Sarah Hosts Family Guests; January Birthdays; Goldens in Disneyland

Las Vegas has been the location of various family members recently. First visitors Sarah and Jeff hosted were Natalie, Rachel and Rachel's friend Eden. They enjoyed a girls' weekend vacation exploring that city.

The girls spent the nights at Sarah's house. She's a great hostess.

Ben had a work trip in Vegas and took Haley and the little boys with him. They stayed in a hotel, but they made time to have a game night with Sarah and Jeff. They were excited to go see a magician and have Sarah tend Kade and Levi. 

But...disaster struck!

Ben started throwing up and was very sick. The date night was called off. Fortunately, they were able to get their money refunded. They were also fortunate that Ben was able to make the drive back home to Utah the next day.

Rebecca cut her long golden locks and I was admiring her new shorter length of hair. 

Natalie got her hair cut, too. I was actually shocked she consented to get her hair cut. She was really attached to her super, duper long hair. I think it looks so cute! 

We picked her up to take her to dinner at Outback before one of the BYU basketball games. We like being able to stay in touch with her.

Jan's birth month celebration continued when we got invited to Lane and LaVona's home for a Mandarin take-out dinner. 

LaVona was really into the Valentine's spirit and it was fun to see her fancy table decorations. We love our friend group!!!

Our news lately has been pretty dull, so buying a new garage vacuum made the update. 

A very fun activity I enjoyed was a baby shower for Preston's wife Danielle. It was held at Austin and Lindsey's home. Rebecca went with me.

Amanda's family always throws a nice spread. We could pick between three different kinds of soup. Amanda's breadsticks, cake pops and cupcakes were delicious as well. 

Everything was decorated so beautifully in the baby pink theme. 

I was so happy to see my cousin Angie and her daughter at the shower. It was nice to have a long chat with her after the shower with all of us standing around listening to her share with us about her son Isaac who is a new missionary serving in El Salvador.

We started off the January birthdays with Dallas at the beginning of the month. Then we had our triplet birthday. January 25th is the day we celebrate Emma and Logan and Sarah.

Jacob was out of town so his family went to Olive Garden without him. 

It looked like Sarah celebrated her birthday all day long, being spoiled by her husband. Fun!!

Lincoln's birthday was the next week. He was very excited about getting a new big wheel motorized vehicle. When we FaceTimed with him, he stopped for a minute to let us sing to him. 

Ben's shirt absolutely made me laugh when he walked in the door all ready to play games. 

For some reason, I am not too fond of a game called Pandemic when we are in the middle of a 2-year global pandemic!!! But the game players had a great time playing together.

I spy more family visitors at the Excell home. Dallas and Rebecca's family stopped by for a waffle lunch on their way to California. Thankfully the weather was excellent for their drive.

Then on they went the rest of the way. So happy to hear they arrived safely at their hotel that evening.

What a cute family photo at Disneyland!! Let the good times roll!

My niece Rachel received her mission call and shared it with family and friends on Instagram Live. Her assignment is the Washington Spokane Mission and she will be speaking Spanish and will be starting the MTC the middle of June. 

Our friends Steven and Patricia are vacationing in Hawaii right now. As she is sending us photos of their beautiful surroundings, I sent her this photo. It has been so extremely COLD here lately. BRRRRRRRR!!!!

Now here's an Abe story to finish off this post. Enjoy looking at him with Newland and Monty while I share this experience.

Last month when the new mission presidents were announced, Glen had looked through the list and told me the only couple we knew was the couple we had recently had dinner with. I decided to go ahead and look through the list just in case I recognized someone Glen might not know.

The name York Galland stood out to me since Abe's second mission president's name is Galland. I texted Abe to see if he knows if President Galland has a son named York. 

Abe then reached out to the Gallands to congratulate them on their son's mission call and he was able to have a sweet back-and-forth conversation with Sister Galland. Of course she was interested in what had been going on in his life. She also shared with Abe some of the things she remembered about him while serving in the mission together. 

I was so glad Abe shared these correspondences with us because of learning of those memories she had of Abe. While going down memory lane, Abe shared some things he had learned from her. It was a very lovely email interaction they had.

Then imagine our surprise when Abe shared with us that he was notified by the Gallands' daughter-in-law last week that Sister Galland had very unexpectedly passed away from a brain bleed the doctors believe was caused by complications of Covid. What shocking news!!

Abe thanked me for acting on inspiration to contact him about York's mission call so he could have one last email exchange with Sister Galland. 

I gave him credit for acting instantly on his inspiration to reach out to the Gallands. Tiny, seemingly insignificant acts can definitely produce unforeseen future blessings in people's lives. 

This quote of President Thomas S. Monson has come to my mind: "We watch. We wait. We listen for that still, small voice. When it speaks, wise men and women obey. We do not postpone following promptings of the Spirit."

Quotes of the Week

 A perfect body is not required to achieve a divine destiny. In fact, some of the sweetest spirits are housed in frail frames. Great spiritual strength is often developed by those with physical challenges--precisely because they are challenged. Such individuals are entitled to all the blessings that God has in store for His faithful and obedient children.

--Russell M. Nelson

Your temple recommend reflects a deep, spiritual intent that you are striving to live the laws of the Lord and love what He loves: humility, meekness, steadfastness, charity, courage, compassion, forgiveness, and obedience. 

--Ronald A. Rasband

There may be times when you find yourself struggling to see how God is working in your life--times when you feel under siege--when the trials of mortality bring you to y our knees... you too can pray for the Lord to open your eyes to see things you would not normally see.

Michelle D. Craig

Quotes of the Week

 On occasion, I have met with good Saints who have had trouble forgiving themselves, who have innocently but incorrectly placed limits on the Savior's redemptive powers. Unwittingly, they have converted an infinite Atonement to a finite one that somehow falls short of their particular sin or weakness. But it is an infinite Atonement because it encompasses and circumscribes every sin and weakness, as well as every abuse or pain caused by others.

--Tad R. Callister

As we come to trust God, sometimes through pleading in our darkest, loneliest, most uncertain moments, we learn He knows us better and loves us more than we know or love ourselves.

--Gerrit W. Gong

The reason charity never fails and the reason charity is greater than even the most significant acts of goodness... is that charity, 'the pure love of Christ' is not an act but a condition or state of being. ...Charity is something one becomes.

--Dallin H. Oaks

Quotes of the Week

 The nearer we get to our heavenly Father, the more are we disposed to look with compassion on perishing souls--we feel that we want to take them upon our shoulders and cast their sins behind our back. If you would have God have mercy on your, have mercy on one another.

--Joseph Smith

I bear my witness that this is God's work and he will continue to do many unimaginable things among His children, His people. God holds us in the palm of His caring and compassionate hands.

--Dieter F. Uchtdorf

No other success can compensate for failure in the home.

--David O. McKay

Thanks to His "immediate goodness," the instant we come unto Christ--demonstrating faith in Him and a true change of heart--the crushing weight of our sins start to shift from our backs to His.

--Matthew S. Holland