Homemade Peppermint Patties

Peppermint Patty Recipe

Peppermint extract and vanilla bean paste flavor the refreshing center of this dark chocolate covered candy.

Yield: 30 patties
Active time: 30 minutes
Inactive time: 30-60 minutes

Ingredients:
6 cups confectioners’ sugar
6 Tablespoons butter

7 Tablespoons light corn syrup [1T shy of ½ cup]
2 teaspoons peppermint extract
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste [can probably substitute vanilla extract]
3 cups semi- sweet morsels

Preparation:
1. Combine confectioners’ sugar, butter, corn syrup, peppermint extract and vanilla bean paste in a large mixing bowl.

2. Beat until ingredients form a ball that pulls away from sides of bowl.

3. Scoop tablespoon sized portions of sugar mixture and hand press into flat patties. Place patties onto wax paper lined baking sheet.

4. Melt chocolate morsels in the microwave or in double boiler.

5. Remove bowl from microwave or double boiler and, using a fork, quickly dip patties into melted chocolate until coated.

6. After dipping, place each coated patty back in its place on the wax paper lined baking sheet and refrigerate for 30- 60 minutes, until desired firmness.

 

Happy Birthday Juliet!

Happy Birthday Juliet!  The big 4-0!  Here are a few pictures to take you down memory lane.  I hope you have a wonderful birthday today.

Relief Society Lesson -- Decisions for Eternity

Decisions for EternityElder Russell M. Nelson

Of the Quorum of the 12 Apostles

October 2013 General Conference

“Decisions Determine Destiny”– Thomas S. Monson

The wise use of your freedom to make your own decisions is crucial to your spiritual growth, now and for eternity. You are never too young to learn,never too old to change.

Created by God as a gift to you, [your body] is absolutely amazing!

The aging process is also a gift from God, as is death.

The eventual death of your mortal body is essential to God’s great plan of happiness.

From an eternal perspective, death is only premature for those who are not prepared to meet God.

Each time you look in the mirror, see your body as your temple.

Your body is the temple for your spirit. And how you use your body affects your spirit.

Your spirit is an eternal entity.

A pivotal spiritual attribute is that of self-mastery—the strength to place reason over appetite.

Fasting helps your spirit to develop dominance over your physical appetites.

Fasting also increases your access to heaven’s help, as it intensifies your prayers.

When we master our appetites within the bounds of God’s laws, we can enjoy longer life, greater love, and consummate joy.

Most temptations to stray from God’s plan of happiness come through the misuse of those essential, God-given appetites.

We can change our behavior. Our very desires can change.

True change—permanent change—can come only through the healing, cleansing, and enabling power of the Atonement of Jesus Christ.

Marriage between a man and a woman is fundamental to the Lord’s doctrine and crucial to God’s eternal plan.

Regardless of what civil legislation may be enacted, the doctrine of the Lord regarding marriage and morality cannot be changed. Remember: sin, even if legalized by man, is still sin in the eyes of God!

While we are to emulate our Savior’s kindness and compassion, while we are to value the rights and feelings of all of God’s children, we cannot change His doctrine. It is not ours to change. His doctrine is ours to study, understand, and uphold.

The Lord’s way is the only way for us to experience enduring happiness.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas everybody!  Just a friendly reminder of the real meaning of Christmas.

Helaman chapter 14
1 And now it came to pass that ^aSamuel, the Lamanite, did prophesy a great many more things which cannot be written.
 2 And behold, he said unto them: Behold, I give unto you a sign; for ^afive years more cometh, and behold, then cometh the Son of God to redeem all those who shall believe on his name.
 3 And behold, this will I give unto you for a ^asign at the time of his coming; for behold, there shall be great lights in heaven, insomuch that in the night before he cometh there shall be no darkness, insomuch that it shall appear unto man as if it was day.
 4 Therefore, there shall be one ^aday and a night and a day, as if it were one day and there were no night; and this shall be unto you for a sign; for ye shall know of the rising of the sun and also of its setting; therefore they shall know of a surety that there shall be two days and a night; nevertheless the night shall not be darkened; and it shall be the night before he is ^bborn.
 5 And behold, there shall a new ^astar arise, such an one as ye never have beheld; and this also shall be a sign unto you.
 6 And behold this is not all, there shall be many ^asigns and wonders in heaven.
 7 And it shall come to pass that ye shall all be amazed, and wonder, insomuch that ye shall ^afall to the earth.
 8 And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall ^abelieve on the Son of God, the same shall have everlasting life.
 9 And behold, thus hath the Lord commanded me, by his angel, that I should come and tell this thing unto you; yea, he hath commanded that I should prophesy these things unto you; yea, he hath said unto me: Cry unto this people, repent and prepare the way of the Lord.
 

Luke chapter 2
 1 And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cæsar Augustus, that all ^athe world should be ^btaxed.
 2 (And this ^ataxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)
 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.
 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judæa, unto the city of David, which is called ^aBethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)
 5 To be taxed with Mary his ^aespoused wife, being great with child.
 6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.
 7 And she brought forth her ^afirstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the ^binn.
 8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the

^aglory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.
 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you ^agood tidings of great ^bjoy, which shall be to all people.
 11 For unto you is ^aborn this day in the city of David a ^bSaviour, which is Christ the ^cLord.
 12 And this shall be a ^asign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.
 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,
 14 ^aGlory to God in the highest, and on earth ^bpeace, good will toward men.
 15 And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.
 16 And they came with ^ahaste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.
 17 And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.
 18 And all they that heard it ^awondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.
 19 But Mary kept all these things, and ^apondered them in her heart.
 20 And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

 Here are the links to Helaman chapter 14 and Luke chapter 2. If you want to read them online.
 
http://www.lds.org/scriptures/bofm/hel/14?lang=eng
 http://www.lds.org/scriptures/nt/luke/2?lang=eng

Duck Dynasty

Yesterday I watched Duck Dynasty for the first time.  I only saw a couple of episodes, but those guys are hilarious!  It was funnier than any comedy Hollywood has produced.

Today I read on the Internet that the patriarch of the Robertson family in Duck Dynasty has been fired from the show for voicing his religious opinion that homosexuality is a sin.  He did not say anything bad about any individuals or say that people who claim to be homosexual, should receive any fewer civil rights than anyone else.  All he said was that homosexuality is a sin.

The Liberals went ballistic.  They demanded he be fired from the show.  They got their way.  Whatever happened to the constitutional amendment, which guarantees free speech?  Believe me, I am constantly offended by the liberal’s free speech, but I believe they should have that right.  Yet, if anybody does not agree with their agenda, they call it hatred and intolerance.

Can we all say double standard?

That’s my two cents.

Jesus Christ -- Gifts and Expectations by Ezra Taft Benson

My sister, Lisa, told me about a quote from this talk, which I really like.  So, I decided to look up and read the entire talk.  In doing so, I found many other great quotes, which I loved.  So I decided to copy and paste some of my favorites here.  You can read the entire talk at this link:

http://speeches.byu.edu/?act=viewitem&id=90

I love President Benson!  He is the prophet who signed my mission call!  These are some really awesome quotes!  Enjoy!

Top of FormBottom of For

December 10, 1974
BYU Devotional

Jesus Christ--Gifts
and Expectations

Ezra Taft Benson

Top of FormBottom of ForTop of FormBottom of FormTop of FoBottom of Fo

Ezra Taft Benson was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints when this devotional address was given at Brigham Young University on 10 December 1974.

Some men are willing to die for their faith but will not fully live for it.

The only true test of greatness, blessedness, joyfulness is how close a life can come to being like the Master, Jesus Christ.

The constant and most recurring question in our minds, touching every thought and deed of our lives, should be “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6).

A good way to measure your standing with the Lord is to see how you feel about, and act upon, the inspired words of his earthly representative, the Prophet-President. The inspired words of the President are not to be trifled with.

Although his prophet is mortal, God will not let him lead his Church astray. God knows all things, the end from the beginning, and no man becomes President of the church of Jesus Christ by accident, nor remains there by chance, nor is called home by happenstance.

The most important prophet, so far as we are concerned, is the one who is living in our day and age. This is the prophet who has today’s instructions from God to us.

No matter what happens to the world, the Church will grow in strength and will be intact when the Lord comes again.

God has assured us that the Church will never again be taken from the earth because of apostasy.

This means that certain individuals within the Church may go astray and even fall away. This may happen even to a person in the Church who is in a position of some influence and authority. It has happened in the past. It will happen in the future.

Sometimes in our attempts to mimic the world, contrary to the prophet’s counsel, we run after the world’s false educational, political, musical, and dress ideas. New worldly standards take over, a gradual breakdown occurs, and finally, after much suffering, a humble people are ready to be taught once again a higher law.

When individual actions of some Church members disturb you, here’s another principle to consider. This is the principle of stewardship. As the kingdom grows larger, more and more responsibilities have to be delegated and stewardships handed out. Men respond in different degrees of valiancy to their stewardships. God is very patient and long-suffering as he waits for some of us to rise to our responsibilities. He usually gives a man a long enough rope and a long enough time either to pull himself up to the presence of God or to drop off somewhere below. But while God is patient, no puny arm of man in his stewardship can long impede or pervert the work of the Lord. The mills of God grind slowly, but they grind ever so finely.

Because God has given men their agency, there will always be those who will misuse it. The gospel net draws in the good and the bad, the best and the worst—the worst because the devil, before the final cleansing, puts some of his followers within the kingdom in order to try and destroy it. We have some of them within the kingdom today, and in due course their number shall be known. Time has a way of taking care of all things, of elevating the good and bringing down the bad.

The Church is true. Keep its laws; attend its meetings; sustain its leaders; accept its callings; get its recommend; enjoy its blessings.

If we really did our homework and approached the Book of Mormon doctrinally, we could expose the errors and find the truths to combat many of the current false theories and philosophies of men, including socialism, humanism, organic evolution, and others.

I have noted within the Church the difference in discernment, in insight, in conviction, and in spirit between those who know and love the Book of Mormon and those who do not. That book is a great sifter.

The Lord said, “I established the Constitution of this land, by the hands of wise men whom I raised up” (D&C 101:80).

The elders of this Church have a prophetic mission yet to perform so far as the Constitution is concerned. In a discourse on July 19, 1840, Joseph Smith said, “Even this nation will be on the very verge of crumbling to pieces and tumbling to the ground, and when the Constitution is upon the brink of ruin, this people will be the staff upon which the nation shall lean, and they shall bear the Constitution away from the very verge of destruction” (M8d 155, Bx4, Joseph Smith, Church Historian’s Library).

Now, how are the elders going to prepare for that mission? How are they going to know what the Constitution is, so they will know when it is on the brink of ruin? In many of the law schools of today you will hear that the Constitution is whatever the Supreme Court says it is. Could it be that the Supreme Court, which President McKay said is leading this nation down the road to atheism, is the agency to tell us what this divine document is (David O. McKay, Church News, 22 June 1963; Jerreld Newquist, comp., Prophets, Principles, and National Survival, pp. 187–88)? Can we learn best how to preserve it by studying what it is at the hands of some of those who are seeking to destroy it?

But President McKay had a better approach when he encouraged us to support good and conscientious candidates who are truly dedicated to the Constitution in the tradition of our founding fathers. They are the ones the Lord referred to as wise men. It is to them, the Lord, and his prophets that we should go to determine what the Constitution is.

Thank God for the Constitution, which made it possible for the Lord to establish his church and base of operations here in the United States for these last days. And may God bless the elders of Israel so that when, as President John Taylor said, “the people shall have torn to shreds the Constitution of the United States the Elders of Israel will be found holding it up to the nations of earth and proclaiming liberty” (Journal of Discourses, 21:8).

Yes, men and women who turn their lives over to God will find out that he can make a lot more out of their lives than they can. He will deepen their joys, expand their vision, quicken their minds, strengthen their muscles, lift their spirits, multiply their blessings, increase their opportunities, comfort their souls, raise up friends, and pour out peace. Whoever will lose his life to God will find he has eternal life.

Elder Bruce McConkie said, “Sacrifice pertains to mortality; in the eternal sense there is none. Sacrifice involves giving up the things of this world because of the promises of blessings to be gained in a better world.

But just as when one loses his life to God he really finds the abundant life; so also, when one sacrifices all to God, then God in return shares all that he has with him. Try as you may, you cannot put the Lord in your debt—for every time you try to do his will he simply pours out more blessings upon you. Sometimes the blessings may seem to you to be a little slow in coming; perhaps this tests your faith, but come they will and abundantly.

Do you know one reason why righteous mothers love their children so much? It’s because they sacrifice so much for them. We love what we sacrifice for, and we sacrifice for what we love.

A few years ago, we knew our Elder Brother and his and our Father in heaven well. We rejoiced at the upcoming opportunity for earthly life that could make it possible for us to have a fullness of joy as they had. We could hardly wait to demonstrate to our Father and our Brother, the Lord, how much we loved them and how we would be obedient to them in spite of the earthly opposition of the evil one. And now we’re here—our memories are veiled—and we’re showing God and ourselves what we can do. Nothing is going to startle us more when we pass through the veil to the other side than to realize how well we know our Father and how familiar his face is to us. And then, President Young said, we’re going to wonder why we were so stupid in the flesh.

God loves us, he’s watching us, he wants us to succeed, and we’ll know someday that he has not left one thing undone for the eternal welfare of each of us. If we only knew that there are heavenly hosts pulling for us—friends in heaven, whom we can’t remember now, who yearn for our victory. This is our day to show what we can do—what life and sacrifice we can daily, hourly, instantly bring to God. If we give our all, we will get his all from the greatest of all.

Happy Birthday to Me Through the Years!

Happy birthday to me!  I thought I would go through some of my past birthday photos to post here.  I just tried to find pictures of me with cakes.  Upon further inspection, one of the pictures was of the cake I made for Mother’s Day one year.  Oh well.  I guess I’ll leave it in.  J.