You'll Never Walk Alone - Mormon Tabernacle Choir

Walk On - The Spoken Word

Like our beloved pioneer ancestors we also need the faith and courage to WALK ON -- when trials seem unbearable, when our hearts hurt, when we don't know what path to take or when we have to deal with someone who is unkind.  We WALK ON with faith in every footstep. I felt like I was walking alone on Thanksgiving Day.  The loneliness was almost unbearable to me, so I turned to gratitude and made cookies and brownies for some of our Karen families here in Omaha.  And got my salad ready for the Thanksgiving Dinner at the Trail Center.  I won't record the feelings of my heart that day.  But my heart was aching pretty bad and all I needed was some calls, someone reminding that they was thinking of their family missionary.  But I didn't call either, so there are no blames here.  I retreated early to the Trail Center and walked back to the Memorial Room which overlooks the beautiful Winter Quarters Temple.  It was my place of refuge that night.  I instantly felt my angel ancestors who seemed to understand -- who knew of pains of loneliness and pains of some of them walking on with no one by their side. I felt their pains as they had to walk on, leaving their loved ones buried in shallow graves.  Some of them walking on alone as they were now a widow or widower. Some who had to walk on with family members who refused to leave their homes and go west. I felt their pains of loneliness of leaving behind their beautiful homes and how their missed what they left behind and only having a covered wagon or handcart to retreat to. I instantly felt my Savior's love -- he was by my side, he walked by their sides and angels are on my right side and on my left side and it was an instant comfort to my heart. His promise of personal peace came to me and I was reminded of the scripture that says "peace I leave with you, peace I give to you!  He calmed my heart and gave rest unto my soul.  Only the Savior can give that peace and rest to us.  AND it is only through following the Savior and being obedient to his will. I reflected upon the things I was grateful for and it brought peace to me. 

I was also feeling aches of not being able to give my son KC hugs and personal comfort -- he is dealing with extreme pain as a UHP trooper and the death of one of the law enforcement troopers.  He is heavily involved with being an honor guard until the funeral, will be very involved with the viewing and funeral and has already spent many hours surrounding the troopers family. I hope that he can feel of our Savior's love and that he feels angels on his right and left side bearing him up.  I hope that he knows of our love and support and that this will all be taken care of by our Savior's outreached arms.  I love him so much, and am proud of his service.

I am reminded of words from a famous song -- When you walk through a storm.

WALK ON THROUGH THE WIND
WALK ON THROUGH THE RAIN
THOUGH YOUR DREAMS BE TOSSED AND BLOWN
WALK ON, WALK ON
WITH HOPE IN YOUR HEARTS
AND YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE
YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE
WALK ON WALK
WITH HOPE IN YOUR HEARTS
AND YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE
YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE

SPENT SOME TIME SUNDAY AFTERNOON

AT KYAWNDAY'S HOME WITH SOME

FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND

KAREN FOOD!!!!

A Little More Kind - The Spoken Word

I have wept in the night

For the shortness of sight

That to somebody's need made me blind

But I never have yet

Felt a tinge of regret

For being a little too kind

(anonymous)

ONE THING THIS WORLD NEEDS MORE OF IT KINDNESS.  OUR DAILY INTERACTIONS PROVIDE LIMITLESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR MORE PATIENCE, THOUGHTFULNESS, FORGIVENESS, AND COMPASSION IN OTHER WORDS, MORE KINDNESS

THE TEST

Tell me friend, why are you blind?

Why doesn't he who worked the miracles

send light into your eyes

Tell me friend if you understand.

Why doesn't he with power to raise the dead just make

you whole again?

It would be so easy for him.

I watch you and in sorrow question why.

Then you my friend in perfect faith reply.

Didn't he say he sent us to be tested?

Didn't he say the way would not be sure?

But didn't he say that we could live with him

Forever more, well and whole,

If we but patiently endure?

After the trial we would be blessed

But this life is the test.

Tell me friend, I see your pain.

Why when you pray in faith for healing does the

crippling thorn remain?

Help me see if you understand.

Why doesn't he who heal the lame man

come with healing in his wings?

It would be so easy for him.

I watch you and in sorrow question why

Then you my friend in perfect faith reply

Didn't he say he sent us to be tested?

But didn't he say that we could live with him

Forever more, well and whole, 

If we but patiently endure?

After the trial

We would be blessed.

But this life is the test.

Tell me love, why must you die?

Why must your loved ones stand with empty arms and ask

the question why?

Help me know so I can go on.

How when your love in faith sustain me,

Can the precious gift be gone?

From the depths of sorrow I cry.

Though pangs of grief within my soul arise,

The whisperings of the spirit still my cries.

Didn't be say he sent us to be tested?

But didn't he say we could live with him

Forever more, well and whole,

If we but patiently endure?

After the trial we would be blessed.

But this life is the test.

.

This is a beautiful wreath hung at the Trail Center for the Christmas season.  I looked up the meaning of a wreath and here is what I found.  The wreath has significant meaning for the season. It's circular shape represents eternity, for it has no beginning and no end.  It represents an unending circle of life. The evergreen, symbolizes growth and everlasting life.

TIS THE SEASON

return missionaries -- came back to visit -- all in one week

 Leela Jordan (left side of me)

 Savanaah Slater, Britney Fronk,
Allien Hyde and Anna Murphy

 Marissa Reynolds (right)

Ryker Smith

Me, Ella Johnson and Grayson Magleby

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

"AS WE EXPRESS OUR GRATITUDE, WE MUST NEVER FORGET THAT THE HIGHEST APPRECIATION IS NOT TO UTTER WORDS, BUT TO LIVE BY THEM."  - President John F. Kennedy

I am struggling a bit this Thanksgiving Day.  But instead of dwelling on that, I arrived to the Trail Center early tonight (before our Thanksgiving Dinner) to sit in the Memorial Room. It overlooks the beautiful Winter Quarters Temple and the cemetery.  I am here to meditate -- I love to meditate - to be still and to turn to positive and healthy thoughts.  I am here to honor my ancestors who lived here and started their legacy of faith, courage and hope and spent a year or two (some longer) with past Thanksgivings where I know that their hearts were full of gratitude for their Savior's love and for their protection and trials and growth from each one.  Everywhere in this beautiful valley, I feel them blessing me and thanking me for remembering them. So as D.C. 136:28 says -- I likewise ..."praise the Lord with....prayer and thanksgiving." - as they did. As the day turns to dusk and it is a night of calm and peace -- I am grateful and I feel my Savior's love.  He understands what I am feeling.  He calms my heart.  

The light of the Savior is across the street in every light that adorns and surrounds the beautiful Winter Quarters Temple. Thanksgiving today -- and the Christmas holiday season begins tomorrow with the Church's initiative message -- LIGHT THE WORLD.  The lights across the street, the lights in our homes and on our trees and in our windows -- they all help us celebrate the season.  This is truth -- it is the source of light which help us celebrate our Savior.  And with it - we will focus on service, worldwide service, the small gifts of service and the large ones -- it doesn't matter -just so we serve in some way every day from Dec. 1st to Christmas Day on the 25th.   With every service we render to someone -- we praise our Savior and show our love to him.  

When I feel so alone and lonely as I do today -- I come to the Trail Center, the Temple and/or cemetery and I feel my Savior's love -- and no matter what - he is always by my side.  He has angels and on right and on my left and they bear me up. It doesn't take long to be rid of the loneliness - to be back on my feet with my head held high and to take just another step forward and to continue my quest as a senior missionary.

Today was an emotional day as I spent time on the phone with my son Trooper Cope and listened to his thoughts and expressions of love Trooper Ellsworth who passed away last night from his injuries for the accident five days ago when he was struck by a car while on duty.  And also listened to him express his love for all his brothers of the law enforcement.  KC loves his job, he loves being a trooper and working for the state of Utah.  It has been and will be a very emotional next few days and weeks for our UHP troopers as they honor Trooper Ellsworth.

May we join our prayers for his family, for the young 16 year old girl and her family and all our law enforcement families.  May we embrace our Savior's love and feel of his comfort as we each seek for his healing power in all our lives.  I want to pay a tribute to my son for his amazing service -- not only as a trooper, but as a volunteer fire fighter, a teacher at high schools for drivers education, a honor guard for UHP, a patrol officer at the U of U football games, and always ready to serve with his medical background.  Can I just say that I am sooo proud of him and pray for him and Megan in this time of sorrow.

The picture of us as taken at Uncle Bob's funeral last year while I was at the MTC.

pictures from the days of Nov. 11-19

-The first signs of the holidays

-opening of the Gingerbread Festival

-scarfs, hats, coats and boots

-cold, yet smiling faces

-more waffle dinners

-heart attacking the senior couple 

apt doors

- a Elder companionship totalled

their car

-Sister Cope takes them to a doctors

appt.

Sister Young and Cope

 Sister Pinhey and Cope

 Sister La      and Chappell

 Elders Boswell and Connolly

 Sister Svensson and Baird

Sister Gershwin and Hall

 Elder Boswell

 Elder Connolly - broken collarbone

 Sister Willmore and Church

 Sister Church, Willmore and Cope

Sister Draney and Smith 

PROJECT FOR THE GINGERBREAD FESTIVAL AT THE TRAIL CENTER

OUR YOUNG WOMEN

wednesday evening

SUCH A FUN, REFRESHING AFTERNOON - DOWNTOWN OMAHA -- THAT'S WHAT YOU DO ON A "P" DAY!!!!

BOB KERRY BRIDGE

IOWA-NEBRASKA

OMAHA PIN

HEARTLAND SLIDES AT THE PARK

SISTERS MARSHALL, COPE AND YOUNG!!!!
monday afternoon

OH IT IS WONDERFUL - WONDERFUL TO ME!!!!

MY TWIN BROTHERS -- HAPPY BIRTHDAY

My twin brothers:  Todd D and Todd R were born November 7,  ___.  They died shortly after they were born.  The little guys weighed (not exact) 2 pd 13 oz and 2 pd 4 oz. One died three hours and the other eight hours after they were born.  They were blessed and given names at the hospital so my mother could be a part of that.  Names:  Todd D and Todd R.  She wasn't able to go the cemetery for the graveside service.  

I feel close to them -- always have. And throughout my life I have definitely felt them near -- I know that angels can come to us, be close to us.  Angels have the power to speak to us through the Holy Ghost.  2 Nephi 32:3 says:   Angels speak by the power of the Holy Ghost; wherefore, they speak the words of Christ.  Wherefore, I said unto you, feast upon the words of Christ, for behold, the words of Christ will tell you all things which you should do.

I remember one day while I was working on the U of U campus, and also as a student.  I was very lonely, extremely lonely.  I was sitting on the grass area outside the Union Bldg. -- enjoying the sunshine and trying to do homework, but really, I was contemplating life and where I stood with the Savior.  If I was close to him as I should be, I shouldn't have such a hole of loneliess, but I did.  I remember the feeling, I remember the moment, I can visualize it -- when they came to me that afternoon in the sunshine.  I felt them, I knew it was them, they filled my soul and being with love. They held me and I knew that ALL WAS WELL AND WOULD BE OKAY.  It was only a short visit.  But they came to me.  Angels speak the words of Christ as well as offer his comforting touch.

Another time which is so sacred to me was when I was in the Bountiful Temple with my two sons, my parents and those who chose to be with us when Braden received his endowment before his mission to Hong Kong.  This is a story kept close to my heart - but many angels came to accompany us in the endowment room that day.  Braden and I both felt them -- I know that two of them were my twin brothers.  The celebration was superior.

Another spiritual experience is very special to me and even more dear to my heart - this is not where I will record the sacredness of it.  But it was the last night of my father's life here on earth. Shauna and I took turns through the night staying in the room with my dad. When it was my turn - my twin brothers came to us -- whispered their love and said that it was time for them to be with dad.  How incredibly powerful it was and I knew that they had come for my dad.

I love my  twin brothers -- I know them somewhat and know that there were many times in my life where they came to me and helped me raise that precious family of mine as a single mom, maybe gave me comfort when I didn't even realize it -- or gave me thoughts through the power of the Holy Ghost which is something that they can do.  I am grateful for the power of angels......

HE THAT LOVETH HIS BROTHER ABIDETH IN THE LIGHT    ---  1 JOHN 2:10

LOVE MY BROTHER  DONALD TOO!  --  HE IS SUCH A GREAT EXAMPLE TO ME, HAS A WONDERFUL WIFE (STACY) AND FAMILY ---- HE IS ALSO MY LIGHT