2012 in Review

One really bad car accident where someone was really hurt and I now have a probation officer.
One hurt dog- Coco- 2 legs that need surgery.  
One day (2 hours really) subbing in the Twin Falls School District.
One new temple to add to the list of ones I've done work in- Rexburg.  I think that's 22.
One temple re-dedication attended- Boise
One Mennonite family to love.
One job in sales in K Mart for Olan Mills.
Two Firings from job.
Two different roommates.
Two interviews in Idaho Falls for jobs I did not get.
Two visits with Annie in IF. (a happy thing!)
Two dates with senior citizens - YUCK!
Two visits to BYU-Idaho
Two testimonies born on Fast and Testimony meeting.
Three PSR companies worked for.
Four times playing "Loaded Questions" at unofficial SA parties.
Four visits from the sheriff or police about my dogs pooping in other yards- but no tickets!
Five new friends on Facebook I've never met in person.
Six zip lining runs -Fun! 
Loss of my unemployment for one year.
Lots of visits to the dog park- Happy!
Lots of visits to mom and other families in Meridian ID.
Lots of visits to my counselor Jason Beard and a little less to Bishop Mix. 
Tons of calls from my brother Karl in Oregon.
A handful of new friends made.
Many kittens played with.
A live and then dead pheasant in my car.
A mouse in my house.
Not quite 50 lessons on The book of Mormon given to teenagers.
A few really bad hair cuts. 
Financial help from- Mom, the church and Uncle Sam. 

 

Good bye 2012. Hello 2013!  I hope you are better than that other year.

Idaho Dislike and the Single Adults in Twin.

I figured out why I've been so disgruntled, even angry about Idaho.  It's the complete opposite of the Western Washington I lived in. 

I come from Millionaire land- literally. Many members of my ward were millionaires, they owned million and 2 million dollar homes. If they weren't millionaires they were pretty darn close to it.  Lots of people making 6 digits and often a few times over.  If both couples made that much then..well you get the idea.  The CEO of Expedia and was in the bishopric.  Other CEO's and other jobs of those in leadership positions and not in leadership positions had a lot of money. 

Almost all 274 people of my HS graduating class went to college- 16% of Idaho HS students graduate with even an AA or 4 year degree.

While I love all the animals around here: goats, sheep, cows, horses, chickens, etc.  I seriously can't stand the  stupidity of the people.  In Idaho a subsitute teacher only needs to have a HS diploma.  Of course the bigger cities want you to have a college degree- but not necessarily in teaching. In the small towns that leaves for some lame teachers- who can't tell time on the face clock or don't know what the word "soot" is or how to say it, who don't like reading out loud, who think Columbus rowed his way to America! Ya- rowed.  The best part?  The lady who believed that has and AA degree.

I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed, but honestly..... it made me want to scream sometimes.

I received a Christmas present each year from the ward, usually just a picture of the temple or the years theme- not in Idaho. Got nothing. Often the RS did the same thing- a gift for Christmas and in those presidencies where they were creative and crafty a birthday gift too. Real gifts. In Idaho nothing.

Dog parks can be found in nearly EVERY city.  Seattle of course has more than 2.  Seattle and Mercer Island has a dog park on the lakes- which means swimming for the dogs. Merymoor Park has a 42 acre park with a river flowing through it with at least 3 openings for the dogs to go swim.   Twin is having to raise money- thousands of dollars for one.  Hardly anyone knows that when you take a dog to a dog park you MUST take them off leash.  That is the point!  It's neutral territory so no feelings of protecting their property and keeping them on leash leaves them less able to protect themselves and gives them the feelings of needing to protect YOU!  I'd talked to so many people  about the dog park and they won't even try! There are lame laws and lame people with the farmer mentality- keep them in a cage or in the back yard.  They know nothing of REAL dog needs or care.

Twin Falls has nearly NO single adult program to be spoken of.  Sure if your a senior citizen life is good, but not for the mid-singles. There are 3 stakes in Twin alone.  2 stakes were having dinners once a month and a speaker afterwords. My stake did nothing. I went and spoke to the stake president. WA has a SUPER program.  Check out the stuff going on there.

Now lets talk about the license plates here.  Every 7 years you have to give them back and get a new one.  And ya you have to buy it!  In WA you can have your license plate for 20 plus years. Why would anyone need to change?  Stupid.  I'm gonna guess it's about making money for the state. 

Lack of a SA program and lack of men is a problem.  The men around here work at dairy farms, cheese or yogurt factories and think it's great if they make 50K a year.  Really?  Really. I'm used to men that work at Microsoft or Expedia or Boeing some other big companies.

I've traveled the world.  Granted it's been to no Asian countries or anything south of Panama, but I have my dreams.  Idahoans think they are cool if they have been to other states.

Lots of hunters here, lots of guns and cowboy boots.  I sort of freaked out when a 8 year old told me he was shooting guns.  Ya, ya can't do that in the cities. 

I try to explain to even college educated been around the clock and when I mention millionaires their eyes get big.  I've just learned to lower my expectations about everything. 

Regardless of my stake now working on a SA program- once a month family activity for all ages at no cost to them, it will make no difference for me in the men area.  There is only a dance one a year around here, not every weekend like in WA. Firesides are just a stake president speaking, not Harvard professors or other extraordinary topics.  It's just a fireside- just come- no topic info.  It's been frustrating, but I have to except it.  It is what it is. I have no way of changing it.  They can only do what they do.

As I look at pictures for WA there is rain forest, mountains, oceans, lakes (two 5 min from my old house),and deep forests, islands, and ferries,  I went to flat land and if you want anything fun- you have to drive at least 45 min to 2 to 5 hours or more to get anywhere and honestly- there is not much that can compare.  If it does- it's on a MUCH smaller scale.  For someone who has been to Europe, Israel, and 2/3 of the states, while this farm land is quaint, it's not impressive. 

Dec 14, 2012 Newtown Connecticut

This is a great little idea that is simple to do for those families in Connecticut.  Send "Kiss Cards" with your name and where you live and Renae will do the rest.  We just need to send them to Renae at:

Renae Christine

6935 Aliante PKWY

Suite # 104-273

Las Vegas, NV

89084

Make 20

Christian thing to do, Less sin for you

Jason had only learned to handle problems by reviling back.  He practiced the law of Moses.  It drove me crazy because he was so mean and angry and it solved nothing.  He blamed others for his behavior. I put scriptures on the fridge like:

3 Nephi 6: 13 Some were lifted up in pride, and others were exceedingly humble; some did return railing for railing, while others would receive railing and persecution and all manner of afflictions, and would not turn and revile again, but were humble and penitent before God.

and 

Alma 34: 40 And now my beloved brethren, I would exhort you to have ^apatience, and that ye bear with all manner of ^bafflictions; that ye do not ^crevile against those who do cast you out because of your ^dexceeding poverty, lest ye become sinners like unto them;

There are other scriptures that say the same thing with out using the word revile.  Matt 5:39-40

 But I say unto you, That ye resist not ^aevil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right ^bcheek, ^cturn to him the other also.  And if any man will sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloke also.

And then Mormon 8:20 Behold what the scripture says—man shall not ^asmite, neither shall he ^bjudge; for judgment is mine, saith the Lord, and vengeance is mine also, and I will repay.

There is more than one form of smiting.  It doesn't always mean physical violence, but verbal  as well. 

It really came home to me though a few months ago when I was teaching the be-attitudes in 3 Nephi.  I light bulb went on so bring that had never been on so bright before. Here is a few of the scriptures from Matthew: 

6: 14-15  For if ye ^aforgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

But if ye ^aforgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

5:44 But I say unto you, ^aLove your ^benemies, ^cbless them that ^dcurse you, do ^egood to them that ^fhate you, and ^gpray for them which despitefully use you, and ^hpersecute you;

 45 That ye ^amay be the ^bchildren of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth ^crain on the just and on the unjust.

 46 For if ye ^alove them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same?

3 Nephi 12: 22 But I say unto you, that whosoever is ^aangry with his brother shall be in danger of his judgment. And whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council; and whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.

 23 Therefore, ^aif ye shall come unto me, or shall desire to come unto me, and rememberest that thy brother hath aught against thee—

 24 Go thy way unto thy brother, and first be ^areconciled to thy brother, and then come unto me with full ^bpurpose of heart, and I will receive you.

Here is the big kicker.   If you want to come unto Christ and there are people that have anger towards YOU, (not you towards them) go to them and make restitution with them.  

So, I've had a lot of anger in the past towards Jason and the Twitchells, but I think I've almost let it go.  There are others too, but I'm learning that to be the righteous one, turning the other cheek is the best thing to do.  My dad was awesome at doing this.  It may seem like signing up to get walked on, but it's just letting it go and not letting it bother you.  Do not let someone walk all over you and treat you like crap. Do not. 

Not reviling back when someone reviles at you is the Christian thing to do and avoids MORE sin.  They can keep their sin.  You take the higher road, forget the law of Moses and that eye for an eye stuff!

So while I still want to send a letter I wrote to the Twitchell's or send emails to Jason that are true, but sarcastic, rude and in your face, I don't. I don't because it will do no good for me.  It will only cause me harm (bad replies and proof for them I'm crazy and have not moved on) and increase my anger and my sin. I take the high road of self-denial.  The road where even if you are justified, you don't act.  The road that at first that can be painful, but in the end will bring more peace once time has lapsed.  Good job Becky for finally learning this lesson.  It's about time! 

 Proverbs 25: 21 If thine ^aenemy be ^bhungry, give him bread to eat; and if he be thirsty, give him water to drink:

 22 For thou shalt heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall ^areward thee.