Oldest Man

We are studying the old testament in Sunday school. We were talking about Noah and I had a question about his father (Lamech) and why he wasn't on the Ark. Well it turns out that his father died several years before the flood but his grandfather, Methuselah lived right up until the flood . Our scriptures tell us Methuselah was a righteous prophet. According to Chapter 5 of the Book of Jasher (a Jewish midrash), Methuselah helped Noah try to convince people to repent for 120 yrs before the flood and Methuselah was promised not to parish with the unrighteous by flood. The rains started the year he passed away. I thought that was interesting.

Methuselah

There is more in the Book of Jasher that is in harmony with our Book of Abraham.

Mississippi

Quick update this week:

Eric and Krystal went to Clinton, Mississippi so Eric could interview with the Physician's Assistant program at Mississippi College.  This is a private Christian college near Jackson, Mississippi and Eric liked what they had to say. They have a code of conduct and dress and they said that they want their students to help each other out and work in study groups. They will not know the results of the interview for another 3 weeks. We are praying.

Mississippi College

Haley was transferred this week to serve in the Grand Teton Ward of Las Vegas. I don't get the name since the National Park is 1000 miles away. Her new companion is Sister Camarillo from Seattle. We are waiting to hear more about her. They had to open a brand new apartment and had to assemble the furniture.

Goodbye Sis Lyman

Tommy seems to be feeling better this week.

Tommy with Aunt and Cousin

John put on his socks for the first time by himself

Felicia and I rented a pretty good movie this week called Wonder. I recommend it as way to learn to look at things from others perspectives in order to understand them and not judge unrighteously.

Russ and I got together again for a ride out to Tiger Mine Road.

Tommy Sick

I came home from seeing Mom. Van and Neal met up with me. She was pretty tired when we left and had experienced some anxiety. I talked to her a few days later though and she was fine and enjoying the Olympics.

When I drove through Southern Utah, I pulled off the road at the place we finished the AZBDR and took some pictures. This is not far from the entrance to the trail to see "The Wave" near Buckskin Gulch and the Paria River.

Photo from House Rock Valley Rd

On Friday night we got a message from Gordon that Tommy was sick and in the hospital. He had a respiratory virus and needed help keeping his lungs clear. The said it wasn't the flu but something unknown. They suctioned his lungs and gave him steroids.

He doesn't like it when they suction him but he is happy with the result when it is finished.

Happy Tommy in the hospital

He likes it after the suctioning is done

John came to visit

I was washing my bike after a ride Sat (2/10/18) morning and I wanted it on the center stand. Apparently I was too close to the edge of the sidewalk so when I put the stand up one of the legs was off the edge and the bike fell into the Oleander bush. A branch poked through the seat. I had to get Felicia to help me pick it up.

I started my annual Lantana trimming exercise on Saturday. More to do in the weeks ahead.

Visiting Grandma Reese

This past week we received word that Grandma Reese (my Mom) was not doing well. She had pneumonia and a UTI and was delirious. It looked like she was not going to last very long. Stephanie and Van and Neal all were worried. Hospice was called and they brought in a hospital bed and started treating her. After a couple of days she had recovered and was back to what was normal for her...but there was still concern because she wasn't eating much. Her Parkinson's disease was making it hard to swallow. She had no memory of the days she was super ill and thought she had been moved to a different room. Stephanie had taken her to see Janet after she recovered. She stayed over an hour singing songs to her and saying nursery rhymes.

I drove up to Utah arriving late on Friday, then went to see her Saturday morning. Mom was mostly normal but talked more softly than usual. Stephanie was planning a birthday party for her one year old, Benjamin. I asked mom if she wanted to go and, to my surprise, she said yes. It was a big party with lots of attendees from Austin's side and Stephanie's side.

Van and Neal and I met to visit her Sunday evening. She was obsessing about her nose so I went to get the CNAs to provide some anti-anxiety medication. She calmed down after that but seemed confused about some things. When we talked about her memories of growing up she remembered everything clearly.

I also made it over to see Janet. The medical team is more actively working to restore her brain function. They have special medications and exercises to help her progress. It is making a difference.