LDS APRIL CONFERENCE - 12 QUOTES FROM SATURDAYS SESSION

On The Banks of the Idaho Falls LDS Temple

President Packer

"The family, the fundamental organization in time and eternity, is under attack from forces seen and unseen. The adversary is about. His objective is to cause injury. If he can weaken and destroy the family, he will have succeeded."

 Bishop Davies

"By anchoring our lives to Jesus Christ and his Atonement … we will be strengthened; we will experience real personal growth and a lasting conversion; we will be better prepared to successfully withstand the storms and calamities of life; we will experience the joy and happiness promised; and we will have the confidence that our lives have been built upon a sure foundation: a foundation that will never fall."

Sister Dalton

"What would the world be like if virtue … were reinstated in our society as a most highly prized value? If immorality, pornography and abuse decreased, would there be fewer broken marriages, broken lives and broken hearts? Would media ennoble and enable rather than objectify and degrade God's precious daughters? If all humanity really understood the importance of the statement, 'We are daughters of our Heavenly Father,' how would women be regarded and treated?"

 Elder Cardon

"By exercising faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the enabling power of his Atonement strengthens us in our moment of need, and His redeeming power sanctifies us as we 'put off the natural man.'"

Elder Ballard

"In our Heavenly Father's great priesthood endowed plan, men have the unique responsibility to administer the priesthood, but they are not the priesthood. Men and women have different but equally valued roles. Just as a woman cannot conceive a child without a man, so a man cannot fully exercise the power of the priesthood to establish an eternal family without a woman. In other words, in the eternal perspective, both the procreative power and the priesthood power are shared by a husband and wife."

President Eyring

"We are under covenant both to lift up those in need and to be witnesses of the Savior as long as we live. We will only be able to do it without fail as we feel love for the Savior and His love for us. As we are faithful to the promises we have made, we will feel our love for Him. It will increase because we will feel His power and drawing near to us in His service."

 Elder Scott

"If you young people would review a verse of scripture as often as some of you send text messages, you could soon have hundreds of passages of scripture memorized. Those passages would prove to be a powerful source of inspiration and guidance by the Holy Ghost in times of need."

Elder Cook

"Peace is not just safety or lack of war, violence, conflict and contention. Peace comes from knowing that the Savior knows who we are, knows that we have faith in Him, love Him, and keep His commandments, even and especially amid life's devastating trials and tragedies."

Elder Ellis

"Again I witness the Lord has the way! Our Heavenly Father knows us, loves us and wants to help. He knows best how to help. We are not spiritual orphans!"

 Elder Dickson

"The gospel in Africa is going to a happy people, very unencumbered by the trappings that affect the lives of many in the West. They are not concerned about having endless material possessions. It has been said of Africans that 'they have very little of that which matters least and a great deal of that which matters most.'"

Elder Bednar

"From the Atonement of the Savior flows the soothing salve that can heal our spiritual wounds and remove guilt. However, this salve can only be applied through the principles of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, repentance and constant obedience. ... I promise that obedience to the law of chastity will increase our happiness in mortality and make possible our progress in eternity."

Elder Nelson

"More of you young men and women will catch this wave as you strive to be worthy of mission calls. You see this as a wave of truth and righteousness. You see your opportunity to be on the crest of that wave."

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REVAMPING, DOING OVER, STARTING ANEW

I started this blog way back in 2008. It's was a way of kept in touch with friends and family. A way of sharing my daily life. I believe it has served me well in doing that. Now there has come a time to pick something that I really enjoy doing. A time to narrow down what it is that I would really enjoy sharing with others. Time to find something that is meaningful not only to myself but to my followers. The time has come for a major revamping, a do over, regrouping, reorganizing and starting anew. In the next couple of week I will be moving to a new platform, a new name and a new site. I welcome you to continue to follow me as I open my life once again to the world wide web. What blog post would ever be complete without the addition
  of the visual impact of an image?
 

You know what it feels like when you don't know the difference between shutter speed, metering modes or ISO?  That's where I was back in two thousand eight.  I had just purchased my very first big girl digital camera.  I was scared, mystified and reluctant to even turn the thing on.

Now five years later I am more comfortable, I've made peace with my camera and we get along divinely.
You recall the saying "You've come a long ways baby."  Well I can honestly say that I have since taking the above image. 

I look forward to having you follow along as I start on my next NEW adventure.

Barb - aka - bobrann

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Rural Life

Not really rural but it's plenty of life.  The  Eiffel Tower on Las Vegas's main drag.
I had forgotten all about even taking this photo while I was there, do you ever do that?  This will probably be the closest I will ever get to viewing the real thing.  Taken straight from the Nikon, to computer, to you.

Rurality Blog Hop #6

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Man/Womans Best Friend on letting go

Man/Womans Best Friend on letting go, a photo by Barb Phillips on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Today I had to say farewell to my Basset Hound. Mixed emotions today as Fred had only come into my life this past July. Freddie, I will miss your early morning talks, your large feet as they fun across the floor after balls and socks. I will miss your sad but always happy eyes. Other will miss you Halloween costumes and your never endless supply of toys and games. There are so many things that I will miss, so many memories that have been made and wish that were still being. Fredster, Freddie, Fredmister, Bo I loved you you sweet little dog. I will always hold a soft spot in my heart for you, one that can not be filled by another. Now run, play and sleep dear friend.

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'Ere Mum, Got Any Mandies ?!!?

'Ere Mum, Got Any Mandies ?!!?, a photo by Dan Belton (No badger cull) on Flickr.

Dan Belton Writes

"I snuck up on the same male mandarin while he was sleeping, I've never been anywhere near as close before. They're so outlandish, almost like a teacher's asked a class of six year olds to draw an imaginary duck and then someone's made it ! I've got a bit of catching up to do I know."

Someday I hope to have a shot as good as this one.

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Red-Shafted Norther Flicker

Red-Shafted Norther Flicker, a photo by Barb Phillips on Flickr.

Via Flickr:
Today has been one very good day as far as birding goes. 1 Flicker, Mountain Chickadees, Downy Woodpecker, Magpies, House Sparrows and some House Finches all from my office window.

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Winter Birding - Barb Phillips

Family
Work
Church Service
Hobbies

All these play an important part in my life right now.  I tend to spend more time in some areas, possible more than I really should.
One area that I have really been neglecting lately is...wait for it.... MY HOBBIES.  I bet you thought I was going to write family didn't you? 
I have quilts that need finished.  I have a crafting room that have spilled over into a wood shed outside.  And for photography, well my camera has been sitting on it's tripod just waiting. 

I finally made of my mind today that no mater the weather, I was going out to get some bird shots.  Birding is so tricky for me as the longest lens I have is a 300mm.  I do have a 1.4X converter that I use but the draw back is that it cuts down on the light coming into the camera, not to mention clarity would be jeopardized.

Never-the-less I needed to get out.  I decided that the Market Lake Wildlife Area would be a grand place to visit.  It's not to cold today, 23 degrees and bearable. I head out.  The sky keeps getting foggier, darker and very flat. I keep going determined to find the rockery of Bohemian Waxwings that I had seen just last week.

I've only been able to see Finches and Sparrows around the house lately and the Waxwings proved exciting.

You can only take so many sparrows before it's time to find something new to photograph.

I've reached the spot that I thought perhaps I would be able to find the Waxwings.  I slip on my snow boots, check out my camera for battery power and SD card.  Zip up my thermal coat and head out.  I've walked I figure 2 miles and I spot them, hundreds of them.  My heart races, my step picks up in the snow and I approach cautiously.  I know that these birds are feeding on Russian Olives for winter food and that they will do so in large groups.  I get within a couple hundred feet, not good enough.  Can I get closer without them all scattering?  I move forward 10 feet, they are still there.  Another 20 feet, they notice me but stay put, I grab some quick shots.  Still I am not close enough for anything note worthy.  I move forward, they scatter in an uproar.  Rats!!!  But wait their coming back.  I move forward almost under them.  They watch, eat, chatter and eat some more. I'm ecstatic,  could today get any better?

 The Bohemian Waxwing is similar to the Cedar Waxwing just a little bigger and more colorful.  I wish that I had one of those fancy 500mm about now.

 I'm loving their colors aren't you.  Make the house sparrows look a bit plain don't you think?

 These two were such a comical pare, they must be mates the way they were acting.

 This guy just didn't know what to make of me and all the clicking noises.  I shot some frames he would turn side to side trying to see what or where the noise was coming from.

Doesn't take these birds long to have totally stripped a tree of it's fruit.  No wonder I had to walk in so far to find them.

Side Note - after spending close to two hours watching, listening and photographing Waxwings I decided I had better head for the car as I was loosing light. 

 I begin back tracking the track. I turn to watch a snow owl and a great horned owl, and I've lost the trail I made coming into this place.  Anxiety replaces satisfaction. Thought of tomorrows headlines run through my head "BIRDER LOST".  I do a quick look about and spot the main interstate, I now feel confidant I'll find my way out of this area. 

 NOTE TO SELF - get better barrings and landmarks while out in the wild.

As you can tell I DID make it home, how else would I have been able to share my day with you. Ü  

Until my next photo adventure.

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