Making "Grandma" Memories"

I took the girls to church with me and leave about twenty minutes earlier than the meeting begins. We like to sit in the chapel and on the soft seats. So. . .it is imperative to plan ahead.

We got settled in our spot and then Aaron, Candice and Parker could come later. Well, as we were waiting for the meeting to start, Ella turned to me and asked if I had any gum. I didn't, but I had a roll of mints I had just bought at the temple yesterday. I gladly pulled them out and the lady behind me heard Ella ask me and I heard her say to me that I was "creating a Grandma memory." The girls know I sometimes have something to share during sacrament meetings.

It struck me deeply and I immediately remembered my own grandmother, Anita. I recalled that I didn't get to grow up around her, but she visited only a few weeks out of the year or every other year. Even when she moved to California after she retired in Chicago, I got to see her at family get-togethers at my mother's.


My grandmother was quite the flamboyant character. She was a happy person, laughing often and spoke loudly at times. She dressed in bright colors, and loved colorful, matching jewelry and dangling earrings! Does that sound like anyone you know? Just wondering. Her birthday was April 17, 1900.

I am appreciative of living with Aaron and his little family and know the kids on a day to day level. I feel much a part of the family, and they feel likewise. Parker is so used to Grandma that he doesn't do well with babysitters anymore, at all. Aaron said he wants his children to cherish the memories with grandma, and I am pleased to be able to do that as well.

Sacrament meeting went great, I took notes and felt very uplifted. One of the speakers gave a talk on "a broken heart and contrite spirit" and what it means. It means we are touched by the spirit a lot and our hearts are filled with the spirit of the holy ghost. We also had another talk about the Book of Mormon and what an influence it can be in our lives. The speakers were very well prepared and I made note of how each talk applied to all of us, and I felt a blessing of gratitude to live in my new ward and the influence of a great bishop as leader, who encourages the ward members to be diligent. He is a good example and is very attuned to the ward's needs. He is an inspiration to me; I know he is a man of God and was called by the spirit of prophecy, the Lord's representative, spiritual adviser and leader of his flock.

Here is a quote from the last speaker who talked about the Book of Mormon.

"It is not just that the Book of Mormon teaches us truth, though indeed it does that. It is not just that the Book of Mormon bears testimony of Christ, though it indeed does that too. But there is something more. There is a power in the book which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book. You will find greater power to resist temptation. You will find the power to avoid deception. You will find the power to stay on the straight and narrow path. The scriptures are called the words of life. and nowhere is that more true than it is of the Book of Mormon. When you begin to hunger and thirst after those words, you will find life in greater and greater abundance."
Ezra Taft Benson, Ensign November,1986

The hand of God continues to bless me and everyday of my life. Love, Mom aka Anna