My Mikesell cousins

I haven't seen my Mikesell cousins for at least 20 years. So, when I received this photo from Carol I cried and cried. As children we played together while our mother's visited. And have great memories of eating banana bread when we went to their home.

Carleene, Charlotte, Carol Ann, and Ed Junior

Don & Carlene, Charlotte, Chris & Carol Ann, Ed & wife

Sandpoint City Beach was my summer home from age 4-21.

These photos are not of me but look like me and where I spent my summers.


Mom and Dad both worked. So summers we got to spend the day at the beach. But, we couldn’t go until we could swim by ourselves. At age four I could swim so I got to go with Judy and Dan and spend the whole day there. Judy remembers being responsible for us. She says, “I remember us kids taking food off of others people’s towels because I hadn’t been taught to make lunches.” I remember other things:

1. As young children Dad would drop us off on his way to work and pick us up after work.

2. Sometimes we would walk to the beach where we passed Hayworth’s Bakery (where Dad used to work) and get a free doughnut either before or after swimming.

3. Other time we would take our 1 bike and pedal each other on the back fender... sometimes on the way home we would get so hot we went right back to the beach not home. We stayed until it was time for dinner.

4. Sometimes after dinner Dad would take us back to the beach. He took a LONG time getting wet. First the ankles, knees and he would holler out, “ooh, ooh,” then the waist and called out again, next the shoulders calling out again and finally he’d dunk his head in. Then it was time to go. He was cooled down. Afew times he would swim out to the dock then we had to go.

5. As a youth (16 -21) I was a Red Cross Swimming Instructor and lifeguard. We worked the day after Memorial Day until the day after Labor Day. The first year my sister, Judy, and I were both working there and 2 other people. The next 5 years just me and 3 other people. One year we had a Seventh Day Adventist lifeguard, he worked Sundays and I worked Saturdays. That was the best year. I hated missing church.

6. I loved teaching lessons. Beginners were my favorite. The kids were either scared to death or confident beyond their abilities. I enjoyed helping then gain the skills they needed to swim out to the dock and jump off without any assistance and then swim back to shore. We all cheered each other on! I loved it.

7. When I was and not a lifeguard and living in Seattle, Washington, I took a friend to the beach. A boy sank to the bottom right in front of us. My friend (Van Campbell) dove in after him and I swam to shore, grabbed the lifeboat and rowed out to the dock to bring them to shore. The boy survived and Van got a big write up in the local newspaper.

Man's Greatest Power Lies In The Power of Prayer.

One of the most essential parts of me, is knowing that the Lord will hear and answer me when I speak to him.  As I child I wrote a simple poem about my feelings on prayer here it is for you to read.

David Bednar (a prophet of God) explains his insights on prayer in this YouTube video.

Please take the time to view the video and ponder

how you might have the Lord be a part of your life this year

by improving your communication with Him. 

New Years Challenge

I've read that the LDS Church would like us to use our blogs to spread the gospel. 

“Now, may I ask that you join the conversation by participating on the Internet to share the gospel and to explain in simple and clear terms the message of the Restoration.”

—Elder Ballard

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At Stake Conference last week we were challenged to
know what our prophets are currently telling us.

I have been thinking that I need to express my gratitude more often.

So, I think I will begin with a monthly effort to address one of the three topics a week.