Mr. and Mrs. Abraham Smith

Sealed in the Rexburg Idaho Temple
29 November 2010

Getting the car ready for the Bride and Groom
Funny part was...Jacob hid in the backseat of the car
under all those balloons...
Abe and Annie had no idea...
took off...About ONE BLOCK
from the church - the back BRAKE tail lights flash ON!
They dropped JACOB off at the corner...
and made him WALK back to the church! (smile)

It was COLD outside - Annie took alot of pictures
without her coat on...

Father and Daughter
Larry and Annie

TWO FAMILIES
Kalispell 3rd Ward
Are now ONE
Egley Family and the Smith Family

Many of you have asked to see pictures of Abraham and Annie on their "sealed for time and all eternity" day...These pictures were taken by BUNNY EGLEY...mother of the bride! (smile)

Seeing Through the Lens of His Gospel

Elder Neal A. Maxwell observed, "When one sees life and people through the lens of His gospel, then one can see forever". (Ensign, May 1974, Pg. 112)

Classics...

I don't know about you, Sisters....but, I LOVE CLASSICS...Classic literature...Classic old movies...etc. I have spent some of my "holiday" moments watching...classic literature recreated in film form...plus, an old classic movie...entitled "How Green Is My Valley"...I would, now, LOVE to read the book...There were "statements" in the old 1941 film...that are rare on the screen, today...GOSPEL truths were taught...SCRIPTURE quoted...and GOD was often FOCUSED in the story...

One of the quotes from the movie...that I wrote down...that captured my attention, I would like to retype for you:

The scene was between a young boy name Huw and his mentor, a young preacher, Mr. Gruffydd...who tells the boy how to "keep your spirit clean"...

"As your father cleans his lamp to have good light, so keep clean your spirit...By prayer...And by prayer, I don't mean shouting and mumbling and wallowing like a hog in religious sentiment...
Prayer is only another name for good, clean, direct THINKING...
When you pray.....THINK!
THINK well what you are saying...
MAKE your thoughts into things that are solid.
and that way your prayer will have STRENGTH.
And that STRENGTH will become a part of you---
BODY, MIND, and SPIRT."

Happy THANKSGIVING!

Ashley Buckwalter

Debbie Perrone

L to R: Kari Beagley - Amy Robinson - Tawna Chery - Wendy Storey

Sabrina Dobson

Generous donations of "goodies"

THANK YOU...dear Sisters...who made our Thanksgiving "Treat" night...absolutely WONDERFUL...! THANK YOU...YOUTH and LEADERS...who helped DELIVER THEM....

Thoughts from our Prophet in our last General Conference:

President Thomas S. Monson made these comments:
"Regardless of our circumstances, each of us has much for which to be
grateful if we will but pause and contemplate our blessings."
He quoted President Joseph F. Smith:
"The grateful man sees so much in the world to be thankful for,
and with him the good outweighs the evil. Love overpowers jealousy,
and light drives darkness out of his life. Pride destroys our gratitude and sets up selfishness
in its place. How much happier we are in the presence of a grateful and loving soul,
and how careful we should be to cultivate, through the medium of a prayerful life,
a thankful attitude toward God and man!"

Who You Are...

A friend of my daughter, Sarah...made this video...inspired by my daughter's personal blog...She has a huge following...mostly young mothers...who get a daily dose of humor...from my daughter's ongoing sagas of young motherhood...(wait till they all become "teenagers"...my daughter will have PLENTY of material to write about) (smile)

All the pictures in this video are of my daughter and her family...The MUSIC is INSPIRING...I thought...many of us...could relate...to its message...as mothers...but, also, as WOMEN of GOD...!

The POWER of Laughter....

We all have heard the ol' saying..."Laughter is the best medicine..." or we could go to the scriptures..."A merry heart doeth good like a medicine." (Proverbs 17:22)

I read this interesting bit of information: "On average, children laugh 400 times a day, while adults laugh about 15 times. Why the gap? Did we lose something? Have we forgotten the way we used to be? Why is it that children seem to cope with life's oddities better than adults? Perhaps it's because they do not fully understand. But I think it's simpler than that---they LAUGH......Do we need to cultivate a different attitude? Humor is in the way we see things, the way we think. It's an attitude, not an event. Perhaps the key lies in becoming more childlike." (Gary K. Palmer, "The Power of Laughter," Ensign, Sept 2007, 32-35)

One of my very favorite apostles, Elder Neal A. Maxwell said..."The true believer is serious about the living of his life, but he is of good cheer. His humor is the humor of hope and his mirth is the mirth of modesty---not the hollow laughter or the cutting cleverness of despair. Unlike those of a celebrated "devil-may-care" lifestyle, his is the quiet "heaven-does-care" attitude." ("True Believers in Christ", page 139)

"Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face." (Victor Hugo) How true! Ever notice those with a "sunny" disposition? (smile)

Voltaire had an interesting thought..."God is a comedian, playing to an audience too afraid to laugh."

I liked this statement, also..."Laughter is the shock absorber that eases the blows of life." I have a daughter...who have 4 children---6 yrs. of age and under and is expecting her 5 child...She has a blog...where she takes every day..."hair-pulling"...events...and takes pictures of the situations...then, tries to find HUMOR in it... and writes to all her followers...EASING the daily frustrations...that mothers with YOUNG CHILDREN have on nearly a daily basis...(not to mention mothers of teenagers) (smile) But, this ability to find HUMOR is blessing HER LIFE...and helping other mothers...take their everyday....challenges...and find HUMOR in the situation...instead of becoming a "raving Witch of the West"...

Ever stop to think how many times a day you actually LAUGH? "Laughter is the brush that sweeps away the cobwebs of your heart."

In spite of our challenges...we are expected to be "cheerful"..."Though our trials are tiny compared to His, alas, we are often GRUMPY. Jesus was of good cheer because then current conditions did not alter His sources of ultimate joy. Are not our fundamental sources of joy the same as His? ("As I Am" - page 100)

And finally...Elder Maxwell...gave this wonderful words of wisdom: "Gospel gladness is possible even in the midst of affliction, because of the reassuring realities that pertain to our mortal circumstance. The everlastingness of certain things puts the temporariness of other things in perspective." ("As I Am - page 98)

May we all experience the POWER of LAUGHTER in everyday...living...

Introducing "Matthew Samuel" Okelberry

Matthew Samuel Okelberry
Born: 10 September 2010 - 10:06 p.m.
10 lbs. 4 oz.
21 1/2 inches long

Proud Parents:
Sam and Mona
Big Sisters: Krystal and Gabriella

Isn't he a doll? Already looks 2 weeks old!
(smile)

We are FREE TODAY...because....OTHERS GAVE THEIR BEST

THANK YOU...to ALL who sacrificed
for me and my children...

Elder Neal A. Maxwell: Hope through the Atonement of Christ

Elder Neal A. Maxwell: Hope through the Atonement of Christ

Treasures in Heaven

I am posting this TWICE...once for those who can't see the entire film on your screen on this post...Either CLICK to pull up the film....or if your screen is wide enough...see it directly on this post...Either way....I pray...you will be edified deeply like I was...Love, Deb

BYUtv - Treasure In Heaven

BYUtv - Treasure In Heaven

Gospel "Formulas"

Today, in Relief Society...we had some fun with "Gospel Formulas"...We only touched on a few of them...and so...over the next few days...I will post some of the ones I came up with....There are MANY MANY MORE...Send me some of YOUR FAVORITES...and I will POST THEM! It would be fun to see how many we can come up with...This would INCLUDE...General Conference talks...Quotes from the Brethren...

OK...Here are a couple to get started - (my two favorites):

DEALING WITH DIFFICULT Individuals or Situations:

"But I say unto you, Love your enemies,
Bless them that curse you,
Do good to them that hate you,
and Pray for them which despitefully use you,
and persecute you...
Matthew 5:44

FORMULA:

• LOVE them
• BLESS them
• DO GOOD to them
• PRAY for them

GODHOOD

"SERVICE is not something we endure on the earth
so we can earn the right to live
in the celestial kingdom.
SERVICE is the very fiber of which an EXALTED LIFE
in the celestial kingdom is made.
Knowing that SERVICE is
what gives our Father in Heaven fulfillment,
and knowing that we want to be where He is
and
as He is,
why must we be commanded to SERVE one another?
SERVICE
is
What GODHOOD
is all about."

President Marion G. Romney - Ensign - November 1982, page 93
Quoted By: M. Russell Ballard - Ensign - September 1992, page 73

FORMULA:
SERVE ONE ANOTHER

ANNUAL Chili Cook- OFF...And the Winner is....................

For those who were not able to make it to our Ward ANNUAL "Chili" Cook- Off...you missed some GREAT TASTING CHILI! Lots to choose from...plus...homemade "corn bread" and homemade "goodies"!!!!! SO GOOD....All "diets" were put on hold! (smile) Before I put forth some of the pictures taken last night...a HUGE THANK YOU goes to Janie Toren...for overseeing this entire event...She had many "extra" pair of hands...who helped "set up" and "take down"! That is what WARD FAMILIES DO! (smile) LOVE IT!

Wally and Mary Lou Hartman

Time to EAT!

Susanne and Shane Hill (left)
Mark and Grace Guest (on right)

Steve and Debbie Perrone
Debbie did it without "blinking"! (smile)

Stefanie and Jeff Walter
"Newly SEALED this past YEAR" ! YEAH!

Tony Robinson and Sons
AJ (older son)
A. Robinson - aka "Asher"

Pat and LeRoy Turner

Michele Hemsley having SOME FUN with her sons!

Melanie Labrum with "Attitude"
LOVE IT, Melanie! (smile)

Kara Baisden with darling son - Alma

Heidi Stott with our NEW MOVE-IN!
Sonya Lloyds and her little cutie son - "Teryx"

Garvin only won by "ONE" vote!
Best "Chili" of the evening!
Has been a FAMILY FAVORITE! Garvin's own "original"!

Sassy...Fran Mc Carrell
My camera DELAYED... MISSED her "funny" look she made at me! (smile)

GREAT FOOD!
See what some of you missed last night!

cccccc

One of the sweetest to behold last night...were parents with their children.
Bart Van De Car with his little son...

Hey! Bishop Robison!

Is there anyone here...that can't RELATE to this SCENE! (smile)
You have got to love the expressions on the BAISDEN children! (smile)

Amy Duvall WON the BEST "Treat"

You will need to come NEXT YEAR...to know what YOU had MISSED!

Aidien, Wendy Storey, Athena with Grandma - Sheryl Ruggles

Lots of Activity...going on...

Aaron Denney playing "tic tac toe" with son - Joseph