The Wizard of Oz?

We had a Relief Society birthday party in March.  I was asked to be the Tin Man (Woman).  I was supposed to tell the sisters about having a heart.  I went about it from the perspective of "If I only had a heart."  Oh the things I could do!  I could go to a sister's baptism or sit with another as she was injured and off work.  I could and I did but what more could I do if I had a heart!

Tracy was the Scarecrow and wished for a brain.  Sarah was the Cowardly Lion and wished for courage.  Ann was Dorothy and wished to go home.  All of them did a beautiful job.  It was really inspirational.  But, Wow! That tin man costume was HOT!

Tracy and I look like real fatties in our costumes.  That's unfortunate since we've been exercising for four months together.  Thanks to Sammi for taking this photo and snapping it to me.  These women are some of my favorite people on the planet!  I'm thankful to have them in my life.

My Tree Continued

Several years ago I blogged about this MacIntosh apple tree on our lower lawn.  I loved this tree as a kid because it was the best for climbing.  My dad pruned it and cut it back so we could actually use the apples and reach them.  It broke my heart to see my beloved tree all cut up.

The years have taken their toll on this once beautiful tree.  It is all hollow and decaying.  Still, it

produces apples.

Last Fall we made the decision that in the Spring it would have to come down.  Even though it produces a few apples, those apples don't seem to be worth the effort of mowing around and under the few branches.  On Saturday Pat took my beloved, old tree down.  Jeff then filled in the hole where it stood with sod.

My lawn looks empty now.  Looking at it one would never know that there used to be a tree there.  The remnants are sitting on a pile waiting to be hauled away.  Time to buy a new tree.

School Board

Late last year my husband approached me and asked if I could support him if he ran for a position on the school board.  Of course I said "yes."  This man is a thinker.  He doesn't make decisions based on emotion.  He thinks things through and makes the best possible decision even if it isn't the popular thing.   In March, Sammi especially, helped with creating a postcard to be sent to local voters.  She helped her dad create the following card. I am running for a position on the Gresham School Board.  My wife and I, as well as all five of our children, have graduated from Gresham High School.  Our grandchildren are now enjoying the experience of attending this great school.  I have continued my educational pursuits with a degree in Business Management from Silver Lake College.  I have taken the opportunity to give back to this community over the years by being an EMT, a fireman with the Gresham fire department, Gresham POPS committee member, Scoutmaster, Junior Achievement instructor, and Junior High basketball coach, to name a few. I have spent the last 28 years of my career working in the Facilities Management field and feel I can use these, and other skills, to keep the school moving in the right direction.  I would appreciate your support.                                                       -Patrick Pleshek     Don’t forget to vote on April 5th!

The voters did in fact, come out in force on April 5th.  I am a new poll worker and saw and met people I've not seen in years or ever.  This election was our Wisconsin state primary.  Usually the decision has already been made by the time we get to vote.  Not this year.  That could've brought people to the polls but I'm guessing it was the referendum on the Gresham school building project that brought many out in force.

Pat was concerned that no one but his family and very closest friends would vote for him.  Was he wrong!  309 people thought he would be a good person to sit on the school board.  By the way, that's a lot of votes!  I never thought for a moment that he wouldn't be elected.  But then, I see things in him that he doesn't recognize in himself.

 On April 18th, he along with Jeff Hoffman and Alphia Creapeau, was sworn in as a board member.  Since then he has been busy looking through the policy handbook (a binder which is about 3" thick).  He's also gone to a new school board member training.  He said he learned a lot and asked a lot of questions.  Can you imagine that?  Pat Pleshek asking questions?

I am incredibly proud of this man for his desire to once again serve this Gresham community.  As evidenced in his postcard, he has given a lot of service to this community and so it continues.

General Conference Weekend

A wonderful General Conference weekend.  It dawned on me that this is the LAST one before Andrew comes home.  He did say that he was able to be in the Conference Center for Saturday afternoon.

We were able to sustain our brethren.  There were once again just a handful of dissenters.  I have to think that those individuals are nothing but selfish people who are just trying to make a statement.  I feel bad for them as they are lost.

The family was over for all of Sunday and much of Saturday.  I made some delicious food that we were able to share.

I was able to lay in bed with my husband until 7:30 this morning.  That just never happens.  It's the little things that make me happy.

I was able to take notes on each of the talks.  I decided that I will go back through them and look for the scriptural references that were used.  What a wonderful way to review the things that were said.

President Monson was able to speak to us this morning for just a few minutes and to announce four new temples to be built around the world.  His health is obviously not good.  I wonder how long he will be with us.  I watch he and Elder Hales and wonder about each of them.

12 March 2016 = Summer?

The weather today was absolutely gorgeous!  It felt like a warm, May day and it is only March 12th! We grilled out burgers and dogs and had a picnic with whomever could make it.  Bikes, bikes, bikes and lots of riding up and down the driveway.  The swings got a workout as well.  Tracy and I went for a 4 mile walk.  My toes hurt after that.  I don't care.  It was such a beautiful day.
Yard work got done.
Firepit got cleaned out.
Car and truck got vacuumed.
Workout room got cleaned.
All of that was done by my sweetheart with the help of the boys.  I took Tom to track practice and spent some time grilling.  I did a lot of laundry and some inside cleaning.  A few windows even got washed.  I think I may have a touch of sun on my face.  It feels a tad warm.

I love these unexpectedly beautiful days.  I know there will still be snow as its only March.  But the cranes are back and I heard a lot of geese today.  I haven't seen a robin yet, but my husband has.  The ice is melting off the pond across the street.  Life is good!  I am a blessed woman.  Such a wonderful husband and family.

What God Can Do

 I have never been to the Provo Tabernacle.  It is a building used for conferences, seminary graduations, concerts and other civic and church events.  It was built by the Mormon pioneers who settled there.  In fact, General Conference was held there.  Clare recalls having her Stake Conference there when she lived in Provo.

Five years ago in the middle of the night, a fire started, completely gutting the facility.  Much of the community was devastated.  

With all those flames, I can't imagine that there was anything left.  But actually there was.

 There was a set of scriptures that survived the fire with just a little charring on the edges.  The pulpit was also left completely in tact.

 But really is was a burned out shell of a building.

President Monson announced a few months later that it would be rebuilt and turned into the second temple in Provo.  They would call it the Provo City Center Temple.  

After an engineering feat, it is finally finished and Pat, Erin and I had the opportunity to tour the facility.  

 There is a floral pattern throughout.  There is much stained glass both interior and exterior.  The rich dark wood is so rich and beautiful.  Upon entering these exterior doors, a person walks up to the 

recommend desk.  I love the Savior standing there with His sheep!

 I don't know if I recall seeing a baptismal font on the backs of dark oxen. 

 What bride wouldn't want to spend a little time in this room?

 The largest sealing room.  I believe it holds 48 people plus the witnesses and the couple.  I will have the opportunity to witness a sealing here in October.

 The Celestial room.

 I am not all that impressed with the exterior of the building, but the grounds are beautiful!  The interior is absolutely stunning!  I look forward to going back.

 As we attended church with Erin on Sunday, the bishop stated that he had been to the open house and witnessed all the beauty there. 

He then said something that will stay with me.  He said if the Lord can take a burned out Tabernacle and turn it into a beautiful temple, imagine what He can do with us! 

At times in our lives we struggle and we don't make good decisions.  In effect, we burn to the ground because of ourselves.  Other times, the circumstances and actions of others burn us down.  Only the Savior has the ability, because of His atonement, to build us into what He knows we can become.

In seminary on Friday, we talked about Solomon's temple and how important it was to get it built with the best materials available.  I showed the above photos to the youth and was pleasantly surprised with their reactions.  None of them have ever been to a temple dedication or open house.  At least that they can recall.  This was as close as they've come.  

I invited them to always to worthy to enter those sacred doors.  If they aren't worthy, to get themselves there.  Their temple recommend will be their most prized possession ever.  

I didn't know this lesson would turn out this way.  I never felt impressed to go further into the prepared material.  Just stay with them in our virtual temple.

Each of us has been given a tabernacle for our spirits.  

God is in control and He can take that tabernacle and create a beautiful temple for our spirits if we will allow Him to do so.  

I want to live in a temple!

A Mid-Winter Trip

Last week Thursday, Pat and I headed to Chicago.  We went to the temple and then met up with Candi McGregor for dinner.  It was a wonderful visit!  The next morning, after our workout, we headed for the airport and winged our way to Salt Lake City.

Erin picked us up at the airport and we headed to West Valley City to take a few items to Andrew. Most importantly, his driver's license which the USPS lost TWICE! I wasn't trusting them to deliver it to him.  Since we were already headed in that direction, we dropped it off at the Mission Office.

Erin is doing the goofy Andrew face.  We met some wonderful senior missionaries who love our son.

While in the office, we saw the companionships for each zone.  Elders Pleshek and Wells are in the Granger East District.  We heard Sister Caldwell call Andrew and tell him his things were delivered.  We got out of there!

We attempted to go the the Provo City Center Temple on Friday afternoon.  Who knew that it would be so busy???  The standby line was a 1 1/2 hour wait at a minimum.  One sister told us that if we came back in the morning at 7am, we would be able to get right in.

Pat wanted a good hamburger so Erin took us to the hospital cafe and he got his burger.

We attended the open house the following morning.  What a spectacular building!  I will write about that in my next post.

When we finished at the open house we drove to Payson and attended the temple there.  Another beautiful place.  

We spent some time with Sharla, as Dean was at school working on a project.  We decided we needed a D.I. run.  So off to American Fork we went.  Some very successful shopping was accomplished.  

On Sunday morning we attended Erin's former single's ward.  This is where Bishop Manwaring and his wife Melanie are serving.  They are incredible people and I understand why Erin loves them so much.  

We also attended Sacrament meeting with the Bohls but with Erin not feeling well, we left afterward and headed to Salt Lake to our hotel.

We had time to spend with Erin so we walked temple square. We spent some time roaming through both visitor's centers before we headed to the Tabernacle.  There we spoke to this wonderful sister missionary.

After sitting in the Tabernacle for some time, I decided that the Conference Center is much more comfy.  The acoustics are incredible though.  I was careful not to be too loud or laugh as the sound carried.

Pat gave Erin a father's blessing before she went back South to Provo.  I really wanted to bring her home with me.  It broke my heart to leave her.  That's not normal for me.

On Monday morning we worked out again and after showering, had a wonderful breakfast at the hotel.  We packed everything and since we didn't have to be out of the hotel until noon, we walked back to the Square and visited the Church History Museum. 

There we saw an inspiring film of the First Vision.  We all know what surround sound is, but this was Surround Vision.  It was as though you were walking through the Sacred Grove.  

We spent 1 1/2 hours touring at our own pace and not really being able to take everything in.  A person could easily spend the better part of a day in order to see everything.  

One of the things I really enjoyed was the artwork.  Someone painted the above picture.  I love the story of Peter going out to meet the Savior as He walked on the water.  This shows how we all need to lean on our Savior more than we may recognize.

We walked back to our hotel and grabbed our bag and headed to the airport.  A wonderful weekend to be able to be with Erin.  So many instances during the days where I felt the Spirit very profoundly.  Again, in the next post.