January 31, 2025

Somehow January has flown by and the last two weeks have been full of activities. I will briefly go over what has transpired and then I want to fulfill a commitment I made to the Sister Missionaries in writing my testimony down. This is something I don’t think I have ever done before.

I was asked to speak at the YSA Branch on January 19 on the subject of Temple Preparation as we are starting a new group of students in the Temple Preparation course. Cindy came to support me which was very kind. 

Lahina Cy agreed to visit Emily Leavitt for a ministering visit with me. Lahina is very sweet and sincerely seemed to enjoy the opportunity to serve. She is anxious to do more. 

Jonny and Jennifer came out to spend Jeff’s birthday last weekend with him and all three of them came to stay with me. Jenn’s friend Kristin joined them in their activities and Jeff said it was the best birthday he has ever had. I am so glad. Jenn and Jonny left Sunday morning and Jeff came to church with us before Cindy drove him back to Wagner Hills. He is doing well.

Last week we had Hula practice Wednesday evening, dress rehearsal Friday evening for the Stake Variety Show and the actual performance Saturday evening. People seemed to enjoy seeing Sister Walker dance. I did it out of love for my dear friend Bela and I hope Tom was happy too. That may be my last dancing performance.

 I taught the first YSA Temple Preparation class last Sunday and had fourteen students attend. That is my largest class thus far. I love teaching, I love the young adults and I love the Temple.

I have been busy getting things done at home this week and had the Sister Missionaries for dinner last night. I had the Hardys the week before and bought them A+W when they came to take my outdoor Christmas lights down.

I was able to get Zachary’s money transferred to him successfully. These allocations of money to each of the grandchildren was something Tom wanted to do and we were able to do it for Justin, Max and Ross before Tom’s passing. This was my first attempt on my own. I also picked our safety deposit box items up from the bank they had sent them to and brought things to my local branch, which makes more sense. I am trying to handle finances and everything else Tom would have taken care of  or which we would have done together, wisely and well. Stretching on all levels has been the name of the game for me. 

As usual, it has been a busy couple of weeks and busy is actually good for me. I also try to phone or contact friends who are sick or struggling and I took Mary and Lincoln some dinner. I am trying to be of benefit to some, in some way. I pray, pray, pray  for my family and others too and sometimes that is all I can do.

Let me now share my testimony. I do not believe that I have ever written my testimony down and whether writing or speaking I feel my words are very inadequate on this topic.  I have had a testimony of the Savior Jesus Christ and the Gospel of Jesus Christ since I was a little girl. I seemed to have a believing heart. I knew that the baby featured in our cardboard Nativity set was in fact the Christ child and someone very special. I knew that Jesus in the Bible stories my mother read to us had lived and fulfilled an important role for all mankind. That love for and belief Him made me feel certain in the truthfulness of His Gospel. These experiences, coupled with the faithfulness of my mother, my grandparents and other family and friends, gave me an assurance that my feelings and beliefs were on solid ground. As I attended seminary, read my scriptures and learned from others in various settings, my understanding for the feelings I already had became more evident. There were definitely times when the spirit bore witness to me of the truthfulness of it all but mostly my feelings could be described as confidence and bedrock peace. With Tom’s passing I have felt the greatest grief my heart has ever experienced but I have also felt the most overwhelming constant peace that I have ever experienced. I believe the confidence and peace I have experienced at this time and throughout my life is a witness of the Holy Ghost. I believe that is my love language with the Lord. Through that personalized witness just for me, I can say that I know the Savior lives and loves me and that he atoned for me and all mankind. I know the Gospel of Jesus Christ has been restored in preparation for His return and the principles taught and the covenants and ordinances contained within it, come from the Savior and provide us a way to safely navigate this life and find our way back to Him and His Heavenly Home. I know that the Book of Mormon truly witnesses of the Savior and His gospel and it was given by Him, through the efforts of his faithful servants, to help us come unto Him. I know that Joseph Smith struggled to initiate the restoration and bring the Book of Mormon forth and that he was a prophet of God. I know that with the restoration we once more have prophets in the land and we have men and women giving their lives to bring forth the purposes of God. These are the things I know and I know them because the spirit has witnessed them to my heart and I have been blessed but confidence and great peace. These things I know.

January 17, 2025

 December and Christmas were busy times with Jennifer and Nora coming for the Taylor Swift concert, then Trevor’s visit before I left for Montana and my Bull family Christmas. I arrived home about an hour before the Burgess family arrived for New Years and Annika to visit Jack. I loved it all and being with all of them. The Burgess family left the day before Joanne, Jeff and the McCues arrived. Annika overlapped a day with them. Jenn and family stayed at her friends and Joanne and Jeff stayed here with me on the weekend. They busied themselves with some family activities while I did my Temple shift and such. I fed them soup on the day they arrived. We took Jeff back to Wagner Hills after church on Sunday and the McCues got Spenser off to school at UofVictoria and headed home. Joanne spent the next week with me.

I wasn’t sure what Joanne’s plans were when she came but it was nice t have her here for the week. She was having a little break from her caregiver responsibilities with Dave and had wanted to see Jeff. I think she feels good after having seen Wagner Hills and Jeff himself. I think he is doing well and we all really like Wagner Hills and feel it is a good place for him to be. Joanne helped me get my Christmas decorations down and put them away, including carrying the Christmas tree to the garage, intact to store it there. I am sure we looked like an old lady gong show. We went to the Temple and she took me out for lunch afterward. She came with Kona and I on our long walks each day and we went to Fort Langley where I had a meeting concerning the cemetery with some township personal and Mike from the church next door regarding improving the border landscaping between our properties. Virginia came to the meeting too. Joanne and I went shopping in Fort Langley afterwards and she took me for High Tea at the Little White House. We each bought a skirt there. I cleaned my house and had to go for a Hula practice while she was here. I drove her to the Abbotsford airport on Friday and Brooke picked her up in Calgary. It was a nice week. I think she enjoyed it.

We had our Ministering Sisters’ Conference on Sunday afternoon. I had organized a program and made the assignments and the presidency carried the plans out. I had been considering my talk “Anchored to The Rock” for weeks but only sat down to put it together after Joanne left. The rest spoke on being tethered to each other. The event was entitled “Anchored to The Rock and Tethered to Each Other”. I think it went well. I have been working this week to prepare a talk to give at the YSA Branch on Sunday. It is entitled “Preparing for Entering the Temple”. We will be starting Temple Prep classes at the YSA on January 26.

There are so many concerns my friends and others are having. Mary Harvey had surgery last week with cancerous lymph nodes being removed. I took them some soup on Wednesday. Wendy McKinley is in hospital with RSV and renal failure after her cruise to the Panama. Two young women in our ward and Brookswood have breast cancer. Amanda Desjardins has fluid build up in her brain and Ron Burnham passed away today. Our children and grandchildren have their struggles with anxiety and depression. My prayer lists are long.

We are practicing for our Hula dance to be performed at the Stake talent show on January 25.  Only for Bela would I do this.

My house is back together and cleaned after Christmas and all my company. Jenn and Nora will return next week for Jeff’s birthday. Life goes on with all its busyness, joys, trials and sorrows. All part of the plan.

January 3, 2025

 Christmas and New Years have come and gone with lots of family, activities, meals and a trip to and from White Fish Montana with Kona as my sidekick.

I was grateful for Trevor’s visit before Christmas making it possible for me to spend time with all my children during this holiday season. 

Brendon started getting ill around the 18th of December with colitis like symptoms. He went to the doctor and did end up in hospital emergency one night with some testing done and further testing scheduled. They gave him medication to reduce inflammation of the bowels. He managed to finish work before the holidays began but then spent the time coping and finally by New Years feeling somewhat better. He discovered that his Aunt Cathy has dealt with the disease for years. It does run in families.

I had been prepping for days in advance getting my clothes, baking done here and house in order before  I left on my trip to White Fish. Cindy drove Kona and I out to the airport on Monday, December 23. Things were quiet that evening at the airport and all went well. When we got to Seattle we had to rush to change terminals and I was exhausted by the time we got to the gate for Kalispell. We sat on the plane a long time before leaving and that made us late arriving, around midnight. Rissa was there to pick me up and I was glad to see her. I had cleaned much of my house that day and the trip and airport run and kicked in, so bed was welcome. I felt much better the next day and made orange rolls while they delivered gifts. We went up the mountain that evening to see Santa and his entourage ski down with torches and then Santa gave the children gifts in the lodge. We celebrated Christmas the next day with gifts and Christmas breakfast and then up the mountain for lunch and a lovely gathering and Christmas meal at Chris and Courtney’s in the evening. I had a nice visit with Nora, Courtney’s Nana and met Chris’s parents Pat and Libby. They had other families there as well. Chris and Courtney live in a large log cabin home. Through the week we shopped in downtown Whitefish and Columbia Falls. We went out to eat a couple more times, watched Christmas movies and worked  on a very difficult puzzle. I am sure Tom was having a good laugh. We went to church on Sunday and the  next day I cleaned up the guest house  and packed up. Kona enjoyed cousin Otis and the Bull family and generally did very well. Rissa got us back out to the airport and we had a good trip home but with another delay in Seattle and late arrival. Cindy and Paul were there ready to get us home. 

Jack’s girlfriend Annika Orr had dropped her things off earlier at my place and just as she and Jack arrived, the Burgess family walked in surprising me. I was so excited to see them. I was not sure if Brendon would be well enough to make the trip and it was a treat to have them arrive unexpectedly. Breya and Keaton helped me get groceries the next day and helped me cook for New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. We all came together for New Year’s treats and games and got to bed late - at least for me. The kids went for a hike on New Year’s Day and Brendon for a swim and then everyone came over for New Year’s Day dinner, more games and a movie. Tired. I think everyone is tired. Little Aksel has not gotten over his cold the whole time he has been here. 

Max, Jacqui and Aksel left for Australia the evening of the second and the Burgess family left for home earlier that day and arrived safely with Brendon driving. Joanne is arriving later today to visit Jeff and he may be staying here too. The Hardy family went to the Temple today to do baptisms and Jack and Annika leave for Lethbridge tomorrow. Revolving door here at the moment but I have been getting beds changed and bathrooms cleaned and will make dinner for Joanne and not sure who else, this evening.

Above all the movement from place to place and numerous activities, there stands the Reason for the Season, Jesus Christ. I love Him, I appreciate Him and I aspire to be like Him. I have missed Tom all along the way but do feel him near.❤️❤️

December 18, 2024

 Nearly a month has gone by since I have done an update. I guess my life has been busy so let’s have a look at what has been happening.

Jean is still in China and will not be returning home until January. Charmaine and Cheyenne are back in school and are staying where they are for Christmas. Cindy and I sent a little Christmas tree and twinkle lights to Cheyenne. I wish I could do more for Charmaine in Austria. I am trying to gather cards from church members and neighbors for Jean when she returns so she has a box of love waiting for her. Her home has had some problems with the fire alarms and the washer and dryer downstairs. Her friend David has changed all the alarms after Marie and I dismantled one and he fixed her security cameras after Kirk, Krista and I had a go at it. We have new sister missionaries in her basement and I had them for dinner last night.

I had scratched my car trunk and bumper when the garage door hinge caught it on the way down. I made an ICBC claim on that and had it repaired last week. I am now having to replace the HOV decal that was removed during repair. 

We have been trying to visit Wagner Hills each week to see Jeff. He is doing well and has now passed the one month mark and is able to come out. We had him for a family dinner on Saturday. Jennifer and Nora came to visit me when they attended the Taylor Swift concert. It as an exciting event and they were all dressed up and bedazzled when they left. I am still cleaning up sparkles around the house.

My home has been decorated for Christmas and I am enjoying my new flocked tree and other decorations. I am kept busy changing batteries for all my candles and twinkle lights. I had ordered all the Christmas gifts at an online site supposedly selling Roots clothing. Things have not seemed right and after communicating with them and not receiving my order, I gave up. There had only been a small charge put thru that I had the Visa company remove and I got money from the bank for everyone as gifts, Canada Post has been on strike and are now being ordered back to work so my Christmas cards have just been put in the mail.

Trevor was working in Seattle and was able to drive up and spend a few days with me last week. That was lovely. We had lunch in Fort Langley and saw Brooks Finley, visited the grave, did some shopping, went to the Temple, went to see the movie “Wicked” with the Hardy family and had the family dinner on Saturday with the Hardy family and Jeff. I was going to have the dinner here and  I had ordered a turkey roll, made carrot cake and layered salad but we had a terrible wind storm and my power went out and after cutting up my vegetables, we took the party to Cindy’s house. We had a big surprise when Max, Jacqui and Aksel appeared. They had made a surprise trip for Christmas and only Cindy and Sam were in on the secret.

Cindy, Paul and Sam took me to see “Miracle On 42nd Street” at Granville Island Art’s Club for my Christmas gift. It was lovely and fun to go at Christmas.

I have been making and distributing my Christmas nuts to neighbors and ministering people and receiving gifts from neighbors. I still want to pop in to see my ministering people somehow even though I have given them my nuts. I did take a plant to Esther Lai and had a visit with Joshua Lai. 

I have visited with Jeannette and Carolyn in the last little while and got caught up with them. Mary Harvey had some of us for a nice Christmas lunch and she has over to see me and talking to me on the phone, keeping me abreast of her health concerns with cancer. I am praying for her and others in their needs.

I have been trying to prepare the dog and I for our Christmas trip to Montana. I think I have things almost ready. Jack’s new girlfriend Annika Orr will be staying with me when I get back. She is the Rempel’s granddaughter. The Burgess family may be arriving at that time too and then Joanne, Dave and Jennifer will be here to see Jeff. I think Jennifer’s family is staying with Jenn’s friend.

Oh, it is busy but I don’t want to lose sight of that precious baby boy born in a stable long, long ago. Love for that baby in our Nativity Manger when I as little became the base for my testimony of HIM. I love Him and adore Him.

I am busy my Tom always has my heart and is always in my thoughts.❤️❤️

November 20, 2042

 I am getting ready for our LOW training this evening and then we are repeating it again tomorrow morning. We are doing two meetings to accommodate all our LOWs. We have some new procedures and a new video for our first time patrons and President Leavitt will be presenting those things. I have been making food and getting organized. I spent last Friday baking and my house smelt wonderful!

The Holt Family had Randall’s funeral last Saturday. His sudden passing, as a result of going septic from a liver infection, has been a shock to the family and their whole community. JayLynn’s mother had been unable to get to him before he passed and I am certain she had no idea how seriously ill he was. They will have some hard days ahead. Thank goodness for the Lord’s plan and the comfort it brings. I am praying for them and for Jean and her girls. Jean is still in China trying to sort their affairs out there. I fear that it will be another transition when she returns home in the new year. I am trying to think of how I can help her now and then. Both these men left so suddenly and their families are reeling as a result.

Joanne called to let me know that Jonathan and Jeff were coming to stay with me in order for Jeff to enter a one year rehab program. They arrived on Sunday November 10 and stayed Sunday and Monday nights. They celebrated Remembrance Day with us on the North Shore with a visit to my parents grave and then brunch at White Spot before they did a North Shore remembrance tour for Jeff and we came home. Jonny took him to the rehab location in Langley on Tuesday and Cindy and I were able to visit him at Wagner Hill on Saturday evening. We did not think he could have visitors the first month but Jonathan found out differently when he dropped him off. It is a lovely farm sitting on a hill overlooking the Fraser River and valley. We went to the main hall where they eat and have church and we were very impressed. Right now he is living in a room in connected trailers but there is a beautiful new facility being built that they should be moved into by Christmas. He looked good and he seemed happy. He seems to know the other fellows and they know him. Joanne is coming in December for a visit. We are praying for his success.

It was Trevor’s 52 birthday yesterday. How the years have flown. He told me he is coming to visit in December and I am excited about that. I ordered everyone’s Christmas gifts the end of October and it says they are on a boat from China right now. I hope they get here before Trevor so he can take them home with him. I can take the Bull’s when I go to Montana for Christmas.

I have been trying to get ready for Christmas slowly. My cards have arrived, gifts hopefully on the way and Paul and Sam came over Monday evening to help me get my outdoor lights up. I had to hold the spotlight so Paul could see what he was doing in the dark. I bought them A+W for helping me. Cindy was out with her friends. I have ordered a new flocked Christmas tree and it should arrive by December 2.

I am busy with callings, Kona and my home. I am grateful for friends that show their love and concern for me and I hope I do for them in return. My family is my greatest gift and they are constantly on my mind and in my prayers. They all have their challenges and I hope my presence and prayers are of benefit. I know their father is helping. He is always here for me.

November 7, 2024

 Our sad news since my last post is that Wayne Yang, Jean’s husband passed away suddenly after a very brief illness. Jean came over on Monday, October 28 to inform me that Wayne was in a coma and she was leaving for China. Charmaine was already on her way from Austria and Cheyenne was flying in to meet Jean and carry on to China. I arranged for Cindy and Paul to drive her to the airport that night. She was meeting Cheyenne around midnight and then remaining in the airport to fly out first thing in the morning. Unfortunately Wayne had passed before any of them got there. The girls have since flown back to school and Jean will remain in Shanghai until the new year. My heart is breaking for them. Charmaine had been to China to visit him recently and Jean and Cheyenne were going for Christmas. They had not been with him since covid. Jean and I have been communicating and I am watching her house and mail. Our neighbors Kirk and Krista have been helping with the car battery and trying to help me get Jean’s outside cameras operating. We are going over again this evening to try once more but this time we will have Jean on a video call. She is worried about her house as they have joint ownership but no will. I have been trying to look into that for her. I am concerned for Jean and the girls. We are all praying for them.

Rissa had a bike accident with Colton on with her and she broke her cheek. She has had surgery and a plate put in her cheek. She has been taking it easy and trying to recover from the accident and surgery. Friends have been bringing food and helping with children. I am grateful things were not worse.

Kona and I have both had our hair cut and her’s cut is much more expensive than mine. My hairdresser had experienced a fall and was having a struggle standing. We have also had Halloween and Kona made it thru all the children at the door and the fireworks afterward. We had a bad storm Sunday night and Monday and lost our power for most of Monday. Kona had to deal with the noises and drama of that too. Her life has been exciting and traumatic lately.

I went to a memorial for the Bill’s son who took his own life in Tasmania. He had sever emotional struggles throughout his life and had coped by travelling and biking all over the world. He was a talented photographer and capable and creative young man. He left some beautiful memories but a heartbroken family who will miss him. He will be fine now.

I went to visit Helena and also went to meet with Kayleen regarding our ministering Fireside in January. I have made the outline for the evening and need it approved.

Liza, Brenda, Keaton, Sayde and their exchange student from France came down for the weekend so the student could see Vancouver. The weather was not the best but they did get home before the big storm hit and I was grateful for that.  

I have been cleaning the yard for winter and also cleaning up leaves after the storm. I have my Temple shift on Saturdays and my sessions on Tuesday mornings. We zoom as a family most Sundays. I have been meeting with Bela to practice the Hula for the Stake talent show in January. I am also planning the LOW training meeting with Ted Streibel for the end of the month. I am busy but that is good for me. I miss my boy. ❤️

 

October 25, 2024

 Cheyenne was home for fall school break. She was able to get her little kitten from the Cardno’s and Cheyenne and kitty are getting adjusted to each other.. I took them out for lunch one day to celebrate Jean’s 60th birthday. We went to Saba’s and somehow Jean would not let me pay.

I did my Relief Society Activity Day presentation on the 16th. I entitled it “We’ll Ascend Together - The Mountain of the Lord”. Melanie Leonard kindly discussed the influence of angels in our lives. Cheyenne, Cindy and Kristen came with me for support.

We had an atmospheric river pour down on us for a couple of days and we had some flooding on the North Shore and elsewhere. One woman lost her life. Liza, Brendon and Sayde drove down in the middle of it to attend the Temple. They only stayed for one night and had to get home to Keaton and the arrival of an exchange student from France.

Cindy did our Thanksgiving dinner and it worked best for Ross and his schooling to do it a week late. I made ambrosia salad and brought rolls. Cindy had taken me out for a lunch sandwich on the weekend of  Thanksgiving so that was nice.

Ted Streibel and I had a meeting at the Temple with President Leavitt regarding some upcoming changes and now we have booked two training dates for later in November as we need to get our LOWs up to speed.

Bela has me dancing in an Hawaiian Dance Group at the Stake talent show in January. Oh dear, I am feeling old and have trouble getting my hand/hip coordination together more than I did in my old dance days.

I have been working to get the yard ready for winter and cutting things down. I fill my green bin up quickly so have to spread work over time and wait for the waste people to empty my debris before doing more. My ginkgo tree in my front yard has been dropping leaves since August and it keeps me busy cleaning leaves almost daily. I think it may have a disease and I am trying to get to the bottom of that. I have a returning big bird making messes on my back deck so I bought a helium balloon today to try to discourage it from coming.

Rolfsons drove me to Adrian Toolson’s funeral which was lovely for a lovely man. It was nice to see so many wonderful people from our Vancouver Stake. I miss them. I helped Rosemarie clean her house up before her move back to the Burnaby Ward with her daughter and family. We will all miss her too. She has been very kind to me and many others.

So things carry on. I have booked flights, with Cindy’s help, to go to Montana for Christmas so that will be nice. 

I appreciate and love my children, grandchildren and good friends and I really appreciate and love my angel friend.

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