Special Stake Conference

We had the unique privilege of hosting Bishop Dean M. Davies of the Presiding Bishopric for a Special Stake Conference held on April 26th. We had just had Elder David Baxter for our Stake Conference the end of February. Elder Jeffrey R. Holland, Elder Richard J. Maynes, and Bishop Davies were in the Portland area on Saturday, April 25th for a Priesthood Leadership Training with 9 stakes in our mission. Those invited were the Stake Presidencies, the Bishoprics, Elders Quorum Presidents, and the Ward Mission Leader. Crismon received a wealth of good information during the  4-hour training on Saturday afternoon. Then the wives of stake presidents were invited to come for a dinner with the visiting authorities. 

We were so blessed to have the privilege of sitting right next to Elder Holland at the dinner. In fact, there was just one other couple with us on our table, Pres. Allen & Jeri Oyler. Sister Oyler and I work together on the same shift in the temple. For 90-minutes we asked Elder Holland all kinds of questions. He was very open and forthcoming on many things from what he would do if he were "King for the Day," to calling himself "the rebel Apostle" with his unusual ideas on certain things in the church.

We will see a greater emphasis placed on keeping the Sabbath day holy. We might see them suggest families have their FHE on Sunday evening with their activity on Monday night. He shared insights into the Brethren, their schedules, the declining health of Pres. Packer, Elder Perry, Elder Scott and Elder Hales, and sadly, the serious health issues his wife has had over the last 6 months. She spent 5 months in the hospital with a terrible pneumonia. Sometimes he was sleeping in the hospital so he could see her. She was in Provo so she could be closer to her daughter for her help. Also, her son-in-law was the head surgeon of that hospital and insisted they not put her on a ventilator when her lung capacity was down to 5%, despite what her doctors wanted to do. Elder Holland said, that one decision probably saved her life. Through the power of the Priesthood, many prayers, their faith, and especially her faith and determination, she finally pulled through it, although she was literally on her deathbed. Shortly after last Oct. Conference she "walked" into the hospital and within 8 days, the doctors told Elder Holland they were losing her and it was time to call in the family. That was a shock to Elder Holland. Through the generous mercy of God, miracles happen.

One thing Crismon shared in his stake with our members was that Elder Holland gave all of them, and the members of their stake an "Apostolic Blessing." Quoting from Crismon's blog about his service as stake president, he said:

He blessed us (as leaders) and extended the blessing to the members of each of our stakes (there were 9 stakes represented). That’s why I mentioned it in stake conference because I wanted our members to know they had received a blessing via the priesthood leaders in the meeting. 

As you may have heard him say, Elder Holland repeated in his training that we are members of the "Church of Happy Endings," a nice way to remind everyone that Satan will not win, our victory is assured, so we need to hang in there. 

This wonderful spirit of optimism is further bolstered by the spirit of his blessing in which he blessed us with healing of relationships and a spiritual healing of our posterity to the tenth generation. He blessed us that the gospel will go deep into our hearts and through our covenants we will see the Lord’s hand in our lives to sustain us through these difficult times.

As for the spiritual healing of our posterity, he clarified, “They will have to repent like everyone else,” (suggesting this blessing cannot override agency),  but the power of our making and keeping covenants will reach out to our posterity down to the 10th generation and bring them back.

Sunday, Crismon picked up Bishop Davies from his hotel in Lake Oswego and drove him to our stake conference. There was a meeting prior with the stake presidency. The talks were especially good in our meeting. Then Crismon and I drove Bishop Davies to the Tualatin church building for a lunch with Elder Holland, Elder Maynes, the new Area Seventy, Elder Stapleton, and Elder Risenmay, the outgoing Area Seventy, our mission president, Pres. & Sister Craig Ballard, (Elder Ballard's son) and temple president, Steven & Diane Pond. We were blessed again, this time to sit next to Bishop Davies and learn so much from him. We also sat next to Dave and Marcie Lake, Ian's parents. They had returned late the night before from the Utah reception for Lynette & Ian. They are such lovely people. Dave is a brother to our good friend, Teresa Oldham, that use to live in our stake.

Bishop Davies asked Crismon to send him a copy of the photo of the 3 of us. We received this nice response back:

Dear President Lewis:

It was a very great pleasure and honor to be with you and your stake members on Sunday. I felt such a sweet spirit, and admire the way you lead. I do hope to see you again, and the invitation is open that if you come to SLC I hope you will come and say hello.

All the very best,

Dean

April Conference Weekend

We had the fun treat of stopping for a three-hour layover in Phoenix on our way to Salt Lake. Actually making a direct flight would've been great, but since Southwest doesn't fly direct anymore from Portland to Salt Lake, we had a three-hour layover. Bryan and Meredith brought their cute kids to the airport and picked us up. Then we went to a nearby park to visit and play with the children. What a delightful time we had with them! I had just been there the week before helping Meredith with new baby Jocelyn. This made it so fun for dad to meet little Jocelyn before they moved to Hawaii.

As we were flying to Salt Lake I was getting hungry and was tempted to eat a granola bar, but then I began to think about Alice-Anne's good homemade bread, and figured that there would probably be some there. We were welcomed to five loaves of homemade bread thanks to Gary. He had gotten up early that morning and made the bread before going to work so we would have it. What a great guy!

We had so much fun seeing their cute family again. All the children seemed like their legs grew so long!

Soon we were outside enjoying the beautiful day. Elliot wanted to show off his skills on his strider bike. He is a bundle of energy and so curious about the world.

That evening the children colored Easter eggs. Gary is so good to be in the middle of all of these fun family activities helping the kids do these projects.

Friday Alice-Anne and I began visiting early in the morning, and we didn't get out of our pajamas until later that afternoon! Dad had gone to meet with some new prospects in our business, and we just kept visiting, putting a little bit of food in front of the kids when they came in hungry. We had such a great time together.

Later, Dad and I took the children to the park and to Arctic Circle for dinner. We sent Alice-Anne and Gary on a date. Emily came that evening, and although not much time left, the two of us headed to the mall for a little shopping. I enjoyed time to visit with Emily that evening.

Saturday morning, April 4th was my 63rd birthday. We are often in Salt Lake for April conference, consequently, the Johns are always making my birthday extra special for me with delicious whole-wheat pancakes, strawberries, and whipped cream!

The conference messages were so wonderful. What an inspiration to hear from our leaders. Although they were so good the first time I heard them, they seem to get even better as I have listen to them again. It reminds me kind of like a big pot of soup, it taste good the first time, but by the next day, it seems to get better with time. We enjoyed watching the morning session with the Johns and then Emily and the two of us hurried to Salt Lake to secure good seats for the afternoon session.

We enjoyed meeting Bronson's family after the afternoon session. They are such good people.

Since Crismon didn't have any sons to go to the priesthood session with him, he gave his tickets to my brother, Randy, and his son, Corbin, who had just turned 12-years-old the week before and had been ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood. It was a treat for Corbin to be in the conference center for his first priesthood meeting.

Emily stayed with the Gardener's that afternoon and evening, and Dad came back with me to West Jordan and he attended the priesthood session with Gary.

We were so glad that Kenna could go with us on Sunday afternoon. She is delightful! We had very good seats in the second row behind the VIP section on the Plaza level. It was nice to be closer to the Brethren and enjoy another terrific conference session.

Emily and Bronson came with us to Alice-Anne's for a very nice Sunday dinner. Each year they make my favorite homemade carrot cake for dessert. Thank you, Alice-Anne and Gary! You always do so much to make it special for me.

Monday, the weather turned cold. Saturday and Sunday had been bright, sunny, and beautiful. We took the children to a nice park to give Alice-Anne time to do some projects on our own.

Crismon had appointments in Bountiful with Reliv customers. Then that evening we had been invited to dinner at the Solomon's home. He works for the church in the temple department over all the Recorders. They invited us to their home to enjoy Indian food. They are very loving good people with some amazing stories to share. We connected through sharing Reliv with them. They invited all of the Johns' family, too, so it was a fun evening together. The children were polite and ate the different food. 

It was sad to say goodbye to our fun Utah family. They go out of their way to make it a lovely weekend for us. We sure appreciate all of their hospitality. The children are always so loving and keep us smiling. There was lots of wrestling time with Grandpa too. The children were at the beginning of their three-week break from school. They are on year-round school, and it worked out nicely to have them home while we were there. Friends would come to play, and Kenna reminded me of Alice-Anne by organizing all the children in skits that they performed for us.

They were cute to write thank you notes and sneak them in my purse before I left. How we enjoy the sweet children!

Jocelyn William's Arrives

What a blessing to welcome grandchild number 23, Jocelyn Williams, into our family. I was so happy to be able to go to Arizona and help Meredith for 10 days. She is a very good, calm, content baby. Meredith was recovering really well. She felt the Reliv products really helped her to be not so tired and have more energy. I'm grateful that she could enjoy those benefits. She has a busy household with four children under the age of six, but she is a very patient, loving, wonderful mother and handles it all so well.

Christian and I played games together while Evelyn was at school. It's so fun to be there and enjoy these cute grandchildren. Although just two years older, Hudson is enjoying and loving his new little sister. Of course, he wants his hands all over her face and sometimes does it too hard, but he is a loving older brother. It was such a contrast being in Arizona for this baby, compared to being in Indiana last month for Dallin and Janelle's baby. One morning there was a -20° chill factor in South Bend. It was approaching 90 degrees in Arizona while I was there. We were pretty homebound in Indiana, but in Arizona we were outside a good deal of the time. Little Jocelyn put up with hanging out by the pool and being so good.

We went to the park as often as we could. Christian and Hudson loved doing that. Evelyn is loving her baby sister, and can be found singing to her many times throughout the day. She also picks her up and brings her to Meredith, like she knows just what to do. One time Christian picked up the baby because she was crying in the other room. Just a little scary when that happens.

Evelyn and Christian were good helpers to make banana muffins. 

My sister, Meredith, is serving with her husband in the Mesa temple Visitors Center. It was fun to have her come one morning and we went to lunch. 

Meredith is such a good mommy. I'm so glad I was able to be with her. Bryan is a terrific dad. He is so good to take the kids to the park, or wherever he can include them, and they, of course, love being with him. I took this picture one morning at the breakfast table as they were being so loving and cute with each other. Hudson was giving both of them big hugs.  I wanted a picture with all the kids, but it was not an easy trick to do. We enjoyed some nice walks around there beautiful apartment complex. Jocelyn managed her first outing to Costco just fine. Good thing Bryan was there to help with all the kids, too.

Evelyn has been taking piano lessons, from Clyde Pease's niece. It was fun to hear her progressing well on the piano. Meredith is good to sit with her each night and help her along.

Just two nights before returning home, Meredith, Jocelyn, Evelyn and I went to Mesa for the Easter pageant dress rehearsal. Meredith Ashton was able to get us special seats. We were just 10 rows from the front, right in the middle. They were super! We had fun enjoying the production with Meredith, too. Even though it was a dress rehearsal you never would've known it. It was outstanding! Such a beautiful Easter production and a great missionary tool for that area.

Meredith introduced as to some of the sisters she's working with in the visitor center. Then we went over to their apartment just across the street. They have a very nice place to stay in.

My last night in Arizona. We went for one more evening walk. Oh how miss these cute kids! A man was walking his dog around the complex and the children enjoyed petting this huge dog, although he was about twice their size! I love being a grandma. I just wish I could enjoy all of my grandchildren more often. But I love every minute I get to have with them.

Stake Conference Weekend

One of the highlights of February, was having Elder David Baxter come for our Stake Conference. Because he had had brain surgery about five years ago for a tumor, he needed lots of rest, and would prefer being in a place by himself.

Gratefully, Perry and DanaLee Stevenson were so generous to offer their home for the weekend to Elder Baxter, as they were going to be out of town . They have a very lovely home, recently built, just three minutes from the stake center. Elder Baxter said "when Stake Conference is over I don't think I'm going to leave. If only I could have my wife join me here, though." 

Crismon was a little concerned about the agenda for Stake Conference, as Elder Baxter left it wide open. The only assignments were for Crismon to speak at the Priesthood leadership meeting and the Saturday night meeting. Elder Baxter's approach is to look out into the audience about 10 minutes before the meeting starts and whoever he feels impressed to call on, is who is asked to come up and bear their testimony. Within 10 minutes before the Sunday morning session started, Elder Baxter had whispered to members of the State Presidency asking who that person over there was, or that man wearing a pink tie, etc. It was interesting to see how he was inspired to call on people that have been going through some very difficult experiences or a young man that was being ordained to be an Elder or the mother of the man being called to the High Council, or an adult son (visiting our stake) of a newly called High Councilman. Of course, he didn't know who any of these people were, but he seemed to call on the right ones. The very first one that bore her testimony in the Sunday morning session immediately bore witness of Jesus Christ. In the luncheon later that day he said, "That is why she was chosen to go first." So not only was he inspired of who to call on but the order in which they were called.

We had a very nice dinner on Friday night in the Relief Society room at the stake center. Alisha Christansen, the second counselor's wife is an excellent cook. She prepared a very delicious meal. Then Nancy Hanson, the first counselor's wife, decorated the Relief Society room in such an elegant way.

The temple president and his wife, Pres. Steven & Diane Pond, also attended and were seated at our table. They knew Elder Baxter when he was the area president serving when they were the Mission Presidents in Paris, France.

Although Elder Baxter did not stay with us, we took lunch to him on Saturday and Sunday. It was a real treat to be able to sit down and visit with him at length. He is over the temple department for the church. He had many interesting stories to share, and many new insights into the Brethren and their lives, and their health. 

It was a real privilege to host him. Crismon took him to the airport Monday morning. There is always so much to do to make a Stake Conference come together. It was such a spiritual, uplifting weekend.