Week of 20260329 - Palm Sunday; Real Rings; Second Recliner; Together Speech; Abandoned Vehicle and Steph's SUV Towed; Easter Traffic; Temple; General Conference
= Sunday, church was only an hour due to Palm Sunday. In between music provided by Primary children, the Ward Choir, duets, and trios, there were testimonies. A boy about 12 pointed out that before the 5,000 could be fed with fishes and loaves, someone had to sacrifice those items. When we sacrifice time and money, God multiplies our offering.
= Steph sat next to me as I listened, on the phone, to her podcast episodes thus far. Then we interacted with the Young Single Adult conference committee and our Stake President.
= Monday, a second person asked to move the abandoned vehicle that sits by our driveway; we agreed. At work, I showed accounts receivable remaining for each of past weeks, not just a cumulative figure. After work, we picked up Steph's real engagement and wedding rings from the deposit box and stored the fakes there that she had worn on our mission. I assembled the second recliner and slept in it; Steph had fallen asleep on the couch.
= Later, we prepared to see a shorter RV more suitable for travel than our big one.
= Tuesday, we learned that my brother and his wife are settling in nicely: a move from Colorado to Florida. The owner of the RV we wanted to see admitted that its engine won't start; we dropped that idea. At Toastmasters, I gave an introductory speech that reviewed many of the things Steph and I have done together and how God cushions the impacts of our mistakes.
= After Toastmasters, we ate and shopped in Wetumpka; Steph danced; Walmart Radio is good. Home, a neighbor expressed how glad she was that we were back, that our tenants had been carted off to jail and big guns had been involved. We interacted with the conference committee.
= Wednesday, I provided insight into old accounts receivable. When we returned home from work, the abandoned vehicle was gone from next to our driveway; its registration had expired shortly after we left on our mission. We tried to register Steph's vehicle but didn't get to the probate office in time. Regarding prospective conference attendees, our Stake clerk proposed having each Stake send conference invitations, but the church's procedure for conferences is to send them from a special email service to avoid having the messages blocked.
= Thursday, I obtained registration and applied for a title for Steph's SUV; we'll call the SUV "Rhonda". Perhaps this SUV will help Steph get her previous vehicles out of her heart. [Beach Boys reference] I like the name "Slim" for the minivan. I applied for a "Real ID" drivers license but was rejected because my name in business doesn't match my passport. Then I set up an appointment for a physical with my original doctor for a few weeks from now.
= Now that Steph's SUV was registered and the abandoned vehicle was out of the way, I had her SUV towed to Tire City for repair. Neither of my cards worked; I paid cash. We were initially concerned, especially when a service our credit union was dropping called about one of them. We later concluded that the dispatcher had keyed them in wrong. Home, I printed information about people we'll do work for at the temple Friday and interacted with a living relative about family history.
= Friday, I documented how to pull and add data to a weekly report. We left directly from work at 2 to go to the temple but didn't arrive until nearly 6: barely in time. Easter weekend had turned a two-plus-hour drive into a four-hour one. Once home, we watched TV a bit, then passed out.
= Saturday, we couldn't find the HDMI cable; so, we watched General Conference sessions (11-1; 3-5) on my laptop screen. We use the American Sign Language (ASL) channel on YouTube; fewer people on the connection, and we're buoyed up by the expressions and actions of the signers.
= In between sessions, we watched Church News; many items there resonated with us as well. The growth of the church is accelerating, and we do more together than we could separately. Last year, we provided 1.6 billion dollars and 7.4 million hours in aid, spread across 196 countries.
The entrance to the Relief Society room evokes the empty tomb with the stone rolled away.
Why the mirror? You will rise someday because He did
Steph sat with me as I listened to her episodes thus far.
Welcome.
GloryAndGritPodcast.com
This was the tough one: dealing with her mother's murder by someone she trusted.
And you've had times in your life when you're waiting and nothing seems to change.
This didn't seem like enough
So I added and seasoned egg..
This dish-drying mat released a lot of water.
I love the logo: simple, easily readable, and memorable.
This throw looks 3D at a glance.
Building the second recliner. Notice the cardboard taped in a spot where someone might otherwise cut into the product.
And the nested components
I learned my lesson on the first one: set up the tiny stuff in advance.
The correct holes for this assembly are indicated.
Sliding these parts into each other was tougher than last time.
That's how the back of the second one became slightly lower than the back of the first.
I turned off the lights and slept on the one I had just built. When I woke up, Steph had stretched out on the couch.
UsingNoteworthy Composer, I tweaked a song written for the podcast.
Chicken, seaweed, and ramen
Giving an icebreaker: "Together"
I'm demonstrating pumping water into the RV. We poured water from jugs into an open cooler, then set the bottom of the pump - rather like a bicycle pump - in the cooler to fill the RV's clean water tank during freeze warnings.
Notice the green card: green for minimum time, yellow when red approaches, red gives you 30 seconds to wrap it up.
(He later did a great job evaluating my presentation, pointing out specific ways I can improve.)
[He later joined.]
This once-open field across from Lagoon Park will have a pond, and a high school behind the pond.
My house lo mein is in front; Steph's tofu pad thai is in the back. Both delicious at Yummy Thai.
Alabama doesn't do front license plates; so, they often carry personal messages.
It looks rather like a person.
Ramen doesn't have to be boring.
Un-Meat "Meatballs" in spaghetti sauce
Familiar foods, differently presented
Now to put this stuff away
Microsoft put this lovebirds photo on the laptop: fitting.
Chicken salad in pita bread..
At last: a view of one of the birds looking for a place to put a nest; birds do that and then dive-bomb our front door with poop!
Preparing to use the ladder
[The opportunity didn't pan out.]
The message on the plate is clearly meant to represent nearby Wetumpka. However, SONS in Montgomery doesn't sell Ford vehicles, as far as we know.
Cactus on the overpass crossing I-85..
A high school is coming to the bypass near us.
The Good Humor brand didn't die; it was bought by Unilever and joined these other brands.
A hearse that isn't also marked as an ambulance. (In Ghana, the same vehicle was often used for both.)
Can't interpret the license plate, but the frame says: In Jesus.
Seems almost redundant.
It appears that this might mean Kentucky Med, but on close inspection, this is an ALABAMA license plate.
Steph assembled a meal based partly on leftovers..
I spotted this Thursday: D&G - Dutchess Divas and Gents Youth Club. The website says it for youth from 4 to 20: divasngentsyouthclub.com
While I was putting a license tag on "Rhonda" (Steph's SUV), I saw electrical connections.
The tow truck operator cranked the SUV, but it didn't sound right.
This would not have been as easy if the vagrant vehicle was still where the tow truck is now.
Delivered to Tire City for repairs
Melted cheese on Hawaiian rolls
We saw this Friday before the traffic slowed down heading north to the temple. There's a fair somewhere.
Interesting way to describe what is probably a consignment store
Our landmark as we head north: Go to church - or the devil will get you
And note the barbed wire representing a crown of thorns on this cross.
Sons of the Confederacy display this flag.
At Clanton, we joined the rolling parking lot.
Clanton's peach-shaped water tower
If we buy an RV again, something this size would be nice. All we really need is a rolling bed and a bathroom on the road while we take turns driving; we can sleep in hotels.
The same vehicle, 45 minutes later
Still crowded as we left the heart of Birmingham and some traffic headed west
Finally, the aptly named Mt Olive Road: our turn for the temple
Parking lot almost packed
Chick-fil-A workers bring the food to your car.
Unable to find the HDMI cable, we watched General Conference on my laptop
On the ASL channel. This intro depicted people taking a break from their regular activities to watch from their phones.
We've been inside: large enough to hold a 747.
The ASL channel lets us see emotion expressed by the signers: a double benefit.
We usually sustain our leaders during conferences. This time, we did so in a solemn assembly, by groups, emphasizing that we were agreeing to a new prophet: the most senior apostle now that the previous one has died. This is Dallin H Oaks: the new prophet and president of the church.
Patrick Kearon welcomed new members into a life of faith and shared his trepidation about receiving a new calling until he received help with that calling. Our service is a choice: an offering to God, and a blessing to us and those we serve.
Kristen M Yee said we have been sent here to love God and each other as the Savior did. Perhaps we are helping to bless someone's sister, father, or struggling son. When we give our love of the Savior to others, we find it ourselves.
Clark C Gilbert reminded us that while choices still have consequences, God will never tire in his efforts to help those who lose their way. Seeking happiness where they will never find it is exhausting. When they try to return, ask them to sit with you.
David A Bednar said it is the quest of a lifetime to become more like Christ. As we live as God does, we become more like Him. Charity then possesses us; we are possessed with the pure love of Christ.
Michael John U Teh spoke of his family's struggles to weed out their traditions that weren't aligned with the restored gospel. They followed the Prophet and made those changes. Jesus' atonement allowed Him to feel our pain so He can succor us.
Jorge T Beccerra asked us to put God first and gave the example of tithing. He related his family experience of blessings received through obedience to that principle. Jesus Christ was the perfect example of putting God first in his life.
Henry B Eyring said a humble prayer for peace will be honored. Pour out your souls in private places continually and bear the secret thoughts of your heart to God.
Here's some of that emotion expressed by a signer.
End of the morning session
Some of the general officers of the church, waiting their turn to depart
Church News is displayed between sessions.
Tidbits: The church delivered food to 250 food banks to commemorate the 250th year of the nation.
Mongolia received 3000 Chromebooks to support education in rural areas.
And of course, the church and its members provide humanitarian service throughout the world.
The first meetinghouse was opened in Azerbaijan.
Special vending machines let people donate money for specific items; the church pays for what it takes to deliver to deliver those items.
[Saturday afternoon session]
Gary E Stevenson spoke of our responsibility to act in normal and natural ways to prepare those around to make and keep sacred covenants. The greatest return on our effort will be to invest time in guiding Primary-age children.
Eduardo F Ortega said that although spiritual examples are helpful, faithfulness depends on our personal spirituality. Press forward with small, daily personal events. the empty tomb is a symbol of Christ's victory.
Wan-Liang Wu affirmed that the power is in us in choosing to believe and in doing God's will. Whether you are a child or a king, there is no other way. What are we willing to give up to really know God?
David J Wunderli pointed out that removing Jesus Christ from your backpack will not lighten your load. He is the way. Let him cleanse you again and again, and yes again. Turn to Him in sincere, daily repentance. It helps you become even as He is.
Gérald Caussé discussed the scope of God's love: to all universally and to each individual soul. Our congregations are a mosaic where we grow to love people different from us as we serve them, and our own lives are blessed
Brian J Holmes pointed out that we only know about God and his Son through prophets [through the ages]. Jesus said that those who despise his apostles despise Him.
Clement M Matswagothata said that when he was a young Stake President and life was tough, he was buoyed up by a little boy who asked: "When are you going to stop being a naughty boy?... My parents ask us to pray for you!" Someone is praying for you.
Ulisses Soares cautioned us to get spiritual nourishment from the true vine to meet the challenges of life, bring forth fruit, and survive spiritually. When we remain connected to God, He makes our burdens easier to bear.
After the conference, Rose Chibota (facing us) greeted well-wishers. During this session, she was sustained as the Primary General President. We were present when she trained missionaries as the wife of the Mission President of the Alabama Birmingham mission.
Embellished salad for supper
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