Gifts of the Spirit

I don't know that this fits directly, but I really am beginning to feel more and more that I have been given a mechanical gift to figure things out.  We were with Gavin after graduation and eating lunch.  We were are BD's Mongolian grill.  It was great, I thought I wanted more but one trip was plenty.  So we parked in the parking garage behind it at the Greene.  We saw Eber's there (it was her birthday). When we finished and went out to the garage, the vehicle would not shift out of park. It was locked.  It started, running, but was locked in park.  I could not get it to budge.  Then it came to me it was likely the brake sensor switch.  I jumped out, leaned under the dash, and found the upper part of the brake arm.  There is the sensor switch and I pulled it off.  I checked and sure enough, it was stuck and was not registering properly.  So it was still thinking that the brake had not been applied.  Hence it would not shift out of park.  I worked it a bit and poof, it shifted out fine and away we went.  I left it off for the short ride home and then when home I replaced it.  So for $20 I fixed it, and it would have cost a tow, repair shop diagnosis, and them to replace it.  Likely around $2-300.  I call that a gift.  Then I have been trying to get the cruise control working.  After replacing this switch I thought I would have it.  I took it out on the road (to get above 30 MPH) and......nope.  Still not working.  I was stumped.  Frustrated.  Then I had a thought come to my mind.  The brake light was on and I couldn't figure out why. But it was right as I removed that switch at the Greene.  So I hooked up the diagnostic reader and none of the codes would make sense, they were others I was working on, but I cleared them all so I could maybe clear the brake light.  Nope.  I was more frustrated.  Finally I had the thought come to check the emergency brake.  I pulled the release and it hardly even moved, but it was enough the brake light went off.  Wow!  I had to try it.  So out on the road I went, poof, cruise works.  The sensor was just enough to "tell" the cruise that the brake was still being pushed, and you know that is how it shuts off the cruise.  So now it works because it didn't think the brake was still on.  So the same $20 switch also fixed another $200 repair bill for the same $20.  We continue to be blessed by his tender mercies to have what we get stretch so far.  In so many ways we have had that happen.  We can't count them.  And we know it happens because we faithfully pay our tithing and can count on his help to "prosper in the land" in ways we might not always expect.

I love having our family around and knowing we can all be together forever if we choose to be.  I hope you will make the choices with us so we can be.  Forever!

Love you forever, and pray for you daily.

Dad

3 John 1:4

Continuing Education

This end of the week was just awesome to keep learning things deep in my soul. On Friday I went to the temple with Lys and the youth. I had to drive straight from work so I met them there. I helped with confirmations and it's so amazing when you get the distinct impression that they had been waiting and we're present and soooooo excited to have the work completed. I happened a couple of times where it was so clear. On one sister I thought what a funny/strange name only to have 1. A distinct knowledge that she was present and waiting for that long awaited day, and 2. That she chastised me for making fun of her name, for it was hers. It was good to quickly apologize and feel that special knowledge. But it could not happen if I did not pay the price through the years to know for myself in all ways. 

We talked about that in priesthood today also.  About how you have to work to get that faith. It does not come deep down by doing little or no work. Just like getting good at anything takes work, practice, and dedication. So does faith. It begins small but if you leave it it cannot grow. It has to be nurtured. 

Then church today was all about faith for sacrament and Sunday school. Great thoughts and stories about the building of, and the evidence of, faith. I still like the quote that knowing the gospel is true is the essence of a testimony, being consistently true to the gospel is the essence of conversion. 

I believe that is why I could know and feel the way I did. Preparation precedes the witness. 

Then after the baptismal session they answered a few questions and that got me thinking about the things we learned when teaching Old Testament in seminary. It's all about temples and families. When Jacob had the vision referred to as Jacobs ladder he called the place Bethel. As in Beth-el meaning house of God. And in that vision he liked the steps of the ladder to the steps needed to get back to heaven and Gods presence. We learn about that same thing in the temple. So it makes so much sense that it's all about temples. 

Saturday Lys and I worked so hard all morning. I got up earlier than wanted (we didn't get home from the temple until 11 something) because Gavin had offered to let a friends family borrow the chain saw. I had to out the chain back on as I had them both off to take and get sharpened. So after that I got to work, and Lys came out and helped when she woke up a while later. We moved a giant pile of mulch to the back forest by/off the bridge. It's where we have been transplanting things as we split them this spring and last fall. It looks really good. We moved a huge pile and spread it. Then just as I had cleaned up it began to rain. Perfect timing. We still have a pile to move to the hillside to finish what was started there last year. Slowly we are coming along with these things. 

Love you forever,

Dad

3 John 1:4

Best Mother's Day for father

What a day!  It was so fun to talk to you as we Skyped round the world. Sometimes hard to hear, but way fun. 

Gavin blessed today in sacrament and that is always nice to see he or Ty. He looked so good in his new mission suit. Really good!  

The investigator came to sacrament meeting today and sat with our family. I think she enjoyed the meeting.  Mom was awesome talking to her. 

Mom was so happy with everyone today. A day full of tender mercies that makes it so when mom is happy, I'm happy. 

I cooked a great (humble humble) angel food cake that she loved. We marinated chicken and Gavin and Ty grilled them wonderfully. Gavin also concocted rice pilaf that everyone liked. Cut fruit, beans and we had a great meal. 

Everyone's choices today made mom and I very happy. Thanks for all you are doing. 

Gavin and Ty are happy to have the motorcycle in the garage. I hope we can get it running reasonably. Gavin did the best job on the backsplash and Ty learned quickly how to custom fit doors and they all look wonderful. It was worth the trade and the time they spent to see how much they look forward to fixing and riding. It's kind of funny. 

I taught the CTR4 class today with Bro. Kennedy. Wow, I don't know how people do this and keep the kids engaged. They are like hyper molecules super charged. But mom had given me ideas and we ended up pretty good. We used flashlights to demonstrate power then they used those to find pictures of people using priesthood power.   We went on a walk around the church, sang master the tempest is raging, and used Melvin the moose hand puppet which worked awesome. 

I'm excited for fine arts week and for Ty's science Olympiad trip. I hope they go well. Lys had a great concert last week and it was really fun to see her do so many songs. She does so well. 

Love you forever. Pray hard and look for the tender mercies. Often they are small but make the true difference in life. 

Dad

3 John 1:4

Harvest from the farm

I should have taken pictures. There are so many dandelion farms right now. But we don't have much to speak of because our harvest has been so great. I have been the bulk picker this year. Mom has been in years past. Each saturday and 1-2 nights during the week I get going. I think I will do a small area but one leads to another, to another etc and I end up spending 1-2 hours and picking large bucketfuls of them. I am really bent on getting them while yellow so the seeds don't spread. One now means I avoid 100's later. The lawn is really good, I have been focusing on the flower beds, the ravine, and especially the forest. 

We also have been splitting and transplanting the ground covers and hostas out into the forest off the bridge. It will look really good. And the ferns that we got last year as a neighbor thinned out are coming back and look good.  We hope they all poke out. 

It was fun to see Gavin shaved and with a haircut again. He liked and didn't like to have the mop he had. But it helped for the play. They actually sold out the PAC for the first time in history last night. 

I feel really blessed to continue to learn and understand so much from the temple. I am so glad I can count on the blessings and covenants there for eternity. I would lose hope knowing eternity and not being able to lay claim on those promises. 

Love you forever. Pray hard and open your heart to the spirit and lasting joy will be found. 

Dad

3 John 1:4