Week of January 24 - 30, 2021

Highlights:

Spiritual

We enjoyed Sunday attending Sacrament Meeting by being able to partake of the Sacrament, having a lovely solo by a newer ward member, and then listening to Sister Sturgis as she prepares to "leave" for home MTC training Wednesday to serve in the Cambodia Phnom Pehn Mission. She has always wanted to serve a mission and has already been studying the language ahead of time. The rest of the day was quiet. 

Temples remain closed for work for the dead. 

I continue my morning foundation of General Conference Talks, Book of Mormon reading, Come Follow Me study and prayer. 

I have indexed 1508 records and reviewed 11299 records so far this year. 

Family

The Wilkins Family

Last week went pretty well. It was nice not to have school on Monday. So they enjoyed their holiday hike. Sam was thrilled that they saw a bunny! Josh was allowed to return to school Soccer practice has been a bit odd... such a big field and very difficult to locate where the team was unofficially practicing. However too few arrived on time and the practice was canceled. Mike got all the cars repaired this past week: alternators repaired, etc. So they are back to two cars. He also diagnosed the problems with the dishwasher. It still is under warranty so it should be repaired this coming week He figures the motor is the problem. They enjoyed Ward Conference online on Sunday, and Adam and Josh participated in recording that. Grace's wrist continues to have wrist pain, though they're keeping it wrapped up and hope for the best. They enjoyed a Sunday hike and saw more rabbits. Their upcoming week is very busy. Allison works at the temple three nights. Grace has an orthodontist appointment. Adam goes on 

Thursday to get his driving learners' permit. They also have Stake Trek Kickoff. 

The Ethan Rice Family

Ethan, Cameo, Kaylee and Wade are doing well. Kaylee spent her week testing for the school gifted program. Their weather is good and they have been enjoying the less humid and warm days. They headed out for a weekend camping trip on Friday night. 

The Doran Rice Family

Doran started his work week in a very cold way...

And no, he wasn't even in Flagstaff!

Kelsie got braces this week. 

Kooper is doing very well in karate and has already won a trophy and this week achieved his tiger belt. 

Morgan

Morgan borrowed the canoe for a fishing trip on Friday cut short by rain. They had a good time.

Kayty

Kayty had lots of overtime hours again this week. She took the weekend off to sleep in. After working 12 hours a day, she was too tired to do much else. 

The Nathan Rice Family

Nathan, Jessica and the girlies had a good and busy week. Nathan's car unfortunately continues to have problems and may need another rebuild and a new head. They are saving up for that now. Jessica's parents have Covid so she has been bringing them food so they can recover and rest. 

Dad's Garden

Garden is doing well. It loved the rain this week. I picked a gallon sized bag of snow peas as well as oregano and basil. Dad picked spinach and radish greens for a salad. Cabbages look good. The older tomato plants have lots of tomatoes on them. 

Family History

Some Valentines created by my Dad, William Allan Kew

Other highlights

Nathan came over Monday night and made a temporary fix with Dad for our water heater. I had a wonderful hot shower that night and it was glorious!

Rain this week was so awesome! We even had hail on Monday! 

I got a great idea thanks to Allison and began taking a Constitution 101 class from Hillsdale College. 

I went to get some fruits and veggies and looked up at mountains surrounding us and they had snow on them! Four Peaks was absolutely beautiful!!!

Saturday was a jog in the fog and I even got to go by the temple. It is most of the time dark when I am out now. They used to have the spire illuminated when temple workers were coming early on Wednesday and Saturday but that doesn't happen anymore. 

Got my goal chart for the year all printed up and hung up and began working: practicing piano, trying calligraphy, and working on house projects. I even got the dinner menu planned. 

Nano had a bad day. She was crying for Scott, saying she hadn't talked to him in years. She also said a woman came last week and took her purse and things. I did visit and took her Christmas tree home and she must have not known who I was. Not sad, just hoping she can get over this seeking to be upset about something.

Not so highlights

The new president has issued 43 executive orders in 10 days. Never ever in my life have I ever seen or experience anything like this in the United States. I have no words for what is ahead. However, with great trials come great blessings. I have read the Declaration of Independence again this week. I have listened to lectures on what our founding fathers were seeking for when the Constitution For The United States was created. I have learned that the federal government was to be granted very specific powers, especially those dealing with intrastate travel and commerce. The No Fly list instituted after 911 is NOT constitutional. You are placed on a list forbidding you to travel. You have no recourse. There is no reason and no way to get off the list. I am so thankful Allison shared the sources she uses and am grateful to know of one I have trusted for years to learn from.

More important, I have been able to taken through my depths of sadness and feeling lost, that my trust and faith in Jesus Christ are the ONLY thing that I can depend on and rely on through good times and bad. I have not been able to attend the temple in nearly a year. Something never happening before. I remembered a talk by Elder David A Bednar in General Conference:

“We do not come to the temple to hide from or escape the evils of the world. Rather, we come to the temple to conquer the world of evil.”

So during this time I cannot attend the temple and I was feeling separated, punished and alone, I was doing my best to conquer the world of evil by having faith in Jesus Christ. Now it feels very hopeless at times, and yet my total faith in Jesus Christ gives me strength to get through the day. I am so grateful that the Spirit guided me years ago to turn off the mainstream media news. Right after I did that, three journalists I admired totally left their careers, without explanation. I felt then that something was not right and they made their choices for a reason. More than anything else, trusting in God and knowing all the good people that do the same makes so much difference in my days and weeks. I do not know what the future holds, and it may be very very tough, but I know for certain that I can have faith in Jesus Christ and that when there is no peace on earth, there is peace in Christ.