This weekend I am both a happy graduate and a happy mom. 

This is the story of one mom’s solution to filling the sadness of an empty nest and the journey of rediscovering a lost dream.

I had been a single mother, displaced when my ex moved me to a city far away from my hometown, family and friends and divorced me. With only one year of college and four children, I struggled to make ends meet. Eventually I remarried a wonderful man, but as  my children left home I was filled with an overwhelming sadness. I don’t if being an artist means you feel more deeply so you can generate the passion you need to create, but the truth was that I was hurting, Newell suggested I go to the local college and take an art class. Genius idea. One thing led to another and before I knew it, I was in my final semester at MiraCosta College in Oceanside taking the 6 science and health classes I had avoided for 30 years to complete my A.A. 

Then we felt prompted to move to Utah, we fought it and lost, relocating to Salt Lake City where he took a job with the University of Utah Hospital (one of the benefits was half-price tuition for his dependents; can you guess where this is going?) After four more years of art studies here we are today.

Please take a few minutes to watch this inspirational video about Jesus Christ and see how He can change your life: 
http://www.mormon.org/easter?cid=HP_FR_3-27-2015_dMIS_fMRMN_xLIDyL1-A_

I wrote this metaphor about a computer to help explain the need for the Atonement http://www.pammcmurtry.com/search?q=the+Miraculous+Atonement+of+Jesus+Christ+

Tune in Friday, April 3 as Kim and I share interesting Easter and Passover facts on BYU SiriusXM Radio 143 at 3 p.m. Eastern/1 p.m. Mountain, also online at http://www.byuradio.org/


When Moses spoke with the Lord on Mount Sinai, Jehovah gave the prophet the Ten Commandments and instructed him to have Israel celebrate several annual feasts or holidays including the Feasts of Passover and Sukkot (see Leviticus 23.) 

For the second year in a row there will be “blood moons” during Passover and Sukkot, with a solar eclipse in between. Is there a significance to these heavenly events? Rabbi Ari Enkin suggests that these occurrences accompany significant events in Jewish history such as the Jewish expulsion from Spain and discovery of America in 1492, the Six Day War in 1967 when Israel liberated Jerusalem and one on the eve of Israel’s declaration of independence in 1948 following a war and the Holocaust. 

http://unitedwithisrael.org/the-blood-moon-and-jewish-destiny/

http://www.theblaze.com/stories/2014/04/15/are-blood-moons-a-biblical-sign-from-god-that-something-earth-shattering-is-about-to-happen/

Christ told us that before He returned, these signs would occur. In modern revelation, the Doctrine and Covenants 45: 42 states “And before the day of the Lord shall come, the sun shall be darkened, and the moon be turned into blood, and the stars fall from heaven.” Now the scriptures are clear that no man will know the exact day of His coming, but in his compassion Jesus has let us know that as we keep His commandments we will not be caught offguard: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNzTTdD33Vg&feature=em-subs_digest

If you are teaching children about Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and atonement, here is a wonderful little activity that can be used for Family Home Evening and church classes.

From the brilliant ladies in Newport Beach; thanks for sharing.

All you need are a dozen plastic eggs and a few items to tuck inside. Number the end of the eggs 1 -12 with a permanent marker. Print the following text, cut into strips and place inside the corresponding numbered eggs by highlighting them, pressing control and “p” on a p.c. (choose “selection”) , or command and “p” on a mac. The objects inside the eggs are:

1. a small cup (check craft stores for a small unfinished wood thimble)

2. 3 dimes

3. 2 – 3″ of twine

4. a chunk of soap

5. A tiny red robe shape cut out of felt

6. wooden or heavy paper cross

7. dice

8. 1 1/2″ x 1 1/2″ square of white fabric, torn almost in half

9. a 1 1/2″ x 11/2″ square of white fabric

10. a small rock

11. a few whole cloves and a bay leaf

12. This egg will remain empty

Tell the story about the sacrament of the Last Supper and Christ’s night in Gethsemane, how he paid the price for all of mankind’s sins if they repented andthat they might be able to return to heaven and live with the Father . The following scripture verses are taken from the New Testament in the Holy Bible. 

1. “Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.” (Luke 22:42 – 43)

2. Zechariah, a prophet of the Old Testament foretold that Christ would be ransomed or betrayed for thirty pieces of silver. “Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirtypieces of silver. ” (Matthew 26: 14 – 15)

3. “When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death: And when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor. (Matthew 27: 1 -2)

4. “When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. (Matthew 27: 24)

5. “And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe. And when they hadplaited a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spit upon him, and took the reed, and smote him on the head.” (Matthew 27: 28 – 30)

6. “And after that they had mocked him, they took the robe off from him, and put his own raiment on him, and led him away to crucify him. And as they came out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they compelled to bear his cross.” (Matthew 27: 31 – 32.)

7. “And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.” (Matthew 27: 35)

8. “Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.” (Matthew 27: 50, 51, 54)

9. “When the even was come, there came a rich man of Arimathæa, namedJoseph, who also himself was Jesus’ disciple:He went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to be delivered.And when Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth” (Matthew 27; 58 – 60)

10. “And laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed. Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make it as sure as ye can. So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.” (Matthew 27: 60, 65, 66)

11. “And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow…Andthe angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. (Mark 16: 1, Matthew 28: 2 – 5)

12. “He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead” Matthew 28: 6 – 7) 

Here’s an easy-to-make treat for you published on April 1st. The instructions and recipe are on these great newpaper websites: 

Deseret News in Utah:
 http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865625429/Butterscotch-nests-with-personalized-eggs-are-delightful-Easter-treats.html

Deseret News Service nationwide:
http://www.deseretnewsservice.com/butterscotch-nests-with-personalized-eggs-are-delightful-easter-treats-261401

News OK Syndicate in Oklahoma:
http://newsok.com/butterscotch-nests-with-personalized-eggs-are-delightful-easter-treats/article/5406421?prevArticle=1&linkPosition=anchored

Herald Times in Indiana:
http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/life/butterscotch-nests-with-personalized-eggs-are-delightful-easter-treats/article_fe458694-0d80-5307-9b61-27f3290bd6f5.html

Aberdeen News in South Dakota
http://www.aberdeennews.com/life/butterscotch-nests-with-personalized-eggs-are-delightful-easter-treats/article_a4fc93db-e8b4-54dd-b748-3dd719619231.html

Daily American in Pennsylvania:
http://www.dailyamerican.com/life/butterscotch-nests-with-personalized-eggs-are-delightful-easter-treats/article_fb612e2f-fb61-50e7-b5dd-bc63240dfbae.html

The Coastal Courier in Georgia:
http://coastalcourier.com/archives/72612/

The Santa Clarita Valley Signal in California:
http://www.signalscv.com/archives/134927/

The Chronicle Independent in South Carolina:
http://www.chronicle-independent.com/archives/36816/

The Reporter Times in Indiana:
http://www.reporter-times.com/life/butterscotch-nests-with-personalized-eggs-are-delightful-easter-treats/image_cc353b36-2a0c-5b83-bcc7-4c03544af6a2.html

Imperial Valley Press in California:
http://www.ivpressonline.com/life/butterscotch-nests-with-personalized-eggs-are-delightful-easter-treats/image_b6323114-6c63-5f3d-a29b-8da8adce4eed.html

Our Town, Johnstown Pennsylvania:
http://www.ourtownjohnstown.com/life/butterscotch-nests-with-personalized-eggs-are-delightful-easter-treats/article_a9f9bbbb-507d-5b6c-a3df-c4ac491a5c27.html?mode=jqm

Thank you everyone for sharing this recipe! 

On March 17th, we celebrate the life of a great missionary of the anniversary of his death; St. Patrick. He devoted his life to serving the people of Ireland and over 1500 years later is beloved as their patron saint. 


The following is an article I wrote for the Salt Lake City  Deseret News that was published on Wednesday, March 11, 2015.

“Did you know that St. Patrick was an English missionary who shared the message of Christianity with the people of Ireland and that his color was actually blue? (See history.com and catholic.org.) Or that corned beef was an American food that Irish immigrants ate when they moved to New York? (See history.com.)

He loved his circles and was the first of the ancients to discover the formula for the area of a circle or π. 

Many before him tried, the Babylonians around 1990 B.C., the Egyptians in 1650 B.C. and others,  but it was the Greek mathematician Archimedes, born in 287 B.C. in Italy, who figured out the closest value for pi or the area of a circle 

February 19th marks the beginning of the Chinese New Year for 2015. It is the Year of the Ram; an animal known for it calmness, strength and vitality.

Throughout Asia, families have scrupulously cleaned their houses to get rid of the “dust” and troubles of the previous year and to start off the new with a fresh and positive beginning. On this day and for the next fifteen, families and friends will gather to wish one another good health, happiness and prosperity in the coming year. The children will receive red envelopes filled with money in even amounts; odd is for funerals. They will play games and if they are really lucky, a dragon will drop in for the festivities bringing, good luck and dignity to the celebration. 

One of the dishes enjoyed at Chinese New Year Feasts for over a thousand years is crunchy, yummy won ton. My recipe was published in the Salt Lake City Deseret News on February 18th, just in time for the party! 

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865622145/A-dish-to-help-celebrate-Chinese-New-Year.html?pg=all