Liz Hart

 Thursday, 4/27/23 Hello Brandon, I think I have whined to you and to me about not being motivated for months. So I want to give myself some credit. 1- I swept the long south sidewalk free of gravel at the FSC yesterday! 2- I called Centurylink 40 min! and after having canceled my service in January they kept withdrawing payments from my bank!!! I was already angry because my bill was up to $111/month and since I was paperless I never noticed I have been paying it for 6 years! Argh, ARGH. I switched to TDS who advertised $39/mo. I have almost been with them for 3 months. Those first 3 months were supposed to be free! Crud the fine print on the back defeats that! It has been $20 for the router and wifi units. So for the rest of the starter, special year it is $39 + $20. Lolalie from Centurylink convinced me she can remove the bills for no service and do it for $50 from now on for life. Who knows. . . But I’m going to try it. 3- I figured out how to start my new electric rototiller. And I used it for 30 minutes. 4- I mowed Jim’s front weeks and mine.  @ so Look! I got motivated to do stuff! @@ Jimmie just texted me back. No texts from him since FEB 2. I visited with him after bringing the garbage carts/totes in on Tuesday night. It is working!!!! We are sharing a lawnmower again. (next door on north)  friday, 4/28/23 Hello Brandon, it is Friday and Lloyd & I rode over here together for our 5th ward Index Worker training. 6:30 I was not as anxious as usual. Glory be! but the bad news: I did not use a single thing that I had prepared! Only Laela & Kathleen arrived. :( so Ll found an intermediate project in English >US, Pennsylvania—Middle District Naturalization Records, 1903–1931

< and he showed Kathleen on his computer how to do it! I am smiling because he showed her how to open all 5 examples so she could refer to them. I sat at the back of the class and did an Italian Morte batch. By then Kathleen was working on her own computer so I got out my pointer and went and sat by her to help. Making granddaughter Laela responsible for Kathleen’s learning shows strain in their relationship. So having L & I partner with her helped ease some of that strain. I was startled when Kathleen asked, Why do we have to do Italian indexing? Can’t the Italians do their own? If we were to change that to an I message: “I’m afraid I will never be able to learn to do Italian beginning records and I want to get producing as soon as possible.” You could have a different interpretation, Brandon. So last night was Kathleen’s night! If I had not sat beside her and assisted her with my pointer for the last half of class. . . the next event would not have occurred. (TYHF) Before we left she downloaded her next batch. (See how she wants to keep going!) We looked it over together, and deleted one of the extra entries, they come in with 2. She went home and worked on her second image and then texted me if I could help. We shared a batch and spent 15 minutes explaining and fixing things!!! I was on my computer and she was on hers. Of course I had to text Lloyd and brag about it. @ I am a team player Brandon. Working with others brings me such joy. Especially when it is Helping God to build his Kingdom here on the earth! 

Sat. 4/29/23 12:39 Hello Brandon, I am at the FSC. Every 8 weeks we get a turn to work on Saturday. Liz Hart spent 30$+ on 24 icinged donuts. 2 boxes! I ate one. Yum! My first of the year. When did you last have a donut? ___ @ Ron Collyer and I run the prayer meeting together. I click the mouse. That’s my job as assistant shift coordinator! ha!  He is too shaky to be able to click the mouse in the right place. He lines up all the participants and asked if I would give the spiritual thought today. I am not as anxious as I was a month ago. tyhf. And Friday night I sat down to read my scriptures and I repeated HBE’s GC priesthood address from April’12. You may remember that in priesthood meeting the apostles dare to do and say things they don’t do in the general sessions. Remember when TSMonson told the story and demonstrated wiggling his years? NOT something you do in front of the whole church but in a priesthood session. . . why not? @ Anyway, I was so spiritually fed by that talk that night. I had to keep repeating sections and marking and commenting on verses. As long as a talk keeps feasting me, I keep listening. Day after day until it is dry. @ All my recent highlights are available on my cell phone in: annotations. On the website they are available in the notebook. The church keeps track of my online notebook! Yesterday, I practiced on the big screen in the classroom to be sure I could show everyone my comments and the paragraphs I had marked. The church does a triple confirmation these days. 1- sign into your account. 2- Find your email with the new passcode. 3- Type the new passcode. What a pain! @ But google makes me do the same thing if I want to use it here at the FSC. :( @ I asked RonC if I could skip the Training Moment and just do a longer Spiritual thought since it is Saturday and they have seen the Training Moment multiple times this week. [Hailey Church is currently working 6 shifts! Every Saturday, And extra nights. 36yo handicapped/ disabled] @ So I told my prayer meeting group how much I admire them. We have chosen to build the kingdom and serve God in this way. I really am proud of all those who come to serve here. then I showed them how HBE is walking these days and asked them to guess which member of the first presidency I was demonstrating. They didn’t get it on my first crossing. I reminded them that the three members of the first presidency were their options. Then I turned around and walked back. They got it! [see how silly and involving I can be!] Then I asked them to tell me 3 things they know about President Henry B Eyring. We had 9 different old missionaries raise their hands and contribute. They/we love HBE! He speaks in such a special way and he is so spiritual and non preachy! He personalizes all his teachings. Such a sweet man. And gifted in my and TSM & RMN’s opinion! @ Well after all those contributions my time was up! I never even got to show my verses/ highlights/ paragraphs! @ I am left wondering why. Are these people who have listened to and watched HBE enough to want to share about him? I think so. It is part of the conversion process and life living that is foundational and we are here serving because of that foundation and desire. So interesting. I have never had an experience/ taught a lesson quite like it. It gives me pause. 1:14 done.Monday, 5/1/23 Good morning Brandon, As you know JC will accept us at any time in our life. We have a new sister that is dedicating her life to him after a couple of repentance and change of heart experiences. She almost seems to be trying to make up for lost years. I am proud of her for being so open and vulnerable. She said, “When you find acceptance in Christ doesn’t that make you safe enough to be vulnerable/ genuine/ authentic/ honest/ open?” Then she said, “If you think my bio and spiritual thoughts were me being vulnerable. . . you should see the talk I gave in sacrament meeting this month!” I told her that if she sent it to me I would share it with you along with my comments stuck in it[]. So here comes:

Lilly’s Sacrament Meeting Talk - April 16, 2023

For those of you that don’t know me I’m Liz Hart, Lilly or Lil to my friends and family, and Aunt Wiwwy to my adorable 3 year old grandnephew, Phoenix who is here today. Hi Phoenix. I happily answer to all of these. My sister, Boo, and I bought our first lot here in 1985 and moved into our new home in 1986 with her daughter, Sunny. Back in those days our dogs thought they owned all this land and we had deer come to our back yard to drink from the natural pond our dear friend made with rocks he hauled off the mountain behind our house. Now we have cats, lots of cats. So much has changed since then, but what remains the same is how much I love it here, surrounded by Gods beautiful creations, whether it be the red mountains of Snow Canyon or the beautiful birds at one of our many feeders.[She lives at the bottom of Snow Canyon] One of the greatest regrets at this late stage of my life is that I have no children or grandchildren as a result of my lifestyle choices. [Can you imagine someone daring to say that to their ward Brandon?] But by the grace of God I have been richly blessed with five amazing siblings, their wives, nieces and nephews, and grandnieces and grandnephews who fill that void so beautifully and for whom I am so truly grateful. Many of them are here today. I love you so much. Thanks for filling that big empty space in my heart. [are we having fun yet Brandon?] [How cool that she had lots of family there for this special occasion: welcome back to activity Liz!]

Now to the business at hand. I was tasked by Brother Grate to watch all the sessions of General Conference and to find a theme that ran through the talks. There were so many beautiful ones, but the one that spoke to me was the power of healing, particularly the healing power of our Savior, the Holy Ghost, the holy Priesthood and repentance.

This talk is going to be deeply personal, because I have teen so richly and profoundly blessed by all of these over the past 18 months of my life, as have my brother Mike and my sister Boo. Our home has changed from one of sadness, depression and distancing ourselves from our family, our friends, our Savior and even each other to one filled with laughter, teasing, deep heartfelt conversations, love, friends, family and even spirituality.[See how huge this is? !!!!-v]

The Chosen has become an integral part of our lives and on each side of our couch is a beautiful painting of our Savior, a painting by Del Parson given to me by my sister Boo on my side, and on Mike’s side our Savior sitting in a meadow surrounded by sparrows, a Christmas gift to him from Gary and Judilyn.[Sounds like they have designated seats on the couch.]

We have been healed in large part by our family and this ward family. Our social circle consists entirely of family and the wonderful friends in this ward that have been truly life changing for us. Whether it be a night at the moves, dinners together, Easter brunch, ping pong nights, or my personal favorite, Pickleball, these times have brought joy, fun, laughter, physical activity and spirituality back into our lives.[I haven’t played pickleball yet!-v]

My love for you and gratitude to you is so heartfelt. I believe our Savior heals us in so many ways, but this is an example of how he heals us through his followers, his conduits. Those that love him and follow his example, and listen to the still, small voice are lead to those of us in need. I believe if everyone did this and listened to the teachings and guidance of our Prophet, Russell M. Nelson, not only our troubled county, but our troubled world would be healed. [I agree.]

It is my humble opinion that the healing power of the Holy Ghost is twofold. It prompts others to help and heal us, which is a rich blessing indeed, but equally as rich, if not richer a blessing, is when we hear and follow his promptings to reach out to those we can help and heal. I would like to share personal examples of each of these in my life.

Gary and Judilyn, who are joining us by Zoom from Hawaii (Aloha my darlings) have rescued me and my household at the two lowest times of my life. One Christmas Eve of 2010, Gary, a busy Bishop with a big family of his own, came to rescue mine. What he delivered to me that night was the greatest gift of my life…the sure knowledge that my Savior and my Heavenly Father love me, know me and care deeply about the state of my life. [I add the underlines, Brandon] That message was delivered straight to my heart. I will never forget that night or that feeling. [This is one you and I would like to feel, isn’t it?]

Gary returned about a year ago, with his beautiful wife, and my dear friend, Judilyn, 3 of his sons, Gods Army, armed with trucks, trailers, chainsaws and all manner of equipment. Our property was so overgrown our perfect view of Snow Canyon had disappeared. We couldn’t see out and no one could see in, which sadly at that time we didn’t mind. [ha] They restored not only our beautiful views, but our faith in humanity. [super nice compliment]

A few months ago, Mike and I were walking our loop around the neighborhood and as we passed by Carol and Mel’s house, I was concerned and prompted to give Carol a call the minute I got home to check on them, as I had not seen them at Church recently. Sadly, I got home and neglected to call. The next day when we got home from our walk, Mike said call Carol the minute we walked in the door. Boy am I glad I listened to the still, small voice and not so small voice of my brother, because if there were ever two people in need and going to be in even greater need of help, love and comfort it was Carol and Mel. In my heart I know that I was meant to be the one to reach out and help them along with my brother Mike. But, however much we may have been a blessing to them by being there for them in what was inarguably the most difficult, trying time of their lives we have been truly blessed to have been there with them and for them.

I love what Sally DeFord says in her talk If I Listen With My Heart. “Wouldn’t it have been wonderful to actually hear the Savior’s words as he spoke them? We can still hear his voice today. The scriptures tell us how.” D&C 8:2 “Yea, behold, I will tell you in your mind and in your heart, by the Holy Ghost which shall come upon you and dwell in your heart” [chills & thrills] I believe I’m one who listens with her heart and am a much better person when I do so.

I’d like to share with you my most recent and profound experience of the healing power of the holy Priesthood. On November 18^th of last year, I was diagnosed with COPD (chronic, obstructive pulmonary disease) caused by 40 years of smoking. [Bill Young my sharing truck neighbor has this too. I had no idea that Liz has been a smoker! ] I had passed out 3 times at Harmon’s checkout line and could barely shower without fainting. [no kidding! That is extreme.] I was put on full time oxygen by my Pulmonologist for the rest of my life. One day I took it off just long enough to make my fabulous bacon, egg and cheese sandwiches for part of my family. I had to rush to the couch before I hit the deck. My blood oxygen was 73.

In early February of this year I received the most beautiful blessing from President Magneson when I was set apart as a Church Service Missionary at the St. George Family Search Center. The last part of the blessing was one of health in part as to not interfere with my ability to faithfully serve my mission.

I started being able to be off my oxygen for short periods of time and then longer periods of time as long as was just relaxing on the couch at home. One morning I went for a walk with Tiffany and Oakley. I turned my oxygen off to put it in my backpack (now Mary Taylor’s backpack) and we headed off for our walk. When we returned to her house, I noticed how quiet it was. That’s when I realized I had not turned my oxygen back on and I felt great. We promptly check by blood oxygen 97. My first day of training as a missionary was the last time I used oxygen. [ chills & thrills] I very recently had a follow up visit with my doctor who immediately inquired if there was a reason I was there without my oxygen concentrator. I said yes, would you like to hear it? He shook his head yes. I told him about my blessing. He gave me a quizzical look. So I said, well you’re the doctor, is there a medical explanation for this because as we both know COPD is both chronic and progressive. He shook his head no and said what was that word you used when I asked how you were feeling, I replied AMAZING, he said I concur. See you next year. [big smile- ha]

It is nothing short of a miracle and proof positive of the healing power of the holy Priesthood.

You would think that was the most profound healing that occurred over the past year and a half, but no. I had never truly and honestly repented until last December. I was never able to properly repent and confess all to Bishop Gary, a longtime friend and business colleague. The idea of admitting to him the sins of my life of which I was most ashamed, particularly the one which I had shared with no one, couldn’t face myself, that kept me up every night, was unimaginable. [I feel this Brandon. I have been there/here. What a burden! She couldn’t sleep because of guilt and shame! That is pain/anguish/sorrow!] I apologize from the bottom of my heart, to my Savior, my Heavenly Father and to Gary for failing to do so before I entered the Holy Temple for the first time on October 15, 2011. I think that it was a factor that lead to my falling away. [Interesting. Some sins plague us for decades. . . ] As I was reading and pondering the Parable of the Sower, I saw myself both as the seed that falls on rocky ground and the seed planted in thorny soil, lacking the deep roots needed to hold me during difficult times. [I enjoyed the sower parable more than ever before as I studied it this year. And look at her, owning the type of ground she was.] I knew I would never be able to return to the Temple until I found the courage and humility to meet with my dear friend, Bishop Gust, and truly and completely repent, holding nothing back. I made an appointment to meet with him, not to repent, but to receive counsel on how to get myself to a place where I was able to do so. [Brilliant! She knew she couldn’t do it yet!! How do I get the power/strength it will take?] He was so perfect that day, every word he spoke was perfect and somehow I was able to pour out my tortured thoughts, my sins, holding nothing back, crying like I’ve never cried before or since. I was so ashamed, I could not, would not look at him. I just hung my head and wept. [wow!]

Bishop pleaded with me so tenderly and kindly to look at him. He took my trembling hand in his. Eventually, I looked up and he spoke the words that finally took away all that pain, shame and tortured part of my heart and soul. It was the most freeing and spiritually and emotionally healing moment of my life. Thank you Bishop, for taking that heavy burden from me, which allowed me finally to live in peace, happiness and without shame. [What do you think those magic words were Brandon?]

I’ve thought so much these past two weeks about how our Savior suffered for us in Gethsemane and on the cross and have asked myself many times why I did not avail myself of his beautiful gift of repentance to take away my sins and the grief and despair they bring, long ago.

It’s difficult for me to express the depths of my love for my Savior, my Heavenly Father, the holy Priesthood, our beloved Prophet, my family, my ward family and my dearest friends, coincidentally all of whom are members of this Ward for the blessings that have poured down upon me and my family in such abundance. [chills & thrills] I will strive to one day be worthy of them. I say these things in the name of my beloved Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen. [Now that I have pondered/ studied/ felt/ responded in this talk I feel worried. I don’t want her to run faster than she has strength.-v But that is our of my hands.] This sister is lively now Brandon! @ She said she wished she hadn’t been sick for the first two weeks with covid. That was when she would have had a mentor. I offered to be her trailblazer/ advocate, and get her signed up for one. :) That sounds just like something you would do! You love to help the gentler gender.