Armando Lopez's baptism

Dear Armando is nine years old. His dear sister Alejandra is the first person to befriend Brittany when we moved here. Ale had become inactive after trying hard to come on her own. She also worked Sundays and had several buses to catch.

Armando was baptized because the parents have regained commitment to the gospel. The two of them are not baptized because of the father still being married to a wife in Mexico. That would constitute a problem. He is working on fixing that problem. Brother and sister Lopez above with new baby named after Andrew the first missionary to teach them. And Lex a spanish speaking man in our ward who befriended them for years! Alejandra and Armando, James, Britt and the missionaries.

Both parents bore testimony and spoke at Armando's baptism. That little boy was beaming with goodness. This was a beautiful experience for me. Absolutely worth living here.

The missionaries above are the ones who baptized Armando. They also came to dinner the next day at our home. It was a great visit. Elder Archibald and Elder Minos.

Visiting Filoli

A absolutely beautiful day to visit the historical home and gardens of Filoli. A name I never can

remember! Luckily that's where my dear friend Susan Putnam comes in. She was my very skilled driver to and from. And my tour guide while visiting.

History from the filoli website

Filoli was built for Mr. and Mrs. William Bowers Bourn, prominent San Franciscans whose chief source of wealth was the Empire Mine, a hard-rock gold mine in Grass Valley, California. Mr. Bourn was also owner and president of the Spring Valley Water Company whose property comprised Crystal Springs Lake and the surrounding lands, areas that are now part of the San Francisco Water Department. He selected the southern end of Crystal Springs Lake as the site for his estate.

Mr. Bourn arrived at the unusual name Filoli by combining the first two letters from the key words of his credo: “Fight for a just cause; Love your fellow man; Live a good life.”

Mother's Day Without

This was my first Mother's Day without my mother. I always loved mother's day! Not because I was a mother, but because I had a mother. For a good 40+ years I have enjoyed the hunt for a perfect mother's day gift for my mom. This year I kept seeing advertisements on TV and thinking Oh my mother would like that! Then

my mind would come to reality and understand that there would be no buying mother's day gifts for my mother this year.

So My personal gift was to talk to her. I thanked her for everything she gave me. I thanked her at this time more then anything for giving me my sister's. Because without them her loss would be unbearable without their friendship.

It was also my first year away from my children on Mother's Day. I did have James and Britt thankfully. James always puts forth is full effort in making Mother's Day a wonderful event. Even when he is headed out the door again for travel. Which was the case on this Mother's Day. You're a good man James!

Two gift packages came to the door that weekend. And one on it's way. I really thought they would forget. But Thank you kids for being fabulous!

But the greatest gift they gave me was one I will never forget. It brought powerful emotions to my very soul. It took me an hour to compose myself. Each of my dear children went to Payson and took flowers and placed them on my mother's grave. My mother's grave looked more like Memorial Day then Mother's Day. We love our mother.

Then to deepen the gift they visited with Grandpa Wilson. He had prepared food thinking he would have a lot of company for Mother's Day. Most kids had come early that week. So having my kids stop by and visit him, and eat his food was a blessing. I couldn't bare thinking of him waiting for company and no one showing up! My kids saved him and me from feeling that sadness. Thank you kids. In one act you showed a mother everything she hopes her children will become, giving, thoughtful, caring, good people.