Thursday, April 6, 2017 – Nathan Dobbins Post, AunnaMarie Passed Away, Amanda & AunnaMarie Funeral Services

Dear Family and Friends,

Nathan Dobbins posted this message 5 hours ago on FaceBook for everyone to know the latest about his baby daughter, AunnaMarie:

A little over 4 days into my little girls life just before midnight April 5th 2017, AunnaMarie passed away. I was blessed with the opportunity to have known her and loved her, even if it was just for this short time. To everyone that has offered prayers in behalf of Aunna, Amanda and myself, I thank you for your faith and support. We may be tempted to be angry with God or say that this is unfair or ask why wouldn't he save her when all of our combined prayers, love and faith were extended toward her. Friends and family we must remember and strive to trust our Heavenly Father. Trust that he truly does love each one of us and trust him that his plans are what's best for each of us individually and collectively.

Nathan Dobbins

Sis. Johnson and I would like to thank all of our FaceBook friends for your words of encouragement, your love and support toward us and our extended family. Your prayers on behalf of Nathan and his family have been very much appreciated and answered. After much consideration and prayers, Sis. Johnson and I will not be returning home to attend the funeral services. Again thank you for your love and support.

Elder & Sis. Johnson

The funeral for Amanda and her daughter AunnaMarie will be this coming Saturday the 8th at 3pm at the LDS Church Building on Ironwood, 1720 S. Ironwood Rd, Apache Junction 85220.

Baby AunnaMarie will be laid to rest in the arms of her mother.

Thursday, April 6, 2017 – Debbie & Homer leave, Transplant seedlings, Weed “Henbit” by hand, Elder Tad R. Callister

This morning bright and early as Sis. Johnson and I were leaving for work, we said our good-byes to Homer & Debbie as they where loading to drive back home to Gilbert AZ. We’ve really enjoyed having them stay with us for 4 days. Yesterday they finished their three full days of touring all of the historic sites of Old Nauvoo. With the tragic events that have happened in our family over the past six days, it has been extra special to have a visit from family to buoy us up and give us strength.

At work today Sis. Johnson and I worked alongside Richard Hancock transplanting seedlings. This time we transplanted Gazania, Astilbe and Iresine seedlings.  

Next we headed out to the Sarah Granger Kimball home to pull weeds. And there are a lot of weeds that are out of control. Particularly the weed named, Lamium Amplexicaule also known as “Henbit.”  It has a very pretty little purple flower and it is a ground cover all over the states of the Great Plains. The stem, flowers, and leaves are edible; many people say it tastes slightly like raw kale. Henbit is very nutritious, high in iron, vitamins and fiber. You can add raw henbit to salads, soups, wraps, or green smoothies. Since it matures in early spring long before any other edible plants, I’ve heard that in the early pioneer days Henbit was an important source of supplemental  nutrition as winter stores of food began to run out. . . . But today it’s just a terrible weed!

Tonight was a Socialable (Fireside) with Elder Tad R Callister. He’s the General Sunday School President of the church. He has also been a Mission President, a General Authority since 2008, an Area Seventy and was a member of the Presidency of the 70. He is visiting Nauvoo with his family because it is Spring Break in Utah.

Elder Callister spoke to us about our sacred temples, their origins and history, and their sacred holy ordinances. He quoted Elder George Q. Cannon of the First Presidency who describes the intense interest that members of the Church had in the 1840s when the blessings of the temple were again made available to mankind:

“When the Prophet Joseph [Smith] first communicated that the Lord had revealed to him the keys of the endowment . . . a thrill went through the congregation and a great desire for this filled their hearts.”

In tonight’s meeting Elder Callister also opened it up to comments and questions by the missionaries in attendance. It was a very good meeting.