33 Years

33 years ago today, on January 15, 1992, I entered the Missionary Training Center to start my 18 month full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I was assigned to labor in the Florida Tampa Mission.  

I don't have any pictures on my computer of my family dropping me off at the MTC – although I know we have some somewhere.  So I will just post a picture of my MTC district – whom I spent my waking hours with for three weeks.  I just did a post on my mission so I won't elaborate more here.  I can't believe it's been 33 years since I started my mission.  Crazy how fast time flies.

January 1992
Missionary Training Center

Sister Stone
MTC bedroom.  Studying at desk.
January 1992

I will always be proud of serving a full-time mission and extremely grateful for the opportunity.  It's a rare privilege that not many people on earth get.  I am so blessed in my life.

That's my two cents.

January 12, 1992

On this day 33 years ago, Sunday, January 12, 1992, I had my mission farewell as I prepared to leave for my full-time mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  I served full-time for 18 months in the Florida Tampa Mission.  

I entered the Missionary Training Center on January 15, 1992 where I had three weeks of intense training on how to be a missionary.  Then I departed for Tampa Florida, I believe it was either February 5th or 6th, 1992.  

I served in four different areas in the Florida Tampa Mission – Dade City (Zephyrhills), Brooksville, Port Charlotte, Seminole (Largo).  I returned home from my mission on July 23, 1993.

My mission was a wonderful, life-changing experience which I'm eternally grateful for.  Best decision I ever made.  Though it wasn't easy – in fact it was very difficult at times – it was certainly worth the effort to serve a full-time mission for the Church.  It was an honor to represent my Savior for 18 months.  I enjoyed putting on the black name tag every morning.  It was an incredible honor but also a huge responsibility knowing that I was representing our Savior and His Church.  I did my best to represent Him well.  I hope I did Him justice.

I certainly learned a lot during those 18 months.  I went on a mission to serve others and to help bring them to Christ, but I think my mission did more for me than I did for others.  I grew in all aspects of life during those short 18 months.

Anyway back to my mission farewell.  I have a few pictures from that day that I will share here.  For some reason I don't have any pictures of me with my parents or siblings.  But I do have pictures of me with my maternal grandparents, Marvin and Sylvia Sabin.  I also have pictures with my great aunts and their husbands.  My grandpa Marvin's sisters, Evelyn and Leora.

Back in the day missionary farewells and homecomings were a bigger deal than they seem to be now.  I had great aunts and uncles come from far distances to attend my farewell.  Uncle Ken and Aunt Evelyn came from Blackfoot Idaho.  And Uncle Bruce and Aunt Leora came from the Salt Lake area.   Calvin and Elaine, and their boys, also came down from Clearfield Utah to Orem for my farewell.  It was nice to have so many family and friends come support me at my missionary farewell.

Grandpa Marvin Sabin, Tammy (Sister Stone), Grandma Sylvia Sabin
Sunday, January 12, 1992 – Orem Utah
Tammy's missionary farewell

Uncle Bruce, Tammy (Sister Stone), Aunt Leora
January 12, 1992 – Orem Utah
Tammy's missionary farewell

Aunt Evelyn, Tammy (Sister Stone), Uncle Ken
January 12, 1992  – Orem Utah

Grandma, Nathan Naluai, Tammy, Grandpa, Mom
January 12, 1992 – Orem Utah
Tammy's missionary farewell

Grandpa, Calvin and Danny Naluai, Grandma
January 12, 1992 – Orem Utah
 Tammy's farewell

friends and sisters at my farewell.  January 12, 1992  – Orem Utah

January 12, 1992 was a wonderful, memorable day filled with love and support.  I will always cherish that day, 33 years ago, and remember it fondly.  

I wish I had pictures of me with my parents and siblings but these will have to suffice.  Sadly, many of the people in these photos have died.  Grandma and Grandpa, Uncle Ken & Aunt Evelyn, and Uncle Bruce, and even my mom and dad have all crossed over to the other side now.  Aunt Leora is still with us.  Mortality is fleeting.  Life passes quickly.  This is why it's so important to make the most of each day that God blesses us with.

That's my two cents.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!  Today, as we celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ, may we also remember the greatest gift ever given which is our Savior's Atonement and Resurrection.  His exemplary life, teachings, and especially His infinite Atonement including His Resurrection are the reason we celebrate His birth today.  This is the true meaning of Christmas.  This is why Christmas is joyous.

December 25, 2024

Merry Christmas everybody!  May you have a joyous day celebrating the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

That's my two cents.

College Football Picks Weeks 15 & 16

1. Tammy -3 tiebreaker 53    
2. Lisa -4 tiebreaker 74
3. Clint -5 tiebreaker 52
4. Rex -6 tiebreaker 64

actual tiebreaker 82

Believe and Defend Truth

"It is the easiest thing in the world to believe the truth. It is a great deal easier to believe truth than error. It is easier to defend truth than to defend error."  — Brigham Young

Happy Birthday to Me

Here I am still, another year older and hopefully another year wiser.  Happy birthday to me.

December 9, 2024
black forest brownie cake – yum

Thanks to Lisa for making the yummy brownie black forest cake and for making my day special.  Thanks to everyone who remembered me today.  You all brightened my day.

That's my two cents.

College Football Picks Week 14

1. Clint -19 tiebreaker 59
2. Rex -20 tiebreaker 61
3. Tammy -22 tiebreaker 59
4. Lisa -24 tiebreaker  62

actual tiebreaker 79

Happy Thanksgiving

On this Thanksgiving day I would be remiss if I didn't express thanks for all I've been blessed with.  I have had such a wonderful life and have been blessed beyond measure.  God has certainly opened the windows of heaven and poured out many blessings upon me.  

First and foremost I'm so thankful for my Savior, Jesus Christ, and for His atonement for me.  Jesus is my source of hope and peace.  I'm so thankful for His life, teachings, and example.

I'm also extremely grateful for wonderful family.  I was blessed with goodly parents who went above and beyond for me and my siblings.  I miss them dearly.  My saintly parents taught me the gospel of Jesus Christ for which I'm eternally grateful.  The gospel has been a source of strength in my life.  

I'm also eternally grateful for my sister Lisa and brother-in-law Rex for their sacrifice to care for me full-time these last few years since Mom and Dad have graduated this life.  They are angels.  

I'm also grateful to be born in the promised land, and for the freedoms I enjoy in this country.  I'm grateful that President Trump's life was spared a few months ago. I'm grateful that President Trump won the election to help save our country from being destroyed and to preserve our freedoms.  It is very apparent that God is using President Trump as an instrument in His hands to bless all of us in this country.

I'm grateful for the hope of the resurrection of which I am very much looking forward to.  I'm grateful for eternal families.  I'm grateful for God's plan of happiness.  I'm grateful for the Holy Ghost for his guidance, comfort, and peace.

These are just a few of the many blessings I enjoy and am so grateful for. 

May we all reflect on our blessings today as we celebrate Thanksgiving.

Happy Thanksgiving everybody!

That's my two cents. 

College Football Picks Week 13

1. Lisa -14 tiebreaker 59
2. Tammy -17 tiebreaker 43
3. Clint -19 tiebreaker 52
4. Rex -19 tiebreaker 55

 actual tiebreaker 51

November 22

I have a knack for remembering certain dates.  I guess it's a quirk I have.  Anyway, today marks 10 years since I broke my left femur.  It was November 22, 2014.  It was completely broken in two for nearly 7 months.  It wasn't surgically repaired until June 16, 2015 when my orthopedic surgeon put a nail (titanium rod) into the shaft of my femur (in the medullary canal).  

Incidentally, I just had my left knee x-rayed and it still looks good.  Albeit very osteopenic.  But not much different than when the hardware was placed there 10 years ago.  Thankfully it is still healed and hasn't given me any trouble since. 

Wearing my soft cast December 2014

X-rays from the day my broken femur was diagnosed on December 9, 2014 (when I first saw the orthopedist). 

You may wonder why I waited over two weeks to seek treatment.  I actually did seek treatment at urgent care on November 22, 2014 but they wouldn't treat me because I'm a quadriplegic.  So I waited until I could get into an orthopedist.  Anyway that's another story.

 

Me with my orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Putler.  June 16, 2015 Good Samaritan Hospital

These are my most recent x-rays from November 6, 2024, nearly 10 years postop.  I couldn't figure out how to screenshot the x-rays so I had Lisa take a picture of them for me and send them to me.  Thus the poor quality.  But you get the idea.  Notice how osteopenic my bones are.  You can hardly see them.  Dr. Putler said my bones were like butter.  That was 10 years ago!  Imagine how much worse they are now.

Coincidently November 22 is also the anniversary of JFK's assassination in 1963.  Can you believe that was 61 years ago?  Crazy.  I know there are all kinds of conspiracy theories regarding his death.  But if you believe the ex-CIA agent that Candace Owens interviewed recently, the CIA is responsible for his murder.

Just a couple of fun facts on this 22nd day of November.

That's my two cents.

College Football Picks Week 12

1. Rex -11 tiebreaker 66
2. Clint  -13 tiebreaker 62    
3. Lisa -13 tiebreaker 47
4. Tammy -17 tiebreaker 63

actual tiebreaker 65

College Football Picks Week 11

1. Tammy -13 tiebreaker 49    
2. Clint -15 tiebreaker 42
3. Rex -17 tiebreaker 62
4. Lisa -20 tiebreaker 62

actual tiebreaker 43

The American People Have Spoken

It's been a glorious couple of days.  The American people have spoken and elected President Donald J. Trump as our 47th President of the United States of America.  And it wasn't even close.  It was a landslide!

Not only did President Trump win with 312 electoral college votes to only 226 for Harris.  (270 votes were required to win  the election.)  But he also won the popular vote with over 73,000,000 Americans voting for President Trump to around 68,000,000 votes for Harris.  A Republican hasn't won the popular vote in 20 years.  And we regained control of the Senate and most likely control the house.  Not all votes are in yet, but it's looking good.  Can you imagine how much good can and will be done in these next four years?

I've been on cloud nine since Tuesday night.  The American people have spoken, and we have not minced words.  We want a President who has our best interest at heart.  We want a strong President who will stand up for us.  We want a masculine President who will fight for us.  We want a President who can negotiate with and intimidate world leaders for the betterment of the world.  We want a President who will preserve our freedoms and our great nation!

That is why we emphatically voted for President Trump.  We want America to be great again.  And that is what President Trump will do.  He's already proven that when he was President before.  He will do it again!  Even better!

I have no doubt that God preserved President Trump for this purpose.  

God bless President Trump and God bless America!

That's my two cents.

College Football Picks Week 10

1.  Clint -15 tiebreaker 59
2. Tammy -20 breaker 59
3. Lisa -22 tiebreaker 64
4. Rex -23 tiebreaker 59

actual tiebreaker 47

Happy 55th Anniversary

Today is my Mom and Dad's 55th wedding anniversary.  Even though they are both on the other side of the veil now, I still wanted to wish them a happy anniversary.  Love you both tons!

I'm very proud of my heritage and of my parents' good name.  I am so blessed to have been born of goodly parents.  I hope I can honor them and their legacy by the way I strive to live my life.

Happy 55th Anniversary, Mom and Dad!  I love you and miss you so much.  Got be with you till we meet again.

That's my two cents.