MANY THANKS in GIVING

Whatever your problems, there is always somebody who has it twice as good as you and that should get you motivated enough to move. But I really do not feel up to anything at the moment. And it's okay. I was lucky to get my meds lined out for the coming week.

I ordered a new Samsung S-7 Tab but Amazon wouldn't accept my credit. Before I found that out, I ordered a Dell 15.6 laptop with a touch screen. I am writing with it now. There are more things this can do than I have time left in my life to learn. I still want a tablet though.

So the Christmas Thanksgiving Cactus is growing big blossoms. There are more than 50 buds on it and more are still coming out. Two have bloomed but there are going to be many this next week.

See for yourself

Two Days Later

Now there's pretty a sight. Actually I'm not into this today for the pictures. I had a really awesome experience the other day while reading a Conference Talk from Elder Faust when he was Second Counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. This is really a big deal for me so I'll compose myself again and start from the Beginning.

HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN?

Elder Faust 2nd Counselor in the First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints wrote of a good friend and his interest in the Church and Joseph Smith's part in the restoration.

Donald Rehnquist, an Army friend of mine, convinced me it would be a good idea for us to travel to Rome so we could see the Vatican and The Sistine Chapel. He had seen pictures of the baptismal font in the Manti Temple and wondered why the ornamentations of that font were so artful. We did get to see the Sistine Chapel. I was quite impressed. The frescoes and especially the vaulted ceiling are beautiful.

On our trip back on the train Donald admitted that the substance of the Gospel of Jesus Christ had merit whether from seeing and believing or more readily, praying to know the truth. He appreciated the religious fervor of Joseph Smith and the followers of our faith but could not bring himself full circle to acceptance. 

My friend, Don Rundquist, and I were looking at a picture of the baptismal font in the Manti Temple that he thought was a little extravagant. I explained to him the importance of the imagery in all edifices the same as any other religion or practice. So, we planned a trip to Rome in 1971 just after Christmas and went there for a few days. We visited the Sistine Chapel and I was really impressed with the vaulted ceiling painted by Michelangelo’s hands. As Elder Faust commented; “The frescoes, and especially the vaulted ceiling, are beautiful.” I concur.

This is representative of my whole life considering it could have been different but I would not have learned the lessons needed to progress. I think it’s important to stay grounded. It’s okay to have your head in the clouds but your feet need to stay where the work is.

We like to say there are no coincidences in this realm. Everything suggests order even in the chaos. When I experience things in my life like the story above, I'm convinced there's a plan devised way into the future that had no beginning nor has an end.

Don Rundquist and I had a wonderful time travelling to Rome and back from Germany. We were stationed north of Frankfurt about 40 miles on a place they called The Rock. It was the resting place for much of the equipment after WWII. We managed to light off some 1944 gunpowder from one of the newer howitzers (1969 like brand new in 1971). Won’t do that again.

Anyway, I’ve found many pictures recently so this was a small preview of them, So be it.