Sunday May 31

It was a nice morning.

The kids played nice together.

Dad stuck himself back in the basement.

Maybe we need to move that adjustable bed upstairs so he doesn't have to still be stuck in the dungeon if he is having a hard day!

Anyway.

I did enjoy the non-hectic-ness of how today felt.

I don't know if it is just because we are a bit more spread out.....all I know is I felt much more relaxed :)

I actually took some time to look on FamilySearch.....looking for more 'army guy' pictures in our family lines.

I found the testimony of my Great Great Great Grandfather (I believe).

His name was William Jex.

I really enjoyed reading his testimony, and I think it was just what I needed to read today.

I hope it's not against the rules....but I wanted to post it here :)

It's long.....

You can skip it if you want.....it's for myself and my future family to read anyway :)

*****

TESTIMONY OF WILLIAM JEX to his posterity, on his 90th birthday 

 ''Dear Family Members: "I am very happy to have you come together for our annual family reunion. As you probably all know, I am in my 91st year, enjoying fairly good health and it gives me much joy to meet you again in this capacity. You have asked me to talk to you and I want to talk to you and tell you some of the things nearest my heart, for I cannot hope to deliver many more annual talks to you. While mother was living, she was always asked to extend our greeting, as we met on her anniversary, January 1st. She always had something good to tell you, but as she has gone on the way, I shall be glad to perform that duty. "The olden Prophet said: 'There is a spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth it understanding' and our great English poet Shakespeare said practically the same thing in a different way when he wrote 'There is a divinity that shapes our ends, rough-hew then how we will.' My father died very suddenly leaving mother in very poor circumstances with five small children to support, but she had a sublime faith in God and she knelt by the bedside with us small children and asked God to bless and guide us aright, and it was thus that faith in God was kindled in my heart, a faith which has grown with the years. From that time until this day have had an unfailing faith in God and I know that His over-ruling hand has directed my course through all my life. "So today I want first to tell you that I know that God lives and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. Let such a faith then be the guiding star of your life, and do not be led astray by those mistaken souls who would tell you that God is a being "without body, parts or passions" as we were taught in years gone by in the old creed of the Church of England, and do not follow after those who would say that God is some unorganized force and a being that none can comprehend, for I say to you that God our Father is correctly interpreted in the Bible, wherein we are told that we are created in His image, that the attributes He possesses in His glorified form, we inherit, for we are His children. ''It was this corrected, or true knowledge of God that set me right in my early life. It was the message of "Mormonism" that found me in my native land and gave me the glorious vision of life and its duties and responsibilities. The Savior said that if we do His will we should know of the doctrine. I did His will in accepting the Gospel of Jesus Christ as taught by the Latter- day Saints, and I have never had one doubt in the three- fourths of a century that I have lived. “Now I am telling you this to impress you with the fact that you should early in life get your feet firmly planted upon the rock of a true faith in God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and you will never doubt the Divinity that shapes your ends, or the inspiration that guides your spirit aright. ''With your having an established faith in God, you must diligently seek to do His will, for I know that God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek to serve Him. You children all know that the desire to serve God acceptably has ever been uppermost in the mind and heart of your mother. Grandma Jex who recently passed into the spirit world, and myself, and that has been the secret of our happiness, and you all know that we have been happy in our faith and service. "It is true we have not reached the high places of life, as the world knows them, but we have been true to the common virtues of life and success. We have sought always to leave a good name, which is to be chosen rather than great riches, and I feel that we have left a name of honor and virtue among those with whom we have lived, and I am asking today that everyone of you here and the members absent will be proud of your heritage and maintain your name in honor and virtue in this goodly land, for without that you will never find true happiness. "I have just referred to this goodly land. It is a goodly land and ours is the one best government in all the world, for God inspired the men who laid its foundation. And how happy I was to acquire citizenship here, for I was born in the land of Kings and Queens; but here there is no royal blood; we are all enjoying equal rights and privileges. Let us all live worthy of our citizenship and support our country to the last minute of our life. Some of the best blood of all ages has paid the price to establish this great nation, and let us value its citizenship as one of the greatest heritages of life. I was proud to have a score of our family boys in the late war; one of whom paid the supreme sacrifice with his life; and it was a great sacrifice for liberty and peace, for he was as fine a specimen of humanity as I have ever known. ''And now, let me add, if you inherit the richest blessings of time and eternity you will have to pay the price. God gave His Only Begotten Son to teach the world the virtue of sacrifice and the truth; and so with us, if we shall acquire the greatest gifts of God our Father, we must sacrifice our time, our energies, our feelings and perchance, our life, to maintain the right and truth. I am proud that my name has been placed on the roll of honor of my country for service in time of need, and it was given without the slightest thought of recognition or hope of reward. And so I have doubly appreciated the recognition which was given me as an Indian War veteran. ''Take good care of your bodies — 'Man is that he might have joy. ' There isn't much joy if you are in poor health. Be simple in habits and remember that the Word of Wisdom is the key to health. You all know that I have been well and active to the last years of my life, which is a result of my efforts to take good care of my body; I think with another chance I could stretch the life span out to a hundred years, and I may do that yet. However, I am not worrying about that; I shall be happy to go when the summons shall come, happy in the knowledge of immortality ahead of me. Our loved ones who have gone before are busy in the spirit world, and I shall be happy to join them in the world of eternal progress. Life from the beginning to the end is a glorious privilege from God our Father, if we seek to know His will. I would not tell you that it is all happiness and sunshine, for I have passed through many trying, hard conditions and circumstances, but I have always felt bigger and better when I have done my best to meet and solve rightly the problems of this life, to get the schooling necessary for immortality. And so I leave with you this blessed motto of life: "It pays to do right." "I have perhaps said enough for today — take with you my love and blessing in keeping up the good fight of life. As a Patriarch of the Lord I bless you as our posterity and ask God to bless and direct you along the road to Eternal Life." 

*****

We all went to church today.

Elsie was feeling just fine all morning and we seemed good to go :)

Dad stayed for all the meetings today....first time in many months!

Those chairs and benches are the worst for him to sit on, so he may pay for it tomorrow.

But it sure was nice having him next to me all day.

And since it is the 5th Sunday, we all met together, with Madi too, and they talked about a new website called justserve.org.

It seems pretty darn cool.

The community getting together to provide a way if people need a service, or want to serve.

People in your area can post a need and you can go and choose what you would like to do.

What a great way for a community to come together.

We missed the last little bit of the presentation because Sis Cluff came and got me cause Elsie said she had a tummy ache!

I went and got her, Cassi was with her in the bathroom.

I had Cassi go and get dad and Madi and I got Port and we went home.

I did not want her puking at church!!!!

She was just fine when we got home.

I think she still had a lingering tummy ache, but has seemed fine all evening.

We did watch the last little bit of America's Got Talent that we had to cut short last night.

So dad could lay down and rest his back and we could still all hang out together :)

Then after that we had dinner and relaxed a bit.

Cassi had a book report to finish.

But had not finished the book!!!!!!

So I read to her, which was surprisingly fun :)

I have never been a reader.....but I enjoyed reading to her.

While I read she worked on the picture she drew for the book report.

I liked reading to her so much, I think I want to try and read a book series to the kiddos over the summer.

But what books would they ALL be interested in????

Anyway, it's a thought :)

I never got through the Little House on the Prairie books......maybe I will start there.