Merry Christmas 2008

I'll take a few minutes to bring this up to date. Life is so different for me now. With out my love. It's hard to explain until you are in my place. You keep as busy as you can and that helps a lot. The family and friends are all ways near by . But for the first time in my life I'm alone and it is not fun. I miss my man like crazy. I have tryed going out a few times and it is so different than when I was young and did not have a family. So what this next year will bring is a ?? unanswered as it always is. So now it's time to stop feeling sorry for my self and get on with life. I Love my family and I am happy working with the Family History Center and we are looking forward to the new LDS temple that is coming here to Central. We are all trying to get ready to be Temple workers and I'm find great joy in doing Indexing . If you also want to get involved in this it is a great service to others and I'm sure that The Good Lord will bless us for this work.

Wedding !!! Not mine!!!!

Oct 1st Pam David and I flew to Fort Lauderdael Florida to take pictures and help with Julies wedding. What a busy few days we had, it was so much fun. We were able to visit with all the family. and get to met John and his parents. We liked them at first sight and thought John is really a great guy. The day before the wedding was a beautiful day and we were in hopes that it would not rain on the wedding day. But it rained most of the day so no pictures on the beach. But all went well and they are such a cute couple. Fred and Lucy where wonderful and my Sister Nita and her daughter Tina where there helping out so it was great to be together and a beautiful day.

North to Alaska

It's Sunday July 27 11;00 Am and I'm getting on the Star Princess Its a beautiful day here in Seattle and I'm looking the boat over. So far Mary and Martha have not arrived. So I like to look over the ship and see where everything is. It's exciting to see how it's layed out. The girls arrived around three and at 4;00 we had the lifeboat drill. Then 150 LDS saints meet with John Bytheway for Church service. We had a wonderful Sacrament meeting we also were able to visit with John and Joan and Joan's brother Chuck and his wife Judy. Then we meet for Group Dinning at 5;30. On Monday meeting with John Bytheway at 10.00 Am and also at 4:pm These meeting were held while we were sailing to Ketchikan. On Tuesday we tour the Totem Heritage Center which is a collection of ancient totem poles. Some of the these totem poles are 42 feet tall they each tell a story of ravens, eagles, whales, and the legends of the land and its people. We were able to go into the clan house where we could view how the natives actually lived in the 1800s. We went through the rain forest where the roots of the trees were standing on top of the ground. It was something to behold. Wed. 30 of July Now we are in Juneau and this is where we went on a 4 hour excurson whale watching small boat to watch where the wales were feeding. We were able to see about 10 different whales but found it very hard to get a picture as they played in the water. Thursday 31 We went to Skagway and went on the White Pass and Yukon narrow gage railway and it travels up to the White Pass Summit the international boundary between Canada & the US. It was beautiful and we were able to see a 3000' waterfall It was a foggy day and everything looked fresh and beautiful. Friday was another day on the water, 2 meeting with John, shuffleboard the hot tub. and of coarse every night was the show time performances and they were great we usually went to two shows a night. I loved it. On Saturday night we arrived a shore about 4 and then traveled by bus to the Butchart Gardens and they were the most beautiful gardens I have ever seen and there is know wasy to tell you how beautiful they are. Also they had the most beautiful fireworks you have ever seen. I hope you enjoy my trip. We then had to be back on ship by 11;30P.M. and up and off the ship by 8AM on Sunday Morning.

Tuesday19 Trip to Oregeon

On Tuesday the 19 Pam, David and I flu to Portland and meet up with Brandon and had breakfast. Then he went back to bed has he works nights. We stared looking for water falls,covered bridges and light houses. The first Covered bridge was the Hannah bridge and is still in use today it was built in 1912 and in the summer months the bridge is a popular spot for swimmers who jump from the bridge into the deep pool beneath. We visited about 12 covered bridges. Next was Salmon falls which is a large fall that had people 18 people jumping from the cliff. The weather is beautiful and the temperature is about 70. The falls looks like it falls for about 300 feet. The water at the bottom is so clear & clean. We went to about 10 water fallls they are so big and prowerfull. On Tuesday night July 22 We stayed at this beautiful Inn over looking the ocean. It was nice and cool as we sleep with the door to the patio open we could hear the waves crashing against the shore. It was so nice and relaxing. We saw lots of beautiful country and then spent Sat. in Seattle and visited Pike Place Market, there were so many people there that you could hardly move. We then went up in the space needle. looked at the large city from every side and relly enjoyed it. Stayed for a big parade in down town Seattle. The next day Pam and David droped me at the ship and is was on my way to Alasha.

Trip to San Francisco July 8

Pam and I flu to San Francisco for the day. It was a beautiful day about 65 and just perfect for a day of sight seeing. China town was really busy with the smell of fish every where . I don't like fish so we did not stay very long. But there was a lot of little people there. We went to Pier 49 and we could easily see Beacon Hill the picture is of me standing on the pier with beacon hill in the back ground. . Also the picture of me setting on the pier where we had wonderful clam chowder in bread bowls and Alcatraz ifs in the back ground and I was afraid to go take a look for myself I thought they might keep me. Just didn't want to take the Chance. It was a fun day. It was fun going with Pam.

Trip of a life time.

This is the Capernaum where Jesus lived for three years.

I hope you enjoy my trip as much as I did. Mary White, Vanessa Mortensen and 85 others from around here or friends from all over made this trip together. I Hope you enjoy my blog.

Cairo

This ist he step pyramid.This is the bus we traveled in.

Here we see the some of the pyramids. We are about ready to visit the Mohammad Ali Mosque We have all ready visited the Cairo Museum where the discoveries from King Tut's Tomb are on display

Day 3 Monday May 26. Were in Egypt!!. Can you believe it.? Here we travel back in time over 3,500 years to when Joseph was sold into Egypt by his brothers and married anEgyptian woman named Asanath. You remember the two sons of Joseph and Asanath were Manasseh and Ephraim and we have heard theses names many time in Church History. Here we see the giant pyramids, temples and tombs of ancient Egypt. These people were very knowledgeable and a lot of our beliefs and ideals come from them . They recorded
records, they knew geometry, science of astronomy, medical science, methods of surgery they sought meaning and beauty from life. They had a firm belief in the after life. Most of the people about 95 present live in or around the Nile river which is the worlds longest river and flows the entire length of the country, the rest of Egypt is windswept Sahara Desert. The weather here is warm and they seldom have rain. None in 5 years now. The official language is Arabic. There are more than 80 pyramids in Egypt . As we enter the gates to the Cairo Museum we see papyrus growing and it is believed that was the material used to form the little basket that carried Moses into the the Pharaoh's family. We are able to see an illustration of how the stems were placed together in layers and then crushed under pressure to form a rough paper . The paper was originally white but age turned it brown. I guess that's what is happening to me. We were also told about the Lotus blossoms, which is in a lot of the art work done here. As we go into the rotunda we see three large statues of Ramses 11 . It is believed that he was the Pharaoh at the time of Moses.

Luxor &-Cairo

Here we see the spectacular 135 foot long solar boat. Constructed over 4500 years ago with the lumber from the cedars of Lebanon

Day 5- Wed. May 28 To day we fly back to Cairo and our first visit to the Giza Pyramids where we were able to ride the camels. They are tall and hard to ride.
And you think with every step they take we are all going to fall off.The Gisa pyramids are classified among the Seven Wonders of the World.

We are now at the Sphinx and are now going to a Papyrus factory where they show us how the papyrus is made. And of coarse we fell we must buy one or more. Then we will see the very large statue of Rameses !! And the Alabaster Sphinx. Now the very large step pyramid of Zoser

Jerusalem, The Gates

On the road where Jesus walked caring the cross

Day 7-Friday May 30 Jerusalem Today is our first sight of the Old City through the south Gate which is called the Dung Gate, because in the days of old all the dung , garbage, etc, was thrown out of the gate, I think our way is much better.
The gate that is three closest to the hotel is the largest of the city called the Damascus gate. Because Jerusalem has undergone so many destruction the wall has been built,destroyed, many times In Many places you can see three different eras in the present wall. The first stones are called Herodian because they are of the King Herod the Great time. about 3/4 of the way up are the Crusaders. the top 1/3 is of the Ottoman-Turks in the 1700's but the old part 1s 2000YEARS OLD.At the Davidson Central we see the archaeological remains at the ancient Ophel and the southern steps of the "Temple Mount.

Judean Wilderness, Jordan River

Day 8- Saturday May 31. This is also called the Mt. of Temptation We now travel about 20 mintues on the bus and come to a ancient site on the Jordan river that has been devloped by the Jeswish has a christian the baptised here.and my or may not be the place but it is a realistic type of site. Beging a couple of miles from Jordan river where he was baptized .
The monastery has housed monks for abnout 1400 years. From up here we can see the Jordan Valley, the Dead Sea, Jericho, amd in the hase Mt. Mebo to the east.

We are told this is the place where Jesus was tempted by the Davel for 40 days & he was told he could have evertthing in his sight. as you look out over the country it is pretty dry and hot, and I'm not sure I would want it, but our host told us in Jesus's day,the whole area was a thriving trade area . Anyway right now they have a monistary up here for visitors & a place to eat, and they have people trying to sell us something . Now this is a very deleste county but our guide told s in the days of Jesus it was a very flurshing busy place. with farms and trees but with the changes over the years it is now desert. It is dry, rocky, and no vegetation. We can look down from here and see some of the old water irigation system.

Western Wall, Jerusalem Center,

Day 8-Saturday May 31, The scriptural Sabbath was Saturday and as we observed last night at the Western Wall the Jewish people had began to arrive.around 5PM as the sun set on Friday Afternoon, There Sabbath will end as the sun sets on this Saturday. This is the Jewish Sabbath and 7th Day Adventists and in Israel it has been designated at the LDS Sabbath Day by the 1st Presidency. The Muslims observe in a special way on Friday's with special focus at noon prayers and then taking Friday afternoon off for family time.

This day we check out of the Olive Tree Hotel and go to the Orson Hyde Memorial Park on the Mount of Olives. Apostle Orson Hyde was sent be our Prophet Joseph Smith to Jerusalem in 1840 on Oct.24, 1841 Brother Hyde left the city early in the morning as the gates to the walled city opened and went to the Mount of Olives and prayed a revealed prayer of dedication. Another thing that President Lee set in motion in 1972 was to find a place where a memorial for Brother Hyde could be established in Jerusalem. It took 7 years to make all the arrangements but in 1979 Pres Kimball came and dedicated the park. We do not own the land or the park but the LDS building program built it in the name of Orson Hyde . We walk and talk and sing and bare testimony here in this beautiful quite place. Much of the talk centered on the ascension into heaven from the Mt. Of Olives. And that "He will yet come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven ' to the Mt of Olives

Sea of Galilee, Capernaum, Mount od Beautitudes

Day 9-Sunday June 1 This morning took a nice walk along the beach at the Sea of Galilee. We got on a Galilee boat for a ride from Ein Gev to the north shore at Nof Cinosar As we ride along on the boat we stopped about the middle for some devotional thoughts, singing and meditation. This is where we recall many stories we have heard of Christ walking on water, the fisherman and we sing the song "Peace Be Still" it was beautiful. Years ago there was discovered a very old fishing boat sticking out of the mud. It had been sunk into mud for hundreds of years. The restoration process was very technical and now the boat that is called the Jesus Boat is in a very nice museum close to the shore of the Sea of Galilee.
Later on we visit Capernaum where Jesus lived for three years. Then the Mount of Beatitudes and later see the movie The Galilee Experience.

Tiberias,LDS Chaple, Nazareth Village

Day 10 Monday June 2 of our trip Today our journey will take us through Cana the famous site of Jesus miracle of turning the water into wine.
Today we well visit the Tiberias LDS Branch building it was a previously built home that the church has remodeled The only building plus land that the church owns.The small Nazareth Village which is a beautiful setting, to see the village life of Nazareth when Christ lived here. It is a place where people learn to live like Jesus did. They make there only olive oil and and harvest wheat by pulling a board that has sharp rock attached to it and pulling it across the grain. They raise there own sheep and then cut the wool and then weave it and then make there on cloths. And grow Olive tree and press the Olive oil for there own use.