"The Power Within Us"

We had our Stake Relief Society seminar this past Saturday and it was truly inspirational because the speakers were outstanding.


Patriarch Gillespie spoke about some of the key women in the scriptures whose posterity were blessed by their righteous lives. Then one idea he shared was that we can take our blessing and retype it, with double spacing, study it and write down scriptures or other inspired notes as we receive spiritual insight. He said that these sacred blessings are "scripture" for us personally, and if we are asked to read from the scriptures daily, wouldn't it be a good idea to do the same with our Patriarchal blessings?


Carmen Shumway taught us that there are several important factors in being a great visiting teacher: studying the message well before we attempt to teach it, listen and follow the promptings of the Holy Ghost regarding our assigned sisters so that we can serve them when they need us, make a weekly contact instead of just "once a month," enjoy the diversity and differences in each other, develop a true and loyal friendship with each one you teach. She had two sisters sing "Getting to Know You" and "Sisters." Carmen invited seven sisters in the stake to share some special visiting teaching moments from their lives.


Shellie and Brett Caldwell recounted the amazing journey they faced together when Shellie was diagnosed with a rare sinus and bone cancer which required radical surgery that removed almost half of her face. (The picture was taken just before her surgery) They opened up to us and honestly shared all the feelings and fears, pain and healing, and trial of faith that it was. There wasn't a dry eye in the chapel. We witnessed a true love story in action. It was an indelible experience for all who attended.

Now that's resourceful!

Calla kept her hair dry in the shower using a plastic baggie. Way cute, isn't she? She recently auditioned for the musical, "Annie" and got the part of one of Daddy Warbucks maids, Cecille. She will be dancing and singing in several scenes ("I Think I'm Gonna Like it Here" and "NYC") and have a one-line part. Congratulations, Calla! The tentative dates for the performances are April 24th and 25th and possibly May 1st and 2nd. Calla is in one cast that will perform twice. More info later...

January bride

Melissa Merrill, our niece on the Reed side of the family, married her sweetheart on January 17th in the Mesa temple. She and Brookly were close cousins growing up and Melissa was in Brookly's wedding line almost ten years ago.

A Milestone

Dad, Calla, Jenny and I finished reading the Harry Potter series! A friend let us borrow a CD set and we finished the last hundred pages listening to a great professional reader as we drove to Mesa. We marveled the past couple years at the imagination of J.K. Rowling. Without her talented literary skills we would have never met brave Harry, bumbling Ron and level-headed Hermoine, Hagrid and Buckbeak, Luna and the Weasley's, Grawp and Sirius Black, Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore...
and He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. We can't wait for the next movie due out this summer!

Sledding near Sunrise

Calla's friend Mikayla, Calla and Jenny, impersonating a suicide bomber. The wind was fierce and cold below the hill, but once we hiked up-- the trees provided a nice wind break and it actually felt warm. That really is Jenny even though you can only see her nose. She hates to be cold. Getting ready for a nice push down the hill from Dad.
The view from the top This lucky shot we called "Wipeout!" Calla and Mikayla hit some bumps and ended upside down on their heads before they came to a rolling stop. Calla is on the right. (Should of had the video camera with me) Mikayla wanted to go home after that scare. We talked her into staying after her headache subsided.


Okay, I took a self portrait. I just wanted proof that I was there (the photographer on excursions often is overlooked).



The wind was whipping the snow across the road...such a pretty scene.