4 Bits and tidbits

Jerry
We talked on the phone briefly with Jerry this past Saturday to talk about the new temple in Meridian President Monson announced in conference that morning. Jerry and Jim are hoping to go to St. George later this month (or whenever they are through caring for Jim’s sister) to visit Kay and Karen. Jerry sounded good when we talked with him.

Kay’s family
Much of Kay’s family was together in Layton a week ago Sunday for Austin’s missionary farewell. Austin, son of Kyle and Melissa, is Kay’s oldest grandson and the first of that next generation in their family to serve a mission. He enters the Provo MTC next week, April 13, to prepare to serve in the Paraguay Asuncion Mission.

Dean’s family
Michael, Shauna, and their six kids drove to southern California for a week during spring break and spent three days at Disneyland and California Adventure. They stayed overnight in St. George both going and coming.

Cade, Becca, and Mimi flew to Texas during the same week, where they visited Cade’s mom and her husband serving a mission in San Antonio. And they visited a lot of cool stuff in that part of Texas.

Robert, Rachael, and their four girls during their spring break a week earlier drove from southern Illinois to Florida to go to Disneyworld. They stopped midway in Atlanta and succeeded in kidnapping Eliza and her three children to go with them to Florida.

Vince and Mary had planned a trip to Guatemala, where Vince served his mission, but plans didn’t work out and they didn’t feel right about going, so they spent three or four days in Las Vegas instead. They saw some shows while there, including the Lion King.

And Chris, Camilla, and Sam drove straight through from Everett to Bountiful in a single day a week ago Sunday with their two cars and all their household belongings in a rental truck. Chris’s dad had flown up to help them drive back. They are now living in an apartment here in Bountiful, about two miles from where we live. Chris started working on April 1 as the manager of the Great Harvest in Bountiful. Camilla has been hired to teach a French-immersion Kindergarten class starting in the fall. She will be doing some substitute teaching during the remainder of this school year.

Dale’s family
We talked on the phone with both Dale and LeAnn this past Saturday to talk about the new temple in Meridian President Monson announced in conference that morning. They were obviously surprised and pleased. They work in the Boise Temple, just miles away, and said that during peak times on Saturdays and evenings the temple is exceedingly busy. Their temple president told them it is the fourth busiest temple in the Church.

Kira and her husband have moved back to Nampa. Keisha and her fiancé, who is the brother of Kira’s husband, are planning to be married in the Boise Temple on Saturday, June 11. Nathan and his wife are living in Taiwan, where Nathan teaches English.

5 Our family 50 years ago

Excerpts from the April 1961 diary of Dorothy Batt Cleverly (1915–1982). The full text of her diary can be found online at Dorothy's Idaho Diaries and is updated daily, exactly 50 years to the day after it was originally written. The family at the time lived in a small home on Montana Avenue in Nampa, Idaho.

Thurs, Apr 6.  Ivard went to see Lawyer about getting our place back. He went & saw Mr. Hennis this afternoon & he will rent the ground.

Fri, Apr 7.  Ivard is 46 today. I came home from work & ate & read paper & made 2 German choclate cakes & orange cake for Ivards birthday, He helped frost them when he got up. Ivard went at 1: & him & Jerry got their drivers licence, Jerry got a ticket just before for not having one & running red lite. Ray came home last Period & fried Chicken & got supper. Ivard got work shoes, white & Hawaian shirt & pr. Overalls. Gail gave Ivard shirt & socks.

Sat, Apr 8.  Ivard had taken Jerry to work & Dean & Dale up to church to pass hand bills. Gene went out & got our tractor & got garden plowed. Ivard, Jerry & Gene went to Stake House to general conference session of Priesthood.

Sun, Apr 9.  No Priesthood or Sunday school on account of conference. We watched it on T.V. Jerry, Gene & Dean, left at 12:30 to go to Nyssa after Ray. I wrote to Kay (first time) Claudia & Lyle. Kids came home & they all went to church.

Mon, Apr 10.   Ray came home & cleaned up the house & got supper & left for Mutual at 6: for dance practice.

Tues, Apr 11.  I came home from work & went to take Dean to school & car wouldn’t start so Ivard took him in pick-up & him & Jackie hauled garbage & went out to see Walter Hennis about buying our other place. I didn’t go to relief society. Me - Jackie Dean & Dale up to Rodeo Park to ball game. We beat Mountain Home 3 to 2. Ray went out & took his Piano lesson.

Wed, Apr 12.  Phone woke me up at 11: so I made a batch of no bake cookies & went back to bed at 11:30 Jackie woke me up at 12:30 & I heated some meat pies & we ate. Gene went ward teaching.

Thurs, Apr 13.  Ivard & Jackie went out to see Mr. Hennis about buying our place.

Fri, Apr 14.  Mr. Hennis came to see about buying place. My nite off.

Sat, Apr 15.  Jerry went to work - & Dean went to Pass hand bills – Gene went to Pour cement & Ray went out & worked for Pinsters, paying for his piano lessons. Kids were all home by noon. I worked on income tax all day. Jerry went to Stake conference at Stake house.

Sun, Apr 16.  Gene, Jerry, Ray, Dean & Dale went to Stake conference. I worked on income tax & had dinner ready when they got home then Jerry – Gene – Ray & Dean went back to conference. I had a nap & when I woke up Gail – Lynda & Kids were here. Gail went home at 8:30.

Mon, Apr 17.  Came home from work & we went up to Tom Gwyhillon’s office & signed the papers to see our place. Practically gave it to him. We get $1000. this fall & 1000. worth of hay. Came home & worked on income tax then went up to State office & he helped me fill out the State. Came back home & Ivard coppied them all.

Tues, Apr 18.  Ivard & Jackie went out to our old place & got another load of stuff.

Wed, Apr 19.  Jerry went out with the full time Missionary because his Partner wasn’t here yet. Ivard got a regular job at Nampa midnite.

6 What in the world

New temples
Meridian was one of three locations mentioned by President Thomas S. Monson in the opening moments of the annual general conference of the Church on Saturday, April 2. The other two were Fort Collins, Colorado, and Winnipeg, Manitoba. The Meridian one will be the second temple in the Treasure Valley, the fifth in the state of Idaho.

7 A final word

Spring keeps trying to come here in the Mountain West, in fits and starts it seems, but winter storms keep making their comeback. It’s hard to complain though when we compare our relatively docile weather to the destructive storms, tornadoes, and flooding that have hit parts of the Midwest and South this past week. Or the awful destruction that engulfed Japan last month and still plagues the people of that island nation.

Perhaps an important life lesson here: No matter how bad things may appear, no matter how trying our particular circumstances, no matter how much it rains (or snows) on our personal parades, we don’t have to look too far to find other people or other places that have it worse.

We really are a blessed people. We enjoy many opportunities and advantages that billions of people on this planet do not enjoy. Little wonder that the scriptures enjoin us to “live in thanksgiving daily” (Alma 34:38).

And this important counsel: “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalms 118:24).