June - Erana's 7th, Tyrell's 20th Birthdays

Scripture of the Month: Mathew 25:40

40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.

6/4/17 

Hi Son,

It’s Dad here this time writing. We had a good time Memorial Day last Monday. We got some KFC and took it the park above the cemetery in the Avenues where Grandpa Barney’s parents are buried. It was a nice hot day. We ate and walked a little around the park then visited the cemetary and met the Petersons there. Auntie Charmaine and Uncle Don and Uncle Sreeve and some others. After we stopped and got a concrete ice cream from Culvers. Friday morning we all saw Wonder Woman at the AMC theaters. It was pretty good I thought. One of the better if not best DC movie. Mum and I went and got some gifts for Erana’s birthday after. Saturday we watched Jaxon’s rugby team win 2 games. He didn’t play of course but we still go watch. I am coaching them the next 2 weeks to fill in while the head coach is gone. It was a hot Saturday. The girls helped me washed my car and Mum and I cleaned out a lot of stuff from the garage and gave away heaps of stuff to the DI. Sounds like the work is going well. I added your investigators to my fast today but it was a short fast because Kage got the priesthood and they invited everyone over for a feed after church. The heat and humidity is just beginning for you so it will get worse, make sure you take a bottle of water with you when you have to bike. I remember my arms being covered with big drops of sweat on my mission. I’ve never sweat like that since. Also do what you can to get your bike fixed. Maybe you can take it to a local bike store or maybe another missionary can fix bikes. Anyway, God lives and Jesus is the Christ and you are his emissary. Love you always. Dad and Mum.

Hi Tyrell!

I hope you had a great week! I had a great week! On Memorial Day, we had a picnic at this park by the cemetery, and then went to the cemetery and went to Culver’s. On Tuesday, Erana and I played at my friend’s house. On Wednesday, it was Kage’s 12 birthday so we went to his house to celebrate! On Thursday, Mina took Jaxon, Erana, and I to the small pet store to drop Raphael off, then she took us out to get ice cream cones! Then, mom, Jaxon, Erana, and I went to kapahaka, and I learned the short poi, it was fun! On Friday, we went to watch Wonder Woman in the morning, it was a great movie. After that, me and Erana played at Kage’s house. On Saturday, we watched Jaxon’s rugby team play rugby, after doing our chores, Kage and Dray played over. Today, Kage got his ordination so we went to his house to celebrate with cousins, uncles, and aunty’s, and a little bit of friend’s (Kasey and Lindsey.) I hope you have a great week this week! I love you so much! Bye!!!

Love, Leila XOXO

Hi Tyrell, not much happened this week, but here goes. We had a picnic right next to the cemetery with Great grandpa Hono and Great grandma Jean. On Wednesday it was Kages birthday so we went and ate at their house and he is a new deacon and has the Aaronic priesthood now that he got ordained today. So then we celebrated that today. And we went to go see Wonder Woman at the movie theatres, and it was a great movie but a little cheesy. And also my rugby team won both games and they’re so good, too bad i’m out of the season:( Hope you have a great week and that you will always behave and be a good example.  

Love, Jaxon XOXO

6/11/17 

Tuesday we celebrated Erana’s 7th Birthday, went to the Aquarium with family & cuzzies and then had food and fun at home with family and Eranas church friends. Had hotdogs and salads, fruit, a tres leches cake and donuts and a pinata. It was a lot of work don’t really wanna have birthdays like that every year. Mina mentioned we didn’t do a party like that for her when she was little! Lol I told her that’s cause we were poor! Lol  Well we’ve began to go to free lunch and swimming at Seven Peaks with the kids, Dad hasn’t yet. I have to work at least 15 hrs a week, so I’m trying to work in the mornings before 12pm. Trying to do 5hrs at least so I’m only working 3 days out of a week. The weather is really nice, summer is here! Went to watch rugby again yesterday, Dad was coaching while Lars Moleni was out of town. Then Dad and I went and ate at King Buffet, it was really crowded. Mina and I have Young Women’s Camp on Tuesday and I have to speak on Sunday! Which you know of course I don’t like!!! Lol Topic they gave me is ‘the importance of discipleship and following Jesus Christ’, which is pretty broad? Trying to add father’s into my talk as well. I will let you know of course how it all goes.  Well hope you are in good health and keeping busy with the work. We love you and pray for you always Love MUM & DAD xxx

Hi Tyrell, I turned 7. I went to Seven Peaks. I went kapahaka. Love, Erana xoxoxoxoxoxoxo.

Hello Tyrell,

I hope you had  great week! Last Monday, we swam at Seven Peaks with Dray. The next day was Erana’s 7th birthday, so we went to the aquarium and got donuts from Beyond Glaze, then we had a party at home with cousins and Erana’s church class. On Wednesday, Kage and Dray and Talia played over, then we went to Kage’s house and went on their slip and slide. I had practice at Tausala and kapahaka on Thursday. Friday, Kage and Dray came with me, mom, and Erana to Walmart, then me and Erana played at Kage’s house. Yesterday, we went to Jaxon’s rugby game (without Jaxon playing), then played at the park. Today was a normal Sunday. I love you so much and I hope you have a great week!

Love, Leila XOXO

Hi Tyrell, I hope you’re having fun at North Carolina. It was Erana’s birthday on Tuesday and it was fun. On Wednesday I went to Aunty Heather’s house to slip n slide. We’re going to watch over Talia’s kitten Kea this week because they’re going to Hawaii and Mina’s going to her girls camp. That’s all I have to say today.

Love, Jaxon XOXO

Hello Big Bro, sorry for not writing to you last week. It has been super busy. I have tennis early in the morning and then work in the evenings till midnight. I also had SBO meetings for next year. We had to think of a Yearly theme and we chose “Conquer All.” I designed the mural on the floor in the commons, now we have to paint it. This summer is not so fun. I have girls camp this week and have to make flower crowns for each girl. Well, I hope you are not stressed or anything, be safe and love you.-Mina

6/18/17

Hi Tyrell, on Injustice 2 I’m so good at Red hood. He’s so fun to play with. I’ve got youth conference on Thursday through Saturday. I bet it’ll be fun. I still have to wear a sling since I broke my clavicle. We’re going to the pool tomorrow. The Seven Peaks one. But all I can do is do the lazy river and the tidal wave. I can’t do the slides :’( 

Love, Jaxon XOXO

Hello Tyrell,

I am to lazy to type down everything I did this week, so i’m only going to type down everything that was fun this week. Me, mom, and Erana went to a JetBlue party at a park. I had my first summer bb-game yesterday, and I made two baskets. I forgot what the other fun stuff I did this week. I hope you have a great week! I love you! Stay safe!

Love, Leila XOXO

JetBlue Party

Hey Big Bro! I had Girls Camp this week. We stayed in a cabin and went to Jordanelle lake. I say a moose and deer. It was fun. This upcoming week, I have Youth Conference up at UVU. It is a stake Youth Conference. I’ve been learning Ed Sheeran songs on the ukulele. I want to know all the names of the songs you played on the piano. Anyways, have fun fishing. Love ya! - Mina xoxo

Hi Tyrell I went to church.I love you love erana.

Erana shared with the primary and Leaders about her Dad has a little song before he farts! “Listen to this too good to miss did dit did it did did toot sound!” lol Then Sister Smith shared it with the Priesthood when they were having their cookies and root beer floats today at church. Dad missed it cause he went out to get Erana a pain pill for her sore leg (growing pains) and then came back and found out. Uncle Scott was there and said everyone laughed and that Dad left so he wouldn’t be embarrassed! Bwaahahaha! Mum xxx

Hi Son, 

It’s Sunday Evening and Father’s day, we got some photos sent to us with you in them for fathers day. I was laughing at Dad saying he doesn’t get a special phone call from you! Lol It’s been a busy week, with work and then going to YW camp with Mina for two nights. Tuesday it was raining and cold, we did Temple Baptisms in the Ogden Temple, then had an inspirational talk from Sis Michelle Morgans friend at a very old historical chapel in Ogden. Her son died a year and a half ago serving a mission in Taiwan, his foot accidentally slipped and his bike fell into heavy fast traffic going uphill, he died minutes later after he got hit. She gave a very touching and inspirational talk. Please be careful biking next to traffic stay very far away from it! :)  I spoke today in Sacrament, my topic was ‘the importance of decipleship and following Jesus Christ!’ I was nervous and the other two speakers left me about 30mins, I took my time and read my talk slowly and it was just right! I got a lot of compliments too! So glad its done :)  Your birthday is coming up and were going to send you another little package, let me know if there’s something specific you need. Other than that were just putting $200 in your checking acct. 

It’s good hearing from you, love you and hope you are safe in the work of the lord! Love Mum and Dad xxx

6/25/17

Hi Tyrell, so I went on Youth Conference. It was pretty fun we did bowling on Thursday. Then on Friday we did a fireside, picnic lunch, Aggie games, banquet, dance, then a movie under the stars. The movie was the Croods and it crashed halfway through the movie. We slept at Utah State University. Someone broke into our dorms and locked our room doors so that we couldn’t get in. This random black man danced at the dance and he was really good. He did dubstep dances. And then on Saturday we had a breakfast buffet and did a testimony meeting then we drove back home. Btw what do you want for your birthday?

Love, Jaxon XOXO

Hi  tyrell I went to Taylorsville Dayzz .Love erana xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxox. HAppy BirthDay!!!!!!!!!.

Hey Big Bro, I had stake youth conference this week.We went bowling the first day and ate dinner at the stake center. We also had recent return missionaries talk about their mission. We had to rotate to different rooms because the missionaries had their own room and decorated it with things and pictures from their mission. It made me think about the miracles and experiences you’ll be receiving during these two years! The next day we went to Utah State University and stayed the night. We played water dodgeball, rock climbed, volleyball, etc. Then we dressed up and ate dinner and listened to a talk. Then we had a dance outside with other stakes. It was fun! The USU campus isn’t that pretty and the dorms look prison cell-y. There was a movie outside under the stars but me and my friends left and just wandered around. I snuck into my friend's’ dorm and stayed with them: Aybra and Masina. We didn’t sleep till 2 am. Sharp Loertscher snuck onto our patio and hung outside our window lol, we just curled his hair and just talked. Me and Masina stuck swedish fish on the walls, ceiling, and toilet seat of the dorm lol.  Apparently kids from Cimarron and Riverview ward snuck across the street to the cemetery! I’m not that rebellious haha. Happy Birthday this week! You’re freaking 20!!!! Dang, that’s old!!!  Love you! -Mina

Hi Tyrell,

Dad, mom, Erana, and I went to Taylorsville Dayz and we had so much fun! Later on, Kage and Dray and uncle & aunty joined us at Taylorsville Dayz. Before we went to Taylorsville Dayz, aunty, Kage, Dray, Erana, and I went to Seven Peaks. UUUUUHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! I forgot what other fun stuff I did this week! Oh well, I hope you have a great week. I love you so much, stay safe! OH! And I almost forgot, HAPPY 20 BIRTHAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!          (there are 20 of this   !)

Love, Leila XOXO

Hi Son, 

What do you want me to send you in your bday package, anything specific? I’m gonna put $200 in your checking account for you to spend for your Birthday as well. This past week we’ve been swimming at Seven Peaks, teenagers had Youth Conf.  Dad and I went to Ariana Finlayson’s Wedding on Friday (Sister of Taeya) she married a pakeha.  They were sealed in the Salt Lake Temple, we just showed up to see them come out of the Temple and then went to the Joseph Smith Memorial Bldg for a Luncheon. Then we went to Taylorsville Dayzz with the girls, Uncle Scott, Aunty Heather & boys came as well.  We had fun and ate some good over priced food & Otai! We listened to 80’s rock music and watched the fireworks! We hope you have a very happy Birthday, say goodbye to your Teens! lol We love you and know your where you should be, serving the Lord!!! We pray for you every prayer and for the people you teach. Keep up the good work, Love Mum & Dad xxx 

Hi Son, just wanted to say Happy 20th Birthday, wow. Time has flown by so fast. One of my greatest joys in life has been raising you. I’m so proud of you and the man you are becoming. I hope we can be best of friends during your adulthood. You’re at the right place at the right time. The Lord is watching over you. Hope all is well and that you are getting along with your new companion. Be patient with each one. They all bring something unique and different that you need to get used to just as they have to get used to you. You can become close friends with each one. You never know if one of your companions helps you get a job or career after your mission. Keep working and praying hard. Love you always, Dad.

Ariana Finlayson's (now Patton) Wedding

Taylorsville Dayzz

6/26/17 From Tyrell

Hey Fam,
Wow sounds like a lot of fun over there. I remember that Youth Conference activity. That was so fun!
Piano songs for mina: Howl's Moving Castle theme, Up theme, A Celtic Dream, To Zanarkand, Song for Sienna, Skyrim Past to Present. That's all I remember.
You should listen to some of Lauren Daigle, she's like a Mormon Adele.
Could you send me my Tan Cargo pants, my New Zealand hat, and my Gryffindor shirt? Also I need more garments. The 50/50 briefs size 30, and the Mesh tops small round neck, seem to be the best for me. Like 3 briefs and 5 tops.
I think a Polaroid camera would be awesome ;) Idk, I just thought it be cool. Oh, another Journal, and just Some stuff to snack on would be appreciated.
I love yall!
Thank you for everything!
Elder Wihongi.

Mum's Sacrament Talk

In order to know the importance of becoming true followers of Jesus Christ, we must first come to know Him and to know our Savior is to know our Heavenly Father. This begins with desire, desire to know Him and to plant seeds deep within our souls that teach us to become Christ-like in character and in our behavior. When we plant and nurture seeds of the gospel, we become true followers of Jesus Christ.

Today, I'd like to share with you five of these seeds which are principles of His gospel:

1. Trust in the Lord

Tyrell my Son is a 6th generation member of the Church, he was born into a family with a rich heritage of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  Tyrell graduated high school in june 2015.  He felt he wasn't ready to leave on a mission right away and had to prepare himself. At the beginning of 2016 he decided to put in his papers to serve a mission.  Tyrell didn’t leave on his Mission until March 2017. As you may notice, it shouldn’t take over a year to get your mission call. My son had briefly mentioned in a sacrament talk about the struggles he had to go through before he left.  We wanted our son to serve because he had the desire to go and not because he feels forced from his parents. But he really did in his heart want go. Because of that desire to go he learned to be humble and sought help from his Bishop, he learned faith in Jesus Christ and his Atonement, and trust in the Lord’s timing. As I look back on this preparation period, feelings of frustration may have crept in many times but in the end a feeling of gratitude to our Heavenly Father prevailed. One important change we saw in him was that he began to sincerely communicate with his Heavenly Father. He learned he must pray always, a principle which has and continues to make an eternal impact on his life. I noticed the difference in his prayers when we knelt as a family in prayer.  A change to express more than just repetition and the lack of being robotic in his feelings went away.  Talking with our Heavenly Father - Sincerely talking with him telling him your troubles, expressing your true feelings can bring you closer to him. He loves to hear from us - his children, just like we love to hear from our own.

Here is one of his latest letters:

I would say this has been my favorite week so far. Things are starting to pick up we are finding solid people to work with and they are actually progressing. Our prayers are being answered, hard work is paying off, and the spirit has definitely been working with us this week. We haven't been able to meet up with Hayley at all this week but we send her a daily scripture in the morning and check up on her every night. These past two days she's smoked 0! We did teach her some lessons over the phone, so she is still on track to be baptized on June 17.

We set an appointment with Cinnamon and brought a member to the lesson. It was such a good lesson. This time her mom was present, and Cinnamon was so excited for her mom to hear the First Vision. She was just as astonished the first time we shared it with her. We taught them out of their own bible, which is the way to do it down here in the South. So many people down here know some truth, the Catholics, the Baptists, the Methodists they all have/teach some truth and they are all such good people. But a lot of times they feel they're missing something, and it makes me sad. We've run into a lot of people this week who told us they will never see their children again after this life, or there wife, or there mom, and that's how they were raised, some won't accept the fact that we will be able to, because they were taught that all their life by preachers. When we taught Cinnamon from her bible, Matthew 16:19, because the priesthood has been restored on the Earth again today, marriages can be for time and all Eternity, Families can be together forever, by the authority of God not only is it bound on Earth but in Heaven also will it be bound, she wanted that more than anything. She longed for that all her life.

Another similar experience we had this week, we were teaching a family. Samantha and Jay, and three little children 9 being the oldest. We tracted into Samantha quite a while ago and she committed to come to church on June 11 because she has some kickball thing every Sunday, but we taught her the Restoration. She was raised Catholic, but stopped going because she felt like something was missing. When we shared the First Vision with her she was at tears and could not speak.  She managed to say she longs for what we have. We just sat in silence and just let the spirit take over, bore our testimonies, and concluded with a prayer.

Anyways, I know that true happiness comes by living the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I've got to be in Shalotte now, we are about to go fish.

Hope yall have a great week!

2. Search the Scriptures Daily

I will forever remember when I was a teenager I would sleepover at my friends home and every time i did we were awaken by her father at 6am in the morning he would knock and enter saying ‘early to bed early to rise makes man healthy, wealthy and wise’ and then we knew we had to get up and have scripture study with the rest of the family.

Also in highschool I had a couple of Penpals, one of these penpals was serving a mission in Macon, Georgia. I remember in one of his letters from him he encourages me if I hadn’t already to read the Book of Mormon. I was about 16 and hadn’t so I did because of his encouragement. When I was seventeen I visited  that pen pal and his family here in Utah, and while here he suggested we also have daily scripture reading together. You could say that that was one of the reasons why I fell in love with him. And we are married today.  Reading the scriptures, consistently, is not an easy thing for me. But for my husband it is.  He is a great example of daily scripture reading which he usually does in the morning before I’m awake. He encourages us to also have our daily family scripture reading as well. For me and my children to have his example of dedicated scripture study I know it blesses our home and family and will bless my children’s homes as well if they follow in his example.

For 40 days and nights, the mortal Messiah fasted and prayed in the Judean Wilderness. When tempted here by Satan, He quoted passages found in Deuteronomy. For each of the temptations that Satan proposed Jesus responded with scriptural passages. The lesson for us is clear: We should never underestimate the power of the scriptures to counter the adversary.

Alma 32:27-28: "But behold, if you will awake and arouse your faculties, even to an experiment upon my words, and exercise a particle of Faith, yea, even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe in a manner that ye can give place for a portion of my words.

"Now, we will compare the word unto a seed. Now, if ye give place that a seed may be planted in your heart, behold, if it be a true seed, or a good seed, if ye do not cast it out in your unbelief, that ye will resist the Spirit of the Lord, behold it will begin to swell within your breasts and when you feel these swelling motions, ye will begin to say within yourselves---It must be a good seed, or that the word is good, for it beginneth to enlarge my soul; yea, it beginneth to enlighten my understanding, yea, it beginneth to be delicious to me."

3. Be Faithful and Obedient

As I mentioned before, Tyrell my son is a 6th generation member and I hope one day he will recognize, if not already, the examples of faithful and obedient fathers that came before him.

• His 3rd great grandfather, Pere Wihongi joined the church in 1898. He had been an ordained minister of the Church of England. After he heard about the church it was 7 years before someone came who could teach him the gospel in Maori.
• His son Henare Pere Wihongi served 3 missions by walking or on horseback all around the North Island of New Zealand. He left his wife and small children at home and still went even after losing part of one leg after stepping on a rusty nail. He made an artificial leg and fastened it in his boot and carried on.  His favorite joke was to get people to help him take his boot off and when they pulled off his artificial leg he yelled “You pulled my leg off!” One of his companions was Matthew Cowley who later became an apostle.
• His son Hono Wiremu Te Raka Wihongi, Tyrell’s great grandfather, was a faithful member and a bishop at one point. He wrote to Mum (Barbara) one time these words. “As long as we live the principles of the gospel of Christ and fall in line with the instruction of the prophet and authorities, everything will fit in it's place.” I know that statement to be true as we have seen time and again things that always fit in it’s place when we try to be faithful.
• His son, Barney Wihongi, Jason’s father was only 42 when he passed but left a lasting legacy of faithful obedience for his posterity in that short time. At the time of his passing he had been the principal of the Church College of NZ for 8 years. He had just been called as a Bishop before his sickness put him in hospital. He was also the Area Director of church education for the south pacific. He also had been a counselor in a mission presidency. These important callings at times had him hosting prophets and general authorities in his school and home. As a child this all seemed very unlikely to happen. He came from a family of very humble circumstances. As a baby Barney was blessed by his grandfather Henare Pere in a small maori village named Awarua. He said that one day this baby would become an educational leader among his people. Some who heard laughed because they were in a home with a dirt floor. It seemed so unlikely. But of all his callings his favorite was father. His influence and spirit affected many. When Jason visited NZ this past February, he still received the lovingest of hugs and kisses when introduced as Barney’s son.
• His son is Jason, I already talked about him, we already know he’s totally awesome. (He added this in lol)

4. Be worthy to have the Companionship of the Holy Ghost

In 3 Nephi chapter 12, the Savior calls and commissions the 12 Apostles. He taught them the Beatitudes. Let me quote 3 Nephi 12:6: "And blessed are all they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled with the Holy Ghost."

I asked my Dad to email me a  memorable experience of him feeling the holy ghost and this is what he says:

I sat here and this is how I felt -

During my life I have been fortune enough to have had the Holy Ghost watch over and bless me in many different ways. I am a Vietnam Veteran and because of this I have lost many of my friends who like me were Vietnam Veterans. Throughout the 80’s, 90’s the early 2000’s I attended funerals of my favorite Uncle, two very very close friends, and many other friends who passed away because of our experience in Vietnam and of course the effects of what we now know as Agent Orange. I have been fortunate because I have never really experienced a fear of losing my life because of this. A couple of years ago I retired and planned on taking my wife away on a trip to Europe. However a little over a week before we were supposed to leave I was concerned about a problem I had in my throat, so I visited my Doctor who treated me and suggested that it would probably settle and come right. However a couple of days before we were going to leave I was again prompted to see the Doctor who took an x-ray and advised me that they would contact me with the result in a few days. The next day I was called to report to the hospital and on arrival other tests were made and I was eventually admitted because of a cancer I had in my chest and throat. Of course much of what was planned changed but there has never been a fear. I have been fortunate enough to have always felt comfort and a feeling of someone watching over me in my life time. There have been promptings to read certain scriptures, to visit certain people, to say special things without even a thought in my mind about the outcomes. And of course I am so pleased to hear of outcomes that are always a blessing.

As individuals we are so blessed to have the Lord, Our Savior and the Holy Ghost watch over and be with us during our lifetime.

I do pray also that you all are enjoying the Lords blessings  Dad

The Holy Ghost works in perfect unity with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ, fulfilling several roles to help us live righteously and receive the blessings of the gospel. As we strive to stay on the path that leads to eternal life, the Holy Ghost can guide us in our decisions and protect us from physical and spiritual danger.                                                                                                                                                              In D&C 88:67 the Lord proclaims His promises: "And if your eye be single to my glory, your whole body shall be filled with light, and there shall be no darkness in you, and that body which is filled with light, comprehendeth all things."

5. To be Charitable which is the Pure Love of Christ

In Moroni 7:45 and 47 we read: "And Charity suffereth long and is kind, and envieth not, and is not puffed up, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, and rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth, beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. But Charity is the pure love of Christ, and it endureth forever and whoso is found possessed of it at the last day, it shall be well with him."

So I needed a story of a father being charitable, and i asked my husband for advice and he wasn’t answering me and then he started to jokingly say something about him being charitable but I cut him off by saying that I can’t use him again in my talk because that would be overboard and people would think i’m obsessed with him. And so I was stuck and i kept pressuring him to give me another example and he finally said, “There is none, that’s why we have wives!” Which i thought was cute!

Well we just had yw camp this week, and on the first day it was raining and cold. Mina and I drove up to the mtg point and saw our neighbor on his truck loading it with stuff. Mina was surprised and seemed happy to see him and we were wondering if he was coming with us to girls camp. So I get out and ask him what are you doing here are you coming with us, and he had a smile on his face and shook his head up and down and I said, “Whaaat how’d that happen”? And he said to me, “My wife made me!” and then i remembered my husband's cute comment!

Well just that day my neighbor helped us transport the girls to where we were going, he waited in his truck while we did temple baptisms in the Ogden Temple, and then I was able to follow my neighbor to Heber which is a huge deal for me just took stress away from me having to know where to go.  And at the cabin my neighbor got the pellet fire going to warm up the cabin because it was cold. And even unclogged the toilet. He did all these things without being asked, without his wife having to make him. And not only his example but his wife’s too, I see that their children are learning to be just as charitable as they are.

If I think of the Fathers here in this ward who I’ve known since we’ve lived here and that’s about 15yrs now. There are so many charitable fathers in this very room and who have passed on. So many acts of kindness that I have witnessed and heard of, those who have taught, disciplined, praised or encouraged my children and others, have helped with projects in our home and with the widows in our ward, who’ve shared their talents, time, and knowledge, given blessings and fasted and prayed for us, whether your wives have made you do it or not! I’m truly grateful, my family is grateful for the love you have shown towards us.

Matthew 22: 37-39 says, "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."

The love of God and our Savior Jesus Christ is the most desirable above all things. To have the pure love of Christ means that we trust in him, we pray fervently to our Heavenly Father, we study the scriptures daily to draw near to Christ, we are faithful and obedient to God's commandments, we invite the Holy Ghost by living the gospel and being receptive to its promptings. I know as we do these things they will become our character and we will become true disciples of Jesus Christ, and I say this in his Holy name Amen!