Beatitudes

I have prepared a talk on the Beatitudes for Ward Conferences this year and have written a poem to summarize the talk. It is as follows:

Come Unto Christ

Being poor in spirit is much like a child
Allow the Father to mild and to guide
Pruning our weakness-allow us growth
Patience and love are the results of most.

Mourning with family and with friends
When tragedy strikes and feels no end
Our hands are the Saviors as we assist
Bringing comfort through the tears that mist.

Meekness is obedience to the laws of God
Helping us hold on firmly to the iron rod
Being gentle, patient, forgiving and sweet
Often will bring answers while we sleep.

Righteousness involves work, sacrifice and pain
But reflect on all the blessings we can gain
Through temples, scriptures, study and prayer
Our hunger for the spiritual is answered with care.

Mercy brings mercy to those who are kind
Judgment tempered with sacrifice is not blind
Forgiveness, the condition of a generous heart
Know that a loving God to us grace imparts.

Purity in all the areas of our life
Always will bring peace instead of strife
Virtue garnishing our thoughts most oft
Will allow us eventually to see our God.

Peacemakers, oh what a balm they bring
They're seeking and making peace to ring
With friend, church and family near
They are a blessing to all we hold dear.

But those who sacrifice for righteous sake
have brought us the gospel for us to take
For they are tried and true to the very end
A witness of Christ is the message they send.

Patricia A. Weston - January 2010

Welcome 2010

It is a new year and we have a lot to be thankful for. We enjoyed having four of our eight children here during the holidays and enjoyed every minute. We also talked to our other children - Todd, Amy, Russell & Michael who were in other areas for the holiday season. We missed them, but feel grateful for the wonderful children and their families.
Be began the new year with some changes; Malcolm is new Exec. Secy. for the Gridley Stake and will do an awesome job as he is so good with details and loves people. I am still serving as the Stake Relief Society President and will be speaking at ward conferences during January and February. We are planning a Stake Relief Society Activity in March with four great classes and perhaps a speaker with a nice lunch.

New couple picture

This is our new picture for 2010. We had copies made for our family for Christmas. It has been years since we had a picture done at a studio - it is now 46 years together!

Elmo

One of my favorite people died day before yesterday. He was found in his chair watching his favorite program. He was good to everyone and so much fun and will be so missed!

$20.00

$20.00
Sometimes we just need to be
reminded!

A well-known speaker
started off his seminar by:
holding up a $20.00
bill. In the room of 200, he asked,
'Who would like this
$20 bill?'
Hands started going up.
He said, 'I am going to give this
$20 to one of you
but first, let me
do this.
He proceeded to crumple up the $20 dollar bill.
He then asked, 'Who
still wants it?'
Still the hands
were up in the air.
Well, he
replied, 'What if I do this?'
And he
dropped it on the ground
and started
to grind it into the floor with his shoe.
He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty.
'Now, who still wants it?'
Still the hands went into the air.
My friends, we have all learned a
very valuable lesson.
No matter what
I did to the money, you still wanted it
because it did not decrease in value.
It was still worth $20.
Many times in our lives,
we are dropped, crumpled, and ground
into the dirt
by the decisions we
make and
the circumstances that come
our way.
We feel as though we are
worthless.
But no matter what has
happened or
what will happen, you
will never lose your value.
Dirty or
clean, crumpled or finely creased,
you are still
priceless to those who DO LOVE you.
The worth of our
lives comes not in what we do or who we know,
but by WHO WE ARE and
WHOSE WE ARE You are
special
- Don't EVER forget it.'
Count our blessings,
not our problems.

Edward Kennedy

Another Kennedy - history remembered in my life included many Kennedy's

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Dr.Phil's personality test

I took this test just for fun - it was an interesting outcome!

1. Nothing is as constant as change. Some changes are sudden as passing of loved one or unforeseen illness, loss of possessions, but most changes take place subtly and slowly.
2. The longer we live, the greater is our realization that our time is brief. Opportunities come and they go.
3. The greatest lessons we learn are the ability to distinguish between what is important and what is not.
4. Don’t let the most important things pass you by as you plan for the illusive and nonexistent future – find joy in the journey now.
5. There is no tomorrow to remember if we don’t do something today. Childhood doesn’t come back – enjoy your children now.
6. Often we assume the special people in our lives know how much we love them, but never assume, we should let them know. William Shakespeare said “They do not love that do not show their love.” We will never regret kind words spoken affection shown.
7. Regrets come if we don’t speak and express our love to those who mean most to us – the bitterest tears shed over graves are for words left unsaid and deeds left undone.
8. A man in captivity in the war sent home to his family this brief quote: “These things are important: temple marriage, mission, college. Press on, set goals, write history, take pictures twice a year.”
9. When we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that’s present- love, health, family friends, work, the joys of nature, and personal pursuits that bring us [happiness]-the wasteland of illusion fall away and we experience heaven on earth.
10. Whatever hour God has blessed you with, take it with a grateful hand, nor postpone your joys from year to year, so that in whatever place you have been, you may say that you have lived happily.
11. May we cherish those we hold dear and express our love to them in word and deed.
12. The Savior has taught us how to pray, hour to serve, how to live. His life is a legacy of love. Let us follow Him and emulate His example, obey His word. By so doing we give to Him the divine gift of gratitude.

Temples

This is a beautiful slide show of LDS Temples. Enjoy

Mormon temples

Brother Steve's Family

The whole family
The kids: Amber, Steve
Cherish, Misty & Rachel
Victor, Katya & Sean


Steve & Erin

Stake Enrichment

We had a successful Stake Humanitarian Projects with 5 Relief Societies contributing to our effort. There were 120 quilts, 10 Hygiene kits, school kits, mittens, scarfs, 100 recieiving blankets and other items contributed for those in disaster areas. We were priveleged to participate and help. Our Stake President, President Papa was there to help and many others from the Chico Bishop's Storehouse with their truck and personnel. We are very grateful for all who assisted to make this happen.

Wednesday

I have been working on some Relief Society business today and working in the flower garden. Malcolm cleaned the fountain and got everything going and it sounds so good to hear the water flowing again. Nancy came over and picked up a box of groceries I fixed for her, along with some cinnamon rolls. It was good to give her a lift. I helped Amanda today watch the little ones while she went to school to fill out some forms and do some grocery shopping. She came over later with a card and jewelry to show her appreciation. She is a sweetheart.

RS Enrichment

I am busy preparing for the Stake Enrichment for RS for the Stake. We are using the aspen tree as a motivator. The roots grow together and resprout to grow more trees and grow into a grove. There are just one big organism and need each other to support the entire grove.

Cough

I have been dealing with a cough for several weeks and hope it goes away soon. Malcolm has been very helpful though and let me sleep and recover. I don't want to go to the Dr. Perhaps it will ride its course. Malcolm just had a tooth pulled today so he is dealing with a sore mouth and took some pain meds to help him get through it tonight. He goes to the temple tomorrow and needs to feel better and be able to talk.

Tribute to Mom

2009 Picture of Malcolm & I

Our sweet daughter, Amanda took this good picture of Malcolm and I on New Years Eve. We had a good visit, dinner and had the 3 oldest boys overnight and for French toast breakfast. Tyler and Amanda and the rest of the gang joined us later.

Our children & Us - August 2008

Back row: Dan, Mike, Mal, Russ & Dan

Front row: Amanda, Patsy, Valerie & Amy

45th anniversary

My Blog

I am attempting to make a history of my life, working backwards on the posts. It has been a terrific and exciting voyage from birth to now. I have had many exciting experiences, many opportunities and a great family to share all my joys and sorrows with. For this I am appreciative. I received a great education with Mom and Dad and on to a degree from the University of Alaska and then to California with my companion, Malcolm Weston.
We have had eight children and now twenty five grandchildren as of December 2008

Live Oak Years

Alas, we again decided to move. Amanda and Tyler were transferred up to Live Oak, Ca while Tyler worked in Williams, CA. We both bought homes in the KB Subdivision and have nice new homes with all of our choices of options. It has been very fun and a great way to begin our retirement time. It is wonderful to be next door to Amanda's family and has been a blessing as she has been ill with an immunity disorder and requires infusions every three weeks and has had quite a ride with this serious problem. It has been helpful for us to live near and care for the children at times. Malcolm has driven the boys to school and home. I have been asked to be the Stake RS President and enjoy getting to know a lot of new sisters in the Gridley Stake. This is an old area of the LDS Church (100 years) from old pioneer families who settled the area of orchards (peaches, almonds, prunes, walnuts, etc). We are enjoying all the fresh fruits and veggies. Malcolm has done a marvelous job of creating a beautiful back yard with planters and a circular paving stone area with redwood trees and raised garden beds. We are enjoying the fruits of our labors in the garden. We love the home and have done some painting and decorating inside too.

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Fairfield Years

We finally sold our home in Eureka to Chuck Childers Family and did some house hunting. We could get a new home in Fairfield for the price of a small home in not such a good area in Concord area so we took the plunge and moved our family to Fairfield. We bought a large home with four bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths with lots of room for the children. Our children brought their friends home so it was a busy place with lots of activity for all of our teens. I served as the Relief Society president and was very busy, but loved the opportunity to be of service to my dear sisters. We lived there for 17 years until our children all left home, except Amy. We then sold the home and bought a mobile home for a transition until we retired and remoldeled it. During these years, I worked for the Church Education System and Malcolm worked for Contra Costa County. We had a good opportunity to start saving for our retirement as we only had Amy home going to college and working. Malcolm was serving as a Bishop in our ward part of the time and I taught Institute classes. We had good neighbors and enjoyed the area we lived in very much. Several friends lived in our area as well.

Concord Years

We left Eureka in 1985 when Malcolm took an opportunity to work for Contra Costa Flood Control in Martinez, CA. We found a rented home in Concord on Beegum Ct. We rented our home Eureka and finally after much challenge sold the home to a friend who lived there. We had a lady who did not pay rent so we both had to go to work to manage the payments and Todd had just left for a mission to Montreal, Cananda. We were blessed to have enough work to cover our expenses and our children continued to grow. We began our life of many years of teenagers.

Eureka Years

All Eight Children in Eureka, CA

Back row: Brian, Val, Mike, Mal, Todd

Front row: Amy, Patsy, Amanda Dan, Russell

The Carson Mansion in Eureka - the landmark

Malcolm was transferred to Eureka, CA in 1981. I was expecting our 7th baby during this time. Malcolm stayed for a year with the Kilpatrick Family while we waited for the sale of our home. We had difficulty selling and had a sale fall through and finally sold the home the second time an offer was made. We bought a home in Eureka on R St. which was a large home in the middle of town with wonderful neighbors and a great ward who welcomed us with open arms. We had our two additional daughters while living in Eureka, Amanda, and Amy. We loved the warm and friendly people in Eureka, especially in our neighborhood - people were good to us and the ward members were great too. We felt we belonged as soon as we arrived. Perhaps, this was because Malcolm and the Kilpatricks had prepared the way for us. We developed many great friendships in the few years we lived here and learned to love and pick blackberries and made lots of jam which we shared is all. This was the home where all eight children were together and we had plenty of room. We had children of all ages and our eldest children brought friends home so our home was a social center for goodies and bumper pool and parties. We were pleased to have them in our home. There were many neighbor children about the same ages as our children and lots of interesting and fun people to visit with. We also discovered the ocean and had lots of outings with our family and friends at the many beaches along the Northern coast of California. One of my favorites was moonstone beach were we would lay on our tummy for hours and look for agates. In many ways this was the most peaceful time for a few years. I regret we did not attend the temple often here as we were far away and were not diligent in keeping this up for a time. During these years, Todd went to BYU for college and most of the older children had jobs to help with their expenses.

Redding years

Malcolm was transferred to Redding, Ca where we lived for about 6 years and had two more sons, Russell and Daniel while we lived there. We had two homes - one on Merle Drive and One on Branstetter and enjoyed the time spent there and much growth and a few trials. Grandpa and Grandma Eastland came to visit at our home here in Redding. Although this was a very good experience living in Redding, there were many challenges during this time, which I am hopeful strengthened my faith and helped me understand the importance of prayer and hanging in there. I had some serious health problems and had a miscarrage after Dan was born - then found out I was expecting Amanda. Malcolm was living in Eureka for a year while I was trying to sell the home and prepare for another baby. Both our mother's came for different periods of time to help me during my illiness with Pnuemonia. There were many wonderful friends we made while living in Redding and lots of opportunities for service in te Redding 1st ward. I loved teaching Relief Society and Malcolm served in several callings there too.

Sonoma Years

The Golden Gate Bridge - near San Francisco

We began in California in Sonoma where Malcolm went to work for the US Geological Survey. We lived here 8 years and had three more of our children while living here. (Valerie, Michael and Brian. We really enjoyed living in this area of California and were close to Malcolm's parents who enjoyed the children. We spent any holidays there and made many memories for our children. We also had many opportunities for service in the Sonoma Ward. I taught classes in Relief Society, Sunday School and was Primary President just before Brian was born. Malcolm and I also gave the first talks in the newly constructed Sonoma Chapel off Hwy 12. We left Sonoma in 1973

Our Beginnings

We began in Fairbanks, Alaska . We served in the ward there and had made many friends, many newly weds like ourselves and spent some pleasant evenings with many of our friends, the Anderson's, Sherwoods and others. We house sat for a family, then moved to an apartment and eventually to a home of College Rd. Malcolm worked for Griffins picture framing shop and I worked at the University of Alaska vice presidents office until our first son, Todd was born. We then made a decision to move to California after the birth of our first Son, Todd, born July 13, 1964. We drove with Malcolm's parents over the Alcan highway from Alaska through Canada all the way back to Calif. This picture was taken at Whitehorse where there is a post with people's names who have passed through the trip. We left Alaska in 1964.

Wedding Day

Malcolm & were married in the Los Angeles Temple Oct 8, 1963. I first met Malcolm's parents a couple of days before our wedding. I met all of his family during that week. We had fun after the wedding with a day at Disneyland and Marine World. We stayed in a converted barn at an old cemetery and open houses in Atwater, Sonoma and a reception at home in Fairbanks, Alaska at the Traveler's Inn

Engagement

I met Malcolm Weston at the University of Alaska. We enjoyed each other and have similar interests and goals. We became engaged the spring before graduation. This is our engagment picture. Malcolm is from Sonoma, CA.

Dad & I at University of Alaska Graduation

My graduation from the University of Alaska was my Dad's dream. I received a Bachelor of Science in Home Economics with minors in music and science