There's No One Like Louie Armstrong
We heard a young man singing What  A Wonderful World made famous by Louie Armstrong's amazing voice and style. That's one inspiring set of lyrics!   I read that it took three different individuals to come up with these lyrics and they surely did a great job!
Whenever one might be feeling down, just crank up the volume and listen to a very uplifting song.  It will touch you every time. Promise.

"I see trees of green...red roses too.
I see 'em bloom...for me and for you.
And I think to myself...what a wonderful world.

I see skies of blue...clouds of white
Bright blessed days...dark sacred nights.
And I think to myself...what a wonderful world.

The colors of a rainbow...so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces...of people going by.
I see friends shaking hands...sayin' how do you do.
They're really sayin"...I love you.

I hear babies cry...I watch them grow.
They'll learn much more...than I'll ever know.
And I think to myself...what a wonderful world!

It's a beautiful world out there.  Let's pause a moment today, go outside, take in some fresh air, and really look at this beautiful planet.  This planet, our earth, was made for us by our Father in Heaven and we certainly have the privilege of being appreciative of it.


Our Planet Isn't The Only Thing Out There
People are pretty important too and we are meeting some special individuals. To give you an idea of some of these wonderful people,  we'll start off with a young lady taking a picture of her  beautiful horses. She told us that the older horse was bought on the day she was born and the younger horse was born from the older horse.  She related that no price would ever be high enough for her to sell these horses.
Then there is an older German lady whose father fought in the German Army during the Russian Campaign in WWII.  She related how those years were VERY difficult.
How about the man who works at food concession stands in the good weather and plays Santa Claus in the winter. 
Or the rodeo family where a son and brother was quite well known in the rodeo circuit.  Intriguing was the hunter's wife who says that hunting chukkers (game birds) is a real tricky thing because the chukkers are very crafty birds.
One of the most interesting was the lady whose family bought an old Friend's Church (Quakers)! We got to see some of it.  Their living room was the former chapel and their family room was the former cultural hall. You should see the school room she's set up where she homeschools her daughter.  There is a library on the third floor where she (a former school librarian) has a collection of thousands of books.  Amazing!

Miracles and Blessings Surround Us
Happiness comes from what we focus on - not whether or not life is fair!
Hold fast to what you DO know and stand strong until ADDITIONAL knowledge comes to you.

McCall welcomes you in style with a mountain log sign.  Here's Elder Masters at a beautiful beach with an accompanying promenade at Payette Lake's south shore. Notice the sail boats in the background. Very nice indeed.
If one is a skier, Brundage Mountain,six miles from McCall, offers great skiing from about mid November to mid May.  There's a 1,550-foot drop to the valley floor. Yikes!

Payette River - Isn't This Beautiful?

Payette River On The Way To McCall Idaho

 

Last Monday on our preparation day 9/9/13, we drove to McCall, Idaho to celebrate my upcoming birthday.  The white-water  Payette River borders the highway making for a great drive along Highway 55 to McCall. McCall is on the south shore of Payette Lake and  is one of Idaho's most  popular recreation areas.  McCall has cabin, motel, and hotel accomodations as well as a campground at nearby Ponderosa State Park. We drove aroiund the 25 mile shoreline the eastern portion of which was a gravel road.  Nearby is Little Payette Lake which fishermen use in the winter for ice fisihing.  We'd like to see that this winter!.

What Is My Anchor In Life?
We meet loads of new people each day.  As we talk to them  (for the most part by far fine people), it's interesting through our conversation to discover what appears to be their anchor in life.
We've observed that for some it is God, our  Father in Heaven; for others it's sports, family, poliics, career, their home, community involvement, social status,etc., or a combination of these things.
At times it might be of benefit to invite ourself to pause and observe ourself  through the years to note what makes us tick.  What helps us get through life's rough spots and great challenges?
The answer might boast our self confidence, might prompt us to make some changes to better benefit ourselves and others, or the answer might again be a combination of the above!

The Lost Has Been Found
Before our mission, we went to great lengths to choose just the right scripture as the main scripture to lead us along throughout our 18 months. Finally we found the perfect fit. We turned in the scripture to the bishopric to be put on our missionary plaque.  Things were going fine until we realized that we had forgotten which scripture we had picked!
Kathy Beeder checked for us this past Sunday (thank you, Kathy!) and now the mystery is solved!
The scripture is Doctrine and Covenants 81:5.  It reads as follows.
"Wherefore, be faithful; stand in the office which I have appointed unto you;
succor the weak, lift up the hands which hang down, and strengthen the feeble knees." Now, as we told the Beeders, that the scripture has been found all we have to do is muster the strength to live it!  We'll give it our best.

Another Birthday
Today is my birthday.When I really think about it, I've had the good fortune to see 67 seasons of the year, 67 holidays, and the best part is that I've spent them all with those I love and cherish.  What could be better?  There are those who shy away from their birthday and their age jokingly which is fine. We all do.  But in reality what a special day to pause a bit and recollect the wisdom, joys, sorrows, trials, insights, etc of the past.  Birthdays really are special days after all!

Fellow Masters Missionary
At the same time we are serving a mission here in the Nampa, Idaho area, our grandson, William Andrew Masters, Jr., is serving also in the Jacksonville, Florida area.  This is a special thing because both the young and the "more seasoned" are serving others together.  What a great thing!