I Made It to Utah: Day One

This is Kelsey Marie Sisson. I am going to talk to you about my trip on the airplane to Utah. I sat by a very nice lady with my friend Gabe.We sat next to each other. The first part on the airplane was taking off. We chewed gum really fast as we plugged our ears. As we got settled we played tic-tac-toe. Then we drank Sprite and ate cookies and watched TV for an hour. Finally we landed and my Aunt Michele picked me up! When she did, we went to Temple Square and saw the Conference building. We also saw the temple and the Visitor's Center. After that we got something to eat and went to my grandma and grandpa's house!

Lewiston 4th

Okay, you win. I will save my philosophizing for my journal and tell you about our exciting life in Lewiston. The Fourth was going to be a really hot day, but with the cloud cover and the breeze, it turned out fairly tolerable. We went to the longest parade ever in the morning; Scott got a whole bag of candy...brother! MWO came to spend the day with us which made it seem more like a holiday. Went over to see the booths at the city park and ate gyro sandwiches for lunch...yum. Afterwards, we went back home and set up the trampoline and pool and shade cover and spent the afternoon outside. Janice, Crystal & Cameron came for lunch and spent the afternoon with us. It was fun to have some family around. Olivia loves her little swimming pool and splashed around a bit. Scott was too wimpy to get in the pool...icy water! MW & CC went in and cooled off. Carl made some smoothies that tasted great. In the evening Carl went to the horse pull and really enjoyed it even though he was alone. I watched the fireworks from my chair in the house....I just happened to notice them through the open door so i watched Lewiston's and Washington DC's at the same time. That pretty much ended our Fourth for this year. Jenny, since you and Devin are the only ones who ever read this or comment on it, I will be looking for your comment! Thanks for making it worthwhile:)

Gardening

Since the HOPE Institute (where I have worked for 10 years) dissolved, I, who have killed every Mother's Day plant I've ever been given, was left with the job of keeping the plants alive, or tossing them out. I was left with 6 plants in various stages of heartiness; a couple actually looked like they had had some tlc (tender loving care); the other 4 looked like they were in the last stages of a terminal, wilting disease. I decided that, since this was a new beginning at work for me, that I would give these plants a new beginning, also. And so I started to give them water on a regular basis, something that they had never had before. It took a few weeks, but then I started to see a difference in them...they were growing and making new leaves; they were greener, stronger, and much happier little plants! I am committed to them now, and I take good care of them, plucking off dead & yellowed leaves, turning them so they can get the best light, and making sure that they look good. I found out that I can be a good gardener!

At church today, in Fast & Testimony meeting, I saw the same thing happen. I watched as one glowing person after another, went up to the pulpit to bear their testimony. A few months ago, each of these had been wilting, with dead leaves all over them, with no gardener taking care of them. But, then a wonderful thing happened; someone began to shower them with tlc regularly, and kept turning them towards the Son; plucking off a dead leaf here and a yellowed leaf there; checking their soil for dryness, and giving them just enough water; some even getting extra plant food to help them grow. And it worked, just like my plants. They are growing ever stronger; they have good nourished soil, and their countenance shines with peace and joy. One came from a background of drug abuse and wild living; one had been excommunicated and was divorced from his wife and 4 children who lived in our ward; others had been inactive for so long that they had forgotten that they really did have testimonies of the true Church, deep down inside. And I learned again, that when the Master Gardener tends the tender plants in His Garden, that miracles happen and lives are changed.

It was a good day.