Awesome Weeks Ahead

I have tons to do this next few weeks before the year ends and I'm so excited. I have had a couple of Christmas Parties that I attended and they were beautiful and wonderful and I was able to rub shoulders with the big wigs of Fulton Homes and received a book from Mary Lou Fulton at the Relief Society Christmas Gathering. That too was wonderful. I was able to talk to people that I normally would not have had I not gone so it was wonderful to do so.

I walked with Kale to the Porter home this last week too and spent time with their family for the First Presidency Devotional. That was fabulous.

I was able to attend the Phoenix Zoo Lights with friends and meeting new friends and it was wonderful. We had a great time and we had a late night "breakfast" at IHOP afterwards which was awesome.

This next week, I have a team project due for my school program so I'll be busy working on that. I have VTearchers coming over on Thur and my work team potluck on Thurs. I have the ward Christmas Party Friday night along with a Build-A-Bear Project at work in the afternoon for kids for Christmas, which I am soooo excited about. I haven't done one since I was a kid.

Saturday, I'll be working on homework, going to the stake family history center, going to the temple and visiting the temple lights and then later that night, I'll go to the dance!!! I'll be soooo tired. When will I have time to practice piano so that I don't sound like a goof in the middle of Sacrament Meeting and Sunday School when the senior primary sings for the ward? Oh well, 20 minutes every day should be enough, if I can find that 20 a day.

It is sooooo funny, I have found new friends at the dog park on McQueen and Ocotillo. I take Kale every day so that he can play with the other dogs and socialize. He loves it and can't wait to go. He jumps in the car and waits for me to change clothes or I just let him jump in and we go without me going in the house. It is hilarious. He mingles better with dogs that are the same size if not smaller than him. He runs around and plays with them and chases the dogs too. His favorite thing, just sniff around and see what else has been there. He'll just hang by himself which is cool with me, as long as he walks around.

I want to thank the Wicke family for inviting me to their home on Sunday and for their kindness. I had a great time and I'm so grateful that I was able to attend and enjoy myself with them. I pray that each one of them is happy and that they are blessed with all the desires of their hearts. They are great people and may God bless them.

When I go to the family history center this weekend, I'm going to check and see if I can find the link for Frederick W Wicke and Henriette Auguste Wicke (she is the sweet sister I went to the temple for already) and Frederick is the bold guy who I found originally that I need to link everyone too. I'm excited to see what I can find.

I love the Gospel and the peace that it brings. I know that my Heavenly Father loves me. I have been greatly blessed physically with health and temporal needs. I have a job, I have health, I have a great family & friends who are righteous and do good. I have a calling that I love and primary I love as well. There is a temple so close that I can go to anytime and I'm so grateful for that. I'm so grateful for the blessings of tithing.

I did tithing settlement already and my bishop asked me if I was a full tithe payer and I told him that I have to be or I wouldn't have anything that I do have. He just smiled because he knows. I know that through tithing, there are many blessings that come and I see them in my life all of the time.

I know that Joseph Smith, JR was called of God and that he saw God the Father and Jesus Christ. I know that the Book of Mormon is Another Testament of Jesus Christ. I read it every day and since I've finished it again this last November, I've changed my tactic in reading it and have added other Scripture to it as well. It is awesome and I'm grateful for it.

I know that Temple Blessings are NOT just for the married and are NOT just for those with families. I know that God created such a Heaven on Earth for ALL his Children in ALL living circumstances. It is fabulous.

Karen Wicke