. Missionaries are given one ticket to attend General Conference.  Our tickets were for the Saturday afternoon session.  We were all on the first floor on the far right side.  I sat about 20 rows from the front.  I was able to see all the general authorities when they came in with spouses.  Sister Monson was unable to attend but President Monson's daughter was there for him.

View of people leaving the Conference Center after Saturday afternoon session

Conference goers.  There was so much excitement and joy as everyone felt the spirit of the messages and being with so many like minded people

I walk through this plaza everyday going to and from work.  I hope I never take it for granted.

The very beautiful Salt Lake City Temple with Conference attendees all over the place.  Many going to walk the garden paths on Temple Square and admire the beautiful flower beds.

The police had a presence there as did anti-Mormon groups.  I neither saw nor heard of any trouble.

 It is amazing how organized everything is.  The church thinks of everything and it all ran so smoothly.  With over 20,000 people filling the conference center for five times in two days it is truly amazing.  It must take 100s of volunteers to run things so smoothly.  There was even security at all doors like at an airport.  Sisters looked through all purses.  An announcement was given prior to the official beginning of conference of what to do if there was an attack of any kind.

This is a photo of the water fall that flows down the side of the conference center.

Well, what do you know?  I slipped a picture of me in here with the temple in the background.
Do I look happy?  Oh, yes, I am.

This is a picture of the mobile unit of the SLC Police Department.
The apartments on the left are called the Garden Apartments and that is where I live.

Where I walk everyone morning and afternoon going to and from work.

Same side of the Conference Center where I walk.  Wasn't it a beautiful day?

 My stake president back in Missouri, President Morgan, mailed me two tickets to the Sunday afternoon session of conference.  He said they were for me and Sister Hunt to go together.  Sister Hunt is the sister I met while doing my laundry and learned she was from my stake.  She and I did attend together and had a marvelous time.  We plan on getting together very soon.

In the two weeks that I haven't blogged I did many things.  I went to the temple a couple of times here in Salt Lake.  One time was to do the Endowment for a special lady that one of the paid staff asked for a volunteer to take to the temple.  I also went out for a marvelous steak dinner with brother Art, Maurine and her recently widowed father.  The conversation and the food were great.  It was a very fancy steak house with valet parking.  Art picked me up at my apartment and brought me home.  I felt like royalty.  I really enjoyed surf and turf.  Maurine had the same.  On Friday evening I saw the Joseph Smith movie at the Legacy Theater in the Joseph Smith Building and afterwards met a man who was roommate's with Jeff Foli from Chillicothe.  (another Tender mercy).  Sister McKnight and I explored the huge Salt Lake Public Library and  we learned of a book sale to be held in a couple of weeks.  We plan to attend.  I helped two sisters move because I am blessed to have a vehicle here.  Some of us went shopping after going out for Chinese dinner.  Life is full and busy.  Now, remember it is not all visiting and having fun.  I do work seven to eight hours every day and feel I am doing some important work.  I can tell you to read D&C 127:9 to have an idea of what we do in "the happiest zone in the church."

I have received some wonderful letters from friends and family.  The cell phone is a great blessing and I know my children and grandchildren are only as far away as calling their numbers.  Sometimes I take a picture of this, that or another thing and send it with a text message so they know I am thinking of them.

When the pioneers left home sometimes it was months and months until they received messages from loved ones.  I talked to my daughter, Kris, while I was waiting for conference to begin this afternoon.  She could feel the excitement of the event as we talked.  What great times in which we live.  I am so grateful!

Last of all I will comment on the messages of conference.  They were very timely for us today.  I feel that Elder Bednar displayed a lot of courage to give the very important talk he gave.  It came from very deep convictions and he said things that needed to be said.  I was on Facebook earlier and read many comments and quotes on conference.  People told of their favorite talks but no one mentioned Elder Bednar's talk.  I loved hearing and watching President Monson's talk.  It will long remain in my memory.  He is a natural born story teller.  Elder Holland's talk was excellent and brought out a lot of laughter.  I look forward to hearing and reading them again one at a time to ponder the meanings for me.  We are indeed a blessed people.  I know that Heavenly Father knows and loves each of us as does our Savior, Jesus Christ.  I know the Church is true and I am so grateful for Joseph Smith and the work of the restoration.  May God bless you all until next I write.

The flag flew proudly and the Lord blessed us all this weekend.

Are you familiar with the term "Tender Mercies?"  It is a term used a lot here on my mission.  I found it in the Book of Mormon.   “But behold, I, Nephi, will show unto you that the tender mercies of the Lord are over all those whom he hath chosen, because of their faith, to make them mighty even unto the power of deliverance” (1 Ne. 1:20).  It is one of the ways the Lord blesses us to be in the right place and right time (we call it coincidences) for something marvelous to happen.  I have had many tender mercies throughout my life but I thought they were merely coincidences.  Well, Tender Mercies happen all the time for us missionaries and people talk about them all the time.  I had two tender mercies happen to me this week.

On Monday I was walking home from work when I was approaching a major street that I had to cross.  I saw that the light was such that if I hurried I could make it across but I consciously decided to keep my same pace and wait for the night light.  As I stood at the curb a man, woman and child came to the crosswalk.  The woman spotted me and smiled, said "Hi" and then gave me a big hug.  At first I recognized her but couldn't come up with a name.  I said to her "out of context" and she said "Sister Absure."  Of course, she was my Tuesday shift coordinator at the Kansas City Temple.  I had never seen her out of the white temple dress!  What a sweet coincidence and a piece of home.

My second tender mercy occurred on Saturday afternoon when I was doing my laundry.  I had been going back and forth to my apartment waiting for the washer to finish and then the dryer.  The last time I put clothes in the dryer I stayed to fold some dry clothes and decided to wait there for the last of my clothes to dry.  I got into a conversation with a sister waiting on her clothes.  We always ask each other; Where are you from?  How long have you been out?  and Where do you work?  These are the standard questions.  She said she was from Kansas City.  I said "Oh, really!  I am in the Liberty, Missouri Stake."  She said "Oh, I am, too.  Then she looked at me and said "You are one of the three women that President Morgan called in together to ask us to serve a mission.  I thought you looked familiar but I couldn't figure it out."  This had happened over 1 1/2 years ago.  Our stake president had called us to come in on the morning of the dedication of our new stake center across the street from the temple that was still under construction.  President Morgan didn't tell either of us that we were in the same mission.  I guess the Lord wanted us to know each other so He brought us together in His way.  We swapped phone numbers and will meet for lunch soon.  

I read a novel by my favorite LDS author, Anita Stanfield, this week.  It was a slower week for activities in the evening.  I found the book at a Deseret Industries thrift store.  During a conversation between the two main characters the counselor says what I think are important words of wisdom.  I decided to share this on my blog.  Colin and Janna are talking to Sean, who is the counselor. I will quote the author's words for Sean:  "Is it possible to pull out a thread of our lives and not have the whole tapestry become unraveled?  It's okay to look back enough to understand and learn from our mistakes.  But there is no place in this life for regrets, Colin."  "The past can't be changed; it can only help us make a better future.  Janna is stronger than you think.  You are stronger than you think.  Satan has a way of putting pieces together to catch us in traps of tremendous complications.  But God is always stronger, always there, always willing to help us out if we do our part.  I know that with all my heart and soul."  

I would like to echo that with a loud Amen.  I recall the conversation with one of my husband's doctors only a short time after Don died.  The doctor was feeling bad that he had lost his patient.  I remember saying to the doctor that Don and I had a rich full life and that we had no regrets.  That doesn't mean we didn't have hard times because we did but we always learned from them and kept putting one foot in front of another and moved on.  I though of an analogy to this today while I was in church.  The three years prior to becoming Latter-day Saints Don and I were very involved in Square Dancing.  Sometimes we Square danced 6 nights in a row.  There were many square dance clubs in Europe and I think we danced with most of them.  We acted as "angels" during square dance lessons for new students.  I remember the caller telling new dancers that if they messed up just keep moving forward and someone will put you in the right place.  He said whatever you do "Don't look back."  Mess ups occurred all the time in a square but someone always came from behind who was able to get the person on the right track.  Remember what Lot's wife was told when they were told to flee Sodom and Gomorrah.  She was told to not look back.  She did!  We know that the Bible tells us she turned into a pillar of salt.  We need to always look forward, try not to repeat the same mistakes and have no regrets.  Of course, if the mistakes need the repentance process then go through that but then don't wallow in it but move on.


I wanted to post some pictures of my apartment.  I am posting this one for Emma and Amy.  The picture is of "Gramma's house that Emma made for me with the help of her mom, Amy.  Are you surprised that I brought it?  On the table is my Guest book and a pen.  I have had this book since June of 1979.  It is a memory in and of itself.

Steve, are you surprised that I brought my swan?  I bought it in a junk store and Steve took it home after grandchildren playing with it broke it's neck.  Steve did "surgery" and then sanded and varnished it.  I love it.  It reminds me of the swans I saw on Lake Ontario.  I brought the plant from home and it finishes out the memory area.

This is my work area of the living room.  The desk and chair came with the apartment.  Look at all the cords!  My pedigree chart in on the wall.  I don't think you can tell.  One of the pictures is of the farm and the goats.

The picture below shows my patio door and sheer curtains I bought at Ikea.  I love them and I can keep the blind open in the day time.  I have a small balcony that will be lovely when the weather is warmer.

Now we have the couch and recliner where I do my reading.  You see I have all the comforts of home.  The shelf on the wall I brought from home.  It holds some of my "Cherished Teddies" that everyone of my immediate family gave me.  I brought one from each of my children and Don.  They give me comfort and love from my family.

Now you asked what did I do all week.  Well, on Monday we had an hour devotional before work that was inspiring and on Wednesday I did another sealing session in the temple.  On Monday after work I went to a presentation in a home given by a sister who wrote a book on healthy eating.  It was interesting but too much change for me to want to do at this stage of my life.

On Thursday evening we enjoyed a special program to celebrate the birthday of Relief Society.   On Friday another sister drove 3 of us to a huge Chinese buffet.  It was delicious.  I love Chinese!  We had a fun time.  The four of us get along so well.  I am so blessed to have made such good friends.  Saturday 3 of us went to the last day of Rootstech.  It was a three day conference for genealogists and family history researchers.  They had many vendors and displays to browse and learn what is new and available in this very popular industry.  We spent about 4 hours going from one place to another and talking to some very knowledgeable people.  It was inspiring and I look forward to really getting back to my own research.  Well I pray that all has gone well in your lives this week.  I would love to hear from each of you reading my blog.  I did do Facetime with Elizabeth and family on Saturday.  It is such fun getting blown at me kisses from Jonah and Kylie.  I talked to Wade, Kathy and Kris this week, too.  I so miss my children and their families.  Anyone want to come to Salt Lake?  May the Lord bless you and keep you and send down his Tender Mercies on you.  I love you.  Sister Winkie