Andrew & Cierra's Wedding

May 17th took us to the Nauvoo temple for the marriage of our son Andrew to his beautiful fiance, Cierra Gayle Su'a.  We were so happy to be there with them and to witness the forever marriage of our youngest child.  

It seems we don't get our entire family together more than once each year.  The wedding gave us an extra opportunity to all be together and in one of our favorite places on the planet...Nauvoo!!!

 We had a very enjoyable time in Independence at a reception in their honor.  We were able to experience some of the culture of the Samoan people.  There were several dances for us to watch.  My favorite was when Cierra danced a hula for Andrew. 

 They just departed the temple and were about to be swarmed by children.

 The grand entrance at the Independence reception.

 My favorite moment of the entire evening was just after we began eating.  I looked up from my plate of food to see Brian and Kellie Welling walking toward us.  We hugged and hugged and shed tears.  They surprised us with this trip.  I had the feeling that this is what it will be like when we meet our loved ones after we leave this life.  Unspeakable joy!

 Cierra dancing with her dad.

 A new sibling picture.

 This was just after Cierra's hula.

 Tom was able to part of the wedding party during the grand entrance.

 Best man Tim!

 I have never seen my son so happy.

 All the nieces and nephews with the bride and groom.

My new favorite newlywed couple!

The Savior's Name

On Saturday, Pat and I drove to Iron Mountain to do some work before the day was out.  We had a speaking assignment in Houghton on Sunday and wanted to make a working trip out of it.  When we got to the building I was informed that I, a church service missionary, would be cleaning the sign on the front of the building.  I looked at the sign and didn't think that it looked bad.  One short run across one letter with sandpaper on a hand sander showed me how much filth and pollution was on that sign.

I worked on it for quite some time and was just beginning to clean the name "Jesus" when I thought that there must be something in this experience for me to learn from.  As I pondered on my task at hand, I recognized that the world doesn't treat the Savior's name with the reverence and respect it deserves.  Thus, it get polluted.  It was my job to clean the name of my Savior and make it shine once again.  My job took on a new look.  I no longer thought about how long the name of the church is.  I thought about getting the name of my Lord and His church to shine.  As I continued my job I thought about my sins that He has taken upon himself.  Did they make him "dirty?"  Cleaning His name surely made me dirty.  I was taken the pollution off of His name and it made my hands and arms filthy.  I was glad to do it!

When I was finished I thought about the covenant that I've made to take upon myself His name.  Do I stand as a witness at all times and in all things and in all places as I should?  I'm sure I have failed more than once.  I had a new outlook.  I need to stand as a witness with an unshakable firmness.  It was my pleasure to take upon myself the dirt from His name and the name of His church.  I am once again extremely grateful that Christ took my sins upon himself so I can be clean.

The Strait & Narrow Way

Last Saturday Pat and I headed north to do some work and then speak in Houghton.  On Monday we went to Marquette and rode our bicycles through the Preque Isle park.  When we finished riding we decided to walk this water break.  There was a plaque at the entrance to this trail that said to be careful when there are big waves as two young men drown after being swept off the break.  

The first half of this is concrete wide enough for two people to walk side by side.  Not wide enough for three.  It was an easy walk.  Large boulders were placed in the water next to the concrete.  Not sure why but I'm sure there's good reason.  Once you leave the concrete you start climbing over the boulders.  Not as easy as the concrete but not difficult.  They are fairly smooth and level.

 That lasted about half way to the lighthouse at the end.  The second half of the rocks were not smooth.  I had to pick my way around and over them.  At times I had to get down to steady myself before climbing to the next one.  At the end was a platform with some kind of light on it.  We climbed on top of it and took a rest in the shade before heading back.  Going back was much easier as the hardest part was first and we had already traversed it once.

As I was walking along this "path" I thought there must be a parable in this experience somewhere.  I thought how as we come into this world things are typically pretty easy.  Life doesn't really get harder until at least our teen years.  As we begin married life and parenting we face trials we didn't ever have before.  There are money issues and getting used to living with someone new.  There are differences in how we discipline.  Things in the middle part of my life were the most difficult.  In these places I was able to navigate but it would have been so much easier if I had a handhold.  Now as I have raised my children and don't have debts, things in my life are much easier.  I have all this wisdom that I've gained through the years.  I'm hoping the end half of my life is easier than that middle part just as this path was.

I thought about Lehi's dream.  It is great to stay on the path but it would be so much easier if we hold to the iron rod.  Holding to the word of God truly keeps us safer than just wandering through the rocks and hoping not to fall.  I feel blessed to have the scriptures to help me be safe. 

Blessings of Protection

A few weeks ago we experienced two very profound miracles of protection.  First.  On our way to the temple I usually take a nap.  I was reading and then was just about close my eyes for a nap as I was tired.  Pat pulled off the highway and asked me to drive.  I did so reluctantly.  I drove for some time and was getting tired.  I did the usual things of adjusting myself in my seat and rubbing my neck to keep myself awake.  I was struggling big time.  I would close one eye and then the other to try to keep one of them open.

Suddenly, I was wide awake and had my senses sharp as ever.  I recognized that I had indeed fallen asleep at the wheel with the cruise at 75mph.  I didn't hear a voice.  I didn't feel anyone shake me awake.  Yet I knew that someone had awakened me.  I was still in my own lane and there was no other traffic around me.  I immediately recognized that there are those unseen people around me to help keep us safe.

That was on Friday.  On Monday, Pat went to a service project where they were cutting down saplings.  He came home and showed me his pants.  There were jagged tears in the left knee. 

His chainsaw had come forward after he cut a tree and stopped on his leg.  As you can see there are shreds in his pants.  His garment was not torn but there was a bruise on his knee.  Again there was divine protection.  I cannot say how grateful I was to my Heavenly Father for keeping him safe just as He had done a few days earlier.  

We must have a work to do here on this earth as it is possible that neither of us could be here.  

Miracles on the Lord’s Time

Last week I woke up with some very tight muscles in my shoulder and up into my neck on the right side of my body.  Sitting was very uncomfortable after a short time.  I attempted my stretch it out, took Advil, rubbed it out with icy hot and using a heated rice bag.  Nothing really worked.

I had Pat give me a blessing. I expected that the next morning I would wake and be healed.  It didn’t happen.  I endured the pain throughout the entire weekend.  I think it was some kind of virus as I didn’t do anything to cause it.  I prayed that I would be healed before we left for our Area Temple and Family History Consultant conference in Kirtland, Ohio.  

As we left on Tuesday afternoon, I took a small pillow along to give my neck some support.  It helped but was still stiff.  We spent the night in LaPorte, Indiana.  Upon waking up on Wednesday morning the pain and stiffness were gone.  I look at this as a miracle.  I needed relief so I could enjoy the conference. It came when I needed it.  Heavenly Father always hears and answers our prayers.  Sometimes we have to be patient and wait for the answer to come.  Timing is everything!  My testimony of miracles has grown once again.

Hidden Blessings

It is April 15th and we are in the midst of the biggest blizzard in 129 years. We have been blessed with over two feet of snow! That's not the blessing I'm referring to. Six years ago, while driving home for Christmas, Jeff and Sammi's car died west of Fargo. I had to get in my car and drive the 8 hours to go rescue them along with Erin and baby Evelyn. It wasn't too difficult, just a pain. 

Fast forward to yesterday. Andrew is driving home after his semester in Salt Lake City. His cousin, Evan Hoffman, flew out there to drive home with him. Andrew's car is not very trustworthy. It has it's issues. Using oil being the major issue. Pat and I both offered many prayers that the car would function properly and get them back to Wisconsin. Pat and I were in Milwaukee overnight due to a speaking assignment in the north stake. We were supposed to speak in two units in the Appleton stake on our way home. Due to the blizzard, church was cancelled everywhere north of Milwaukee. 

Pat's phone rang just about midnight. It was Andrew. The car had just quit while they were driving. I lay there thinking, "But I begged and pleaded with God that he would bring those men home without incident." We both prayed several times. I felt very let down that God didn't grant me this very simple thing. I felt like just crying but knew that was useless. We made several calls and got no help. They called 911 and a tow truck was sent to rescue them. We told them all the important things to ask the driver. This morning we checked all of our options and determined that they should take a bus to Minneapolis and then rent a car to get the rest of the way home. 

Here is where the blessings come in. Evan got a few days off and decided he would like to visit his siblings in Idaho so he volunteered to drive with Andrew. The car died near Miles City, Montana (900+ miles from here) where there was cell service, hotels, a ward with a bishop and where there's a bus stop. They could have been in a place where the nearest city was an hour or more away. They could have been in a place with limited cell service. They could have been where there was no ward and thus no people to help them out. I felt very sorrowful as I contemplated just how blessed they were. They were together and they were safe! I asked my Father in Heaven to forgive me for my selfishness and thanked Him for all the tender mercies he had given. These blessings are not coincidences. 

Sometimes we don't get what we ask for in prayer. Sometimes we drive a junker car that the Lord knows will only last so long. He blesses us to get to a place where there are members of the church who can help us. That was the experience from six years ago as well. Wonderful people who took in our children. We do not know what God has in store for us. We do know that if we trust in Him, he will guide us and take care of us. My testimony has grown. My heart is softer and more broken than before. I know there are miracles. This miracle wasn't that the car would make it home but rather the circumstances surrounding the incident.

Friday the 13th

Who says Friday the 13th is unlucky?  Not for this family!  Meet Eli Mack Gourley born on Friday, April 13th 2018.  He's such a good baby.  Rarely cries and makes all the appropriate baby grunting noises.

He's got the Gourley boy dimple(s).  He's been here for less than two weeks and I've only gotten to snuggle him a few times but I'm in love with this little nugget.

It seems when Clare has a baby boy in the winter/spring months, he is born during a blizzard.  First Brock, then Butch and then little Eli was born during blizzard Evelyn which dumped 30+ inches of snow on us over the course of a Friday night through Monday morning.  It was the most snow in one storm since 1888 or some long ago time.