“GET A NOTEBOOK…write in it your goings and comings, your deepest thoughts, your achievements and your failures, your associations and your triumphs, your impressions and your testimonies.” ~Spencer W Kimball
DOROTHY'S PANCAKES 1 1/2 cups flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda 2 Tablespoon sugar 1 egg 1/4 cup oil 2 to 2 1/2 cups buttermilk 1/2 cup water
DIRECTIONS: Mix together the ingredients. They're a little on the thin side, but that's the way we like them.
This is my April recipe for two reasons, first because its my mom's recipe and its her birthday this month and second because I remember her making them on General Conference Weekend which is in April. I love this recipe. . . great memories.
I've had more people ask me about Jake lately so here's an update. After a wonderful experience of working, studying & touring Peru and Bolivia, Jake got back to Utah a couple of weeks ago. Since he couldn't move into his place in Provo until April 26th, he decided to go visit family in southern California. There he was able to be of help with my parents and sister in Lancaster and then top it of with a little fun at Disneyland with his cousin Cassie. He had a great time and is now back in Provo for Angie's graduation with Dave, Nana and more cousins from Dave's side. He'll be starting the Spring Block next week. As for Angie, I'll be posting graduation pictures soon.
My mom was the only girl in her family. She had two older half-brothers, Lewis & William. Uncle Bill and Aunt Thelma lived in West Covina. I can remember going to their house and visiting them often as a child at Thanksgiving and other events. One day when I was in my 20's he was sitting at our kitchen table, not for anything special just for a visit. He preceded to bear me his testimony of the church. He told me how my father had wrote him when my uncle wasn't living the standards of the church and had fallen into less activity. Dad told him in the letter to come back to church so that he could bless the lives of his family. My dad wasn't a very tactful person so in the beginning, my uncle took offense to his letter but after thinking about it, he knew that he needed to come back to church. He said, "I will always be grateful to your father for taking the time to write that letter.
My mom also had her twin brother Doyle. Doyle died in a tragic car/train accident when he was a teenager. He was very beloved by his family and friends. Mom said he was very kind. Two weeks before his death, he and my mom argued over who would get the car over 4th of July weekend. My mom pitched a fit until my Uncle Doyle relented and said that he would take the car next 4th of July holiday. My mother is still saddened by the thought that it was his last 4th of July alive. She always told us as kids to be kind to each other because you never know what might happen.
Saturday our Stake went and helped other groups in the community clean up trash in the Fayetteville area in an attempt to make our community a more beautiful place. Dave and I stayed back at the ward building babysitting so that others could participate. Nearly 400 from our Stake participated.
Davey R. my brother Mark's 3rd child, celebrated his 24th birthday on Easter Sunday. He's the newest married in our family. Pictured here with his wife Yvonne. They live in Fresno and are both busy working and going to school.
Happy Birthday!
Remembering Yesteryear
Martha, Beth & Mark
Easter 1959
I have fond memories of Easter growing up. The Easter Bunny and egg hunts were fun and going to church on Sundays always seemed to have a little more meaning than during the rest of the year, except for Christmastime of course. I never really understood why until I got a little older. The spirit at church just seemed a little more special. I feel it more the older I get, just trying to realize all that the Savior has done for me. It's like the popular hymn says, "Oh it is wonderful that He would care for me enough to die for me. Oh it is wonderful, wonderful to me." and I think this quote by President Monson explains it all.
We have two birthdays for Roberts in the family. Robert, my brother Mark's oldest son. We fondly called him "Robert the Bobert" while he was growing up. He's now married to his wife Paige and has a baby daughter named Reagan. He's in medical school. Always such a bright kid, I remember when his older sister Annie was learning her first talk for Primary at age three, she would practice it and Robert heard her say it so many times he could recite it too and he was probably no more than 16 months old. Happy 26th Birthday, April 6th.
The other Robert is one of my Dad's brothers. I didn't get to see him much growing up because most of my dad's family lived in Michigan and of course we were in California. But my parents gave me a treat after I graduated from college and I flew to the east coast and went to New York and also Michigan. Uncle Bob was very kind to me and introduced me to my cousins and other relatives. It was a fun trip that I'll always remember. Happy 85th Birthday, April 7th.
I really enjoyed general conference this weekend. I especially felt the spirit by the speakers (Photo: St. Louis Missouri Temple)who talked about the temple. Some of my favorite quotes came from Gary E. Stevenson. He quoted President Monson when he said,
"As we touch the temple,
the temple will touch us."
I had never heard this quote and I googled it and found it at the Church News Site in reference to the Jordan River Temple dedication. It said, "early in the week, Elder Thomas S. Monson of the Quorum of the Twelve suggested deep spiritual meaning in the physical presence of the temple. President Monson recounted the late Elder Matthew Cowley’s story about a grandfather who took his small granddaughter on a birthday visit to the Salt Lake Temple grounds. With permission of the groundskeeper, they walked to the large doors of the temple. He suggested that she place her hand on the temple wall and then on the door, saying tenderly to her, “Remember that this day you touched the temple. One day you will enter this door.” His special gift to his granddaughter was an appreciation for the House of the Lord. Likewise, counseled Elder Monson, “As we touch the temple, the temple will touch us.”
I can remember reading a story some years ago about a little boy taking his little brother to the temple and having him touch it. I was so moved by that story that when we went to see my husband's sister, Donita, get married I had Angie and Jake touch the temple and told them how important the temple is.That day, "the temple truly touched me." I can also recall when I was a young girl, growing up in southern California, on occasion, we would go down to the Los Angeles area, whether it be for shopping or to visit cousins. Sometimes, we would be on the freeway that would pass the temple and my mother would say, "who can see the temple, who can see the temple." My brothers and sister and I would always look and try to pick out the angel Moroni amongst all the many buildings and when we'd see him, I was touched by the presence of the temple.
When we first moved to North Carolina, the closest temple was over 6 hours away in Washington DC. I can remember leaving my young family and going on a bus at 3:00am in the morning for couple of times a year and doing sessions all day Friday and Saturday. It was tiring yet so gratifying. Again, I was touched by the temple.
And then similarly, this past week when I visited the city of St. Louis with my daughter, Angie, we were so busy with finding her an apartment and going to her events that by the end of the trip when I was to take her to the airport, I realized that we didn't get to see the temple. We were visiting my sister-in-law's family in the area and as they told me how to get to the airport, they said we would pass the temple on the way there. My heart was excited. As we drove pass the temple, again, seeing the House of the Lord in it's beautiful, majestic stature, the temple touched me. I could tell, story after story where I felt that same, marvelous feeling but I'd like to tell Gary E. Stevens other quote and that is:
"You're never lost
when you can see the temple"
I pray I will stay close to the temple and always be touched by it. Also to rededicate myself to go more often.
We had a great time visiting St. Louis Missouri. We didn't have time to take in the many sites because our mission was to find an apartment for Angie and attend the nursing school open house in preparation for starting her accelerated program next month. SLU has one of the oldest and successful accelerated nursing programs. Its a rigorous study option where one can come attend nursing school with a BS Degree and certain prerequisites then come away with a Bachelor's in Nursing all in twelve months. Angie is excited and feels up to the challenge. We did find an apartment. She graduates from BYU in a few weeks and then off to St. Louis for this intense venture. Side note: My family on my maternal grandfather's side are from Desoto Missouri, just about 45 minutes south of St. Louis. My grandma and grandpa took a family history trip in 1959 and talked to many cousins in Missouri. I hope to return in the future while Angie is there and visit the land of my great, great grandparents.
Hi, my name is Beth and this is my "notebook"~ I'm originally from Southern California. I met and married my husband David about forty years ago and we moved to North Carolina. We've enjoyed raising our children here in the South. I love my faith, family and sports. My hobbies are quilting, crafts & family history.
Angie & Edward
Jake & Lauren
Jessica & Justin
Carson & McKenna
Our Angel ~ Steven
3 February 1987 ~ 25 February 1987
"Grandchildren fill a space in your heart that you never knew was empty"
