2024 Christmas Greetings

 Merry Christmas! 
from the Magpad 2024

You can see our other Magpad Christmas cards through the years by clicking here.  

Our Thanksgiving Gathering 2024

We have a lot to be thankful for

Our grandchildren

Our children

Gathering with those we love

Gethsemane

When I was a little girl, I was blessed to be able attend church with my family and participate in Junior Sunday School on Sundays and Primary during the week.  What touched me the most as I attended these classes, were the hymns I learned to sing as a child.  This, along with what was taught in my home, is where I gained  my testimony of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  (I go into more detail about this in a previous blogpost found by clicking here)

This weekend I was able to witness Primary children singing a hymn about the Atonement of Jesus Christ.  I know everyone who heard these children sing this hymn, were also touched as they listened to their testimony as they sung the words to Gethsemane.  

Click onto the arrow to hear for yourself the children sing, "Gethsemane"

The music and words to the song are found below or by clicking here  

Gethsemane

Words and music by Melanie Hoffman

Jesus climbed he hill to the garden still.

His steps were heavy and slow.

Love and a prayer took Him there

To the place only He could go.

Gethsemane. Jesus loves me,

So He went willingly to Gethsemane.

He felt all that was sad, wicked, or bad,

All the pain we would ever know.

While His friends were asleep, He fought to keep

His promise made long ago.

Gethsemane. Jesus loves me,

So He went willingly to Gethsemane.

The hardest thing that ever was done,

The greatest pain that ever was known,

The biggest battle that ever was won—

This was done by Jesus!

The fight was won by Jesus!

Gethsemane. Jesus loves me,

So He gave His gift to me in Gethsemane.

Gethsemane. Jesus loves me,

So He gives His gift to me from Gethsemane.

© 2016 by Melanie Hoffman. All rights reserved. This song may be copied for incidental, non-commercial church or home use. This notice must be included on each copy made.

Watch a sing-along video for this song at children.lds.org. Click on “Videos.”

Jersey Boys comes to Utah

This weekend after a long anticipated family get-together, we attended Tuacahn Amphitheater's performance of "Jersey Boys." My brother, Craig, put the weekend together in honor of his late wife Lynn.  A while back, Craig and Lynn attended the Las Vegas showing of "Jersey Boys" with Lynn's brother and really enjoyed the show.  We attended the Tuacahn show this weekend with other family members and friends. 

This Tuacahn version of the show features family-friendly language. It's always fun to see how music can bring you back in time to that era!  The story line takes place in the 60's. I was very familiar with all the songs they featured in the show.  (I guess that makes me old.)  As you watch the trailer, you too will be singing along.  

We stayed at Russell and Christy's house and enjoyed the tourist activities of St. George: 

Paddle boarding at the HOA lagoon

Dinner out at an authentic Mexican restaurant complete with "street tacos."

An e-bike outing up gorgeous Snow Canyon

It was great to have dinner together as a group Saturday night before the show.  

An added bonus to the weekend is that we were able to see my other brother and his wife-- Douglas and Kerri--the day before we left for St. George.  They were traveling through town on their way to work at their RV park in Bluff, Utah. 

Speaking of Douglas and Kerri's RV park in Bluff, check it out by clicking here.  I'm pretty sure it's the best RV park in all of Utah.  

This weekend was a great "frosting on the cake" to our 2024 summer activities.  Nothing can beat being with family.   

Lewis and Clark Caverns

This past weekend we visited and explored the Lewis and Clark Caverns in southwestern Montana, located in the Lewis and Clark State Park.  The best part of the tour was that we were able to explore these caverns with some of our grandchildren and their parents.  

We didn't know anything about the Lewis and Clark Caverns prior to touring the caves, nor had we even been in a cavern. It was a wonderful learning experience for us.  Check out the video below to get an overview of this unique creation.  

You can also view the video by clicking here

You can learn some of the historical background, discovery, and information about the cave by clicking here or onto the link below:

https://backyardmontana.com/adventures/lewis-and-clark-caverns/

Enjoy photos we took of the day: 

Here we are waiting with the grandkids to enter. What will it be like inside? 

Not seen here near the entrance, but we sure saw them were the bats roosting on the ceiling of the cave and flying around!  

There was a lot of stooping, bending, and sometimes crawling throughout the tour. 

Watch out! Don't hit your head on a stalactite! 

The light seen in these photos is only from electrical lamps that were added in recent years.

It was a bit creepy... Especially at the point when the ranger turned out the lights. 

Pitch dark, not a hint of light. 

A real geological treasure and wonderland!

Amazing what water, minerals, air, and rock can do with each other over millions of years.

The above formation is called, "cave bacon".  

I took this picture so I could send it to my brother, who loves bacon.  

In Honor of our Veterans

This is a video produced in 2021 by Daily Wire with a narration from President Ronald Reagan titled:  "Today We Honor Our Veterans":

  

There would be no America without our veterans.  The Daily Wire honors all those who have served our nation.  To every Marine, Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Coast Guardsman, and Guardian:  THANK YOU!

You can also see the video by clicking here.

These are the inspired words of President Ronald Reagan's from the speech starting at 0:35 in the above video:

We celebrate Veterans Day on the anniversary of the Armistice that ended World War I.  The Armistice that began on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month.  The timing of this holiday is quite deliberate in terms of historical fact, but somehow it always seems quite fitting to to me that this day comes deep in autumn when the colors are muted and the days seem to invite contemplation.  

It is in a way an odd thing to honor those who died in defense of our country in wars far away.  The imagination plays a trick.  We see these soldiers in our mind as old and wise, but most of them were boys when they died and they gave up two lives—the one they were living, and the one they would have lived.  When they died, they gave up their chance to be husbands, and fathers, and grandfathers.  They gave up their chance to be revered old men.  They gave up everything for our country—for us. All we can do is remember.  I will not fail thee nor forsake thee.  

In memory of those who gave the last full measure of devotion, may our efforts to achieve lasting peace gain strength.  Let us make a vow to our dead.  Let us show them by our actions that we understand what they died for—strengthened by their courage, heartened by their value and born for their memory.  Let us continue to stand for the ideals for which they lived and died.

_________________________

This video was posted on the Youtube Channel by the Reagan Foundation on June 6, 2024.  This is what Youtube says about the video:

Experience the solemnity and wisdom of President Ronald Reagan's addresses at Pointe du Hoc and Omaha Beach Cemetery, honoring the sacrifices and valor of D-Day veterans with dignity and reverence. An enduring tribute to heroism and legacy.

    

You can also see the video by clicking here

________________________________

The video below was posted on the Youtube Channel on May 23, 2024 by The Church News.  This is what The Church News youtube channel says about this clip:

Seventy-three years ago this month, a U.S. infantry offensive designed to trap Chinese and North Korean soldiers worked well, but it left its supporting Utah National Guard artillery unit unprotected in the rear.

When 4,000 enemy soldiers tried to escape the trap, they stumbled upon the 240 Utah artillerymen and launched a middle-of-the-night surprise attack. Outnumbered 16-1, the Americans fought for their lives.

This short film, titled “The Miracle at Gapyeong," shares some details of the battle and compares the miraculous story of the southern Utah National Guard unit to the Book of Mormon story of the 2,000 sons of Helaman, who fought an enemy to protect their families, their freedom and their faith without the loss of a single life. It includes an introduction by President Jeffrey R. Holland, acting president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles.  The film is written and produced by Brad Taylor, directed by Dodge Billingsley.

                                         Miracle at Gapyeony

You can also see the video by clicking here. 

This video is a Tribute to the Armed Services by The Tabernacle Choir

You can also se the video by clicking here.

We are very grateful for our family members who have served our nation.

Bryce Jeppson:  Marines

George Magnusson:  Navy

Kiefer Harris:  Air Force

David Wood:  Army  

Welcome Grandbaby #14!

 It's not every day you get a text like this from your-one day old grandbaby:  

"G’morning, grandma!"

And he has tied the score.  

Seven grandsons and seven granddaughters for for Magpad.  

We are very blessed.

Easter Memories

On this Easter morning I want to share part of a post from our mission blog that I wrote on April 2, 2018.

Resurrection, Revelation, Reflection

Yesterday morning my mind went back to another Easter morning 12 years ago.  I arrived in Utah the day before because I'd received word that my father wouldn't live past the week.  He was in the final stages of Alzheimer's.

It was good to greet my father Saturday and see his eyes light up when I walked into his hospital room.  That afternoon my mother, brothers and their wives, his grandchildren, and I gathered around my Dad.  We visited with him, shared memories, and said a prayer together.  When I went back to the hospital the next day, my Dad was non-responsive.  In Sunday worship services that Easter morning we sang the hymn, "He is Risen!"  As we sang, my eyes filled with tears as I realized because Jesus had risen, so would my father.  I will be with my father again.  His death will not be the end of our relationship.

He Is Risen!

1. He is risen! He is risen!

Tell it out with joyful voice.

He has burst his three days’ prison;

Let the whole wide earth rejoice.

Death is conquered; man is free.

Christ has won the victory.

2. Come with high and holy hymning;

Chant our Lord’s triumphant lay.

Not one darksome cloud is dimming

Yonder glorious morning ray,

Breaking o’er the purple east,

Symbol of our Easter feast.

3. He is risen! He is risen!

He hath opened heaven’s gate.

We are free from sin’s dark prison,

Risen to a holier state.

And a brighter Easter beam

On our longing eyes shall stream.

Text: Cecil Frances Alexander, 1818-1895

Music: Joachim Neander, 1650-1680

Enjoy some pictures of my Dad through the years.  (In no particular order)

Until we meet again....  

I love you Dad!

Happy 100th Day of School

It's not everyday you get to see your grandson age 100 days before your very eyes....

But then something occurred to me...   

Was I looking at my grandson or my brother?  

All I can say is that those Harris genes are pretty strong.  

2023 Christmas Greetings

Merry Christmas from the Magpad 2023

You can see our other Magpad Christmas cards through the years by clicking here.