MY FAVORITE GARAGE SALE

For those wanting to know how to make Annette's apron click here.

For those wanting to know the web site for the garage sale people click here.

Here are a few photos of the garage sale on Canyon Road in Provo, Utah. Next one scheduled for April or May. When I am notified or when I see their sign I'll let you know. If you are really interested go the first day as the good stuff goes fast!

You know how I love chairs. This was a sweet one and following are two pressed back chairs--they didn't photograph as cute as they are.
This was my favorite item there. Actually, there were two of them. They were seven feet, six inches tall! They were sold the morning of the first day. Naturally. Many people are there the minute the garage sale opens the first day. Hillary needs a mirror but this one was gone by Saturday. There were several children's tables. So cute. So sold.On Thursday I took Pam. On Friday I took Cindy. On Saturday I took Hillary and Shan. Next time I will notify my whole ward as I'm the Relief Society communications person and this is communication they need, don't you think?

STAKE CONFERNECE--long, but please read anyway

Note: If you went to Annette's site to see her apron she gives a web site to check out but says she is going to make another apron and will post "how to's" then. I'll let you know when she does that.

The Provo, Utah Tabernacle.

At Stake Conference today our Stake Relief Society Presidency was released and a new one was sustained. I will miss them, even though I no longer have a Relief Society calling.

I remember when we went from having Enrichment every month to having it only four times a year. Instead of Enrichment we were to start mini-classes. (They call them Enrichment Activities but our ward calls them mini classes.) I cried on Staci Peter's shoulder more than once. (Staci was the Stake 2nd counselor) She kept saying, "You can do this," and I learned--under her encouragement--and did. And then it got easy. How I love her. I love all those women.

The outgoing President--Sister Jeannie Welch--gave her testimony and it was a wonderful talk. She is an amazing woman. I tried to take some notes but I was in the dark--they dimmed the lights in the chapel where I was watching the live broadcast (from the historic Tabernacle in downtown Provo) and so I didn't get much and it's hard to read but here are a couple my notes--very disjointed--and probably not totally accurate:

Consecration--dedicate our time to the Lord. We can come to know that our offering is accepted of the Lord. The best way to know is to make and keep sacred covenants. She thanked us for doing that, making and keeping sacred covenants. She related a story about a tractor, pulling a bunch of kids on a flat bed wagon. The wagon was too heavy and started pulling the tractor and many children fell off, some jumped off, and one boy broke his leg. Her children were safe because they held on to each other. She told us to be like that. We will be safe as we stand with and associate with good people. "Hang on" to them.

I am thankful for the good people I have met by blogging. I will probably never meet most of you in person but you have strengthened me with your goodness, your dedication to doing what is right, your common sense. I am grateful for your willingness to continue on when times are tough. You sometimes make me laugh and sometimes I cry with you. I love you, even if I don't know you at all. Some of you never comment but I love you anyway. I love that you come and read my words--inadequate as they are.

I hope one day to be as good as my Stake leaders are. Sister Welch is an amazing woman. Every time she says something from the pulpit or in a class it is profound and, for me, it has been life changing, .

Staci has been my mentor, my comforter, my go-to-girl. Besides that she says she is shy but she hides it well--a good lesson for all of us. We may have problems or weaknesses but we can still willingly serve. Staci has been a delight. I have come to rely on her good advice and her strength and her abundant love.

The other counselor and the secretary are equally wonderful. You wouldn't believe some of the delicious food they have prepared for refreshments after Stake meetings. You know how us Mormon's are, we can hardly have a non-Sunday meeting without some kind of refreshment.

I will miss them but will see them at the weekly evening scripture class, taught by Jeannie's husband. If you are in our Stake this is a great class. We don't always make it and last time I fell asleep but every time I woke up Brother Welch was looking at me kindly. I shall always remember that he looked at me with kindness. A lesser man might have been disappointed but I really felt his love and I am grateful.

He is an amazing teacher, has knowledge that normal people just don't have. He tells us things like what "that" word meant at the time it was written in the scriptures, what the customs were, what life was like--he brings a special depth to the scriptures.

Well, I have rambled long enough. Now I will go read my scriptures and have prayer and maybe even try to decipher today's notes.

I hope you are all happy and if you are not happy I hope you will have comfort. Ask for it. Trials end. I know this. I've been waiting for a long time for some of my trials to be turned into blessings and I know they will. After the trial of our faith come the blessing.

May you know that your Heavenly Father is watching over you this night and always. Have faith. Be courageous. Serve others. And if you can, do as Jeannie asked us to do: Make and keep sacred covenants. Let's hang on to each other and be strong together.

Love,

Lynne

A COUPLE OF MY HEROES

Last night at Enrichment there were unsung heroes, so I'm singing their praises right now. That's me as a blond. And skinnier, w-a-y skinnier.

One's name is Heather and she had organized an art project for 50 women. There were huge long tables for us and hundreds of scrapbook papers, patterned tissue paper, pens, glue sticks, etc. for us to choose from. There was a little notebook for all of us and we could decorate it any way we wanted. I chose to just cover mine with tissue paper but most women got creative.
Heather served in the Relief Society Presidency as first counselor (I was second counselor) for almost four years. We worked side by side, having early morning presidency meetings (which Heather loved--she's a lark. I hated the hour of those meetings as I'm an owl. One morning as I was walking to the meeting--just across the street but still...it was pitch dark, there was new snow on the ground and there was a sliver of a moon and one star next to it. I looked around and thought I could be in Siberia!) Heather helped with funerals, helped with Enrichment meetings, worried about the sisters and did service for them, taking food to people who were sick, etc. She was in charge of the music for Relief Society and all the RS teachers.

She has worked tirelessly for her husband and three kids while going back to school to get her Masters degree and she started and runs an art program for the Scera, in Orem--a huge project. I also worked with her in the Primary presidency for several years. Now she has been called to the Young Women's.

Heather is of Russian descent and I have always said she looks like a Russian Princess. What is the matter with me, not taking her photo last night and a photo of all her preparations?

***

Annette ran the cooking class. She made aprons for EVERYONE who, in any way, helped with her class. She whipped them up that afternoon! Amazing. Plus she made about a dozen treats for everyone to sample. Click here. She baked for days and froze her treats so she could have so many for people to sample. Her theme was "Bee's" ("Bee-gin your Day in a Bee-utiful Way") and everything reflected the theme, even the fabric of the aprons.

One woman said, "I want an apron." and Annette didn't miss a beat. "What kind of an apron would you like?" she said. And the woman told her. I know Annette will go shopping for fabric for an apron for this woman. Annette is generous. She is the Fairy Godmother who brought chocolate to me one late night. Chocolate candies and a chocolate apron, which is the only apron I wear anymore.

When our wards were combined Annette was the Relief Society President. She was soon made the Primary President, which means she is in charge of all the ward children from age 18 months--nursery age, up to the twelve year olds. who go to opening exercises and then class for the last two hours of church.

There is no way I could even begin to tell you how amazing this woman is. She is always taking delightful things to people. I have been on the receiving end more times than I can remember.

She is a do-er. President Kimball had a sign on his desk: "Do it!" Annette took it to heart and she does. it. all. I've never known anyone like her.

These are a couple of my heroes. Neither one of their church jobs is in Relief Society and yet they gave their all. And then some. How I love them.

AND THE CHOCOLATE CAME!

I think I have a Fairy Godmother!

Earlier tonight I posted "UNNECESSARY HUMANITARIAN SERVICE." My closing line was: "Someone should send chocolate." Less than two hours later the doorbell rang. Phil went to the door. No one was in sight. A car sped away, into the night.

This was on the doorstep:Inside? A handmade, chocolate apron!

This was in the pocket

Along with a note:

Mint truffles. A whole handful of them.

Yes Virginia, there is a Santa Claus and a Fairy Godmother, too!

Thank you, my dear Fairy Godmother.

PS You should start a chocolate delivery business. You could also sell homemade cupcakes. You should buy a truck, all decorated in frosting and sprinkles. You could make a fortune. In Utah Valley alone the sales of Prozac would diminish so much that the drug companies would send representatives out to find out what was making the women so happy. It would be you.