Tender Mercies (and a Temple!)

President Monson announced a temple in Payson today! Oh, this makes me so, so happy. :) Temples are such a great blessing in our lives. I am so excited. The temples are definitely a tender mercy from the Lord.

Tender mercies come in other forms too. Last night at dinner we were discussing what everyone learned about at church. (We all learned about the Fall. Everything is so coordinated!) Camary said she learned, "About whether we want to live with Jesus or Nathan." Nathan? Who's Nathan? "Satan?" I asked. "Yeah, that." We don't spend much time talking about Satan at home. Well, her little mispronunciation caused me a hysterical giggling fit. If you've never seen me have a hysterical giggling fit, you're really missing out. Well, that giggling fit turned out to be a tender mercy for me. Right before she said that, I was feeling ornery. Really ornery. In fact, "Nathan" had put it into my heart to do and say some really nasty things just then, but you know what? After laughing so hard, I didn't feel grumpy at all. Not one little bit. Thanks, Heavenly Father!

If you feel you can help...

My friend Sherri, mom of eight and all around amazing lady, needs help raising $22,500 to get necessary back surgery so she doesn't remain bed ridden. Read her story here, and if you feel you can help it would sure be appreciated.

Home Teachers

Well, I haven't posted for a while here, so I thought I'd just talk about some random stuff. Whatever comes to mind. Rusty was ordained a Teacher last month and was assigned to home teach . . . us! He's now our home teacher's partner. They came to see us today. We keep teasing Rusty that he has to walk down to Brother Hansbrow's house (just four doors down), and then come to see us. We also informed him that now that he's our home teacher, he has to cheerfully help us out with whatever we ask him to do. :) Okay, he pretty much does that anyway, but not always cheerfully.

Xander got hold of a flashlight during our home teaching visit, and thought it was just hilarious to shine it in Rusty's eyes, and then in Brother Hansbrow's eyes. Then to run away giggling when Dad got up to get the flashlight. He also unloaded videos and tried to plug in the TV games. Then he rammed his dump truck into the kitchen cabinets. Kevin (Bro. Hansbrow), said, "I love this place." I think he really meant it. He also said he was going keep Sophie, his two year old daughter, away from Xander, since he's crazy. (I don't think he really meant that.)

Rusty also gave a talk on the Priesthood in Sacrament Meeting today. He did a wonderful job. I was so proud. We also had a departing missionary and a returned missionary speak. The chapel looked like Stake Conference with all the visitors, but I felt like I was singing a solo when I led the hymns. Come on people! We're singing Called to Serve for heaven's sake! Put some life into it!

Here is a picture of our home teacher (and his lovely wife) on the pioneer trek: