April 1, 2012 Events coming up in April

APRIL FOOLS TO YOU AND YOURS. What great joke did you play on your loved one, sibling, or friends today? No real big ones here, excepting the weather, and that has been a joke on us. We don't know from one day to the next whether it will be short sleeve or parka type weather. We do have daffodils and crocuses blossoming, and tulips are up at least five inches. The farmers have planted their potatoes, Larry tells me, so spring is here whether the weather is supportive or not. In fact tomorrow I may plant some peas, onions, and one of Lanny's father's favorites, turnips. I'll have to disguise them in mashed potatoes or some other dish before Lanny will eat them.

For April we have several exciting events: April 14 Kim (Lanny's youngest brother) has a birthday; Richelle and Larry's have an anniversary.  “How many years has it been,” I asked and the reply was, “one hundred!” That's a Diamond Anniversary plus!

Elica Starr celebrates her 16^th birthday; Stefanie Giles and Chad Starr have birthdays on the same day; and Lanny's great grandma Alice Fancher Arnette's was born April 27, 1874.

Here are some questions for you; “Which one of Lanny's siblings loved to draw pictures of sharks when he was younger?” Another question, “What does the fish represent in the Japanese culture?”  Another question, “When does the quotation mark go before the punctuation mark?”

This weekend was General Conference. Lanny, Richelle, Larry and I managed to watch a good deal of it.  One of my favorites was the speaker who talked about the earthquake in Haiti, and the three children who miraculously survived when the apartment building they lived in collapsed on them. Everyone was presumed dead so attempts at a rescue weren't made. The father never gave up hope. He walked around the collasped building and pleaded for God to spare at least one of his children. He heard a noise and he and others began removing the ruins and debris to get to the child. Soon they heard another child singing a primary song. The child later said he knew his father would hear him singing. Consequently all three were saved.

And I remember Elder Uchtdorf's speech on being kind to each other and being willing to forgive. I especially liked his words of advise if one is holding grudges, feeling hateful, jealous, envious, hurtful, etc. That advise was: “STOP IT.” Good advice. He was trying to encourage two siblings in particular to patch up hurtful feelings they had one for another and begin talking to each other again. These are my words. For his exact words go to the conference talks on lds.org

President Dieter F. Uchtdorf, “Second Counselor in the First Presidency, taught about the damage to relationships that comes from contention and the power of and need for forgiveness. He taught that the “mighty change of heart” required for this kind of change is precisely what the Atonement of Jesus Christ was designed to bring into our lives.”

We enjoyed President Monson's words of being kind and his testimony of Jesus Christ. We also enjoyed his zest for life and sense of humor, and his wave of the hand at the end of conference as he expressed to everyone that God's blessing be upon them. “Now, as we leave this conference, I invoke the blessings of heaven upon each of you. May you who are away from your homes return to them safely. May you ponder the truths you have heard, and may they help you to become even better than you were when conference began two days ago.”

There was a lot of inspired words spoken that were encouraging and uplifting. I'm thankful for the prophet and the apostles and their testimonies. By Mom/Grandma Arlene