Hello cute family. What excitement I feel in the air as we get ready for the Thompsons to come. We are holding our breath. I have been reading many books about children who fall away from the church and Satin gains control of their lives. Our Family has to fight this threat head on and not allow Satin to have any part of our lives. I am longing for a family meeting. I feel like we have missed out the last few years at Lagona. I went home early because Grandpa died, then Matt was in the hospital, and then dang it this year we had to watch Lagona from afar as the Heaps were the only ones to make it there. But I am hoping we can have a family meeting this next Sunday. Jamie if you are not here we will have to call you and have you listen in. I am feeling great strength as I watch our amazing kids grow up. McKinnley has talked to me on the phone and shared thoughts from a fireside and her testimony. Max is so strong, Tyler shook the hands of an apostle in Midway this week and the list goes on. . . What I would like to do, is have everyone pick one of their favorite scriptures from The Book of Mormon, and write one sentence about what is means to them. You could put it on my comments on my blog. Then I will type them up and give everyone a copy at our meeting. This way, each of us should have 20 or more new favorite Book of Mormon scriptures. We could write in our scriptures in the margins this is Kades scripture for 2009. Kade likes this one because it reminds him of the day he was baptised. Can you imagine how fun it would be through the years to keep sharing one scripture a year. Before you know it we would have a whole book of favorites because our cousins have told us why they like a certain scripture. McKinnley, Emilee, Jenny, and Madison could you pick a scripture and share it with us at our meeting? Tyler would you tell us about shaking the hand of a apostle . Don't worry about bringing your scriptures because I have plenty. If anyone has a good story about learning from the Book of Mormon please share it. Kelly, McKinnley and Madison went to a fireside where the Young Woman General President talked. They called me and shared thoughts about keeping our youth away from Satins traps. She had three suggestions: 1. Say your prayers each day. 2. Read your scriptures 5 minutes a day. 3. Smile. Just simple steps that we can do to keep the Holy Ghost as our companion each day. There is great strength in the Clark name! Lets join forces to help each other as our youth are getting ready to enter the teenage years. I can't wait to hug you all!!!! I love-a-love-a-love you. P. S. You are going to love Grandpa's new favorite scripture!



It seems like these pictures were taken just a minute ago, and yet imagine how much they have changed. Life moves so fast!

We are going to be attending to these boys missionary farewells before we know it. I am predicting Alaska, Africa, and Amsterdam. World get ready.

I am sitting on the back porch with Dad, it is dark and we are remembering times when you have all been here. Matt is here and he is doing so good. We have our fingers crossed. He is getting a bowl of cereal and strawberries. He is working with the nicest men is Wallsburg building a house. He come home so tired and hungry and he is ready for bed early. But he likes what he is doing and he is working hard. He still loves Candice and they have started talking on the phone again. She is in Arizona and loves her job. I am reading a book that is incredible. I might just have to share a part or two with you.

The Book is called Rescuing Wayward Children. There is a part where it talks about the fact that our children proved valiant in the cause of truth and enjoyed an exalted past, they had a strong testimony in the pre-existence. We must bear testimony

often to them to help them recall the sense of having know before. Jeffery Holland calls these spiritual re collections "echoes of other earlier testimonies" It simply remains for the Awakener to do the work of awaking. God will give them weakness that will humble them and draw them to Christ. God's timing is an act of mercy. He is not going to

lose any of his children.

Is this not gorgeous!

"Nothing has so profound an effect on you as the way your children turn out. Through the sealing ordinances of the temple, special powers are given to parents that tether a child to them. Harnessing that power is the quest of a lifetime." I am so hopeful, and not afraid like I have been for so long.

Marion has been in the hospitol for two weeks, she is tired and wants to just jump over to heaven to see Don, her first husband, but it isn't going to be that easy. I have a 97 year old friend up the street that is trying to die. I look at her each morning and see the dearest angel there. What lessons life has to teach us. I love my family!

Tyler and Max's shooting gallery

Tyler and Max set up a shooting gallery. They are both hot shots. They make a mean tree hut too. What fun we had together, we can't wait for Kade to get here to really shoot.

Boys are so much fun! I love these ones especially.

This is Grandpa with his mean work crew. These kids show up almost every day to see if Granpa can play. The skinney little guy with the ten pound Hawian hat and Grandpa look like they are sleeping on the job. Lorie has several of Jamie's tank tops on. Grandpa gave Colby a can of silver spray paint and he painted his old clunker bike silver, seat and all.

Mother Earth

It is the morning of the 4th of July. I have the stomach flew. I always think better when I am sick because I am so grateful for health. I just got home from camp in the nick of time.How wonderful that I didn't have to run three block to the bathroom and sit on a cold dirty floor all night. Blessings from heaven, I crawled in bed with Dad last night, warm and dry and comfortable. Camp was so inspiring to me. I just loved being in this most amazing forest with large quakes that were bent by the wind and snow. We had a fireside where a lady talked about the earth being our mother. I remember hearing Indian Legions about mother earth, but I thought

they were just legions. But this lady took her thoughts out of Moses7:48 "And it came to pass that Enoch looked upon the earth; and he heard a voice from the bowel thereof saying: Wo, wo is me, mother of men. . . ."

We talked about our resonsoblity as women to care for those things that surround us.

I have been walking in the yard this morning just looking closer at the beauty that surrounds me. If the earth really is our mother, she is probably trying to teach us something. . . and I want to learn. Happy summer, Happry 4th of July. I love-a love-a love ya!