Written by Carter

It was sure nice to see most of my siblings on our monthly Zoom call Monday! I love and miss my siblings and their families!

I strained my hamstring muscle several months ago and it’s still painful sometimes. I started going to “physio” (as they call it here). She seems to know her stuff; I’m optimistic it will improve.

Faye and I are planning a trip to New Zealand’s South Island in a couple of weeks for an anniversary trip. One of the places we plan to visit is Milford Sound, reportedly one of the most stunning places to visit on earth! We are excited!

For our monthly fast today, we are fasting in gratitude for the blessing of being married to one another. It is fun to think of the things we have learned together and the good experiences we have had over our married lifetime. We will celebrate 37 years August 4! Wow! I was recently making a list of my spiritual gifts…and I was reminded that Faye is one of my spiritual gifts! What a blessing she has been in my life!   

I came across this quote by Rabindranath Tagore: “I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and learned that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy.” Love it!   

Another quote, by I’m not sure whom: “Someone has said that it is possible to listen a person’s soul into existence.”

I had a nice phone conversation with another physician I worked with in Whiteriver. It’s been 22 years since we’ve spoken. It’s amazing how quickly our friendship picked back up where it left off. It was so good to hear from him again!

I also had a nice video call with my Venezuelan “son” who is living in Peru. We talked about giving to others spontaneously and willingly. We also discussed how to receive answers to our prayers about the truthfulness of The Book of Mormon.

I found a barber I like near our home and office. We talked a little about The Book of Mormon that last time he cut my hair. I asked him if he’d like a copy and he said “yes,” so I gave that to him when he cut my hair this week. I love The Book of Mormon! As a companion scripture to the Bible, it serves as Another Testament of Jesus Christ.

I finished Tommy Newberry’s 40-Day Joy Challenge for the second time this week and decided to take it for the third time! It’s Biblically-based. I feel like I learn something new every day and every time I take it. I highly recommend it…and it’s free! One of the thoughts from the challenge is to pray and ask God to guide me through my desires; that what I want to do right now will be in alignment with His desires for me.

Last Sunday was a wonderful “Lord’s Day” for me. I tried to capture as much of that spirituality as I could so that I could replicate it as many times as I can. What a blessing a well-spent Sabbath day is!

I was reminded of this thought this week: “I am a stranger here on this earth. I am not a physical being having an occasional spiritual experience; I am a spiritual being having a mortal, temporal experience. This earth is merely my temporary home; Heaven is my real home!”

Two hundred years ago, on a beautiful spring morning in 1820, young Joseph Smith, seeking to know which church to join, went into the woods to pray near his home in upstate New York. He had questions regarding the salvation of his soul and trusted that God would direct him. I believe that with all my heart! I’m grateful for Joseph Smith’s integrity. I’m grateful for his parents and other ancestors, who taught him about God and the Bible. He had faith that he could take his questions to God and that God would somehow answer him.