Melva Gifford

Bad:   Concored

Good: Conquered

I have the hardest time spelling this word correctly. We’ll see if this will help. When one country attacks another with such violence or overwhelming forces the target country QUits and thus become conQUered.

Do you have a better trick to remember? If so please feel free to share.

For a Relief Society project, a life coach was invited to come speak to the sisters in the ward. These are my notes. Any misinformation is the fault of the note taker.

• Quote: the joy we feel has little to do with the circumstances of our lives and everything to do with the focus of our lives. Pres. Nelson

A healthy heart:

• We have power over our thoughts.
• The brain is the tool of how we know our focus.
• Book: as a man thinks it so is he.
• Our thoughts a powerful.

The self-coaching model:

• This info is presented by a life coach by the name of Jody Moore. Check out her podcast better than happy.

There are four processes.

Circumstances:

• It is the factual thing outside of us.
• They are the boring part of a juicy story.
• Everyone agrees upon circumstances.
• Circumstances can be proven in a court of law what is what people say and do.
• Circumstances are neutral.

Thoughts:

• Every time there is a circumstance, there is a thought about it.
• Beliefs are thoughts that you think about frequently.
• Analyze what thoughts cause negative results.
• Thoughts or the need we give to the circumstances.
• Thoughts are opinionated.
• Thoughts are the reason behind her feelings.
• When something happens, we point to the circumstances and use it as the source of blame. It is always the thought that counts.

Feelings:

• Thoughts create our feelings. Thoughts cause a chemical reaction in our bodies and a vibration is created.
• Thoughts create feelings.
• Our bodies know how to process feelings but our heads at differently.
• Feelings are not true.
• Feelings of anxiety do not mean they are true. Worry pretends to be useful. But it is not. You need to create positive feelings to counter the negative feelings.
• When you have a feeling, see what thought is behind that feeling.
• Hormonal imbalances are not the cause of feelings discussed here.
• Feelings do not always feel good.
• Useful feelings include confidence love commitment
• Negative feelings are worrying or feeling overwhelmed.
• Feelings feel our actions. Feelings want to prove that our thoughts or true.
• Experiences create belief.
• Action: it is how you show up or approach life and everything else.

Result:

• If you are told it is cold outside, then you have thoughts about being cold, and then you have feelings that influence your actions. Then your actions may result in you wanting to stay home or feel miserable.
• As someone is stuck in traffic driving 30 miles an hour, they can feel frustrated. If you are driving home, you may feel frustrated at 30 miles an hour, then you think of your husband at home who is responsible for putting the kids to bed. Being stuck in traffic may not feel so bad. If you going to a party that you don’t want to go to then you may not feel so bad about slow traffic.
• When you look on a scale, the numbers you see, mean something.
• If you look at a bank account, $5000, and your college student, you may feel wealthy. If you’re a homeowner and must pay the next mortgage $5000 in the bank may not feel so well.

Our Successes in the Lord.

• We are doing well when we can control our thoughts, feelings, and actions. Do those in and you can be successful in God’s eyes. Paraphrase by Holland.
• You can control yourself and not others. We cannot control others we can influence others.
• How our brain works: the brain has two sections the higher brain. Which can involve our spirituality. The lower brain is the more natural man that promotes fight or flight tendencies. Our brains like to avoid paying. For example, a guy wanted to try out for the basketball team. But he was so worried about failing getting on the team he decides to not even try out.
• Analyze why you do certain things. The brain seeks pleasure such as sugar. Or maybe watch Netflix. These behaviors may act as a buffer. Do your actions give you a negative or positive result?
• If we have a circumstance that triggers the natural brain, we may want to just sit in response. This could be compared to us waiting in preparation to being attacked by a tiger.

How to Use our Brain:

• With a pencil in hand, download your thoughts. Write everything down. Don’t judge what you write. Separate circumstances from thoughts. See what feedings are caused. Analyze your internal thoughts or. What actions happen when you listen to these thoughts? Consider this alternative. Maybe I’m wrong. As yourself, is everyone feeling this way?
• Do I want to keep this as my truth? What other way can I think about it?
• One person has the motto all do all the hard things.
• The best way to test the thought is to see what feedings are caused.

You get to choose who you want to be.

These are notes from church. Any misinformation is the fault of the note taker.

– God is mindful of our trials.
– Heaven is open
– God speaks to us through the spirit.
– In April 2020 President Nelson did a proclamation to the world. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/media/video/2020-03-0100-a-bicentennial-proclamation-to-the-world?lang=eng
– the proclamation discussed: the first vision,
restoration of the sealing power,
church organized,
and the gathering of Israel.
– Shared a story where some missionaries were spreading concrete on a driveway. they were unfamiliar with the effects of concrete.. Many of the elders were barefoot or wearing regular shoes. asphalt gave them all burns. One missionary, in particular, had diabetes. the burn hospital in CA had to scrape the concrete off his feet. the doctors said it would take six months to heal. He was sent home. The next week the doctor said his feet are healing well. the next week the next doctor said you can go back on your mission now. The mission was healed in 3 weeks instead of six months. That was a modern-day miracle.
– Just like we would not want to drink from a dirty cup. God does not want his priesthood to be done through a dirty vessel.
The scriptures give us an additional understanding of the gospel.

This is an email from Jennifer Maffessanti. She is from an organization called libertas.org. This is a submission for caucus corner. The links got disabled. Email me if ou want the email with the links.

Nearing the home stretch

Hello, everyone! Only a week and a half remain in the 2022 legislative session. That means fewer new bill write-ups but more readings, debates, and votes on the bills we’ve already got. Get ready because this is where it gets pretty real.

Items of note:

New bills we’re tracking

The elderly shouldn’t face homelessness because of property taxes

How to best use the tracking tools

Jen Maffessanti

Director of Communications, Libertas Institute

past due

Nobody likes property taxes

And I mean nobody. But not liking something and facing fines, fees, and even losing your home because of skyrocketing property taxes are different levels.

That’s the reality facing too many of Utah’s senior citizens. Our very own Ben Shelton partnered up with Danny Harris from AARP Utah for his latest op-ed about this growing problem.

It’s no secret that housing prices all over the state have been shooting upward. But property taxes are also on the rise. Places like Charleston and Joseph have seen their property taxes increase by 130% in 2019 alone.

This can pose an enormous problem for retirees on a fixed income. Many people over 75 bought their houses decades ago when Utah was one of the most affordable places in the country to live. These Utahns’ tax bills keep rising while their retirement income does now, and it forces them to make heartbreaking choices like paying their taxes or covering medical care — or even just keeping their homes.

Thankfully, this year Sen. Fillmore is sponsoring SB 25, which allows for qualifying seniors 75 and older to be able to defer their property tax bill until they either sell the house or the property otherwise changes hands. At that point, the tax bill would be due with a little bit of interest.

It’s an elegant solution that doesn’t put undue hardship on either elderly Utahns or the property owners around them. The state still gets its tax money, just a little bit later.

Read the Op-Ed Here

New bills

SB 62: Special Needs Opportunity Scholarship Expansion

HB 412: Rewarding Those Who Prevent Recidivism

HB 386 & SB 191: Enabling Innovation in Education

HB 341: Clarifying Requirements for Birth Certificate Applications

HB 372 & HB 407: Weakening Free Speech and Property Rights for Short-term Rentals

How to keep up to date every day

If you’ve ever tried to keep up with the happenings up at the State Capitol during the legislative session, you know that things can and do happen quickly. It’s hard to keep track of what all is happening and when.

Thankfully, our very own Ben Shelton has taken the guesswork out of where to find the information you’re looking for regarding bills’ statuses, various committee meeting timings, and what votes are coming up soon. This handy guide will tell you how to find exactly what you’re looking for, complete with helpful pictures so you don’t get lost.

Our Legislative Tracker is also updated regularly, so you can see, at a glance, what all we’re keeping our eyes on in particular, as well as their status, priority, and whether or not we support it.

We’ll also be publishing more write-ups on most of the bills you’ll see there, so be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and especially Twitter for as-they-happen updates and news.

Bad:   extragant

Good: extravagant

When you are being extravagant it’s like using a funnel to pour in all the rich purchases. So remember the V in extraVagant.

Happy 2-sday of 2-22-22.

At work, other companies will offer webinars on various topics. This webinar was about suggestions when buying a home. Bank of America presented this webinar. Any misinformation is the fault of the note taker.

Half of Americans are stressed about their finances.

What are the advantages of buying a home?

• Increased equity.
• You have a place of your own.
• Avoid the risk of rent going up.
• Expenses are deductible.

Barriers to buying a home:

• Saving for a down payment
• You pay for the cost of maintenance and other expenses.

Understanding credit:

• Credit is influenced by a credit report and induvial credit report
• Credit scores of 700 is considered good
• A score under 600 makes it hard to get a loan. You will get the best mortgage options.
• How credit scores affect your interest rate” https://bettermoneyhabits.bankofamerica.com/en/home-ownership/how-credit-affects-interest-rate
• Those reviewing your credit wants to see evidence of past credit history
• Set a saving goal for buying a house.

Useful Bank of America websites:

• Introduction to Better Money Habits>

https://bettermoneyhabits.bankofamerica.com/en .

• Greater detail what goes into FICO Scores

https://www.myfico.com/credit-education/what-is-a-fico-score

• Better Money Habits link to “Setting a Budget” https://bettermoneyhabits.bankofamerica.com/en/saving-budgeting/set-budget-stick-to-it
• Calculating your Affordability
• https://bettermoneyhabits.bankofamerica.com/en/home-ownership/buying-home-comfortably-affordably
• Bank of America “Down Payment Center”
• https://mortgage.bankofamerica.com/mortgage-down-payment-center
• Link to Bank of America Affordable Loan Solution page https://www.bankofamerica.com/mortgage/affordable-loan-solution-mortgage/

Q&A:

• What is the advantage of an adjustable-rate mortgage? Often lower than fixed.
• Are school loans affected for qualification? School loans are factored in. the only exception is a doctor’s loan program.
• When pull report does it, count a search and take a point? Yes. Every time it will show up. There are several free sits for credit reports.
• What about a prequalification letter? It needs to have the credit run.

These are notes from church. Any misinformation is the fault of the note taker.
– John 15:12
– Love one another.
– A mother was teaching a child to not be cruel to a student at school. She showed the child a nice, straight, unused tissue. She wadded it. How does it look? she asked the child. Not very good. This is like being cruel to someone. She spread it out. Does saying “I’m sorry” fix it? No. Then don’t be cruel in the first place. Mom assigns the child to become that victim’s friend and protector.
– Nice and kind are pretty much the same thing.
the speaker shared an experience of standing in line at the grocery. A woman in the front of a shopping line was separating items from her husband. When the amount was totaled the woman said that amount is not correct. Do it again. Members in the line rolled eyes at each other but didn’t say anything. The cashier reprocessed the charges. the woman was happy with the last totals that were the same. The woman and husband left.  When the speaker took her groceries to her car the husband was putting his cart away. He told that he appreciated her patience with his wife. She has dementia.

These are the notes I took from the town hall meeting Mike hosted for February. Any misinformation is the fault of the note taker. This is a submission to caucus corner.

Inflation:

• Met with Mayer, a store owner, and citizens in Riverton
• Makes like more expensive for families.
• The Nation is at 7% inflation.
• Utah inflation is 8.6%.
• Grocery stores are struggling to stay open.
• Families struggle to make ends meet.
• Local governments feel pressure for the cost of infrastructure projects.
• Federal spending is to blame.
• Last week passed 32 trillion in debt.
• 64% of Utah’s think inflation is not going away very soon.
• Mike votes against runaway spending.
• He introduced the Grinch act to address the regulatory part.

Russia

• When the US is involved needs to have a debate first before dicing to be involved.
• Congress should approve before the US go to war/

Q: housing prices. High rent?

• Is influenced by inflation and printed dollars.
• In our state: 2/3 of land is owned by the government. The land is more scarce.
• Two hrs. before this call, he talked to The US Dept. of interior officials. Discuss individual portions of federal land that are not part of a National Park, or declared Park or National Monument.

Q: government is the cause of inflation?

• Due to overspending. And republicans permitting things to happen.
• We should have a structured spending reform.
• Want a constitution amendment to not spend more money th4hn they bring in without supermajority from both houses. 2/3.

Q: Vaccine mandates?

• He had been vaccinated. He has had covid.
• Government should not dictate mandates.
• People should not be threatened with losing jobs or fines. It’s unconstitutional.
• President with a strike of an executive pen threatened parents’ jobs.
• Supreme Court said not constitutional

Q: Big tech?

• They are becoming more diabolical such as turning off go fund me money for the Canadian truckers and spying on US citizens.
• Few companies can control so much.
• The government only has power over companies that have too much market power is by avoiding monopolies. Companies need to do non-competitive conduct. Reports of anti-completive are being checked.
• He’s on the juridical committee. There is a lack of competition in mobile apps for phones. Two companies: apple and google. Switch costs are high which discourages transfer. The fourth amendment protects against government surv3ylence but not private companies.
• Governments are using foreign intelligence can abuse using tech companies to gather citizen info.

Southern border;

• Drug cartels are profiting from illegals
• Some immigrants travel hundreds of miles under dangerous circumstances..
• He served a mission in communities along the border so he can relate to the people there.
• No one fears uncontrolled immigration more than those who live on the border. Livelihood is threatened.
• Drug cartels charge migrants extravagant sums.
• 30-60% of women and girls are subjected to sexual assault.
• Mike helped devise the remain in Mexico program with the Mexican government and the past administration. Stay in Mexico for filling out an asylum application.
• Under the Biden admin, the illegals only have to say we want to apply for asylum:  Biden admin says we want you to come back when there is a hearing. We hope you will show up. Once it’s scheduled. And immigrants can go anywhere. The government pays their expenses.
• Remain in Mexico was working very well. It resulted in the greatest border security in decades.
• We’ve seen illegal traffic is at the highest numbers ever done.

Voting legislation concerned about government taking over voting How to defeat that law?

• Reference election constraints(?) different days. When he references the text of the constitution takes away emotion in the conversation.
• Federal is power is exercised at the state and local levels. National commerce, declare wared, patens etc.
• States: have the power to run elections. The Federal government can dictate how to it can clean up its voting files.
• There are a few things still protecting us. Need 60 votes supermajority to end debate. A couple of Democrats have stood up against Federal voting.

Inflation?

• Grocery stores operate on a thin margin.
• Once prices go up, they have a tendency to stay there.

Oil prices?

• Biden’s admin makes costs of energy higher and skyrocket. Day one threatened to stop all oil production on federal lands.
• Higher oil means fewer things being produced.
• On natural resources committee: brings up concerns on the committee.
• When the administration acknowledges there is a problem with oil. The president taps into the – petroleum reserves.
• The Biden admin put pressure on OSHA countries to increase their oil production which seems hypercritical.
• A small group of eletes are isolated from the problem they create.

Q: war powers in congress or the lack of war powers. This is the 6^th month anniversary we left alfastan. We are still involved with other war zones.

• The citizen said, There is a defend the guard: to prevent their state guard to participate in international conflict until the congress declares war. Do you agree with the message of the bill? He had not heard of the group. He agrees with the principle.
• Federalist article #69: this is a big difference between the US government and England. Congress had to declare war. In England, the Monarch could take the nation into war.
• When Obama wanted to declare war on Saria, he got pushed back. He was asked, what is the objective of war and other concerns.
• National security powers act bill mike a fellow democrat, Cris Murphy (liberal democrat) undeclared wars is bad. Berny sanders and Mike discussed how we could avoid going to war against Russia. Berny agreed.

Q: Supreme Court. Biden wants to nominate an African American woman. Do you have a preference for who would be good?

• I admire justice Brier: the media and activists influenced His retirement.
• Biden nomination of a specific race is disrespectful to the prospective nominee. It constrains the field and does not get the best person to fulfill that role.
• Bien may announce the nominee at end of February. I’m on the committee that will interview the nominee. Want to make sure they are qualified. With all the shortcomings of Republicans, they have not participated in the policy of personal destruction. The same cannot be said for the other side.

Bad:     Adanaman

Good:  Abdomen

MEN and woMEN have an abdoMEN. Also, the abDOM is located in the DOMain of the lower body. I’ll have to remember the b  instead of the d in this word.