OUR MUSEUM OF MEMORIES

Wendell today - happy as a lark before going to conference.  He did enjoy (slept a bit) the meeting and sang along with the choir.

OUR MUSEUM OF MEMORIES

This Sunday April 7^th 2019 my heart and mind are still filled with the spirit of conference. I just turned off the last session. This was another conference to remember forever!!! Yesterday Wendell & I watched both sessions together at The Gables and he was so tired that he fell totally asleep as soon as I got him into his bed. He didn't even wake up when I took his hearing aids out and kissed him “goodbye.”

Today after the first session of conference and lunch we went to his room and as soon and I tucked him into bed, hoping to leave him not so tired as he was yesterday. However he wanted to talk but his gibberish wasn't making any sense as we tried to communicate. I told him not to worry I'd be back tomorrow. That satisfied him and he closed his eyes. I gave him a kiss (he did kiss me back – yea!) and he was sound asleep. And I was on my way home for a nap and then watch the afternoon session of Conference.

What wonderful messages we received that will help us become who we really want to become if we study each message carefully – even after we study the notes we took. Pres. Nelson did it again – reserved his comments and announcements until the last session That is a pretty clever way to keep everyone watching. (smile)

Will you join me in these memories of mine and add some of your own memories of being in our home?

I am sitting in one of the rooms of our MUSEUM OF MEMORIES where I just turned off Conference on the TV. Oh how I remember the hundreds of time Wendell and I watched conference right here. Those were precious times and we could even sing with the choir together (smile).

This room is now called “My Study.” It is a museum of pictures of individual family members, trophies, journals, genealogy stuff and keepsakes. They remind me of when I could walk all over the mountain, run for 12 miles, swim 20 lengths, ride my bike for miles, play tennis, go to games with Wendell, and when we both sang with the Symphonic Choir.

The room to the north is still called Wendell's Study. It has his roll-top desk, his computer desk, his military awards and military pictures and his shelves of books, genealogy and keepsakes. My memories are filled with his many accomplishments as a good Husband, Father, pilot, working at Thiokol, being in the Symphonic Choir, church callings and his birthday being right at Christmas time, His sweet goodness and help to me. The marimba that is in that room right now is the treasure he gave me one Christmas.

The room to the west is now called “my room.” It is my bedroom and has been transformed with a twin bed replacing our huge one. A picture of the two of us as we were preparing to go on our mission to Spain, rearranging the bed tables and putting the pictures of us on our 50^th Wedding anniversary on one of them and my Shamrock plant on the other. The rest are the real museum items: A picture my brother, Al, painted, a mirror that Debby decorated with the temple on it and lace around it, a mirror that belonged to Wendell's mom, a picture and plaque that Wendy gave me, the Cedar Chest my father made for me, the dresser that was in my room when I was a teenager, pictures of Mt. Timpanogos that my father took and printed will be up soon.

The hall is memories of Families, marriages and missions. Those memories go on forever and keep getting added to.

The kitchen reminds me of Thanksgiving preparations and family coming to fill up both the living room and the kitchen. The delicious smell of turkey etc. cooking. Elaborate table settings. The family visiting, telling stories on one another and playing games. Also...the daily ongoing preparations of meals and visiting with many different family members as they came “any day” and we sat at the bar to visit or I prepared a meal as they sat at the bar. Many serious talks were had that way.

The living room is full of very fond Christmas memories. Having breakfast before going in to the tree, lining up to go in, the squeals of delight, Christmas programs doing the dramatization of the birth of Christ. The Christmas Scenes we collected. Wendell's birthday celebrations that were not out of doors on a sled. Home teachers coming diligently. Priesthood Blessings. My Visiting Teachers coming regularly. The Family Group picture Julie made for us and the picture of my favorite quote. The very first Professional Family Group Picture we had taken. Visits from our family and friends.

The Garage – Halloween, where we had the witch who made the magic potion and told scary stories after they had entered the “magic” east garage door. Then asked them how they were going to get out of her haunted house. When they didn't know she told them if they would say the magic words the south door would open. They were immediately anxious to know the words. She would then say the words for them to repeat one at a time. When the last word was said the door went up as promised. Amazed they fled... glad to be gone, but looking forward to next Halloween. I kept my secret of how the door went up for a long time. But of course you know how that happened, don't you? If you don't let me know and I will tell you.

Some memories are happy and some sad, some of hard challenges that brought important decisions that changed our life. All things put together form a museum of modern pioneer trails seeking to follow the Lord's way to eternal life with Him and our Posterity. Even Grandpa has those memories TUCKED AWAY SOMEWHERE and they will return at that great day.

You can ask each other what your memories are of our “museum.” It would be fun for me to hear from you what they are!!!

Love to everyone from Grandpa and Grandma Christensen.