Well, Rod did such a good job writing last time that I feel a little intimidated, but I guess it's my turn anyway.
Two weeks ago we had the weekend off & stayed home & watched all the sessions of General Conference. It is my favorite weekend. I feel so refreshed & rejuvenated after listening to the General Authorities & especially our Prophet. It makes me feel so blessed & leaves me wanting to be better than I am. It's nice to read their talks but I especially love the Spirit I feel as I listen.
Last week we were especially busy at the Temple & we had the opportunity to help in the laundry. We love being able to do new things so we can learn all aspects of the work that is to be done. Yesterday I had the opportunity to be the Temple guide for a bride. I had never been able to do it before & it was great. She was so cute & excited.
Monday, the Temple was open for half a day because it was a holiday. We did over 2,300 ordinances. That may not seem like much to those in Utah but it was great for us. We LOVE the work here!
THE PARABLE of the CARPENTER:
A master carpenter who'd worked for the same builder for nearly 50 years announced he was retiring. The builder told him how much he appreciated his work & presented him with a $5,000 bonus. Then he asked if he would build just one more house. He owned a magnificent lot with a spectacular view & wanted to build a dream home there.
The carpenter was bitterly disappointed at the small bonus & extra project, but the building fee would help him buy a small cottage. He agreed to build the dream house.
He'd always prided himself on his uncompromising commitment to quality, but his resentment caused him to cut corners, ignore details, & accept shoddy workmanship from his workers. He even looked the other way when some of them substituted cheaper materials & pocketed the difference.
When the house was finished, the builder shook the carpenter's hand & with a huge smile gave him a thank-you card. The carpenter was disdainful - until he saw inside the card the deed to the house he'd just built.
The carpenter was ashamed to have misjudged his old friend & betrayed his own values, & he was remorseful that the house he would now live in for the rest of his life had been made so carelessly.
Our character is the house we live in, & it's built piece by piece by our daily choices. Deceit, irresponsibility, & disrespect are like shoddy workmanship. Whenever we put in less than our best & ignore our potential for excellence, we create a future full of creaky floors, leaky roofs, & crumbling foundations.
We hope that each of us are being the best we can be in all aspects of our lives.
We send our love to everyone.
