Greetings from sunny Phoenix

Hi Everyone,

We are in Phoenix for one more day.  I had a great time yesterday going to the temple (never been to the Mesa Temple) with Emily Chipman.  She was such a gracious hostess.  After the temple we drove ALL over Phoenix trying to find the Rental Car place for Sky Harbor Airport.  Really, it probably took us an hour to find.  She is a wonderful person, and I had a great time visiting with her and hearing her insights about the Mesa Temple, the gospel, and life.  It was a great time.  I love the temple so much.  Thanks, Emily!

I just wanted to share a couple of quotes I read today.  The first one is about parenting.  Since I am not finished with that one, and you guys are all in the midst or the beginning of it, here goes:

"In my opinion, the teaching, rearing, and training of children requires more intelligence, intuitive understanding, humility, strength, wisdom, spirituality, perseverance, and hard work than any other challenge we might have in life."  James E. Faust (1920-2007)

Great article on page 11 of the new Ensign.  I am guessing you have all downloaded that stuff to your smartphones.  The Ensign. scriptures and words of the prophets are ever present if you want to read them.

I am trying to improve my personal prayers.  Once when I was visiting Colin and Lori the lesson at that Relief Society was about prayer.  One lady made the comment that one of her roadblocks to prayer is that it is an emotional commitment to pray properly.  It is sometimes hard to start when you know it is going to take some serious time and thought.  That describes me.  So, I am trying to pray better, more sincerely, with more depth.  Here is the quote:
"To those within the sound of my voice who are struggling with challenges and difficulties large and small, prayer is the provider of spiritual strength; it is the passport to peace.  Prayer is the means by which we approach our Father in Heaven, who loves us.  Speak to Him in prayer and then listen for the answer.  Miracles are wrought through prayer."  Thomas S. Monson, Ensign, May 2009, pg 68.  Also quoted in "The Privilege of Paryer", by Devn Cornish, pg 101-103, quote on pg 103.

As I read this quote I thought of Crystal getting a lawyer pro bono with her custody challenges,  truly a miracle. Thanks for sharing that, Crystal.

Going home tomorrow.  We went to the movie, The Artist, last night.  Really good.  I love you all.

xoxoxo

mom/debby

Lola at 9 months

Hey guys...new post on my blog. XOXO

Heard this on the radio the other day

I don't know what station I heard this on, but a man was talking about raising teenagers (he said he had heard and stated the quote, "I have seen the enemy, and they are little.").  Anyway, he said he tried to teach his children that people are more important than things.  One day his wife drove out of the garage, forgetting the door was down.   It did a lot of damage to the house, as well as the car.  He drove home, saw the destruction.  He knew immediately who had done it.  He walked in the front door and his daughter met him there. Had he seen what had happened?  Yes, he had.  "What are you going to do to her?" she asked.  He told her to follow him.  He walked into the kitchen where she was cooking dinner.  "How was your day," he asked.  She looked at him and started crying.  He put his arms around her, bent her way down and kissed her.  That is what he did to her.  He did wonder later, why did she keep driving?

His message was clearly illustrated.  He said that as we consistently live and teach a particular concept, when our children are adults, they generally assimilate it into their lives.

Teach my precious grandchildren all the good things you can.

xoxoxoxo

grandma

Easy Cake Recipe

Duncan Hines cake mix
4 eggs
1 pkg instant pudding
1/4 c oil
1 1/2 c water
1 cup sour cream

Mix and bake according to package instructions.  Can bake as a bundt cake or 3 layers.  I baked it in a 9 x 13 tonight. It baked up pretty big for this size pan, but it looks good! I would only bake this in a cookie sheet pan.  A little too much batter for the 9 x 13, or maybe make 6 cupcakes and put the rest in the 9 x 13 pan.

Happy baking.
xoxoxo