CAN YOU SAY BOOTS WITHOUT SPURS?

MONDAY, 26 January 2015

We had the best family home evening ever.  Several of us met at President Brighton's for a lecture on the Whitmer family and Martin Harris and his family.  President and Sister Broadbent have worked hard on power point presentations of the Church History.  We were blessed to experience another wonderful evening with them and their vast knowledge of this Palmyra area.  We were all held spell bound for a couple of wonderful hours.  Thank you Pres. & Sister Brighton for the use of your basement.  Thank you Pres. & Sister Broadbent for sharing your vast knowledge.  We thank both families for the yummy refreshments. 

 This was during discussion time with a pair of site missionaries that spend their mission telling these messages.

 Peter Whitmer Senior is being discussed here.

 Here is President Broadbent hanging on to the Iron Rod as he concludes his fact finding mission!

TUESDAY, 27 January 2015

The snow has been falling all evening, so much so, that the spirit whispered to me to stay home from swimming today.  I did so, not questioning why.  I probably would have slid off the road knowing me, but am writing this as I sit snuggly and warm in room 201 in the Inn!  We leave soon to serve in the temple this morning...If we go off the road I will be with my rescuer Elder Bushman this morning.  All will be well! 

Can you say boots without spurs?  Those of you who are Mortensen descendants can, I know!  Each day when I leave the Inn I wear my boots without spurs.  I smile each time I lace these boots.  I thank Our Heavenly Father for having two wonderful Mortensen missionaries serving here with us this winter as I put on my boots without spurs.  I smile as I think of Elder Dennis Mortensen and his ranch in Colorado where he has boots with spurs!  I look forward to when I can introduce him to Uncle Gale and have him formally inducted into the Mortensen heavenly clan!  Won't that just be the best fun ever?  We are blessed with a great heritage.

We came home from the temple and saw this on the headlines of the church news:
The Brothern and Sisters request that we as a nation and a religion follow The Saviors teachings and be nice, each and everyone, in so many words.  "Follow the Prophet".

WEDNESDAY, 28 JANUARY 2015
It was -2 when I went swimming this morning.  This afternoon the sun is shinning in the Inn windows and it is a balmy 27 degrees outdoors!  We are serving in the temple this evening.
THURSDAY, 29 January 2015
Today is Darrell Bushman's 72nd birthday.  He is Arthurs older brother.  Elder Bushman and his wife are serving in Alabama.  Happy Birthday Elder Bushman!  We hope you have a great birthday & a healthy and peaceful year.  Hug's to you both.

We served in the temple morning and evening.  I was asked to serve in the office in the morning.  While prayer meeting was going Sister Rotz, a Saturday shift coordinator, phoned and asked to speak with one of the presidency.  I told her they were in prayer meeting.  She left me with her cell and requested they call as soon as they could.  I worried about it for a minute and then went and got President Brighton out of the prayer meeting.  Later he told me that the Rotz's home had burned to the ground the evening before and they only had the clothes on their backs.  She had come to the temple the evening before so still had her temple clothing in the car, but as she was driving up to her home in Waterloo, NY she could see the flames.  Her husband was home and was safe.  This is the second awful fire that we know the people involved.  I just stood in the office and wept for them.  They had a vintage home with lots of antiques from what others have told me. ...now it is all gone.
It is so cold and wet outside, I'm sure they have a mess in Waterloo.

It also has been snowing all day.  It reminds me of when I was young and lived in Idaho Falls.  It is beautiful to look at but very dangerous to go out in for old folks like us!  I was asked to give the thought in prayer meeting today.  I again read the excerpt from a General Priesthood meeting in October 1946 that President McKay spoke of my Uncle Winslow Green Gardner.  I tried looking this quote up in the Archives of Conferences.  They do not have October 46 & 47 Priesthood Sessions archived...I'm glad Winslow's grandmother included it in her life story on family search.  If you are curious about Winslow, google his name...his story just keeps getting better as I discover his memories.  Blessings to Winslow and our heritage!

We watched the BYU game last evening...it was a heart stopper and quite the game.
Hurrah for BYU! 78-74 against San Francisco....

Because we like you!
FRIDAY, 30 January 2015
Laundry started and I then I'm going to do some indexing.  Tonight is the indexing OKC Stake party.  I was one of the indexers invited for the indexing I accomplished in 2014.  I pray lots of people are able to find family members because of our efforts.  Thank's to my Uncle Winslow Gardner I am enthused, once again, to help others find their past and improve their lives.  What kind of branches are on your family tree?

"Do as I'm doing and say what I say"  

What is the star found behind a cowboy boot?  Spur's have been used by horsemen for ages.  You had to "earn your spurs".  They were a mark of rank in the Roman & Greek era.  You could earn a Gold Star on your spurs if you were a great leader! 

America boots have their own legends.  God bless the American cowboy.

SATURDAY, 31 January 2015

I served in the office of the temple all day.  Elder Bushman was an ordinance worker and a sealer today.  They assigned him in the laundry for the first time today!  It is about time he learned to fold laundry in the temple, don't you think? 

 Today was just a peaceful and heavenly day.  The Syracuse NY Patriarch Kerr and his family were in the temple today.  One of their daughters is going on a mission so came to receive her endowment.  Another daughter just returned from a mission in Oregon.  *The Johnson's (summer missionaries) took her and her companion to lunch before she returned to NY.  Anyway, the two of them requested to be ordinance workers in the Palmyra Temple till the younger sister leaves on her mission.  This is such a great experience for these young ladies.  We are thankful we were in attendance to see your family Patriarch Kerr!  Blessings, always, to you and yours.

    The sun even shown into the office today, despite it still being freezing cold outdoors.  The landscape with all the glistening snow is just lovely and very cold.

BYU against Santa Clara at the Marriott Center!  Oh, My!  A Win! 78-57 Hurrah!

because we like you!

SUNDAY, 1 February 2015

Cold day in Cortland NY but a warm spirit in Cortland Ward.  Our meetings were great and we had a good lesson with the youth on why we need to keep learning knowledge all our lives.  They all are such smart youth...they amaze me every week.

We went to the Carman's to give them the Sacrament since it is Fast Sunday.  Their water had frozen so Marie stayed home and thawed out their pipes...she is so good to her parents.  She also made a chicken pot pie which she shared with us...yum, she is also an excellent cook!  We always enjoy our visits with them.

 They had this beautiful flower in the window!

Picture does not do justice to the taste!  Yum, Yum, Thank you for sharing this Marie.   I had some for breakfast on Monday morning!

We ended our Sabbath day by having "Supper" with the Mortensen's, at their apartment.  They fixed a great feast.  It was like a Thanksgiving meal only with beef!  Thank's for all you did to make that meal so enticing and delicious Elder and Sister Mortensen.  They had invited the Sanders to be with us too, but Elder Sanders is fighting a chest cold.  Several of our missionaries have been sick this week with sinus infections, chest colds and flu...not good...get well everyone!
We settled in and watched the "Super" Bowl XLIX together...good game, we liked how close the competition was (see how tense Elder Bushman is hugging the pillow..ha!), great half time entertainment (way too noisy for we old folks, however, we couldn't even understand the shouting the "singers" were performing.  What happened to the mellow singers of yesteryear?  We did enjoy all the lights and fireworks that seemed to swing with the flight the performer made...very daring!  Some of the commercials were great too.  Hurrah for a New England win!  Patriots 28-24 0ver Seattle Seahawks.  We liked all of you!
We left the Mortensen's and drove back to the Inn in another snow flurry.

MONDAY, 2 February 2015
I didn't go swimming...Elder Mortensen phoned and informed me the school was closed when he went over this morning...I was inspired...ha.  I did laundry instead and of course worked on this bla, bla, blog!
Happy Valentine's to everyone this week!

It is still snowing in Palmyra as I conclude this blog.  They say it is Lake Effect Snow....I'm thinking the Effects are the Lake is drifting into Palmyra with a thick blanket of white...so beautiful and so keeping us indoors at the Inn today!  Each of you have a lovely second week of February.  Today is Groundhog Day!   I doubt with all the snow in the East that Punxsutawney Phil is going to see his shadow today...so according to groundhogese lingo, will there be a longer winter solstice or a early spring equinox?  We are voting for an early spring equinox!
Knock, Knock, Knock 
Spring
Happy Valentine's Day!!!

It's almost time to return to Edmond...
“Always winter but never Christmas.” 
― C.S. Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
“If ever they remembered their life in this world it was as one remembers a dream.”
CAN YOU SAY BOOTS WITHOUT SPURS?

AMEN
Hug's to all, Elder and Sister Bushman
Grandpa Arthur & Grandma Gene