May 20, 2012


I’m 65 years old today. Wow! As we sang the song “I Am a Child of God” today in church I started thinking about the words and my birthday. “I am a child of God, and He has sent me here( I came to earth May 20 1947- 65 years ago) Has given me an earthly home ( I came to Pipe Springs AZ) with parents ( Leonard and Edna Heaton) kind and dear ( amazingly kind and dear parents.) Lead me, guide me, walk beside me, help me find the way (my parents taught me to pray, by my bed and kneeling around the table, before breakfast and supper, I learned to work, cleaning my room, doing the dishes, weeding the garden, feeding the chickens and gathering the eggs. They took me to Sunday school, Sacrament meeting and primary, to school, to stake conference, to general conference, to work in the garden, baling hay, pick peaches/fruit, then bottle the peaches, cherries, tomatoes beans- they didn’t send me ‘walked” with me. Their example, their love, their life ‘taught me all that I must do to live with Him someday”

“I Am a Child of God, and so my needs are great, help me to understand His words,” we read the scriptures, the Church News, The Childrens Friend, Era, and the Instructor, we had Family Hour, answered questions, spent time with grandparents who had great faith and sure knowledge of God, talked at meal time around the table, “before it grows too late” This instructions started at birth, I was ready and worthy to be baptized by my Father at age 8, June 5, 1955, graduate from Primary and start Young womens, attend and graduate from Seminary, serve the Ward, chorister, pianist, Primary teacher in the Indian Branch, secretary of the YWMIA, Babysit nieces and nephews while my parents and their parents attended the temple. Watched my parents find joy in serving in the St George Temple. Graduate from high school and go on to college, as expected. Attend the Institute and continue in strengthening my testimony away from home. Knew and understood the principle of repentance, Knew how to choose worthy friends, and that special one -(W Alan Turley) to spend eternity with. Followed the example of “parents kind and dear’ and with my family as witnesses sealed for time and eternity in a ‘House of the Lord” I was taught ‘all that I must do to live with Him someday” my responsibility now is to happily endure to the end, and during that time be that example to my children and grandchildren that my parents were/are to me. I Am a Child of God, His promises are sure” it’s up to me to make sure I will “live with Him someday.”



I had a cancer treatment last Thursday, the next two or three days are hard, emotionally and physically, not sick, just not 100%. It seems like every month the 2-3 days after there is something going on that I have to push through. Last month I decided I didn’t want to do that this time- not realizing it was my birthday weekend. I mentioned that I didn’t want to babysit this weekend. It came across that I didn’t want Grandkids to come over. It was a hard Friday and Saturday with school ending and needing to do extra at school, and some even on Saturday, then do all the Saturday stuff- laundry, sweeping, mopping, and a project for Chloe, so I was worn out. Sunday family dinner seemed overwhelming at the moment. I feel badly that it seemed to come across that I didn’t want grandkids or everyone to come over, I feel terrible that there might have been hurt feelings, I don’t ever want my family to feel like I don’t want to see them. I count my day complete when I’ve had some kind of contact with each daughter. My children and grandchildren are what makes life worth living and hanging on. I love you!