The Grandparent Chronicles

                              O U R   “F A U N T I E”           Does the word “Fauntie” mean anything to you?   It’s a term used to describe a Fun Aunt-   protective like a Mom but constantly spoiling you and rarely says no.   My siblings and I had such a “Fauntie”. Dorthy Faye McAllister started her life in Mesa, Arizona on April 30, 1937, the last of 5 children born to Luther and Susanna McAllister.   Her big sister (our mother Donna) reflects: “ I remember how excited I was to finally have a sister after three brothers!”   Dorthy was a beautiful red- headed little girl, but she was a sickly child.   When she was finally diagnosed with rheumatic fever, thinking a climate change would help, the family relocated to the Ogden, Utah area.   The cure included several months of bed rest which required that she have a tuto...

  LIVING CLOSE TO THE TEMPLE   While recently serving a mission in Kyiv Ukraine, we enjoyed each morning walking about 20 min to our mission office that was on the Kyiv temple grounds.   As we got close enough to see the temple a sense of happiness would lift our spirits and as we entered the temple grounds a distinct feeling of peace would envelope us.   Now, serving as the Sacramento Temple grounds caretakers and living on the temple grounds, our claim to fame is that “no one lives closer to the Temple than we do!”   Here we experience daily those same feelings of joy and peace that lifted us in Ukraine.   There is definitely something special about living close to a temple.   The children of Israel were commanded to build a sanctuary (the tabernacle or portable temple) “that I may dwell among them.” (Exodus 25:8) On the American continent, there was “a great multitude gathered together, of the people of Nephi, round about the Temple” when the Sa...

                  “ The main thing is to make sure that we     keep the main thing the main thing.”  What does that mean??  THE MAIN THING...                           February 2021 February with it's Valentine's Day, could be considered the month of Love.  The scriptures teach us that "God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son,..." (John 3:16).  Speaking of that love, Elder D. Todd Christopherson of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles, in a recent Northern California Regional Conference quoted Steven R. Covey as saying; "The main thing is to keep the main thing, the main thing." The point of the quote is to keep the main thing front and center in your life. To not allow yourself to be distracted by all the other (non-main) things going on around you. OK, that's good advise but what is the Main or most important thing? Answer-God loved us...

               STARTING OVER, AGAIN (THE PRIVILEDGE WE CALL REPENTANCE)   In looking back through the window of time, some of my most satisfying of life’s experiences were spent counseling with young people as they tried to navigate life successfully.   I specifically recall counseling with a young woman we will call Rachael.   (name changed to protect the repentant). Rachael was a lovely, vivacious young lady whose courage I admired but whose weakness was boys.  Time and time again she would visit me in my office to confess her indiscretions with a new boyfriend. She was a good person who knew and desired to do right but her weakness was difficult to overcome. As I caringly listened, I offered a silent prayer, “Dear Lord, please help me know how to help this sweet daughter of yours”. I felt the inspiration come but hesitated to tell her so directly what I had felt. Then, reassured by the spirit and with a smile on my fac...

  CHRISTMAS ON TEMPLE HILL At Christmas time, the world sees Christ more clearly through the symbols of Christmas. The Star, a symbol of his birth, the evergreen tree reminds us that we can have “eternal life” through Jesus Christ, Holly with its’ thorny leaves and red berries reminds us of the crown of thorns and the blood Christ shed for us. Even the gifts we give each other remind us of the gifts of the wise men but more importantly, the gifts Christs offers to each of us. Lights and candles, poinsettias, wreaths, bells, candy canes and even stockings all remind us of Christ and Christmas. The scriptures remind us that all things testify of Christ. (Moses 6:63) “And behold, all things have their likeness, and all things are created and made to bear record of me, both things which are temporal, and things which are spiritual;…all things bear record of me.” Here on Temple Hill all things really do “testify of Christ”.   A path through lighted trees reminds us that He is the...

  AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE   The story is told of a man who got up on his roof to adjust his Television antenna. (Yes, they really did have TV antennas on the roof which needed a manual adjustment from time to time, I’ve participated in this ritual myself!) His roof was steep and he was very cautious but in spite of his care, he began to slip. As he slid down his roof he uttered a verbal prayer. “Dear Lord, save me!”   Just then his trousers got stuck on a nail which, for no logical reason, was sticking up from his roof in a strange location. It was big enough that it stopped his rapid descent and as he came to a stop he looked heavenward and prayed again.   “Never mind Lord, this nail stopped me!”   So, was it just a lucky coincidence that the nail happened to be in the right place at the right time to save him or was it an answer to his 1 st prayer? We may never know, but we should always be quick to give thanks to God as we are convinced that he is in th...

Why do they call it Fast day when it goes so slow?   WHY FAST ??   This month’s Grandparent Chronicles explores the question Why Fast ?    Hopefully, you’ll discover, as we have, that great blessings await those who sincerely pray and fast with a purpose. President Russell M. Nelson (April 2020 General Conference- “Opening the Heavens for Help”) said; “As you know, members of the church observe the law of the fast one day each month. The doctrine of fasting is ancient. It has been practiced by biblical heroes from the earliest days.   Moses, David, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Isaiah, Daniel, Joel and many others fasted and preached of fasting. Through Isaiah’s writings, the Lord said: “Is this not the fast that I have chosen? To loose the bands of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the oppressed go free?” The Apostle Paul admonished Saints in Corinth to” give yourselves to fasting and prayer.” Carl B. Pratt (1 st Quorum of the 70) in General ...