A Whole New Blog!

Jonathan and I started a new blog! No need to fear, we are continuing with this one.

I was talking to Jonathan about updating his resume to include his hobby of 3-D animation with the URL of where they can be viewed. I realized after I said that, the bulk of his animations are just on the hard drive and wouldn't be accessible to really anyone but the two of us. I suggested we start a new blog for him to get his work out there for the world (and future employers) to see. I realized that I wanted to be able to share some of my more artistic projects there as well and so that is how Nelson Creations came about.

I'm going to keep a link to it in the side bar for anyone that is interested in our posts there. Honestly, I have no idea of how often there will be new posts there.

What's In A Name?

I want to share the inspiration for the name of our blog, Tea For Two. In middle school and high school I listened to a lot of big band music. Some of my favorite artists are Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, and Ella Fitzgerald. One of my absolute songs is Tea For Two.

It seriously sounds like Jonathan and me. We are both homebodies and aren't particularly social. (With exception of when we were in the Singles Ward, because you aren't going to meet people if you don't go to the activities.)

One of my favorite stanzas is:

Nobody near us to see us or hear us
No friends or relations on weekend vacations
We won't have it known, dear
That we own a telephone, dear

I treasure our time together and the adventures we are able to share as the two of us.

The stanza that sealed the deal for naming our blog after this song is: 

We will raise a family
A boy for you and a girl for me
Can't you see how happy we will be?

Before we were married, we shared the desire to have a family. I started the blog a few months after we were married and so I felt like this fit perfectly except I love little boys and so the boy is for me and the girl can be for Jonathan. (That's what happens when you have 5 nephews in a row I guess!) Anyway, that's why our blog is named Tea For Two.

My People

These are my people. They are my ancestors that Jonathan and I have taken to the temple.

There are more I have to take and others that I've shared with my parents and siblings. They are very much alive and supporting me. I love the quote they are surrounding. It says "Suddenly all my ancestors are behind me. 'Be still' they say. 'Watch and listen you are the result of the love of thousands.'" My mom saw it and knew that I needed it. I won't let them be forgotten and in turn they are watching over me. Sure, they don't change what's going on in my life, but they are cheering me on. They don't forget me.

Tuesdays

Sometimes Tuesdays can be as rough as Mondays...

So take a break and smell the {giant} flowers!

Answers to Life's Questions

Early on in our marriage, Jonathan and I had some big decisions to make. We weren't really sure how to find the answer, so we met with our Bishop. He didn't give us the answer, but he counseled us to go to the temple because we would get our answer there. Sure enough, we got our answer. It was crystal clear and I know it didn't come from me because it wasn't the answer I wanted.

Our first temple.

"Temples are places of personal revelation. When I have been weighed down by a problem or a difficulty, I have gone to the House of the Lord with a prayer in my heart for answers. The answers have come in clear and unmistakable ways."

—Ezra Taft Benson

Our current temple.

We take just about everything to the temple. There is nothing too insignificant that Heavenly Father won't offer guidance. Jonathan regularly takes some time to ponder about his homework and typically he gets insight on something he wasn't totally understanding. There is a clarity in the temple that makes it much easier for us to recognize the answer to whatever questions we have. It truly is the House of the Lord.

A Quick Project

A few months ago, I was organizing my jewelry box and noticed two things. I hadn't worn most of them in months and that they were tangled like crazy! I wasn't wearing them because I didn't see them. I decided to make my own necklace organizer.

I had an extra piece of wood from a previous project and lots of finishing nails. I painted the board and hammered in the nails. Now I can see my necklaces and have started wearing them again!

Fireflies in Utah

Last month, Jonathan and I went to the Goshen area to see fireflies. I know that most people think that fireflies really only live in the Eastern United States, I did too. Last year, I saw a video produced by BYU talking about fireflies living here in Utah.

I have wanted to see fireflies for years and years and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see them. I did some research to figure out where they were in Goshen.

Luckily, there is a marshland that the state has preserved right next to an abandoned railroad line. We got there over an hour before sunset to scope out the area and see where the fireflies were likely to be.

We were unfortunately unprepared for the hundreds of ravenous mosquitoes. Thankfully, we were prepared for it to be cold and so we wore our jackets and hoods to protect ourselves from some of the mosquitoes. Jonathan ended up with at least a dozen bites on one of his hands from taking pictures.

Right around ten o'clock though, the fireflies started lighting up! We only saw about 8 or 9 fireflies, but it was still magical! Jonathan admitted that the mosquito bites were worth seeing them. We weren't able to get any pictures of them because the camera couldn't focus on them. After about 10 or so minutes of not seeing any more fireflies, we headed back to the car. As we were walking along the railroad tracks, a firefly flew between us and lit up! It was equally amazing and terrifying because we were not expecting it at all!

It was so awesome to see fireflies! This will hold me over until we can travel back east and see hundreds of them lighting up all at once.

A Special Witness

On the same day we went to the Masonic Temple, Jonathan and I went to the Salt Lake Temple. We were able to squeeze in and do a few sealings for my family members. It was a very busy day with 36 couples being sealed, so we weren't able to do all of the family names I brought. I was still very happy that we were able to get any done. Afterward, Jonathan and I spent a few hours talking about some of our challenges in the Celestial room.

Before we could leave, we needed to stop by the sealer's office to get my family's ordinances recorded. When we entered the office there were two men at the far end of the table and a sister sitting close by the door. One of the men was sitting down at the table and I thought he kind of looked like President Hinkley. When you live in Utah there are a lot of people that are related to General Authorities and so they look similar. The other man was leaning over the table and his voice sounded a little familiar. He was excited because he had just done some sealings for his family. We asked the sister if we could get our names recorded and she said she would in just a moment. She then walked over to the two men and the man leaning over the table stood up straight and I quickly recognized him. It was Elder Dallin H. Oaks, one of the men I just sustained the month before as a prophet, seer, and revelator for our church. I couldn't believe it! Jonathan and I went to see him speak last year at a symposium, but I never expected to just bump into him in my everyday life. As soon as I recognized him, the spirit in the room changed.

This is how we normally see him.
  source

Jonathan thought it was him, but when the sister walked past us to get to the computer he asked her if it really was Elder Oaks. She told us it was him. The man with Elder Oaks led him to the computer and the sister scanned in his family cards that he just did the sealings for. He was so excited just like I am each time I take my family to the temple. After his family was recorded, he went back to the far end of the table and thanked the man who helped get his family recorded. Elder Oaks then looked at us and asked if he could "shake this young couples' hands?" We were already planning on not letting him out of the room until he shook our hands, so it was nice that he noticed us or it could have gotten awkward.

As he shook our hands and patted our backs, he asked if we were getting married and I told him that we already were and that we were doing sealings for our family. He was excited and said that he had just done the sealings for some of his family. After Elder Oaks left, the man he was talking to came over and told us that he is in the same ward as Elder Oaks. Oh, life in Salt Lake!

source

I know without a doubt that this man is truly an Apostle of Jesus Christ. I have seen him interacting with others and his excitement from participating in the ordinances of the temple for his family. From our little interaction, I feel like I am old friends with him and I will treasure this memory.

Founding Fathers

Since Saturday is Independence Day, I decided to share a few quotes from some of the Founding Fathers that are also my cousins!

Abraham Clark - My 12th cousin 11 times removed.

As to my Title, I know not yet whether it will be honourable or dishonourable, the issue of the War must Settle it. Perhaps our Congress will be Exalted on a high Gallows

- Abraham Clark

Joseph Hewes -  My 11th cousin 10 times removed.

Were I to suffer in the cause of American liberty, should I not be translated immediately to heaven as Enoch was of old?

- Joseph Hewes

Thomas McKean - My 10th cousin 17 times removed.

Our cause is good, our army in health and high spirits, and more numerous that that of the enemy. May the divine Disposer of all events crown our victuous endeavors with success and save our country; of this we may be confident, "for he delights in virtue, and that which he delights in must be happy."

- Thomas McKean

Charles Carroll - My 10th cousin 8 times removed.

Without morals a republic cannot subsist any length of time; they therefore who are decrying the Christian religion, whose morality is so sublime and pure (and) which insures to the good eternal happiness, are undermining the solid foundation of morals, the best security for the duration of free governments.

- Charles Carroll

There are certain unalienable and fundamental rights, which informing the social compact, out to be explicitly ascertained and fixed - a free and enlightened people, in forming this compact, will not resign all their rights to those who govern, and they will fix limits to their legislators and rulers, which will soon be plainly seen by those who are governed, as well as by those who govern: and the latter will know they cannot be passed unperceived by the former, and without giving a general alarm.

- Richard Henry Lee

Roger Sherman - My 3rd cousin 9 times removed.

The only real security that you can have for all your important rights must be in the nature of your government. If you suffer any man to govern you who is not strongly interested in supporting your privileges, you will certainly lose them.

- Roger Sherman

These men recognized that they were part of something that was so much bigger than anything that had been attempted before. I love how Abraham Clark freely acknowledged that they didn't know if they would be successful or not, but that was not going to stop them. They knew that what they were doing was right and many saw the hand of the Lord throughout the formation of this independent nation. They also saw how these freedoms and rights could be taken from us. It is vital for us to educate ourselves on the candidates and remove them from office if necessary for limiting our freedoms. There is still so much we can learn from our Founding Fathers if we would take the time to study them.

If you want to find out what Founding Fathers you are related to go to www.relativefinder.org.
Here's some more patriotic thoughts for this Independence Day.

SLC Masonic Temple

Last month, Jonathan and I were able to take a tour of the Masonic Temple in Salt Lake. Neither one of us have ever been inside of one before, so it was a very interesting experience.

It was a self-guided tour, but there were many Masons throughout the various rooms. They welcomed any and all questions. They also made it very clear that they are not a religion, but do require the members to believe in a higher power whether it is God or not they don't care. Their purpose is to gain knowledge.

While they encouraged people to take pictures, Jonathan and I only took a few. We could tell that they have truth because we could feel the spirit there. We chose to honor that by not taking pictures of everything we saw.

We found this image of the Temple of Solomon in a hallway. It has descriptions various sacred parts of the ancient temple including the instructions for the construction of the temple from the scriptures.

With all of the temples we have visited since moving to Utah, it was nice to see a different organization's temple. There are definitely many similarities between LDS temples and Masonic Temples.

Memorial Day

This Memorial Day, Jonathan and I visited the cemeteries where some of our ancestors are buried. I remembered how whenever we would take flowers to my grandpa's grave, my mom would come prepared to clean off the grave marker and pick any weeds that were growing. I followed her example. I felt a little silly walking through the cemeteries with a roll of paper towels and water to clean with when most everyone else had flowers, but I was glad that I came prepared.

Our first stop was in Bountiful. We saw the markers for, Cyril Call, Anson Call, and Anson Vasco Call.

Not surprising, we ran into some very distant cousins of Jonathan's. She told us the story about how Anson Call met one of his wives. (Yes, he practiced polygamy and followed the correct process for having additional wives.) One of the handcart companies left to cross the plains a little late in the year. They ended up getting stranded in the snow before they got to Utah. Anson was on of the men that was sent to rescue them. Margaretta was so tired that she just wanted to lay down and sleep. He bundled her up and put her the back of his wagon. She was also very hungry because she ended up eating the feed for the animals. Mmm old, slightly rotten potatoes! Anson pulled her back out of the wagon and with the help of one of the other rescuers, they had her walk back and forth between the two of them so she would live.

We were also reminded that Jonathan's great-great-great-great grandpa served in the war of 1812. We will be sure to remember him on Veteran's Day from now on!

At the Salt Lake City Cemetery, we were able to find more of my ancestors. First we stopped off at James Davis' marker since I knew we could find it again. Someone already came by his marker and placed an American flag by his marker.

The next one we searched for was for William and Ellen (or Hellen) Bellamy. Thanks to the map of the cemetery, they were very easy to find! William Bellamy's marker was starting to be covered by grass, so Jonathan grabbed some tools from the car to dig out the roots and dirt.

 As I was researching, I found out that their daughter Sarah Ellen Bellamy married Joseph Machen on the ship as they were emigrating to America from England. I also found out the Ellen's maiden name is Redfern which is my great-grandpa's middle name.

It took a little bit longer, but we were also able to find John and Lurena Nebeker. We could tell that we were in the right area because there were quite a few other Nebekers around them! Now I just get to figure out how we are all related.

We also visited a few other markers before we left.

Hyrum Smith's memorial

President Heber J. Grant

President David O. McKay

President Gordon B. Hinckely

And my dad's favorite, Porter Rockwell!

Then we headed out to Magna to visit where Jonathan's great-grandma and great-aunt are buried. We were not prepared for how dusty this cemetery was, but we still did our best to clean their markers. This visit was much more emotional for Jonathan. He knew both of them and attended their funerals. 

I am so glad that we were able to take the time to visit our ancestors and to remember them.

My Father

My dad loves being a teacher because he can spend most of the summer camping. He's never happier than when his is out in the woods. A scripture that perfectly describes my dad is 1 Nephi 3:15. "And my father dwelt in a tent." 

This is from his third time climbing half-dome.

Thanks to my father, I also love the outdoors. I don't get to camp very often, but I enjoy being in nature whenever I can. I love the memories I have of being at Rucker Lake. We would canoe, hike, fish (unsuccessfully), and shoot guns. Back when we lived in Citrus Heights, I was able to go on a couple of bigger hikes with the Young Women during Girls Camp. Being a leader gave me a new perspective. I understand better why my dad loves sharing the outdoors with anyone and everyone.

This is from Girls Camp in 2011.

I gave my dad a small painting for Father's Day. One of my favorite memories of camping was going down to the lake to lay down on the dock and look at all of the stars.

I am so grateful that my dad shared his love of the outdoors with me and gave me so many wonderful memories.

Play Ball!

We went to a UVU baseball game on a perfect April evening. What made it even better was that they were playing against New Mexico State, one of the schools Jonathan applied and was accepted to. One of these days we'll get there! Any way, we were both really impressed with how well UVU's defense was.

New Mexico tried to rally, but UVU was able to get the win.

I am so glad that we actually went to a game this year!