Surprise Visitors!

We had the most wonderful surprise! Our two youngest grandchildren, the only two who haven't been here for a visit, showed up at our front door yesterday afternoon! Well, sort of. They came as Flat Ammon and Flat Laina (Flat Stanley style) -- in the mail. We loved it!

We took them right in the living room and sat them on the couch for awhile. They've been there ever since. It's almost as good as seeing them in person. Ammon and Laina are five and three, respectively, and we have been missing them so much. They are at that cute, cute age where they just love to be with us. They come running and throw their arms around us when they come to visit. Now they're here!

This morning, when I came downstairs to do the laundry, there they were again, waiting for me. What a great way to start the day! They grin at us all the time, and they make us smile every time we walk through the room. I think I'm going to ask for Flat Jacob (who's 16), Flat Adam (who's 6'2"), Flat Noah, Flat Matthew, Flat Mary, and Flat Rachel for Christmas!

All of our grandkids have been just great about keeping in touch while we've been gone. We get postcards and drawings and letters, cards, and emails every once in awhile.There's always something from them hanging on our fridge. We've also received two envelopes of the cutest drawings from two Primary classes: one of our daughter Kristen's ward Primary classes, and one from Mary Rasmussen and Shawna Fuller's Primary class in our home ward. We love them!

Thanks to everyone who has take time to think of us. It really gives us a lift. Makes me realize I could have been much more proactive keeping in touch with the missionaries going out from our ward over the years.... Now I know how good it feels to be on the receiving end and it doesn't take much to make someone's day. I think it's my turn now.                                                                              ~Pat~

The World Is A Carousel of Color

Does anybody (other than me) remember the Disney's Wonderful World of Color TV show from the 1960's? These past few weeks, the theme song, which began with "The world is a carousel of color...," has been floating through my mind at different times as we have driven through the magnificent countryside of the District of Columbia and Northern Virginia to and from our classes. We spend a couple of hours on the road to and from our classes every day, which gives us a lot of time to observe this beautiful part of our country.

We live in an area of rolling green lawns and thick forests. What fun it has been to see the changes in the colors of the leaves on a day to day basis! Every day is different. It has seemed lately that every night as we sleep someone comes along and sets random trees on fire with incredible hues of deep red, rust, gold, burnt orange, and brilliant yellow. They say the rain this year has deepened the colors. Well, I'm glad all that rain has been good for something...! It's been downright soggy around here and we're in for rain again almost every day this week.

Inside the Capitol Rotunda

This afternoon we said good-bye to Janet, Kim, Adam, Matthew, and Rachel. Good-byes are always the hardest part of the visit! What a blessing that all of our daughters and their families have now been able to come and experience the majesty and beauty of our nation's capitol. It's a senior missionary blessing that we didn't even consider when we submitted our papers. Having family visit us occasionally has been the icing on our missionary experience, and it's been a great education for our 'tween and teen grandchildren. Janet and family have been with us for a week or so during their school break. We loved having them here. Most days, we had to drop them off at the Metro in the morning before our classes and pick them up late in the evening after our night classes, but they covered a lot of territory while we were busy teaching.

We did get to spend all day Saturday with them at the Smithsonian and Mt. Vernon. So much to see and do! We particularly love Mt. Vernon. Although we have always looked up to George Washington, the more we learn about him, the more we admire him. The Father of our Country was an amazing, gifted man. There is so much to celebrate about the history of our country!

It was Adam's 15th birthday on Saturday, too, so we celebrated by going out to dinner and embarrassing him early in the morning with our family's scary rendition of the Happy Birthday song.

Monday marks the beginning of a new week of classes - so it's back to work for us. We already have this week's lessons outlined, but it'll take many more hours of study before we feel completely prepared. Ready, set, go!              ~Pat~

Scripture Power

Scripture Power -- everyday I need...

The power that I get each time I read."

Our good and kind friend, Clive Romney, wrote those words twenty-five years ago and Primary children have been enthusiastically belting them out ever since.

There is so much truth in that simple phrase. We need the power of holy scripture in our daily experience, and as we teach Institute we are witnessing the results of the habit of scripture reading in the lives of our students. It has given us a powerful object lesson.

The generation that we are now teaching has grown up during the twenty-five years since President Benson gave his epic sermon in General Conference calling upon all members of the Church to make the reading of scripture, and particularly the Book of Mormon, a daily habit. Many of these students' parents took President Benson's counsel to heart when their children were young, began to read together daily with their families, and we now see the result. Their children have become our students, full of love for and understanding of the scriptures. The scriptures are their friends, just as Elder Scott described in his Conference talk a few weeks ago:

"The scriptures... can become stalwart friends that are not limited by geography or calendar. They are always available when needed.... Learning, pondering, searching and memorizing scriptures is like filling a filing cabinetwith friends, values and truths that can be called upon anytime, anywhere in the world."

The scriptures guide the lives of many of our students. You can see it in their actions, their attitudes and their choices. These students are normal young single adults facing uncertainty, trials, and weighty decisions. They struggle. They do the best they can. But what we see is that they are grounded in truth through their friendship with the scriptures. They turn to the scriptures for answers. They know the teachings and the stories found therein and they turn to them for guidance. The scriptures help them make better decisions. And the scriptures help them find their way back when they stumble.

We are seeing the cumulative effect of the years that both the students and their families have invested in scripture study, as well as the power the students have gained from that habit. And it is a cumulative effect that has been acquired once day at a time. Just as it would not be effective to pile seven days worth of toothpaste on a toothbrush every Sunday so you only had to brush your teeth once a week, scripture study, too, is most effective on a daily basis. It invites the Spirit of the Lord into our minds and hearts each day.

As we have taught two classes each week on the power of the scriptures, we have been reminded of the blessings and benefits of habits we have long practiced. I am really grateful for the effect that the scriptures have had on my life. Because I am "old" and have lots of years of experience to look back on, I can now see how regular scripture study has taught me things I needed to know, improved my ability to learn and comprehend truth, opened me up to receive inspiration when I needed it, protected me from some mistakes I might have made, and gradually changed my heart and my mind over a period of many years. I wish I could say that reading the scriptures has made me perfect, but, alas, I've still got a long way to go on that count. Nevertheless, my life has been greatly blessed by the scriptures and I do not regret one minute I ever spent reading them.

Isn't it amazing that we can carry them with us everywhere we go now -- on our phones, our laptops, and our iPads? Here's to scripture power! ~Pat~

The Heat Is On

Quite literally, and in many ways, the heat is on! Summer has come and gone and the days are cooling off. The beautiful forests of trees in Northern Virginia are teasing us with the first of their brilliant fall colors. We can hardly wait to see what this area will look like in a few weeks. The heat is on in our townhouse already, but some afternoons we still have to sneak in a few hours of air conditioning. What a great time of year.

The weather has been perfect for the past few days, not too hot and not too cold, with lots of sunny, blue skies. Perfect timing, because this weekend we had two of our daughters and three grandkids visit.

Kristen, Jacob, Noah and Mary arrived late last Wednesday night. It was our grandkids' first trip here and they pretty much took in everything in the District in three days time. Phew!

Josh and Emily arrived Friday afternoon with BYU Folk Dancers to perform at an annual ambassadors function at the Marriott Ranch on Saturday. We all met up on Saturday night: eleven of us in all, including our niece, Susi, who lives in D.C. What a great time we had walking the mall (again), seeing the sights, and enjoying being together. So much fun! The hardest part was having to say goodbye to them all as they flew home within a couple hours of each other on Sunday.

Tonight, we're back at work preparing and finalizing lessons for the coming week. The heat is on in our Institute calling, too. We are definitely earning our pay.... :) We do a lot of driving, a lot of teaching, and a lot of preparation. It keeps us busy all week. We have to work hard to have something worthwhile and challenging to present to these students. We are constantly impressed with the amount of gospel understanding that they already have.

Then there's the cookie baking project. That's the reason the heat is on in our kitchen. For some unexplained reason, I had the bright idea when we arrived that I'd like to bake cookies for our classes each week. I must admit I was a little out of practice. I haven't baked cookies for years, so don't ask me why I thought that would be a good idea, but I did. My cookie making expertise has grown by leaps and bounds -- almost as much as my teaching ability.

So, the cookie baking project went well when we had about 10 students in each of our classes. Now one of our classes is averaging 80 - 90 students each week. Yikes! It looks like cookie heaven in our kitchen every Monday. The up-side of all of this is that the students really appreciate them! Of course, it isn't hard to please a 20-something-year-old student who hasn't tasted anything home-baked since the last time they went home (if then).

I make about 10 dozen every week. This week I'll bake chocolate chip cookies again. Last week it was Orange Oatmeal cookies (a big hit), and before that brownies, and before that - s'more cookies. Yup, that's right. Kristen gave me the recipe for s'more cookies. They were also a big hit, but kinda labor intensive when you're making 10 dozen. I had a lot of requests for the recipe. Here it is:

S'More Cookies

1 pkg. graham crackers (9 full-sized)

6 Tbs. butter, melted

2 Tbs. sugar

Dash of salt

1 c. butter, softened

2 c. brown sugar

2 eggs

2 Tbs. milk

2 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

2 1/2 c. milk chocolate chips3 1/2 c. flour

Large marshmallows

Hershey chocolate bars or chocolate kisses

Break the graham crackers up into the food processor and grind into crumbs. Add melted butter, sugar, and salt. Crumble them together and set aside. Cream together softened butter, brown sugar, eggs, milk and vanilla. Mix in baking soda, baking powder, salt and flour. Toss in chocolate chips and crumb mixture and stir by hand. Roll in 2" balls. Bake at 350 degrees for about 8 minutes (not completely cooked). Cut marshmallows in half and press one piece into the center of each hot cookie. Return to the oven and bake a little more (4-5 minutes) until the mallows puff up and get all beautiful. Remove from the oven and press one chocolate square into the center of each.

~Pat~

It's All About The Students...

Our Mt. Vernon class last Tuesday night at the 23rd Street Chapel in Crystal City was exciting -- the best teaching experience we've had yet. About 80 students were there. With much time spent in preparation, Pat and I are learning how to team teach, using our individual strengths and styles. We are delving into selected General Conference talks, mining their meaning. Many students had read the assigned talks and were willing to discuss their concerns and challenges. They raised questions, answered questions, questioned the answers, and expressed deep faith in the gospel.
Pat had the students role play parts of Elder Bednar's talk, Nothing Shall Offend Them, asking "an offended student" to refuse to take offense, and then to communicate privately, honestly, and directly with "the offender." Students demonstrated how we can choose not to be offended and to actively seek to resolve hurt feelings and misunderstandings through caring dialogue.
These DC Institute students are amazing. They come to class prepared, ready to learn, and anxious to share and participate. They come from varied backgrounds. Many come from homes where the scriptures were read daily. They are deeply rooted in the gospel. Others are recent converts. They are eager to learn all they can about the Church and its teachings. They have strong testimonies. They are bright, capable, and spiritual, and they challenge our ability to keep up.
The area around the 23rd Street Chapel is known locally as "Little Provo" because of the large number of LDS singles living there. You can read about it in The Washington Post at http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/church-for-single-mormons-in-crystal-city-comes-with-pressure-to-marry/2011/05/25/AGILSeDH_story.html?wpisrc 
At the Annandale and Centreville Stake Centers, and at George Mason University, we teach smaller classes. We have come to love these wonderful students as well. Last week we divided students into small groups to come up with current problems that can be solved through searching the scriptures. By using the Bible Dictionary, Topical Guide, Indexes, lds.org, smart phones and I-Pads, they worked as teams to explore the scriptures to find answers to the challenges they had identified.
This week, we're looking forward to hearing how the students felt about the messages of last weekend's General Conference. It is very gratifying to feel the students' enthusiasm and love for the gospel and for Institute. The more we come to know these young adults, the more we love them.        ~Don~

30 Days Hath September...

How could it be the last day of September already? This week has gone so fast that there wasn't an hour anywhere to write our thoughts on our blog. But today our thoughts have turned to the spectacular joy we had a year ago today of witnessing our last (and youngest) daughter's marriage. What wonderful memories. Happy First Anniversary, Emily and Josh!

The last day of September means it's General Conference this weekend, too. Yippee! Can't wait! I always feel like my batteries are recharged at the end of the weekend. Love. Faith. Energy to go forward with new enthusiasm. You can find it anywhere in the world at conference.lds.org.

September also brings to mind one of my favorite flowers - sunflowers. I had to give a talk to all the sister missionaries in the Washington D.C. South Mission this past Monday (hence, no blog that day). Here's a small part of what I said about sunflowers:

"If you've ever been in the West or the Midwest in the U.S.A. in September, you've probably seen sunflowers. They're native American flowers that grow by the side of the road, on hillsides, in fields, in gardens, and in gigantic sunflower farms in several states. They grow like weeds. Sunflowers are big, bold, bright yellow flowers with gold centers. Some grow on small, spindly stocks and their blooms are only a couple of inches wide. Others grow on strong, sturdy stocks that reach 12 - 15 feet in height. Their flowers can be a foot or two in width.

"I love sunflowers. They make me happy. They give me hope. They also give us sunflower seeds and sunflower oil, but that's not why I love them. In the fall in Utah, I go out on a hillside by our house and pick a big armful to take home and put in a vase. Their warm, sunny faces cheer up the whole house. But, mostly, I love seeing them in ditch banks and on the side of the road when I go for a morning walk with friends. I am fascinated by how sunflowers follow the light of the sun. Regardless of anything else going on around them - car traffic, bikers, walkers, animals, bad weather, or fire engines screaming past - those sunflowers have their faces turned toward the sun from sun-up to sundown. No matter what.

"Each fall, sunflowers remind me that I should keep my face turned toward the Son - the Son of God. Just like those sunflowers following the light of the sun, I am happiest when I am following the light of the Son. No matter what else is going on around me, I am O.K when my face is turned toward my Savior, Jesus Christ. I have a sense of hope and trust that keep me centered. No matter what.

"Hope in our Savior, Jesus Christ, gives us reason to rejoice even when we are struggling. Like the sunflowers, if we keep our faces turned toward our Source of Light, we receive the strength, the direction, the perspective and the blessings we need to overcome all trials that come our way. Our hope and our deliverance are in Christ. He is the only one who knows fully how to help us in our trials and struggles, because He already suffered each one of them in the Garden of Gethsemane. He knows us intimately. He is always waiting to help us if we will ask.

"Faith and hope in Christ overcome fear and despair. Because of the life and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, we can hope and be assured that the final result of our lives will exceed our grandest expectations. In I Corinthians 2:9, Paul bore testimony that 'Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.'

"I have learned many, many times in my life that these words are true. Even though the help has not always come in the way or at the time that I wanted it, it has always come in the way and at the time that was best for me. It always begins with a feeling of peace.

"Hope is an abiding trust that the Lord will fulfill his promises to us. When we have hope we can work through our trials and difficulties knowing that we are not alone. Things will work out if we ask Christ to walk through them with us.

"Don's (Dad's, Grandpa's) and my favorite scripture has always been Proverbs 3:5-6: 'Trust (or hope) in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.'

"With all our hearts and in all our ways -- in every part of our day, in every situation, in big challenges and in little irritations, even on cloudy, stormy days when the light is hiding behind the clouds, we can turn toward the light of the Son, like sunflowers." ~Pat~

Making Choices

"When you have a choice to make, how do you tell the difference between promptings of the Spirit and your own thoughts?" This is a question Pat was asked yesterday in an email from one of our students.

It's a good question, and with Pat's permission I'd like to share her response. She wrote: You have a question that most people face at one time or another. It is hard to discern the difference sometimes, even when you've had some practice. I've found a couple of things to be helpful. The most important thing to me is whether I am feeling increasingly calm or concerned. The Spirit brings a feeling of peace. Usually, when I have a decision to make, I pray about it, then go forward and make the best decision I can, based on what I think I am feeling from the Spirit. Then I give it a couple of days to settle. During that time, if I still feel calm and peace, I continue in the direction I have started. I've learned that this is walking by faith. If, however, during that settling time I begin to feel more anxious or troubled or worried, I come to understand that something is not right with the decision. Either the timing isn't right yet, or the decision needs to be revisited. Over a period of a few days - or longer, when possible - the promptings become more clear.

There's a lot more that could be said about making choices and discerning the promptings of the Spirit. Maybe we'll blog about that again sometime. For now, let me just say that the students we teach have a lot on their minds, particularly with choices to make about careers, where to live, and who to marry. It's a tough and sometimes lonely time of life for many of them. In truth, life is a series of choices for all of us. It's through making choices that we learn and grow - an important part of God's plan for us.

We all need help in making wise choices. The ongoing message of our Institute classes is that if we study things out in our minds, pray with faith, and put our lives in tune with the Spirit, we can find personal revelation and answers to prayer, often through the words of ancient and living prophets. Then we have to have the faith to act, walking one step at a time, sometimes into the unknown, based on the principles we understand and promptings we receive from the Spirit.

This week in class we will discuss one of the biggest decisions most of our students will face - choosing someone to marry. Last April, President Monson spoke to the Young Single Adult men: Brethren, there is a point at which it's time to think seriously about marriage and to seek a companion with whom you want to spend eternity. If you choose wisely and if you are committed to the success of your marriage, there is nothing in this life which will bring you greater happiness. Exercise faith. Find someone with whom you can be compatible. Realize that you will not be able to anticipate every challenge which may arise, but be assured that almost anything can be worked out if you are resourceful and if you are committed to making your marriage work.

Discerning the promptings of the Spirit. Seeking counsel from the scriptures and modern prophets. Making choices based on true principles. Having the faith to move forward with your decisions. Honoring commitments. These are all part of the tried and true formula for

lasting happiness.

How thankful I am for the choice I made more than 44 years ago to marry Pat. It was a decision made with much thought, prayer, and faith, but also because I was deeply in love. It's been the best decision I ever made, and I am thankful every day that she accepted.

This morning UPS delivered certified copies of our marriage certificate, which we need to obtain visas for our next mission assignment in January. As I looked over the document, I saw that it was signed by Pat and me, her father, and my father. Most importantly, it was also signed by James L. Varney from the Los Angeles Temple Presidency, who sealed us for eternity. Today I feel very blessed and very lucky. I can scarcely take in how fortunate and grateful I feel. ~Don~