Saturday, May 31, 2014

Missionary Work - Masters Style
Most of the time we use our main calendar binder and ancillary spiral binders to keep track of our schedule, but every once in a while a trailing post it note list does the trick!
When You Have Post It Notes, Who Needs A Fancy Planner?

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Alison Murphy's Baptism Day
Alison was baptized on March 22, 2014.  She was amazing in her devotion to  and her study  of the scriptures prior to baptism.  Very exceptional!
Alison Murphy's Baptism    Jack and Alison Murphy   Sister Christine and Elder Norm Masters 

Alison Murphy's Baptism   March 22, 2014   Alison and Sister Masters   Caldwell, Idaho

Alison's Most Special Baptismal Day

Monday, May 26, 2014

South Of The Border Down Mexico Way
Willie, Lanette, and girls enjoyed a recent Mexican vacation!
An alluring  beach, an awesome sunset, a gorgeous resort, a night of Mexican entertainment, and Sunday church - what a fabulous combination!
Golden Sunset Over The Seas Off The Coast Of Mexico

Willie, Mara, Ariah, Cumorah, Lorrente, and Lanette Masters At The Beach    Mexico 2014

Beautiful Family    Beautiful Mexican Resort

Dad and Mom Masters      Willie and Lanette

Picture Perfect     Cumorah and Llorente Masters

Willie Entertaining All In Mexico   2014

The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints     Visitors Welcome

Sunday Church In Mexico    Llorente, Cumorah, Willie, Lanette, Ariah, and Mara Masters

Something Fishy
A dad of one of Monalisa's daycare children brought a live fish that he had caught.
Below is a picture of the Wald children and Dave prior to the fish  being eaten!
Catherine, Tessa, Thomas, Dave Wald, And A Fish    North Ogden, Utah 2014

Standing On The Shoulders Of Giants

Today is Memorial Day 2014.

Today I  purposefully ponder regarding those individuals who have come before me, both family and all others. What a debt I owe to these people, many of whom were great individuals.
I think of deceased members of my own family who weathered life's storms in a gracious and uncomplaining manner.

My maternal grandmother, Teresa Chesini, comes to mind.  She left Italy with my grandfather, Lorenzo, as a young wife. Because of the poverty of the Verona, Italy area at that time, they decided  to come to America to earn money.  They intended to return to Italy, but that never happened.

Their first attempt to leave Italy failed because a severe storm prevented the ship from leaving port. Two weeks later, my grandparents set sail on another ship sailing from Genoa to New York. They then got on a train and rode across country from New York to the Los Angeles area where they lived in San Pedro in an Italian community.

My grandfather worked as a longshoreman until they had enough money to
purchase land in Meridian, California in the Sutter Basin.  Life was difficult, the work was hard, and they raised six children. When the children were mostly grown,  my grandfather was accidentally killed in an automobile accident. Not far from this time, my grandmother had to commit her oldest son to a mental institution.  Despite these challenges, my grandmother was an inspiration to us all and the last words she uttered in this mortal life was the sacred name of "Jesus."

Besides our own relatives, think of the men and women of the United States who gave their time and, in many cases, their lives in the service of our country to preserve our precious freedoms granted unto us by the United States Constitution.

I think of the countless statesmen, clergymen, farmers, industrialists, inventors, educators, you name it, who contributed so much to the quality of life we enjoy today. We owe them a great debt because much of what we are today is because of them and their efforts.

On the two pound coin of the United Kingdom is inscribed the words "Standing on the Shoulders of Giants."

May God be praised for all the fine men and women who preceded us on this earth.
They are truly "giants" in our eyes!

They strengthen and inspire us. Through their example, may we hold true to our principles of  devotion to God, loyalty to family, and service to our country.

Happy Memorial Day 2014!

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Iris Heaven
As we were traveling through Caldwell, we noticed a garden of iris flowers which, in terms of variety of colors, was just unlike anything we had ever seen!

We spoke to the owner who said that every year for many years she ordered a different color to add to her garden.  Amazing!

The word "iris" in Greek means rainbow.  We certainly agree!

Enjoy the multitude of colors of the rainbow in this iris show of color!
What a panorama of colors our Creator has given us!




























Liz and Dennis
Liz and Dennis Gallagher, our friends and neighbors from Springville, Utah,  visited this past weekend.  Liz and Dennis got a bit of a "taste" of missionary life.
In addition, we were able to take a few trips into the countryside as well as up to the nearby mountains.
Fantastic Ice Cream in Homedale, Idaho  Gateway To The Owyhee Mountains   

Elder Norm And Sister Christine Masters  Saturday Afternoon Ice Cream Break  May 2014

Four Ice Cream Buddies On A Lazy Saturday Afternoon

Liz and Dennis Gallagher  Homedale, Idaho   Love That Horseshoe Art!

Happiness Is Friends Visiting

A Mountain Lake Resort       Is This Heaven Or What?

Beautiful Lake, Beautiful Sky, Beautiful Mountains

Sister Christine and Elder Norm Masters     Liz and Dennis Gallagher  Payette Lake  McCall, Idaho  May 2014
                              

Sunset on Lizard Butte    Marsing, Idaho    Notice the Cross on the Top of the Butte

Celestial Grandeur on a Sunday Afternoon Drive      Near Cambridge, Idaho