Travis and Amber Lacy - marriage - June 4, 2012

Annette, Andrea, and I are in San Antonio, TX to celebrate the marriage of Travis and Amber Lacy. Amber is our daughter.

Baker Bunch Weekly Update - March 21, 2010

Hello Everybody,

We hope you are doing well. We have been very busy the last few weeks.

In February we had a great vacation to visit Adam and Mary. We went there to see their newborn son, Luke. Luke was born on December 23, 2009. Because of the earth quake in Haiti, the Air Force deployed Adam to the Caribbean to help with the relief. He left on Wednesday and we arrived Rapid City on Thursday. But we had a great time visiting with Mary and Luke.

We made it to Mt. Rushmore again. We bought a South Dakota flag to add to Gary’s flag collection. At work, he has a flag display of all the states that the family was born in. It includes, Missouri, Utah, Texas, Florida, Illinois, West Virginia, Guatemala, and now South Dakota.

Andrea

Andrea started her behind the wheel in driver’s ed. She will be taking her ACT test on April 28^th .

5K Run

While visiting Mary in South Dakota, Gary ran in the Chili Chilly 5K run. He had is personal best at 23:57.

Weekly Quote

Sometimes the most productive “point and click” application is that of pointing our finger at the power button and clicking our digital devices off.

Quote from Elder Dale G. Renlund Of the Seventy

Alma the Younger poses a series of questions to contemporaries of the people of Ammon that figuratively biopsy spiritually changed hearts. Alma asks, “If ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?”8 He further asks if they have been sufficiently humble, free of pride and envy, and kind toward their fellowman.9 By honestly answering questions like these, we can correct early deviations from the strait and narrow path and keep our covenants with exactness.

In 1980 we moved as a family across the street from the hospital where I trained and worked. I worked every day, including Sundays. If I finished my Sunday work by 2:00 p.m., I could join my wife and daughter and drive to church for meetings that began at 2:30.

One Sunday late in my first year of training, I knew that I would likely finish by 2:00. I realized, however, that if I stayed in the hospital just a little longer, my wife and daughter would depart without me. I could then walk home and take a needed nap. I regret to say that I did just that. I waited until 2:15, walked home slowly, and lay down on the couch, hoping to nap. But I could not fall asleep. I was disturbed and concerned. I had always loved going to church. I wondered why on this day the fire of testimony and the zeal that I had previously felt were missing.

I did not have to think long. Because of my schedule, I had become casual with my prayers and scripture study. I would get up one morning, say my prayers, and go to work. Often day blended into night and into day again before I would return home late the following evening. I would then be so tired that I would fall asleep before saying a prayer or reading the scriptures. The next morning the process began again. The problem was that I was not doing the basic things I needed to do to keep my mightily changed heart from turning to stone.

I got off the couch, got on my knees, and pleaded with God for forgiveness. I promised my Heavenly Father that I would change. The next day I brought a Book of Mormon to the hospital. On my to-do list that day, and every day since, were two items: praying at least morning and evening and reading in the scriptures. Sometimes midnight would come, and I would have to quickly find a private place to pray. Some days my scripture study was brief. I also promised Heavenly Father that I would always try to get to church, even if I missed part of the meeting. Over the course of a few weeks, the zeal returned and the fire of testimony burned fiercely again. I promised to never again fall into the spiritual death trap of being casual about these seemingly small actions and thereby jeopardizing things of an eternal nature, regardless of circumstances.

Luke Adam Baker - February 13, 2010

We are having a great time in Rapid City, SD visiting with Mary (our daughter-in-law). Our son, Adam, has been deployed with the US Air Force to San Juan, PR to help with Haiti.

The video is of our grandson, Luke Adam Baker.

Baker Bunch Weekly Update - November 16, 2009

How are you doing this week? We are all doing great!

We had stake conference this past weekend. The stake young women’s sang a beautiful song. Andrea was part of the choir and got to set on the stand for the Sunday Session for the entire two hours.

Ashley and Aiden joined us for conference. Aiden fell asleep on Mom’s shoulder. When he woke up and started to fuss (only a little) Dad took him out. When they went out, he was very good. He just want to stand up with somebody.

Gene Schrecengost (Great Lakes Military Branch President) was one of the speakers. He told about some Priesthood Blessings that had been given at the Navy Boot Camp. One was one of the blessings that dad had given about a year ago. One of the recruits had liver problems. In the blessing that Dad gave, Heavenly Father blessed him he would be healed. If the recruit did not heal, he would have been discharged from the Navy. He was healed and continued his service in the Navy.

Mom and Dad played tennis on Saturday with some friends from Crystal Lake (Martin Smarten) and Island Lake (Pat Packard). They had a great time.

Andrea had a birthday party last Friday night with her friend she has know since 1^st grade. Valerie Burton. Some of the people there were watching an R rated movie downstairs. Andrea and some of her other friends stayed upstairs. Good for her.

Andrea has official all her hours behind the wheel with mom and dad. Now she has to finish up with her behind the wheel with her teacher at Wauconda High School. They told us in January 2010 she will start behind the wheel.

Hope you are all doing well!

Happy Thanksgiving - 2009

“Happy Thanksgiving”

November 2009

"Gratitude is a Spirit‑filled principle. It opens our minds to a universe permeated with the richness of a living God. Through it, we become spiritually aware of the wonder of the smallest things, which gladden our hearts with their messages of God's love. This grateful awareness heightens our sensitivity to divine direction. When we communicate gratitude, we can be filled with the Spirit and connected to those around us and the Lord. Gratitude inspires happiness and carries divine influence."

Bonnie D. Parkin

Baker Bunch Weekly Update - November 9, 2009

BYU Flag Football

Austin and Andrew are on the same BYU flag football team. Their 6^th game was Saturday. Mom and Dad were able to watch them play. We are sure glad they did not break their streak. They are 6-0 and won their first tournament game. YEA!

Grandma Baker’s Biscuits & Gravy!

Dad was able to visit with Grandma Baker while on vacation. He was at her home from Sunday night until Wednesday morning. On Monday night they went to Macomb and had a great Mexican dinner. Tuesday night they had a nice quiet dinner at home. For breakfast on Wed., Dad was treated to Grandma’s delicious biscuits and gravy.

Tucanos for Andrew’s Birthday

We finally made it to Tucanos to treat Andrew for his 23^rd birthday.

Grandma Schaugaard’s Birthday

Mom and Dad treated Grandma Schaugaard to breakfast at iHop in American Fork. Grandma’s birthday is Wednesday the 11^th.

Utah Vacation

Mom, Andrea, & Dad went to Utah. Their traveled Thursday to get there and traveled back to Chicago on Sunday. Thursday afternoon, we went to gravity hill and watched a tennis ball “roll up hill”. We also went to the top of the Church office building. Andrea was working on a school project about revolving doors. She got some good pictures. Thursday night we stayed at Grandma’s home. Friday we were able to see Austin, Shirley, and Andrew.

Shirley had oral surgery on Friday afternoon. Friday night we had Cafe Rio for dinner and watched G.I. Joe. Saturday we celebrated Thanksgiving early at Austin and Shirley’s home. We had a great Thanksgiving Lunch with left overs for dinner. We watched Aliens in the Attic on Sat. night.

Church with Aunt Sharon

On the way back to IL. we went to church with Aunt Sharon in Sandy, UT. Her Ward had the primary Sacrament Meeting.

She gave us some really good dried apples for the plane ride back to Illinois.

Adam fixed the brakes on our Pontiac

While we were on vacation, Adam fixed the brakes on our Pontiac. It is so nice to have brakes that work.

Ramus LDS Chapel Cornerstone

Gary Baker and Terry McConnell pictured with bricks & cornerstones from the Ramus LDS Chapel. Near here, Joseph Smith received Doctrine and Covenants Sections 130 & 131. http://www.mormonhistoricsitesregistry.org/USA/illinois/ramus/history.htm

Ramus, Illinois was originally settled by Revolutionary War veteran Ute Perkins and his family in 1826 and lies approximately 20 miles east of Nauvoo, Illinois.¹ At the time of its initial settlement, Ramus was referred to as the Perkins Settlement, after the Perkins family.

Joel Hills Johnson, a member of the LDS Church, moved to Carthage in early 1839 and commenced preaching the gospel in the surrounding area. Ute Perkins and many members of his family were converted and a branch of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was organized on April 17, 1839 named the Crooked Creek Branch. As the area grew, the branch was reorganized by Hyrum Smith into a stake with Brother Johnson as stake president. Also around this time, the name of the area was officially changed to Ramus, a latin word meaning branch.² When the town was formally incorporated in March 1843, the area was named Macedonia.

Key Events at Ramus - Settled in 1826 by Ute Perkins and his family. - On April 17, 1839, Ute and some of his family were converted an a small branch was organized. - Hyrum Smith organized a stake here on July 9, 1840 with Joel H. Johnson as president. - Doctrine & Covenants Section 130 & 131 was received here.

Joseph Smith made many trips to Ramus and often stayed with a close friend, Benjamin F. Johnson or one of his sisters, Sophronia or Catherine, both of whom lived in Ramus.³ Additionally, Joseph Smith received Doctrine & Covenants sections 130 & 131 while in Ramus.

The members of the Church in Macedonia left en masse with the exodus of the Saints who went West in 1846. After the exodus, the name of Macedonia was changed again to its present-day name of Webster.

In May 2000, the Ute V. Perkins Family Organization, with the assistance of the Mormon Historic Sites Foundation, erected a historic marker describing the significance of the early history of the area and paying tribute to the many people who helped develop the community.

Brigham Young - Win the Race, Conquer in the Battle

Brigham Young, 2nd President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Brigham Young said, "While speaking the other day to the people, I observed that "the race not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong," neither riches to men of wisdom. I happened to cast my eyes upon Ira Ames, who was sitting in the congregation. I knew he had been in the Church a considerable length of time, I have been personally acquainted with him for twenty years. My eye also caught many more of the first Saints at the same time. These men know that "Mormonism" is true, they have moved steadily forward, and have not sought to become noted characters as many have; but, unseen as it were, they have maintained their footing steadily in the right path. I could place my hand upon many in this congregation, who will win the race, though they are not very swift, to outward appearance, and they make no great pretensions; they are found continually attending to their own business. They do not appear to be great warriors, or as if they were likely to win the battle. But what is their true character? They have faith today, they are filled with faith, their words are few, but they are full of integrity. You will find them tomorrow as they were yesterday, or are today. Visit them when you will, or under what circumstances , and you find them unalterably the same; and finally when you have spent your life with them, you will find that their lives throughout have been well spent, full of faith, hope, charity, and good works, as far as they have had the ability. These are the ones who will win the race, conquer in the battle, and obtain the peace and righteousness of eternity." Journal of Discources 1:89. Brigham Young

Baker Bunch Weekly Update - October 26, 2009

Adam Stiles celebrated his 23rd birthday on the 17th of October. Adam, Ashley, Mom, and Dad went to Friday’s restaurant to honor Adam. (Actually Ashley was already there and was our waitress) We had a great time. Thank you Adam for all you do! While having dinner with Adam, he taught Mom and Dad a lot about cars.









Dad ran his third 5K in Island Lake. His time was faster than last week. He ran it in 23:27. He came in 14th place overall. He placed 5th place out of 16 in the 40 year old males and above.

Andrea - Service Project
Last Saturday, Andrea helped the Buffalo Grove Stake with a service project in Crystal Lake at the Hanna Bearsley School. The Mutual helped clean up the school for all the times the school has let the youth from church have activities there.

Ward Halloween Party
The Crystal Lake 1st Ward had it’s Halloween Party last Saturday. Andrea was in charge of the cake walk.

Thought of the week
“It is not easy to give up our personal priorities and desires. . . . [But] ‘he who lives only unto himself withers and dies, while he who forgets himself in the service of others grows and blossoms in this life and in eternity’ (Gordon B. Hinckley, Teachings of Gordon B. Hinckley [1997], 588).”

Baker Bunch Weekly Update - October 19, 2009

Happy Birthday - Andrew

Andrew celebrated his birthday on the 15^th of October.

We had a great week!
Last week was tons of fun. Austin had flown to Indianapolis to interview at the Dental School. He stayed with Joseph & Natalie Clark. On Saturday they brought him to Wauconda. They spent the weekend at our house. Joe and Natalie have a beautiful baby boy name Jayare. He was very cute.

Ashley, Adam, and Aiden came to church with all of us on Sunday in Crystal Lake. Ashley friend, Mary from Denver, also.

On Monday Joe, Austin, and Dad played tennis. Austin and Dad played even more when all the others left after breakfast. Austin beat Dad.

Mom took the afternoon off. Andrea, Mom, Austin, and Dad went to the matinee movies in Fox Lake. We watched “Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs” in 3D. It was a fun movie. It was a group effort of which movie to go to.

On Tuesday, Austin had an interview at University of Illinois at Chicago’s School of Dentistry. Dad took Austin to his appointment. After the interview, they had lunch together near the airport. Then Austin flew back to Salt Lake City. We had so much fun, we forgot to take pictures.

Dad ran his 2^nd 5K in Island Lake. His time was 24:10.

Dad's 5K run in Island Lake - October 17, 2009

Big Rocks First

A Story of Priorities and a Jar

Tips for Squeezing More into Your Life

I First Heard this from Stephen Covey

The following story is one that’s been circulating for awhile. I believe it holds a very important message regarding appropriately setting priorities in our lives. 



A professor of philosophy stood before his class with some items in front of him. When the class began, wordlessly he picked up a large empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it with rocks about two inches in diameter. He then asked the students if the jar was full. 



They agreed that it was full. 



So the professor then picked up a box of pebbles and poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly and watched as the pebbles rolled into the open areas between the rocks. The professor then asked the students again if the jar was full. 



They chuckled and agreed that it was indeed full this time. 



The professor picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. The sand filled the remaining open areas of the jar. “Now,” said the professor, “I want you to recognize that this jar signifies your life. The rocks are the truly important things, such as family, health and relationships. If all else was lost and only the rocks remained, your life would still be meaningful. The pebbles are the other things that matter in your life, such as work or school. The sand signifies the remaining “small stuff” and material possessions. 



If you put sand into the jar first, there is no room for the rocks or the pebbles. The same can be applied to your lives. If you spend all your time and energy on the small stuff, you will never have room for the things that are truly important. 



Pay attention to the things in life that are critical to your happiness and well-being.

Take care of the rocks first – things that really matter. Set your priorities.

The rest is just pebbles and sand.

Introducing the Gary and Annette Baker Bunch Newsletter