I am so excited to come home, you guys don't even know how much! I will be there in less than 24 hours and I can't hardly stand it!
My flight lands at 3 p.m. and I don't know who is coming to pick me up....wait a second, is anybody coming? (Hm...where are they....Finding Nemo....)
Anyway, I have to get up way stinkin early to get to the airport for my 6 a.m. flight so I am going to go and figure out who is coming to get me.....
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Sunday, July 23, 2006
Just an FYI
Most pictures will now be posted on http://amyrhoads.blogspot.com, our Logsdon Family Photo Blog. If you want to have access to post on that blog, email me or leave a comment and I will hook you up.
Saturday, July 15, 2006
Neat Stories about the Houston Temple
taken from http://www.ldslivingonline.com/story1.php?aid=702
The Lord Selects a Temple Site
Houston Texas Temple
Selecting a location for the house of the Lord requires patience, determination, and often a miracle or two. Site selection for the Houston Texas Temple was no different. By spring 1997, after an extensive evaluation process, six qualifying properties were being considered. Steven R. Cook, a Houston realtor and Church member, hosted Ted Simmons, head of the Church’s real estate department, on a tour of the six properties. During the tour, Brother Simmons was drawn to a lovely location across the street from one of the six selected sites. This spot was located on Champion Forest Drive and stood on a twenty-acre parcel of land with tall, mature trees.
The prime acreage was owned by Don Hand, a successful Houston developer. When Brother Cook called to express interest in purchasing the property, Mr. Hand made his position clear with the response, “There’s no amount of money that would interest me in selling that property.” The Church was just one of many who had expressed interest in the site, and he had refused them all. Mr. Hand considered that location to be the crown jewel of all his properties.
On June 6, 1997, President Gordon B. Hinckley arrived to visit all potential temple sites. The Champion Forest Drive location was not officially available, but Brother Simmons introduced it to President Hinckley nonetheless.
Just a few weeks later, President Hinckley had made his decision. He notified Brother Simmons that the temple would be built on Champion Forest Drive—the location Don Hand would not sell for “any amount of money.” Both Brother Simmons and Brother Cook wondered how they might acquire a property its owner had no intention of selling.
But the Lord knows where and how his temples will be built. Within fifteen minutes of learning about President Hinckley’s decision, Brother Cook received a phone call. It was Don Hand, requesting a meeting with Brother Cook as soon as possible.
At the meeting, Mr. Hand told Brother Cook of the terrible weekend he had had as he contemplated whether to sell his property to the Church. Don and his wife, Judy, had reviewed some of the material Brother Cook had prepared about the temple and had spent the weekend pacing the floors as he thought about the possibility of selling. After a sleepless weekend, he and his wife had decided to sell the land to the Church for what he called the “Mormon cathedral.”
Don explained that earlier life events had influenced his decision to sell to the Church. He told Brother Cook about a time in the 1980s when the struggling Houston real estate market resulted in the Hands losing almost all their assets. While in the depths of financial despair, Don had prayed and asked for the Lord’s help, promising that he would “make it right” if the Lord blessed him. Don soon recognized the divine intervention that helped his business recover and flourish. Wanting to keep his promise, Don had given a substantial anonymous donation to his own church, but he still felt that he should do more. He and his wife felt that selling the property to the Church was the right thing to do; indeed, it would be the “crown jewel” of his property if the temple were located there.
Brother Cook later said, “My meeting with Don Hand was almost like a testimony meeting as he expressed his love for the Lord and his desire to become ‘one with the Lord.’ The same spirit that inspired President Hinckley had inspired Mr. Hand, and on exactly the same weekend.”
A Special Dream
Houston Texas Temple
Richard Gieseke, a Church member and owner of a small landscaping nursery in Houston, played a special role in beautifying the grounds of the Houston Texas Temple.
One night, a few months before the temple was announced, he dreamed of gardens adorning an unknown temple. “The dream was so vivid,” he recorded, “that I awoke and wrote a letter to the First Presidency of the Church and filed it for later use. The unusual dream was of a beautiful temple with lovely gardens in special arrangements. From the dream I knew the Lord wanted me to begin growing plants at my nursery for the temple.”
And he did just that, using his filed-away letter when the temple was announced three months after his dream.
Six months before his dream, Brother Gieseke had unexpectedly acquired 100 four-year-old oaks. For a reason he cannot explain, he planted the trees in containers larger than usual. After the dream, he designated the finest of the oaks and the best of his other plant material exclusively for future temple grounds. He made every effort to ensure that his temple stock were of “uncommon excellence.” As time passed, his specially designated temple plants grew in size, quality, and value. On many occasions he had opportunities to sell the trees to fill orders that were otherwise unfillable, but he remained firm in his decisions that these plants were for the temple.
In retrospect, Brother Gieseke recognizes how he and his nursery business were blessed during this several-year period. Just before he had his dream, his nursery had consisted of six acres. Within a few years he had the opportunity to acquire a prosperous forty-acre nursery and a fifty-acre tree farm.
Three years after his dream, the plant stock Brother Gieseke nurtured for the Lord’s house finally had a permanent home on the grounds of the Houston Texas Temple. The majestic trees now stand at the front of the temple’s entryway, and his flowers provide the perfect contrasting color against the exterior.
The Lord Selects a Temple Site
Houston Texas Temple
Selecting a location for the house of the Lord requires patience, determination, and often a miracle or two. Site selection for the Houston Texas Temple was no different. By spring 1997, after an extensive evaluation process, six qualifying properties were being considered. Steven R. Cook, a Houston realtor and Church member, hosted Ted Simmons, head of the Church’s real estate department, on a tour of the six properties. During the tour, Brother Simmons was drawn to a lovely location across the street from one of the six selected sites. This spot was located on Champion Forest Drive and stood on a twenty-acre parcel of land with tall, mature trees.
The prime acreage was owned by Don Hand, a successful Houston developer. When Brother Cook called to express interest in purchasing the property, Mr. Hand made his position clear with the response, “There’s no amount of money that would interest me in selling that property.” The Church was just one of many who had expressed interest in the site, and he had refused them all. Mr. Hand considered that location to be the crown jewel of all his properties.
On June 6, 1997, President Gordon B. Hinckley arrived to visit all potential temple sites. The Champion Forest Drive location was not officially available, but Brother Simmons introduced it to President Hinckley nonetheless.
Just a few weeks later, President Hinckley had made his decision. He notified Brother Simmons that the temple would be built on Champion Forest Drive—the location Don Hand would not sell for “any amount of money.” Both Brother Simmons and Brother Cook wondered how they might acquire a property its owner had no intention of selling.
But the Lord knows where and how his temples will be built. Within fifteen minutes of learning about President Hinckley’s decision, Brother Cook received a phone call. It was Don Hand, requesting a meeting with Brother Cook as soon as possible.
At the meeting, Mr. Hand told Brother Cook of the terrible weekend he had had as he contemplated whether to sell his property to the Church. Don and his wife, Judy, had reviewed some of the material Brother Cook had prepared about the temple and had spent the weekend pacing the floors as he thought about the possibility of selling. After a sleepless weekend, he and his wife had decided to sell the land to the Church for what he called the “Mormon cathedral.”
Don explained that earlier life events had influenced his decision to sell to the Church. He told Brother Cook about a time in the 1980s when the struggling Houston real estate market resulted in the Hands losing almost all their assets. While in the depths of financial despair, Don had prayed and asked for the Lord’s help, promising that he would “make it right” if the Lord blessed him. Don soon recognized the divine intervention that helped his business recover and flourish. Wanting to keep his promise, Don had given a substantial anonymous donation to his own church, but he still felt that he should do more. He and his wife felt that selling the property to the Church was the right thing to do; indeed, it would be the “crown jewel” of his property if the temple were located there.
Brother Cook later said, “My meeting with Don Hand was almost like a testimony meeting as he expressed his love for the Lord and his desire to become ‘one with the Lord.’ The same spirit that inspired President Hinckley had inspired Mr. Hand, and on exactly the same weekend.”
A Special Dream
Houston Texas Temple
Richard Gieseke, a Church member and owner of a small landscaping nursery in Houston, played a special role in beautifying the grounds of the Houston Texas Temple.
One night, a few months before the temple was announced, he dreamed of gardens adorning an unknown temple. “The dream was so vivid,” he recorded, “that I awoke and wrote a letter to the First Presidency of the Church and filed it for later use. The unusual dream was of a beautiful temple with lovely gardens in special arrangements. From the dream I knew the Lord wanted me to begin growing plants at my nursery for the temple.”
And he did just that, using his filed-away letter when the temple was announced three months after his dream.
Six months before his dream, Brother Gieseke had unexpectedly acquired 100 four-year-old oaks. For a reason he cannot explain, he planted the trees in containers larger than usual. After the dream, he designated the finest of the oaks and the best of his other plant material exclusively for future temple grounds. He made every effort to ensure that his temple stock were of “uncommon excellence.” As time passed, his specially designated temple plants grew in size, quality, and value. On many occasions he had opportunities to sell the trees to fill orders that were otherwise unfillable, but he remained firm in his decisions that these plants were for the temple.
In retrospect, Brother Gieseke recognizes how he and his nursery business were blessed during this several-year period. Just before he had his dream, his nursery had consisted of six acres. Within a few years he had the opportunity to acquire a prosperous forty-acre nursery and a fifty-acre tree farm.
Three years after his dream, the plant stock Brother Gieseke nurtured for the Lord’s house finally had a permanent home on the grounds of the Houston Texas Temple. The majestic trees now stand at the front of the temple’s entryway, and his flowers provide the perfect contrasting color against the exterior.
Friday, July 14, 2006
La was waiting for daddy...
This is one of my first pictures using natural light.I loved how Makayla looked here.
Thursday, July 13, 2006
I got this on my anniversary
This is a Thomas Kincade night light.It is GORGEOUS when it's lit in the evening.
I couldn't wait to show you....
I made these and then I had to show them....
I know it's only two weeks, but I couldn't help myself!
I made a few for Evan and a few for Blake!
I know it's only two weeks, but I couldn't help myself!
I made a few for Evan and a few for Blake!
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
OK, I should have waited to buy my happy...
Dusty got a ticket for speeding going 5 mph over and the judge made him pay $95!! SUCK!
They will make us pay ontop of that for defensive driving.
Did I say they suck?!?
They will make us pay ontop of that for defensive driving.
Did I say they suck?!?
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
I had a happy today...
It's really late and I have to get up early, but the short of it is that I got a brand new pots and pans set today. To make it even more happy I got them on sale!! Check them out. I got them at Sams Club for only $99.
http://www.elitedeals.com/wopuststcose.html
http://www.elitedeals.com/wopuststcose.html
Dusty saved up some money for me and worked extra hard to get them for me!
That's the best happy of it all!!
That's the best happy of it all!!
Sunday, July 09, 2006
Friday, July 07, 2006
Thursday, July 06, 2006
21 Days and Counting!!!!
I am coming home in 3 WEEKS!!!!!!!
I can't even believe it! I am so excited. I just want to make sure that everyone knows so that there are no excuses and work schedules can be fudged so that I can spend time with everybody. And, Dad, don't worry I will clear out and clean up a lot of my crap, BUT I am not spending my vacation cleaning :)
I can't even believe it! I am so excited. I just want to make sure that everyone knows so that there are no excuses and work schedules can be fudged so that I can spend time with everybody. And, Dad, don't worry I will clear out and clean up a lot of my crap, BUT I am not spending my vacation cleaning :)
Sunday, July 02, 2006
My 3rd Anniversary
Well, my actual anniversary is coming up on Wednesday, but today is my anniversary of when I got my endowments taken out at the Houston, TX Temple. It was one of the best days of my life and I can relive that day every time I go to the temple. That was the day that I also completed reading the Book of Mormon all of the way through while studying it for the first time. I was bursting with the Spirit. I was so happy to have my parents there with me. They have set the example before me my entire life. Then I was SO lucky to be invited to stay with Jeremy and Chauntel and they too set the example for me each day. They showed me love, compassion and understanding unceasingly and I will love them forever for that. They will never know how much they truly guided me when I seemed to need it the most. They didn't even try--that was the amazing part of it! They were just being themselves. They, like my mom and dad, taught the Gospel in everything that they do.
The temple is a sacred place where we go to make sacred covenants with the Lord and learn more of His plan for us. I remember preparing myself to enter into the House of the Lord. I felt so at peace. I had said a prayer that I may be able to focus and learn and that prayer was answered with more exactness that I could have asked for. I learned of my divine potential in greater depth that I ever thought possible. I KNOW that Heavenly Father loves me. I know that He knows me personally and His hand is always over me. He wants me to return with honor and to live with Him into the eternities.
Temples are a place where families can be sealed forever. That is the crowning blessing of the temple, to be married for time and all eternity. I had that opportunity on July 5, 2003. I continue to learn each time I enter the temple. I come to a greater understanding as to why we need to go to the temple often. It gives us an opportunity for us to step out of "the world" and be in the Lord's house to serve, to learn, to be at peace and to feel His incomprehensible love for each and every one of us. I am thankful for a Prophet, President Gordon B. Hinckley that continues to dot the earth with temples so that these blessings may be extended to all of Heavenly Father's children.
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