A Very Bad Night

Last night I had a very bad night.  I woke around 1:30 am to go to the bathroom

 but I could not pass my stool and it was so painful.  

In 2018 I had had a tumor removed from my tail and it is not exactly normal but

 it has been five years 

and I had not had such a problem.  Later I decided it was calcium my new 

doctor started me on recently and I remember I had a problem with 

calcium before.  It can be constipating.

At any rate I spent about 5 hours drinking water, walking in my room,

 in the bathroom (actually had my best score of Solitaire ever (7710!) but in

 pain most of the time.  Finally after praying, and all of the above I was relieved 

and went to sleep again.

James texted me at around 8 and told me he was walking Bear, 

I could see him across the street in the park.  I texted him I had had a 

very bad night, etc and would not be able to come over and not go to church

 with him.  He came and got Sadie and took her for a walk. 

  I went back to sleep and slept until 10 or 11.  

Growing old is one challenge after another.

Ward Christmas Breakfast, Treeo 2021

Jeanne and I got a ride with Larry Lawson to the Ward Breakfast.  We sat at a front table with others from Treeo.  At 9 AM we were about the only ones there.  Plastic covers were on the round tables but no decorations of any kind.

It soon filled up and on two tables in front was foil tins and other things of food and drink from Kneaders.  They let the old people get in line first.

It was a huge french toast with delicious syrup and strawberries and whipped cream.  It all went deliciously together.  The whole serving of things was very casual.  I got the idea the bishopric was doing all the work and they just asked volunteers to serve.

A very jolly elf (wish I had his picture) was dressed in an amazing costume and had grown his beard out long and curved.  His shoes were handmade and cost $600!!!!  His wife made his outfit, really great.

While the bishopric rolled a bin around and cleaned everything up we sang Christmas carols until the primary children were costumed and on stage.  A narrator presented the story and the children arranged themself.  All very informal, no one cared about lights or junk on the stage but had wonderful costumes.

It was certainly a stress free wonderful Christmas Breakfast for everyone.

Church during the Pandemic

I am not sure why I took this picture or if it did it accidently but I have enjoyed being able to listen to church without any problem on my phone because my hearing aids bring in anything I get on my phone such as books and this Zoom very clearly.   I can hear so well now with my Costco hearing aids.  I prefer to listen to church this way now all the time.

 

Why the Anderson Moved to Glendive and History of LDS Church in Glendive

 This is the talk given by Ethel Anderson in the 1980s

     When the fine Ogden, Utah department store called The Golden Rule was sold to J C Penney, my husband Ferrell was transferred to a J C  Penney store in Evanston Wyoming.  We lived there for about five years.  Ferrell was being trained for managership and our life style seemed pretty well set.

     Then the big depression began to haunt us.  Salaries were cut, employees were laid off.  Our fifth child was on the way and I began to long for my family in Ogden.  For fear Ferrell might be the next to be laid off, we moved back to Ogden and Ferrell worked for my brother-in-law in a grocery and meat store.

     In the meantime, Ferrell’s brother Lorin had been transferred to a Penney’s Store in Billings, Montana and then had the opportunity of going to Miles City to manage a store for Karl Johnson.  Lorin became a partner and they decided to open a Karl Johnson Store in Glendive where a family-owned store was going out of business.  Ferrell was urged to come to manage this store and use the experience he was trained for.  The store had belonged to the Hollecker family.

     Ferrell left for Glendive in February 1934.  Our five children and I came in May.  Dick was 10 years old (the oldest) and Janet (the youngest) was 15 months old.  In between were David, Jeanne, and Marilyn.  Carole was born a few years later.

     We felt blessed to be given this opportunity but when I and the five children arrived on the train, it seemed to be the end of nowhere.

     There were no Mormons! A woman who worked at the store advised us not to mention we were Mormons.  But we never hid that fact and began to make friends and take part in the community life. We chose to go to the Congregational Church because of friends next door who had children the same ages as ours.  We made many fine friends.

     From some of Ferrell’s records, he says 1934 still was a depression year and Glendive was suffering from a drought.  Government was purchasing a majority of Dawson County cattle for about $5 to $20 a head.  Nearly all labor except a skeleton railroad force was WPA (Government).  Business was at a low ebb.

     Dick was 15 years old before we acquired a car but we lived nearer town then, and did a lot of walking.

     In the summer of 1937 two missionaries arrived much to our joy.  We had two children (David and Jeanne) ready for baptism.  David had just turned 10 and Jeanne was 8.  They were baptized by Elder Ray Smith and confirmed by Elder Clarence Stanger.  The baptism took place in the Yellowstone River.

     Our lives began to change at the start of the Buffalo Rapids Irrigation Project in 1937.  Work was done mostly by WPA labor in conjunction with the Reclamation Bureau.  Business began to pick up.  Best of all it brought in our first Mormons.

     One summer day in 1937 the Elders arrived at our home with great news.  They had just passed a home not too far away with a Utah car parked in front and people were moving in.  We were all so happy.  I called on the new family a day or so later.  I prayed it would be a family, an active family, and someone we could be very friendly with.  When a young woman with a smile came to the door I felt disappointed, I don’t know why.  She said, “Oh, I’m just helping them get settled.  I’ll call Mrs. Neely.”  Jo (Josephine) Neely came to the door.  We were around the same age and we were friends at that very moment and are still friends today.  They live in Spanish Fork.  Her husband Parley passed away May 24, 1986. Parley was an engineer working for the Buffalo Rapids Project.

     We began having church meetings in our homes.  We even included Primary and sometimes invited the neighbor children.  Our first missionaries to reside in Glendive were Elder Tingey and Elder Smith.  The missionaries presided over the meetings for some time.  It was a wonderful experience for them and I marveled that such young men could speak so well.  It was our first experience with missionaries.

     Those missionaries made a fine impression on the Glendive people.  Many would comment to me what fine young men they were.  One family especially was impressed enough to open their home for meetings and parties.  That family, the Hoffs, eventually moved to Salt Lake City where they all joined the Church.  Several other LDS families arrived but when the Project was finished, one by one they were transferred to Williston, N. D. or other places.

     So it went on for some time.  Ferrell was made a Presiding Elder which lessened the work of the missionaries but they still played a big part in teaching and giving us fine spiritual talks which we needed.

     If you did not live around this area before the Buffalo Rapids Irrigation Project, you would not know the improvement and change for the good it did for the farmers and ranchers and in many ways for all of us.

     The World War II made some changes, too.  Some Elders who were working in Germany came to Glendive to finish their missions and showed us beautiful pictures of Germany.  It was sad to hear what was taking place.  They were the last Elders we would have for some time.

     Dick graduated in 1942 and instead of getting ready for a mission, he went to Butte School of Mines and was selected to go on for training as an Ensign in the Navy.  The World War II was raging and missionaries were not being called.  At that time our membership in the Branch was low.  After the war, Dick went to BYU and met Mary Templeton and they were married in the Salt Lake Temple.  Mary has been a true daughter me and a great support to her husband and family.  David, because of serious burns on his legs received in an accident while working in a forest in northern Idaho, was not accepted in any part of the war services although he tried.  He was told the scar tissue would cause him serious trouble so he did not get into the war nor go on a mission.

     We began meeting in the Odd Fellows Hall for Church and by this time the Derby Whitmers and Audry Wilkinsen and her two little boys Karl and Fen had come back to Glendive to live.  We had some lady missionaries by then and had an active Relief Society.  Audrey was a big help with her talents and willingness to serve. l remember we served a turkey dinner at the Odd Fellows Hall and sold tickets to just enough people we could accommodate.  It was a big success under the supervision of Audrey.  Later, she married Chris Christianson and they both were very supportive.  We were sorry when they moved to Livingston but were happy when Fen moved back as a young man with his wife Margie.

     Through the years many fine active families moved in.  Some stayed longer than others but sooner or later they would be transferred.  We hated   to see anyone leave but each left their mark and used their talents and energy to keep the Branch going while they were here.

     We very seldom had a piano player to accompany us in our singing but we sang anyway.  Also, families were building the branches in Billings, Miles City, Baker and in North Dakota.  The Mission President’s home was in Minneapolis and we were in the North Dakota District.  We attended conferences as far away as Minot and Bismark and Billings.  A morning and afternoon meeting would be held with lunch served between meetings.  It was prepared by the members of wherever conference was held.  Most always there was one of the General Authorities who traveled with the Mission President and we were thrilled by their presence and the spiritual food they offered us.

     In Glendive not all who came left, but some stayed and are still here and were for many years the backbone of the branch.  Harold and Olive Mercer lived here for a short time and then went to live in Sidney.  For many years Sister Haas, Olive’s mother, was the main stay of that Branch.  Kim and Beatrice Mitchell, Joe Keller, and Debbie Chouinard’s grandparents played a big part in our activities.  The Orcutts with their fine growing family were a great help.  We just couldn’t have gone on without them.  When the Getz came we always had music and Edythe Brown and son took over the piano.  By this time we had acquired the old Lutheran Church and we had fun hanging curtains, furnishing the kitchen with dishes we brought from our own homes along with other donated articles.  We held bake sales to earn money for the things we needed to buy.  We had many suppers and get togethers.

     In 1950 at a conference in Glendive, Ferrell was asked to become Branch President.  He served until 1960.  During that time the Gene Jensen’s were baptized in the Church, Santa Hrubes, (Derby Whitmer’s sister) joined the Church and later John became a member.  Elaine Whitmer was Relief Society President and Audrey Christiansen and I were her counselors.  We all taught either Sunday School or Primary or both.

     All those youngsters we taught so many years ago are now teaching my grandchildren and have other responsible Church duties in the Branch.

     Best of all, the big dream finally came true and we have a beautiful chapel to meet in.

     Ferrell and I moved to Idaho Falls to let Dick take over the managing of the store and Howard Henabrey became a fine Branch President.

     I feel very blessed to have had these experiences and the different callings in the Church.     

Glendive Chapel, Church at Home, and Main Street

Sunday I sat by our Stake Relief Society President in Sunday School and found out she has a daughter who lives outside Glendive.  This was fascinating to me so I sent her Mom's talk which she gave on Why the Andersons Settled in Glendive and some pictures of our early Church group.  I mean, who knows anything about Glendive, no one I have ever met!!!

I thought Mom had given the talk in the 60s but it was probably after the new Chapel was built in the late 70s.   They celebrated her 80th Birthday in the new Chapel and that would have been in 1981. Mom had sold her house in Idaho Falls and moved back to Glendive after Dad died.

Curious as I am I called my sisters and sister in law to get more information on the building of the chapel and I heard one interesting story of the roadblocks they were having getting enough members and it appeared to be caused by a member of the ward.  I remember him well from my high school days.  It was her opinion that he had bad feelings toward my brother who was the President at that time and spread rumors about him and caused a lot of contention.  He had this strange death in which his truck or car fell down on him when he was repairing it.  The funeral in the old Lutheran Church where the Glendive Ward was meeting was packed.  He was a colorful and well-known person in the County.  This helped a lot of people to learn about the Church and may have stimulated the missionary work.  The thing that alerted her to the fact it was a strange death is that a friend commented on how strange it was that he would be working on his truck without setting up a second jack as protection.  It was evidently something he was continually preaching about so why in this instance did he not do it.  Anyway, membership grew rapidly after this.  Just an observation but an interesting one.

So as I thought about the fact there were no Mormons in Glendive until 1934 when my family arrived in town and the fact they had enough members to build a Building in 1976 (or so, not sure of exact date) is a pretty amazing feat to me.  42 years!!!  Impressive.

Then when I looked up the building on the internet I find it is located on N. Anderson Ave!!!  Mary and Marilyn did not even realize that but Carole said she thinks the street was named that because of the construction company at that time building in the area was Anderson.  Makes more sense than having been named after my Dad anyway but an interesting coincidence.  Mary says she only knows one person in the ward anymore it has changed so much.  I was amazed it was a Stake Building with so many branches!!!

I was also amazed as I studied the map of Glendive that they have two Dairy Queens when it is hard to find even one out here.  It looked like a second one had been put up on the way out to Makoshika Park.  Probably a great place for business in the summer months.

Anyway, lots of nostalgia when I think about Glendive.  It was a great place to grow up.

Relief Society Building

From the Relief Society site in the church website:

“In October 1945, plans were announced to erect a Relief Society building. In October 1947, the First Presidency approved a plan proposed by Sister Belle S. Spafford: each member of the Relief Society, which then numbered 100,000, was asked to donate five dollars to the project. Sisters from all over the world sent donations. Some sent artifacts from their homelands to beautify the interior of the building. In one year, sisters raised $554,016." 

This week it was possible to look on the church site to see your ancestor's names who may have contributed to this building.  I did not look up all my ancestors but I did find my mother and aunt's name who had contributed in the name of their mother.  Mother had done it through her home ward in Weber Stake in Utah.  Glendive was still a very small group at that time.  I was in high school and we were meeting in the IOOF hall.

I also found the names of Richard's mother and aunts plus his Grandmother Hardy.  I am sure there were many more I knew if I had kept looking.

I was in the building on business in the 70's but did not realize it was built through the efforts of the sisters in the 40's and 50's.  Very interesting, I thought.

Winds of Destruction

Today a Rich Hardy (no relation) gave a very good talk in Grossmont Ward.  It was about the Cedar Fire on the outskirts of San Diego in 2003.

He told how he and several of his friends and ward members were playing golf in Ramona a the Santee Stake Golf Tournament.  At the same time a hunter in a nearby wilderness area had become disoriented and lost and decided to set a small fire as a small signal to help find him.

While they were driving down from Ramona late that Saturday afternoon they were already being surrounded by ominous fire.  The dangerous Santa Ana winds had picked up the fire and begun a treacherous march in all the area bordering east San Diego.  Many people went to bed that night not realizing the threat that was upon them.  One man in the early morning hours in Lakeside was on his radio phone and became aware of what was to come and quickly awoke the neighborhood and told everyone to evacuate.  Many lives were saved because of his alertness.  Alas, his own home burned to the ground. 

Before the fury of the fire was finished and the winds of destruction had settled down over 100,000 acres had been burned, thousands of homes damaged or burned to the ground, hundreds of wildlife burned to death and 14 people had been killed.  He likened those winds of destruction to Satan waiting to fan the flames of our bad decisions or misguided thoughts to lead us to our own destruction.  He emphasized how Satan has no power of us unless we invite him in but once the invitation is there he uses his power to destroy us and our faith.

Bro Hardy talked about how just as we are to make defensible safe space around our homes to protect them from fires of destruction we need to build defensible space around our Spiritual Mansions as well to protect from the powers of Satan.  He used the word PRAYERS to help us remember seven habits which will protect our Spiritual Mansions from the winds of Satan's destruction.

Pray daily by ourselves and with our family.  Keep the communication open with the Lord always trusting in Him and in his love for us.

Read daily from the scriptures or modern revelations and be guided by our Prophets and words from the Lord.  Refrain from letting trash into our minds.



Yearn to live the Commandments of the Lord and to know and understand the Gospel of the Lord and His teachings.

Engage in the work of the Lord by accepting callings and performing them to the best of our ability, always being in the Service of the Lord.

Return to the Lord a full tithe.  Tithing has been termed Fire Insurance for us as the promise is those who pay tithe will not be burned in the destruction of the earth.  Be honest in paying a full tithing to the Lord and reap the blessings of obedience.

Stand as a Witness for Jesus Christ and His Gospel and always be ready to defend his teachings and mission and speak up for Christ and his Church.

It was a good analogy and very well done.  Wish I could remember the A--I am sure Linda or Gary will remember!

Being Chosen

Today I really enjoyed the Sunday School Lesson on the Atonement given by Jane.  And one point was made so well about receiving tender mercies from the Lord.

It was taken from a talk David Bednar gave at Conference in 2005 just six months after his calling to be a General Authority.  He was talking about how some us feel we are not privileged to be the chosen by the Lord. And then went on and used scripture to explain who the chosen are.  It was quite enlightening.

Who Are They Whom the Lord Has Chosen to Receive His Tender Mercies?

The word chosen in 1 Nephi 1:20 [1 Ne. 1:20] is central to understanding the concept of the Lord’s tender mercies. The dictionary indicates that chosen suggests one who is selected, taken by preference, or picked out. It also can be used to refer to the elect or chosen of God (Oxford English Dictionary Online, second ed. [1989], “Chosen”).

Some individuals who hear or read this message erroneously may discount or dismiss in their personal lives the availability of the tender mercies of the Lord, believing that “I certainly am not one who has been or ever will be chosen.” We may falsely think that such blessings and gifts are reserved for other people who appear to be more righteous or who serve in visible Church callings. I testify that the tender mercies of the Lord are available to all of us and that the Redeemer of Israel is eager to bestow such gifts upon us.

To be or to become chosen is not an exclusive status conferred upon us. Rather, you and I ultimately determine if we are chosen. Please now note the use of the word chosen in the following verses from the Doctrine and Covenants:

“Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen?

“Because their hearts are set so much upon the things of this world, and aspire to the honors of men” (D&C 121:34–35; emphasis added).

I believe the implication of these verses is quite straightforward. God does not have a list of favorites to which we must hope our names will someday be added. He does not limit “the chosen” to a restricted few. Rather, it is our hearts and our aspirations and our obedience which definitively determine whether we are counted as one of God’s chosen.

Jane also gave "the Bicyle" story from Robinson's book "Believe in Christ"or something like that.  It was the book Roddy read just before passing away and he challenged everyone with "I know you believe in Christ but do you believe Him?"  I am glad he received that testimony of understanding the atonement before he passed away.  It was a good reminder that it is not working to do our best everyday that makes us worthy for the atonement but our realizing the need for the Savior in our life no matter how much we do.

The Gathering of the House of Israel

From the time the Gospel of Jesus Christ was restored to the earth and the Gathering of Israel began it took 117 years to go from six members of the Church in 1830 to one million members when I was a freshman in high school in 1947.

By the time I had my third child (the year President Kennedy was assassinated, 1963) we had gone to two million. 

By 1971 when I started working in the Stake Primary in San Diego we were up to three million--just eight years for that next million.  Presently there are about one million more members added every three years until now we have over 14 million members the world over.  So that is in 48 years we went from two million to 14 million!

When I was in high school and felt like a very small minority I would never have dreamed such a prospect could happen even though it had been prophesied from Old Testament times.

Today there are 15 Missionary Training Centers in the world and over 52,483 missionaries.  There were a little over 17,000 missionaries when I was in high school.  There are 166 Temples, 134 in operation, 13 under construction and 18 announced to be built.  There are 28,660 congregations around the world.  

L. Whitney Clayton in General Conference last Sunday  said this: " These prophecies that:

• the kingdom of God like a stone cut out of a mountain would fill the earth;
• the name of Joseph Smith would be known throughout the world; and
• the Church would fill the Americas and fill the world

might have seemed laughable 170 years ago.  The little band of believers, eking out a living on the American frontier and moving to escape persecution didn't look like the foundation of a faith that would cross international borders and penetrate hearts everywhere.

But that is just what has happened.  Let me give an example.

On Christmas Day 1925 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Elder Melvin J. Ballard dedicated the entire continent of South America for the preaching of the gospel.  By August 1926 a handful of converts had been baptized.  They were the first members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints baptized in all of South America.  That was 85 years ago, within the life span of many who are listening to conference today.

There are 23 stakes of Zion in Buenos Aires today, with dozens of stakes and ten of thousands of Church members in cities and towns across Argentina.  Now there are well over 600 stakes and several million Church members throughout South America.  While we watch, the kingdom of  God is filling the continent, and the name of Joseph Smith is being published by us and by his detractors in countries he may never even have heard of during his lifetime.

These prophecies about filling the world and being known world over: Preposterous? Perhaps. Unlikely? Undoubtedly. Impossible? Emphatically no, it is happening before our eyes...

The work of the Lord is indeed great and marvelous, but it moves forward essentially unnoticed by many of mankind's political, cultural, and academic leaders.  It progresses one heart and one family at a time, silently and unobtrusively, its sacred message blessing people everywhere...I stand in awe as this work moves forward miraculously, marvelously, and irresistibly." 

As Russell M. Nelson also expressed: "This is the time of the promised gathering of Israel.  And we get to participate!  Isn't that exciting?"

I think so!

New Beginnings

Tuesday night was the New Beginnings program for the young women of the Santee Ward.  Sarah is a petite, lovely, second year Beehive.

Linda prepared and gave part of the presentation, which was spectacular.  The girls are so fortunate to have such beautiful, accomplished and caring leaders to guide them during this exciting time of their life as they change from girls to women and develop their talents and beauty.

Sarah gave part of the presentation and was with the group who sang the closing song about Virtue.  It is a new song and was especially well done.  They gave such a great performance.   Gary gave the closing remarks so it was a family affair. 

My mother used to lament that we were missisng Mutual, which was such an important part of her life.  I can see it would have been very helpful to me.  We pretty much winged the growing up thing, without any more than motherly advice, which is not always taken as well as it should be.

Preparation for the Second Coming by Dallin Oaks

This is such a good reminder of what we should be about at this critical time in history.  "If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear."

Click the title...

China and the Church

Since some of you are talking about teaching English in China, this is something you should know. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not legally recognized in China. The Church has gained their trust, however, by understanding their restrictions and complying with them. So members can meet together in rented halls or homes but:

• There are no Church owned facilities in mainland China.
• No proselyting of any kind is permitted.
• Religious materials may not be shipped in or distributed.
• No Chinese nationals may be invited to join in the meetings.
• LDS.org lists places to meet, you cannot hold services on your own.
• Avoid religious discussions with Chinese nationals. If they ask you questions, answer basic facts and end the religious conversation.

You are encouraged to be an example of goodness through acts of kindness.

I was surprised at all this since Hong Kong has a Temple and meeting houses and missionaries. Of course, they are separate countries.

President Thomas S. Monson

I have always been aware of President Thomas S. Monson's tender side and his great love of service to the widows. I was not aware of how young he was as he accepted responsible callings. Another thing of interest is his uncanny perfect memory. Could you name all the squares on the Monopoly board in perfect order? 

President Hinckley's Funeral

It was a beautiful funeral today for President Hinckley. He was such an amazing father, Prophet and leader. He has put the Church in the limelight all over the world. There were so many informative stories that I learned many things I had not heard before.

The main thing I realized is that I need to get back to work and stop thinking I am too old to do anything!!! He was 23 years older than I am when he did most of his traveling around the world and he was still making momentous decisions. What a man...how blessed we have been.

I am looking forward to getting to know President Monson better. He has always been a marvelous speaker and quite a caretaker of the widows. He is following quite a legacy and we all pray for him as he makes his own mark on the direction of the Church.

President Gordon B. Hinckley passes away

"President Hinckley has been one of the most loved modern Church leaders and is the greatest temple builder in the history of the world. Of the 124 temples in the Church, President Hinckley has dedicated 85 of them and rededicated 10 more. "

The remembrance I always cherished is his prayer with his family that they would "live a life of no regret"... something we would all desire. We all loved our Prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley.

Thoughts from a Mother to a Daughter

I used to have a lot of hang ups about motherhood.  Never felt quite adequate in all I was doing.  This is a pretty typical feeling of most mothers.