60 and 1
Random things you don’t want to know about me…
car seat, a plastic glass, portable
2. When was the last time you threw up
I honestly can’t remember… must have been a while ago
3. What's your favorite curse word?
Blast, Darn it, Drat, and Dastardly (hey, I’m a mormon.)
4. Name three people who made you smile today?
I'll name five+: Raspberry, Chocolate Chip; at work-- Chelle, office staff, Mark, and Brady
5. What were you doing at
checking in bands for a jazz festival (on a Saturday!)
6. What were you doing 30 minutes ago?
talking to my office women because I came home and they had questions
7. What will you be doing 3 hours from now?
I honestly hope I will be relaxing, but I doubt it.
8. Have you ever been to a strip club?
Is that a club on the strip? A street in Vegas? No? Nope.
9. What is the last thing you said aloud?
Raspberry said, "Hug me brother" and I said, "okay!"
10. What is the best ice cream flavor?
all, except those with pecans… hate that…
11. What was the last thing you had to drink?
I need to drink some water…
12. What are you wearing right now?
My blue work shirt, black slacks, black socks…
13. What was the last thing you ate?
a handful of M&M’s
14. Have you bought any new clothing items this week?
No. Drat.
15. When was the last time you ran?
At the airport on Thursday morning.
16. What's the last sporting event you watched?
Does the football game in the movie “Game Plan” count? If so, last night.
17. What's your favorite treat?
Someone else cleaning my house. Oh and smoothies with lots of whipped cream.
18. Who is the last person you emailed?
One of the members of my subcommittee. Today
19. Ever go camping?
Yep.
20. Do you have a tan?
Are you kidding me?
21. What was the last movie you watched?
Scooby-Doo and Dracula's something...
22. Biggest pet peeve?
Rude, mean, religous bigots- both of my faith and of other faiths.
23. Last new person you met this week?
I met the U.S. Army Blues Jazz Band. 21 really cool jazz players from D.C. They are all lovely people. A bit coffee dependent, but we took them to the only Starbucks in town and they were happy.
24. Do you drink your soda from a straw?
I hate soda. Ask my kids, they feel deprived.
25. What did your last IM say?
Do you have pictures for the program? Work thing. Don't try to understand.
26. Are you someone's best friend?
I think so.
27. What are you doing tomorrow?
Sleeping in! Church, reading, and making dinner. THAT IS IT!
28. Where is your mom right now?
Having more fun than me, that’s for sure.
29. Look to your left, what do you see?
a messy family room, lots of toys.
30. What color is your watch?
I broke both, stopped wearing them. Use my phone instead and it is silver.
31. What do you think of when you think of
My friend Leslie.
32. Would you consider plastic surgery?
You bet. Bring it on.
33. What is your birthstone?
something green…
34. Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit the drive thru?
Drive through! Always-I hate those playgrounds. They scream when it’s time to go.
35. How many kids do you want?
The two I have and more someday…
36. Do you have a dog?
Nope. Those spoiled cats would not tolerate a dog in this house. They barely tolerate the humans.
37. Last person you talked to on the phone?
Mark. He was asking how the conference went. He wondered if we had Armageddon after he left.
38. Have you met anyone famous?
Robert Redford. He didn’t pay much attention to me, just wanted to check on his grandson. I was babysitting (in 1992).
39. Any plans today?
I’ve pretty much had all the fun I can have for one Saturday. I do need to go to the store.
40. How many states have you lived in? Where?
Two. Utah and California.
41. Ever go to college?
Yep. Two.
42. Where are you right now?
Typing on the computer keyboard, obviously.
43. Biggest annoyance in your life right now?
too much to do and no time… except the time I am wasting right now typing this out.
44. Last song listened to?
Pavoratti – Nessun Dorma (phone ring)
45. Question you hate the most.
I have three actually. 1-So are you dating? 2-Why don't you use the LDS online dating sites? 3-So would you rather work than be a stay-at-home mom?
46. Are you allergic to anything?
sleep apparently
47. Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time?
3" black heels.
48. Are you jealous of anyone?
don’t have the time
49. Is anyone jealous of you?
LOL. Sure…
50. What was the one thing you wanted to accomplish today?
To be a good mom.
51. What time is it?
It is time for my son to come home from skiing… where is he?
52. Do any of your friends have children?
depends on the day.
53. Do you eat healthy?
I try, but does it help? No!
54. What do you usually do during the day?
answer questions that people could figure out on there own but think it is easier just to ask me.
Oh and I work too, at home and at work.
55. Do you hate anyone right now?
my thighs?
56. Do you use the word 'hello' daily?
Nope. We say “mornin’ sleepin’ beauty!!!" (in our Mater voices)
57. Favorite quote?
I'll get back to you on this one.
58. How old will you be turning on your next birthday?
40! And proud of it! I’ve lived every one of those years!
59. Have you ever been to Six Flags?
That would mean free time. I’ve been to Disney World. They are better anyway!
60. How did you get one of your scars?
Well. This ride at Lagoon called the Jet Star crashed and I fell out and the car we were in ran over my hands. I’m not lying. Scars aren’t bad though. I was 10… they’ve faded, I’ve recovered. And no, you greedy person. We did not sue, or rather my very loving father did not sue.
61. What book are you currently reading?
Two. Joseph Smith by George Q. Cannon and An American Life, The Autobiography of Ronald Reagan
Succession in the Presidency of the church
(Story) In the spring of 2005 I had the opportunity to be with a small group of sisters and visit with – at that time, one of our new apostles, Elder Uchtdorf. I will forever be grateful for the few moments I had to feel of his warmth and love for the sisters of the church. He radiated with the spirit and with his love for the Savior and for His church. When I met him I knew the Lord had chosen him to be an apostle.
I had those same feelings with an even a stronger witness last Monday as I watched President Thomas S. Monson, President Eyring, and President Uchdorf stand before the world as the new presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
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Our simple procedure of succession in the leadership of the Church was established through revelation by the Lord to Joseph Smith. Joseph received these revelations regarding the leadership of the church through a line upon line process.
The first line was for the Lord to establish a prophet for His church:
In December 1995 President Hinckley said “from the time of the organization of the church there has been designated one presiding authority over the entire body.
In April 1830 the Lord revealed to Joseph the beginnings of church organization and government, beginning with his call as prophet, seer and revelator for the church. In Doctrine and Covenants, section 20 verse 2 we read that it was “given to Joseph Smith, Jun., who was acalled of God, and bordained an capostle of Jesus Christ, to be the dfirst eelder of this church;
The Lord further clarifies this with verses 2 & 7 from section 28 of the Doctrine and Covenants:
But, behold, verily, verily, I say unto thee, ano one shall be appointed to receive commandments and brevelations in this church excepting my servant cJoseph Smith, Jun., for he receiveth them even as dMoses.
For I have given him the akeys of the bmysteries, and the revelations which are sealed, until I shall appoint unto them another in his stead.
(Story) President Wilford Woodruff once related that in a meeting held in
“You have got the word of God before you here in the Bible, Book of Mormon, and Doctrine and Covenants; you have the written word of God, and you who give revelations should give revelations according to those books, as what is written in those books is the word of God. We should confine ourselves to them.”
When this speaker had finished his remarks, the Prophet Joseph Smith turned to President Brigham Young and said:
“ ‘Brother Brigham I want you to take the stand and tell us your views with regard to the living prophet and the written word of God.’ Brother Brigham took the stand, and he took the Bible, and laid it down; he took the Book of Mormon, and laid it down; and he took the Book of Doctrine and Covenants, and laid it down before him, and he said: ‘There is the written word of God to us, concerning the work of God from the beginning of the world, almost, to our day. And now,’ said he, ‘… those books do not convey the word of God direct to us now, as do the words of a Prophet or a man bearing the Holy Priesthood in our day and generation. …’ When he was through, Brother Joseph said to the congregation, ‘Brother Brigham has told you the word of the Lord, and he has told you the truth.
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And so the first line was to establish a prophet for His church, and as the church matured, the second was to establish the first presidency and then the third was to establish the quorum of the 12 apostles.
On
I give unto him for acounselors my servant Sidney Rigdon and my servant William Law, that these may constitute a quorum and First Presidency, to receive the boracles for the whole church.
I give unto you my servant aBrigham Young to be a president over the Twelve traveling council; Which aTwelve hold the keys to open up the authority of my kingdom.
In those early years the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles did not play as prominent a role in Church administration as it does now, but in January 1836 Joseph clarified the authority of the Twelve when he declared that they stood next to the First Presidency in authority “and are not subject to any other than the first presidency.”
In D&C section 112 verses 30-32 the Lord declared: For unto you, the Twelve, and those, the First Presidency, who are appointed with you to be your counselors and your leaders, is the power of this priesthood given, for the last days and for the last time, in the which is the dispensation of the fulness of times.
For verily I say unto you, the keys of the dispensation, which ye have received, have come down from the fathers, and last of all, being sent down from heaven unto you.”
From the summer of 1841 until June 1844, the twelve were extensively tutored by the prophet and heavily involved with the temporal and spiritual governance of the Church.
Joseph said, “I am constrained to hasten my preparations and to confer upon the Twelve all the ordinances, keys, covenants, endowments, and sealing ordinances of the priesthood. Having done this he rejoined exceedingly and said “The Lord is about to lay the burden on your shoulders and let me rest awhile.”
(story) President Brigham Young heard the news of the Martyrdom while on a mission in the East. “The first thing which I thought of,” President Young recorded in his journal, “was whether Joseph had taken the keys of the kingdom with him from the earth; brother Orson Pratt sat on my left; we were both leaning back on our chairs. Bringing my hand down on my knee, I said the keys of the kingdom are right here with the Church.
In December 1847 the president of the quorum of the 12 apostles, Brigham Young, became the 2nd prophet of this dispensation. This succession in the Presidency of the church has continued on the same since that time with four basic principles.
1. The keys of the kingdom are given to the Twelve
Each apostle so ordained under the hands of the President of the Church, who holds the keys of the
2. Seniority is a governing principle of presidency
The factor that determines who presides among the Twelve and who may actively exercise all the keys of the kingdom at the death of the President of the Church is the principle of seniority. In 1835, when the first Quorum of the Twelve was called, seniority was arranged by age. Since then, seniority has been determined by the date of ordination into the Quorum of the Twelve.
3. At the President’s death there is no First Presidency over the Twelve
Following the principles taught by the Prophet Joseph Smith, when the President of the Church dies, the quorum of the First Presidency is automatically dissolved and the counselors, if they previously had been in the Quorum of the Twelve, return to their respective places of seniority in that quorum.
4. As the presiding officer of the Church, the President of the Twelve has the prerogative to receive revelation regarding when to reorganize the First Presidency.
(story) President Gordon B. Hinckley explained how this process worked upon the death of President Howard W. Hunter: “With President Hunter’s passing, the First Presidency was dissolved. Brother Monson and I, who had served as his counselors, took our places in the Quorum of the Twelve, which became the presiding authority of the Church. “[On
“There was no campaigning, no contest, no ambition for office. It was quiet, peaceful, simple, and sacred. It was done after the pattern which the Lord himself had put in place.
And so it continues today with our prophet Thomas S. Monson. The Lord knows all the men who will be president of the Church. The Lord calls them to be Apostles and then when he is ready for them to be the President of the Church they are prepared. In
And this is the manner after which they were ordained—being acalled and bprepared from the cfoundation of the world according to the dforeknowledge of God, on account of their exceeding faith and good works; in the first place being left to echoose good or evil; therefore they having chosen good, and exercising exceedingly great ffaith, are gcalled with a holy calling, yea, with that holy calling which was prepared with, and according to, a preparatory redemption for such.
And in Abraham Chapter 3 verses 22&23 Abraham teaches us that the Lord knows his prophets:
Now the Lord had shown unto me, Abraham, the aintelligences that were organized before the world was; and among all these there were many of the bnoble and great ones; And God saw these souls that they were good, and he stood in the midst of them, and he said: These I will make my rulers; for he stood among those that were spirits, and he saw that they were good; and he said unto me: Abraham, thou art one of them; thou wast achosen before thou wast born.
The Lord calls his prophets, but it is up to each one of us as an individual to follow the prophet. When I hear the words of the prophet and try to remember that the counsel and commandments that he gives to us is from the Lord and it is not for me to treat as a buffet table, picking and choosing what I like best and ignoring the rest.
President Harold B. Lee related the following:
(story) When I was on my mission, I was with the mission president once at Carthage Jail. We missionaries, impressed by the atmosphere of the place where the Prophet and his brother, Hyrum, met their martyrdom, asked him to recount the incidents which led up to the martyrdom. I was impressed as a young man when the mission president said this : ‘When the Prophet Joseph Smith died, there were many who died spiritually with Joseph. So has it been with every change of administration in the
When a president concludes his service as the Lord’s representative on earth, the Saints must look to the Lord’s newly appointed prophet, seer, and revelator. Each man who has presided over this church has had a certain work to perform, and when this mission has been fulfilled the Lord has called him home. Following the death of a president, the Savior makes known through the new prophet and president the course the Church is to follow.
As I look back to last Monday as I watched our prophet speak to the media and as I have prepared this message, I have received my own spiritual witness that President Monson is a true prophet of God. The Lord has shown us the way and encourages us to receive a spiritual witness for ourselves. Of our new prophet President Erying has said “I’ve come to know of his goodness”. And President Uchtdorf said, I know of his heart, his soul, his commitment, his wonderful love for the people.
Elder Hales, in a general conference address said, When we raise our hands to sustain the prophet, it is important for each of us to have a personal testimony that God lives and that Jesus is the Christ, who leads His Church today through the prophet He has chosen.”
I am so grateful for the gospel, for the Lord’s guidance we receive through the prophet, the first presidency and the 12 apostles.
