Welcome, Rudy!

Rudy is Daniel and McKenna’s new dog, and he made his first appearance at our house for our Pioneer Day party. He is a gentle rescue dog, and an answer to McKenna’s prayers.

There is a patriotic parade in our future, and as the family collected costume pieces, Rudy was patient to submit to a bandana. 🤩

Gatherer

When I compare myself to others, my life seems small. When I look at my life by the Lord’s measure, I no longer feel that way.

As one who has made a covenant with God, you are part of the house of Israel. You have been gathered, and you are a gatherer. The centuries-long epic story of the covenant people is building to its climax, and you are a key player.

Now is the time when “Jesus will say to all Israel, ‘Come home.’”This is the message of the gatherers: Come home to the covenant. Come home to Zion. Come home to Jesus Christ, the Holy One of Israel, and He will bring you home to God, your Father.

-July 2026 Come Follow Me Manual chapter, “Jesus will say to all Israel, Come Home.”

President Russell M. Nelson has called this gathering “the most important thing taking place on earth today. Nothing else compares in magnitude, nothing else compares in importance, nothing else compares in majesty. And if you choose to, if you want to, you can be a big part of it.”

“Anytime you do anything that helps anyone—on either side of the veil—take a step toward making covenants with God and receiving their essential baptismal and temple ordinances, you are helping to gather Israel. It is as simple as that.”

-Russell M. Nelson

So creative and industrious

My dad made this rock wall to display my mom’s fairy garden outside her kitchen window.

My parents and some grandkids built this shed before my parents went on a mission. This photo is from April. The property is a lot greener right now.

My mom’s quilt in progress

Leslie’s booth at Vintage Beehive in Sandy

During the past few days I have seen some beautiful creative work by my extended family.

My dad celebrated his birthday, so I went down to visit him and get a tour of his 20+ projects on his wooded property. Rock walls, fire prevention efforts, flowers, irrigation, weeding, building, sifting and moving rocks, digging out stumps, extending flagstone paths, revamping the woodshed, and transplanting flowers are just a few of my parents’ projects outdoors. Indoors, my dad keeps busy writing his book. My parents are always in the middle of an audio book. They are working through their collection of slides from the 1970’s and 1980’s, scanning some and discarding others. My mom is taking a piano course to enhance her skills and continues making quilts, and she and my dad are planning great things for the family reunion next month. I always come away from my parents’ house just amazed by their creativity and industriousness.

I also visited my beautiful niece Leslie at her booth within a new vintage shop. Her skill in creating inviting displays of vintage items is a joy to see. Of course I purchased something special from her booth. 🥰 I’m proud of her.

1980’s summer

I am having a 1980’s-inspired summer, relatively low on technology. I recommend this. This low tech lifestyle seems to accentuate the mindlessness of smart phones and social media.

Richard and I took a mountain drive today. The TikTok video being filmed on the side of the road was forgettable in its commonness. Later, at the most scenic moment at Guardsman Pass, we saw a group of three young boys and an adult, resting against the guardrail of the overlook, looking down at their phones. Their backs were toward the view. They were together, but they were alone, each drawn into a world of personal escape. Somehow the majestic scenery couldn’t compete with their little screens. I felt sad for them and couldn’t forget the image.

I don’t know the stories of these people, and maybe I saw something worse than was actually happening. Also, when I was that age, I had nothing like the Sirens’ call of a cell phone to distract me. I won’t judge harshly, but take the reminder to put down my phone so I don’t miss the view.

I don’t have a photo or video of this drive like I posted last week. After these experiences, I decided to just enjoy the view with Richard without a phone in my hand. It seemed like the appropriate 1980’s response to this very modern problem.

One in Christ

Richard and I were guests on the last night of youth conference this week. We enjoyed dinner and then watched the youth assemble this work of art. Earlier in the week, each youth was given a rectangle tile to paint with some basic lines and instructions. Most pieces had simple colors and lines with very few clues about what they were actually creating.

As the sun set on the last evening, they lined up to affix their tiles to the large board as we listened to their recorded testimonies expressing why they wanted to walk with Jesus. When the art was complete, we sat quietly as we admired it and listened to music. In a world of virtual everything on small screens, this tangible, large object lesson was refreshing.

The art made me think of the process of building a testimony, day by day. It made me think of gathering Israel, one person at a time. Painting a tile could represent faith that our righteous actions will make a difference. It was also a visual reminder that the church is one in Christ, and each person brings something essential as they walk with the Him. What a beautiful object lesson with so many applications!

For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

1 Corinthians 12:12

Also the body hath need of every member, that all may be edified together, that the system may be kept perfect.

Doctrine and Covenants 84:110