It’s conference weekend, one of my favorite times of the year. We heard our prophet, Russell Nelson speak and announce a new focus on “home-centered church” where our Sabbath meetings are now only two hours and the curriculum for church and family observance is streamlined and coordinated. I love this season of revelation where, as Elder Holland said, the prophet is opening all the windows and doors of the church and making necessary changes. Last conference it was revealed that we would be combining the two priesthood quorums for greater unity, and that has been a fantastic change, also, we were introduced to ministering instead of visiting teaching and the young women were invited to participate. I have loved this program as I have conducted ministering interviews. It has been so delightful to see sisters in our congregation embracing the idea of teaching, loving and serving as the Lord would. I also love the greater focus of men and women on equal planes striving and serving together in a coordinated way.
We just got back from a lovely walk in the mountains. We walked along a trail next to a river with the fall colors all around us and the crisp air against our cheeks. It was lovely and so nice to be together. Sadly, Anna got bit by a red ant and was quite uncomfortable for sometime. (still is)
The past few weeks have marked the end of an era in a few ways. On the 15th of September Grant and Sam were leaving to help someone in our neighborhood move in and Kevin (the cat, aged 15 1/2) decided not to get out from under the car. He usually does move as people get in a car, but this time Grant rolled right over his back end. I was on my way home and Grant called me to give me the bad news. I came home about five minutes later and Kevin, the weird, silly, playful cat we have had since he was a kitten and Lizzie was a baby, was coolly laying in the grass, unable to move. I walked over and sat by him. He licked my hand and I could tell that he was pretty broken. It made me cry. I picked him up and brought him inside and he purred as I carried him. After a few minutes he started to struggle and I knew he was in too much pain. When Grant and Sam came home we put him down and buried him. It is still weird that he isn’t around. I miss him climbing up our bed because he was too old to jump. I miss him stalking us at night when he thought he was a panther. He was the best pet.
Then, a week later Sam was driving home from a volleyball game he played in that was two and a half hours away. The Subaru, our first car we ever bought as newlyweds in 2000, sputtered and died. We realized that we had forgotten to remind Sam to change the oil and as he is a new driver, it just didn’t really occur to him either. As it turns out, cars really do need oil! The car was killed. It was so sad too because although it was old, it had very few miles on it and would’ve probably lasted another ten years! We sold the car for $1,000 and cut our losses. We had a lot of good memories in that car. We drove our first born child home from the hospital in that car! Grant drove it to and from work every day for eighteen years. One year, the senior prank at AHS involved completely covering it in sticky notes! It was a good reliable car with great memories.
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