Challis Power

Jimmy's baptism All there!  All smiling?  The rain showers keep coming.   Seattle or Salt Lake? The hills are brilliant green, the wild grasses four feet tall.   Temple Square is awash with color—purple, red, yellow, orange, white. Wonderful!   It only took about three days to “flip” the beds from the spring bulbs and pansies to the summer annuals.   We learned on the Garden Tour today that there are twenty-five professional gardeners who design the gardens, then hundreds of volunteers come and implement the design.                    The rain splashed down in Kansas, too, while we were there last week for Jimmy’s baptism and for Noel and Darrin’s marriage celebration for their Kansas friends.    Thankfully, the evening of the celebration was beautiful even if the strong breezes did make us scrap our plans to use table cloths at the outdoor venue.   It was nice to see Olathe friends again, mid-mission.   We were glad to be there to help with the set-up, clean-up, and ka

The oldest and youngest Together at the Temple--a good place to be Most of the tulips have disappeared from Temple Square.   We miss their splendor, but no doubt, the beds will soon be popping with flowers of a different variety.   We noticed on our walk this morning up Cedar Creek Canyon that the creek is running very high.   The snow on the high mountain peaks is gradually receding.             The warmer weather has brought more “business” to the Library, which is the opposite of what I would expect.   I wish we could re-tract the roof or pull the computers outside.   Besides helping guests, I have also been reviewing missionary training lessons and Elder Challis has been helping our zone leader with scheduling.   The decision to open the Library on Monday evenings and Sunday afternoons, beginning the first of June, has been made.   But we are still not sure of full-time missionary involvement in those extended hours.               Wednesday, the Family History Depart

Celebrations!   We feel blessed that in the past two weeks we were able to be with every member of our family as they gathered for Noel and Darrin’s sealing in the Draper Temple.   It was especially sweet that we could be in the celestial room with all seven of our children and their spouses, plus my three siblings and some of Elder Challis’ siblings.   Many felt the presence of “those who’ve gone before.”   The desire of Noel’s heart was that her grandparents could witness her sealing after years of prayers, hope, and faith.   Not just coincidence that President Hansen said during the ceremony that there were “other witnesses.”               The party afterwards at Wheeler Historic Farm was full of hydrangeas, sunshine, smile-for-the-pictures, tacos, cake, friends, cousins, laughter, and love—and a few excited children.    They were especially excited about the groom’s cake which Megan, Challis, Kate, and Layna made to look like a chess game, king and queen atop.