The Grandparent Chronicles

  IT’S NOT ABOUT THE BUNNY IT’S ALL ABOUT THE LAMB! Easter, like most holidays we celebrate in our day, has evolved in its origins from a potpourri of multiple cultures, pagan rituals, and religious events. “The word Easter is from Eastre, a Norse goddess whose pagan festival was observed at the spring equinox. The association of this pagan goddess with the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ was only by adaptation and synthesis. There is no real connection. Jesus, being the Lamb of God, was crucified at Passover time and is the true Passover (see 1 Cor 5:7). He was raised from the grave on the third day thereafter. It thus became a springtime anniversary and has come to be called Easter in the Christian world.” (Bible Dictionary p.659) The word Easter appears only once in the bible (Acts 12:4) with a footnote showing that “Passover” would be a better translation. “The easter bunny originated among German Lutherans and originally played the role of a judge, ev...

LONG LIVE UKRAINE!           In June of 2019, we landed in Kiev, Ukraine to begin a 2-year mission that would only last 10 months due to covid.    We soon fell in love with these amazing people, their customs and culture, their food, and their beautiful country.   Now their county is being destroyed.   Their once peaceful neighborhoods are in rubble. Many we know and love are staying but some are sending their wives and children to neighboring countries for safety while their fathers and brothers are staying to fight. Recently we came across a letter from a couple we know. They worked in the Kiev Temple. Their letter was sent to the McMurtry family, dear Temple missionary friends. (Sheri and Annette were amazing together with the Cello and piano! Bruce and Gary were a team to beat on the basketball court!)   The Miroshnichenkos’ asked that their letter be shared.   We think you’ll agree that it is definitely, Grandparent Chron...

  GO FOR THE GOLD!    We love the Olympics! Originating in ancient Olympia Greece some 3,000 years ago, the 1 st modern Olympics took place in 1896 at Athens Greece. Since 1994, summer and winter Olympics have alternated every 2 years in different parts of the world. Every Olympic is a competition of the world's best in every Olympic sport. Each is there to do the best they can for their country, family, and self. Many go home disappointed but all return home having tried to do their very best. The athlete that many call the “greatest Olympian of all time” was a black American named Jessie Owens. Although other track and field Olympians have won more medals, Jessie won 4 gold medals and set 2 world records- in front of Adolph Hitler in 1936. Hitler spent his life promoting the false idea of a “superior race.” Jessie proved that people of all races can perform superiorly, that we all have God given talents and that anyone can be capable of accomplishing amazing th...

  OUR OWN GARDEN OF EDEN EXPERIENCE    Last January 2021, we sent you a message about “starting over again” and encouraged you to regularly use the wonderful gift of repentance. In January 2020 we reminded you of the importance of seeing spiritually with “2020 vision.” (we encourage you to reread these still timely messages.) This month of January 2022, as we start yet another new year, we thought it might be beneficial to go clear back to the beginning of humanity on this wonderful world of ours to Adam and Eve to see what lessons we can learn from their beginnings to observe any correlation to our own lives that might help us succeed. You know the biblical story. Adam and Eve find themselves in a new world, naked and vulnerable.  God gives them two commandments, there are two trees of importance, the serpent tempts them to partake of the forbidden fruit, they eat, are removed from the garden to live now in the “lone and dreary world.” Have you ever put yourse...

THE   G R E A T E S T   G I F T The story is told of a humble man who owned a nice piece of property with a little stream flowing through it.   He was happy but not content.   He wanted more.   One day he was down by his little stream and noticed something shinny in the stream bed.   He picked it up and admired it’s ability to reflect light, so he put it on his fireplace mantel and in time, forgot about it.   It wasn’t long before he decided to sell his place to finance his desire to seek riches.   Doing so, he left his little piece of heaven on earth and off he went to seek his fortune.   Not long after moving in, the new owner noticed the shinny rock on the mantle and was also struck by it’s glitter.   Curious where it had come from, he began to explore his property until he discovered several more in the stream.   He placed them on his mantel and proudly showed them to all who visited. One such visitor recognized the rocks on...

  DENNIS ROY STONE- TRIBUTE TO A LIFE WELL LIVED            February 9, 1935- November 6, 2021 On November 12, 2021 family and friends gathered to pay tribute to a life well lived.   I first met Dennis Stone when I began dating his oldest daughter Annette but I knew his family much sooner.   Doxey and June (Dennis’s parents) lived at the corner of 12 th St and Porter Ave. in Ogden, Utah just a few blocks away from our home on 14 th St. We all belonged to the Ogden 7 th Ward. His brother Roy was my brother Byron’s age and Colleen (Dennis’s oldest sister (yet younger than him by 14 years) was my age and we all attended the Old Mound Fort Jr High and then Ben Lomond High School. When I started dating Annette, Naomi, Annette’s mother     was expecting Chad. Grandpa Phipps   (Naomi’s father) was living with the family at the time.   I remember Dennis as a young, handsome, athletic guy who loved basketb...

Cindy and Don Staheli Mons,Belgium 1970 ( branch activity) Elder Wade, Elder Staheli & a member “…and behold, this was a joyful meeting.” (Alma 27:16) You are probably familiar with the Book of Mormon account of Alma the younger and the sons of Mosiah.(Mosiah 27).After persecuting the church and being called to repent by an angel, Alma followed in his father’s footsteps and became a leader in the government and the church.   The sons of Mosiah went on a mission to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with the Lamanites. After 14 years of service, having endured many hardships but also having had much success, they encounter Alma the younger as they were returning home.   The scriptures record this chance reunion and describe it as “a joyful meeting”. Recently, I had such a joyful meeting!   51 years ago in Mons, Belgium, I served with a wonderful missionary named Don Staheli. That’s not a very common name so when we discovered that an Elder Staheli was serving in ...