Christmas decorations

So today what we did was start decorating for Christmas!

I just want to tell you about our cool decorating that we did here in our apartment:

We set up our fake, pre-lit tree and then put additional lights on it(colored, and red-green multi tipped).  We put a red garland on it, and we hung the ornaments with care.

We put christmas lights around our front door on the outside!  Which is actually really cool and then the rest of the lights trail off to the left of our door.  We put a wreath on our door as well!

We then put up lights on the ceiling around our bedroom and that about finished things up!

Kristen also put the silver garland on our T.V and over our movie collection.  She did a good job of tying everything all together!  Now we just need to set up our nativity scenes!

Oh the joys of Christmas!

I know that this time of year is such a special time as we celebrate the birth of our Saviour Jesus Christ and everything that he has done for us and continues to do!  How blessed we are to share in this season with our Father in Heaven as we celebrate the birth of his only begotten Son! :)

Groundbreaking of the Gilbert Temple!

For those of you who may not have had the opportunity to go to the groundbreaking of the temple...I thoughtfully took notes and thought you might enjoy reading about what was said there.

The proceedings were conducted by Elder Walker!  He took time to announce all the dignitaries that were seated there.  The mayor of Gilbert was there as well as many others within Gilbert's and Mesa's municipal government.  I thought it was very thoughtful of those men and women to take time out of there Saturday to come and accept the invitation to feel the Holy Spirit at the dedication of the Gilbert temple.

The congregation sung "The Spirit of God" which I felt was also very meaningful since I know that  W. W. Phelps wrote the song for the dedication of the temple in his day.  Elder David E. Leseur then offered the invocation.

President Daryl H. Garn of the Mesa temple then spoke:

He mentioned that he and Sister Garn moved to Arizona in 1968.  At that time there were only 4 stakes in all of Arizona.  There was: Maricopa, Mesa, Mesa East, and Mesa South.  He said that they could never have imagined the tremendous growth and number of stakes that exist now.  He said that in 1975 the first Gilbert stake was organized, in 1976 the first Tempe stake was organized and Chandler received it's first stake in 1978.  There are now over 76 stakes in the Mesa Temple district, which entails almost all of the stakes of Arizona.  He said that the new Gilbert temple district when it iscompleted will contain more than 20 stakes.

Sister Garn then spoke:
she urged the members to volunteer to attend the open house and bring freinds and families to learn of Christ at such an occasion.  She urged all members to prepare for the changeds that come along with the completion of a new temple.

Elder Walker then spoke:
he said that many have prayed and prepared for this day.  He said that many church members there in attendance come from righteous ancestry within the church.
he explained the significance of having a new temple built.  He talked about as a child his Primary President urged the children to memorize the 13 articles of Faith and the 9 temples that at that time dotted the earth.  He said that today we have more than 20,000 meeting houses throughout the world and there are 134 temples upon the earth.  When all that have been anounced are completedt there will be 157 temples.
He shared how he grew up in southern Alberta Canada and how their dear Cardston temple is very similar to the Mesa temple.  Both were constructed at nearly the same time.  He said that for this reason he had always felt a special connection to the saints in Arizona.  He said that while traveling with President Monson to an assignment, President Monson had shared that while he was a mission president in Canada he noticed that the best missionaries were those from Southern Alberta and Mesa, Arizona.
Elder Walker said that everyone within the church knows that saints here are wonderful dedicated members of the church.  He quoted President Monson "come to the temple and place your burdens before the Lord..."
I thought it was particularly powerful when Elder Walker said that Elder Costa will bless this land and it will remain a special land into the eternities.

Sis Costa spoke:
She said 41 years ago she was 14 years old and lived in Brazil.  At that time there were no temples in South America.  To go to the temple meant going to Salt Lake City and it would be very expensive.  But she had a dream ever since she was a  little girl that she would be sealed in teh tempmle.  Her dream was realized thanks to the Lord.  Her husband Elder Costa had the opportunity to oversee much of the development of the first temple in Brazil.  She said it was a great blessing for all of them.

Elder Claudio M. Costa:
He told a story about how 20 years ago he presided over a mission in the Amazon region in Brazil.  For the members to receive the blessings of the temple they had to take a 7 1/2 day journey by boat and bus to the temple.  So it was a long and difficult journey 15 days round trip.  Members would get charlie horses because of the crampled spaces in which they would be for such a long time.
He said at that time that there was 1 stake and 1 ward in 2 million square miles.  The temperature is often about 127 degrees farenheit and the humidity is nearly 100%.  The church members would stay positive throughout the journey by watching church movies, and singing church songs.  They would hold church meetings, sunday school, priesthood/relief society, and sacrament meeting upon the boats and buses.  Many had such powerful emotions and feelings on such trips that they knew it was worth it.    He said they now have a temple in the area where he presided for so long.

Before offering the dedicatory prayer he said twice:
"I feel very humbled to receive this assignment"


I would like to add my testimony to these heartfelt testimonies.  I know that the temple is an enormous blessing and one that we must take full advantage of.  I have seen so many blessings and received so many answers to my prayers because of the temple.  I know that President Monson is a prophet of the Lord Jesus Christ.  I know that we are about a great work and on that has eternal significance!
In the name of Jesus Christ, amen!

The Lord and his blessings!

Wow what a day!

So let me tell you about a wonderful Saturday that was very busy and fulfilling!  

First to start off the day we woke up and I didn't quite want to get out of bed so I turned on TV and started watching an interesting cartoon that had all British voices!  It reminded me of Chicken Run or Wallace and Gromet!

My wife kept telling me to get out of bed, so I finally did!  We got dressed, ate breakfast and then left the home.  We first drove by a home that we are thinking about looking at this coming week(I won't tell you where it's at, just to keep you all guessing!)

Then we drove out to see Mom Erickson and Stephen and Bella!  That was good to see everybody and Bella loved me as usual!  Mom kept saying how Kristen and I are the only ones that love that little doggy!  Because I guess most everyone else doesn't play with her that much!  But we sure do love that little Bella! :)

Then we headed over to Jaimie's for her not very garage sale like garage sale!  lol  What a joke!  We pulled up to her house and it was clear that she was not having a garage sale, so we knocked on the door and nobody answered.  So we walked over to the backyard to look over and see if we could see anybody and still nobody was to be seen!  Then we walked back to the front door and Kristen gave it a nice Rap!  Jaimie came to the door and laughed and told us the garage sale was inside.  It was very overpriced but Kristen ended up buying a bottle of "lovespell" perfume to support Jaimie.

Following that we went to the groundbreaking of the Gilbert temple!  It was very very very crowded but so worth the experience to see so many Mormons and hear such wonderful messages.  I will put up another post specifically about that experience.  

Then we went to Costa Vida Mexican food and we sure did love that!  Kristen got some awesome gift certificates from my Mom for her birthday(thanks Mom! :))

Then we went to the Church leadership training where the new church handbooks were introduced and explained.  I think the most interesting part of the training was where a fake Ward Council went through and incorporated many of the principles.  Very interesting to see perfect church members incorporate perfect principles.  Even the ladies' hair was perfect!  lol  Oh to live in a perfect world!  Can't wait for that Celestial kingdom! :)

Following the meeting we went to Fry's electronics to seek out a small converter box that I have been wanting to allow me to connect my laptop to the T.V.  Since I don't have new HDTV's I knew that it would require a small converter box from VGA signal to RCA.  We found the perfect box and also a really nice wireless keyboard and mouse!  And yes I am typing this blog out while kicking back on my bed and using the wireless keyboard as I watch the letters I type scroll across my TV screen.  Technology is great and luckily we were able to figure out a way to do it without spending tons of money!

Then we went to the Stake Conference adult session where we learned all about Courageous living!  Many powerful testimonies were shared by members of the Stake and I particularly enjoyed the testimony of the Book of Mormon that was shared by a brother who had recently lost his wife to Lung Cancer.  His testimony was particularly powerful as he echoed the words of the prophet Joseph Smith that "a man would come closer to God by abiding by it's precepts than by any other book!"

Then we came home ate dinner, hooked up the new fun toys I got, and are now preparing for bed!

What a Saturday!  Oh the blessings of the Lord! :)

Oh and Kristen...I sure love you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The best husband ever!

Although this is Steven's blog, I thought I could share a little bit of it for a minute and leave him a note! Steven, you are so awesome and the best husband I could have ever asked for! It has been a wonderful year of getting to know, dating, being engaged to, and marrying you, and there's still eternity to come! Five months in counting, and you made my birthday so awesome too! What a guy:). Just thought I would leave you a little surprise!
Love, Kristen