Events in June

The end of the school year always brings school programs. We enjoyed attending Daisy's performance with singing from each of the grades. She's a sweetheart, but gets shy when performing.

Corinne Ritz and Emily Jensen put on such a fun bridal shower for Emily. They went all out and it was very nice. Many wonderful friends came and "showered" her with lovely gifts. Emily was especially excited about the Bosch that her sisters and sisters-in-law and Smith aunts and myself gave her. She was over the top about it.

June 13th Crismon and Danielle arrived back to America from living in Taiwan for a year. They were extremely tired and slept for hours trying to recover and get back on our time zone. The long 24-hour trip was rough. They were glad to be here and we enjoyed having them. We had all the family gather on Sunday for a family dinner. During the evening, Bryson played his piano recital piece and others performed. Crismon worked odd jobs to earn money. They were with us until the end of June. We were gong to Utah for about 5 days, so they didn't have to be in our home alone, they stayed with the Vance's for some of the time.

We enjoyed meeting Corwin and Lynette at the temple to do a session and then visiting afterwards at the cafeteria. It was funny, one time Crismon and Corwin showed up with the same time. They are very much alike in many ways. 

I have thoroughly enjoyed Visiting Teaching to Verla Jeffries over the years. She is just two months younger than Grandma Lewis born Nov. 22, 1920. I have been inspired by her faithful good life and her positive attitude despite her trials. She has been an avid reader and has kept us with the current news. Every night when she prays, she says each member of her family out loud by name. There are about 30 or so of them, so I was impressed by that she does that each day and that also helps her remember and think of each one. I want to be better at doing that.

We left on June 23rd to drive to Pocatello, Idaho to pick up Julia. Then headed to Utah for Brad Allen's retirement dinner and honor given to him by the Boy Scouts in that Council. He has been an incredible leader in the Boy Scouts as well as being the LDS Relations Director for a number of years. There were dignitaries there, along with Sister Rosemary Wixom, the General Primary President, and YM General Leaders. We're glad Alice-Anne could go with us as well as Emily and Bronson came up from Provo. Cousins Alejandra and Jasmine Gimenez and Harrison McCullough were at our table.

We loved staying with the Johns family, as always. We didn't have a lot of time to play with the children, but we enjoyed some time with them. We headed back to Idaho to take Julia home on Thursday, the 25th. We stopped at Grandma Julia's for a delicious lunch and visiting. Geoff and Peggy were out of town, but Roger & Andrea joined us. We then hurried on to Nampa Idaho to do a Reliv presentation for Cecily Croston and Shauna & Mike Arnell that evening. It went really well and they had a good turn out of guests. We spent the night with Cecily and then after a training in the morning with the two of them we headed home. 

We had one last dinner with Crismon & Danielle, the Vance's and the Caudle's at the Vance's home on Sunday evening. We also celebrated Sydney's 12th birthday. She is maturing in to such a beautiful young lady. But then again, she has always been beautiful. She never went through an awkward looking stage. She's always been a special delight to us, as each one of the grandchildren are, too.

It was a busy, productive month. Along with everything else this month, we somehow squeezed in a trip to Minnesota for Seth to be ordained a High Priest and set apart as a counselor in the Bishopric. We left on Saturday the 6th and returned on the 9th. I'm amazed that my health was such that I could do it all. I know I suffered after the fact, but He blesses me beyond measure. 

May Happenings

The first Saturday of each month we have a 7 a.m. breakfast for all the zone leaders, and sister leaders in our stake. It gives Crismon and the High Councilman over Missionary Work a chance to connect with the missionaries, share ideas, and prepare for their Sunday meeting with the missionaries. It is always a treat to have their wonderful spirits in our home to bless us. I appreciate Crismon's help in pulling it together as it is a stretch for me physically, especially at that early hour.

That first week in May I was busy substituting in the temple for someone else, along with my regular shift. Then on Friday, and nearly every Friday, Crismon and I attended the temple together. It's a joy to have the temple close to bless our lives. On the 22nd we met Corwin & Lynette for the 4 p.m. session and then visited in the temple cafeteria. It was so good to have that chance to visit with them.

Crismon has had the unique opportunity of restoring Priesthood blessings and Temple blessings a couple of times over the last month or so. They have been a very sweet experience for him. The Brethren are having to turn more and more responsibility over to the stake presidents as they church continues to grow.

I've taken on the responsibility of trying to learn how to do Quick Books to keep better track of our business. We had hired a bookkeeper to help us over the last 9 months or so, but it is expensive and she asked if I had ever done this kind of work before as she said I was good at it. So, we purchased the program and I spent several hours working with her to receive some training. I'm learning, but it's going well and I'm glad for this new challenge.

Chuck and Martha Allen returned from their mission on May 11th. We happened to go by to see them just 10 minutes after they had gotten home. I think Martha was still in a daze as they had just walked through their home for the first time and they were trying to absorb the fact of being home to everything in boxes and covered with sheets. Everything was in good order. Their car started up immediately after sitting in the garage for 18 months. We had them come to our home for dinner and visiting. Then Crismon released them the following evening. The picture is one taken when Seth & Tiffany were in Norway and they connected with the Allen's while they were in Oslo on their mission. Then the Allen's spoke in our Sacrament meeting with Megan (and little one, Hazel),  and Marjorie & husband Micah attending.

This is a picture Crismon took from his office window. He loves working from home and this time of year is especially beautiful. The world is alive with color and the most beautiful flowers everywhere. The single rhododrenden filled my table.

A friend, Ernie Wilken, came one Saturday and rototilled our garden with Crismon and then on Memorial Day Crismon planted our garden. We're a little late, but hopefully it will produce. 

In the middle of the month I went to the Vance's and tended Isaac and Paxton so Ondalynn could go on a field trip with Bryson. I love the opportunity I have to be with them. Their family had a fun time going to Disneyland the last week of April. Alice-Anne & Gary's family went the week before them. Then Seth had meetings in Puerto Rico for 6 days or so. They took the whole family and they had a terrific time enjoying the beauty there and the many interesting things to do and see. He had carved out several days before and after his conference to do things with the family, too.

Last weekend Emily & Bronson visited his Grandpa Moss and his wife in St. George. They happen to be in Brad & Dantzelle's ward so it was fun for them to visit Brad & Dantzelle and see their lovely home. They were good to welcome them in to visit as they had just barely returned from their trip to the National BSA Conference where Brad was honored as he is retiring in July. He has had an amazing career with the BSA and is loved and respected by thousands. He's certainly made a difference in this world.

Julia turned 25 years old today and Austin turned 25 two weeks ago. They are a special couple, serving faithfully where ever they go. They are really needed in their ward in Pocatello where they are living for the summer while Austin is doing an Internship. 

I also wanted to record that Elder L. Tom Perry passed away yesterday, May 30th after a rapid cancer spread throughout his body. He spoke about the family in the last April Conf. of this year. Although 92, he spoke with such power, and with his enthusiastic spirit. We will miss his wonderful talks, testimony and huge smile. 

Crismon is speaking at Seminary graduation tonight. He keeps an incredibly busy, demanding schedule, but the Lord sustains him.

Emily's engagement

We are so happy that Emily is engaged to Bronson Gardner from Astoria, Oregon. He is such a fine young man and well suited for Emily. They met her second day at BYU in September of 2014. While he was teaching the Sunday School class on that first Sunday of the new semester, Emily was impressed with him and had the thought that she should get to know him better.

He happened to sit by her in the 3rd hour for Sacrament meeting and as they were talking, he felt impressed that he should get to know her, too. Soon they were dating and have continued to date since then. As in all relationships, there are some up and down days, but through it all, the spirit confirmed to them that this was good and to continue. 

They blend well together, complimenting each others strengths and weaknesses. Their deep spiritual testimonies will be the foundation to succeed in marriage. 

We are very happy to welcome Bronson in to our family. His parents are Jim & Michelle Gardner. Jim is from Hermiston, Oregon, and Michelle from Orem, Utah. Bronson is the oldest with 3 siblings. Jessica, his only sister is at BYU Provo, Damon is graduating from high school and leaving July 8 for the Macon, Georgia Mission. Logan is 14. They are a wonderful family and have strong roots in the gospel in his extended family. Bronson is one of the oldest of the grandchildren on both sides. Bronson served his mission in Bolivia, and is studying Business at BYU.

It's hard to believe we are now at the end of our children marrying. We're grateful for Emily's desires to marry in the temple to a choice young man. She is well prepared to make this important step in her life.

Graduations, Promotions and more...

Dallin receiving a PhD in English from Notre Dame

·      Bryan Williams (Meredith) graduating from Medical School, then on to Residency in Hawaii in Pediatric Medicine beginning the first of June.

 Seth earning tenure from the University of Minnesota in Journalism

·      Crismon Jr. finishing a year of intensive schooling in the Chinese language in Taiwan, on to graduated school at the Univ. of Colorado in Boulder this fall.

·      Austin Doutre (Julia) graduated from BYU-I , internship in Pocatello, on to graduate school at the Univ. of Idaho in Moscow this fall.

Gary Vance (Ondalynn) is now with Mill Creek Residential Trust as the Managing Director for their Portland Region.

Brett Caudle, (Vivienne) CEO of The Tech Academy in Portland OR.

Emily finished her junior year at BYU

Gary & Alice-Anne Johns celebrating 11 happy, terrific years together.  Gary was recognized for excellent performance for Merit Sensor Systems as their Processor Engineer.

Other blessings…

Crismon & Vivienne were privileged to sit next to Elder Jeffrey R. Holland at a dinner for 9 stake presidents and their wives following a training in Portland. This was a  very choice opportunity to visit one-on-one for 90 minutes with him and learn many insights of the Brethren, their schedules, their lives. Then we loved the opportunity to host Bishop Dean Davies of the Presiding Bishopric for a special Stake Conference and enjoying a special Luncheon with him, Elder Maynes, and Elder Holland on that Sunday. 

We enjoyed a quick trip to Cancun, Mexico that we earned through our Reliv Business in the middle of April; always nice to have an all-expensed paid trip. Best of all, was attending General Conf. in Salt Lake City, and visiting Alice-Anne & Gary Johns’ family.

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