July 29, 2015

There have been times in my life when experiences have filled me with joy to the point of it filling my whole being.  Yesterday was one of those days.  Our sweet, beautiful granddaughter Emily Bott returned home from serving an eighteen month mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Lima, Peru. It is no small thing for a nineteen year old to leave her family and travel such a far distance to teach our brothers and sisters of the world that God loves them and there is an Eternal plan for them.

Emily is on the right

She has lived worthy of blessings from the Lord.  She has chosen to be righteous in a world of unrighteousness.  She has chosen to be morally clean in an immoral world; she has chosen God's laws to govern her life.  The word JOY can hardly even describe the feelings in my heart because of her choice to serve.

Emily in the Peruvian Mountains

I wanted to be at the airport to greet her coming home yesterday, but Roger and I are serving our own mission here in Vermont.  It is amazing to feel the power that comes from making the choice to serve. 

The family at the airport, mom, dad, brother, sisters,

aunts, uncles and cousins

I look forward to our homecoming next spring.  There will be JOY in my heart then. I will hug these dear ones and give thanks to the Lord for how they each bless my life.

Welcome home Emily!!!!!!!

This is Roger: "When I talked to Emily yesterday I told her: thanks for coming home in glory!"  She cried, "Thanks Grandpa.

Forest

July 9, 2015

We drove through the forest today on our way to Woodstock. The forests are very alluring to me.  I am in awe that so many trees can grow and thrive in this country. It is called the Green Mountain State for a reason. 

I have always been interested in how parents would keep their children safe in woods like these.  This area was settled so very early in the Nation's history.

My mother and grandmother used to sing a song to me as a child, called "Poor Babes in the Woods."  I always thought it was such a sad song and my own children would never let me sing it to them. If I started they would stop me and not let me finish. It was sung for many generations linking it to me. I think it was a way of teaching children not to go into the woods alone, just like the songs I sing like "Let the Ball Roll," reminding my kids not to chase after a ball when it goes into the street, or "Don't Go Down  to the Railroad Tracks" it is never safe to play by the railroad tracks.

I have a greater understanding of the childhood song that goes like this:

Poor Babes in the Woods

Oh don't you remember a long time ago,

two little babes, their names I don't know.

They strayed far away one bright summers day,

and were lost in the woods, so I've heard people say.

And when it was night, so sad was their plight,

The moon didn't shine and the stars gave no light.

And all the night long they sobbed and they sighed,

Poor babes in the woods, they laid down and died.

And when they were dead the robin so red,

Brought strawberry leaves and over them spread.

And all the night long they sang this sweet song,

"Poor babes in the woods, poor babes in the woods."

I do believe that mothers who wished to protect their children and maybe even scare them into not going into the woods sang these songs. BUT the woods are beautiful and mesmerizing.

July 6, 2015

On July 4, 2015 we, as missionaries, participated in the Randolph, Vermont, parade.  There was preparation early in the morning, mostly blowing up 250 balloons with mormon.org written on them. We would be handing them out to the children along the route. The float was built a couple of years ago by Elder and Sister Mooney and Elder and Sister Harmon.  They are home now, but the float still is the best one in all the parades.

Elder Wilson and Elder Ence unloading the monument

This monument comes apart for easy transport, although it is heavy it does not weight tons. 

Elder Broberg and Elder Ence 

securing the shaft

Then came the hundreds of balloons. They were tied to the "gator" so we would have easy access to cut the strings to hand to the children along the route.

Diana said to Roger

"Don't get carried away dad"

Now the float is ready for the 2 mile long parade where 5,000 people would see our sign, carry our balloons, receive pass-along cards and eat some good candy.

Roger drove the gator

I walked and handed out balloons

It was fun to experience a parade as an old person.  And I was able to get my walk in for the morning.

It was our time at the visitor center after the parade.  We knew it would be a long day, but had no idea it would be sweet.

There were a lot of people come to the center on the 4th.  We had about a hundred and fifty visitors and 25 of them were non-members. I love teaching the reason for this site. This is truly a place where people can come and feel, some place away from the confusion of the world.

I taught a family visiting here from the Philippines. They told me that their families in the Philippines were excited that they could come here.  The sweet little mother wept the minute she entered the visitor center and the tears flowed for the whole tour. The children, of course, loved the golf cart tour. She said as they left "Thank you sister, this is the best 4th of July I have ever had." It was a great 4th of the July for me too.

Doctrine and Covenants 98:4-5

"And now, verily I say unto you concerning the laws of the land; it is my will that my people should observe to do all things whatsoever I command them.

And that law of the land which is constitutional, supporting that principle of freedom in maintaining rights and privileges, belongs to all mankind, and is justifiable before me."

I love my Father in Heaven.  I love that He has made us free.  I love the freedoms of this land as laid out by the "Founding Fathers."

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true.  I know it.

A place of peace, joy, and remembrance

of the Birth of God's Prophet

Joseph Smith

July 2, 2015

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARY!
Born July 2, 1973

Roger had just returned from a year in Viet Nam, the summer of 1972, and we were making a move to Pima, Arizona, for him to become a first time Seminary Teacher for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I was excited to have him home and safe and we knew after such a long time we needed to add a child to our family.

In my fourth month of this pregnancy I threatened to miscarry: Roger was out of town for overnight, so my friend Sharleen Smith took me to the hospital in Safford.  They kept me overnight, and I was to meet with the doctor the next day.  He assured me the baby was dead and we should allow them to do an abortion.  Roger had made it home in time for this meeting, and he said "absolutely not!" If we loose the baby it will be on it's own.  I have been forever grateful for his forcefulness. For the next months the doctor would not listen for a heart beat, saying each time, "I am sure the baby is gone!" If that was the case, why did I feel movement and I really started to grow.  

Luckily for all of us we made a move back to Utah in the spring, allowing Old Doctor Johnson (the doctor I loved) to deliver a healthy, beautiful, dark eyed, dark fuzz baby girl, with all her fingers and toes.

Mary's first Birthday!

Mary had a little friend named Alana Lamoreaux.  They loved playing house and getting dressed up, and they would carry their purses to each other's homes.  One day they decided to help me with the canning. Little did I know that they had put the canning rings from my bottles down the toilet.  We only had one toilet in the house, so it caused some problems.  Roger had to take the toilet off and outside to pry the rings out.  The neighbors got a laugh out of that.

Mary loved playing in the dirt.

Mary was always very frugal.  She kept her Halloween candy for months, but Max or Anne would find it and eat it.  She was never happy about that.

Mary was the youngest of the kids to start working in the raspberry patch.  She was always diligent in taking out the dead canes, and she became the best picker of all the kids. She managed the patch from the time she was thirteen and made sure the flats looked perfect to sell.  She is doing raspberries today: she says, "They are on!"

Mary excelled in school, and graduated with high honors. She was in the National Honor Society and on the Seminary Council, and the ZCMI Teen Board. 

Mary and Alan

Mary met Alan Bott at Weber State University, and they were married in the Ogden LDS Temple on 12 June 1993. Alan has been a blessing to our family.  Because of them we have Emily, Ruth, Sarah, Anna Joy, and Jake.

Mary was given the assignment by her dad to get all her siblings to the Temple.  She has succeeded. 

Mary received her Bachelor of Science degree from Weber State University, which is good, but that is not all, she can fix anything. She came here to Vermont and found that our bathroom door knob was a mess; her dad had tried to fix it. She got the tools and within a very few minutes had all the door knobs in the apartment fixed. Mary can do anything she sets her mind to.  She is compassionate and loving.  She spent many hours sitting with her Grandma Petersen reading to her and talking with her when Grandma couldn't utter a word because of a stroke. I love her for that.

Jake, Alan, Anna Joy, Ruth, Mary

at the Joseph Smith Memorial

Mary and Alan came to visit us here in Vermont.  We loved the time we spent with them.  

Joseph Smith Monument

Dad and I hope you have a wonderful Birthday and that your goodness will continue to bless all those around you. You and your family are precious to us.  

DAD AND I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!!