Nearer My God to Thee

I finally remembered the 2nd hymn the Whitney 2nd Ward sang in Stake Conference. Nearer My God to Thee, hymn 100. It was a beautiful arrangement.

Our niece, Tiffany Bartlomé, received her mission call to the Switzerland Geneva Mission French-speaking. I was telling the boys today, she won't have to tell people how to pronounce her name. That's where the Bartlomés come from.

New Franklin Idaho Stake presidency

The stake presidency for the Franklin Idaho Stake was released today. They have served almost 10 years. It doesn't seem possible. I don't even remember who the stake president was before. President Reid Carlson has been the stake president. He has retired, but has been principal of the elementary school & then they called him back from retirement to be the principal of the high school. His 1st counselor was Ed Moser & 2nd counselor was Doug Porter, my cousin.

Last night the Whitney 2nd  Ward Choir was asked to sing in the Saturday evening session by request of President Carlson. He walked up on the stand, saw us sitting there & gave us 2 thumbs up :)

We sang "How Great Thou Art" & another number I can't think of right now. Beautiful hymns. Connie Merrill, the choir director, does such a good job of picking out songs to sing. It helps, too, that Dr. David Beckstead gave the choir a "budget." With money, Connie can now buy folders & sheet music. Don & Dr. Beckstead are our tenors, Don-Mike sings baritone. I'm supposed to be singing alto, but ... I'm just up there lip-syncing, LOL.

The new stake presidency is Lane Peterson, president; Chad Womack, 1st counselor; Robert Child, 2nd counselor. Robert is a neighbor & in our ward. He sang in the choir with us last night. He was so calm, yet he had to have known he had just been called to be a counselor in the new stake presidency.

Even more quotes

On my Facebook page I have the following quote:

"I am just glad that God is still in control no matter who is in the White House."

Not sure where I got it now, but see what Elder Neal A. Maxwell has to say:

"In a world filled with much laboring and striving in parliaments, congresses, agencies, and corporate offices, God's extraordinary work is most often done by ordinary people in the seeming obscurity of a home and family."

--Neal A. Maxwell (That My Family Should Partake [1974], 122
- available in The Collected Works of Neal A. Maxwell).

I saved this to see if I could find where I had posted about "politics" before, but I can't see where I have. I am tired of everyone making comments about President Barack Obama (by the way, Don-Mike & Don informed me I have been mispronouncing Pres. Obama's first name). I know I have made comments about the 12th Article of Faith - somewhere.

We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law.

In my talk in Sacrament meeting, I said that not only were we supposed to obey the Ten Commandments, but as members of the Church, we need to also obey the Articles of Faith. The President Reid Carlson, stake president, was there. He didn't get up & correct me, nor did he or the bishop chide me for teaching false doctrine after the meeting.

Then, another quote on obedience. I like this.

"As children of God we are somebody. He will build us, mold us, and magnify us if we will but hold our heads up, our arms out, and walk with him."

--Marvin J. Ashton, "In His Strength," Ensign, July 1973, 24

I remember meeting Elder Ashton when he came to a stake conference, must have been 40 years ago. It was Preston 1st Ward's turn to hold junior Sunday School during stake conference. As a Sunday School teacher, I was in Sunday School that morning. Elder Ashton made a point to come to the children's meeting & talk to them. He spoke to each of the adults & shook our hands. In fact, I'm sure he shook each child's hand. The general session of stake conference started without him.