Scarecrow and Mrs. King episodes

1st season -


The First Time
There Goes the Neighborhood - Connie Beth hair products
If Thoughts Could Kill - brainwash with a duck
Magic Bus - RV equipped with artillery
The ACM Kid - Scarecrow takes in a genius boy, Alexi
Service Above and Beyond - Amanda, as Victoria Greenwich, is drugged
Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth - Amanda befriends a  princess
Saved by the Bells - Amanda asked to feed Lee's fish and she's kidnapped
Sudden Death - football
Remembrance of Things Past - ex-agent returns to complete mission. Scarecrow pretends to die
Lost and Found - Angelo Spinelli and his wife as KGB
Long Christmas Eve
Not Now, Nor Have I Ever Been... a Spy - Amanda has amnesia
Dead Ringer - Francine and Magdah Petrak
The Mole - Big Blue orders Scarecrow to spy on co-workers
Savior - missile - Scarecrow as double agent
Artful Dodger - Amanda dates the "Dodger" so the "D" can get to the age
Filming Raul - Amanda asks if she should learn to hit
Fearless Dotty - Dotty takes the wrong book and they come after her
Weekend - Francine has toothache so Amanda has to spend weekend at club with Scarecrow as "spouses"
Waiting for Godorsky


2nd season -


To Catch a Mongoose - Amanda's friend from school is the mongoose - set in Europe
The Times they are a-Changin' - set in Germany. Amanda wins a vacation
Double Agent - Jean Stapleton
Legend of Das Geisterschloss - set in Germany
Charity Begins at Home - loses car
Brunettes are In
Affair at Bromfield Hall
A Class Act - training camps
Our Man in Tegernsee
Playing Possum
Three Faces of Emily
Ship of Spies
Spiderweb
A Little Sex, A Little Scandal
A Relative Situation
Life of the Party
Odds on a Dead Pigeon
Car Wars
Amanda Eats Drugged Sandwich
You Only Die Twice
Burn Out
Murder Between Friends
Vigilante Mothers


3rd season -


Lovely Little Affair
We're Off to See the Wizard
Over the Limit
Tail of the Dancing Weasel
Welcome to America, Mr. Brand
Sour Grapes
Utopia Now
Reach for the Sky
J. Edgar Hoover's Ghost
Flight to Freedom - Boat
Wrong Way Home
Fast Food for Thought
One Bear Dances, One Bear Doesn't
Playing for Keeps (tennis)
Pharaoh's Engineer
The Triumvirate (too much money)
They Eyes Have It
Wrong Number
The Boy Who Could be King
Dead Men Leave No Trails
Three Little Spies
All the World's a Stage


4th season -


Stemwinder - Part 1
Stemwinder - Part 2
Unfinished Business
No Thanks for the Memory
It's All in the Water
Nightcrawler
Billy's Lost Weekend
Photo Finish
The Man Who Died Twice
Need to Know
Any Number Can Play
Promises to Keep
Rumors of my Death

Bad Timing
Do You Take This Spy?
Mission of Gold
Santa's God a Brand New Bag
One Flew East
All that Glitters
Suitable for Framing
A Matter of Choice
Kruschev List

Harry Potter

Years ago I left Harry in his second year of Hogwarts. Finally, after this many years I decided to find out what happened to him. In July I began re-reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the first sequel, and have continued through the entire series. Then, I decided to watch all of the movies and just finished this entire routine on Saturday morning, October 14, 2017.  J. K. Rowling has a wonderful way of describing the action. I found that if I read slow enough I could picture everything that was going on. I was also appreciative of the movies (the 4th, 6th, and 7th) that followed the books fairly accurately because I didn't want to see a new story but rather a visual interpretation.

The story is about a young boy, Tom Riddle, who becomes aware of abilities he has that other people don't have. Thus, he grows up until about the age of at least 11 thinking he is special. When Dumbledore visits him and recruits him to Hogwarts, he realizes he is not the only one with such abilities. However, he wants to continue to believe that he is special. He attends Hogwarts and learns wizarding skills, but also comes out of the experience knowing many skills that constitute the dark arts. In the ensuing years of Hogwarts, he promulgates a belief that only wizards and witches that were pureblood (both father and mother had been a wizard and a witch) had any right to the title. All others muddied up the race - thus, the name mudbloods and half-bloods. The irony is that his own father was not a wizard, whom he murdered so that the knowledge of his background would not reach anyone. Those who were members of the organization vowed to help him and imprinted something into their skin that would call them to service. He ruled by lies, fear, intimidation, and racial exploitation, and it was impossible to back out. He would guilt people into submission and coercion, claiming people were guilty of doing exactly what he was doing.

Many jumped on the bandwagon in support of the agenda of Tom Riddle (Voldemort, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, You-Know-Who, the Dark Lord), declaring allegiance to the tyrant that he was. I'm not sure when they realized that they were not safe within his watch, but as time went on, and they witnessed his treachery, they must have come to the conclusion that their lives were in danger. Even those most loyal to him were not safe, as is always the case with someone who is willing to kill for power.

Harry, on the other hand, never wanted anyone to die for him, or to die to help him. Harry began his training as a wizard innocently. He developed his skill as a wizard but wasn't particularly clever. He was motivated by a concern for people, and his skill was developed as he attempted to protect them and as he was put in the line of fire. Professor Dumbledore, Snape, Sirius, Lupin, and others gave him information, but only enough to leave him with questions, but it forced him to figure out solutions, to think through situations. Also, the frequent danger he found himself in required quick reaction, and the situations resulted in his being taught how to deal with difficulties.

Harry's humble approach to his wizarding skills, his ability to learn from the problems he faced as well as his genuine concern for those who were trying their best won the day. He was able to defeat the evil powers around him.

Keeping the Holy Spirit - Talk for Erin's homecoming

I’m grateful for the time Erin was able to serve a full-time mission. It was wonderful to hear of her experiences during the 18 months that she was in Tennessee. It is a great blessing to see the growth that she has made in her testimony and knowledge of the Gospel. Besides this great blessing for her, our Heavenly Father gives many blessings to parents. So, I have felt conflicted to be able to welcome missionaries home but then to have to say good-bye to the blessings that accompany their service. One blessing in particular that I have been wishing I could keep with me is the extra portion of the Spirit that has accompanied me.

In Galatians 5:22-23: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.” This calm, serene exterior that I had been carrying around has been fruit of the Spirit.

A missionary serves full-time, meaning every second of their life is a sacrifice of service to the Lord, thus, they are deserving of the blessings of our Heavenly Father continually. Can anything in real life be deserving of the blessings of our Heavenly Father in that way? I found at least four things that might help keep the Spirit with me.

First of all, we know from the promise given in the Sacrament prayers that the partakers are to “always have His spirit to be with them.” (Moroni 4:3) All we have to do is: 1) take upon ourselves the name of Jesus Christ; 2) strive to keep all of His commandments; and 3) always remember Him. So, this is the way to have the Spirit, but haven’t I been doing this for years? Since my baptism? Is there more to this?

Douglas D. Holmes, First Counselor in the Young Men General Presidency, explained in the October 2016 conference talks that receiving the Holy Ghost to a greater degree further moves us along the path of being born again. He said, "In the sacrament, we learn that the process of being born again is a step-by-step process, [where] little by little, week by week, we are transformed as we repent, covenant, and through increased endowments of the Spirit [become like the Savior].” Elder Dale G. Renlund described the process of enduring to the ends as follows:  "We may be perfected by repeatedly exercising faith in Christ, repenting, partaking of the sacrament to renew the covenants and blessings of baptism, and receiving the Holy Ghost as a constant companion to a greater degree."  Elder Holmes goes on to say, "As we then symbolically sacrifice our hearts and our sins upon the sacrament altar, we receive the Holy Ghost to a greater degree."

Secondly, again while reading the conference talks, I found a talk entitled "There is Power in the Book," by Elder LeGrand R. Curtis, Jr., referring to the Book of Mormon. Through his talk he cites several promises that were given in years past. One in particular is by President Ezra Taft Benson who taught: “There is a power in the book which will begin to flow into your lives the moment you begin a serious study of the book.” Another promise is by ”President Marion G. Romney, formerly a counselor in the First Presidency: “I feel certain that if, in our homes, parents will read from the Book of Mormon prayerfully and regularly, both by themselves and with their children, the spirit of that great book will come to permeate our homes and all who dwell therein… Parents will counsel their children in greater love and wisdom. Children will be more responsive and submissive to the counsel of their parents. Righteousness will increase. Faith, hope, and charity—the pure love of Christ—will abound in our homes and lives, bringing in their wake peace, joy, and happiness." These blessings are fruits of the Spirit, and that power is a gift of the Spirit.

Also, Pres. Thomas S. Monson said: “Read the Book of Mormon. Ponder its teachings. Ask Heavenly Father if it is true.” Elder Curtis goes on to say, "During that process you will feel the Spirit of God in your lives. I testify that the Book of Mormon is true. I have learned from its pages and felt the Holy Ghost as I have read it.

Third, James 1:27 reads, “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.” Elder Don R. Clarke, of the Seventy, said, "If you ask missionaries why they loved their missions, almost always they will say because of their love for the people. The day missionaries start to care more about others than themselves, they become happy. It is that way for all of us. Our lives will always be happier if we care for and love others. If you want to be happy, feel the Holy Ghost, and grow closer to the Savior, then practice pure religion." Love, happiness and joy from service are fruits of the Spirit, and I have felt these through service.

Finally, through the temple endowment, we may seek “a fulness of the Holy Ghost.” In the Doctrine & Covenants 109:14,15, besides being the dedicatory prayer for the Kirtland Temple, the Lord teaches some important truths. It says, "And do thou grant, Holy Father, that all those who shall worship in this house may be taught words of wisdom out of the best books, and that they may seek learning even by study, and also by faith, as thou hast said; And that they may grow up in thee, and receive a fulness of the Holy Ghost,... So, temple ordinances are seen as a means for receiving inspiration and instruction through the Holy Spirit and for preparing to return to God’s presence. I can testify to the truth of receiving inspiration from the Holy Ghost through temple attendance.

***Nearly three years after he was killed, the Prophet Joseph Smith appeared to President Brigham Young and said: “Tell the people to be humble and faithful and [be] sure to keep the Spirit of the Lord and it will lead them right. Be careful and not turn away the small still voice; it will teach [you what] to do and where to go; it will yield the fruits of the kingdom. Tell the brethren to keep their hearts open to conviction so that when the Holy Ghost comes to them, their hearts will be ready to receive it. They can tell the Spirit of the Lord from all other spirits. It will whisper peace and joy to their souls, and it will take malice, hatred, envying, strife, and all evil from their hearts; and their whole desire will be to do good, bring forth righteousness, and build up the kingdom of God. Tell the brethren if they will follow the Spirit of the Lord they will go right.”***

These are great blessings and worth working for. Brian K. Ashton, Second Counselor in the Sunday School General Presidency, said, "The gift of the Holy Ghost, if we receive it, allows us to have the constant companionship of a God and continual access to the grace that inherently comes with His influence. As our constant companion, the Holy Ghost gives us additional power or strength to keep our covenants. He also sanctifies us, which means to make us “free from sin, pure, clean, and holy through the atonement of Jesus Christ.”  Each time we receive the Holy Ghost into our lives, we are changed until step by step, little by little we become like Christ.”

I’m grateful for my membership in God’s true church, which allows me the privilege of constant companionship with the Holy Ghost. I pray that we all may seek a greater portion of its Spirit to be with us.